Saturday 19 September 2015

Rainy Days and Quilty Friends

When I first decided to start this blog, it was just to share the quilty things I make. I soon realized that this blog was so much more than that. It was also an introduction into the wonderful world of quilty bloggers. I now have quilty blog friends who understand my passion and addiction for quilting, but they also are so much more than quilting friends. Take Lara of BuzzinBumble for example. Lara went above and beyond being just a quilty friend, she is a compassionate caring person.


Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said  'Into each life some rain must fall' It seems like it has been a downpour here since Saturday, my DIL was rushed by ambulance for emergency surgery, she was 7 weeks pregnant. She lost the baby, I had surgery on Tuesday followed by a bad reaction to the tape on the dressing. In Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem he also says 'Behind the clouds is the sun still shining'. I know that is true and I'll just have to wait for the sun to shine, it may take awhile but it will shine brightly.

People like Lara are helping in their own special way to get the sun shining and it seems a little brighter thanks to her. You see I received a package in the mail from her filled to the brim with well wishes and gifts.

 A lovely bag that I know was sewn with prayers and well wishes in every stitch. The caramels will be enjoyed and gone in no time. The sudoku will definitely help to occupy my mind. Thank you seems so inadequate, but also so heart felt. Thank you Lara for being there and for being such a good quilty friend.

Monday 7 September 2015

Guild BOM

This is a quick post today. I have a flimsy done of the BOM I am doing for my guild. It is going to be a christmas gift for my oldest son and DIL when done. I am thinking about adding another border, they are both tall and this top is 55'' x 55'' not quite big enough to snuggle under. I have a couple ideas just need to work on them.

guild BOM
I sure hope my guild members like it. I like the designing aspect and may play around with designing more in the future. 

Summer is almost at an end, although it sure hasn't felt like it lately. We have another heat warning for today, thank goodness for AC.


Wednesday 2 September 2015

Fabri-Quilt New Block Blog Hop

Today I get to share with you the block I designed for the Fabri-Quilt New Block Blog Hop.



We were to design a 12 inch finished block using a bundle of 6 fat 8th fabrics generously donated by Fabri-Quilt.
Watermelon Summer Colour Palette
Chartreuse, Turquoise, Coral, Aqua, Lapis Blue, White

  Each day of the blog hop, the host for the day will be hosting a giveaway and the Inspired by Fabric blog will be hosting a giveaway. Each giveaway will be for a 1/2 yard bundle of the Watermelon Summer bundle we used to make our blocks. Todays host is Stephanie of the Late Night Quilter.  The blocks that have been made from the Fabri-Quilt solids are being turned into charity quilts by our generous hosts and being given to charity.

My block is a take on a log cabin block. One of these days I'm actually going to make a log cabin quilt, but not today. I called my block Stepping Out, I'm terrible at naming things.

Stepping Out Block


 I hope you like the block I designed for the blog hop. I have included both graphics and also some pictures for some of the steps. So lets get started.

Stepping Out Block

This is a 12 1/2'' unfinished or 12'' finished block.

 All seams allowances are a scant 1/4''.

Stepping Out Block


Cutting:

Coral:          A  cut (1) - 2'' x 6 1/2''
                    B  cut (3)  - 2'' x 5''

White:         C   cut (2)  - 4'' x 4''

Aqua:          D   cut (2)  - 4'' x 4''
               
Chartreuse:  E   cut (4)  - 2'' x 2''
                    F   cut (2) - 2'' x 3 1/2''
                    G   cut (2) - 2'' x 5''

Turquoise:   H   cut (3) - 2'' x 6 1/2''
                     I    cut (1) - 2'' x  5''

Lapis Blue:  J    cut (4) - 2'' x 2''
                    K   cut (2) - 2'' x 5''      
                    L   cut (2) - 2'' x 3 1/2''


Step 1:

1. On the back of both piece C's draw a diagonal line from corner to corner, on the wrong side. See diagram 1a.
2. Place the square on top of piece D. Sew a 1/4'' seam on both sides of the line. See diagram 1b.
3. Cut on drawn line. See diagram 1c.
4. Press HST's to the dark side.
5. Trim the HST's to 3 1/2'' x 3 1/2''
6. Make 4.

diagram 1

Step one
Step 2:

1. Draw a line diagonally, on the wrong side of all  E's. 
2. Using  background fabric piece B and one  E square.
3. Place E on  B matching corners and with right sides together sew on the drawn line. I prefer to sew one thread width to the outer corner side of the line.  See diagram 2a for proper placement of E. Do this for all three piece B's.
4. Trim a 1/4'' from the sewn line, on the outside corner. See diagram 2b.  
5. Press seams to dark side.
6. Repeat using the remaining piece E and piece A matching corners and with right sides together sew on drawn line. See diagram 2d.
7. You should have three shorter BE units and one longer AE unit.


diagram 2
Step two: three short units and one long unit

Step 3:

1. Draw a line diagonally, on the wrong side of all J's.
2. Using background fabric piece H and one I square.
3. Place an J on H matching corners and with right sides together sew on the drawn line. I prefer to sew one thread width to the outer corner side of the line. See diagram 3a for proper placement of I. Do this for two H pieces. Make 2.
4. Place the remaining J piece on piece H matching corners and with right sides together sew on drawn line. I prefer to sew one thread width to the outer corner side of the line. See diagram 3b. Make 1.
5. Place an J on G on the opposite corner, matching corners and with right sides together sew on the drawn line. I prefer to sew one thread width to the outer corner side of the line. See diagram 3b for proper placement of J. Do this for two G pieces. Make 1.
6. Trim a 1/4'' from the sewn line, on the outside corner. See diagram 3c.
7. Press seams to dark side.
8. You should have three longer HJ units and one shorter IJ unit.

diagram 3

Step three: three long units and one short unit


Step 4:

1. Sew pieces F, G K and L to HST unit from Step 1. See diagram 4.
2. Make 4.

diagram 4



Step 5:

1. Sew units from Step 4 to units from Step 2 & 3. See diagram 5. Press seams.

diagram 5
Step 6:

1. Sew the four units from Step 5 together. See diagram 6.

diagram 6

For my test block I did it in scrappy pinks. I'm making a scrappy pink sampler quilt for one of my granddaughters, might as well include a grandma original block. Two different looks just by using a different colourway. 

different colourway

I thought it would be fun to see what a layout or two would look like. The second layout is my favourite,  I just flipped every other block and it created a nice secondary pattern.

layout one


layout two

If you would prefer a PDF of the block pattern you can get it free here.


Today's hop participants are:

Host – Stephanie @Late Night Quilter
Hannah @Modern Magnolia Studio
Cindy @Stitchin At Home
Abby @Hashtag Quilt
Lisa @Sunlight in Winter Quilts
Carrie @Chopping Block Quilts
Eleanor @Cat Approved Quilting
Brianna @The Iron and Needle
Tish @Tish’s Adventures in Wonderland
Jan @The Colorful Fabriholic
Sarah @Smiles Too Loudly
Beth @Cooking Up Quilts
Leanne @Devoted Quilter
Liz @LizzyClips Design
Kim @Leland Ave Studios

Make sure to visit all the blogs participating in the Fabri- Quilt New Block Blog Hop, so you can collect all 60 wonderful blocks. Also you can enter to win your own bundle of the Fabri-Quilt colours used in these blocks.

The host and today's schedule are as follows:

Wednesday, September 2nd
Host – Stephanie @Late Night Quilter
Hannah @Modern Magnolia Studio
Cindy @Stitchin At Home
Abby @Hashtag Quilt
Lisa @Sunlight in Winter Quilts
Carrie @Chopping Block Quilts
Eleanor @Cat Approved Quilting
Brianna @The Iron and Needle
Tish @Tish’s Adventures in Wonderland
Jan @The Colorful Fabriholic
Sarah @Smiles Too Loudly
Beth @Cooking Up Quilts
Leanne @Devoted Quilter
Liz @LizzyClips Design
Kim @Leland Ave Studios


Monday, August 31st
Host – Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl

Tuesday, September 1st
Host – Cheryl @Meadow Mist Designs
Wednesday, September 2nd
Host – Stephanie @Late Night Quilter
Thursday, September 3rd
Host – Terri Ann @Childlike Fascination

Have fun and happy block making.