Month 1 Medallion BOM

The first block posted is for the medallion center.

 block is 8 1/2'' unfinished 8'' finished, four are required to make the center

All seams allowances are 1/4''

Cutting: This is for the four blocks

Dark fabric:   A  6- 3'' x 3''  

                  

Medium fabric: B  2-  5" x 5''  

                          C  6-  5" x 5''  

Background fabric: D  2-  5" x 5'' 

                                E  6- 3'' x 3'' 

                                F  12- 3'' x 3'

Step 1:

1. On the back of both piece D draw a diagonal line from corner to corner. See diagram 1a.

2. Place the square on top of piece B. 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 4 1/2'' x 4 1/2''

6. Make 4.

diagram1

Step 2:

1. Repeat Step 1 using pieces E and  A. Following 1 through 4.

2. Trim the HST's to 2 1/2'' x 2 1/2''

3. Make 12.

Step 3:

1. Cut F in half diagonally. 

2. Sew a F to a HST unit from step 2 right sides together see diagram 2a.

3. Sew a F to the bottom of unit see diagram 2b.

4. Make sure there is a 1/4'' along point edge lining up the ruler 45 degree line with the side of the unit. See diagram 2c.

5. Make 12 units. 

diagram 2 with diagram 2c

Step 4:

1. Cut C in half diagonally.

2. Sew a unit from step 3 above to C with right sides together. See diagram 3a.

3. Make 12 see diagram 3b.

diagram 3

Step 5:

1. Join rows.

2. Join the rows to make block see diagram 4

3. Trim to 4 1/2'' x

3. Make 4.

Remember to have fun and to post to instagram using #stitchinathomemedallion2017 

Medallion BOM

The Medallion BOM will be a free monthly block of the month. I originally designed this for my quilt guild and have now decided to share it with you. You can read more about it here and here are a few of the quilts made by my fellow guild members.

Medallion Quilt

  I will be posting on the third Saturday of the month. The quilt without additional borders finishes at 55'' x 55''.

What are the fabric requirements?

These are based on 40'' WOF and if you are going to make additional borders than you will need to make adjustments for that.

• Background fabric 1 3/4 yds
• Blue fabric 1 1/4 yds or 5 fat quarters
• Green Fabric 3/4 yds
• Sashings and border 3/4 yd
• Binding 1/2
• Backing 3 1/2 yds

The blue and green fabric are the as per the picture below.

layout of medallion quilt 

When will the first block be posted?

• the third Saturday of the month

The third Saturday in January is the 21st, one week from today.

Where can I find the monthly instructions?

• On my blog follow along
• I'm looking forward to seeing to what everyone comes up with. You can share at #stitchinathomemedallion2017

Speaking of Craftsy the Daily Buzz is serving up specials for quilters.

Design 2 Mini

I have been having fun designing blocks for the 30 Quilt Block Design Challenge. You can read more about it here. This is block #2.

block 2 

I feel in love with this block and had to see where it would go. I powered up EQ and took block 2 for a spin. I liked the results.

block 2 became X-Squared

So I ask you what's a quilter to do but make it. Right? But you knew there had to be one... I had a moment of insanity well it was longer than a moment as I cut all the pieces to make this one. The insanity part I thought a mini would be nice...yeah insanity pure and simple. All those HST's are 1 1/2''!!

one and a half inch pieces 

There were a lot of little pieces 48 hst's to be exact plus 16 center parts. What was I thinking? Keeping all those points sharp and having everything line up was going to be fun.

64 1 1/2'' little bitty parts

I sewed like a madwomen, or at least it seemed like I was, needing to get those pieces together. Oh yes I was squirreled or as Sandra of mmmquilts likes to call it a DrEAMi moment. She is going to be having a linky party starting January 28th visit her blog mmm!quilts to read more about it.

ahh success it was all coming together

Those four blocks are 4'' finished. Ahh my little points were all matchy matchy and that makes me happy. I did press the seams open which is something I don't normally do. But when working with all those little pieces it reduced bulk at the seams.

one X-Squared mini

I was in a hurry to get a couple pictures so I glue basted the binding on and will hand stitch it down later. Sometimes the best quilting is just some simple straight line quilting.

glue basted binding

I am loving my new mini. Now maybe I can get back to working on my Meadow Mystery blocks.

Meadow Mystery quilt blocks

That's how I spent my Sunday I hope yours was as enjoyable as mine.

Linking up

Main Crush Monday
Sew Fresh Quilts

I look forward to Tuesdays and the release of the next three blocks in the 150 Canadian Women that Next Step Quilt Designs puts out. I did have some catching up to do and can now say I am caught up. Is it Tuesday yet?

blocks 22, 23 and 24

I am using a variety of shades of red. I am laying them out and keeping them all together on one of the design walls I bought for a $1 from Connecting Threads during Black Friday sales.

the first 24 blocks complete without sashing

I am trying to decide on whether to use a black or white sashing. Once I make my mind up then I'll have some more catching up to do. But for now I'm liking my blocks.

Sandra of mmm!quilts and Lisa of  sunlight in winter quilts are hosting a 30 days of Quilt Design Challenge. I decided to join in on the fun, whether I'll make 30 blocks or not we'll see. But for now block #1 is drawn up. I am going to try and sew up each block I design using some of my scraps.

playing with a churn dash idea

My first block is playing with a churn dash idea I have had for awhile, maybe this challenge will bring out more churn dash blocks or send me in a totally different direction. 

Are you up for a challenge if so what kind of challenge do you like?

Hurry up Finish

As you read this the wedding quilt has been made and gifted. You can read about it here. The wedding was lovely and we had a great time. The nice thing about small weddings is everyone knows each other and the conversation just flows. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, for a few hours the worries melted away.

finished with time to spare

The designing and making of this quilt was a mad crazy rush. Why oh why did I do this to myself? As I told my friend the bride 'only for a special friend would I have made a quilt in such a short time.' She loved it.

I couldn't find the sun to take better pictures in, it's that overcast time of year. Oh well the pictures must be taken as everyone wants a little eye candy. The four patch blocks went together quickly. 

four patches in a four patch.

The star blocks I made and used a template to cut the points, and wonder of wonders from the first one to the last one everything fit perfectly. This quilt was cooperating, that doesn't happen very often. My seam ripper for once was quit, no rip, rip rip this time around. Not to worry it gets lots of workout on a regular basis.

star blocks fit perfectly

For the quilting I did simple loops and leaves using Aurifil 2605 on top and Superior bottom line in the bobbin. I may have gone a little crazy stitching them, I got in the flow and there was no stopping me. My hubby said I had the peddle to the medal.

flange binding

I made my first flanged binding! What a great way to finish up a quilt that little pop of colour that the flange gives, in my opinion added to the overall effect. I like how this quilt turned out, and may have given myself a little pat on the back for a job well done. I even finished with time to spare.

back

I knew I wouldn't have time to piece a backing so I used a gray mottled wide backing. 

Now it's back to the slower more relaxed type of sewing. I'm working on my 150 Canadian Women blocks in celebration of Canada's 150th birthday. Three blocks are released every week with a story of a Canadian women with every block, week 7 is the latest release. I have week one, 6 and 7 done. I may be playing catchup with these. 

week 7 top row, week 6 second row, week 1 bottom row

I am going to make them using my scrap reds and whites. The blocks are 6'' finished so some of the little pieces of white on whites are getting used up, hopefully I'll get all those little bits and pieces used up on this project. I may have to get a few red FQ's, we'll see how things progress first.

Linking up to 

Needle and Thread Thrusday

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Sew Fresh Quilts

 

Moving forward

As Christmas draws near, only four sleeps left, wow where did the time go? Are all the preparations ready...NO. But as ready as they are going to be this year. We will have a nice Christmas watching our grandkids open their presents and making sweet memories. One of my granddaughters asked if we had presents for them and at the time the answer was no, extenuating circumstances happening over here. Our grandaughter informed us that grandparents just have to have presents for them. So what is a grandma supposed to do but make sure there are presents. There was some shopping done in the last couple days. Oh heck the tree is even decorated and that is thanks to a couple of grandkids helping out.

one good looking tree

I guess they really want Christmas at grandmas to happen. I usually love Christmas and look forward to all it brings. This year has been a difficult year with some serious health problems, which I will not go into here.

Christmas village

Christmas to me is more about family and the love of being together, and not the gifts. I love the spirit of it all the joy on peoples faces, the food and the smiles and doing the decorating just not so much this year.

I am not a list maker by any stretch of the imagination. But I do have one goal for 2017 and that is offering my Medallion Quilt, you can read more about it here that I designed for my guild in 2015 as a BOM on my blog. The plan is to start mid January with the first months instructions.

Medallion Quilt 2015

I have also been sewing like crazy. We have a wedding on December 28th of a dear friend and I thought I'd like to make a quilt for the couple. Oh and I had 14 days yes you read that correctly from the time of invite to the big day. What in the world was I thinking, or just maybe I wasn't thinking at all.
I quickly came up with a design and set to work gathering fabric, some emergency shopping was necessary. The top is almost together. I am going to need a quick quilting plan to get it done ontime as there may be a big holiday in the middle of my mad rush.
Want to see what I have come up with? Her walls she just painted gray with the end walls a turquoise and she has a charcoal gray chesterfield. Thankfully I decided to make it lap size.

in progress wedding quilt lap size.

Any suggestions for the quilting?

I doubt I'll have time to write another post before Christmas so I wish each of you and your families the joy and love that the holidays can and do bring. Merry Christmas!!

Linking up to Quilting Jet Girls Planning Party I love a good party and this one is great thanks Yvonne.

New Stash Additions

Want to see what made it's way to my house? I'm sure I heard a yes please. Okay here goes.
First up I won a designer scrap bag from Flaun Cline of I Plead Quilty! for my entry into Persimon Dreams Scrap Quilt Challenge. I entered 'Pinky', you can read more about it here.

'Pinky'

These are the winnings. Some strips, and some bigger chunks and those adorable fish that is an 18" piece.

strips

bigger pieces including a couple batiks

fishies 

No real plans for them at this time but one never knows what idea will pop up. I have been thinking about making a string quilt at some point and some of them will perhaps work their way into that.

 I may have done some Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping.

design wall

This design wall was on sale at Connecting Threads( not an affiliate), for hold onto your seats $1.00. An extra design wall may come in mighty handy, how could I go wrong especially at that price.

local shopping

We also need to support our local quilt shops and I did that with this lovely bunch of fabrics from 'The Quilting Corner' in Simcoe, Ontario. I love the green, of course I love green anyway. They are as follows: green-Maywood Studio, beige-Dowager Countess from Andover Fabrics, blue-Mary's Blenders by Mary Koval, gold-Northcott, beige print- Bees'n Blooms from Moda, red-Northcott, red leaves by Kona BayFabrics

Linking up to Molli Sparkles Sunday Stash