Friday Finish: 22 of 30

Woot woot!  I've quilted and bound 22 quilts since November 1.  That's 22 of my 30-quilt goal!

Here is "A Wedding Quilt for Joseph and Annie."  It was designed by Malka Dubrowsky, and the pattern is available here.  She includes the Kona Cotton colors so you can make your quilt exactly as shown!

I didn't remember that Malka also used straight-line quilting on her quilt.  I thought I was being so clever to quilt it that way!

Lucky for me, Elder Son came down from Denver for an appointment this week.  He replaced the nylon tracks on Meggie so she doesn't do the "swoop" when I'm trying to quilt straight lines.

Quilt #20/30 is a Strip Club quilt from early this year.  The fabric is Fig Tree & Co.'s "Strawberry Fields."  The pattern is called "Shortcakes."  Hence, "Strawberry Shortcakes!"

Next is an oldie that was almost a tragedy.  This quilt was waiting to be bound, sitting on the wet bar in my downstairs sewing room.  The kitchen sink overflowed and soaked everything on the wet bar.  Of course, I didn't notice it right away, and the dark red sashing bled into the off-white sashing.  I didn't want to just trash this lovely quilt, so I serged all the edges, then washed it with some color-catcher sheets.  Success!

The pattern is called "Four Patch Posies.  It's a kaleidoscope variation -- it is really fun to see how every block is different, even though they're all from the same fabric.

I'm slowly but surely getting all my 30s reproduction fabrics pieced and quilted.  This one, "Bowties" was another "Block a Day" from Anna Lena:

 My bookcase of ready-to-go quilts is filling up!

And since it's Friday, I'm linking up to TGIFF at Quilt Matters.

Only two more days to enter the giveaway for a free membership in Amy's "Sugar Block Club."  Go here to comment and enter!


From the desk of your

WIP Wednesday and Happy Holidays

I just can't resist sharing this music video.  I found it when my friend in Brisbane, Susan, shared a post by her friend in France, Bea.  You can click on the video and listen to some wonderful music while you look at Susan's and Bea's blogs!

Then come back!  Come ba . . .ck!

OK, whew.  Thought I'd lost you there.  Incredible, huh?

SO it's WIP Wednesday!  And as a favor to some Facebook friends who asked, today I am showing you my (cough) "progress" on Anna Lena's "Block a Day" for Fall.  If you don't "Facebook," you can see the quilt on her blog here.

I have 45 blocks completed, and tomorrow is the 80th day of Autumn!

I was making pretty good progress until I tried sewing at night after I had finished that day's long-arming.

Maybe you can see my problem with those last three blocks if I place one next to what it's supposed to look like!

Oops!

Linking up today to the newly redesigned WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced:

And remember:

My giveaway of a membership in Amy's "Sugar Block Club" runs the rest of the week.  Go here to comment for a chance to win!



From the desk of your

Tuesday Tutorial: Magic Triangles

If you haven't yet  finished your shaded four patches for Easy Street, you might want to try my "easy" (well, easi-er) method.

I bought this tool years ago and used it to make a wedding quilt for my oldest nephew.  Being the "directions are for wimps" quilter that I am, I wound up with enough blocks also to make a quilt for My Little Sailor's high school band director!

Bonnie calls these shaded four patches, but the tool designer calls them Magic Triangles, so that's what I'll call them for this tutorial.  I'm sorry to report that I can't find a web presence for this company, but you may still find the tool at your LQS.

1. First, cut strips of two different widths -- depending on the size of your finished blocks.  The dark fabric will form the corner square, the light forms the little triangles.  Mine are 2" and 3".  Sew them together along the long side and press toward the wider strip (in this case, the wider strip is the light fabric):

[The kitty cat Christmas mug is an important part of this project!]

2.  Layer two strip sets (strata) right sides together, dark side to light side and light side to dark side.  Cross-cut at 2" (again, depending on your finished block size).  Stitch all the sets together along the long side. 

3.  Next, snip into the seam but not past the stitching in the middle of the block:

Because of the snip in the seam, it's easy to press the seam toward the light fabric and make the block lie nice and flat:

I know, this doesn't look like it's going to come out square!  Trust me!

 4.  Next, mark the stitching line on the reverse of your blocks.  I used a pencil:

If you have a sandpaper board, the block won't wiggle around while your're marking.  See how the template is exactly in the corner of the purple square?

You can also use a Frixion pen if you want a really clear line:

5.  Repeat on opposite corner.  These will be your stitching lines.  Notice they go right through the seam intersection of the purple and background fabrics:

6.  Stitch on both lines, then cut between the lines (it is more than an 1/4" seam, don't worry, it will all work out!).  This results in TWO Magic Triangle blocks -- remember that when you're cutting your strata.

7.  Press toward the turquoise fabric and square up:

One episode of Downton Abbey, and voila!  64 Shaded Triangles.  Remember, each Magic Triangles block makes two shaded four patch blocks!

There we are, strolling along Easy Street!

Have you commented on my "Sugar Block Club" giveaway?  I have a little secret -- shhh, don't let Amy know I told.  I'm test-sewing for this project.  And I can tell you, you want to play along!  Go here and comment to win a free membership in the Sugar Block Club.

From the desk of your

Monday Mystery and Favorite Blocks

OK, because I want to join the linky party, here is my photo of Step 3 of Bonnie Hunter's "Easy Street."  Not that you haven't already seen a dozen or more (60 linkups last I checked!) photos just like this!

I'm posting  a tutorial tomorrow for my method of making the shaded triangle block.  

If you follow this blog, you know I'm giving away a free member ship in Stitchory Dickory Dock's "Sugar Block Club."  

For fun, I've asked people who comment to name their favorite quilt block.  The Log Cabin block is in the lead, but several people have named blocks I didn't recognize!

For instance, Eternity Knot:

Craftsy has a paper-pieced pattern for this block available for download for only $3.

Another block I'd never heard of is "Blackford's Beauty."  I love this one -- precision piecing at its best!

I found free instructions for this block at Quilt Lover's Guide.

Two I recognize, but that are not common are New York Beauty and Dresden Hearts.  I made My Little Sailor's graduation quilt of Judy Niemeyer's paper-pieced New York Beauty blocks:

Dresden Hearts is a sweet block for a baby quilt:

 
On Pinterest from Sharilyn Watson

So what's your favorite quilt block?  Go to this post and comment for a chance to win a membership in Amy's "Sugar Block Club."


From the desk of your

Sunday Stash and a Giveaway!

Although I don't "do" the Black Friday sales, I do have some new additions to the fabric collection to share with you all today.

My "12 Days of Christmas" purchase came from Craftsy.  A bargain on the entire "Simply Color" collection from V and Co.  Not assigned to a project yet, but keep reading for a possible use of this lovely set of fat quarters!

I really need to keep the receipts when I order stuff online.  I can't remember where I bought this fat quarter collection.  I do know I want to use it for a quilt for the next sailor on the USS George Washington to get promoted or earn the Navy Warfare Badge.  It's called "Seven Wonders" and it's the newest from Parson Grey for Free Spirit fabrics.  The companion print is called "Clouds," and it just makes me think of My Little Sailor's photo of the Indian Ocean.

Front Range Modern Quilt Guild is participating in a challenge next month using the Madrona Road collection.  I ordered my FQ bundle from my favorite etsy shop, freshsqueezedfabrics:

We're making pillows with some of these fabrics.  I can't wait to find out for whom I'm making a pillow, because I already have an idea for my design!

Did she say giveaway?

Yes.  Yes she did.  And what, pray tell, would the giveaway be?  How about a membership to Amy Gibson's 2013 block of the month program, the Sugar Block Club?  You may know that Amy was the designer for Crafsty's 2012 Block of the Month program.  Probably the most successful BOM program in the history of quilting, it had thousands of participants worldwide!

Here's you chance to continue playing along with Amy.  All you have to do is:

1. Be a follower of this blog
2. Comment on this post, telling me the name of your favorite quilt block
3. Be sure your comment is linked to an email address or include it in your comment
4. Giveaway ends next Sunday, December 16 at noon MST
5. Worldwide entries welcome!

BTW -- that Simply Color FQ bundle?  That's what I'm going to use for my own Sugar Block Club quilt!










From the desk of your