Tag: Blocks

More Donation Blocks

Pink Donation Blocks
Pink Donation Blocks

I am working steadily on the pink donation blocks. I have all 16 finished, though I just had 12 finished when I started writing this post.

I have the Corner Store on the portable design wall, so as soon as I finished the last donation block, I started to cut sashing. I haven’t cut all the sashing, but started to sew sashing onto donation blocks anyway in between sewing Corner Store blocks together.

I can’t see the blocks all together yet, because, as implied, both design walls are covered (could I, possibly, do fewer projects at once?) with other projects (A-B-C Challenge, Swoon, FOTY 2012, Corner Store).

Pink Donation Blocks
Pink Donation Blocks

I have about 6 blocks sashed and need to cut a bit more sashing.

In between sewing, I also cut some ~8″ pieces to make additional pink 2.5″ squares for a future donation quilt. I used the ~8″ pieces to cut 2.5″ squares using the Accuquilt. I have a big stack waiting for me to sort.

Donation blocks-Pink
Donation blocks-Pink

The blocks are all a bit different, but I used many of the same fabrics, as I did in the Blue Donation quilt.

I intended to make the top and back and give it in to the Charity girls at the BAMQG, but since my sewing machine seems so happy, I wonder if I could practice some free motion machine quilting on this piece? The last time I did free motion quilting, it was such a disaster that I might have developed a phobia. I have to see if I can do it…physically, too.

Fabrics from Mrs. K.
Fabrics from Mrs. K.

And there are more pink quilts to make as Mrs. K sent me more pink fabric. Just what I needed. 😉

I am going to use the large piece on the left as backing. It is a very soft lawn, I think, and a bit thin, but I think it will be fine. Most of the fabrics Mrs. K sent were shards and strips. I washed them all and am preparing to cut them up into squares. A couple of the pieces, in addition to the lawn, are larger – FQ sized or so. Perhaps they will go on the back as well. We will see.

Block-a-Long #60: The End

Framed Block #60
Framed Block #60

The End kind of gives it away, doesn’t it?

Today’s block is the last AQ Block-a-Long block. The project is ending. I am starting to run out of ideas and repeat myself. Since this project never really caught on, I don’t feel bad about ending it.

I have learned a lot about a variety of different things from this project. I really appreciate that aspect of it. It started out one way and for one purpose and ended completely differently.

This is the same block that I used in the Joel Dewberry challenge with BAMQG last year. I love this block for some reason. I thought it would be a great alternate block for those of you who do not want to put all different blocks together. This can’t possibly be an original block, but I wasn’t able to find it in Blockbase, so perhaps it is.

The pattern for Framed Block #60 is posted.

If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made. The Flickr group will stay open until it starts to annoy me or add to my workload.

I haven’t decided what I will post on Monday after next week’s block. Perhaps antique blocks? Perhaps inspiration? Stay tuned for something, hopefully, new and exciting!

Thanks for the happy memories!!!

Cupcake Block

Cupcake Block for Mark
Cupcake Block for Mark

Lynn of Country Crossroads Quilt Shop started a project to make a quilt for Mark Lipinski. The theme was cupcakes and the block to the left is the one I made for him. Lynn said that he likes pink, so pink it was. I had the pink dot out for the Swoon #6 block, so I used it for the background. The cupcake pattern is from the Tarts Come to Tea. I just made the cake part a bit taller so it looked robust.

Lynn must be a woman to be reckoned with, because I got a photo of the quilt and someone delivered the quilt to Mark in time for his birthday.

Mark Lipiniski Cupcake Quilt
Mark Lipiniski Cupcake Quilt

I was really thrilled to get a photo of the quilt from Lynn.It is a wonderful quilt. There is a block in the upper left corner that has the Facebook “Like” thumbs-up symbol. There is a really a lot of nice work in this piece.

Captain Cupcake
Captain Cupcake

Someone also made him a very cute chef’s hat. I saw a photo of Mark wearing the hat on Linda Lum deBono’s Facebook page.

Just fun.

Block-a-Long #59: Squares & Rectangles

Squares & Rectangles #59
Squares & Rectangles #59

Those long thin rectangles aren’t very popular in classic blocks (that I remember), but I like them and thought I would give them one last hurrah before the end of this project.

I mixed up the squares and smaller rectangles as well. Have fun.

Directions for Squares & Rectangles #59 are posted.

If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.

Nota bene: The AQ Block-a-Long is ending. This is the second to last week. As I have said, I am starting to repeat myself and run out of ideas. Since this has not been a wildly popular Block of the Week, I don’t feel bad about ending it. Next week’s will be the last block. I haven’t decided what I will post on Monday after next week’s block. Perhaps antique blocks? Perhaps inspiration? Stay tuned!

Swoon #7

Swoon #7
Swoon #7

As I mentioned the other day, I worked on small projects on Memorial Day. I had cut the background for this Swoon block a couple of weeks ago, but hadn’t cut anymore. Then I cut a bunch of 2.5″ squares before I remembered that I use the Triangle Technique to make the half square triangles and didn’t them. I added those pieces to the donation block pile and the Super Secret #3 project pile. Duh!

Even though I was tired, I was able to get my act together and figure out how to make this block again. I made some notes, so perhaps it won’t be such a drama next time.

I also took a photo of all the blocks I have made so far. Not a great photo, but I wanted to see how they would look together. Fun, huh?

All Swoon - May 2012
All Swoon - May 2012

I thought I would make 2 more and have a nice even 9 blocks, but am thinking about making 9 more blocks and making the piece larger. I’ll make two more and then I’ll see what I think when the Corner Store is off the design wall and I can look at these blocks on the wall.

Do I say this every time I make a block? I really like these blocks. YAY! Camille Roskelley!

Block-a-Long #58: Fat Rectangle

Fat Rectangle #58
Fat Rectangle #58

This is a play off of#56 and #57. the rectangle is fatter than my normal favorite, but the blocks are on the small side, so you don’t need to worry.

The directions for this block, Fat Rectangle #58 are posted.

If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.

Nota bene: We are closing in on the end of the AQ Block-a-Long. I am starting to repeat myself and run out of fresh ideas that aren’t completely bizarre. Since this has not been very popular, I don’t feel bad about ending it. I am going to try and make it to #60 so you have an even number with which to work, but we will see.

Donation Blocks Galore

Pink Donation Block
Pink Donation Block

I am still having an inordinate amount of fun making these simple blocks. What is it about them?

I brought out the Accuquilt Go! cutter over the long weekend and cut a bunch of larger squares I had been saving into 2.5″ squares. All pink all the time. Yes, I am going to make a pink top for some wonderful child. I hope s/he likes pink, because none of my nieces or nephews do and I have a lot of pink.

As you can see, I did cut up some slightly larger squares to make 2.5″ plain background squares. I’ll have to see if that block fits in with the other blocks that have black on white fabrics.

The Charity Girls at BAMQG have put out a new block design. I know they want to keep people interested, but I am still interested in this block. They said they would keep taking these blocks, so I will keep making them. I am doing to keep these pink ones and put the top together myself.

Blue Donation Block
Blue Donation Block

I am still cutting 2.5″ squares when I do my normal “new fabric” cutting, so I have other colors besides pink as well. I will give these non-pink blocks in so someone else can work on them.

I found a few different blues, so I cut some squares out of them to work with.

One of the fun things about this project is putting the squares together in different ways. In the blue block, I probably should not have put the two solids in the same row. Fortunately, in the grand scheme, it probably won’t matter much. This blue blocks looks rather cheerful, I think.

Another Pink Donation Block
Another Pink Donation Block

I have a lot of the same fabrics for the pink blocks, because I cut up large enough pieces of fabric to make 9 2.5″ squares.

I did dig out some scraps that were large enough to make some 2.5″ squares out of. I was surprised since TFQ cannibalized my scrap bins quite efficiently. The few different fabrics will add interest and the similar fabrics will provide cohesion. That is what I am telling myself anyway. 😉

In the back of my mind I am planning to use all of the black on white fabric I bought for the Flower Snowball. It is a lot, because I will never learn just how little fabric a quilt really needs, especially if I use the fabric for one piece in the quilt. We’ll see if I actually use it all. I like the black and white as background. It prevents me from going to buy more background fabric.

Enjoy!

Block-a-Long #57: 1 Rectangle in a Square

1 Rectangle in a Square #57
1 Rectangle in a Square #57

I have been thinking about the QuiltCon block challenge, as I may have mentioned. In the course of that thinking, I also looked at the definition of a modern quilt. One of the elements is Asymmetry, so I thought I would try this block design out.

It is related to last week’s block, #56 Two Rectangles.

The directions for One Rectangle in a Square #57 are posted.

If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.

Nota bene: The AQ Block-a-Long is ending. I am starting to repeat myself and run out of ideas and since this has not been very popular, I don’t feel bad about ending it. I am going to try and make it to #60 so you have an even number with which to work, but we will see.

May/June Donation Blocks

Brown Donation Block
Brown Donation Block

This is a block made partially from a kit that the BAMQG Charity Girls provided. I wasn’t that thrilled with the choices left when I went to look in the basket, but these postage stamp type blocks are very popular and the kits are arduous to make up. And beggars can’t be choosers, so I took the kit.

The other thing about taking kits is that I get to use fabrics that are out of my comfort zone. I know I have some browns and beiges that have languished for a long time. I have started to use them as quilting borders and other temporary parts of quiltmaking. While I don’t want to depress some poor child with a brown quilt, perhaps I could use some of the beiges and browns for donation blocks? We will see.

Green Donation Block
Green Donation Block

I made the brown block up before the May meeting and Angela took it to the meeting for me. I was mostly working on the Blue Donation Quilt, so I only made a few blocks. I have a lot of backgrounds cut and, as I mentioned, I want to work with pink, so I am cutting some pinks to use for pink donation blocks.

I am cutting 8″ squares so I can cut a bunch of 2.5″ squares all at once using the Accuquilt. That means that I don’t actually have any pink patches cut yet, but soon, hopefully.

In the meantime, when I ran out of Corner Store backgrounds (because I was making them using the leaders and enders technique), so I switched to making a blue donation block. I have plenty of backgrounds for those.

I had a few pieces of fabric waiting to be cut on the Accuquilt, so when Julie was over the other day, I cut those up using the pieces for the donation blocks as a demo. That means I have a few pieces ready to sew.

The sad part is that I am using leaders and enders to move forward in other projects, so I haven’t done nearly as many blocks for the charity girls as I would have liked. I am trying to rest on my laurels a bit, since I did make an entire quilt and back. I’ll get back in the saddle.

Block-a-Long #56: Two Rectangles

2 Rectangles in a Field of Squares #56
2 Rectangles in a Field of Squares #56

Yes, this has a lot of small squares, but you can do it.

Directions for 2 Rectangles in a Field of Squares #56 are posted.

If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.

Nota bene: The AQ Block-a-Long is ending. I am starting to repeat myself and run out of ideas and since this has not been very popular, I don’t feel bad about ending it. I am going to try and make it to #60 so you have an even number with which to work, but we will see.

Block-a-Long #55: Three Columns & a Square

3 Columns and a Square
3 Columns and a Square

This is related to last week’s block, Four Columns Squares.

This block is suited to 4 or 5 fabrics. I think that it would look best with multiple fabrics.

Directions for Three Columns & a Square are included.

If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.

Nota bene: The AQ Block-a-Long is ending. I am starting to repeat myself and run out of ideas and since this has not been very popular, I don’t feel bad about ending it. I am going to try and make it to #60 so you have an even number with which to work, but we will see.

Corner Store Progress

Corner Store - May Progress
Corner Store - May Progress

I know I am trying to finish the Flowering Snowball, but the hand piecing is slowing me down. Since th cut squares and triangles were sitting right by my machine, I just started sewing them together. I just needed to sew. In between sewing the Swoon, I made 20 of the Corner Store blocks.

These blocks are fairly easy to make if you have everything cut. As I have said, I like the variety of different sizes of triangles. I think it creates movement across the design field, but I think the viewer can see it better if the blocks are sewn together.

Lots of red in this group, but really awesome reds. I found another container of triangles with some more variety of color. The blocks will look different when I put them all up on the design wall and move them around.

I am not sure how many blocks I am going to need for a finished product, but I think the height of the piece will be 15 blocks down. If I make a piece that is 15 blocks x 15 blocks, I will need 225 blocks not counting the borders. I don’t have any idea of what type of border to add at this point. We’ll have to see.

 

Block-a-Long #54: Rail Fence

Rail Fence #54
Rail Fence #54

This isn’t one of my original block designs. It is a variation of a Rail Fence. I chose it because it is related to 4 Column Squares. You could use 5 or 8 fabrics. If you use 5 fabrics, you might want to use the same fabric in the middle pieces for a pinwheel effect.

Directions for Rail Fence are included.

If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.

Nota bene: The AQ Block-a-Long is ending. I am starting to repeat myself and run out of ideas and since this has not been very popular, I don’t feel bad about ending it. I am going to try and make it to #60 so you have an even number with which to work, but we will see.

Swoon #6

Swoon #6
Swoon #6

I told you I was going to finish the Swoon block. 😉 Here it is.

This is more of the look I was going for when I made Swoon #5. I love this block. It is one of my favorites. I love the combination of that bubble gum pink and that certain tint of turquoise/aqua. It is so cheerful.

I am thinking I will make 3 more and call it good, but we will see.

I thought I should cut out the next one so I could start sewing right away, but I didn’t have it in me.

Block-a-Long #53: Four Columns with Squares

4 Columns with Squares
4 Columns with Squares

This block is related to last week’s block, #52 as well as Corner Squares in that I am working with squares and tall rectangles. I can really see this one going well with 2.5″ squares in the center. If anyone is interested I will post a pattern for that size (about 8″) as well.

Directions for 4 Columns with Squares are included.

If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.