6 Heads / 12 Blocks (ROM) - June

I have not sewn much lately. If you follow my main blog you know why. My knee is really giving me problems right now and I can't hike or even have a walk in the neighborhood (I am trying to do something about it though). So, there is my excuse to sew instead doing other work!

First thing I did: Do the last project for this year's Cotton Robin. Deadline is when we are gone so it had to be done before we leave. The center with 2 borders needed to be layered, quilted and bound (with hanging sleeve). It is done and will be mailed today. Tough part: I can't show any photos of it ... or my center ... or the first border I did ... or the second border I did ... before the BIG REVEAL. Had to keep quiet about all of that. It was so much fun!!! (The doing not the waiting)

So, with that finished I tackled the June Row from Germany.
You find the pattern of the HALF RECTANGLE TRIANGLES here.

The patterns are all written and explained very well. The photos are almost all you need. This time I had a senior moment though. Just couldn't see something until suddenly it jumped out at me. I did change though how I arranged the row. Another participant (thank you, Andrea W.) had shown her row on FaceBook and that's how I wanted to do mine too ... and did!

January to June so far:

If I had to start over again I probably would choose different colors. But not knowing what the next block/row will be and/or the whole thing will look like does make that a bit difficult I think.

I always have to keep in mind that the 12 rows at the end will not be assemble in month order and most likely have sashing in-between. But I think it is quite interesting.

Easy binding

Most Thursdays, when I can, I join the Stitchers group at the Glen Allen Church of Christ and help with the sewing for Charity. We mainly make quilts for many different causes.
There is an abundance of fabric which was donated and you can do whatever pattern you want. Nobody minds. We all try new things with what there is. Sometimes your idea doesn't work out but most of the time it does. This is my latest effort.

I had cut out many more flowers. Actually enough to make 5 rows so there would have been nothing but flowers. When I put the first two rows next to each other it screamed "to much" to me. So I added random length of greens in-between. I like it. But since I have more flowers cut out, the next will be different. Stay tuned!

The flower pattern is one I found online HERE!
Since I did need a different size I had to figure that out and wrote it down for me.
Happy to share my Flowers in a Row!

Normally you piece the top, find/cut backing and prepare binding. Somebody else does the quilting and then others do nothing but bindings. I had asked for the quilt to be returned to me so I could do the binding. For my own quilts I have never done the second side of the binding by machine but that's whats done here. Time to get a go at it.

And while I was at it I also wanted to try out something I had seen. Helen had given me the Fons & Porter tool to get the beginning and end part of the binding right. I am always a little nervous to not get it twisted.
This method was really great! There is another one where you don't even pin but I think I like this one.

NQC Block # 9

Yeah, all 9 blocks are done! Pinned to a design board.
I am quite happy with them but ... what now? Thanks to many other participating I do have an idea though.

The # 9 block took some thinking. I did some serious coloring ...

... and ended up choosing what my husband called "the egg timer" design. But when I had done all units and laid them out another question.

Which way should the HST go?

And then another question. The above really looked a little plain. So I folded and pinned some corner triangles. 

Finished! And I stick with it!

I do like how the little star pops out. That was my biggest concern. In so many posted blocks it disappeared into the block.

The whole challenge was a great learning experience. And of course it is not over yet.

6 Heads / 12 Blocks (ROM) - May (and April update)

Yes, the update first. GREAT BIG THANK YOU to all who have given their opinion to my April question ... as comment to my blog and on my FaceBook post. I think Christiane hit the nail on the head with her inside that I probably wouldn't have asked if I was totally comfortable with my work. So, I did change it !!! All the windmills are twirling in the same direction. I did have to use a different blue fabric though (because I had no more of the other) and made another red one. Just to add a little more interest. I like it.

And my May blocks are ALMOST done too. I just have to trim the blocks. Too late tonight. Tired people make mistakes. And of course then sewing the row together.

The rows are still separated though. Have to see all 12 rows to decide on that. Right now they are laying by months. Pretty cool. Wondering what will be next ???

Thank you, Katharina. The tutorial was excellent and it is a cute block. You find it HERE.

Oh yes, I also run out of the green fabric. Ha-ha, happens when you make scrappy quilts, my preferred.

6 Heads / 12 Blocks (ROM) - April

Ha-ha, I am late but it is still in the month. The picture is a little dark. Sorry. This row needed 15 of them.
The April block was designed by Andrea and here is the link.   Of course this is a German blog but the directions are very clear with lots of photos and measurements are in inches. You don't really need the words with it I think.

I left the monthly rows in their sequence. January is top row and then down to April. I find it a little difficult to know what fabric to choose not knowing the whole picture but so far I am o.k.

Did you notice that I made a mistake? I had made a few and had cut out all the fabric rectangles. Yesterday some of my friends had a sew-in and I had made the slanted cut and sewed it in her house. When I was back home I noticed they were twirling the other way.

How did this happen? I had marked the first one on the front because the marker had showed up so I could cut accurately. Yesterday I had marked on the back because the marker I had was too week. However, I decided to go with it and leave the mistake.

What do you think about that mistake? Honestly!!! Leave me a comment please. Should I change it? It wouldn't be a big deal to do.

Meine Deutschen Freunde!

Was denkt Ihr über meinen Fehler? Soll ich es ändern? Bitte ganz ehrlich einen Kommentar schreiben. Es wäre keine große Sache die paar noch mal zu machen. Würde mich freuen Eure Meinung zu hören. DANKE!

NQC Block # 7 and 8

These were not 5-minute jobs and I didn't get around to post them but here they are.

I like the coloring sheets and keep those in mind when I don't have time to do the "actual quilt work". Next to my machine lay these little squares. 20 of them which were cut-offs from a previous project. I played a little around with them.

I was quite happy with the result. And then more decisions. What is the next step? 

I found some of the same fabric and like how the motif kept "flowing".

And here is the finished Block # 7

A week later I could make Block # 8

Not so exciting. Oh well.

Block # 9 left to do !!!

Woven Star

Love this block. I first saw it as the NQC Challenge # 2 Merope Star … but since then I have seen it out there in the quilt world written in different techniques. I like things simple and straightforward.  That’s why I wrote how I did it. I would like to make a whole quilt like this.

You need background fabric and 4 different fabrics which contrast against each other nicely.

Directions are for a 16 x 16 inch finished block

(16 1/2 square unfinished)

Background: cut 9 1/2 x 9 1/2 inch square (1)

4 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch square (4)

from each of the 4 fabrics: 5 x 5 (1)

                                                  5 1/2 x 5 1/2 inch (1, then sub-cut)

Sub-cut:

Each of the four larger squares cut first in half diagonally.

Then cut one of the triangles into two again. The photo above shows how to line it up on the cutting board.

First make the flying geese using the “4 flying geese at a time” method. There are lots of tutorials and you-tubes available. I have one link on my tutorial page.

It really does not matter in which order you use the 4 different squares.

Trim each of the flying geese to 4 1/2 to 8 1/2 inches. I find the Tucker Wing Clipper incredible useful for this.

With the finished flying geese lay out the block with all cut pieces.

You can chain-sew first each of the four smallest triangle pairs. 

Then add the larger triangles to those resulting into the 4 squares in the middle.  Find the middle on the long side of the larger triangle and finger press. Line this mark up with the seam of the two smaller triangles.

After each step make sure to put the pieces back onto the board so you don’t mix up the colors.

Trim each of the squares to 4 1/2 inches. 

I find the Tucker Trimmer incredible useful for this.

Sew first the 4 middle squares together.

Then add a flying geese to each side.

Sew the corner squares to the top and bottom geese.

Sew the rows together. You might want to iron the last two seams open.

I always use my pattern after I have written it to make sure it works. I had much fun making the second block. Hope you do too.

                         Christa

PS: If you would like this pattern as a PDF click HERE!

And here is the Cutting Chart PDF for blocks finished size 16, 14, 12, 10, 8 and 6 inch squares.

The photo is the largest and the smallest woven star.