Sister's Choice Quilts

Double Nine Patch Progress

I spent the end of last week and most of the weekend making tiny little 9 patch blocks.  The 9 patches measure 3 1/2", and are used to construct a larger 9 inch block that contains either 4 or five of them.  When the larger blocks are combined, they will form a simple Irish Chain type design as shown above.  It is a simple old fashioned block, and I am using 1800s reproduction fabrics in blues and browns.   

These two blocks are alternated throughout the quilt top to form the chain design.  I need 41 blocks with the 5 nine patches in each, and 40 blocks with 4 nine patches in each.  81 large blocks, 365 small nine patch blocks.  I will let that sink in a moment.

Here are 200 of them.  I have another 100 or so in various stages of completion, and about 60 or 70 more to make.  The Double 9 Patch sew along is hosted by The Quilted Moose and is a year long program.  I am not dragging it out all that long.

I am doing strip piecing, and have been happily switching off between sewing the strips, ironing the strips, sewing the nine patch blocks and ironing the nine patch blocks.  Kind of mindless, Zen sewing.  This weekend Craftsy was offering unlimited viewing of any of their instructional videos, so that factored into my sewing plan as well.

Do you all know about Craftsy.com?  I thought it was all about sewing and knitting and textile type crafts, but I was wrong.  They have all sorts of things you can learn!  I spent hours watching quilting, machine appliqué, baking instruction, pasta sauce making, gardening in small containers...The list goes on and on.  There were so many subjects to choose from.  What a fun opportunity to see what they have to offer.  Hope they do it again some time, because the classes are a bit pricey.  I have purchased some of their classes in the past, such as Jacqui Gehring's Machine Quilting and it was totally worth it.  What a treat to have access to their inventory of classes for free for the weekend.

Did anyone else out there watch any of their classes while they were free?   Or have you purchased from them ever?  What did you enjoy?

Alternate Block for Moda Blockheads Sew Along

 I admit it, I have been stalled on the Moda Blockheads Sew Along because I couldn't figure out how I would sew the blocks together in a cohesive manner.  I knew I wanted to use an alternate block, and I liked the idea of a single Irish chain, but it took me awhile to get to that conclusion, do the math and come up with a color scheme.

Here is my Single Irish Chain block, measuring in at 6 1/2 inches, unfinished.  The plain squares are 2 1/2" and the little four patches are made up of 1 1/2" strips that are sewn together, then cut into units to create   2 1/2"  four patch blocks.  The final block is sewn as a nine patch, with the nine units you see above.  I need to make about 49 of them I believe.

And I am still stalled out, because I want to keep with the Kansas Troubles fabric line, and I have to wait until March when Lynne's new collection Fresh Cut Flowers is released.  I'll need a good amount of background and red, and that line has just what I want.  Her colors are consistent from collection to collection, so the effect will be the same as the test block.  I have no clue how to figure out how much fabric I will need.  I plan to order 3 yards of background and 3 yards of the red.  Hopefully I will have leftovers for another project, and not be caught short!

I think the effect of the red squares criss crossing throughout the quilt will be pretty and will set off all the different blocks nicely.  

Hope your week is going well!

ModaBlockheads Progress and Wild Geese

This is just a quick update on my ModaBLockheads progress.  I have completed blocks 30, 31 and 32.  I have more blocks than that in total however, because there have been some alternate blocks put out and I have made some of them as well.  The most recent block patterns have seemed kind of simple to me, but I understand the designers are getting ready for Quilt Market, so it is reasonable that their focus is more on that.  In the entirety of the quilt top, amongst more complex blocks and the appliqué blocks, I think these will be just fine.  They can't all be Wild Goose Chase blocks made with 3/4 inch triangles, right?

Speaking of Wild Goose Chase blocks, here is a quilt that is on my TBM (To Be Made) list:

I found this picture on Pinterest and someone named Dawna is cited as the maker.  There apparently was a Flickr site where the quilt was featured.  (Does anyone do Flickr anymore)?  I wish I could give a more precise link to a website or blog, but I just can't find the information, other than the quilt was made in 2007 and used over 30 fabrics.  If anyone can provide a more informative link, it would be much appreciated.

Anyway, it is just my kind of quilt.  Lots of flying geese units and beautiful autumnal colors.  It is so bright and joyful. Give me russet, gold, burgundy, dark brown and some sage green and we will be friends forever.  I really want this quilt in my life. 

It is the exact same block as Miss Rosie's Into the Wind pattern, but with a simpler layout.  My Into the Wind blocks are still waiting for me to add the remaining setting squares.  I folded it up while I waited for the extra fabric I needed to arrive, and it still isn't finished.  Poor thing, it looks like a quilt monster has taken a few bites out of it.

Dawna's Wild Goose Chase quilt is also rather similar to one of my all time favorite quilts, Shiloh, which I made in 2012 or so from a Bonnie Blue pattern of the same name.  Something about flying geese just makes me think of fall.  My goodness, I love that quilt.  I need to get it out right this minute!

Moda Blockheads Update and More

I was playing around in the sewing room on Saturday, and decided to add another appliqué block to my Moda Blockheads collection.  For the setting I am thinking of, I may need some extra blocks.  I have been having so much fun with the appliqué blocks, I thought one more might be just the thing.  

The pattern is a combination of images from a Bunny Hill pattern that came out online in 2011.  I think it was called Henrietta Squirrel, and featured Henrietta doing all sorts of autumnal things, such as collecting acorns, sitting on top of pumpkins etc.  The pattern was free at the time and I printed it out when it was available.  I have always loved the look of appliqué, but until recently never felt comfortable with any method of doing it.  Sometimes people ask me where I got the image for my birdie or whatever and the answer is you just have to be inventive.  Look in your quilting books for appliqué designs you could copy, or check out children's coloring books or other online simple shapes.  You would be amazed at what comes up if you Google "cartoon bird images" for instance.

I think Henrietta came out pretty cute.  I even made a French knot for her eye.  She is a trifle bigger than would be ideal (aren't we all?), but I definitely have a quarter inch seam allowance on all sides of her.

These are the blocks I have made so far in the sew along.

In other news,  I completed the machine quilting on my Oak Patch table topper, and will share that in a later post this week.  I also started a table topper for my son in law Ryan, the winemaker.  He is technically my ex son in law, but I have loved him since he was 14, and I see him 5 times a week, so I can make him things.  He always appreciates what I do for him, and so does his sweet partner Stephanie.  Family dynamics can be complicated these days, but love conquers all.  At any rate, my point is, I started a table topper for him using a fabric line called Reel Time by Zen Chic.  It is in orange, black, lime green and grey, so how perfect is that for Halloween?  And it isn't childish or silly with spiders or anything.

Right?  Isn't that cute?  I am making 6 inch log cabin blocks with a honey bun I had on hand.  I will show you that in a later post as well.

My week got off to a sewey start.  Hope yours did too!

Getting Caught Up

I spent my days off this week trying to get caught up with my Moda BlockHeads sew along blocks.  I am still short two blocks, but with any luck will crank them out this weekend.  These blocks are all so different.  I am having a hard time envisioning them in a setting that makes sense.  Hopefully some kind of inspiration will strike me and I will come up with a setting that will do them justice.

I was experimenting using a lighter background for one of the blocks, thinking I wanted to lighten things up.  Obviously I would not just have one light background block, I would make more of them and mix them into the total arrangement.  In looking at the photo though, I think it stands out too much.  Sigh.  Looks like I will be remaking that one, using a more tan background color.My daughter just looked at the photo and said "Oh no, that doesn't go".

It seems I feel a bit disillusioned with this project, which I had been loving up until now.  I am having a real problem trying to see how they will all go together in the final setting.

These are all the blocks I have made so far.  That lighter background one really stands out like a sore thumb doesn't it?

Sampler quilts are so tricky.  Super fun to make, but a real challenge to put together in a cohesive manner.  Do any of you have suggestions you could link in comments?  I'd love to see some great setting ideas for sampler blocks.

2017 Triangle Gatherings, Switching Gears

You all know that I have been enjoying the 2017 Triangle Gatherings Sew Along.  This sew along is hosted by Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings and features a couple of blocks each week that are each made up of 16 half square triangles arranged in various  ways to create different looking blocks. I had actually made a similar quilt for my son in law a year or so ago.

This quilt had 25 blocks all made from half square triangle units, arranged to make completely different looking blocks.  It is a pretty quilt, but I felt challenged to come up with a setting that would mark the uniqueness of the blocks, but have some continuity.  You could end up with a big old confusing mess I think.  It is a common hazard with any sort of sampler quilt.  You need to figure out how to make the unique blocks somewhat cohesive. In this case, I just spaced them well apart.

I began making the 2017 triangle blocks, because it was fun, and thinking that I would come up with some kind of clever setting.  It was vey much the same process that I used when I made my son in law's quilt.  Supposedly, Lisa will come up with over 80 ways to arrange 16 half square triangle blocks!

To date, I have made 36 different blocks (not all shown in this photo).  I love them, but they are sort of busy.  Right?  How to tame these little guys down?

Well, I got a great idea on Facebook, which I posted about yesterday.  Why not surround the blocks with star points?  That is a great idea, but with the 6 1/2" blocks I chose to make, it would be a quilt that could double as a circus tent.  Way too big. By the time I added the star points to these 6 1/2" blocks, the finished block would be 12 1/2" square.  Times 80?  Oh my, no.

So I started experimenting, making the half square triangle block smaller.

This is the same block, believe it or not.  Block Number 1 of the 2017 Triangle Gatherings Sew Along.  The one on the left is 6 1/2" square.  The one on the right is 4 1/2", surrounded by star points, and finishing at 8 1/2 inches.  I think making the center block smaller and featuring it as the center of a star will lessen the busy-ness of the blocks when they are massed together in a quilt top.

I also experimented with making the center block 3 inches finished and surrounding it with star points, which made a finished block of 6 1/2", but found the tiny size a bit fussy to work with.  A 4 1/2" block with sixteen half square triangle units is plenty small enough, believe me.

So, for now, I am pretty excited.  I will take a break from my blue and white 6 1/2" blocks.  I will use those 36 blocks I have made so far (and perhaps more if needed) to make a great looking quilt, but I have decided to continue with this sew along with a slightly different plan. 

I pulled some fabrics from my stash, and am going to make the future 2017 Triangle Gatherings blocks smaller--4 1/2", and surround them with star points (four 2 1/2 x 4 1/2' flying geese units and four 2 1/2"corner squares). These blocks finish at 8 1/2" once the star points are added.   I am thinking of a diagonal set, with either an alternate block or a lattice.  My background print is an old one I had from Primitive Gatherings, featuring a black figure on mottled cream.  The other fabrics are from older collections of Primitive Gatherings, Jo Morton, Pam Buda and others.  The block colors are teal, gold, red and black.  I am going for a kind of country/calico vibe.

My inspiration for this change of plan was a Facebook post by Leanne Malzewski.  But Tracey, a loyal reader, alerted me to the fact that Lisa Bongean herself is choosing to surround her Moda BlockHead blocks (another popular currant sew along) with star points in much the same way.  So, not an original idea by any means, but oh so clever.  It's a great idea guys; file it away for the future. 

 

I'll end up with two different quilts from this project, and that can't be bad!  At any rate, watch my progress here, and see what we end up with.  I've probably used way too many words here to describe my train of thought on this subject, but I like to give you guys the details as to why I make the decisions I do.

 

 

 

#modablockheads Number 10

This is my version of the latest installment in the Moda BlockHeads Sew Along.  Week 10, and Jan Patek is up again with an appliqué block.  Her previous offering was a beehive appliqué, which was pretty cute.  I made alterations to my version of the beehive block as well, to make it more symmetrical, which is more pleasing to my taste.

Applique  is Jan's thing, for sure.  However, her style is super primitive, and a bit too freeform for me.  I tried to make my block a bit more symmetrical, and changed up the flower a bit.  I am not real happy with my appliqué this week, and there is a possibility that I will attempt to remake this block.  I am not particularly satisfied with it, which may have more to do with my lack of skill than anything else.

The version of the block in the photo above is an accurate rendition of Jan's pattern, done by Betsy Chutchian.   Betsy made the block exactly as Jan's pattern dictated.  I felt compelled to make the basket symmetrical, even out the basket handle, and change up the flower.  In other words, I made it quite different.

Maybe this block will blend into the whole of the quilt once, all the blocks are completed, but I have to say honestly, this is my least favorite block so far.  Deep breath and move on.

Sew Along Progress and Journaling for Five Year Olds

I don't have a lot to show for my time this week.  Lots of reading and fooling around on the internet, but not a heck of a lot of sewing.

The blocks above are Block 33 and 34 of the 2017 Triangle Gatherings Sew Along.  I particularly like the block on the right, with its rotating effect.  

The bottom block is for Moda BlockHeads Week Nine, designed by Jo Morton.  It is an Ohio Star Variation.  I used four fabrics for my version.  I keep reaching for the greens and golds in my box of fabrics, and have to push myself to use more of the navy blues in particular.  So today's block is navy and red.  This block was actually super simple to piece.  I found myself hoping for more appliqué, can you believe it?  I have heard there will be more blocks featuring appliqué in the future and am looking forward to it.

Eva was sick again this week with a tummy upset, so I had to pick her up from school and take her home with me on Monday.  Fortunately, she perked up after a few hours and I was able to get her interested in starting her own journal.

I gave her a Moleskine notebook with rainbow colored pages and a sheet of calendar stickers and she was occupied on the couch for hours.  She may be the youngest bullet journalist in the history of mankind.  How fun is that?

Sew Alongs Make Me Happy

I am having a ridiculous amount of fun with the sew alongs in which I have been participating.  The block above is week number eight of the ModaBlockHeads Sew Along.  This sew along has actually challenged me, which I have thoroughly enjoyed.  I have been "forced" to do a bit of machine appliqué, which it turns out, I love.  This week's block didn't call for appliqué, but the units were kind of small.  Those little half square triangles in the basket block above are only one inch finished.  A year ago I would have moaned and groaned to make a block with units that tiny.  I have learned I can do it, and with good results.

The trick to good results is to first starch the heck out of the fabrics you are using prior to cutting them.  Really soak them with a can of spray starch.  Let them air dry, then press them.  The result is slightly stiff fabric which is a dream to cut and sew.  The second trick to good results is to use triangle papers.  Or, you could make your half square triangles oversized and trim them down to the correct size.  Nothing is wonky, everything lines up perfectly.

The other sew along I am enjoying is Lisa Bongean's 2017 Triangle Gatherings.  Every week Lisa comes out with a block or two that uses 16 half square triangles to make a different block.  Supposedly she will come up with over 80 variations on how to construct different blocks with just those units.  I especially loved this week's block, #32.  It came out even more on point than usual, every thread right where it should be.  I attribute that to starching and using triangle papers as well.

What am I going to do when I run out of space on my design wall?  Oh No!  I just love seeing my progress on display up there.

Moda Blockheads #7

I have mixed feelings about the Moda BlockHeads block #7.  I love the end look of the block, but I did not care for the construction method.  I actually ended up remaking the block.  Lynn Hagmeier of Kansas Troubles is promoting a "layered piecing" technique for her blocks, and I find it to be not my cup of tea.  I re-did the block using traditional piecing rather than the layered method she advocates in the pattern instructions.

The other thing that is bothering me is that this block is clearly on the diagonal.  If you recall, the other appliqué block we did was very much a straight up design.

So how are these blocks going to work in a quilt layout?  Is the basket block going to be all tipped over on its side if the blocks are straight set?   If the blocks are set diagonally, I will have to re-make the bee hive block because I sure am not having that cute block set on its side.

If, like me, you are troubled by the diagonal/straight set question, Lisa Bongean has once again offered an alternate pieced block for this #7 ModaBlockheads selection.  It is good to have options!  

Have a great weekend everyone.