Thursday, February 28, 2013

Triangle Thursday #8


Feb. 28, 2013
Greek Cross 
This design is number 1646c in Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns.  It is attributed to Ruby Short McKim Studios in Independence, Missouri.  She was a syndicated newspaper columnist in the late 1920s and the 1930s.   Find a printer friendly version here.


Cutting directions are for 6” finished size.
Fabric
Number to cut
6”
Scrap Triangles (black)
4
Use the 2” triangle template
Light Triangles (pale green)
4
Use the 2” triangle template
Center Square (oriental print)
1
2 ½”
Dark Rectangle (oriental print)
4
1 ½” x 2 ½”
Light Rectangle (pale green)
4
1 ½” x 2 ½”


Here are the pieces you need for this block.


First make your half triangle square units by placing a scrap triangle right sides together with a pale triangle.  Sew along the long side.  Iron the seam toward the dark fabric.  If you don’t have enough scraps to do both sides of the triangle, you can cut a 3” square and carefully cut it on the diagonal.  Once you’ve sewn and pressed the unit you will need to trim it to a 2 1/2" half triangle square. 


Next, sew with right sides together the light rectangles to the dark rectangles.  Press to the dark side.

Place the pieces in the correct positions and sew the units into rows.  When pressing the units in the rows I chose to press the seams in the center square away from the center. When it was time to press the half triangle square/rectangles/half triangle square units into rows I pressed toward the rectangles.  Sew the rows together.  


Since actually making these blocks I realize my scrap triangles won’t go together easily into a quilt.  So for now I am happily making blocks using the excess triangles.  I’ll have to find some how to use all of these blocks.  This particular block I really like – the pattern, the colors, the fabrics…all of it. I have enough of some of the fabrics to make a small quilt with a little fabric augmentation.

Congratulations!  You are done with another Triangle Thursday.


Happy Quilting 


Monday, February 25, 2013

Design Wall Monday 2-25-13

Oops!  I missed last week.  Bad on me.  I didn't even think of it until about 4 pm.  

This is what I worked on this past week: 
This is part of the mystery quilt from Mysteries for Relay.  Marge offers mysteries several times a year as thank yous for folks who make donations to cancer research through her. You can find out more by clicking on the badge to the right.  Here's my first finished block.  If you stand back from it the center block blends in completely with the black and brown blocks around it.  

So I decided to see what would happen if I put a yellow piece over the the center block.  Hum.  I can't decide which I like best.  This is a scrap of yellow I had hanging around not the yardage I bought thinking it might go into the quilt somewhere.  That yellow is a bit more subdued. (Can yellow be subdued?)   I plan on putting a print border around this quilt.   The fabric has poinsettias with yellow gold centers and holly on a blue ground.  (Now you see where I came up with most of the colors.)  Any suggestions?  Does one strike you over the other?  Let me hear what you think.  I'll make my own mind up in the end but I'd like to hear your thoughts. 

And, along that line, I'll probably make several more blocks and cut a few pieces of the actual yellow and audition both colorways with the border fabric.  I'll keep you posted. 

Hum, no goals from last week so I'll go back to my last list of goals.


Week of Feb. 11, 2013
Continue working on mystery quilts
Make more orange peel blocks
Embroider my shirt didn't even think about this
Quilt something on Ruthie, anything!

Week of Feb 25, 2013

Focus on Mystery For Relay quilt
Sew more Orange Peel blocks
Trim some scrap fabric into strings and squares
Make appt. for Ragg’s vet check
Load beige backing on Ruthie

Ok that's it from me today.  Check other design walls across the internet through Judy's link up at Patchwork Times.

Bonnie 


Thursday, February 21, 2013

Triangle Thursday #7


Feb. 21, 2013
Variation on Shoo Fly
This design is not in Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns.  However, it is a variation on the Shoo Fly block.  You can get a printer ready version here. 



Cutting directions are for 6” finished size.
Fabric
Number to cut
6”
Triangles
4
Use the 2 ” triangle template
Black Squares
2
2 ½”
Focus Fabric Square
1
2 ½”
Black Rectangle
2
2 ½” x 6 ½”


Here are the pieces you need for this block.



Start by making your two rectangles first.  Lay the triangles on the corners making sure you have both top and bottom rectangles. Sew a quarter inch away from the cut diagonal. Trim the black off and iron the triangle in place.
 

Sew a black square to each side of the focus fabric.  Iron the seams to the center square.


Sew the rows together.  I ironed to the center block although do what you prefer.  

Thank you to Jan who asked what happened to Febuary 14th Triangle Thursday.  OOOPS.  It was written and entered into Blogger.  I just forgot to publish it last week. So here it is as I'm going to the Mid Atantic Quilt Festival today and I needed something that I could just post and run out the door.  I even missed Design Wall Monday too. Pat was home and I didn't even think of DWM until late in the afternoon. I'll try to be better!  

That’s it for this week.  See you next Thursday for Triangle Thursday.  


Happy Quilting All! 



Friday, February 15, 2013

What's Done

I finished hand quilting my little Hexagon Flower quilt last week.  I'm happy to share this one as I started it in 2011!  Evidently I didn't work on it all that much over the ensuing months. 
I love the little wavy stencil I used on the border, but evidently so did Raggs as one end was chewed up after I left it some where he could get it. 


I am now working on an Orange Peel small quilt.  Both of these patterns came from Kathleen Tracy's books.  Several weeks ago I showed how I was making the peels.  It has been so easy to just grab the little bag of my supplies and applique away.  I've been doing them by colors so I can use the same thread if I cut too much at a time.  Most of these are from a box of fabrics all from one line that I won about a year ago.  I'm using a bunch of different backgrounds.  I may take far less than a year for this project. 

Do you do Quilts of Valor?  I try to but seem to not finish all that many in the long run.  But I love to make blocks and ship them off for someone else to finish them.  Alycia is doing another block drive. And this time the incentive prize is hand dyed fabrics from Vicki.  Yummy.  Go to Alycia's blog to get the details. The blocks are due by March 8th.  I need red, white and blue fabrics so I will be looking for some bright ones soon.  Of course, I'll hit up my stash first!  

Happy Quilting All! 

Monday, February 11, 2013

Design Wall Monday 2-11-13

Lots of little things on the Design Wall today: 
Blocks for a drawing at Faithful Circle Quilters.

Sharon was here this weekend and brought directions for this cute little tissue cover.  She's become an addict -- calling them quilter's crack. She's made dozens in the last week or two.  I have to admit they are very easy and really cute.  I don't think I'll become an addict but you never know. 

We played with the embroidery module for Bubbles.  Sharon was tickled to embroider this on a black t shirt.  I've got a grey sweatshirt ready to go but didn't take the time to do it yet.  Maybe in the next few days seeing as I have all the thread.  The only thing we thought we would change is the little patches at the bottom.  Why are they mostly beige?  Weird.  

And, finally the coffee cups for the Queen Bee group I'm in.  My turn is coming up in March.  I need to write up directions and figure out my fabrics. Luckily I already know which block I am going to use. 

I did great on my goals last week, especially since I had so many of them. 

Week of Feb. 4, 2013
Finish quilting borders of Hexie Quilt√ Done
Quilt charity quilt on Ruthie oops didn’t start
Continue working on Mysteries for Relay and Easy Street  quilts√√
Get oil changed/buy thread for machine embroidery
Make coffee cup blocks
Start Dresden variation quilt
Have fun with Sharon visiting
Embroider 2 shirts√ only one got done
Keep on appliqueing orange peel blocks√√

Not as much planned for this week.
Week of Feb. 11, 2013

Continue working on mystery quilts
Make more orange peel blocks
Embroider my shirt
Quilt something on Ruthie, anything! 

Don't forget to visit Patchwork Times so you can easily visit design walls around the internet. 

Happy Quilting!