BOM #2

I picked up my January block late in the month and made it the same day.  I was simply debating whether I really wanted to participate.    One of the advantages of getting a late start with the January block of the month is that I could go back to the LQS and get the next block soon after. 

New Block of the Month

Our local quilt shop (LQS) is having a block of the month program again this year.  I collected blocks another year as well, but then either they stopped doing it, or I did, or both.  But they are doing it again this year.  The label says it is Series #7 of the Thangles Block of the Month.  They give you fabric to make two 6" blocks each month for $1.  You have to take the finished blocks the following month to get the next set of blocks for $1. Otherwise you pay $2.  I like this plan, because it will keep me current. The blocks are then put together in a straight setting.  But if you want to enclose the blocks in star points, then you can buy the kit for the optional setting.

They had four different colorways to choose from, and I chose the Civil War ones.  I have decided to make the blocks, and use my own fabric for the star points.

Have you heard of Thangles?  I had a roll of triangle paper that I had purchased for a previous LQS project.  I think it was part of a class.  That paper comes in a roll, and has lines that you sew down and lines where you cut.  It makes it very easy to make a whole bunch of half square triangles at a time.  Thangles is a little bit different because (I think) it is designed to work with jelly rolls.  You know how you would need 2 7/8 fabric to make a 2 inch hst?  With Thangles, you can make 2 inch hsts out of 2 1/2 inch jelly roll, because the paper aligns the pieces so that the some of the little points are already cut off.

I don't normally make practice blocks, but since I had limited quantity of the Civil War fabric, so I did this time.  I am thinking one of the practice blocks will be for Ally's Christmas challenge.  The deadline is tonight for this month, which I won't be able to make, but maybe I will be early for next month.

Wildflower Block Eight

Here's another wildflower block. Doesn't Block Eight sound so much better than second block I've made? I've had some spare time this week - a big change of pace from the rest of the year. I've been catching up on the cleaning that has been put off all year. I've been anxious to start another quilt project, but I have been trying to limit myself to what I can do between cleaning breaks. Hopefully, though, it means you will see several of these blocks done this week. At least until I run out of the kitted fabric. After that, I have another kit that has fabric I could use for this one. I'll have to make that second kitted project, to see if I have extra fabric to use on this one.

Friday Block Party

Yes, I am quite aware that it isn't Friday but I am crashing the block party anyway. Wrong outfit, wrong block, wrong day, but I am crashing it anyway. Quilt Pixie has been hosting her Friday Block Party for several weeks now, and I have been eyeing it longingly. Wouldn't it be fun to join in and make a block a week?

I decided to go ahead and make a block. No big projects that will never be done considering my schedule. Surely I can spare a few minutes a day and come out with a block at the end of the week?

As luck would have it, my mother returned the bag of fabric that she purchased on Super Bowl Sunday. I'm not sure if it was meant for me, she might have told my brother to give me back my bag and forgotten that there were things still in there. I'm not asking any questions. The bag of fabric appears to be a kit for the book that I bought that same day. It is clear that it isn't the entire kit - there are duplicates of some block, and some block are missing entirely, but I figure I can start one. I randomly take out a roll of fabric that is bundled with a sticker that says block 10. Okay, decisions averted - I'm making block 10.

There isn't enough turquoise fabric to make the block - oops. No problem, I'll borrow from another block. Oops again, I manage to get too happy with the rotary cutter and need to remake one part of the block. None of the other blocks use this fabric. The amazing thing is that I was able to find scraps of fabric in my house that match wonderfully. When I ever get to finish Moondance, it won't have any fabric left, because I keep borrowing it for other projects.

It isn't perfect - I didn't think about those points having to match, and I'm not that motivated to make them all nice, but once I took the photo, it looks pretty good to me.