Catch Up Blocks

Now that I look at the picture of the first of my "Catch Up" blocks, it looks like "Catsup Block" would be more appropriate! I was making my stash area (a real mess) into stash boxes (which might make it easier to find specific fabric) and came across a bunch of Batik that I didn't know I had (how bad is that!) so you may be seeing a lot of Batik blocks for a while. This is Broken Dishes Variation, wk.1...

FIRST BLOCK DONE

I have my fingers crossed I am doing this right!! Here is my very first block in this series, it is the very first block of the series too. I sorted all the scraps out and these colours called out to be used. I enjoyed making it. Got about eight others cut out ready to sew now. All my blocks will be different colours and sizes, I will join them with strips of different coloured fabrics...that is the plan folks.

Weeks 1 and 2

Having joined late I though I would try to get the first two blocks done before the next one starts. I am also doing the Black and White Quilt Challenge so thought this would be a good way to audition some of the blacks and whites I have. I know there are mistakes but it a long time since Idid any traditional piecing and I do have 'flu at the moment. I did change the arrangement in the Foot Stool block as I though that it looked better with with the black closer to the green and of course I added the third colour to the block.





This is good fun!

Beth's Week 1 Block

Well, it only took me a week, but I finally got last week's block done, I will probably do this week's tomorrow. I got sidetracked on another project today. I am making all my blocks with the same background fabric and Civil War fabrics for the accent colors. I think it will come out to be a nice quilt in the end. I absolutely adore scrappy quilts, so this project is perfect for me! Here is a picture of my block.

Thanks for having me here by the way! I found this blog from reading Jeanne's blog the other day. Of course, I had to join!

Thanks for the invitation to Block #1

Thanks for allowing me to join in with the fun. I saw the details on Carol E's blog and thought it was a good chance to try some new blocks to piece. I tend to make the same old ones so that I can get them done quickly for donation quilts so this will extend me a bit. I've included a photo of my first block but the photo quality isn't very good.
I'm going to use my scraps for the blocks as I have a lot or pre-cut squares which need to be used and this will stretch my colour choices a bit too. Now for Block #2.

Em's fist block

I choose these colors because that is what I had out of the scrapbag at the time. I have been trying to use up scraps lately. It was fun to make and I think it turned out well. The kids really like the colors I choose.

Rebecca's Broken Dishes Variation Week 1

I have a bag of 2 1/2 inch squares so I dug in there to find a colorway.  I make a lot of scrap quilts so I have lots of little pieces.

Halloween Quilt Here I Come, One Friday Block at a Time!

I have wanted to make a Halloween quilt for quite some time, and have collected a medium size stash of theme fabric. When I saw this challenge, I decided this would be a very good use for this speciality stash. I enjoyed putting this block together, and like the look, but like most of the other participants, one is enough - way too many bias triangles!

Second colour layout

Inspired by Marlene's first block I wanted to make a second attempt at this block, making it more my own :-) The block on the left is the result. (the one on the right was my first try, following the colour layout from Quilter's Cache)

I like that, having done the block once, I was able to figure out what size to cut individual pieces, and so made this scrappy -- no speed piecing of those half square triangles.... I do like the completely different effect moving the red/pink placements around a little gave... I like that I was able to adjust and try out a few things, getting the block to be the right size... I don't particularly like the block though...

I'm off to focus on other quilting now until next Friday. I'm enjoying seeing everyone's blocks, and the differences created by our colour choices/layouts. I know there are a couple of others who are intending to post their blocks in the next few days, so my precision muse will live vicariously off them 'til Friday :-)

My Attempt at Week One

I dug through my scrap bin and found just enough fabric to finish this block. I used some batiks and a fossel fern. Pinks are not my usual colour and I didn't like it much at first, but now it is starting to grow on me. I might make future 10in. blocks in pink. It came out to exactly 10 1/2 inches square. I think that is because I recut all the triangle squares before putting everything together. (the small ones to 2 1/2in. and the ones in the centre to 3 1/2in,) I know it doesn't look square in the photo. How do others get their shots to come out so nice and square?

Not Too Bad

Turned out fairly square. No points suffered decapitation. I like the block but I'd go bonkers making enough for a big quilt. I'm not too crazy about that quick piece half square method. My little squares were pretty inconsistant. I had to do a lot of squaring up. But all in all, this was fun.

Here's My Attempt

It was an interesting challenge. It took me about 3 1/2 hours and I did get it done. I had some issues with my pieces stretching and shifting some because when all was said and done my block is 10". So the finished size would be 9 1/2" meaning I lost 1/2" in the process.

When I e-mailed Donna to join the Friday Block Party I mentioned to her my dilemma and she had a couple of good suggestions which were:

"If the fabrics are good quilting cottons and I treat them gently I also find I generally don't have to do much; When I'm using scraps, and care about stretch though (like with the Friday block party block) I use spray starch :-) I mix up starch and put it in a dollar store spray bottle meant for misting plants. (You can also just buy spray starch, but the aerosols make it hard for me to breath so I do the homemade root). I mist the fabric well, let it soak in about 30-45 seconds and then press. If its not really stiff I repeat. Some insects like to eat starch, so I try to pay attention to what gets starched, but works like a charm. Its easiest if you starch before cutting, though after works if you press (don't iron) the pieces too....

One of the courses I took on pressing said there were three things that caused distortion/stretch -- heat, movement and moisture -- all found in the ironing process! If you've got bias edges we were encouraged to really attend to learning to lift and set the iron not glide it..."

So I'm armed with good advice for this coming Friday's block and I'm ready to do battle with the stretching and shifting demons.

Attempt Number 2-That's Better!

Not that I dislike the first block, I had to go back and complete it inthe spirit of the design and so I present Attempt 2.

I love it.

Marlene

Joining the game

Here's my first block -- I decided to try to work mostly from my batik scrap bin, with a little help from the stash when needed. I'm looking forward to the surprise element of someone else picking the block each week!

Here's mine- Different like Me!

This is really so much fun! I am having a blast playing along. I will be posting the second attempt in a little while...

Here's Mine!

This was fun! I'm glad to be playing along.

So here's my block from Friday's block party -- "Broken Dish Variation" from over at Quilter's Cache...

Overall I'm fairly happy with it the problem with my precision this time was I was attending to getting the points pointy so carefully I forgot to attend to the direction of some of the patterned squares! Arg. I am taking this as a learning though, not back tracking and trying to fix it, and calling this week's challenge done. :-)

I also need to check out how I'm measuring a 1/4 inch seam... I trimmed each subunit carefully, and still have a block that finished at 10.75". Since this is supposed to be a 10" block I have an extra 0.25 inches somehow...

On the upside the block is beautiful and square & the points are pointy. I used some brown fabric from my collection -- I never use brown! and found I rather like it with the purple... I'll have tuck that idea away for another time too. And it was only 2 hours of my life :-)

So, I drew a number, consulted my list of possible blocks, and found that the first block er're doing in 2009 is "Broken Dishes Variation" . This is a 10"block, and is shown with three fabrics (2 colours) in the Quilter's Cache instructions.... Don't know whether I'll be that restrained or not, but I'm off to check out my scraps and give the block a try -- we'll see how many points I amputate along the way.

Why not hop over there, read the instructions, check out your scraps, and make a block along with me? :-)

As I've said before I'm not planning for any one fabric to appear in all the blocks I do, nor any particular colour way. What will tie them all together will be their orphan status and the fact the colours in the block spoke to me the day I made the block for some reason.... Its a great chance to use some different colour combinations and/or unusual fabrics! Come on, you know you want to play... its just one little 10" block.... sometime this week... that's like sometime in the next 168 hours! ;-)