Saturday, May 17, 2014

Stack-n-Whack fun

I have been having so much fun playing with Maxine Rosenthal's technique for the "One Block Wonder" quilt.

I pulled this image aff Amazon.com and I purchased the Kindle version of the book for $9.99 which is great to take shopping for fabrics. I must tell on myself though. I was looking for the book for over an hour one day, had tore my sewing area all up trying to remember where I had put it, even had my husband looking in my car and his truck. I called a friend to see if she remembered when I had it last, and she asks, " you mean the one on your iPad?" Oh yea, that's the one! Boy, did I feel dumb.

This is the first quilting book I have downloaded, and it won't be the last. Cheaper than a paper copy and takes us no room on my bookshelf!

This is the fabric that I chose to use, mainly because I love the pattern and I wanted a table runner out of this for my dining room. The repeat is only 8 inches, which I was afraid would be too small to get a good variety of blocks, but since it is not going to be a big quilt, I decided to give it a try.


Here is a sample of some of the blocks I made. They are half blocks right now since you sew the half block together in rows, and when you sew the rows together you get the entire hexagon block. This way there are no in-set seams :)

This is so much fun as you never know what you will get until you sew the block together and each one is different.

Of course, if you use a more fabric with a bigger repeat and more colors, your blocks will be even more unique, but for now, I am very happy with this look.

Tuesday I am taking a Stack-n-Whack class my guild is sponsoring where we will make pinwheel stars. Let the fun begin...I can't wait to get started!

 

I recently took a needle turn appliqué class from Joyce Walton, York County Quilters Guild. This was a great class and even though I have been doing needle turn appliqué for years, seems you can always learn something new and improve your skills by taking a class and learning what other successful quilters do. The class covered everything from fabric choice, the kind of needles and thread to use and embellishing your appliqué with embroidery, silk ribbon and beading.

I had quilted my piece, but felt it just was missing something, so I added the beading around the edge. The bow is silk ribbon that I tied around the stem, mashed flat and then appliquéd...something very new for me to try.

 


Last, but not least, I thought I would share with you my newest Patchwork of the Crosses blocks. Of everything I am working, I think this is my favorite project. English Paper Piecing is something I find so relaxing and satisfying. I have already picked out my next EPP project which will be Castle Wall, but I have always to go on this one first.

Thanks for stopping by, and here are the pictures,

Teresa