Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
Block 7, North and True is finished!
It took me a long time, because I was sewing other things and using this as leaders and enders. It didn’t take years just longer than a small block should. I was working on donation blocks and sewing bits of the Country Revival/Sad Quilt together. So many projects happening at once!
I have to figure out if this needs to be trimmed. I think so, but getting the block done feels like an achievement.
The piecing on this quilt takes a lot of time. I think it is because of the curves. That doesn’t mean it is difficult, just time consuming.
In the photo, the top left unit is pieced and trimmed. I wasn’t happy with the trimming. I ended up buying the SKOW recommended ruler, Sew Square 6**, though, despite my love for specialty rulers, I am fundamentally opposed to specialty square rulers. I would much rather the ruler I already have, the Quick Curve Ruler**, be marked well enough so I could trim with it. It isn’t impossible, but I found it to be very difficult. I haven’t decided if I need to make that upper left unit again. I don’t know if I trimmed too close to the green curved shape.
Except for the bottom row, the rest of the units have been sewn, but not trimmed. You can see how weird looking they are before they are trimmed. I bought the Sew Square 6** which I plan to use to trim the other units.
I didn’t buy the whole set; I just bought this one to see if I thought it was better than just using the Quick Curve Ruler.
Flower 1 is still unsewn. I am not 100% happy with the color selection. I bought a few solids, which I am hoping will help fix whatever the problem is.
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.
I am keeping up with Patchwork Palooza and am on to block 7.
As you can see it is cut out and ready to sew. I am unsure if I will have to trim it. The corner triangles look a little large.
Here are the various gifts I have made for my mom over the years. She doesn’t want more bags, but I can’t seem to help myself. I have made her 34 gifts over the past few years.
Recently, when I took her home after the second surgery, I saw the Bright Cafe Apron in a box. I only saw a bit of it folded, but the fabric jarred something in my mind. I had forgotten I gave it to Mom. She said she is going to use it now to carry things around rather than carrying them in her hands. Yay for safety!
When I went to visit her on Wednesday, she was using the apron as she said she would. I was so happy! It make me super excited that the apron was useful.
The only failures were the Cane Chains. I couldn’t get the clamps tight enough to do their job. Not sure if a rivet press would solve that problem.
I forgot to post that I finished EPP Ball #9. I sent it off without taking photos, but my friend was kind enough to send me a few.
My friend said that the toddler loves the ball, which makes me really happy!
I am getting really fast at making these toys and was thinking that adding some embroidery over the seams would slow the process down.
I finished Sidewalk #4 very quickly. I wanted to turn it in at Sew Day since the pieces were clogging up my workspace.
This is partially because my design walls are full. I have a lot going on (Country Revival/Sad Quilt, Patchwork Palooza, Four Patch Fun, 2 other Sidewalk quilts, Circle quilt). I even had to use the floor since there is no room on any design wall. Very hard on my back, but I was on a mission.
I definitely need to think about less white in the Half 16 Patch blocks. This quilt is VERY white and you don’t really get the sidewalk effect with so much white.
I have been working on some green and blue Sidewalk blocks with white and I may use a different color for the background.
I was very surprised at how well this back went together. I didn’t worry about eeking every little inch out of the fabric. I got enough pieces out and cut there where I needed to. It means I have more scraps to cut up as well as a finished back.
I finished Patchwork Palooza Block 11! I am excited as I only have a few more blocks to make to catch up.
So far, I haven’t been able to find a block like this in either the or in Jinny Beyer’s The Quilter’s Album of Patchwork Patterns. I can’t believe nobody ever thought of it, but so far I haven’t found it categorized.
The stripes in this piece are really striking. The rainbow stripes from Chain Link make this piece less depressing than it might be if I had excluded them.
I am pleased that I finally finished this piece. It has been on the design wall for more than a year and it is a relief to get it to the Community Quilt team.
I am pleased with the way it came out. Most of these improv quilts are hard to pass along.
The latest Patchwork Palooza block came out on Friday and I am pleased that I finished it. I didn’t finish it until last night, but I don’t want to get behind again.
This block is called, by the Patchwork Palooza people, Set Sail. Historically it has several different names, including Old Maid’s Puzzle or Hour Glass or School Girl’s Puzzle. You can find this block in Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Quilt Patterns** as #1317.
The name Old Maid’s Puzzle is from Ladies Art Company #25. Not very P.C., as many of these names tend to be.
The Hour Glass name is from Grandma Dexter. I had never heard of Grandma Dexter and had to look it up. Grandma Dexter is listed in the bibliography of the Encyclopedia of Quilt Patterns** as a “series of booklets published in the early 1930s from the Virginia Snow Studios, apart of the Dexter Yarn and Thread Company and the Collingbourne Mills in Elgin, IL. Hmm. Interesting. More puzzles as I have never heard of that company either, but I am just interested and not an expert.
The School Girl’s Puzzle name is from Needlecraft Supply 1936, n.12.
I also found it Jinny Beyer’s The Quilter’s Album of Patchwork Patterns, where it is called as Crosses & Losses (73-9). The name comes from Ladies Art Company, 1897. Beyer says it is also known as Bouncing Betty (!!??!!) (Progressive Farmer, 1933), Fox & Geese (Finley, 1929) and Hour Glass, as mentioned above.
This is a block that I have always admired. I know I made a similar one for the Handbag Sampler. I don’t think I have ever made it otherwise, so it makes me glad to have the opportunity to try it again.
I have also made a few of the alternate blocks. I think there will be another piece of sashing, but for now, I have a few of the blocks laid out without it. I just chose some random blocks, though I see now that two of them are Sawtooth Star types. I’ll choose some others once I get more of the alternate blocks made.
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.
We had another fun Sew Day on Saturday! It was super lively. We had a new member join and another new member join her first Sew Day.
Amy showed two quilts she has recently finished. The flower quilt has a great block. I really like the rectangular block format.
Amy also showed the lime and teal quilt. She called it her Halloween quilt. I couldn’t really understand that and didn’t hear the explanation, but I like the fabric. I think maybe the fabric, with its bell jars, test tubes and poison jars and flasks of eyeballs might be the reason.
Mom finished the binding on the White Strips #2. Tim held it up for me and then it got turned in.
I cut up most of the leftover Half Hexie strips for the Four Patch Fun blocks. I am pleased about that, except that I have a boatload of pieces and need to cut some backgrounds for them. I keep reminding myself I don’t have to do it all at once.
I also cut out an apron I have been planning for the AirBnB house I rent when I go to Portland.
I had an exciting discovery the other day. As I was doing through my quilt books, I took a look at Judy Martin’s Cookies and Quilts book. I found a fantastic quilt called American Spirit to use with these blocks.
One of the things I like about this quilt is the combination of 4 Patches with the Four Patch Fun blocks. I really like 4 Patches and don’t get to use them enough. I’ll have to resize the pattern a little, but I think I can use some of the 2.5 inch squares I cut when I process my scraps.
I have made quite a few FPF blocks since my last update. I still have more strips from the Half Hexie Star to cut!
BTW, I emailed Judy through her website and asked if I could use a photo. She very kindly offered to send me one. I am glad I took her up on it, because the photo in the book is much more brown than the one she sent. The photo Judy sent is much more cheerful.
I am excited that I finished the Sleeping Bag pouch. I put it aside, but picked it up again last week to finish the binding and the handle.
Overall, I am pleased with the way it came out.For a project with no pattern it was fun and my success spurs me on to think about other bags I want to modify or create.
I want to make some changes to the Ultimate Project Bag and this pouch has made me feel more confident.
There are things I want to change, so I will be making another one of these. I want to refine the way I finish the edges of the binding. I worked hard on those ends, but wasn’t super happy with the finish. I plan consult Bag Club about other ways of finishing the edge.
I am thinking about whether the zipper pull would be better closer to the handle when it is closed. I don’t know if it is possible to install it that way. I think I would have to use a regular zipper – use both halves of a zipper instead of one side as a continuous piece as I did with this one. Another topic to discuss with the Bag Club.
I may try another one with selvedges since I have a seemingly endless supply. I want to place the selvedges 180 degrees from the way I placed them this time. I’d like them to be right side up when I carry the bag. I don’t think it makes much of a difference since the selvedge words will be upside down if it is laying on the table or being carried depending on how they are placed. I’d just like to see the difference in how they look. I may as well do it since I have another half zipper anyway!
This will be a useful bag regardless. If I don’t give it to someone else, I have decided that I can use it as a small handwork bag. Maybe I’ll keep it in the car or in my suitcase? I plan to put the pincushion Amanda made for me along with a small EPP project. It is also quite the statement bag!
I finished block 4 last week after making block 3. I really want to catch up so I am heads down making blocks as I can.
The designer of Patchwork Palooza calls this block Whirl & Settle. It is a classic Sawtooth Star based block. In Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Quilt Patterns**, this block is called Indian Star. It was originally published in the Kansas City Star in 1937.
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.
I went with Mom to the bank where she fumbled around inside the Pearce looking for her bank card. The vertical credit card pockets I added at the last moment are ok, but not positioned well. I thought a small wallet where she could stash her bank cards would be helpful.
I quickly found and started a little wallet. I couldn’t find my Little Wallet pattern. I didn’t want to buy a new one so I found a freebie, the Fold & Stitch Wallet by Caroline Fairbanks.
The nephew is at college. He took a year off and has gone down to SoCal. I sent him the September pillowcase and got a nice text back saying that he was getting settled. Of course I haven’t heard anything else, but I assume he is doing well. I’ll get an update sometime.
It turns out this is the last pillowcase. He has gotten more than any of the other nephews. I hope they are getting used.