Tag: Piecing

Chain Link on the Wall

Chain Link blocks on the wall
Chain Link blocks on the wall

Putting Chain Link up on the design wall the other day made a huge difference. I could finally see what was going on with this quilt. I made good progress over the past couple of days and am pleased that this quilt is finally going in the right direction.

In the photo, the fabrics look plaid. Except for a couple of gingham charms, there isn’t any plaid. The rainbow stripes contribute to the effect, I think.

I worked really hard on putting the strip sets together. It is a tedious task, but had to be done, so I just got on with it. Once all the blocks were in place, I could see what was going on with this quilt. I could see how to put it together and the way the design was supposed to work. I don’t know why I couldn’t see that before. 

Now on to chunking.

 

 

Triumphant Block 1: Done

Triumphant block 1
Triumphant block 1

After cutting a lot of pieceswrong and having to re-cut I finally finished block 1. What I figured out is that I am struggling to cut the HRT B pieces.

For the next block, I will label much better. I had a hard time figuring out which ruler to use for trimming.

I am pleased with the fabrics I chose. 

Triumphant Progress

Triumphant block 1
Triumphant block 1

It really is all about mystery quilts lately.

I finally got all the pieces I needed for the first block cut out correctly and started to sew the block together.

I am struggling with the HuRTy rulers**. I wanted to give up since my sewing time is really precious. However, cutting the background was so easy that I have it already cut out and couldn’t see wasting those strips. I’ll get there.

So far, I think it is an interesting  design, but not one I would have come up with myself. Perhaps this is a stretch for me? I am definitely using my brain with the rulers. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**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.

Old Town Top Complete

Old Town top complete
Old Town top complete

I finished the Old Town quilt top over the weekend! Hooray! I am so glad it is done.

It is pretty pink. Pretty in Pink? I don’t think it screams ‘little girl’. It does remind me of my childhood bedroom.

Now just to make the back and then I can take it to be quilted.

Half 16 Patch Sashing Top More Progress

Well, I thought I had done more than I have actually done. Or that’s the way it feels.

Half 16 Patch Sashing top #1 - more progress
Half 16 Patch Sashing top #1 – more progress

I put this quilt up on my large design wall and it turns out I have a whole bunch of sashing/blocks left to do.

I put the sashing/blocks along the outside so I could see the full extent of what I had. With so much white, the outside of the quilt melted away into the design wall. 

It turns out that I have one full sashing/block on the machine, but I still need about 13. I have more than a week until I want to hand it in at the guild meeting.

It has an interesting look. I think when I make the next one I need to be more selective about the colors I choose. I need to have one color used as alternate patches in all the blocks.

 

Progress on Half 16 Patch Sashing Donation Quilt

Half 16 patch sashing #1 in process
Half 16 patch sashing #1 in process

I have made good progress on the Half 16 Patch Sashing Donation top. I used the 2.5 inch squares as leaders and enders as I worked on Old Town. It was getting too big for the small design wall and that helped to spur me on to get Old Town finished. I wanted to see this top on the large design wall. I feel like I am almost finished!

Old Town Checkerboard Complete

Old Town with checkerboard border
Old Town with checkerboard border

DH was out of town all week with the Native Sons at Grand Parlor. I didn’t go as I had to work and hold down the fort at home. Instead of cooking dinner (hooray for microwaves!) I sewed and the Old Town second border is now complete.

I keep looking at this piece and marveling at how different it looks with borders. OMG! So much better. Who knew a border could do so much?

Moving Forward on Borders

Old Town - left checkerboard
Old Town – left checkerboard

I continued to work in dribs and drabs to get another border on Old Town. This one is a pieced checkerboard border.

I considered stopping work on this quilt at the plain border. I decided to soldier on because I already had made hundreds of 4 Patches.

I am amazed at how different the quilt looks after adding that checkerboard border. I know I only photographed half of the quilt. I stood and looked at it for a long time trying to figure out why that one border made such a difference.

More Orange Peel Circles

New Orange Peel Circles
New Orange Peel Circles

The Orange Peel circles are back!

Why? I don’t know. I have had a desire to make a few more recently. I bought a fat quarter of fabric specifically for this project and decided that this week was the week to make them. I was able to cut four circles out of a fat quarter and will have a few scraps left to make some donation blocks.

I also used some of the fabric I bought after Sara’s February or March live show. It’s been sitting out taunting me and this was a good way to test the waters.

I started out with the 8 inch Clammy**. I will also work on some with the 6 inch Clammy** next. I am just playing now. I don’t yet have a design or know what my background fabric will be. I have been thinking about it and will probably select a solid. Stay tuned.

 

 

 

 

**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.

Old Town Blocks Together

Old Town Center - complete
Old Town Center – complete

I spent last weekend putting the blocks for Old Town together. I didn’t have the whole weekend, but the center is now complete and I like the way it turned out.

I am not sure I put the blocks together in the order I originally intended, but I never do.

Next step is the borders. I have the HSTs sewn, but not pressed or trimmed.

Old Town on the Wall

Old Town - April 2025
Old Town – April 2025

Since all the blocks and sashing are finished, I put them up on my large design wall. They barely fit!! You can see some blocks for my next donation quilt hanging on the right side of the design wall.

I keep moving blocks around, but I am about to start sewing the blocks and the sashing together. The different values of the pinks and blues make various parts of the quilt stand out. I also think the different fabrics move the eye around the piece.

Grey Improv Finished

Grey Improv Donation top finished
Grey Improv Donation top finished

I have finally finished the Grey Improv donation top and back. It has taken awhile, though much of the time was it hanging on the design wall going nowhere.

I did a good job working through my odd sized grey scraps, which is the whole point of the exercise. I am even more convinced that improv works much better in a monochromatic palette. I think that a complementary color scheme would work as well. I haven’t tried that I think the quilt would end up being bed sized.

Grey Improv back
Grey Improv back

This quilt is about 45 in. x 45 in., which is on the large size for a baby quilt, but definitely kid sized. Also, in this color scheme I could imagine it working well for a boy.

I used the leftovers from two quilts for the back: the Hugs and a Kiss quilt and the Half Hexie Star. Good use of some good fabrics.

Old Town Sashing

Old Town Sashing - done
Old Town Sashing – done

I visited Cyndi for a Sew Day last weekend and was able to get the Old Town sashing to a good place. I had a lot of 1.5 inch squares to cut and then a lot of trimming to make a house shaped rectangle. It was a lot better to do all of that work with a friend. We were able to chat while I did the tedious parts and that was great.

I got out the Simply Folded Ruler** again to create the flippy corners of those house shapes. That ruler is a gem. I always forget, but it really makes those flippy corners easy to sew. I didn’t have to draw diagonal lines on the squares, which would have made the process even more tedious. AND there was no trimming afterwards which meant no opportunity to cut off the wrong triangle. I haven’t tried one of the Simply Folded patterns (actually Antler Quilt Designs). I remember seeing one that was interesting at the Granary, but thought I was too busy to buy it. I was surprised at how many patterns the company has. I remember them being kind of country colors and having weird looking angles, but that isn’t true. There are a variety of patterns, some with brighter colors and fewer weird angles.

The good part about Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilts is that she suggests different methods of making the various units. I was reintroduced to the Simply Folded Ruler** through this project. It is good to be reminded of how I can use different tools.