Sister's Choice Quilts

Piecing the Past Blocks Done

Piecing the Past, Comfort and Joy blocks are all done.  They published the suggested layout this week, but I am going to do my own thing. Their layout calls for a narrow lattice between the blocks and I want to spread things out more.  This is their suggested layout below: 

I am going to add alternate blocks and setting triangles.  I may do their suggested borders.  I made my blocks 6" rather than their 9" pattern, so I need to get creative to achieve a larger quilt.  I also made 42 blocks instead of the 32 their quilt has.

In the past couple of years, I have made so many sampler quilt tops.  I think I like them because one can work on them over time, usually a few blocks a week.  Plus, they really sharpen up your piecing skills and force you to try new things you might normally shy away from.

Thank goodness for discovering the Lori Holt books for some additional block ideas.  I used her Farm Girl Vintage and Vintage Christmas books and they had a ton of great block patterns that I was able to incorporate into this project.  The last five or so block patterns that Piecing the Past put out in the 9" size were impossible to reduce to 6". Chris B. kindly tried to help me, but the measurements were so wacky I just couldn't do it.  What is 13/16th of an inch?  That sort of thing.

These are a few of the blocks I made from Lori's VIntage Christmas book.  Isn't that little red "blossom" block on the left adorable?  I am definitely adding that into the ModaBlockheads sampler.

This was a fun project to work on during the shutdown.  Piecing the Past frequently offers sew-alongs that come with free weekly patterns. The thing is you have to sign up to receive the weekly patterns by email, and after a week or so they are no longer available.  It is worth it to sign up for their free sew-alongs, collect the free block patterns, and make the project later when time allows.  If you want the patterns after the sew-along is over, I think it costs $20 for all of them.  They are starting up a new Summer Sampler Row Quilt sew along this week if you are interested.  It's cute, you should check it out.

Hope your week is going well!  Can you believe it is July?  I want April, May, and June back.

If At First You Don't Succeed...

The stars must not be aligned properly.  I'll tell you this block took me a couple of tries.  Every possible piece I could have turned wrong, I did.  Repeatedly.  I finally had re-sewn the block so many times it was all floppy and covered with little thread bits.  I was ready to throw in the towel and just try again another day, but I had this blog post to get out, so I persevered.  I tossed the first block and started over again from the beginning, with much better results.

This troublesome fellow is block 11 from the Piecing the Past "Comfort and Joy" sew-along.  They call it Double Star, but it definitely has other names.  In fact, it was featured in the Moda BlockHeads 1 sew-along by another name.  "Honeymoon", I think it was called.  I don't recall having so much trouble with it when I made it back then.  Just wasn't my day yesterday I guess.

Here are all three of the blocks for this week.  At the top is block 12 "Fox and Geese" and on the right is block 10 "Star of Hope".

Have you all been doing more online shopping lately?  I know I miss shopping for things in person, but my spending has been a little nuts lately due to boredom and wishing for better days.  I keep buying books, even though my concentration is not it's best.  I recently ordered several pairs of sandals, fantasizing about wearing them to the pool or to visit friends.  Oddly, I have not been buying fabric, which is a good thing I guess. I even purchased three (three) cosmetics to enhance my non-existent eye-brows, because heaven knows I can't go out without eyebrows.  For goodness sake.  I sure hope my favorite checker at Savemart appreciates the effort I am making.  

I am sure there are good psychological reasons for this non-essential purchasing.  Or maybe I simply want to do something that someone can't forbid.  Just don't tell my husband.

Moda BlockHeads 3, Block 15

I absolutely love this week's BlockHead block, designed by Corey Yoder of Coriander Quilts.  It is a great block and you can change up the color placement and get totally different looks.  I made the 8-inch size this week.  I also made some changes in the instructions. Instead of the complicated outer half triangle units, I made two hourglass blocks and sewed them together.  Eight hourglass blocks all together.

And oh boy, did I ever screw that up.  They came out fine in the end, but I must have blanked on the formula to make hourglass blocks because I made mine about 4 inches instead of 2 1/2".  Better too big than too small.  They trimmed down just fine.

Do check out Corey's blog post and pattern.  She shows you all sorts of different color placements that make this block look like about six different blocks.

Here are my 8-inch blocks (and a few 4-inch ones). 

Hope your week is going well.  We are getting some better (warmer) weather, so I am a very happy woman.  Unfortunately, my husband is suffering terribly with hayfever, so our outside time is not what it should be.  Eva and have been having lunch outside every day and trying different flavors of tea.  

Quarantine Chronicles Day 296

It may not be 296 days of self-isolation, but it sure feels like it.  I had a live video phone call with one of my sisters yesterday and I was embarrassed to have dirty hair, no makeup and sweats on.  She looked much better than I did, I assure you.  It was nice to at least touch base with a living soul other than my husband.

The fabrics in the basket above are slightly different than the ones I posted last week.  I swapped out the former blues for some new ones that are brighter in tone.  The color is called "Cadet Blue".  I like it.  I also received the neutral fabrics I ordered online.  When I order online I try to shop independent shops that have an online presence, rather than "big box" fabric stores.  I occasionally order from the larger outfits, but right now it is the small companies that are getting my business.  And they are so grateful.  In three out of my last five orders I got a nice handwritten note included telling me how much they appreciate my business during these troubled times.

The Piecing the Past Sew Along starts next week, and I am excited about it.  I  have gotten about half the fabrics starched and pressed and ready to go.  I wish this sew-along was a little faster paced than a block a week, but I will live with it.  Heaven knows I have enough other UFOs to work on to fill my time.

These are my most recent Book of the Month Club selections, which got here in record time despite the delays in shipping I hear folks are experiencing.  Have you read any of them?  I love the title "The Guest List- You'd Kill to be On It".  Makes me want to jump right in.

Hope your week is going well.  Gosh, every day is feeling kind of the same isn't it?

Laundry Basket Mystery Quilt--Blocks Done!

Well, that was intense!  100 blocks in fifteen days.  Whew.  I got it done though, and am glad I can sew the blocks together and call this a finish.  I did end up changing out some of the fabrics in the last blocks.  As we got closer to the center of the quilt, the colors got darker in tone.  It was an easy fix and only involved the large brown half-square triangle blocks.   That is the thing with mystery quilts.  If you don't know what is coming, you can't choose your fabrics so efficiently.  It is actually a good idea to lag a few days behind or even start the project once it is over and you can see if you like it.

I have never been a fan of mystery quilts, but ended up liking this one.  Plus I figured I am self-isolating, am bored and trapped at home with bins and bins of fabric I need to use up.  Why not sew along?

If you are just checking in and wondering what this sew along was all about--It was hosted by Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts and all instructions can be found on her blog.  The blocks are all pretty simple, but she also offers YouTube tutorials that are linked in her pattern instructions.

 100% of these fabrics were from my stash.  The background was some Moda neutral print I had a lot of and the tan, red and browns were 3 Sisters fabrics from a couple of their older collections:  Aster Manor and Chocolat.  I plan to put a containment border of the neutral fabric and then a wider dark brown border of one of the larger floral prints.  I am thinking the finished size should be around 72" square.  

I am pleased as can be with it, because I needed a quilt to give as a wedding gift in a couple of months and this will work out perfectly.

It is amazing what you can do if you force yourself to spend a couple of hours a day in your sewing room.

We are having the rainstorm of the century here on Sunday as I write this.  Ozzie is wandering around shaking and drooling because thunder terrifies him.  It made for great sewing, but I am taking a break because I have no doubt the power will go out any minute.  This next week there will be lots of sewing (if all goes according to plan) because Eva is on "Spring Break" and is splitting the time between her mom's and her dad's.  Time for me to make some progress on the fourteen new projects I have started.  

Eva and I have finished our jigsaw puzzle. It was super fun, and definitely addicting.  I went online to order more, and evidently puzzles are a hot commodity right now.  Everyone and their brother wants one to work on while cooped up inside!  I finally found a couple that I liked that were in stock, and they might be here within a month!

Hope you had a great weekend.  Talk to you tomorrow.

Well that was good timing.  As predicted, the power just went out.  It is the end of the world I tell you.

It's About Time

This is a big announcement for me.  So often kind people who are interested in reading my blog ask me how they can follow me and receive notifications when I post.  Duh.  I am not very tech-savvy, and I have never known how to make that happen.  "I don't know, just check-in every weekday?" is not the answer folks want.  I have been blogging for 13 years, and I think it is time I figure out how to allow readers to subscribe. 

So, I enlisted my amazingly clever daughter Sara, and asked her, "Can you make it happen so anyone who wants to follow my blog can subscribe and receive notifications when I post?"  "Sure Mom", my make-it-happen daughter replied.  

So there you go.  In the taskbar right underneath my blog banner, there is a choice to "subscribe" now.  Woo hoo!  I have joined the twenty-first century.  Please go ahead and hit that button, fill out the information,  and you will receive an email when I post, and will be able to link directly to my most recent blog post.  I hope this will be a more convenient way to find me than whatever you have been doing up until now.  It goes without saying that your email will not be used for any other purpose.

In other more quilt-related news, Heaven help me, I have started another Sew-Along.  You'd think there was some kind of prize for the fool who has the most sew-alongs going on at one time. I'm a contender.  Thanks a lot Tracey.

Here are my first nine blocks.  If you want a stash buster of a project, here you go.  It is a sew-along called "Bust that Stash" hosted by Border Creek Station Ontario, Canada.  Go to the link, and download the pattern instructions and information, which are free.   My friend Tracey told me all about it and shared a picture of the gorgeous quilt she made.  She used all batiks for her quilt, and as you can see it is amazing. 

Don't you have a tub of batiks just sitting around?  Love their bright colors but never quite know what to do with them?  Here's your answer.  For me, I have a tub of fabrics leftover from various projects over the past few years, and I am embracing this chance to use them up.

I spent hours this past weekend cutting out my squares, all except the reds, which I have yet to do.  I figured why not get everything all cut out and then I will be good to stitch up a half dozen blocks every time I go into my sewing room.  So, go to the Border Creek Station site and print out those free instructions so you can make one too.  They give options for different sized blocks as well as different sized quilts.  I plan to make 144 6 1/2" blocks and set them 12 x 12.  I should end up with a bed-sized quilt if I do that.  Goodness knows if it isn't big enough to suit me, there is more fabric where that came from and I can always make more blocks.

Hope you are all coping well with your lockdown, where ever it is that you are.  Take care and stay healthy.

 

A Dozen Sew Alongs You Might Love

This post is going to be full of information.  I will provide lots of links to a plethora of fantastic sew alongs that you could stitch happily along with while you are "sheltering in place".  If we are all stuck at home, we could at least have something to show for it at the end, right?  Also, if you want a distraction from the COVID-19 situation, these projects provide it. 

The first sew along I will tell you about is one I started last week.  I posted that the pattern "Village" is being provided for free at various websites.  This is a great scrap buster and is super fun to work on.  Charm squares work great for this one.  It is a scrappy house block designed by Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.

This sew along is Moda BlockHeads 3.  It started at the beginning of 2020, but all the weekly patterns are archived on the Moda website.  There are also a number of layout options you can choose for the four block sizes.  Pick one size block or make all four sizes.  There is definitely a Love/Heart theme going on, which is super cute.

This sew along is over, but there has been a book published with all the block patterns and some suggested layouts.  This is Moda BlockHeads 1, which started it all.  This is a sampler block of the week sew along, with designs by a number of well known Moda fabric designers.  I had a blast with this project, and as you see, am in the process of trying to figure out my borders.

This was a block of the week sew along hosted by Primitive Gatherings.  The pattern, "Star Studded Event"  is available on their website.  I signed up for a weekly kit which they sent me (it was kind of pricey), but if you have a large stash of scraps, this could be your answer to reducing it.  It is a great block, and you will get really good at piecing that 2 1/2" center star if you decide to make this block.  The pattern makes a very large quilt, but there is no reason you couldn't stop at any point you like and make something smaller.

This sew along is a mystery quilt hosted by designer Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts.  The pace is pretty intense with this sew along, but you could certainly print out the daily block instructions and go at your own speed.  So far (as I write this) we are on day 6 and I have made 40 blocks!  Edyta also does YouTube video instruction for each block, which is a terrific support, especially for not-so-confident sewers.

Here is a list with links to some other sew alongs that sound amazing.

Summer Moon Sew Along, hosted by Fat Quarter Shop and Carrie Nelson.  This sew along is over with, but there is a book complete with patterns available, plus a slew of YouTube Fatquartershop tutorial videos for the blocks.  The finished quilt is amazing.

Comfort and Blessing Sew Along by Piecing the Past Quilts.  This is a free sew along, but it doesn't start until April 13.  I am so intrigued about this one!  I have a ton of leftover Kansas Troubles fabrics, which would be perfect for this project.

Amber Johnson ( Gigi's Thimble) and Jessica Dayton are hosting a quilt along called The Willow, which looks so beautiful.  I am really interested in doing this quilt at some point.  There are two sample suggestions, one made with Minick & Simpson's Mackinac Island collection and the other a collection of blues.  Gorgeous quilts, both of them.

Sherri McConnell from A Quilting Life is hosting a block of the month sew along, and has released free instructions for three blocks so far.  All of them have been super cute, and have instructions for making two different sizes. 

Gundrun Erla of GE Designs is hosting an Elvira Quarantine Quilt Along.  If you enjoy modern designs, you will love this one.

Pat Sloan is a favorite of quilters everywhere for a good reason.  She has such an engaging personality and is known for her great pattern designs and sew alongs.  She has a free 2020 Wild West sew along going on, which I haven't joined but am t.h.i.s close to signing on for.

If you want to start a Christmas quilt, this is the perfect time for it.  Gather up your red and white fabrics and pick up this little book from Primitive Gatherings.  You can make a different block each week and end up with a fabulous Christmas quilt that will be a family heirloom.   These blocks are challenging, but oh so worth it.

I am sure there are more sew alongs out there, but with any luck, one of these will pique your interest and get you started on a project to fill the empty hours until we can get our lives back to normal!  

If you know of any other sew alongs, please do share in the comments.

Have a great weekend everyone. Stay healthy and engaged in stimulating activities.

Can I Keep Up?

These are the five days of blocks I have made for the Laundry Basket Mystery Sew Along.  36 blocks in five days.  This sew along is intense, I tell you.  Honestly, I am not sure if I will be able to keep up with eight new blocks a day.  And that is ok.  I am homeschooling Eva and have four other sew alongs I am participating in, so it is what it is.  If quilting was all I had to occupy my time, I would have no problem. However, there are just "sew" many hours in the day.  Yesterday's block is on the lower right--pretty cute I'd say.

I did change out the tan fabric I showed yesterday.  It wasn't yellow enough to "go" with the background, which is a yellowish tan on cream.  Also, the tan prints I was using had no red in them to tie in with the other fabrics in the top.  While I am not 100% thrilled if this tan is going to be a predominant feature in the design of the quilt top, I can live with it now that I found prints that blend in with the others better. They also are slightly different tones, which brings a bit of life to the mix.

On the homeschooling front, we are getting in around four good hours a day.  Math, language arts, reading, science, grammar, and lots of writing practice.  Eva's teacher logs onto Facebook and reads from a book the class had been enjoying.  She is figuring things out day by day, and hopefully, soon everyone in the class will be on board with online learning.  It is not going to be optional, so I hope folks can figure it out.

If I ever wanted proof that this is the Apocolypse, my hairdresser and manicurist both have let me know that they are closed for the duration of the Covid-19 situation.  Let me just say I will now be wearing both a hat and gloves.  Maybe I will bring back a fashion trend?

 

 

 

 

 

Laundry Basket Quilts Mystery Sew Along

Edyta of Laundry Basket Quilts is doing a really fun mystery sew along.  I am usually leary of mystery quilts, but decided to give this one a go.  I am really pleased with the blocks so far, and what I especially like is that she shows you the block layout with each addition.  Now, this sew along is moving along at a very fast clip.  By that I mean, each day there is a new block to make, and you need to make multiples of them.  Day One we made four blocks, Days Two, Three and Four we made eight blocks.  So, in four days of sewing you would have 28 blocks already.  Now, you could certainly take this slower and go at your own pace, but I think her philosophy is that we are all stuck home with nothing to do, so making this number of blocks in a day is achievable.

So far, I should have four corners that are laid out like this:

See?  You can get an idea of where she is going with this.  I hope I don't regret using that tan.  I can always change out that fabric for something else at this point.  That is my main problem with mystery quilts.  If I knew how things were going to be laid out in advance, I could pick my colors better.  At any rate, her quilts are always pretty so I doubt I can go too far wrong.  

It really helps to have a good-sized stash when these sew alongs come up.  I don't buy as much fabric as I used to since I can easily shop at home with the excess fabric I have accumulated over the years.  Once in a while though, I need something.  Since I live in a rural area with no quilt shops, I typically order online and try to buy from small shops that also sell online to supplement their brick and mortar business.  I have also ordered specific fabric I needed from various Etsy sellers with great results.  These people are all small business owners and I am happy to support them.  I have placed a couple of orders recently have been amazed at how quickly I received them.

Hope you are all doing well.  Half the people I know are being laid off their jobs, so that is going to be a problem.  One day at a time, that is all we can do. I understand Amazon and Walmart are hiring thousands of people to help with online orders and deliveries.  Things have gotten very strange in the world.

I  made a mask for Eva yesterday.  When I gave it to her she said, "Now, exactly where am I supposed to wear this?"  I had to laugh.  She's right.  We aren't going anywhere, that is for sure.

Year of the Sew Along

2020 is turning into The Year of the Sew Along for me.  In our current lockdown situation, so many designers, quilt shops, and groups are hosting the most fun sew alongs.  If we are stuck in the house, surrounded by our fabric stashes, why not make the most of it!  I have an all-time high of five, yes FIVE sew alongs going right now (technically one is a UFO, but it WAS a sew along lol), and I am loving it.  I will share the details of them with you this week.

Let me tell you about the one pictured above.  Since we are under orders to "shelter in place" in our homes, working on some cute little house blocks seems just about perfect.  I first heard about it on Instagram #modavillage.   There is a Miss Rosie pattern called Village that features an entire neighborhood of these adorable blocks.  I happened to have the pattern, but it is FREE for downloading on the Sew Lux website.  Lots of people are posting on the Instagram site and it is so much fun to see what they are doing.  There are also helpful tips--for instance, some of the houses have little chimneys which look tricky to construct, and I noticed some kind soul had done a tutorial.

You can use charm packs or scraps to make the blocks, and I am telling you, they are absolutely addicting.  Wouldn't this be a remarkable memento of the time we were all stuck at home but found a way to connect with other quilters?

I had a box of American Jane (Sandy Klop) scraps which got me started.  I wanted the happiest, most cheerful fabric I could get my hands on and this fit the bill.  If you have leftovers from Bonnie and Camille, Fig Tree or any of your favorite designers, they will work perfectly for this quilt.  Or just use any random scraps.  Whatever you choose, it seems to work.  Thelma (Cupcakes 'n' Daisies) made one with scraps from every quilt she made in 2016.

How are you all getting along?  Every day seems to bring more bad news, doesn't it?  We will get through this eventually.  In the meantime, I will try to post positive thoughts each weekday.  If you are alone, feel free to email me or comment on my blog.  I will be happy to answer you and be at least one person you interacted with in a day!