Dresden Plate blocks

My frantic sewing pace has definitely slowed down this week, with much less time spent in my sewing room.  I really didn't realize how many appointments I had scheduled all in a 2 week cluster.  And my new glasses might be ready for pick up today.  

Saturday Sampler this month has several Dresden Plate blocks.  Progress has been slow but moving forward.  The purple block was sewn last week, and the pink one is from this week.  It's much bigger than the purple one.

This teal/aqua Dresden will be the same size as the pink version.  None of the background squares for the bigger ones have been cut yet, and I'm still not sure exactly how I want to applique them onto the background. I'm going to finish the Dresdens and then I'll worry about backgrounds and applique stitches. 

There are some partial blocks left to make that are not even cut out yet. Maybe that will happen today.  

Garden Stars progress

One goal for this week was getting the 4th block made for Garden Stars.  Monday I got that 4th block made finally.  I'll need 12 total to alternate with the monthly star blocks, but if I make 1 or 2 each month along with the 1 star I should have no problem keeping up with this Carol Doak sew-along.this year.

The binding is finish on a couple of RWB placemats for donation.  The one on the right was made mostly with strips I discovered in a bag of scraps given to me.  The one on the right was made using that Mardi Gras block I've been making for RSC.  It didn't take more than an hour to make 6 of the blocks, and then turn them into the placemat, including the quilting. 

This doll quilt is finished too.  Since it just needed binding it was a quick finish. The NASA fabric was all that was left from what I bought for pillowcases.  It will join the little group of "critters in quilts" for donation.  

Monday I also worked on the Dresden Plates for Saturday Sampler, and the patriotic mini quilt kit that has been tempting me.  It does help when I can get a bunch of things cut and arranged onto the design boards so that I'm ready to just sit down and sew.

Ticker Tape blocks explained

I've had a request from an Anonymous commenter for more information on the Ticker Tape blocks. So here we go. Sorry, I can't share a link to a pattern because I did the math myself after seeing the blocks online.  But I can tell you my process.  I'm sure there is a pattern out there somewhere, but I've seen this block called several different names, so I'm not sure where to point you. 

The first way I made the block was simply using squares and half square triangles.  Mine are cut 2.5" and the block finishes in the quilt at 4" x 8" (4.5 x 8.5 unfinished).  

The easier and faster way to make these is cutting 2.5" x  6.5" strips (2 matching) of the color, and 6 squares (2.5") of the background.  Add a background square to each end of the color and sew diagonally - similar to a Flying Geese. 

Trim off those triangles, and I pressed toward the color so the seam allowance doesn't show in my scrappy white backgrounds.  But pressing direction doesn't make a lot of difference.  Lay the unit with long colored side pointing left, and add the remaining squares to top end.

 IMPORTANT NOTE:  Both halves of the block are sewn identically, then one half is turned to make this shape when sewn side by side.  If you zoom into the photo you can see my seams in the block. 

On a side note - make the blocks a bigger size very easily.  Use 3.5" squares of background and 3.5" by 9.5" strips of color.  That will make a 6" by 12" finished block.  

Design Wall Monday - June 22

It's Monday again, and my focus needs to shift a bit.  I still have things to finish from last week's list, but I plan to have some fun with a NEW project this week too.

This cute kit has been tempting me, and now I'm excited to dig into it.  This is another mini from Shabby Fabrics.  It's paper pieced but small so it should be fairly quick.

I've pulled fabrics for the remaining Dresden Plates needed for this month's Saturday Sampler blocks.  The background pieces still need to be chosen too.  We're reaching the exciting stage where some of the big sections can be sewn together into rows.   

And I'll finish up the 4th Garden Stars block, hopefully today.  I'll need 12, but will make the rest gradually.  On July 1 we should get the first of the monthly blocks these will alternate with in the quilt.  

There will be binding to do this week too: a Quilt of Valor, a placemat, a table runner, and a doll quilt.  A few Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks and the RWB Ticker Tape blocks will continue as Leaders/Enders.  

Last week I had an eye appointment and a doctor appointment.  This week I have a dentist appointment, and will be starting PT again for the Achilles tendonitis.  And my new glasses will probably be ready to pick up by the end of the week. 

I'm linking up today with:

https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/ 

https://songbirddesigns.blog 

More RWB

Happy Father's Day to the dads out there.  My own dad has been gone for more than 35 years already.  This picture was taken in 1959 at my grandparents' farm in Kansas.  I noticed my dad is hanging onto the leash so our little dog must have been with us on that trip. 

Saturday seemed like a good day to focus on RWB - mainly because I have a ton of parts cut for various QOV blocks, and I already had a LOT of RWB scraps hanging out near my cutting table.  So basically I just played.  Above the Gleam block in the photo above is the result of a little bit of play.  I used my Tri-Recs rulers, cutting the diamond from a folded piece of the flag fabric.  Then 2 sets of wings were added - 2 blue and 2 white.  Doing the math to figure out how a block is made is a lot of fun.  For now that diamond unit is hanging on my bulleting board waiting for inspiration.  

A few more RWB Ticker Tape blocks were sewn, and a few more parts cut for more.  There are 17 blocks ready to add to quilt top section I've begun, and parts cut for approximately 20 more of them.  These have been great Leaders/Enders.

The parts are cut for a few more RWB Buckeye Beauty blocks.  Our QOV group has made one Buckeye quilt in the past, and we had a few extra blocks.  So it's a good time to use up more scraps and start another quilt top.

The other RWB sewing that happened on Saturday was cutting 4 more sets of binding.  I used the red and white stripe from the box of fabric Nann sent me.  I love a striped binding and this is going to work great.  Three of those strips will be a perfect binding for the NASA themed doll quilt that has been waiting in the wings.  And I cut enough blue binding to use on a placemat that was an experiment with RWB versions of the Mardi Gras blocks I've been making for Rainbow Scrap Challenge. 

I still need to put the binding back onto that RWB 60-degree runner from last week, but that shouldn't take long either.  Lots more binding in my future.  

Today I plan to clear up the RWB scraps so that next week my focus can shift next week to a couple of other projects - one new and one WIP. 

RSC26 - Week #25

Because I cut lots of block "kits" ahead of time and stack them out on my design boards, I can whip up a whole lot of different blocks in just a couple of hours of sewing.  And I love having multiple block sets going on all at once.  I currently have 3 design boards with block kits - one has QOV Ticker Tape pieces in red, white, and blue, one has various scrappy RSC block pieces, and the other has some test block pieces for the Pizza Box challenge block - that must remain a secret here until August. 

I finished making all of the string blocks needed to finish up the top for the String Stars. I just needed a couple light blue ones, and a couple of neutral ones.  Now I can add that last 2 rows onto the others, and a new scrappy flimsy will be born.  

A couple of the Mardi Gras blocks came off the assembly line.  I have a whole stack of the black and white pieces cut already and only have to cut ONE 7.5" square of a color, cut it in half - and 5 minutes later there are 2 new blocks. They end up slightly oversize, so once I've trimmed to size they are all very exact.  I can picture these blocks in Christmas or Halloween fabrics - some day.  Or in patriotic prints for a Quilt of Valor.  I can also visualize these blocks coming together for placemats.  HMMM . . . 

A few more Ticker Tape blocks happened, also thinking about a lap quilt using these.  I looked back at previous month's RSC colors, and dug into the scraps for reds (not in the picture), blues, and greens.  Side note: I have so many blue scraps I think I could make all-blue quilts forever and ever.  LOL

This is one way these Ticker Tape blocks can be layed out.  I have a start on the patriotic ones I've been making as Leaders/Enders.  This direction it makes me think of confetti, but turned sideways they look kind of like waves. 

A minor squirrel distracted me this week too.  Bonnie Hunter released a new pattern this past month, and I bought the digital download right away.  It's called Crackers and Jam, and it's paper pieced with 2 alternating blocks.  I made just the one block so far, but couldn't resist.  This is only 6.5" square, which means each little quadrant finishes at 3".  So cute!  I've made several quilts using the big version of this block which is an old signature block pattern. But this tiny version just called to me.  And it uses really small scraps!!! 

Two of the most fun blocks I'm making this year for RSC are the Honey Bee blocks and the Catnip blocks (3 cats).  I've kept up with them each month so far, and have decided I'm not going to add pastel versions.  I plan to keep them in brighter more saturated shades. But this is a good month to play with all of these other blocks.  I'll never run out of scraps in this lifetime but I sure can have fun playing with them.  

Let's go check out more Rainbow fun . . .

https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/

Finished (or not) Friday

I'm really excited to report 3 finishes this week.  That's right - 3 things are totally finished!!  Two of these projects are not terribly big, but still, they are done.

Marching Stars was a sew-along this past winter designed and hosted by Alycia.  She is very involved with Quilts of Valor in her own state, but also generously shares her designs for QOV with her blog readers.  I just love this one!!  This is the second QOV that I've finished this month - made by me - from my stash.  Another one is currently in the hands of a long arm quilter.  Plus 4 "group" quilts just came back from another long armer, so we're finally getting caught up with what we'll need in coming weeks and months.  It's so important to have a quilt ready whenever we get a veteran nominated. 

This is Summer Getaway.  It's only 45" square so it should make a good lap quilt.  I plan to donate it locally.  One of our guild members is collecting lap quilts for a local agency housing disabled adults.  It was a kit from a long past Sew Sampler box (Fat Quarter Shop). Background and backing, borders and binding had to be added - some came from my stash and some was purchased to finish the project.   

Beach Bums fought hard to NOT be finished this week.  But I overcame.  This is applique, all done with fusible and no stitching around the edges of the pieces.  The whole thing is only 30 by 45, and a lot of those pieces are TINY.  So I just ironed them on - with the plan that dense quilting would take care of holding things down.  That would have been a good plan if some of those pieces would have stayed on long enough to actually be quilted.  Carol (the quilter) has the patience of a saint, as I dropped it off, then had to pick up back up for some fixing, then dropped it off again. This will hang somewhere in my house, but I haven't decided yet just where that will be. 

On a side note I finished 5 mug rugs too.

For more finishes, please visit:  https://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/