A Few Works in Progress

I have quite a few works in progress at the moment. I'm a bit of a butterfly, happily flitting from one to another. Sometime you just don't feel like working on the thing you really should be working on, so it's nice to have a lot of choices.

This week I went back to my Farmer's Wife quilt. I started it about a year ago, but didn't get very far.

At the time I chose some Liberty fabrics, but I didn't get very far. 

I wasn't comfortable with the palette, and I couldn't see it being a quilt that would go with any of my rooms. It would end up as a car or garden quilt, so I decided to start over.

This time round I'm using a Moda layer cake - 30s Playtime Chloe's Closet, plus any scraps from my stash that happen to go well. I'm also using plenty of solids , as I think too many prints was part of the problem last time. I've chosen a spring green, navy, red and snow for the solids. Others may be added as needed.

Two other changes I'm making - I'm pressing all my seams open. Some of these blocks have a lot of tiny pieces, so I'm going for consistency and pressing all the seams the same way.

I'm also working consistently through the block numbers. No skipping ones that I don't fancy that day allowed!!

So here we have:

Block #1 Attic Windows

Block #2 Autumn Tints

Block #3 Basket

 The handle of the basket is hand appliquéd on afterwards. I love sitting quietly in the evening doing a little hand sewing. I must do more of it!! The strip was cut on the bias, folded under and then curved into position. It was a pretty tight curve and it didn't look as though it was going to co-operate. Then I remembered a tip that was stored somewhere in the dark recess of my mind - spritz it with water! I did, and it just sort of fell into place. I pressed it firmly until it was dry, and hey presto! the basket has a handle.

Block #4 Basket Weave

4 blocks down, 107 to go !!

I've also been working on my Economy Block quilt.

Adding a side border...

And another...

And a third

It's a finished quilt top now. 60" x 64"and I love it far, far more than I ever thought I would.

It will be stored away for a while, as I'm going to put myself through a sort of marathon free motion quilting practice on some scrap blocks. And when I think I'm good and ready, it will get quilted. This was going to be a charity quilt, but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to part with it!

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Economy Block Quilt Progress

This is a very short post, mainly to share with you how stupid I have been!!
Monday all was well, I was working hard on my Economy Block Quilt. I have the bulk of the top completed. All that's left to do is the side borders.
Tuesday I was sitting at my laptop enjoying a morning cuppa, when suddenly the cup jumped out of my hand and deposited it's entire contents over my laptop!!! And just incase you're wondering what expletives ensued, I was in such a state of shock I was dumb!
I did have the sense to turn said laptop upside down immediately, but I don't think my immediately was immediate enough.
The result - no working laptop!
I'm hoping when my laptop and I visit the kind Apple Genius tomorrow morning the diagnosis will be a good one, but until then it has to have complete rest in a warm room (and nil by mouth!!!)
The quilt is coming along nicely. Should you be interested in the quilt 's progress I will be updating Instagram rather than using my blog until the laptop is fixed. Button to the link is at the top of the sidebar - it's the little camera icon.

It's more than likely that there will be no Block Buster Sunday this week, as trying to write a blog post from my phone is excruciatingly frustrating and just gives me a mega headache, but rest assured. it will resume just as soon as my laptop is well again.

And if you're in the habit of enjoying a nice cup of tea (or a nice cup of anything!) whilst browsing the internet, take my advice - don't

It's not worth the hassle!



And just in case you feel sorry for me - Don't! It was my own stupid fault, and it's something I won't do again!

Block Buster Sunday #2 Economy Block Tutorial

Welcome to Block Buster Sunday #2
This week I'm exploring the Economy Block which is also known as a Square In A Square block.
I would rate this as an easy block, with the proviso that you do need to have some sewing experience as  there are bias cut edges, which can stretch if you are not careful.
I recommend starching the fabric before you cut, particularly if you are a beginner quilter.

My tutorial is for a rotary cut and pieced block, and I have given cutting instructions for 3 sizes of block -  6", 8"and 10" finished. You can of course paper piece this block and there are free templates available if you search the internet.

For a 6" finished block you need to cut:
1     3 1/2" square for  A
1     4 1/4" square for  B
2     4"       squares for C

For a 8" finished block you need to cut:
1     4 1/2" square for A
1     5 1/4" square for B
2     5"       squares for C

For a 10" finished block you need to cut:
1     5 1/2" square for A
1     6 1/4" square for B
2     6"       squares for C

The size of the C squares allows for a little trimming when the block is finished.

Cut square B diagonally in both directions to give 4 quarter square triangles. Cut both C squares diagonally in half to give a total of 4 half square triangles.

Pin the long edge of a B quarter square triangle to one edge of A.
For the first few blocks I lined up my ruler against the edge of A and ensured that the point of the triangle was exactly in the middle of the square. After a few blocks you get a feel for where the centre is, and can eyeball it.

Do the same on the opposite edge.

Using a 1/4" seam allowance, sew in place.

Trim off the overhangs and press the seams away from the centre.

Repeat for the remaining 2 sides of the inner square.

Place one of the C half square triangles on the outer edge, using a ruler to help ensure it is centred correctly (that diagonal line through the centre of the ruler helps enormously!. Pin in place.

Do the same for the opposite edge. Sew in place.

Press seam allowances away from the centre.

Repeat for the remaining 2 sides.

Press open and trim. You need to ensure that you have 1/4" beyond the points on the B sections and that where the vertical lines on the ruler run through the top and bottom points is exactly half the unfinished size of the block.

My block is 8" finished, (8 1/2" unfinished), so it is the 4 1/4" line that runs through the top and bottom points.

The block can provide some very different effects.
The scrappy look:

Planned and limited colours:

Limited colours and sashing:

Planned colours across several blocks:

Which effect do you like the best?

It Wasn't Meant To Happen

It wasn't meant to happen. It wasn't supposed to be like this! This should have been a knitting post. I should have had a finish to show you, BUT a quilt idea got into my head, I tried to push it to the back, I told it to take it's turn, but NO, it wouldn't leave me alone, until finally I admitted defeat and started to make it. I don't need this quilt! I have requests for other quilts waiting to be started, but this little upstart has bamboozled it's way to the top of the list!

How? you may ask.

Well, being the organised person I am, I got way ahead of myself on my Block Buster Sunday projects over the Christmas holidays. This coming Sunday it's the Economy Block. In some ways it's a pity I had already worked on this, as the whole quilting world and it's wife seem to be making economy blocks at the moment. I thought about postponing it until later in the year, but I'm going to post it anyway. There is an Economy Block Quilt Along on Instagram The hashtag is #economyblockalong. There's also an Economy Block Quilt Along on Flickr, so I thought probably one more tutorial won't go amiss.

Anyway, that is not until Sunday. The idea of the Block Buster Sundays is just to try out different blocks, NOT make whole quilts from them, but somehow there is now a work in progress to share!

My economy block quilt is going to be totally scrappy. (That's justification #1 for making it - use up the scraps). It's going to be a charity quilt (justification #2 - I should make more charity quilts) and I'm going to free motion quilt it, when I get that far ( justification #3 - I need to get out of my comfort zone with my free motion quilting on something that doesn't matter too much}

I'm also not allowing myself to sash these blocks.

The prudent quilter in me would have sashed them so that it wouldn't matter if some of the outer points on those blocks didn't line up too well, but this is the year of learning new skills, and if I go slowly sewing these blocks , then hopefully I can improve my accuracy. I also love the secondary pattern that emerges where the four outer corners of the blocks join.

So, this is my work in progress. Eight blocks made so far, a total of 48 needed. Block size is 8" finished

I will be posting the tutorial on Sunday, and hopefully have a few more blocks to show too.