Triangle Thursday #5

Jan. 31, 2013

Flashing Wind Mills

This design is #1264 from Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns.  It is also known as Pinwheels.  I prefer Flashing Wind Mills because many other blocks are known as Pinwheels. Click here for a printer friendly version. 

Cutting directions are for 4” and  6” finished size.

Fabric	Number to cut	4”	6”
Dark Triangles	8	Use the 1” triangle template	Use the 1 1/2 ” triangle template
Light Triangles	4	Use the 1” triangle template	Use the 1 1/2 ” triangle template
Background Squares	2	2 ½”	3 ½”

We’re back to a 4 patch style block so I can give you measurements for both the 4” and 6” blocks.

I was late starting this week’s block so I looked for triangles that I had already sewn into half square triangle blocks.  And, not surprising, I found two sets.  I hadn’t pressed them open so I was able to use my templates to figure out if these were the right size.

Sometimes I sew triangles to be cut off together before I cut them off but not always.  The two sets of triangles were sewn with white so all I needed to add was the white on white background squares.  One I was able to find the same material but the other is different.  No big deal.

  

Here are the pieces of Flashing Windmills ready for piecing. I sewed the two triangle units together first and ironed to the colored fabric.  Then the two sets of 2 triangles together.  Make sure you watch where the color triangles are.  That’s one reason I sew picking up the pieces of the block from a lay out.  Once the pinwheel blocks are made I sewed each to a white square and ironed to the white.  Then I sewed the two rows together, nesting the seams. Carefully press the block flat. Trim to the correct size if necessary. 

Here are both finished blocks.

I’ve owned that teal/purple paisley print for at least 20 years and I still keep finding pieces of it.  I’ll be happy when I see the last of that one! 

Happy Quilting All 

  

Design Wall Monday 1-28-2013

It's been a non-quilty week.  Not much new but here's what've been working on. 

This is a small hexagon quilt from Civil War Sewing Circle by Kathleen Tracy.  I'm a member of her Small Quilt Talk group on Yahoo Groups. Last year she challenged us to do a small quilt every month.  I think I got one quilt finished the whole year.  Sigh.  She's going to continue this year so I hope to get more quilts done although I doubt I will get 12 done! 

I'm still working on the string blocks.  Here are several lined up ready to be sewn. I started with some old baby fabric that I wouldn't be using as a foundation and then I checked what I had in my solids and found a really thin pale pink that was a perfect foundation. 

Do you track your use of thread during any year?  I have for several years and this year was the best year for using thread.  See that big white cone or maybe it was the big blue cone.  Anyway, one of them was grey thread -- 5000 yards of it.  It was my main piecing thread. It took me a year and a half to go through all of that thread.  Once that was gone I really started using up older spools of thread.  The other cone was from long arm thread.  It's interesting to me to see some of the different spools.  One is a styraphone most are just basic plastic.  The four prewound bobbins I used for embroidery.  22 spools used.  Unfortunately I still have tons of poly cotton that I'm using sporadically.  I've bought smaller spools for my basic piecing and I am using some that I already own.  I'll see how I do in Jan 2014. 

Didn't do particularly well on my goals last week. 

Week of January 21, 2013

Finish string blocks still need to make some

Start clue 6 of Easy Street haven’t finished previous clue

Clean house√

Organize food for Sat night party√

Play with Sophia and Natalie√What can I say, I'm ahead of the week! 

Drive home safely√

Week of Jan. 27, 2013

Bind small hexie quilt and quilt borders

Finish string blocks

Make Coffee cup blocks

Make BOM for FCQ

Heart blocks 2 or 3

Quilt pinwheel quilt

Start Dresden variation quilt

Lesson 4 in EQ7

Keep appliqueing orange peel blocks 

This week is a long list but it is very specific as there are several blocks I need to get finished and in the mail this week. 

And, here's a picture of Natalie I took last week.  She loves this jumpy seat so much that Jen and Brian now have two of them, each slightly different.  She is a very calm, happy baby. 

Don't forget to visit Patchwork Times to be able to visit design walls across the internet.

Happy Quilting. 

  

Triangle Thursday #4

Jan. 24, 2013

Road to California

This design is #1687d from Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns. Click here for a  PDF version to download.  Sorry for the delay on uploading this post.  I had a bit of computer problems this morning and got busy.  Enjoy today's block. 

This is an even 9 patch block while all the previous blocks were 4 patches.  Now we need to make a template for a 2” half square triangle for the 6” block. Start by cutting out a 2 ½” square, draw a diagonal line from corner to corner and then draw another line ¼” away. Cut off the small triangle. Mark the template 2”. Remember as you use your templates be sure you are not trimming the template as you cut your fabrics.  If you find you are, make a new one and throw away the old.

For this block I picked the pink from my triangle collection but chose the purple from yardage so I could also make the squares from the same fabric.  I cut the purple into a strip 2 ½” by 10” and then used the Template to cut the triangles.  I actually, I may have cut it shorter than 10 but at least that will definitely give you enough for the 4 triangles.

Here’s one way I use the template. I’ve already cut the main part of the triangle and all I’m doing here is trimming the corners.  The template with both sides trimmed means I can use a smaller triangle.  I have lots of really small triangles but not as many bigger triangles. 

Pieces of Road to California ready for piecing. Sew the triangles together right sides facing.  Iron toward the darker fabric. Then sew the squares into rows. Iron the seams toward the 2 ½” squares rather than the half square triangles. 

Hum, notice I’ve got a piece of cardboard under my block pieces.  I often use cardboard to lay out all my pieces so that I can easily transport all of them to the sewing machine.

Sew the rows together. Carefully press the block flat. Trim to the correct size if necessary. 

Happy Quilting All! 

Design Wall Monday on Wednesday 1-21-2013

I didn't get as much done in the studio this past week.  No good reason that I can remember.  I found several pinwheel blocks that I made for a charity baby quilt.  The blocks are bright and don't really go together. I started making more pinwheels in bright colors but not big prints.  I was thinking that would calm down the quilt a bit.  Except, really.  Orange?  Calm.  This picture doesn't really show how bright these blocks are.  I'll need to add some more bright prints and some more calmer blocks.  The blue and fish block used a solid fabric.  I like the idea of using some of my solids as it isn't something I think to use on a regular basis. 

The reason this blog is late is I couldn't upload the photos from my iPad to Blogger.  Now I can't figure out how to take the photos from iPad to the Mac laptop.  Sigh. I'll have to search "the cloud" to see if I can find more photos...

What I worked on last week: 
• string blocks for my FCQ Equilters group.  I've got 12 almost finished with plans to make more.

• 10" pinwheels for a baby quilt.

• almost finished through step 5 on Easy Street.

• Triangle Thursdays blocks 

How did I do on my goals this week?  Not that bad.

Week of Jan. 14, 2013

Work on Easy Street* did some more units

Hand quilt hexagon small quilt *started

Finish prepping all the orange peel pieces, begin appliquing* I started the appliqué but don't know if I have all the pieces I need 

Let’s try to get a quilt on Ruthie* ok, I've got the previous bright pinwheel quilt loaded but I need to work on the tension so nothing is quilted 

On to Lessons 3 & 4 on EQ7* oops, didn't get this done 

Week of January 21, 2013

Finish string blocks

Start clue 6 of Easy Street

Clean house

Organize food for Sat night party

Play with Sophia and Natalie√What can I say, I'm ahead of the week! 

Drive home safely√

I was visiting Sophia and Natalie on Monday. (drove up Sunday afternoon and home Tuesday morning.  Just before the girls left Tuesday morning I snapped this picture.  It was really cold that morning -- I think in single digits. 

 You can still check other design walls across the internet by visiting Patchwork Times.

Yesterday on Quilty Pleasures blog my last Scrap Squad was featured.  Wow, it seems like this year flew by.  As I mentioned earlier I used more fabric in 2012 then in any year since I've been keeping statistics.  I think the Scrap Squad is one reason.  You can visit my Caribbean Vacation quilt by clicking the name. I'll be featuring it on my blog in the next week or so.  

Happy Quilting. 

Triangle Thursday #3

Art Square

This design is #2403 from Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns.  This is also listed as Village Square. You can get a downloadable PDF version here. 

Cutting directions are in 4” and 6” finished sizes.

Fabric	Number to cut	4”	6”
Center -- fish print	1	3 3/8” x 3 3/8”	4 ¾ x 4 ¾”
Squares – blue	4	1 ½” x 1 ½”	2” x 2”
Triangles -- orange	8	Use the 1” triangle template	Use the 1 1/2" triangle  template

For template directions go to Triangle Thursday #2.  As you use your templates be sure you are not trimming the template as you cut your fabrics.  If you find you are, make a new one and throw away the old.

Art Square ready for piecing.

Make the shaded corners first.  Sew one triangle to a square.  Iron the seam to the square.  (First row of pictures.) Add the second triangle lining up the square and the triangle on the right side. Sew and iron toward the triangle. (Bottom right photo.)  The finished unit should look like the bottom left photo. Repeat for all 4 units.

If you are planning to keep this block square rather than on-point, cut the center square on the bias or whatever direction to keep your design going the right way. (I didn't think of this for the fish fabric!)  Before cutting, starch the fabric to help control the bias.  Cut.  Mark the center of two opposing sides. Fold the shaded corners in half and crease with your thumbnail. Line up the two marks.  Sew the two opposing seams.  Iron toward the center block. Be careful ironing if the center square is cut on the bias.  Repeat with the two remaining opposing seams.  Notice how nicely the second set of corner triangles line up. Sew and iron the seams away from the center.

 Carefully press the block flat. Trim to the correct size if necessary.

The 6” block is on point while the smaller one is straight.  

 

I have a distinct feeling that my blocks are not going to be able to be set together for a quilt.  Hum, must mean I'll have to dive into my stash to make things that will go with them.  Today's confession is I was really tempted yesterday as I made these blocks to just whack some triangles off some strips with my Easy Angle.  But, I was good and kept diving into my triangle cut offs to find these.  And, I had to unsew the turquoise from little half square triangles to get them.  I have seen NO dent in my collection.  Sigh. Enjoy using your triangles.

Happy quilting!