Well, I did it. I finished my son, Ryan's quilt after 15 plus years. Or rather it is in the rotation to be quilted. My quilts are always quilted in the store. There are 4 of us that do all the quilting on store's long arm quilting machines. The turn-around time is quick so I will be binding it shortly.
Today's block is--Storm Signal. Think of this block as four sections. Sew the triangles to the square first to make a larger triangle. Then sew the larger triangle to the dark fabric triangle. Hope this helps.
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| Storm Signal |
Cutting
Light fabric
one 3 1/4" sq. cut diagonally twice
three 1 7/8" sq. cut only one diagonally once for the center
Medium fabric
one 3 1/4" sq. cut diagonally twice
three 1 7/8" sq. cut only one diagonally once for the center
Dark fabric
two 3 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once for the outer corners
Keep quilting,
Terry
It is embarrassing to admit but as I have been cleaning and organizing my work space, I have come across some unfinished projects. Some have been quickly finished but I found one that I started for my oldest son, Ryan, about 15 maybe 20 years ago. I had made 61 log cabin blocks from his old high school slacks. He didn't know that I was making it. Why it wasn't finished, I am not sure. It just was placed out of sight. Today was spend working on it and should be ready for quilting tomorrow. Then it will be on to the next UFO.
Today's block is--Waterwheel.
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| Waterwheel |
Cutting
Light fabric
two 2 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once for HST
eight 1 1/2" sq. for 4-patch
Medium Light fabric
one 2 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once for HST
four 1 1/2" sq. for 4-patch
Medium fabric
one 2 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once for HST
four 1 1/2" sq. for 4-patch
Dark fabric
four 1 1/2" sq. for 4-patch
Time to finish an UFO.
Terry
There is nothing like going to a Middle school band concert. The middle schoolers are not ready for Carnegie Hall but it is better. It is better because they are kids from the neighborhood, kids of friends or the best, grandkids. Of course, my grandson was the best sax player there.
Today's block is--Hither & Yon. It looks like a spool with pinwheels.
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| Hither & Yon |
Cutting
Light fabric
six 2 3/8" sq. cut diagonally once
two 2 3/4" sq. cut diagonally twice for the pinwheels
Medium fabric
two 2 3/4" sq. cut diagonally twice for the pinwheels
Dark fabric
two 2 3/8" sq. cut diagonally once
one 3 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once
Hope you get the chance to attend a school concert.
Terry
Nadia, my granddaughter, is learning to crochet. I have been helping her and decided that it is time for her to learn to read patterns. That way she can pick any project to make on her own. Over the years, I have crocheted just about anything. Crocheted socks was something new. That might be fun for a young gal but I thought I better make them before giving her the book. Well, that is just what I did and finished them the other day. I even have had a chance to wear them. Definitely, different. She now has the book so we will see what happens.
Today's block is--Handy Andy. It has a similar look of Gentleman's Fancy but the center is different and more fabrics.
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| Handy Andy |
Cutting
Light fabric
two 3 1/4" sq. cut diagonally twice
two 1 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once
Light Medium fabric
one 3 1/4" sq. cut diagonally twice
two 2 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once
Medium fabric
one 1 7/8" sq. for the center
Dark Medium fabric
two 2 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once
Dark fabric
one 3 1/4" sq. cut diagonally twice
Have fun piecing,
Terry
As I sit here thinking, another soup night with the grandchildren is over. I have forgotten how much work it took raising 4 kids. The grandchildren keep me busy and we have fun but it is nice to send them home. I have come to enjoy the quiet after the storm.
Today's block is Indian Puzzle. It has a little of everything in it. The center is a square in a square, flying geese on the sides, squares and HST in the corners.
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| Indian Puzzle |
Cutting
Light fabric
five 1 7/8" sq. use 4 for HST and 1 for the center
four 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rect. for flying geese
twelve 1 1/2" sq. use 4 for corners rest for flying geese
Medium fabric
four 1 7/8" sq. for HST
four 1 1/2" sq.
Dark fabric
four 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rect. for flying geese
two 1 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once for Sq. in a Sq.
eight 1 1/2" sq. for flying geese
Enjoy,
Terry
Friday night, my husband and I went to the HS basketball games. That is something we hadn't done in a long time. Both the girls and the boys played great games with one losing and one winning. It reminded me of when we would go to all the activities when our kids were in high school. Now, we get to relive those days as the grandchildren get older, none are in high school, yet.
Today's block is a timeless one--Churn Dash.
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| Churn Dash |
Cutting
Light fabric
two 2 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once for HST
four 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rect.
one 2 1/2" sq.
Medium fabric
four 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rect.
Dark fabric
two 2 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once for HST
Check out our posting of the 6 1/2" blocks on youtube. We hope that the tutorials will help you if you have any questions about the blocks.
Terry
Well, I finished my book, the quilter's mystery that my daughter gave me. It was a nice, easy read who-done-it. This is the kind of book that I enjoy for a change of pace.
Another thing that I like, in quilting, is the pinwheel. I like the movement that it creates in the quilt. With that in mine, today's block has a pinwheel theme. It is called Spinner.
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| Spinner |
Cutting
Light fabric
four 2" sq.
Medium fabric
two 3 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once
Dark fabric
four 2 3/8" sq. cut diagonally once
Have fun quilting,
Terry
Most quilts that we make are of 100% cotton. I have a friend that uses whatever it takes to create the look that she wants for her quilt. She has used satin, liquid lame, burlap, tissue lame and many other mediums. She doesn't make those very artsy quilts but they are a great twist on the everyday quilt. My point being, step outside the box sometimes.
Today's block is Capital T. It has flying geese and HST.
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| Capital T |
Cutting
Light or Light Medium fabric
two 2 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once for HST
one 2 1/2" sq.
eight 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rect. for flying geese
Medium fabric
two 2 7/8" sq. cu diagonally once for HST
sixteen 1 1/2" sq. for flying geese
Step outside your box,
Terry
Have you had the opportunity to make a t-shirt quilt? It is a quilt type that I get commissioned all the time to make. That is one part of my job that I really enjoy. This time I got to make a special t-shirt quilt for my grandson, Owen. His mom was cleaning and gathered up all his old t-shirts from elementary school. He brought them to me and asked for a quilt. It was fun to see all that he did, plays, sports, travel and camps. He even had some of his dad's coaching t-shirts. I have the quilt ready to be quilted. Owen picked out a satin for backing, yes, a satin. I think his dad, Christopher, will quilt it for him. Owen is a 7th grader now. I am sure there will be another quilt request made from his middle school t-shirts. Hopefully, the other 9 grandchildren don't notice because that is lots of quilts. Being grandmother, how could I refuse any of them.
Today's block is Union Square. It has HST, flying geese and sq. in a sq. You will have fun with this one.
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| Union Square |
Cutting
Light fabric
two 2 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once for sq. in a sq.
four 1 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once for HST
eight 1 1/2" sq. for flying geese
Medium fabric
one 2 1/2" sq. for center of sq. in a sq.
four 1 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once for HST
four 1 1/2" sq. for outer corners
Dark fabric
one 3 1/4" sq. cut diagonally twice for sq. in a sq.
four 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rect. for flying geese
Enjoy,
Terry
Another week, another dollar and another week closer to spring. I don't mind the 4 seasons but I would make winter shorter if I could. Anyway, it does make great quilting weather. So let it snow and a quilting I will go.
Today's block is Return of the Swallows. It is flying geese all around.
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| Return of the Swallows |
Cutting
Light fabric
sixteen 2" sq.
Medium fabric
four 2" x 3 1/2" rect.
Dark fabric
four 2" x 3 1/2" rect.
For extra help, check out our flying geese tutorial at Fabric Junction on youtube.
Terry
Binding, binding and more binding. Sometime it seems like that is all that I get done. Thank goodness that I quit doing it by hand years ago. I would not be able to keep up. Besides my hands gave out some time ago so I bind only by machine. Being busy is a good thing, not a complaint.
After a busy day, it is nice to do a simple block. Today's block is Practical Orchard. You can mark your diagonals first and sew, then cut if you like.
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| Practical Orchard |
Cutting
Light Medium fabric
four 2 1/2" sq.
one 3 1/4" sq. cut diagonally twice use 2 triangles for hour glass
Dark Medium fabric
four 2 1/2" sq.
one 3 1/4" sq. cut diagonally twice use 2 triangles for hour glass
Relax and enjoy,
Terry
For Christmas, my daughter gave me a book that is a quilter's mystery. She thought that it would be something that I would enjoy. She was right. I enjoy quilting and also a good mystery. What more could one ask for in a book. Anyway, I started reading Forget Me Knot by Mary Marks over the weekend. So far so good.
Today's block is No Name Patch. It is made of 4-patches and square in a square.
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| No Name Patch |
Cutting
Light fabric
one 2 1/2" sq.
four 1 7/8" sq. for the sq. in a sq.
Light Medium fabric
eight 1 1/2" sq. for 4-patch
Medium fabric
four 1 1/2" sq. for 4-patch
eight 1 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once for the sq. in a sq.
Dark fabric
four 1 1/2" sq. for outer corners in sq. in a sq.
Have fun and find a good book.
Terry
As I have been working with the different blocks, some of them I think would make some interesting quilts. If I only had the time to make them all. As the year proceeds, I will see how many of them get made. I would like to see what you are coming up with using the blocks.
Today's block is Merry Kite made from flying geese and squares.
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| Merry Kite |
Cutting
Light Fabric
four 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rect. for flying geese
Light Medium fabric
eight 1 1/2" sq.
Medium fabric
twelve 1 1/2" sq. eight for flying geese
one 2 1/2" sq. for center
Dark Medium fabric
four 1 1/2" sq. for outer corners
Dark fabric
four 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rect. for flying geese
eight 1 1/2" sq.
Do you ever get your fingernails done? You know that I do if you have ever watched my youtube videos. It is one of things in life that I enjoy doing. About twenty years ago, I found out that there was a way from keep me from biting my nails. Yes, I was a nailbiter. I have always wanted long nails but as a biter that was not going to happen. For twenty years now, I have been getting my nails done. She does a French manicure because with all the sewing that I do I wear the polish off before it was time to redo. They look longer then they really are because of the way that they are done.
On to today's block--Golden Gate.
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| Golden Gate |
Cutting
Light fabric
one 2 1/2" sq. for center
four 1" x 2 1/2" rect.
two 2 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once
Medium fabric
two 2 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once
Dark fabric
eight 1 1/4" x 2 1/2" rect.
If you have not seen the real Golden Gate bridge, take time to do so. It is impressive.
Terry
Christopher and I did some taping today. He should start posting the videos to youtube of some of the blocks that we have been piecing. In the tutorials, I show you how I put the blocks together and the blocks that I have made for the quilts. I am still picking out and sewing my blocks so the quilt is not finished. Check out Fabric Junction on youtube for the new tutorials.
Today"s block is--Four Crowns. It reminds me of bear's paws. It is made of nothing but HST.
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| Four Crowns |
Cutting
Light fabric
two 2 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once
ten 1 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once
Medium fabric
ten 1 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once
Dark fabric
two 2 7/8" cut diagonally once
Enjoy,
Terry
There is nothing like breaking up the day with a visit to the dentist. There wasn't any problem but it changes the tempo of my day. First, you are busy piecing, then the dentist, then trying to get back in the swing of sewing. It seems like the dentist just sucks the life out of me.
Enough of that, on to today's block--End of Day. What a neat block of HST and squares.
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| End of Day |
Cutting
Light fabric
two 2 3/8" sq. cut diagonally once
Medium fabric
two 2 3/8" sq. cut diagonally once
four 2" sq.
Dark fabric
four 2 3/8" sq. cut diagonally once
four 2" sq.
Just a reminder that you can sew your HST first then cut them. Your choice.
Terry
What a great way to start the new year with soup night with the grandchildren. For Christmas, some of the grandchildren gave me some soup mixes that they liked. So tonight, I fix one and had bread and crackers to go with it. Cookies for dessert to finish it off.
For today's block-- Birds in the Air. This one is a nice change of pace, made with five large triangles.
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| Birds in the Air |
Cutting
Medium fabric
one 6 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once, use 1 triangle
one 3 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once, use 1 triangle
Dark Medium fabric
one 3 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once, use 1 triangle
Dark fabric
one 3 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once
Happy piecing,
Terry
Happy New Year!!
We've survived the cold snap. I don't recall it being that cold in years. It was thirty to forty degrees below our normal. That was bad. Hopefully, that was it for this year.
On to our first block of the year. It is Battle of the Alamo. Sew the strips together then recut into eight 1 1/2" sections. Sew again to form the nine-patch section with the two 1 1/2" sq.
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| Battle of the Alamo |
Cutting
Light fabric
six 1 7/8" sq. cut 3 diagonally once
use the other 3 for HST
one 1 1/2" x 12 1/2" strip
two 1 1/2" sq.
Medium fabric
one 3 7/8" sq. cut diagonally once
Dark fabric
three 1 7/8" sq. for HST
one 1 1/2" x 12 1/2" strip
Stay warm,
Terry
