Tag: Four Patch Fun

Cool Four Patch Fun Quilted

This quilt was prepared to go to Colleen’s, but I just haven’t been up for the drive and was sick of having this quilt hanging around. I was so thrilled when Laura said she wouldn’t mind quilting it on her machine.

Cool Four Patch Fun trimmed
Cool Four Patch Fun trimmed

A few days ago, I went over to Laura’s for a visit and we quilted this quilt on her Bernina Q24. I am so grateful that she was willing to do it. Cool Four Patch Fun is the second quilt that we quilted. The process was so fast! I was amazed. I helped, but Laura is the expert and did  most of the work. I loved how she walked me through the process with a lot of patience twice .

Cool Four Patch Fun on the longarm
Cool Four Patch Fun on the longarm

Yes. Twice.

I am not sure if the process is so unfamiliar despite the training I did back in the dark ages that I can’t get it lodged in my head or if I am starting over so new to it. It could also be that the process is different on Laura’s machine. I don’t know. 

The machine was amazing and I was really interested so see how the computer part works within the process. This was the first time I had used a computer generated design – a design created to be used on a longarm. I am not sure if it was a pantograph or if that is something else, but it wasn’t custom quilted. That is new for me.

We weren’t rushing and we were chatting the whole time, but we quilted both quilts in less than two hours.

 

 

Last Four Patch Fun Blocks

Last 4 Patch Fun blocks
Last 4 Patch Fun blocks

As mentioned, I finished up a couple of Four Patch Fun blocks. These, along with the leftovers I didn’t use in the Cool Four Patch Fun quilt or the Warm Four Patch Fun quilt will make a nice donation quilt.

Four Patch Fun columns
Four Patch Fun columns

I am contemplating different layouts. My first idea was a kind of column quilt.

This layout works  because I have an extra couple of blocks that I cannot make into a Four Patch evenly. This layout incorporates those half blocks evenly.

Boring Four Patch Fun layout
Boring Four Patch Fun layout

I did try another layout, which I thought was just too boring. I would also have to make a few more blocks into order to make it even and I really just want to be done with this design.

Various Piecing Sunday

On Sunday, I did some clean-up projects. It seemed like a good thing to do after finishing the Pandora Charisma #2. I needed to tidy up my workroom any way. 

First, I made a label for the Quilt for Valor quilt. I haven’t shown that one here yet, so stay tuned.

Next, I got out my BAM BOM fabrics to make the last block. This is the Flying Kite (AKA Spinning Wheel) pattern. I made two and I really like them.

Leftovers from the Four Patch Fun quilts have been laying on my cutting table. I finally decided to get them into blocks. I have a few leftover blocks from those quilts and plan to make a donation top with them. Getting these leftovers pieced will add to the donation quilts.

I also tidied up after finishing the Pandora Charisma #2. I put the pattern, leftover fabric, etc away as well. 

In between the above photos, I continued to work on the Pink Color Strip donation blocks. I think I have made 60 so far!!! Twenty more and I can make two Sidewalk quilts.

Cool Four Patch Fun Ready for Quilting

As the title says, Cool Four Patch Fun is off the design wall and ready for quilting. 

I am glad this is off the wall. I am a bit tired of looking at it, though I do like the way it came out. 

I think I am tired of it, because of how long I have been working on the Four Patch Fun blocks. It’s my own fault, but I did use up a lot of scraps making these blocks.

Cool Four Patch Fun on the Wall

Part of Cool Four Patch Fun
Part of Cool Four Patch Fun

I finally got some of the Cool Four Patch Fun blocks up on the design wall. I found I needed to finish the 1-2-3 Mosaic table runner before I could put the rest up, so I started working on that.

At the moment all of the block pairs are done and I am just waiting for design wall space to do a little rearranging and then sew the top together.

Warm Four Patch Fun Top

Warm Four Patch Fun top
Warm Four Patch Fun top

I finished the Warm Four Patch Fun top and back the other day. The top is a bit of an odd shape, but then I realized it would be great for a twin bed or a toddler bed.

I can’t decide if the scrappy nature of the design works. Still, I am happy that the top is done. 

 

 

Warm Four Patch Fun back
Warm Four Patch Fun back

The back looks great, too, IMO. I started with an Emily Van Hoff print I bought. There weren’t many colorways of the interwoven curve designs left when I found about her, so I bought a peach and gold print, which was kind of a mistake. However, it works well with the top and adds interest to the back.

 

Starting the Cool Four Patch Fun Quilt

After installing all the KamSnaps into my Snap Trays, I started sewing something easy: Four Patches that will become part of the Cool Four Patch Fun quilt. 

I started sewing cool 2.5 inch squares together with white and low volume squares. I chose foreground fabrics that kind of matched each other.

First Cool 4 Patch Fun Four Patches
First Cool 4 Patch Fun Four Patches

Once I got home, I matched the Four Patches I made with Four Patch Fun blocks I thought would look good together.

I have more to make but the design wall is emptying and the pile of blocks ready for the other design wall is growing. I’ll need design wall space soon to lay this out.

 

Warm Four Patch Fun Progress

Warm Four Patch Fun - chunking
Warm Four Patch Fun – chunking

The Warm Four Patch Fun quilt is moving along. I have the individual blocks sewn into small sections. The more I sew, the more the quilt grows, which is awesome!

It is fairly rote to chunk the blocks together, but it is very satisfying to see the piece come together.

I’d like to finish this quilt soon and get to the cool version. 

Warm Four Patch Fun

Warm Four Patch Fun in progress
Warm Four Patch Fun in progress

The Four Patch Fun blocks have been on the small design wall for a long time doing nothing, but annoying me. Annoying me, because I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with them.

I finally had a brainwave. I decided that I am going to divide my Four Patch Fun blocks into Warm and Cool like I did with the Warm Windmill blocks (and the cool!). Then I will give them to my friend who is raising her son’s children. One of the first quilts I made, Star Babies, when I bought my Janome 9000 was the quilt I made for her son.I was able to applique’ when I bought that machine, which was something I really wanted to do.

This seems like a good outcome for these blocks. Everyone needs a quilt.

 

A Few More Four Patch Fun Blocks

I am not cutting any more foreground pieces for this quilt. I am trying to finish blocks for which I have foreground cut. Thus I have a few more blocks made.

More Four Patch Fun

I went looking for a post about the end of Four Patch Fun on Bonnie Hunter’s site and couldn’t find anything. I have several more blocks cut out, but think I might start making the Four Patches as described in the post about the Judy Martin find and work towards finishing this quilt.

I have made quite a few as leaders and enders during the time since my last post. I cut some pieces for more when I was scrap processing at the last Sew Day. After that was when I decided to sew up what I had and move on. I have other leaders and enders I want to use and I need to clear the decks a bit. 

112 Four Patch Fun Blocks

Four Patch Fun - batch #1
Four Patch Fun – batch #1

While these aren’t great photos, I am pleased to say that I have now made 112 of these Four Patch Fun blocks.

I stacked up the second group of blocks on top of the first batch since design wall space is at a premium right now.

I am  still making them, so there will be more. I started working on a layout in EQ8 similar to the Judy Martin quilt I showed. I had some math challenges and abandoned the design temporarily in EQ8, but not in general. 

Four Patch Fun - batch #2
Four Patch Fun – batch #2

I am trying not to use the same background and foreground together. It is a challenge with one of the V&Co dot fabrics as I have cut a lot of it. Still, it is a good challenge.

I am planning on just making blocks until I am done with them. They are really good leaders and enders and satisfying to make.

A Whole Lotta 4 Patch Fun

I really like making these blocks. They come together quickly and I am using up pieces I, otherwise, probably wouldn’t use or would allow to lay around for a long time.

Surprisingly, I LOVE making these blocks. They go together quickly, they are made using scraps and stacking up quickly.

Update on Four Patch Fun

American Spirit by Judy Martin
American Spirit by Judy Martin

I had an exciting discovery the other day. As I was doing through my quilt books, I took a look at Judy Martin’s Cookies and Quilts book. I found a fantastic quilt called American Spirit to use with these blocks. 

One of the things I like about this quilt is the combination of 4 Patches with the Four Patch Fun blocks. I really like 4 Patches and don’t get to use them enough. I’ll have to resize the pattern a little, but I think I can use some of the 2.5 inch squares I cut when I process my scraps.

I have made quite a few FPF blocks since my last update. I still have more strips from the Half Hexie Star to cut!

BTW, I emailed Judy through her website and asked if I could use a photo. She very kindly offered to send me one. I am glad I took her up on it, because the photo in the book is much more brown than the one she sent. The photo Judy sent is much more cheerful.

More Four Patch Fun

I just keep making these blocks.

I am still working through my Half Hexie Star strips, though I am almost out of lights, so I’ll have to cut a strip to make some backgrounds. 

I have about 32 of these so far.

 

 

 

 

**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.