Pick up Sticks, finished

The pattern is from Fons & Porter, September 2011.  Quilted wifth my  favourite batting, Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 cotton-poly, 40 wt poly embroidery thread.  Machine sewn binding with 40 wt cotton variegated thread.

Just Takes 2, first quarter complete!

Wow!  These blocks can be challenging, but well worth the effort, I think!  This piece measures 45" square, and includes machine piecing, foundation piecing, hand piecing, applique, and redwork. Looking forward to the next quarter!

Take a look at others' work on their quilts at justakes2.com

Very nearly finished this and that

This, the Pick Up Sticks quilt.  I got the border quilted, just diagonal lines which seemed actually more difficult in some ways than free motion quilting (!); the binding is cut, ironed and rolled.

That, is Just Takes 2 first quarter.  I discovered a couple of blocks that I forgot to sew, and have been working away at the applique block.  It seems to un-sew itself during the night, lol, that's how long it seems to be taking me!  I've decided to add some redwork to one of the blocks, so that too might make this not a finish before the next installment.

Stitch good thoughts!

Layer Cake Swirl

I don't know what the name of this quilt will be yet, but I had to name it something for now!

I had bought a layer cake of Sweet Grass Prairie from Connecting Threads, because I thought I'd like the grouping and wanted to make something from it, perhaps some applique I was thinking at the time.

Then I decided I wanted to use it for my niece's quilt.  I ended up drawing, well, let's say 100 quilts! on EQ, using variations of so many blocks that I lost track of where I got what idea.  I didn't start with any particular published pattern, but I will say that as there are only so many ways to cut up a layer cake, so any similarity to any other published pattern is coincidental.

Here it is!  I'll give some directions, but I haven't had much practice in writing directions, so hopefully they will still be helpful.

Start by with one dark and one light 10" square..

 The light will make two blocks...cut two 5" squares, each cut in half on the diagonal; cut 2 - 2/12" strips.  From the 2 1/2" strips, cut 12 half square triangles using the easy angle ruler.  If you don't have one of these...get one!, ha ha, they are so useful.  Two of the triangles from the 5" square and 6 of the 2 1/2" triangles will make one block. (If you can't use an easy angle ruler, or one similar, you will have tocut a strip 2 7/8" wide, instead of the two - 2 1/2" strips; then cut three - 2 7/8" squares, cut in half diagonally; for each block, so you will only be able to make one block from one  layer cake square)

From the dark, cut two 5" squares, each cut in half on the diagonal.  Cut 2 - 2 1/2" strips.  From one strip, cut 2 triangles using the easy angle ruler.  The remainder of the 2 1/2" strips are for the border.

Sew 2 small  half square triangles using the light and dark.  Press to the dark.  Sew a light triangle to either side of this square so it looks like this, pressing to the small light triangle..

Sew 2 large half square triangles, press to the dark.  Sew a dark triangle to each pieced triangle, to form a square.  Square up each unit to 4 1/2".  There will be very little trimming.  Use the diagonal line on your ruler to make sure the diagonal seam on the square runs from corner to corner.  Additionally, when squaring up the pieced half square triangle, make sure the 2 1/4" point is at the corner of small hst, as shown below.

Place the units in a four-patch formation, as shown .  By pressing all the seams to the dark, you'll find that the units will sew together easily.

Arrange the blocks like this, or play with different layouts!

Back in the saddle!

We had such wonderful spring sunshine this weekend to help us celebrate Easter.  Lots of family came for Easter dinner, on Saturday, our first big family gathering in our new home.  Some couldn't be with us, and they were missed, and the rest of us had a great time catching up and just enjoying being all together in one place!

Sunday I recovered from the dinner, then in the late afternoon I got up and sewed!  and played!  I made these quick placemats.....

and prepped the an applique block for Just Takes 2, using the back basting method....

and played on EQ,  making quilt designs from a layer cake!

Just nothing!

This week I did nothing, and for no particular reason.  I didn't turn on a sewing machine, I didn't pick up any applique or hand sewing, I didn't cut fabrics, no organizing or planning or nothing.  It was as if I was willfully deciding not to go into my sewing room!  I felt a pull towards it, and wandered in several times.  I did pick up my hand sewing basket,  just to put it down again.   I was in a weird, calm, happy state of "vacation" from quilt-making.

I expect that after the Easter weekend visiting, I'll be ready to return to my sewing...already I feel ready to pick up my hand sewing...

Just Takes 2 Compass Block(variation)

Have you ever known that you were not in tip top shape for quilting or piecing, yet you go ahead anyway?  And, you decide on a difficult block that does require a lot of thinking?  Well, next time I'll just say no!

While on couch rest I eventually got strong enough to start hand piecing the compass block for  Just Takes 2.  I got so far, then decided I could use the sewing machine to attach the longer red point.  So I gather up my pieces and do that, and quite pleased with how it looks.  Then I think to myself, well I can sew drunkard's path blocks by machine, so surely I can add the outer border to the compass by machine.  Well, this is looking good, I say to myself...but a little skewed.  Oh Oh!  Oh my!  Look what's happened!

I cannot for the life of me figure out what has gone wrong...why I do not have enough circle left to add the fourth border, the block is no longer laying flat, and it just awful.  Its nearing dinner, and I'm so very tired.  Completely fed up.  I start looking through my books, and EQ, and the web, for another compass block I could use.  I start thinking about all the fabric I've used to mess this up, and all the fabric I would use to make another one.  Can I buy more of this red fabric?  Google search "Bonnie Blue basics red".  Then flop on the couch.  When I go to turn out the lights for the night, out of the corner of my eye I see something in my sewing basket.  I spy.....a sixth of the circle!!  One that I had all hand sewn!!  I didn't bring it into the sewing room, I managed to make a circle with 5 segments in stead of 6, oh geez.

In the morning, I rip out what I have to, add in the 6th segment, press it well, and baste the red square(that will be part of the inner circle) to the back.  Now, I start to plan and sew the little white ovals that form a circle in the centre.  I sew on a couple and realize there is no way these are going to cover the seam allowances, and really, this block is toast.

Back to the hand sewing, and part machine sewing.  Finally have the block looking good, fairly square, and the right size.  For the centre, I decided to do something different.  I've appliqued a white circle over the hole, and embroidered (stem stitch) the shape that would form the ovals.  Then I made my own little design that I thought of as a sand dollar.  There`s a really good feeling of accomplishment when one works through a problem block such as this.

Stitch good thoughts!