Update on Current Projects

You all know that I work on multiple projects at a time. I love the variety of having all sorts of different things going on, and I sure never get bored. The following projects are those that I am actively working on each week. I also have projects in line to finish: mainly with borders and backings still needed. I also have a couple of block-of-the-month projects I have let languish. Designer Mystery 2023 and Halloween FIgs. But here is what you see when you enter my sewing room.

My ten Mercantile blocks are on the top of the design wall. Mercantile is a free two-blocks-per-week sew-along hosted by Lori Holt. I am not doing the applique step with these blocks. Instead, I will combine them in a diagonal setting, with each block having a low-volume background. The sew-along is fun, but I do wish there were printed sewing instructions for each block. The cutting instructions are printed, but to see how to assemble the block you have to go to Lori's blog and scroll though a hundred photographs until you get to the current week's sewing instructions.

At the bottom of the design wall is a project called Etoile Rouge (I've been calling it Rouge Etoile, which means red star in French). This sew-along is hosted by Kathryn Kerr, and you can get the info on how to sign up on her FaceBook page. This sew-along features a weekly block with 48 versions of the Ohio Star block. I purchased a membership for the sew-along a couple of years ago, but evidently, you have to start fresh each year if you want to follow along. For some reason only a limited number of sign ups are allowed per calendar year. I only had to pay once, but my access to the patterns ended after 12 months and I had to wait to see the patterns until the next group started up the following year. The pattern is $25 for 48 different block instructions. I wish I had kept up and printed out the patterns each week. Now I have to wait a week for each one to be re-released. 

I have bins of French General fabric and this project seemed like a good way to use it up. For the setting, the blocks will be separated by a pieced lattice. 

Here we have Moda Blockheads 5. I am using a fabric collection called Harvest Road by Lella Boutique. This is a free weekly sew-along, with blocks released on Wednesdays. The patterns, instructions, and tips are great with a Blockheads sew-along. All the blocks have a star design. My plan is to do a setting using five 12-inch blocks and twenty-four 6-inch blocks. 

I sometimes make an extra block if I am in the mood, using a pattern I find in a book or on the internet. These are the two blocks I made last week. The one on the right is the actual block of the week (funnily enough, another Ohio Star). The block on the left was from a free pattern offered by Jessica Dayon. It isn't a star block but I thought it was interesting. 

Hope you all had a great weekend. The snowmageddon we were told we should expect never happened. It is just raining and raining. 

Comments

[Mary]

Well now I'll be going down the Jessica Dayon rabbit hole!

[Carol]

Love everything you do. Did you start a flower basket quilt a couple of years ago— if you did, will you pull it out again at some point?

[Sandra]

I certainly love the variety of blocks you’ve made, no time to get bored sewing all of these! I love traditional piecing.

[Jan]

You're definitely not going to be bored with all of those projects in front of you! The Jessica Dayon block caught my eye right away. I'm off to find out about her work next. Stay dry...much better than having to shovel snow & deal with walking on ice! ☔️

[Ina]

hey, that's the 1st time i've seen Etoile Rouge blocks. you've been hiding that beauty from us.

I've pretty much used up all of my FG yardage. I just have scraps left. However, I have like 10 charm packs of various lines and a plan but no time to sew. ugh. it's always something...

it is clear and sunny here today. while my husband is steam cleaning the kitchen floor I will be taking the dog for a bath. he is over due.

[Sally]

I'm glad you didn't get the Snowmageddon after all. Probably the actual higher elevation mountaintops did, and hopefully that will help the snow-pack.

Your blocks are all beautiful, and the marketplace ones are so cheery and colorful!

[Sally]

OOOOOPS !! The correct name for your blocks is Mercantile, not Marketplace! Ha ha ha!

[sue s]

The bakeshop quilt is looking good. The last one I did I ended up subbing in several blocks too. I did Jessica Dayon's Little Village House SAL during the pandemic, planning a house for every month we were in precautions.(Little did I know...) I stopped at 24 and it's time to put that one together! Glad you mentioned her.

[Kim]

There actually is a free sewing guide for the Mercantile blocks. Instructions for each block can be printed out. I think it is 20 plus pages and may be on Riley Blake website.

[Wendy Ouellette]

I kept waiting for an update on your blog and it kept saying your last post was 5 months ago.You are in my list of blogs I follow and I was sad to see you were not posting anymore(supposedly)
so glad I went and checked anyway. I noticed on other bloggers line ups that it says 5 months as well. Just wanted you to know so maybe you can look into it. Love your new book choices!