SLOWLY GETTING NEARER

Trying desperately to catch up with everyone, I cut out a few more to make as and when, as I could and when I can basically. I have had to send my beloved Bernina to be fixed--don't ask-- I am using a Janome at the moment and it is driving me nuts, I cannot get on with it at all. They say a bad workman blames his tools... I am all over the place with the machine, but have got to do them, so just carried on as best I could. I took these pictures with a white lace cloth behind them, had to really cut them quite a lot so as to block out the hideous white lace - not a good look at all.

Bouncing Betty - WEEK 15
she sure did bounce!!



Chain & Cross - WEEK 17
I am thinking these are strange names for some of the blocks...

Union Square - WEEK 19
looks like Bear Paw to me...



Pinwheel #4 - WEEK 20
spot the mistake - not deliberate -
a moments concentration flew out the window
it is staying as is...



Hayes Corner - WEEK 21
an odd block to be sure, but it makes a lovely quilt...



Starflower - WEEK 22
zipped up in no time...



ERROR ERROR ERROR

I was making this as Dakota Gold - WEEK 16
I kept thinking, this is the same as Starflower, why am I making two
the same? Should have stopped, I hadn't printed the first page out had I -
doh! so of course didn't see the picture properly, this too will stay as is,
but I will make the proper block - eventually...

Lessons learned from these blocks, don't let your concentration waver, don't sew when you are tired, choose your colours in the daylight, make sure you are reading the pattern properly

I'm Trying!

I have fallen far behind, but I'm starting the attempt to catch up. I decided to Skip block #14, maybe forever. I'm just too lazy to do one that complicated! Here's my Bouncing Betty. Not sure when I'll find time to continue the race to catch up. Soon, I hope...

caught up again!

Heeere's Betty! I'm not thrilled with the way my "random" arrangement of the background worked out -- but I didn't care enough to take it all apart and re-sew.
The Dakota Gold was fun. I did put this one together wrong the first time (the points were pointing out instead of in) so I did rip. The green fabric is actually much greener than the photo shows --
And, here are some more cherries. I'm glad to be home and getting some sewing in!

Playing Catch-Up

Cathy's Star



Week #14 really challenged my piecing skills. I love the block but, gollleee geee, it sure was tedious. Keeping those little pieces turned the right direction required too much concentration.

Bouncing Betty



Week #15 goes into the 8" pile with the brights for a future quilt for grandaughter Keira. That one was fun & easy.

Dakota Gold



This week's block was also pretty easy but I chose to do it in homespuns. Stretchy stuff!! I am getting better at sewing with that fabric and I love the old fashioned look. Doing an occassional block like this may be the only way I will ever get enough blocks done for an entire quilt.

Since I was away for 5 weeks, I actually have 4 more blocks to try. I will probably do them eventually but for now I'm considering myself caught-up.

Rebecca's Bouncing Betty

This is such a cute little block!  But do you know where the name comes from?

  "

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The term Bouncing Betty originally gained widespread use as the Allied soldier's nickname for the S-mine, an especially lethal, German, World War 2, Bounding mine."

yeah! I got it done!!

I wasn't feeling particularly motivated, but knew if I didn't do it, it'd be too easy to pass other weeks too...

I decided to follow the cutting instructions on Quilter's Cache, just to see if I've improved in accuracy. And I must say I'm really happy with it! No starch, nice pointy points, right finished sized... The centre point should be tighter, but I'm not redoing it.

All Caught Up

Between working to get my Harvest Sky quilt done before I left to go see my parents and then being down south visiting mom and dad I have gotten a little behind on my blocks. But not anymore. First I did this one. I was glad it was easy and went together quickly. This one was not so quick but I really like this block. I will do more of these in the future.

Last but not least I did this weeks block. I enjoyed using springy, Eastery fabrics.

I'm hoping it will help bring spring. It is snowing here again today. I would really like to get a few thing planted in my garden but the weather just does not want to cooperate.

Well, now I'm ready for Friday and another fun block party!

Hetty's Betty

Here are two "Bouncing Betty" blocks from this week's party. I did the block in the right bottom corner the 'old' way. It worked out fine, but then I read Kathryn's quick trick! I decided to make another block using her method. The top block is the result. It went together in no time at all! Thanks Kathie! This is the benefit of belonging to the Block Party that really appeals to me - this wonderful sharing of knowledge! I love it!

Heather - week 15

I had help with this one. My boyfriend's daughter helped pick the fabric and supervised. She also decided that the block looked better with the one square turned a different way.

The block is laying on a (not flat) chair since my house is in renovation upheaval right now and there are no flat surfaces readily available - hence the rippling.

Kathie's Week 15

Happy Easter or Passover to all. I hope the Easter Bunny brought you some chocolate. Here in Allentown, PA, the best chocolate comes from Josh Early Candies.

Rebecca commented on how to adapt my quick trick instructions for other block sizes, so I will edit that post to give cutting instructions for other size blocks. I'm glad some have found that useful.

Bouncing Betty in Spring

Happy Easter and Passover to all my BPF friends.

I really like the instructions (cheat tip) that Katherine provided...they helped so much!!

Here's Butterfly Betty

Thanks to Kathryn's quick trick this block was easy to put together. Everything is nice and pointy, I like the fabrics but I'm kind of neutral on the block as blocks go. I don't know if I would make this block again.

Week 15 quick trick

Here is a shortcut to easily make the triangle part of this week's block without having to cut or sew triangles on bias sides. First cut two 2-1/2 inch squares for the square corners, cut two 2-1/2 x 3-1/2 rectangles for the four small half square triangles and one 4-1/2 x 5-1/2 rectangle for the two large half square triangles.

Sew each corner square to a 2-1/2 x 3-1/2 rectangle and then sew them to each other as shown below (picture shows the wrong side after sewing). Make a small snip in the seam so that each side can be pressed away from the corner block. Draw two diagonal lines that go from one corner, through the point of the corner square, to a point 4-1/2 inches away from the edge. (I'm sure the picture does a better job than my words.)

Put this unit right sides together with the remaining 4-1/2 x 5-1/2 rectangle and sew on the drawn lines. Then cut between lines to separate into two blocks. I find this method easier than cutting and sewing triangles with bias edges and hope it makes the block easier for everyone. -- Kathie

Edited to show other size block instructions:

The general rule for the rectangle sizes for any size block you are making is that the long side is 1 inch longer than the short side.

For a 5 inch finished block: Square is 3x3, small rectangle is 3x4 and large rectangle is 5-1/2 x 6-1/2.

For a 6 inch finshed block: Square is 3-1/2 x 3-1/2, small rectangle is 3-1/2 x 4-1/2 and large rectangle is 6-1/2 x 7-1/2.

"Bouncing Betty" is the block drawn for this week's challenge. Having done several blocks now from Quilter's Cache, I'm quite sure I wont be the only one modifying how this block is done!

The instructions call for sewing the bias edges of two small triangle to the bias edge of a large triangle -- whenever so easily it could be constructed using half square triangles and square patch... Now I know that adds a couple of seams, but still!