WIP Wednesday: BOM Rehab

Remember how I confessed that I have ten (that would be 10!) blocks of the month going?  And how I was going to do my summer "block a day" by sewing one BOM block each day?

If I count the easy blocks I made for Monday's "Design Wall Monday" and the blocks I made for today's Mystery Block Party at Ruth's Stitchery, I am right up to date -- it's the 55th day of summer, and I've made 61 blocks..  However, I haven't made 61 BOM blocks.

I'm up to date with "Ryokan."

Like that one with the door on the right-hand side? I think I may leave it like that, just to see if anyone notices!

And I'm only two months behind on my Marti Michell BOMs:

These are two different patchwork parties -- one is from 2010, one is new this year. But some of the blocks are the same, so I am doing them two-at-a-time.

{Coming back online to link up with WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced!}

Good thing I'm on "retreat" this week! I should have Monday's "Brick Road" quilt finished by Friday, hope you come back to see!

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Design Wall On-the-Road

I know, I know, I swore I wasn't going to take any more trips until my "big" trip in February. But when one's  BFF asks one to spend the week sewing at her "cabin" in the mountains, one does not quibble. One packs!

Here is what I am taking to sew on this week (one of several, of course!):

 

It's the "Brick Road SAL" from SunFlower Seeds. I started it with the sew along back in April, then got caught up in quilt retreat and quilt camp and magazine sewing and test-sewing bags, and well . . . you know how it goes!


The fabrics are the gorgeous Free Spirit Designer Solids from Amy's 2013 Sugar Block Club. I'm sewing my blocks from Bonnie & Camille's "Vintage Modern," because I don't want mine to look just like Amy's! So I have these lovelies to use for my Brick Road. The background will be the ubiquitous Kona Cotton in Ash. Or maybe charcoal. But not black!

I have blog posts written and scheduled for the rest of the week, so you won't even notice I'm gone. Except I won't be answering comments until the weekend -- no internet in the mountains! Wheee!




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Sunday is for (Disappearing) Scraps

When I was procrastinating on my Scrap Squad quilt, I spent an afternoon re-organizing the fabric collection. I came across this packet of 6.5" squares from Great American Quilts:

I'm not sure what I had in mind when I bought them, but somehow this morning "Disappearing Nine Patch" popped into my head. This is one of the easiest scraps quilts ever!

The technique I used requires one solid (in this case, white) square and eight print squares. Arrange in a nine patch with the white square in the center.  Sew squares together and press. I pressed away from the white square.
 

Cut across the center vertically, then horizontally.  Because I used 6.5" squares, I lined up the 3" line on my 24" ruler to cut. This is a time when it's handy to be able to get to both sides of your cutting table -- I just moved myself around the corner to make the horizontal cut:

Et voila! four 9" blocks:

Now the fun part -- experimenting with layouts! I made three nine patches, so I have 12 blocks to play with. An excellent size for a baby quilt.

First, white square in upper left corner of every block:

I would have to add a sashing strip to the right side for this layout, or it would bother me that there are no white squares on the right-hand side.

Maybe one row with the white square on the upper right, then one row with the white square in the upper left?

 This would be a pain because of all the matching corners -- and this is supposed to be an easy quilt!


How about upper-right/lower-left/upper-right? Then reverse for the next row: At least it isn't off-center.

 

 I was trying to make a zig-zag design when I lost interest!

There are dozens of Disappearing Nine Patch variations on Pinterest. Here is a link to my Pinterest page for scrappy quilts with a few of my favorites.

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

Yesterday, we broke our record of 13 days in a row with rain -- so I'm trying to mow the lawn before it rains again! 

In between mowing sessions, I have been whipping out BOM Rehab blocks. Come back tomorrow to see what's on the design wall!

From the desk of your

We have a Winner!

OK, I didn't stay up until midnight to see who won the giveaway. But it's the first thing I did this morning -- it was only 6:10 am Mountain Daylight Time when I fired up the Random Number Generator to choose the winner.  Up for grabs was a PDF copy of "Tea Party" by Cluck Cluck Sew. Not the same copy I used, that one has notes and reminders all over it for when I teach the December Jelly Roll Class at Ruth's Stitchery!

 

 
I love PDF patterns -- no waiting for the postal carrier!

Have I teased you enough? Here it is, the winning number:

Which happens to be Suze, who said:

I was so touched when I read Suze's comment, I thought, "I hope she wins." The forces of the Universe were at work, because 'poof'' number 78 came up on the RNG! Suze is a retired IT type, and Grandma ("Ga") who lives in Oklahoma. Since she's in the states, I'm going to ask for her postal address so I can add some fabric to her prize. She blogs at Ga's House, and I  hope you'll all go to Suze's blog and tell her "congratulations!"

Congratulations, Suze! I hope when you get the quilt made, you'll send me a photo so I can share it with other followers of 52 Quilts in 52 Weeks.

I made 17 blocks for my Mystery Block Party yesterday, so I'm up-to-speed with my BOM Rehab Block-a-Day Challenge! Photos on Monday!


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TGIFF: September Windmills

I think it's important when teaching a monthly quilt class to have the next month's sample complete, and the pattern available. Cathy has done a wonderful job of having patterns available -- in fact, the patterns for the entire year are already on the wall at Ruth's Stitchery!

So far this year, I've always managed to have the sample for the following month pieced, quilted and bound before class. It was pretty close for the September Jelly Roll Party sample. I finished it July 31, and the August Jelly Roll Party was August 2.

September's quilt will be a "Just One Jelly Roll" pattern by Pam & Nicky Lintott. It's called "Windmills," and it finished at 59" x 75." I used a Moda jelly roll of "Blueberry Crumb Cake." When this fabric first came out, my friend Terry and I raced each other to complete our collections of the line!

Here it is, Quilt #29 for 2013:

I did a widely-spaced 'loops and swirls' quilting on it and used my favorite summer-weight batting, Katadan Summer Cotton, from the Idaho Quilt Barn.

Linking up to "Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?" at Confessions of a Fabric Addict (because I totally think I deserve it):

As well as "Thank Goodness It's Finally Finished Friday" (as I said at bedtime when I finally finished this quilt!) hosted this week by Amanda at BedTime Quilting:

Today is the last chance to sign up for my Giveaway on the Ho Ho Ho Blog Hop.  Go to this post and comment for a chance to win a PDF copy of "Tea Party" by Cluck Cluck Sew!


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(Not Much) On the Design Wall Monday

Eight hours. Eight hours!

That's how much time it took to write my next Quilty Pleasures Scrap Squad blog post. OK, it really only took an hour or so to write the post -- the rest of the day was spent binding the quilt and trying not to scream at the Comcast tech support person because my desktop won't connect to the internet.

Sigh. I hate technology. I miss my IBM Selectric.

I did get a few more blocks made for my Vintage Memories block party at Ruth's Stitchery.

We're using "Gallery in Red and Blue" by Faye Burgos for Marcus Fabrics. Obviously, I chose the blue! I'm up to date with the group, so I have only two more months of blocks to make. But the setting is nothing simple!

Here is the photo from the pattern:

The only thing missing in the patterns is pressing directions. I hate having to figure out the best way to press things! Lucky for the class members, Cathy always makes the block ahead of time and has lots of tips. 

Hey -- only five more days to comment on this post to win a copy of the pattern I used for my Ho Ho Ho blog hop project!



From the desk of your

Sunday is for Scraps: or Karen Snyder is So Clever!

Karen Snyder blogs at Anna Lena Land -- you've seen links to her blog for the seasonal Block-a-Day challenge.  Look what she came up with this week!

It's the fastest, easiest way to make scrappy four patches you've ever seen!

Because Karen has a whole tutorial on this method, I'm not going to repeat her instructions. Go here to see Karen's tutorial on "Magic Four Patches." I just had to try it out for myself. Here are my step-by-step photos, but again, to see the complete tutorial, you have to visit Anna Lena Land! Be sure to tell her Aunt Marti says "hi!"

By any chance, do you remember this quilt?

 

It was the May "Vintage Schnibbles" project, Gentle Art by Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. The fabric is a charm pack of "Ladies Sewing Club" from Moda.  This little quilt only required half a charm pack, so I have a pile of leftover 5" squares.  Just right for Karen's new technique!

Step 1:

Detail of Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Step 5 (this is the magic part!):

Step 6:

I think I'll use this technique to add a scrappy four-patch border to my May Schnibbles project!

You'll have to go here for the full instructions. While you're there, take a look around -- Anna Lena Land is one of my favorite places!

Linking up to another favorite, Scrap Basket Sunday.

And speaking of links, have you gone to this post to sign up for my Ho Ho Ho Blog Hop giveaway?

From the desk of your