Friday, June 7, 2013

First Friday Finish

Of the month!

This is the 21st quilt top I've finished this year. I should make it to 52 if I keep on schedule.


"Paragon Pavers" is the quilt class I took at Quilt Camp in the Pines last month. It was designed and taught  by Carol Anne Wagner of Granny's Attic in McCall.

She thought the six rectangles in each block looked like patio pavers, and wanted a word that began with "p" and meant "perfect." So:  Paragon Pavers! I love the blue batiks Lori (I think) chose for my kit! Especially that she added the medium blue from her personal stash -- it's like having a little bit of Lori in my own sewing room.

The March/April 2009 issue of Fons & Porters Love of Quilting has a perfect "wave" pantograph pattern for the quilting. It will finish at 50" X 69" and would make an excellent baby quilt if made with only nine blocks. As it is, I will send it to one of the Sailors on the USS George Washington media section who was recently promoted.

As soon as the pattern is published, I will offer it as a giveaway!

From the desk of your auntmartisignature

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

WIP Wednesday: Dash in the Box

This project could just as readily be considered a UFO.  I started it in a class at Sew-Ciety in Castle Rock in January (if it's not more than one year old, does it count as a UFO?). They had a sample of the quilt in the shop, and I fell in love with the colors. LouAnn graciously helped me find all the same fabrics as were used in the sample - thanks, LouAnn! Really, the colors are more subtle than they appear in this photo (taken at night, with flash, so they don't read "true!")


It's called "Dash in the Box," because it has both a "box" design and a "Churn Dash" design. Six blocks are made from each set of three fabrics. My blocks are on the design wall with the six blocks of each three-color combination together. They'll be mixed up when I get the last set of six blocks completed!

Here is what the mixed-up blocks look like on the pattern cover:
Dash in the Box

The quilt was designed by Stephanie Prescott of A Quilter's Dream.

Although the construction is simple, keeping the colors straight make this a morning project -- not a late-night project!

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

I should have it finished in time for "A Friday Finish." Come back and see!



From the desk of your auntmartisignature

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Tuesday Tool: Half-Rectangle Bloc Loc

I've told you before that I think the Bloc Loc ruler is the greatest invention of the 21st Century. I wrote a tutorial on how to use it here.

Now, the inventor of the Bloc Loc ruler has added a half-rectangle to the Bloc Loc family. It features the same channel engraved across the bottom of the ruler as the Bloc Loc square up ruler.


Notice that there are two rulers in the HRT set - one with the channel leaning left, and one with a right-leaning channel. Which one you use depends on which way you want the HRT to "lean."

The set I bought from Julia at Room to Learn included a book with dozens and dozens of block patterns. It shows the blocks in several sizes, each of which can be made with the same HRT ruler set.


This is how I made the HRTs for the "Liberty Block" I tested today.

Cut a light and a dark rectangle for each two HRTs:


Then slice from corner to corner. It is important that both fabrics be cut right-side-up and from the same corner (upper right in this case) on both fabrics:


Place the light triangle on top of the dark, with the points extending approximately 1/4" on each end:


Trim the HRT as directed in the pattern. An easy way to place the ruler correctly is to place the side that reads "Bloc Loc" on the light side of the HRT (assuming you've pressed the seam toward the dark fabric).


Flip the ruler and trim the opposite side:


Each set of one dark and one light rectangle makes two HRTs. For this block, four HRTs are needed:


I made the corner half square triangles (HSTs) using my favorite Bloc Loc square ruler. Here is the finished block:


I think I would like to try this block with the center star in gold and the HSTs in the dark blue. It will make an excellent QOV, don't you think?

I have another project on the design wall. Come back tomorrow for WIP Wednesday.

From the desk of your auntmartisignature

Monday, June 3, 2013

Design Wall Monday

I confess: When I first saw this pattern, I thought the name was currants, as in raisins. Not currents, as in water. So I wondered why the sample was made with blue fabrics instead of purples.  Oh.

Well, mine is currants! This is one of those "easy to make" but "easier to mess up" designs. The layout of each block is critical, or the secondary pattern won't emerge.


I only had to "un-sew" and "re-sew" three or four blocks because the HSTs were turned the wrong way!


I'm thinking a "curvy straight-line" quilting design with purple thread. What do you think? This is Quilt #23 for 2013 -- if I finish one more before Friday, I'll be caught up for 52 Quilts in 52 Weeks.

I have a new tool to share with you tomorrow. Come back for "Tuesday Tool!"


From the desk of your auntmartisignature

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Sunday Scraps: Quilts of Valor

I'm sure you've heard of the Quilts of Valor Foundation.
The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover all combat service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.
The Wyoming State Quilt Guild, along with many, many other guilds across the country, is making blocks for Quilts of Valor. Today, my Sunday Scraps project is the block for the 10th Anniversary of the Quilts of Valor. The link with instructions is here,

The block requires fabrics in red, white or cream, and blue. The colors may be used in any position. I am listing the colors in the positions I used for my blocks.


Cutting
4 - 2.5" squares blue
2 - 3" squares blue
2 - 3" squares cream
4 - 2.5" X 4.5" rectangles red



Assembly
Using the cream and blue 3" squares, make four 2.5"  half square triangles.


Square up the HSTs to measure 2.5." If you have a Bloc Loc ruler, this is the time to use it!


Stitch the HST to the blue 2.5" squares.


Stitch the HST/square unit to the red 2.5" X 4.5" rectangle.



Arrange as shown and complete stitching.


Do not trim your blocks; assembled blocks should measure 8.5."


Here are my finished blocks:

The instructions request that blocks be signed with your first name and state. You may mail your blocks to Karen Demaree, Quilts of Valor Director, PO Box 628 Platteville, WI 53818.

Linking up to Scrap Basket Sunday at Kim's Big Quilting Adventure.

Scrap Basket Sunday

Or if you'd like, send your blocks to me and I'll take them to Quilt Wyoming with mine in July.



From the desk of your auntmartisignature

Saturday, June 1, 2013

May UFO Parade

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

No, wait, that the postman. But it also applies to this intrepid band of quilters -- we had rain, snow and WIND this May! And look at the finishes 52 Quilts "13 in 2013 Challenge" participants submitted!

Oh. Wait. First, you want to know what quilt to work on in June. June's challenge is UFO #9.

If you're a new reader, you can play along with the "13 in 2013" challenge. Just go here to read how!

My #9 UFO is another old old oldie! The instructions for this project (prints cut out, no background cut and not a single stitch sewn!) are from a magazine dated 2002! 


Here's a closeup of the 1930s reproduction fabrics I'll be using:


I found an entire bolt of white Michael Miller "cotton couture" to use for the background. Or maybe I'll use Kona Cotton "snow." Either way, I'd better get started, because there is a new Scrap Squad quilt due later this month!

Hmm, I see I didn't post a photo of my May UFO project underway. The top is pieced, that's finished for me! I worked on this quilt at Quilting in the Pines in McCall, Idaho. I had the blocks up on my nifty new portable design wall, and every time someone complimented it, I said "Oh, but I don't like this style of fabric."  Guess what? By the time I had it finished, I'd fallen in love with it!


This is a Deb Caffrey mystery I made a couple of years ago in batiks. A fellow quilter made hers in Civil War Reproduction fabrics, and I liked it so much, I made the quilt again.  I love how the bubblegum pink "pops" in this quilt.

And now, on with the show!

Debra was quick with her May finish. I received her email and photo on May 10, and what a great finish! I love the chocolate-covered-cherries colors, and look at those flying geese! Here is what Debra writes about this quilt:
 It is called Box of Chocolates and I got  the pattern from American Patchwork & Quilting, December 2010 Issue 107. The pattern was made by Chloe Anderson and Colleen Reale of Toadusew Creative Concepts. I made the king size and I believe the finished size is about 104" square. I laid it on my California king bed and it overlaps - thank goodness!!! 

Since she had the rest of the month, Debra also finished this adorable patriotic embroidery project:


My #12 is a small stitchery created by Joann Mullaly, formerly of the Country Loft, who does a lot of primitive work.  Joann's blog is:  woolcrazy-jam.blogspot.com. The stitchery is great for July 4th and I am so happy that it was chosen prior to July 4. The threads are a variegated Valdani and the stitchery was done on a tea-dyed muslin. The total size is approximately 16 x 24.
Great job, Debra!

Sandi of kwiltnkats continues her "k" quilt theme with "Knautical" (blogged here). Sandi explains:
Knautical is a Judy Laquidara pattern from last year that was a quilt along.  Judy doesn't have it listed in her Free Patterns, but with a little hopping around on her website (www.patchworktimes.com) one could find it.  Judy calls it Scraps Ahoy...."get my project being called Knautical?"

What a great scrappy quilt, Sandi! Guess I'll add it to my Scrap Basket Sunday "to do" list!

In spite of moving from Arizona to Idaho for the summer, finishing her "row by row" QAL and attending Quilt Camp in the Pines, Carol managed a finish in May!

Here are her cute mini heart quilts:


And oops, almost forgot her second finish for this month:


Carol says she is caught up now!  Good for you, Carol!

Martha is another "achiever" this month, Here is her first "May finish." It's the "Amish with a Twist" BOM from Marcus Brothers (yes, I know. It's also on my UFO pile!)


You've already seen the pattern for Martha's second May finish, on last Saturday's Road Trip Report. Here is why I had to add this pattern to my overflowing "I want to make this" list!


To really appreciate Sue's May UFO finish, you must go to her blog, here, to see the detail of the quilting. I love your loops-and-leaves quilting design, Sue!


Ohmigoodness, Susan from Brisbane has an absolutely stunning McKenna Ryan block made into a wallhanging:


Click on the photo so you can see the 3D lacey butterflies -- and the beads! and the lovely free-motion quilting! Here is the link to Susan's blog so you can read all about it!

Deb S. finished this lovely, summery quilt -- she calls it "Watercolor Spring."



Deb reports "Strait of Georgia from "More Fat Quarter Quilts" by M'Liss Rae Hawley and it was inspired by a fat quarter bundle I bought from Keepsake Quilting in 2004. " Read about her quilt on her blog "A Simple Life Quilts," here.

Oh wow, look at this beauty by Karen!


You may recognize this as Bonnie Hunter's 2009 mystery quilt, Double Delight. Karen blogged her finish here. I think anyone who finishes one of Bonnie's mysteries should get extra credit!

Just under the wire, here is Noela's May finish, 


Isn't it sweet?

Eleven finishes for May (I can count mine, twelve!). That's pretty good! I found this cute Amy Butler stationery set online, and just in case our May UFO giveaway winner likes Martha's "Spin Cycle" quilt, I'm including a new EZ Dresden ruler.



And the winner is:

Oh, look, that's Carol! Congratulations, Carol!

Tomorrow is "Scrap Basket Sunday" -- come back and see!




From the desk of your auntmartisignature