Many Paths All Around - Drunkard's Path Block 1

One challenge isn't enough!  I came across this drunkard's path sampler.  I plan to make these 12 blocks, one per week.  If you want to play along, purchase the Many Paths All Around from Elisa's Backporch Designs (scroll down...I think it's 4th from the bottom.)

If you decide to make the blocks with me, let me know and I'll link to your blog.

I selected my fabrics, deciding to make this quilt in orange and blue fabrics.  I made my first block, Block No. 1.  The pattern's DP block units are 4" finished.  Since I have the Accuquilt GO! die in 3" finished size, I'm using that.  It's going to take a little practice and time to get used to sewing the smaller units, but I'm enjoying the process all the same.  Here is my first block.  I uploaded the same photo twice, rotating one of them one quarter of a turn so you can see how different the block looks depending upon the setting.

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Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks: My Blocks 1 and 2

I have officially started my quest to make all the blocks in Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Vol. 2!  Yesterday I made my two blocks for the week. 

I got a few interested bloggers in the deciding phase of whether to join in the sew along.  If you'd like to join me, even if you don't plan to make 2 blocks a week, let me know.  I'll make a list of the participating blogs on my side bar that links to your blocks.  I can assign blocks for you or you can decide which blocks you'll make on your own.  One way to work with me would be for participants to make the blocks the week after I make them.  That will accomplish two things:  1. You will have a list and not have to decide which block to make;  2. I will have already made the block and will post corrections (if needed) and give suggestions if I changed how I made the block.  Also, I have made a list in Excel to document my journey.  All I have to do weekly is add the date I made the block.  If you use in it Excel, it will count the blocks automatically as you type your completion dates.  For those without Excel, I can send you an Adobe pdf format; you'll have to count the blocks as you make them.  If you want a list, let me know and I'll send it to you. Please indicate if you want the Excel or pdf version.

I'm planning to use the leftover fabrics from the Tumbler quilt which is Moda's Sandy Gervais Frolic fat quarter bundle I purchased.  I'll use these fabrics until I run out then maybe make a quilt with the blocks.

May Flowers
Block 152 on page 47
Carolyn Beam, Creative Editor, Quiltmaker
http://www.quiltmaker.com/
45 pieces

My first block pays homage to the fact that I didn't make even one block in the first issue.  So I went alphabetically down both the lists printed in each magazine.  Carolyn Beam was the first contributor to be listed in both magazines so her block starts my journey.  The block was pretty straight forward to make and it was actually fun just to get started.

Kraut Cutter
Block 156 on page 49
Mickey Charleston
no website was listed for this designer
16 pieces

My second block is also a contributor in both editions.  The block just looked so interesting that I had to make it.  I did make a few changes although it may not be absolutely necessary.  I was a little afraid of what to do if the block was a little short after sewing as it's pieced on an angle.  So, I cut the squares AND the two end strings (one piece on the left and the other on the right-WIDTH ONLY) 1/4" larger than suggested.  This allowed me to square my block to size after all sewing was completed.  I think this block would look great in a quilt with alternating reverse blocks.

Come back next week as I plan to have two more blocks to post.
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Pineapple Nine Patch Top Completed

Yesterday I figured out how to finish the borders on my quilt seeing as how the instructions in the book had an error.  I decided to make corner squares featuring the pinwheels in the quilt center.  Now, I'm happy to have had this little incident occur as I like my border much better.  The quilt is now too big for my design wall so I had to take it to work to get a photo.

Come back tomorrow as I have my first two Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks photos to upload.

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Design Wall Monday

I worked earlier in the week and made all the optional blocks for the guild year.  You can see the blocks in a previous post.

In addition, I worked on the Pineapple Nine Patch quilt top.  I have the first border on the quilt center.  I pieced the 2nd border and when I went to put the sides onto the top, they wouldn't fit.  I found that Martingale has a corrections page posted online.  So, I'll tackle the quilt top later this week.  Here is a picture of half the quilt top with the border attached but it sure doesn't match up.

Saturday my small guild met and I made this meeting my cutting day.  I cut over 300 tumblers and 300 chisels.  I didn't cut too many apple core shapes as I wanted to test sew them first.  The longest task with using scraps is prepping them for cutting.  I spent hours starching and pressing fabric and a little over an hour to cut all the pieces.  The GO! Cutter has definitely changed the way I view cutting. 

So I didn't win a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Collector's Edition Vol. 2 magazine so I purchased one on Sunday.  I just had to have my own copy as the participating designers had their blocks posted on their blogs last week and they were oh so pretty.  As I was driving home from Hancocks, I thought about the fact that I purchased the first volume of this magazine and did not make one block.  So, the challenge for me is to make ALL the blocks within a year.  I'm starting this week and plan to make 2 blocks per week.  Anyone want to play along?  It would be neat to see the blocks showing up in blog land.  I said I didn't win a magazine.  However, I did win some flurry friends fabric that I should receive in the mail this week.  Check out the fabric at The Whimsical Workshop; they have fabrics and projects that are perfect for children quilts.

One challenge isn't enough!  While shopping this week I came across this drunkard's path sampler.  I was buying door prizes for my scrap quilting club and just couldn't pass up one for me too.  I plan to make these 12 blocks, one per week.  If you want to play along, purchase the Many Paths All Around from Elisa's Backporch Designs (scroll down...I think it's 4th from the bottom).

To see more design walls visit Patchwork Times.



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Some progress around here...

I'll admit up front that I've been home so far this week and haven't been to work.  I have a very bad upper respiratory infection and my doctor is not sure if it's sinus related or walking pneumonia.  I'm so heavily drugged that I've only been awake for very short periods of time.  In those moments, I've been working on my projects.

Here is the center of my quilt all sewn together now.  I need to cut sashing strips for the 1st border.  It also has a pieced 2nd border that I have to cut as well.  We'll see how far I get on this over the weekend.

 I also worked on the quilt guild's optional blocks for the year.  They were so easy that I made each block in 30 minutes or less.

October, November and December 2010

January, February and March 2011

 April, May and June 2011

July, August and September 2011

 I was so embarrassed by the pictures of the optional blocks that I cleaned the strings from my design wall.  It's been over a year since I last swiped it with something.


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Design Wall Monday

I got a little preoccupied this week.  I've been going through things in my sewing room and straightening up at the same time.  I purchased a couple of shoe racks and a storage unit to organize my art bin containers.  They were stacked on top of each other and of course every time I needed something that case was on the bottom.  I did work in the Pineapple Nine Patch quilt.  I now have all the blocks sewn and half the quilt top sewn together.  I was a little disappointed as I couldn't get the pinwheels to match up accurately.  I guess this will be that quilt that I'll get to use some of the buttons in my stash (of course blogger would turn my photo AGAIN. )

So in frustration, I decided to work on the blocks for my guild's optional block program.  The one on the left was due in October; we have a month's grace period to get them done.  The leaf block is due at the November meeting.  I hope to work on these ahead of schedule, maybe getting all the blocks done by the end of the year.

Then I cut and pieced the center block of my Tessellation Pinwheels work in progress I started last week.  You can see the details here.  I'm planning to put two rows of blocks completely around the center.  The goal is to have each pinwheel made from a different fabric.  That means I'll need to cut more squares.  I've already used 57 different prints and need to make 24 more blocks.

I've been looking at this free pattern, Cotton Candy Quilt, from Robert Kaufman's site.  However, the pattern uses templates to make the block.  After staring at this for a while, I decided I could cut the print units with my GO! Chisels die.  However, what about the triangles that make the pinwheels?  I then thought maybe my GO! Bountiful Baskets die would work.  

Cotton Candy Quilt Pattern from Robert Kaufman

Yes, it worked!  I'm about a 1/16" too short but I can make that up in the seam allowance as I'm only missing the triangle points that I'd trim any way.  My block is larger of course than the pattern and I have bias seams on the outside of the block (which has been happening a lot lately with the techniques I've been working with.)  In addition, I cut the 8-point star using the GO! 2.5" Strip Die that I pieced into the block on the right.  I need to tweak the size of the setting triangles and squares for this one.  No plans to make the star into a quilt, just testing cutting on an angle with the die cutter.

To see more design walls, visit Patchwork Times.
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Design Wall Monday

What's old is new again.  That's seem to be so true with quilt making.  I had a guild member ask me if I knew about the tessellating pinwheels quilts made with the new Twister ruler.  Since I'd previously taught the pinwheels class a few times, I knew of the technique which is the same technique as Square Dance by Martha Thompson.  

 That reminded me of the quilt I made in 2004, Tessellating Pinwheel based on the technique.

Back then I wanted to make this quilt in queen size.  I collected squares as I cut scraps during the last 6 years, but never got around to making the quilt.  I've used the squares for other projects, but not for the intended use.  So I got the squares and made a small block to test the directions since it's been so long.  I got addicted and made 8 blocks.  I then decided to make a larger panel.  I haven't cut it out yet, but I now have a start on a queen size quilt even though its not exactly how I thought the design would be.  That's okay as the whole point here is to enjoy the process.

 This must have been the week for experiments because I made a few Arrowhead Blocks using Anita Grossman's technique in the Nov/Dec10 issue of Quiltmaker magazine.  It's a really cool way to make these blocks.  It must be some kind of "good scary" thoughts rolling around in Anita's head.  If you haven't seen the technique, please get the magazine and try it.  It's amazing how these blocks are created.

 I finished the top for my African Inspired project.  The only deviation from the pattern was to use traditional card trick blocks in the border corners.  I had so much fun working with the African prints in my collection that I definitely can't wait for the next quilt that I'll make using those fabrics.

 I finished sewing all the leftover pieces from cutting my Drunkard's Path quilt.  I'll put them up with some other crumb blocks I have around here.  One day I'll make a very interesting crumb quilt.

 I also have 10 of 30 Pineapple Nine Patch blocks pieced.  I'll leave this on my design wall so I will not push this project to the side, again.  I really want all the fabric pieces laying around here into a completed top.

Other than throwing the family Halloween party and handing our 95 bags of candy to trick or treaters, that's how my week went.  To see how other quilters spent their week, visit Patchwork Times.
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Design Wall Monday

I worked diligently and got my string blocks I started and mentioned last week all sewn.  What did I do with them you say?  Glad you asked, LOL.  I made them into this Drunkard's Path quilt.  It's part of my Just String Series of quilts that I use for workshops and lectures.  I did mention that more curve quilts would be shown soon.  These blocks were cut with plastic template rulers and they are 7" finished.  If you'd like to see more string quilts, see my post yesterday as string quilts were assigned to my scrap quilting club and we had the "big" reveal.

 I just couldn't stand to throw away the left over pieces from cutting the drunkard's path quilt that I started sewing them into these crumb units.  It was really fun but did remind me that it takes a little time and patience to build crumb blocks.  I'm still working on these and I have no specific project in mind.  I'll just add them to my collection of crumb units I already have on hand.

 This photo shows what I still have left of the project to sew into something.  I'm very proud that I'll end with very little wasted fabric; not that fabric is a shortage around here...

 This quilt, African Inspired, is the assignment given to the scrap quilting club yesterday.  It's a take on the "old fashioned" card trick block.  I decided to utilize some of the "African" influenced fabrics I've been collecting for years during my travels to Paducah, KY - Nashville, TN - and Houston, TX.  I used 35 different prints in the blocks and I didn't even get to touch all the African fabrics in my collection.  I still need to decide on my border for this one.  Yep, this photo decided to turn on it's side.

That's it for now.  To see more design walls, visit Patchwork Times.
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Scrap Quilting Club

The scrap quilting club met yesterday so I have a few pictures to show.  This month we made string or crumb quilts and it was time for the big reveal.  No specific pattern was distributed as I wanted each person to create their own setting with the blocks.  Here is a look at the tops we saw yesterday.  I'm sure more will come in next month.  First up is my quilt that will be an addition to my Just Strings Series, Drunkard's Path.  The blocks are 7" finished for a 56" square top.

 Next up is Laura with her string blocks she worked on in class.  She got her blocks completed, sliced them and sewed them back together.  We'll show her completed project next month.

 Kathleen is using her string panel as a border that she will slice and dice.  It will be added to a previous quilt top that we made.  NOTE:  For some unknown blogger blooper, some of the photos that I've rotated will not stay upright when uploaded to blogger.  Please excuse the side ways photos - it's out of my control.

 Kathleen also made this African inspired crumb top.

 Sharon was busy sewing additional crumb blocks in pinks.  She added a few colors here and there as zingers.  It's looking really good.

 Norma used 30's fabrics with a friendship star setting.  It's gorgeous!

 Wanetha's blocks are 6" crumb blocks set on point.  She did a lot of blocks and used a lot of crumbs.  She says she didn't put a dent in the pile.  The border fabric really suits the scraps.

 LeeEtta's quilt is made with the black center sashing in all sizes with odd ball size strips on each side.  The pink and black combination was great.

 Then we had a few more quilts/tops from some of our past sessions ready for viewing.  Judy showed her Strip Tease.  It looks really good with a medium beige instead of white or light beige background.

 Kathleen used green and blue prints in the center strips only and her quilt is really unique.

 Carol is putting together her Split Rail Fence blocks.  She got the top made in class but I'll show that next month.

 Here is Karen's Split Rail Fence top. 

 Karen also has her Strip Tease in which she used a white and black sashing fabric.  It look really good and contrasts perfectly with the jewel tones.

That's it for this month.  Come back next month to see our African Inspired quilt tops.
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