BLOCK #4 Complete!!!

So, Block #4 --> which was block #4 from the generator! Kinda neat how that happened.

This block is called ... Double X Ladies Art Company ... and really was a blast to sew up too! I added the border to it cause the size was only 5inch or so -- and I want the 6 X6 thing happening, so border it is!! (Looks like for the next block it'll be getting a border as well)

Maybe one day I'll figure out the best lighting to take the pictures of my blocks in. So far, putting the 4 blocks together look really nice. I'll definitely have to do more with the pale yellow background to match the tulips - but believe it or not, all the solild prints match nicely. I LOVE the way this is turning out. Makes me wish I had more fabric in these shades. It's really making me think as to what I'll do with them, and at what size I'll stop.
Options for this "quilt" are

• Make it into smaller pillows or wall hangings
• Adding a border in between them and making a lap blanket
• Splitting the "colors" I have (ie, 45 of the one kind, and 45 of the other) and making 2 desperate quilts with the border between them.
• Making a 12X12 album, and using the blocks as "art" in them along with the pictures/blog posts to the blocks as a cool quilting album (which sounds cool, but I think I'll keep the pictures/blog posts and the quilt blocks seperate cause I kinda want a blankie)

OH! I drew for the 5th block ... and it's number was #27 ... it seems to be the hardest one yet on my little list!! (Yes, the reaction was captured on word - but it crashed, so I lost the original post) - but it went something like that " Holy @#!@# !@#!@# #@$@#$ @#% "

The instructions assure you that it's not that hard to do. She suggests "piecing" all the curved bits to the squares, then sewing them all together -- which, I think for my mental sanity, I might just have to do. Again - this one would need a border to it because of the size. (And yes, I'm royally annoyed that I made the other 4 so big, but whatever, I'm going with 6X6 and I'm not switching now! So, some get borders!!!)

BLOCK #3 COMPLETE

Okay, so I have Block #3 done! I so far like the tulip look – I wasn't sure about the background color, but I'll make sure to do another block or 3 with the same background – just to keep a "look" happening right.

But, it's only 9am here! So that means I must make another one right?!?! So, onto generating the next number … the next mystery block … the next … the next! Oh how exciting!

"Generating number……..#4" … Okay, now to see what the block is! Oh this part is the worst, the most stressful bit of all!!

Well! This one I am going to use the sewing machine I do believe – that is if I have some larger pieces of fabric – oh, I do!! I have some new ones to add to my mix.

Oh, btw – the mix of fabrics for these blocks are:

1. Scraps from my "5^th Wheel Quilt" – the bright shades
   
2. Leftovers from a rag quilt I did – I'll mainly use the these squares as the main back pieces now that I see that I *have* to put them on something before "mounting" them to the white background.
   
3. The every so pretty black/multi colored flannel I have – I bought this stuff YEARS ago t0 make something – but never did touch the stuff since well, it's not really "my thing" it was just so pretty and looked so nice together that I had to buy it. (DUH! I don't do that so much now days with fabric, since I want to quilt, not stock supply fabric) So, it's being hacked up and used
   
4. When a quilt is done, the scraps from that will be used. Luckly, there were non from the "Man Quilt" I made – there will be a few from the baby quilt I'm doing now though – which will make some cool colorful squares when done.
   

Okay, so Off I go to sew up the next block!! (That's it for today though, 2 blocks is my limit in a day, maybe tomorrow I might tackle another, but I do have a quilt that HAS to get the top quilted, and binded) Oh, and I also printed out all the challenges for my scrapbooking this month – so I'll be trying to work in a couple of those tomorrow as well. BUSY Crafting here I come!!

Block #2 COMPLETE

Well, I did it!! I had serious doubts this week if I would even attempt this one. But, after sitting watching a movie, I cut all my wee triangles out and very carefully made this. I'm not a bit bit fan of it, but, I hope with some florescent pink quilting on top it'll make it pop on the white more.

Learning experience btw - not use the white as my "main" backing - it sucks! Make squares out of a different color, then mount it ON the white instead. Happy to have learned that one!

Lets pick quilt block #3 right now as well -- considering it's only Day #3 off, and maybe I'll have the time to do another one this set of days off, since I doubt I will next week. (Taking a mini vacation with hubs on Monday to see the Eagles! mwhahaa, quilting can happily wait!!)

Okay the generator said #56 -- lets see what it is! (oohh, why am I so scared checking!!) Well, here's the link to it -- it's two intertwined tulips -- sooo not my favorite one, since I don't like flowers pieced on a quilt too much. But, it seems simple enough ... so that's a big bonus!

Here's to hoping I can do it this week!!

Block #2

Heya everyone!

I'm picking my 2nd block today ... since I have a couple minutes, plus I can print it out and go over it on my night shifts a bit to see how hard it is and that.

I'll start my block on either Sat/Sun/Mon morning ... If I can complete it by Monday, I'll think about doing a 3rd block this week! *WOW eh!!

So, the generator gave me ............ 43 ..... and I'm not cheating! I'm typing the number down before I even see the pattern ... lets see my shock! (doing the ... "I hope it's easy, please be easy! Please be easy" chant in my head).... "Sawtooth" ... OMFG it's not any easier than the first! What was I thinking!! BUT! It'll be beautiful I'm sure and worth the challenge. (here's a picture I found of the block some brave soul did ... and she sewed it all! ack!!)

Here's to hoping I can get it done. I'm really really happy I'm not "sewing" these harder pieces together -- I know it's kind of a cop-out, but honestly, I want to enjoy this project, and sewing something this small, and it being *very* new to me in terms of the cuts and placement of fabrics, I'm going with what I know. I'm good at the "paper piecing" part of quilting, so I'll stick to that. By the end of all this, and on some of the more familar blocks, I'll actually use the machine (yes, there are some that I think I can sew!!)

Anyways! I'm off to study this and figure out how much scraps I'll actually need for it.

Thanks for looking!

Block #1 - COMPleTe

So, this is insane, I completed my first Block out of the 92!! I'm so impressed with myself for actually starting something I said I would. I also happy that this was my first one, because it's out of the way, and hopefully they get better after this. (I know I'm only kidding myself on that, since I know there are much harder ones, but still)

The process to make this was interesting. As you can see, there was an instruction sheet, it's instructions for a completed 4 1/2 inch squared project. SEWED! Yeah well, I got smart, and used infusabe webbing instead - so I didn't have to sew anything. (later I'll go back and add some stitching though).

The supplies I used were little scraps from my large pink/misc bright "5th Wheel" quilt. Since the biggest basic piece I'll need isn't much better than 6 inches, it's a perfect way to use up my scraps. (Chances are I'll be digging gout some of my funky flannels for some of the squares when these scraps die out)

Here's a view of the pieces that were carefully cut out, and then layered to see if it would even work this way. I had to cut out the middle pink square a couple of times to get the corners to work out right. The lime green on pink pieces was a @#!@# seriously! I had no idea how to do it at first. I thought of cutting out in the pink first, or making the pink part layered over the lime green. Anyways, it was totally challenging.

Here are all the pieces that were layered, and each square lined up, in hopes that this might work. It was tricky getting the pieces to stay still while I ironed them. Hoping that they get easier from here on out. (hahaha)

And the completed piece. It is all infused onto a scrap piece of white fabric I had lying around. This way, if I want to do any stitching on the machine, it has some stability to it. And also, it keeps the squares so nicely together. I'm happy for my first time!

So, I'll try another square next week! Depending on the difficulty of my week's square, I will try and make 2 squares. This week, I think the one was enough to start me off. But, starting on my 1st day off work, I get 5 days off to work on them. So that's enough time to fit in at least 1 square.

(and no, this is not taking over my regular quilting, or scrapbooking time. This is in addition to it, teaching me some new patterns and such. I have a baby quilt that is getting some love this week - I'm finishing the top to it tonight and then layering and pinning tomorrow)

An ephifany

Okay, so If I could spell "Epiphany" it'd be great right? Yeah, that's what I think too.(Wait, it's magically fixed! Thank heaven for spell check)

What I thought of today - since today will be my first day playing with a block ... I am going to either do the blocks out of material, and quilt them - I think I'll do that with my most favorite blocks, and also that way as time allows.
THEN!
With the more piddly ones, the more challenging ones that honestly I would never use - or the "paper piecing ones" ... I would do them with Scrapbooking Paper -- to add to my Quilting Scrapbook. That way I'm still learning the basics to the quilt block, but am not getting so discouraged with the more challenging pieces.

I am picking the block right now, using an impartial random generator so that I don't cheat!

Today's Number is ... BLOCK 20 .... She's called Circular Saw -- and she will most definitely NOT be done with fabric ... I think! WOW! I get some doozy as my first one. Here is what it should look like - thanks to this brave lady for making it! http://wbw.spiritvoices.de/distel/bilder/midget20.jpg

Okay, so, off I go to enjoy a movie and a cup of tea. Then it's time to start making my first block. I really hope I can get this done :)

Welcome

Welcome :)

I'm challenging myself to create 92 Quilting Blocks ... I found a link off a link off another link to here ... http://sentimentalstitches.net/free-stuff/midget-blocks/ Which has a pdf version of 92 quilting blocks, each one different. Some I have made before, and many many many I have not.

I have 10 of them saved on the computer, and I'm going to try and make one block a week, or a month, or something. I would like to get through at least 1/2 of them this year. This is meant to be a "quilt sampler" ... I do believe all pieces measuring 4 inches ... I might try and make them a bit larger, 6 inch squares since I'm not the best with seem allowances and that. But I'm sure going to give it a shot to keep it true to the smaller size.

I'm going to be trying one of them tonight.

(I will be posting more tonight, and adding some links and some "blinkies" to this site, and linking it to my main page -- I am going to try and keep this one simply for the sampler quilt, and the other site for everything else. I'll link the completed block to here when it's done form the main blog, with instructions on how I did it -- since I'm sure I'll not follow the instructions from the company!)