FQSQA #5 and #6

I played a little catch up on my Fat Quarter Star Quilt Along last night.
I was really only one block behind, but since the new block comes out today, this morning I would have been two blocks behind.  Now I am right on track.

#5

#6

Now I am off to check out the pattern for block #7.

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Attic Window Block Tutorial

I write the newsletter for my guild and the chairperson over the BOM asked me to put instructions in the newsletter on how to do set in seams.  So I decided to use my own photos and do a mini tutorial for the newsletter.  Then I thought it would be good for everyone to have access to larger photos if they need them, so I am putting it here on my blog as well.

The theme for the guild's January 2012 Block of the Month is Attic Windows.  There are only a few requirements we must follow this month.  We have to have a winter scene in the center, a light blue fabric on the left, and a dark blue fabric on the bottom.   Below is my version for the January BOM.

Hello fellow Swamp Fox Quilters and anyone else who is reading along today.  :)

First pick out your favorite winter scene and two blue fabrics.  One light and one dark.

Fussy Cut a 7.5 inch sqaure from your Winter Scene fabric

Cut one 2.5 in x 10 inch dark blue strip

Cute one 2.5 in x 10 inch light blue strip

To help remember which strip goes where, layout the strips next to the 7.5 inch square with the light blue on the left and the dark blue on the bottom

Place the light blue strip and the winter scenes right sides together.

Place a mark on the blue strip 1/4 in above the bottom of the winter scene.

Sew to that line.

Fold the light blue strip out of the way.

Line up the dark blue strip on the bottom of your winter scene.

Place a mark on the dark blue strip 1/4 inch in from the left edge of the winter scene.

Sew to that line.

After you have sewn both sides, fold the block in half diagonally making sure the blue fabrics line up with each other. Using a long enough ruler, line up the diagonal edge and extend it over the blue strips.

Mark a line on the blue fabric.  I flipped the block over so I could mark on the light blue fabric since it was easier to see.

Sew on that line.

Trim off the excess.

To avoid bulky seams, press the seams in opposite directions from each other and flare out the center where all three fabrics come together.  Press.

You should end up with a 9.5 inch attic window block.

And if you don't win the all the blocks from the BOM you can make 11 more and have enough to make a small quilt of your own.  :)

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SFQ December BOM

This is the block I turned for the Swamp Fox Quilters Block of the Month today. For the December block we could use any pattern and fabrics as long as there was a tree in the block somewhere.  It could be pieced, applique'd or in the fabric itself.  I sewed mine together before the meeting this morning.  It was quite easy since I was still in a wonky star mode from my Starry Eyed star blocks.  

These are all the blocks that were turned in.  Unfortunately they didn't pick my name to take them all home. 

But there is always next month! Next month is an Attic windows block.  That will be something new for me. I have never made one of those.

Sewing Progress over Thanksgiving Week

At first I didn't think I had gotten much sewing done this past week and a half.  I felt like I spent more time cleaning the house and getting ready to host Thanksgiving instead of sitting at the sewing machine. But once I sat down and looked at everything I had made, I realized I got quite a bit done during my little bursts of sewing.




First, I finished the star blocks for this Citizen Sam quilt.  Then I basted, quilted, and bound it.
It is ready to be turned in.

For the back I pieced together all the star fabrics I had left.

 The second project I worked on was my Starry Eyed Quilt.  I got all 10 star blocks pieced.

 I even sewed left overs together into quarter triangle blocks. They are a little wonky, but they look wonderful to me.  I am already thinking of a small quilt to turn them into.

Last I got my Diamond Star quilt quilted.  It still needs a binding put on. When I get that done I will show the whole thing.  It would be on already, but I can't find the blue fabric I want for the binding.  I must have used it in another project. I suppose that is what happens when quilt tops sit 10 years before you quilt them. Now I have to go shopping for something that matches, but I am ok with that.  :)

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FQSQA Block #4

Here is my version of block #4 for the Fat Quarter Stars Quilt Along.  

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Here is my latest Fat Quarter Stars Quilt Along block.
I finished this one just in time for the next one to be announced.

Even though it has bits of blue in it, I am not sure I am feeling the orange fabric in this one.
Hopefully as I add bits of orange to other blocks it will blend a little better.

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Fat Quarter Stars Quilt Along Block 2

My finished Block 2 of the Fat Quarter Stars Quilt Along.

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October Guild Block

My guild has started up their Block of the Month Program again.  They started it in August so this is the third month they have had it.  I missed the August block, and forgot to take a photo of my September block, but I remembered to get a quick shot of my October block this morning before I left for the meeting.

The theme for October was any block pattern as long as you used Black, Orange, and One other color.

I picked purple for my other color.  Below are all the blocks that were turned in.  

Unfortunately they didn't pick my name in the drawing so I didn't get to take all these beauties home.
But it was still fun to see all the different blocks, and I can't wait to see what the winner does with them.

FQQA #1

Here is my first block for the Fat Quarter Quilt Along.  

Now I have to wait a whole week to find out the next pattern... oh the anticipation...

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Back To My String Blocks

I had some time to work on the string blocks for the quilt I am making for my husband's Aunt.

With 12 blocks complete I am halfway finished.

With the pieces I had leftover from trimming the above blocks, I fiddled around with some crumb blocks.    Hmm, I think I may be a little obsessive with the crumbs.  These blocks measure 4.5in square and the block on the right has 36 pieces in it... 

But, if I have enough crumbs left over to make 61 more of these then I can make a quilt like Natasha made here.

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Started the String Blocks

I sewed together all the 9 patch and border strips this morning and got a start on the string blocks for the shirt quilt I am making.  Only 20 more string blocks to go, but I need to cut up more shirts.  I had only cut the sleeves during the first cutting session, and that has gotten me pretty far, but now I need some longer strips for these string blocks, so back to the cutting table I go.   

Earlier today, when I was cutting out my 24 base squares for my string blocks, I also cut out the pieces for some place mats and a table topper.  They will be for my good friend's grandmother. These should be quick and fun to sew up.




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Finished the 9 Patches

This morning I finished up all the 9 patches for the shirt quilt I am working on.

I will have to sew them to the sashing later on tonight though, because right now I am off to a matinée to see a pirate movie with the kids and after that I plan on hitting the craft stores for their Memorial Day Weekend Sales.  Hope I find some good loot.  :)

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3 More Mosaic Color Play Blocks for IFQ

These are the three latest blocks I finished for the IFQ "Mosiac Color Play" block swap.
I took a break from quilting this afternoon to finish the one on the right.
 I love getting the 4.5 inch squares in the mail from my partner and coming up with other fabrics to go with them.

But looking at these photos, I do believe I need to work on my ironing skills a bit more.

Mon Ami Blocks

I finished making the 25 blocks for my Mon Ami quilt.  I have 13 blocks with yellow stars, and 12 blocks with blue stars.  Next I need to put them together and add the borders, but I will have to wait till next week to do that, because I have two clients quilts that need quilting .  Once I get those other two quilts finished then I can go back to working on my Mon Ami quilt.

Three More Mosaic Color Play Blocks

Three more Mosaic Color Play blocks swapped. These are the three I made for my partners.

The first went to Donna in Montana, the second is at Shirley's house in Canada, and the last one is on its way to Karyli in Idaho.

I still need to take a photo of all the blocks I have received.
The best way to do that would probably to put them all together in quilt form.  :)

3 More Mosaic Color Play Blocks

Three more Mosaic Color Play blocks swapped.
The first went to Ionne in England, the second is at Barb's house in Michigan, and the last one is on its way to Nellie's house in Canada.

I have also collected 12 blocks of my own from my partners, all with the same center.
I will post Photos of those soon.  I just need to come up with a way to tie them all together.  

Now I am sending out a pink floral square to my partners.  (Before it was a blue and yellow starry night piece of fabric.)  Hopefully I will get enough of the flower blocks returned to me in order to make a smaller lap sized quilt before the swap is over.  

Three more Mosaic Color Play

These are the newest blocks I made for the Mosaic Color Play swap over at IFQ.

The first went to South Africa, the second to Portland Oregon, and the third one is on its way to Australia.

I have received all my blocks, but my last partner is still waiting for hers to arrive even though we mailed them on the same day.  Post coming into the USA seems to be fast, but unfortunately post going out seems to take two to three weeks longer.

I want to sign up again because I had so much fun swapping squares and making blocks, but I am afraid I won't get another 12 blocks before next October when the sign ups end.  It took me over a year to get the first twelve.  I sent out my very first square in the beginning of July of 2009.  One year and two months later I have 12 finished blocks.

Siggie Blocks

These are my first ever signature blocks.  There are 173.  I made 174, but one went MIA and is no where to be found, so I am sending in 173.  They are for the Scrappy Siggie Block swap hosted by the Quilting Board.  The pattern we had to use is the tutorial from the P.S i quilt blog.

Just playing around with layout ideas.

Can't wait to get signatures from all over the US and turn them all into a scrappy quilt!

More Mosaic Color Play

These are the three latest blocks I have made for the IFQ Mosaic Color Play block swap.  The first two have already been mailed, the brown and gold one will go out in today's mail.  I just have to swap three more times and I will have enough to make a nice sized quilt.