Triangle Thursday #6

February 7, 2013

Hour Glass 

This design is #1705 from Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns.  This is only known as Hour Glass in Barbara's book.  Click here for a printer friendly version. 

Cutting directions are for the 6” finished size.

Fabric	Number to cut	6”
Light Print Triangles	2	Use the 2 ” triangle template
Light Triangles	2	Use the 2 ” triangle template
Light Square	1	2 ½”
Light Print Square	2	2 ½”
Dark Print Square	4	2 ½”

I wanted this block to be in Valentine themed fabric so I actually cut the half square triangles.  (If you want to cut a square to make 2 half square triangle units cut a light and light print square 3” or slightly bigger.  Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner and sew ¼” away from it on each side.  Cut on the center line. Iron toward the print fabric. Trim to 2 ½”.)

Pieces of Hour Glass Block

  

Make the two half square triangle units first. (I used the Easy Angle and a 2 ½” strip so I have one corner already trimmed.)  Sew the squares together in rows.  Iron to the darker fabric.  

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

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

Happy Quilting All!  

Design Wall Monday 2-4-13

New on the design wall!  Well, design cutting table actually.

All pieces cut and bagged ready for Mysteries for Relay weekend. 

It was a Mysteries for Relay weekend starting on Saturday.  I had gathered and purchased fabric in advance.  Friday night I cut it all up to be ready to start the next morning.  Except, Sat night I was AWAKE.  Really awake.  I got every thing cut for the mystery.  Then I went on to cut the next clue for Easy Street.  When I went to bed I was wide awake so I read for nearly an hour... so no, I wasn't bright eyed on Saturday morning.

Some of the units sewn together.

The first clue was to sew 4 patches.  So two hours later the four patches were done and I was way behind on the clues.  And, I was tired.  Break time!  When I got back to sewing I decided I would make some units so I could at least make a block on Sat.  Nope, didn't happen.  This is about all I got done on Sat and Sun.  I really would like to get a block done so I can see how my fabrics are going to work out.  I picked these fabrics from a print fabric that I hope to use for the borders.  Someday I'll be able to see how the block looks with the border fab.  I'll keep you posted. 

Here are the pieces of the clue I am currently working on in Easy Street.  I think the really dark purple doesn't add much I may rethink that color.  I don't have tons of purples so there isn't a whole lot of other choices but I bet I can find some a little brighter/lighter than those stars on deep purple.  

There are 5 little house units as Bonnie Hunter calls them.  Nah, that dark purple is just way too dark. 

The black and white strips will be cut into 3.5" squares. Once these two steps are done I think all the pieces will be sewn.  I know I need to cut some additional fabric that goes into the blocks.  I don't think I'll worry about what needs to be done next until after these two units are finished.  I'm making slow but steady progress on Easy Street.  I don't feel any need to rush. Especially since I can look at all the different settings and borders folks have come up with while I plug away on the basics.  Great inspiration on QuiltvilleChat at Yahoo groups. 
Next up weekly goals review. 

Week of Jan. 27, 2013

Bind small hexie quilt√ and quilt borders started

Finish string blocks√

Make Coffee cup blocks

Make BOM for FCQ√ and mailed

Heart blocks 2 or 3 √ and mailed

Quilt pinwheel quilt√

Start Dresden variation quilt oops

Lesson 4 in EQ7 double oops

Keep appliqueing orange peel blocks √

Week of Feb. 4, 2013

Finish quilting borders of Hexie Quilt

Quilt charity quilt on Ruthie

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 

Keep on appliqueing orange peel blocks

Ok, enough to plan to do this week.  Sharon's visiting on Thursday through Sunday so I should get lots of quilty things done.  I'm looking forward to see what she has planned to show me.  I'm hoping to get one of the charity quilts quilted so she can take it back to Faithful Circle Quilters guild.  I've had 2 quilts for quite a while but haven't actually worked on them because I knew I wasn't going to be going to the guild meetings or seeing Sharon.  Now, I need to get going on one! 

Take some time this week to view design walls all over the internet by going to Patchwork Times.  I'll be spending some time this morning hitting a few blogs. 

Happy Quilting All!

January's Stash Busting

Or, perhaps more accurately, Stash Building.

2013	Fabric In Month	Fabric In Year	Fabric Out Month	Fabric Out Year	Total In or Out
January	12.5 yds	12.5 yds	8 yds	8 yds	4.5 yds in

When I got Bubbles in the spring last year, I became a participant in a quilt shop program of spend so much money and get a yard of free fabric.  Well, let me tell you, I have a LOT of free fabric coming this year.  Early in January I went up to Cottonwood Quilt Shop in Charlottesville and "bought" some fabric. And, then I didn't buy anything for the rest of the month.  Yeah, all of that fabric was free.  In fact I bought a whole quilt worth of fabric at one time, something I rarely do.  I'll be starting it this coming week too.  

Today I will start cutting some of the fabric for a mystery at Marge's Mystery for Relay. And, tomorrow I will be happily sewing away on some of the new fabric.  My leader/ender project will be Easy Street, Clue 5.  So, I'll be cutting some of those pieces today also.  

Happy Quilting All!

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