tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144268772024-03-12T17:48:45.618-06:00sophie junctionsophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.comBlogger1144125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-21173748498174653182017-02-07T19:11:00.000-07:002017-02-07T19:11:48.417-07:00A New Adventure ... Can you guess why this box full of fiber goodness arrived at Sophie Junction today?<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/32650792161/in/dateposted/" title="My New Adventure"><img alt="My New Adventure" height="500" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/435/32650792161_ebe3789d78.jpg" width="391" /></a></div>
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I will share more when I can take (better) photos in natural light. In the meantime, I confess that coming home after a hard day at work to a beautiful box-full of Aurifil and Superior Threads and some amazing batik fabrics is just the fiber therapy that I needed.</div>
sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com118tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-29413100866795237042017-02-04T16:21:00.001-07:002017-02-04T16:25:54.130-07:00More Playing with (Small) Scraps<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/32711082295/in/dateposted/" title="Purple and Teal Scraps"><img align="left" alt="Purple and Teal Scraps" height="200" hspace="10" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/347/32711082295_ae1da16f49_n.jpg" vspace="10" width="200" /></a>I have been making more made fabric squares ... mostly because I don't have a lot of scraps large enough to do something useful for the <a href="http://superscrappy.blogspot.com/2017/02/scraphappy-saturday-aquamarine.html" target="_blank">Rainbow Scraps Challenge.</a><br />
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These two squares are approximately 7 1/2 inches square: purple to finish up the January color for the Rainbow Scraps Challenge and Teal for the new month.<br />
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I used the 4-at-once no-waste method to make flying geese from each square and made a 12-inch version of this month's block for the Block Lotto, Dutchman's Puzzle.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/31868403374/in/photostream/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Purple and Teal Scraps"><img alt="Purple and Teal Scraps" height="320" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/268/31868403374_c3d6834af9_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
My Dutchman's Puzzle quilt block pattern includes my tips for making flying geese units three ways, including my favorite (used here).<br />
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I also included measurements for making the block in sizes from 4 inches (finished size) to 16 inches.<br />
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There's also a coloring sheet to trying your own color combinations.<br />
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<a href="https://www.pantone.com/images/COY/2017/pages-Products/Pantone_Color_of_the_Year_2017_shop_Pantone_Plastic_Chips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://www.pantone.com/images/COY/2017/pages-Products/Pantone_Color_of_the_Year_2017_shop_Pantone_Plastic_Chips.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
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On the Block Lotto this month we are playing with combinations with Pantone's Color of the Year, Greenery.<br />
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This choice made me happy, but then again, I've never met a green I didn't like ...<br />
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<a href="https://payhip.com/b/8el3" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://www.blocklotto.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/DutchmansPuzzlePatternCover.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></div>
You can find my pattern on Payhip–clicking the pattern cover image will take you there.<br />
<br />sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-7272180333138600832017-01-29T08:41:00.001-07:002017-01-29T08:41:06.093-07:00More of the Same ...Though I have some new ideas brewing and I did make some blocks for next month's Block Lotto (that I cannot yet share), and though I have made some additions, my design wall looks much the same ...<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/31746442894/in/photostream/" title="51 Baskets"><img alt="51 Baskets" height="500" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/468/31746442894_9aba0b35f6.jpg" width="433" /></a>
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I now have made a total of 51 of these little blocks–halfway to my goal of 100 blocks in 100 days.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/31746441334/in/photostream/" title="Baskets made from new Fabrics"><img align="right" alt="Baskets made from new Fabrics" height="240" hspace="10" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/643/31746441334_26de18f489_m.jpg" vspace="10" width="240" /></a>This week some new fabric arrived at my house and I couldn't resist cutting into it to make some new baskets.<br />
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These along with some others will have their handles stitched down later tonight as my continuing <a href="https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2017/01/slow-beaders.html" target="_blank">slow Sunday stitching.</a><br />
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I have begun to think of these blocks as baskets of worry, fear and frustration. I've been having a rough time at work–it's safe to say the honeymoon is over there–and when I come home to sew a block or a few in the evenings, I imagine I am leaving my worry, fears and frustrations within them.sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-84748933510203504422017-01-23T05:44:00.000-07:002017-01-23T06:51:36.153-07:00A Block and a Half ... and a New Quilt Pattern<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/32424872706/in/dateposted/" title="Alternate Block and a Half ..."><img align="right" alt="Alternate Block and a Half ..." height="210" hspace="10" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/368/32424872706_39b49ff187_n.jpg" vspace="10" width="320" /></a>This block and a half doesn't seem like much of an achievement in terms of fabric and thread and blocks, but ... it is what's I've been <a href="http://lovelaughquilt.blogspot.com/2017/01/monday-making_22.html" target="_blank">making</a> and what's on my <a href="http://www.patchworktimes.com/2017/01/23/design-wall-january-23-2017/" target="_blank">design wall</a> at the moment.<br />
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I made them as part of putting together <i>The Three Bears - A fill-in-the-blocks</i> quilt pattern.<br />
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This is one of the alternate blocks and a pieced setting triangle from the quilt design. YOU fill-in-the-blocks with a set of your own 8 inch (finished size) blocks to make it your own.<br />
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You can purchase/down-load the pattern <a href="https://payhip.com/b/Xk2V" target="_blank">here</a> or by clicking the image below.<br />
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<a href="https://payhip.com/b/Xk2V" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5QQ5lbyTB_k/WIU4U_7DElI/AAAAAAAADXA/lu858l6FkiwOi92Z8jKjxCtLqmj271nlACLcB/s320/3Bears-CoverImage.jpg" width="210" /></a>The quilt pattern is called The Three Bears, because fabric yardage and directions are included for three sizes: </div>
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<b>Baby Bear </b>- add 12 blocks to make a quilt that is 54 by 68 inches<br />
<b>Mama Bear</b> -add 24 blocks to make a quilt that is 68 by 96 inches (shown here)<br />
<b>Papa Bear</b> - add 36 blocks for a quilt that is 96 inches square.<br />
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The pattern includes fabric yardage needed for each size, directions for making the alternate block and the pieced setting triangles and directions for putting it all together.<br />
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There are also coloring sheets for each size quilt and my tips for making half-square triangle units–the math and methods for making them 7 ways.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EwZF9OY2RYI/WIU4U90tsqI/AAAAAAAADW8/caEpVmI6MlsGzSv1ujl-s8anlfexTsh4gCLcB/s1600/MamBear-withHearts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: start;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EwZF9OY2RYI/WIU4U90tsqI/AAAAAAAADW8/caEpVmI6MlsGzSv1ujl-s8anlfexTsh4gCLcB/s320/MamBear-withHearts.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
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How would you fill-in-the-blocks and use this pattern? I can imagine that you might use:</div>
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<li>8 1/2 inch squares of a large scale fabric that you wanted to feature (and not cut up)</li>
<li>Plain squares in which you could feature quilting or embroidery</li>
<li>A set of 8 inch (finished size) blocks all the same pattern (maybe some lotto blocks you have won)</li>
<li>A set of sampler blocks–you might guess that's my plan ... and you'd be right!</li>
<li>Orphan blocks that are 8 inches (finished size) or smaller–add background strips to the smaller blocks to make them all 8 1/2 inches before you sew them into the quilt.</li>
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This is how Mama Bear might look made from coordinated batiks, adding the split heart variation in this month's Block Lotto pattern. </div>
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Members of the Block Lotto who make and post lotto blocks will receive a coupon to get this pattern for free–details are included <a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/2017/01/the-three-bears-a-fill-in-the-blocks-quilt-idea/" target="_blank">in this post</a>.<br />
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<br />sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-38719877482780364652017-01-22T13:15:00.000-07:002017-01-22T17:50:47.813-07:00Preparing to Stitch with Victoria ... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DCdav-NJOyE/WIUPdtK5kcI/AAAAAAAADWo/IC23M9Qe1IMdQviSVrPfqHDcTHNChOpSQCLcB/s1600/Queen_Victoria_1847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DCdav-NJOyE/WIUPdtK5kcI/AAAAAAAADWo/IC23M9Qe1IMdQviSVrPfqHDcTHNChOpSQCLcB/s200/Queen_Victoria_1847.jpg" width="161" /></a></div>
Thanks to everyone for their suggestions last week. My plan for tonight's <a href="https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2017/01/slow-sunday-stitching_22.html" target="_blank">slow Sunday evening stitching</a> will be stitching with Victoria.<br />
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No, not this one–this image from PBS who also shared the fun fact that Queen Victoria established the tradition of brides wearing white after she did so in 1847.<br />
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BOTH wearing white and NOT wearing her crown were considered quite scandalous in 1847 ...<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PcVWCmjLKic/WIUP6yGYbsI/AAAAAAAADWs/oGP9p5LeSQwmzFZoBGb0Xnsaacoz2nl-ACLcB/s1600/Victoria-poster2-291x432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PcVWCmjLKic/WIUP6yGYbsI/AAAAAAAADWs/oGP9p5LeSQwmzFZoBGb0Xnsaacoz2nl-ACLcB/s200/Victoria-poster2-291x432.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
I will be stitching along with Victoria on Masterpiece and hope it can catch my interest enough to become a habit.<br />
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My handwork project continues to be hand appliqué to stitch down the handles on my small basket blocks. <br />
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I considered whether to share an updated photo of the now 38 basket blocks on the design wall, then turned and noticed that I had an <i>all fall down</i> situation going on at my design wall.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/32465944605/in/dateposted/" title="DSCN1241"><img alt="DSCN1241" height="200" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/434/32465944605_f282a45d84.jpg" width="400" /></a>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/32465944795/in/photostream/" title="DSCN1242"><img align="right" alt="DSCN1242" height="320" hspace="10" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/452/32465944795_daf87f49de_n.jpg" vspace="10" width="280" /></a>Nine blocks made this week are waiting to be completed and thread picked to use to complete the appliqué.<br />
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Other "slow" work going on at Sophie Junction today is related to the quilt design idea shared <a href="http://sophiejunction.blogspot.com/2017/01/friday-night-virtual-sew-in.html" target="_blank">yesterday</a>–I've been writing and counting, recounting and cross-checking the numbers. Come back tomorrow for the quilt pattern.<br />
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<br />sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-58315313008135855622017-01-20T19:55:00.000-07:002017-01-22T15:52:11.181-07:00Friday Night (Virtual) Sew In<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have this quilt pattern idea–a "fill in the blocks" setting that would allow you to add your choice of 8-inch blocks.<br />
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The 24 blocks you add in the open spaces could be orphans, lotto blocks won or even ... a sampler quilt made by adding 2 each of a dozen blocks.<br />
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This quilt, constructed from 8-inch blocks with two borders would measure 68 by 96 inches. I have been thinking about it as <i>The Three Bears</i>, because it comes in three sizes, Papa Bear (add 36 blocks), Mama Bear (this one) and Baby Bear (add 12 blocks).<br />
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What do you think? Is it an idea worth pursuing?sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-41425075653931906822017-01-16T09:23:00.002-07:002017-01-16T11:40:54.006-07:00Finding that rhythm ... As I was uploading this photo, I realized it was not only the first <a href="http://www.patchworktimes.com/2017/01/16/design-wall-january-16-2017/" target="_blank">design wall</a> photo of the year, it is the first since I moved last October.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/32347936305/in/dateposted/" title="The first 29 Basket Blocks"><img alt="The first 29 Basket Blocks" height="500" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/753/32347936305_407e3bdc54.jpg" width="400" /></a>
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I have now made 29 of the small 4 1/2-inch basket blocks and finished hand-stitching the handles in place last night, while bingeing on old episodes of Twin Peaks. Twenty-some years later, it's still strange and wonderful. </div>
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I have an idea for design walls in this small space ... but they are not in place yet. I may venture out into the snow to pick up the rest of the materials and hardware I need to make that happen ... but probably will not.</div>
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I thought that setting a goal for those baskets would lead me back toward the sewing habit, but at work this week, I worked way too many hours to do anything except come home, eat and fall into bed. During the holiday today, my plan for <a href="http://lovelaughquilt.blogspot.com/2017/01/monday-making_15.html" target="_blank">Monday Making</a> is to pull more <a href="http://quiltingismorefunthanhousework.blogspot.com/2017/01/oh-scrap-starting-quilt-from-orphan.html" target="_blank">scraps,</a> match them up for basket and background and cut the pieces so they will be ready-to-go next to my sewing machine so I can continue to chip away at that 100-block goal. </div>
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During my <a href="https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2017/01/slow-sunday-stitching-1-year-of-stitches.html" target="_blank">slow Sunday stitching</a> at <i>Twin Peaks</i>, I wondered if I could re-cultivate my Sunday night TV and handwork ... and how Downton Abbey became my Sunday night habit that provided some rhythm to my week. </div>
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Anyone else still working to re-establish the rhythms of their day/week after the holidays (or some other life change) ... or have a suggestion for must-see Sunday night TV to help me get back into that lovely habit?</div>
sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-76387655437647879482017-01-15T09:12:00.001-07:002017-01-15T09:14:05.762-07:00No Scrap Too SmallYou've probably heard the saying,<br />
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When life gives you scraps, make quilts.<br />
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Today, I was thinking ... when the scraps are too small, make fabric ... to use to make quilts. Or in my case a quilt block.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/31948392800/in/dateposted/" title="Purple Heart"><img align="left" alt="Purple Heart" height="350" hspace="1-" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/768/31948392800_d588937c64.jpg" vspace="10" width="350" /></a>After a couple years of making blocks for the <a href="http://superscrappy.blogspot.com/2017/01/scraphappy-saturday.html" target="_blank">Rainbow Scraps Challenge</a>, I find that the fabrics in my scrap bins have become quite small.<br />
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So this weekend, I pulled out a bunch of too-small scraps and made the fabric in this 8-inch heart block. <br />
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The pinwheel block is made from the bonus triangles created by the snowball corners on in the stars. It is 2 1/4 inches (finished size)<br />
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I created the heart block pattern for the <a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/2017/01/what-do-you-love-januarys-heart-block/" target="_blank">January Block Lotto</a>. We're making the lotto blocks from fabric made from (mostly) red scraps. So far, 23 quilters have made 120 heart blocks. If you're interesting to take a look, follow the link for some <a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/category/blocks/" target="_blank">red hot eye candy</a>.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 26px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 172px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 26px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 172px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span>
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<a href="http://payhip.com/b/N59T"><img align="right" alt="Heart Block Cover Image" height="500" hspace="10" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/749/31515192433_4967087b4b.jpg" vspace="10" width="329" /></a>Whether you call it crumb-piecing, string-piecing, improv quilting or making fabric, if you're in the mood to make some crumby, scrappy heart blocks of your own, you can find my pattern by clicking the image on the right.<br />
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That's Grace Hopper photo-bombing my attempts to photograph my blocks.<br />
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Sometimes when life give you too-small scraps (or a cat that insists those quilt blocks are hers), you just have to go with the flow.sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-76566170650635273872017-01-07T12:38:00.003-07:002017-01-08T08:23:24.899-07:00100 Day Challenge GoalsAs part of getting back into the swing of things on this blog, I'm joining Jen's <a href="http://quilterinthecloset.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/100-day-challenge-2017-kicking-it-off.html" target="_blank">100 Day Challenge. </a><br />
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The challenge is pretty straightforward: choose three quilting/crafting goals to be accomplished in the first 100 days of 2017. Here are mine.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/31325996994/in/photostream/" title="Scrap Baskets"><img align="right" alt="Scrap Baskets" height="320" hspace="10" src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5498/31325996994_12f39bbc8d.jpg" vspace="10" width="320" /></a><br />
1. Make 100 of these little 4 1/2-inch basket blocks<br />
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I love basket blocks but have yet to make a basket block quilt for myself. For a bed-quilt, I'll need 400 of these small baskets, but 100 would be a good start and I hope motivate me to continue. <br />
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This will also be one of my <a href="http://superscrappy.blogspot.com/2017/01/scraphappy-saturday-2017-1.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rainbow Scraps Challenge</a> project this year–I found five purple fabrics for five of these blocks in my scrap bin. <br />
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The outside edge of the basket handles have not yet been stitched down. That's my plan for <a href="https://kathysquilts.blogspot.ca/2017/01/slow-sunday-stitching.html" target="_blank">Slow Sunday Stitching</a> tomorrow.<br />
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2. Create 20 blog posts<br />
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I want to get back to more regular blogging, but am having a hard time finding my way back. This goal translates to one post every 5 days (or 1 or 2 each week). One down (this one) ... 19 to go.<br />
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3. Finish this very old Block Lotto sampler quilt.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/5619519732/in/photolist-9yzvrf-9ywuMv-9xFLJT-9vzL2d-9vzKYA-9vwHZx-9vzL73-9vwJgM-9vwrLZ-9vztHq-9tYdZD-9tYcSD-9tYdQ6-9tYdUg-9tYdLT-8PDTDg-8PGXHw-8PGXRL-8PGXUQ-8PG877-8PD3SR-8PD3Kn-8PD3Pg-8PFq8V-8PFq5v-8PzKDH-8PzK7e-8PDZAP-8PH4AC-8PzK4z-8PzHG4-8PzJrR-8PzH5a-8PzGoP-8PCMbG-8PzG7z-8PCLSo-8PzG4x-8PCLHN-8PzG1c-8PzFMx-8PE2VT-8PzF68-8PzFJZ-8CcjNn-8Ccjei-8CcuWv-6CdCGi-6ChJrS-6CdCeP" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="The sampler-in-progress"><img align="right" alt="The sampler-in-progress" height="500" hspace="10" src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5304/5619519732_ee554f2c5a.jpg" vspace="10" width="341" /></a>This old project has since had borders added, but still remains unquilted, despite two efforts in the past.<br />
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Most of the 10-inch blocks in this quilt were lotto blocks in 2005-2006 ... yes, it's THAT old. It's a scrap quilt, made from fabrics that I thought would give this quilt a 1940's feel. My plan has always been to quilt it with Baptist Fans. I tried first on someone's longarm that was having problems–and I had to rip it all out, then thought I'd hand quilt it ... which never happened. Now I'm going to try it via free motion quilting.<br />
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FYI, all the block patterns in this quilt can be found on the <a href="http://www.quilterscache.com/QuiltBlocksGalore.html" target="_blank">Quilter's Cache website</a>.<br />
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First, though, I have to FIND it ... it was packed away for my move last fall and I think it's in storage.<br />
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To push myself to get busy on this one, I'm making it my <a href="http://www.elmstreetquilts.com/2017/01/one-monthly-goal-january-goal-setting.html" target="_blank">OMG </a>(one monthly goal) for January.<br />
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Laura inspired me last year with her year of turning blocks she'd won on <a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/" target="_blank">Blocklotto.com</a> into quilt tops--one each month. I hope to make some forward progress with some of my block lotto projects this year ... beginning with this one. If you want to be inspired by Laura's productive last year, she blogged about it here:<br />
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<a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/2017/01/recap-of-my-2016-block-lotto-challenge-from-blocks-to-tops/" target="_blank">Recap of My 2016 Block Lotto Challenge</a><br />
<br />sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-40244018522253324472016-10-27T07:32:00.000-06:002016-10-27T07:33:46.311-06:00The One That Got Away ... I often buy raffle tickets for quilts, mostly to support the quilters and guilds that make them, but ... I rarely want to win as much as I wanted to win this one. This is another of the quilts at the Northern New Mexico Quilters Guild's show in which I had a small part. I helped piece the center–I blogged about it <a href="http://sophiejunction.blogspot.com/2015/08/returning-to-quilting-and-blogging.html">here</a>, coincidentally just after another move ...<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/29955769033/in/dateposted/" title="NNMQG Raffle Quilt 2016"><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5543/29955769033_81eb93821e.jpg" width="500" height="413" alt="NNMQG Raffle Quilt 2016"></a>sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-67014004953481086132016-10-23T10:58:00.001-06:002016-10-23T15:16:11.264-06:00Picking Up Where I left OffWhen you temporarily stop blogging–for whatever the reason–it's sometimes hard to know how to pick up again. Some authors offer an apology and/or explanation ... But I'll just say that things were very, very bad and now they are better.<br />
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And for a little eye-candy, how about this quilt, which also happens to be the last thing I blogged about before this blog went dark.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/30516026605/in/dateposted/" title="Emma is a Star"><img alt="Emma is a Star" height="484" src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5455/30516026605_025a8956b1.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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This photo was taken at the Northern New Mexico Quilt Guild's Quilt Fiesta, which was a lovely show in a new-and-improved venue at the Convention Center. </div>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/29883513403/in/photostream/" title="Label for Emma is a Star"><img align="right" alt="Label for Emma is a Star" height="248" hspace="10" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5684/29883513403_376039e9a2_n.jpg" vspace="10" width="320" /></a><br />
Although I am no longer a member of the guild (which holds too many of it's activities during the work day which doesn't work for me), it was fun to see three quilts there in which I had a part. This is one of them.<br />
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After piecing the top of this quilt, I don't think I will ever shy away from Y-seams again :-)<br />
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Incredible as it may seem ... I have plans to make something similar for me and maybe putting together a pattern with tips for making friends with Y-seams.sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-24756020315993971702016-06-13T08:45:00.000-06:002016-06-13T14:08:29.945-06:00Because Sometimes You Just Need a Break ...I continue to make slow but sure progress making the 80 Lemoyne star blocks needed ... some of which are shown here on my <a href="http://www.patchworktimes.com/2016/06/13/design-wall-june-13-2016/" target="_blank">design wall</a> with the strips intended for the borders.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/27035193054/in/dateposted/" title="Lemoyne Stars progress"><img alt="Lemoyne Stars progress" height="500" src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7334/27035193054_68dbfa29b5.jpg" width="438" /></a></div>
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But this weekend, I really need a break from working with Y-seams and inaccurately cut pieces ... and so I pulled out the golden oldie UFO and made the rest of the Summer Vine blocks from sets of strips–some more coordinated than others–swapped to make these blocks in 2002.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/27572522111/in/photostream/" title="More Summer Vine blocks"><img alt="More Summer Vine blocks" height="500" src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7442/27572522111_5542f0c35b.jpg" width="374" /></a></div>
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Working on one thing can make you really appreciate the other–it was a joy to put together blocks for which the block "kits" are known to be the correct measurements ... and there are no Y-seams! </div>
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I now have 95 of the Summer Vine blocks. I will making at least one more–but likely more than that–before deciding upon a layout and sewing them together. </div>
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If you're curious, you can read more about this very old UFO with links to the pattern and block directions in <a href="http://sophiejunction.blogspot.com/2016/03/new-blocks-from-old-fabrics.html" target="_blank">this blog post.</a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 166px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 644px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 166px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 644px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></span>sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-72960251193781871522016-06-11T11:15:00.002-06:002016-06-11T12:37:10.756-06:00It's a Little Bit Ironic ...<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/27325771060/in/dateposted/" title="June Bullseye Blocks for my graduated sampler"><img align="left" alt="June Bullseye Blocks for my graduated sampler" height="289" hspace="10" src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7245/27325771060_78dce1bf04_n.jpg" vspace="10" width="320" /></a>A funny thing happened after I decided to align the Block Lotto blocks and their fabric guidelines with the Rainbow Scraps Challenge ... I stopped regularly checking in and linking with the <a href="http://superscrappy.blogspot.com/2016/06/scraphappy-saturday-teal.html" target="_blank">Scraphapppy Saturday</a> posts. It has nothing to do with one or the other ... just me and my life struggles.<br />
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I'm trying to get back in the habit, so I thought to share my progress with my scrappy rainbow sampler, which will be made from this year's Block Lotto <a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/2016/02/2016-lotto-block-index/" target="_blank">block patterns</a> with a setting of lots of scrappy rectangles.<br />
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<a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/2016Sampler-RainbowScrapsSetting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.blocklotto.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/2016Sampler-RainbowScrapsSetting.jpg" height="200" width="146" /></a></div>
This is June's Improv Bullseye block, surrounded by some of the green and aqua/turquoise/teal rectangles that will surround it in the quilt.<br />
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Each of the blank squares in the drawing is filled with 4 of the monthly block. I have made all the blocks so far this year ... but need to play catch-up on cutting the setting rectangles.<br />
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<a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/6Blocks4ScrappySampler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://www.blocklotto.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/6Blocks4ScrappySampler.jpg" height="320" width="214" /></a><br />
I am itching to pull out all the cut rectangles and blocks and throw them on my design wall to get a better idea of how this quilt will look ... but at the moment, the Lemoyne star blocks I blogged about earlier this week are parked there, in their very specific order and this dyslexic quilter is a little afraid to take them down until they are firmly sewn together ...<br />
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I know a few quilters are also quilting along and making this sampler. You can find the basics for this quilt and the Old MacDonald's Mystery Sampler (#OMMS) here:<br />
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<a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/2016-qal/" target="_blank">2016 QAL</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 533px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 327px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 533px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 327px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></span>sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-82356202938012655892016-06-07T11:39:00.003-06:002016-06-07T12:07:03.341-06:00Practice, Practice, Practice ... <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/26916040534/in/photostream/" title="LeMoyne Stars quilt in progress"><img align="left" alt="LeMoyne Stars quilt in progress" height="240" hspace="10" src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7415/26916040534_ae0c7f9239_m.jpg" vspace="10" width="240" /></a>If you saw this photo pop up on your feed and reacted by thinking that it doesn't look quite like a <i>Sophie</i> project ... you'd be right. <br />
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But this project–to finish a quilt that a mother started for her daughter, but couldn't finish–is what I'm working on these days.<br />
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All the pieces for the 100 Lemoyne star blocks have been cut, as have the borders.<br />
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The placement of the fabrics within the blocks and the layout of the blocks in the quilt has been specified very carefully in a colored pencil drawing on graph paper.<br />
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Twenty-some of the blocks had been made and the top two rows assembled. I have probably made one third of the additional blocks needed. Here's a look at the upper left quarter of the quilt-in-progress on the design wall.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/26916048324/in/photostream/" title="LeMoyne Stars quilt in progress"><img alt="LeMoyne Stars quilt in progress" height="500" src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7070/26916048324_acb89e6ec3.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
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I have come to think of this quilt as an opportunity for practice and problem-solving.<br />
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I never really thought about how the Lemoyne star consists of nothing but Y-seams–I expect to be pretty good at them by the time this is done. The problem solving comes from the challenge of working with pre-cut pieces that weren't so accurately cut, but since you can't make a too-small piece larger and there are no measurements, templates or extra fabrics ... I am making do and changing up my process a bit so that fabrics are aligned from the Y of those Y-seams, so the shortage/extra ends up around the outside of the block.<br />
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It isn't lost on me that each month I ask the Block Lotto community to make blocks of MY design using fabrics and colors of MY choice ... and in this project, I am forced to follow someone else's design choices–it feels a little like a sort of karmic payback. Though, I have to admit that this brown + pastels color way is starting to grow on me ...sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-28233458134608139632016-06-01T10:45:00.000-06:002016-06-02T07:26:51.312-06:00Counting Blocks - May's (Sad) Effort<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">This is my continuing monthly count of blocks made for </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">for Prairie Moon Quilts' </span><a href="http://prairiemoonquilts.com/?page_id=1037" style="color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">350 Block Challenge</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">Here's the very short list of the 14 blocks made in May. Added to the 198 blocks made so far this year, my new running total is 212 blocks.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td><span style="font-size: small;">4 more scrappy green leaf blocks (arranged in pinwheel fashion) for my graduated sampler. </span></td><td><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/27365320226/in/dateposted/" title="4 LeafBlocks for Sampler"><img alt="4 LeafBlocks for Sampler" height="240" src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7338/27365320226_82df0701fb_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-size: small;">9 Improv Bullseye blocks–5 for the June Block Lotto, 4 for my rainbow scraps graduated sampler.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">You can find details about this month's Bock Lotto, a link to the pattern and a coupon good during the first 10 days of the month in this post on blocklotto.com: </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/2016/06/improv-fun-in-june/" target="_blank">Improv Blocks in June</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I also completed the second border on a <a href="http://cottonrobin.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Cotton Robin</a> quilt which I will count as one more block ... we are all now working on quilting/finishing the quilts, so I will be able to share my part on this secret-until-they-are done round robin. I really had fun adding rounds to two quilts and am looking forward to quilting and binding the third one ... and, of course, I can't wait to see what everyone added to mine. </span></td><td><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/27237123032/in/photostream/" title="Two possible ways to arrange them"><img alt="Two possible ways to arrange them" height="240" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7230/27237123032_4160a91858_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
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sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-60333884063977069692016-05-13T09:49:00.000-06:002016-05-13T09:49:56.287-06:00Leaf Blocks and a Leafy (FINISHED!) Project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Sophie-4Pairs-GreenLeaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.blocklotto.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Sophie-4Pairs-GreenLeaves.jpg" height="400" width="205" /></a></div>
Sometimes, it feels like some of my blog posts are me, saying the same old things over and over again ... and I fear that this may be one of those posts. Only the images/projects are new–if you have followed me a while, what I have to say about them may feel very familiar to you, too. <br />
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These are the 4 pairs of blocks that I made for this month's Block Lotto.<br />
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The guidelines for these scrappy green blocks require at least 4 fabrics–2 green and 2 lights (background). In the photo, my blocks are least scrappy at the top and most scrappy at the bottom.<br />
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We are making them in mirror-image pairs.<br />
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If you are curious, you can find the details (and link and coupon for the block pattern) here:<br />
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<a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/2016/05/green-leaves-of-may/" target="_blank">Green Leaves of May</a><br />
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I am referring to them as LEAF block pairs, but, of course, you might make them in a non-leaf color and/or arrange them in a non-leafy geometric way. <br />
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Here are three possibilities, each made from 4 leaf blocks–for my graduated rainbow sampler, I haven't yet decided which arrangement of four blocks I will use.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-caH8T8qEyTY/VzXrokmxbxI/AAAAAAAADAU/Uy5ZIzNLH88QMPgcln42j9e71ydt9IYbACLcB/s1600/Butterfly-4Leaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-caH8T8qEyTY/VzXrokmxbxI/AAAAAAAADAU/Uy5ZIzNLH88QMPgcln42j9e71ydt9IYbACLcB/s200/Butterfly-4Leaves.jpg" width="125" /></a>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1skeXwgi9Y0/VzXrp7kmdDI/AAAAAAAADAY/bz48Tw5JukAzerAMul4x1UPJPT0ErlEcQCLcB/s1600/ScrappyO-4Leaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1skeXwgi9Y0/VzXrp7kmdDI/AAAAAAAADAY/bz48Tw5JukAzerAMul4x1UPJPT0ErlEcQCLcB/s200/ScrappyO-4Leaves.jpg" width="125" /></a>
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aKXViNWUjEk/VzXroYQ-EBI/AAAAAAAADAQ/Ry-j0mwYjvosy0hwB6jal-c7RuG4NSs1wCLcB/s1600/Pinwheel-4Leaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aKXViNWUjEk/VzXroYQ-EBI/AAAAAAAADAQ/Ry-j0mwYjvosy0hwB6jal-c7RuG4NSs1wCLcB/s200/Pinwheel-4Leaves.jpg" width="125" /></a>
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The first two blocks–which I think of as an X and an O (or, at other times, a butterfly and an emerald) are made from 2 pairs of leaf blocks. The third arrangement, a scrappy sort of pinwheel, is made using four of the same block.<br />
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<a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/OMMS-Layout-MayUpdate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://www.blocklotto.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/OMMS-Layout-MayUpdate.jpg" height="200" width="163" /></a>The other possibility is to go with the idea of scrappy green leaves and use the blocks as a basis for creating a plant. If you look at the updated layout for Old MacDonald's Mystery Sampler, you might see that it is my intended use for these blocks in the quilt.<br />
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I couldn't resist playing with the idea of creating a blooming plant in a small way, so ... I made a pillow cover.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/26916669336/in/dateposted/" title="Pillow Inside"><img alt="Pillow Inside" height="400" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7238/26916669336_1fcc11a24a.jpg" width="400" /></a>
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I love small projects like this 16-inch pillow because it's a great way to work on an idea in a small way, try a new technique, or practice/warm-up before you tackle something larger or perhaps dearer to you. In my case, it had been too long since I'd done any free-motion quilting and needed the practice/warm-up and also wanted to try mixing two motifs in a random way as a filler design.<br />
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<a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/BonusPillowDirections-ScreenShot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.blocklotto.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/BonusPillowDirections-ScreenShot.jpg" height="320" width="224" /></a></div>
I also played a little with the limits of combining a scrappy background (including some darker pinks) with the scrappy leaves without losing contrast between them.<br />
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The petals which form the flower are prepared used interfacing with fusible on one side only, fused in placed and then secured with quilting. The stem is a 3-D element that is inserted and, if desired, also held in place with quilting.<br />
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The pillow has a simple, unquilted, lapped back. <br />
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I included the directions for making the pillow as as a bonus in the block pattern for <a href="http://payhip.com/b/bhRM" target="_blank">Green Leaf Pairs - Quilt Block Pattern</a>.<br />
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<br />sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-75884612040698171122016-05-01T17:03:00.001-06:002016-05-01T17:03:13.811-06:00Counting Blocks - April 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This is my continuing monthly count of blocks made for </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">for Prairie Moon Quilts' </span><a href="http://prairiemoonquilts.com/?page_id=1037" style="color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">350 Block Challenge</a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">. April was not a very productive month for me, quilting-wise (or in terms of blogging), but, as usual, preparing for the block lotto ensures I will spend at least a little of my time quilting each month. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Here's the list of the 19 blocks made in March. Added to the 179 blocks made during the first quarter of 2016, my new running total for 198 blocks.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td>5 Butterfly blocks (2 of these were made in March and already counted)–one to test an idea of how to convert a paper-piecing pattern to traditional templates and 4 for my rainbow scraps sampler. (I still need to make 5 more of these for the Old MacDonald's Mystery Sampler quilt)</td><td><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/26377204761/in/dateposted/" title="7 Butterfly blocks"><img alt="7 Butterfly blocks" height="320" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1468/26377204761_14347f73af_n.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td>My <strike>compulsion</strike> interest in completing this very old UFO has waned, but I did manage to make 6 more of these Summer Vine blocks.</td><td><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/26131418884/in/dateposted/" title="6 Summer Vine Blocks"><img alt="6 Summer Vine Blocks" height="216" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1656/26131418884_c5da9f705d_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td>... and although I am dealing with some technical difficulties in putting together the block pattern for the May Block Lotto, I did make these 8 scrappy green leaf blocks.</td><td><a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Sophie-4Pairs-GreenLeaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://www.blocklotto.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Sophie-4Pairs-GreenLeaves.jpg" height="320" width="164" /></a></td></tr>
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sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-54208443025529167542016-04-15T08:34:00.000-06:002016-04-15T08:35:15.631-06:00How Many Ways ... How many ways have you used freezer paper in quilting? <br />
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When I was thinking about a way to make this month's paper-foundation-piecing block pattern for the Block Lotto in a non-paper-piecing way, my first thought was, "freezer paper." I'll tell you what I did and how it worked for me, but first, some eye candy–my butterfly blocks for the Block Lotto (top three) and for my rainbow scraps sampler (bottom four).<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/26377204761/in/dateposted/" title="7 Butterfly blocks"><img alt="7 Butterfly blocks" height="500" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1468/26377204761_14347f73af.jpg" width="403" /></a>
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One of these butterfly blocks is NOT like the others ... because it wasn't paper pieced.
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I started by printing the foundation pattern on an 8 1/2 by 11-inch piece of freezer paper (which I had earlier cut and weighted to make it flat enough to make my printer happy. </div>
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Then I carefully cut the pattern apart on the lines. </div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/26170502660/in/dateposted/" title="Foundation printed on Freezer Paper"><img alt="Foundation printed on Freezer Paper" height="240" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1522/26170502660_e89961f461_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25840519393/in/photostream/" title="Foundation Cut into Templates"><img alt="Foundation Cut into Templates" height="240" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1676/25840519393_41c74cdeb9_m.jpg" width="240" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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Because the left and right sides of the butterfly are mirror images of each other, I only cut apart one side and the center.<br />
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I then ironed my freezer paper templates to the wrong side of the appropriate fabrics. The fabrics that make up the two sides of the butterfly are folded right-sides-together. Using a ruler and a rotary cutter, I added 1/4-inch to each edge and cut all the pieces I need ... until I realize that one of the pieces I cut from background should have been orange. Oops.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/26377166691/in/photostream/" title="Templates ironed to fabrics"><img alt="Templates ironed to fabrics" height="240" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1558/26377166691_76dc6e7cd4_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/26351039512/in/photostream/" title="Adding 1/4 inch Seam Allowances"><img alt="Adding 1/4 inch Seam Allowances" height="240" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1581/26351039512_cf7aaa23b0_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/26377175341/in/photostream/" title="Pieces cut and ready to sew"><img align="right" alt="Pieces cut and ready to sew" height="240" hspace="10" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1696/26377175341_dd0f7cfbbc_m.jpg" vspace="10" width="240" /></a>I sewed the pieces together in the numbered order–the same order as you would add the fabrics to the foundation, if you were paper-piecing the block.<br />
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Your mileage may differ, but I still managed to goof and sew the first two small triangles together the wrong way on one side. I chalked it up to my spatial dyslexia.<br />
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Because I didn't trim the extended seam lines of the points, aligning some of the pieces was a little tricky and some caution was needed there, but the block went together quite quickly.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/26170537840/in/photostream/" title="Ready to Assemble Units"><img align="left" alt="Ready to Assemble Units" height="240" hspace="10" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1670/26170537840_f8d19cb3d0_m.jpg" vspace="10" width="240" /></a>After each side and the center was sewn, it went together just as it's foundation pieced version. <br />
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The first block was probably more of an effort for me than just paper piecing the block and felt a little less precise than a paper pieced block, but when I was done, I liked the result, I liked having no paper to remove and I found myself thinking about making the blocks for my Old MacDonald's Mystery Sampler using this technique.<br />
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And ... I have now used freezer paper in yet another way for quilting ;-)<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/26351069422/in/photostream/" title="Traditionally Pieced Butterfly Block"><img alt="Traditionally Pieced Butterfly Block" height="500" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1468/26351069422_4ed2e968be.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-17579582331581060522016-04-02T11:42:00.000-06:002016-04-02T11:42:12.566-06:00It's a Start ... If you made it all the way to the bottom of the list of blocks I posted yesterday, then you have already seen my first scrappy orange blocks for this month. This is the "blocks in the wild" photo I took for the block pattern cover.<br />
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<a href="http://payhip.com/b/4mYh" target="_blank"><img align="left" alt="Butterfly Block Pattern Cover" height="500" hspace="10" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1469/26146010046_734ef5065f.jpg" vspace="10" width="324" /></a><br />
The morning after I took this photo, the backyard looked like this ... and the snow was still coming down.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/26191984075/in/dateposted/" title="April Snow"><img alt="April Snow" height="200" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1573/26191984075_20804068da_n.jpg" width="150" /></a>
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"You thought it was Spring? April Fools!" says Mother Nature.<br />
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These are paper-pieced blocks and in the pattern, I included notes about how I approach cutting/trimming the fabrics for foundation pieced blocks to end up with a block that is on-grain and doesn't have any stretchy bias edges.<br />
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Next week, I plan to make more scrappy butterfly blocks for the April Block Lotto and get started on the blocks for my two samplers.<br />
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In the meantime, for those that are making one of the sampler quilts I designed of this year's Lotto block patterns, I put together a post with some information to keep in mind when choosing background colors for your Butterfly blocks and some alternative block ideas for those that are making one of the samplers but don't like paper-piecing and won't make this block for their sampler. That's the great thing about quilting–there are always alternatives. You can find it on Blocklotto.com here:<br />
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<a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/2016/04/sampler-saturday-notes-and-options-for-butterfly-blocks/" target="_blank">Sampler Saturday - Blocks and Options for Butterfly Blocks</a><br />
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Details for this month's Block Lotto–including the coupon code for the pattern–are here:<br />
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<a href="http://www.blocklotto.com/2016/04/orange-you-ready-to-paper-piece-a-butterfly-in-april/" target="_blank">Orange You Ready to Try Paper Piecing in April?</a><br />
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It's just a start ... but I am joining the party for the first orange <a href="http://superscrappy.blogspot.com/2016/04/scraphappy-saturday-and-so-begins-orange.html" target="_blank">Scraphappy Saturday </a>... and looking forward to seeing what everyone else is making from their orange scraps.<br />
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D14426877%23editor&media=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm2.staticflickr.com%2F1469%2F26146010046_734ef5065f.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=_uBU7_BGTB46&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 36px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 100px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D14426877%23editor&media=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm2.staticflickr.com%2F1469%2F26146010046_734ef5065f.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=_uBU7_BGTB46&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 36px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 100px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-23480942933470649222016-04-01T10:12:00.000-06:002016-04-01T10:12:04.581-06:00The Many Blocks of MarchThis is my continuing monthly count of blocks made for <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">for Prairie Moon Quilts' </span><a href="http://prairiemoonquilts.com/?page_id=1037" style="color: #888888; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">350 Block Challenge</a>. Here's the list of the 130 blocks made in March. Added to the 49 blocks made in January and February, the new running total for 2016 is 179. <br />
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<tr><td>I made six Violet blocks for the Block Lotto.<br />
You can find the free pattern <a href="https://payhip.com/blocklotto" target="_blank">here</a>.</td><td><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25437605351/in/dateposted-public/" title="Violet Block Pattern Cover Image"><img alt="Violet Block Pattern Cover Image" height="320" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1529/25437605351_8fa99cd3ca_n.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td>Four more for my rainbow sampler</td><td><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25234278990/in/dateposted-public/" title="Four Violet Blocks for Sampler"><img alt="Four Violet Blocks for Sampler" height="240" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1541/25234278990_bf6f0616f1_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td>And eleven more for my Old MacDonalds Mystery Sampler (AKA OMMS)</td><td><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25560007675/in/dateposted-public/" title="violet and snails trails blocks"><img alt="violet and snails trails blocks" height="240" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1680/25560007675_63558ee1dd_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td>I couldn't resist playing with all the bonus half-square triangle units that resulted from the violets, so I made 18 tiny pinwheels ...</td><td><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25452263112/in/dateposted-public/" title="Tiny Pinwheels"><img alt="Tiny Pinwheels" height="240" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1653/25452263112_acc8566e6c_m.jpg" width="230" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td>Then used 17 of the pinwheels as one of the "fabrics" to make these eight improv pieced floating squares blocks–chunks really–which became Floating Pinwheels.</td><td><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25649680405/in/dateposted-public/" title="Chunks on the design wall"><img alt="Chunks on the design wall" height="240" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1617/25649680405_93fb7bc6bd_m.jpg" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td>I used the rest of the tiny bonus triangle squares in these nine Clover Blossom blocks</td><td><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25727815965/in/dateposted-public/" title="9 Clover Blossom Blocks"><img alt="9 Clover Blossom Blocks" height="240" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1596/25727815965_8c15407f6c_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td>I added these four scrappy blocks (and a whole bunch more HST units, made for the border) to complete the little quilt top</td><td><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25632893571/in/dateposted-public/" title="4AlternateBlocks"><img alt="4AlternateBlocks" height="240" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1448/25632893571_cab896db7f_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td>I made this block for the "Everything Old is New Again" challenge</td><td><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25664510531/in/dateposted-public/" title="Curvy Rails - On Point"><img alt="Curvy Rails - On Point" height="240" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1508/25664510531_db88f8f861_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td>Then played with the design a little and hand-pieced these four Wavy Gravy blocks</td><td><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25309405414/in/dateposted-public/" title="4 Wavy Gravy Blocks"><img alt="4 Wavy Gravy Blocks" height="240" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1512/25309405414_26cddbd977_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td>I pieced a bunch of letter blocks, including these nine (for a secret project)</td><td><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/24940414984/in/dateposted-public/" title="Alphabet Soup"><img alt="Alphabet Soup" height="240" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1709/24940414984_c9d6856c5a_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td>And this complete subliminal alphabet (25 blocks), sewed it together and added borders–it's also ready to quilt.</td><td><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25912036255/in/dateposted-public/" title="SubliminalAlphabet"><img alt="SubliminalAlphabet" height="320" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1541/25912036255_912c6af506_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></td></tr>
<tr><td>While adding borders to some almost ready-to-quilt projects, a very old UFO caught my eye and I added 29 new Summer Vine blocks to the pile of 35 blocks made in 2002, for a total so far of 64 blocks.</td><td><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/26171142065/in/dateposted-public/" title="64 Scrappy blocks"><img alt="64 Scrappy blocks" height="240" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1524/26171142065_bceb479ddf_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td>And although I am a little behind on keeping ahead of the Block Lotto, I made two of these foundation pieced Butterfly blocks.<br />
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The block pattern for this paper pieced block (with tips for creating paper-pieced blocks with on-grain edges (to avoid those stretchy biases) is here:<br />
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<a href="https://payhip.com/b/4mYh" target="_blank">Butterfly</a></td><td><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/26146010046/in/dateposted/" title="Butterfly Block Pattern Cover"><img alt="Butterfly Block Pattern Cover" height="320" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1469/26146010046_734ef5065f_n.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
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<br />sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-27414130607743326382016-03-23T09:40:00.001-06:002016-03-23T19:11:14.655-06:00New Blocks from Old Fabrics<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25379286173/in/dateposted/" title="20 Summer Vine Blocks"><img align="right" alt="20 Summer Vine Blocks" height="500" hspace="10" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1509/25379286173_80beabff95.jpg" vspace="10" width="300" /></a>Can someone please explain why I suddenly feel like finishing this very old project? It's become my latest obsession.<br />
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Here are 40 of the 54 blocks I've accumulated since uncovering the package of 35 blocks and many many strips from a fabric swap in 2002, some still hermetically sealed in their press-n-seal wrappings.<br />
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Since sharing this very old scrap project over the weekend, I have since found a link to the designer's quilt pattern - showing two possible layouts:<br />
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<a href="http://www.thedesignersworkshop.com/item.php?id=203" target="_blank">Summer Vine and Ebb and Flow</a><br />
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I also found the original block directions from Simply Quilts on the internet Wayback Machine, here:<br />
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<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20080119205750/http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_quilting_instructions/article/0,1789,HGTV_3302_2549429,00.html" target="_blank">Two-Sided Quilts</a><br />
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My design wall shows another layout possibility and the one that I am considering, which will include a combination of thick and thin sashing between the blocks - please excuse the oops blocks in the second row ... how come we never see these things until after the photo is taken and posted for the whole world-wide net to see?<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25707475580/in/photostream/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="TwoBlocks"><img alt="TwoBlocks" height="117" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1528/25707475580_fb034e2c05_m.jpg" width="240" /></a>
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If I ever wondered about just how old some of the fabrics in my scrap bins are ... how about this side-by-side image.<br />
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On the left is one of the Violet blocks I made a few weeks ago, using a blue-violet print from my scrap bin for this month's Block Lotto–at least I paired it with a very modern Allison Glass background. On the right is a block that I made in 2002 from the same fabric, which was likely purchased for this fabric swap. <br />
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As soon as I prepare the sneak peek for the Block Lotto that will be going out tomorrow–so be sure to post your violet blocks if you haven't already–I will inevitably be returning to this very old UFO that now urgently wants to be finished ... maybe it's not me being compulsive, but the quilt that is pushing me to finish the darn thing ;-)<br />
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I am linking with <a href="http://www.conniekresin.com/2016/03/linky-tuesday_22.html" target="_blank">Linky Tuesday</a> and <a href="http://www.quiltfabrication.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mid-week Makers</a> with this WIP Wednesday post.sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-15959897628222961012016-03-20T15:09:00.001-06:002016-03-21T07:49:57.125-06:00A Scrappy Sunday AfternoonA funny thing happened when I went looking for an orphan project to offer up for the Quilt Orphan Adoption event ...<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25641514090/in/dateposted/" title="Summer VineBlocks"><img align="right" alt="Summer Vine Blocks" height="400" hspace="10" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1549/25641514090_ee33916651.jpg" vspace="10" width="316" /></a>I pulled out the project I had in mind and put the completed blocks on the design wall.<br />
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The fabrics in some of these blocks came from a long-ago fabric swap where we exchanged 8 10 inch-strips and 2 squares of fabric, sized and chosen to make two of these blocks. The pattern came from Eileen Sullivan when she was a guest on Simply Quilts. The quilt was called Summer Vine.<br />
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(I tried to find a link, but was unsuccessful)<br />
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In addition to these blocks, I had a printed copy of the fabric swap guidelines and–fortunately for me–the block directions from the old Simply Quilts website. There were also many strip sets for more blocks, still in the envelopes they had arrived in. <br />
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My plan was to count up the number of blocks that could be made from those strips ... but what happened is when I started to do so, I think I discovered why I probably stopped making the blocks - incomplete swap packages and questionable fabrics.<br />
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Then I second guessed myself and thought maybe I had misread the swap guidelines ... so I sat down and tried to make blocks from the swaps with missing strips. Way back then, I didn't have scraps or much of a stash. Today, it wasn't such a big deal to dig into my bin of cream and tan scraps and find something close in value to make up the difference. After making those two blocks ... I made four more.<br />
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Too many of the fabrics either seemed too old and uninteresting or the quality just isn't very good, so I decided not to pass them on to a potential adoptive quilter. But since I have quite a few blocks made and all those unwrapped strips sets–and they're not all "bad," I am going to cut the strips to make block kits and assemble the rest of the blocks as a leader/ender project. I still haven't counted the number of potential blocks ... or decided what I'll do with them when I'm done making blocks.<br />
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I am joining the party for <a href="http://quiltingismorefunthanhousework.blogspot.com/2016/03/oh-scrap-hands2help-challenge-2016.html" target="_blank">Oh Scrap!</a> with these very old, very scrappy blocks.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25309405414/in/photostream/" title="4 Wavy Gravy Blocks"><img align="left" alt="4 Wavy Gravy Blocks" height="320" hspace="10" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1512/25309405414_26cddbd977_n.jpg" vspace="10" width="320" /></a>I also haven't decided what will become of the scrappy Wavy Gravy blocks I have been hand-piecing. Now there are four.<br />
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For me the most fun has been finding fabrics in my scraps to use in this block. I thought I would stop at four blocks and make a pillow cover (and that still might happen), but yesterday, I put together 2 more groups of four fabrics (in pinks and grays) ... and will likely prepare some more pieces for some <a href="http://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2016/03/slow-sunday-stitching.html" target="_blank">slow Sunday stitching</a>.<br />
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I'm joining the party for <a href="http://sophiejunction.blogspot.com/2016/03/a-scrappy-sunday-afternoon.html" target="_blank">Monday Making</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D14426877%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D1595989762822296101&media=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm2.staticflickr.com%2F1512%2F25309405414_26cddbd977_n.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=_uBU7_BGTB46&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 36px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 802px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D14426877%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D1595989762822296101&media=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm2.staticflickr.com%2F1512%2F25309405414_26cddbd977_n.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=_uBU7_BGTB46&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 36px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 802px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-88622838943323677072016-03-19T12:57:00.002-06:002016-03-19T12:57:36.629-06:00This Blog Post Brought to You by the Letter BNational Quilting Day isn't celebrated in Santa Fe, so my solo plan for the day is to spend the day in my sewing space and move some recent projects forward by tackling some of the B-tasks:<br />
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Adding BORDERS<br />
Preparing BACKINGS and BINDINGS<br />
and maybe even BASTING a quilt sandwich or two.<br />
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The borders on my little (24 inches square) Clover Blossom are complete and it's ready for it's backing and some scrappy purple binding to be made ready –that's my <a href="http://superscrappy.blogspot.com/2016/03/scraphappy-saturday-playing-with-purple.html" target="_blank">Scraphappy Saturday</a> contribution this week.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25886145096/in/photostream/" title="CloverBlossomTop"><img alt="CloverBlossomTop" height="500" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1701/25886145096_62af1a73be.jpg" width="499" /></a></div>
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The Subliminal Alphabet quilt has been assembled, backing cut and binding fabric identified ... so I've made some progress there, too. </div>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25912036255/in/photostream/" title="SubliminalAlphabet"><img align="right" alt="SubliminalAlphabet" height="320" hspace="10" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1541/25912036255_912c6af506_n.jpg" vspace="10" width="240" /></a><br />
This one will get a dark teal binding.<br />
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Next up is one of the workshop projects from last fall and binding for the scrap bag challenge. I think that's everything that's been "hanging out" in my sewing room. Then maybe I'll organize the shelves and put away all the fabric that's out because I thought it might be used in one of these unfinished projects ... but first, I'm going to employ another B-word and take a BREAK for lunch.<br />
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<br />sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-79103473700227990462016-03-17T08:30:00.000-06:002016-03-17T08:30:38.760-06:00What I did WednesdayI am still procrastinating the cutting/making of the half-square triangle units I think I want for the border of my mini-Clover Blossom quilt, so I returned to another idea that has been percolating a while and completed this set of little letter blocks. Each block is 3 by 4 1/2-inches (finished size).<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25228147684/in/dateposted/" title="Subliminal Alphabet blocks"><img alt="Subliminal Alphabet blocks" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1602/25228147684_92b26a3d96_z.jpg" width="432" /></a>
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<a href="http://saneandcrazy.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Cathy</a> suggested that the words I had made from these letters were link "subliminal messaging" and so I have come to think of it as a Subliminal Alphabet. </div>
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Fabrics were pulled from my blue, green and black & white scrap bins. If you have ever seen a face in an inanimate object or letters where none were intended, you'll understand how I came to create this alphabet from a rectangular log cabin block I pattern I created for the Block Lotto a few years ago.</div>
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Constrained by the block pattern and the idea of making each letter unique, some of the letters are admittedly abstracted beyond recognition on their own ... but I think context and the quilting I plan to add will help the viewers brains to connect the dots ... </div>
sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14426877.post-15018153863913536572016-03-14T08:52:00.004-06:002016-03-14T08:54:16.149-06:00Updates from My Design Wall My design wall hasn't changed much ...<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25158553793/in/photostream/" title="DesignWall"><img alt="DesignWall" height="467" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1497/25158553793_535686c562.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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I still haven't made much progress on the borders for the mini-Clover Blossom quilt ... I am procrastinating my decision to make 80-some more tiny triangles for the border. My Curvy Rails block for the Modern Quilts Unlimited Magazine's Challenge, <a href="http://a.pgtb.me/MfCtTr/h5Cj1?w=36927840&e=121420793" target="_blank">Everything Old is New Again</a>, is still there. If you haven't yet voted for your favorite Modern interpretation of the traditional rail fence block, you can click the link to check out all the entries and vote for your favorite ... though Moira's block seems to be the Donald Trump in this social media vote.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25759071916/in/dateposted/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hand Pieced Units"><img alt="Hand Pieced Units" height="200" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1700/25759071916_04e9a2744d_m.jpg" width="200" /></a>The purple block is the redesign of Curvy Rails that I blogged about yesterday.<br />
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PBS kindly re-broadcast the finale of Downton Abbey last night, so I hand-pieced the new curvy units and watched it one last time.
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I sewed them together on the machine this morning.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiejunction/25690061491/in/photostream/" title="Wavy Gravy Test Block"><img align="right" alt="Wavy Gravy Test Block" height="320" hspace="10" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1589/25690061491_d5c63fe46e_n.jpg" vspace="10" width="320" /></a><br />
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I DO prefer the redesigned block (which I am calling Wavy Gravy), but I can't say if it's because:<br />
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<ul>
<li>I like the smaller size (8 inches square)</li>
<li>It needed a fourth fabric</li>
<li>It has much better value contrast</li>
<li>I like it better without the center circle</li>
<li>I prefer the scrappiness of the fabric choices to being limited to fabrics by one designer or one fabric manufacturer</li>
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What do you think? </div>
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I plan to hand piece a few more of these blocks this week to see how they look together and consider it as a possible new big, long-term rainbow scraps challenge project. </div>
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What do you plan to do this week? </div>
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I'm joining the lists for <a href="http://lovelaughquilt.blogspot.com/2016/03/monday-making.html" target="_blank">Monday Making</a> and <a href="http://www.patchworktimes.com/2016/03/14/design-wall-march-14-2016/" target="_blank">Design Wall Monday</a>. </div>
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D14426877%23editor&media=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm2.staticflickr.com%2F1497%2F25158553793_535686c562.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=_uBU7_BGTB46&description=DesignWall" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 103px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 54px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D14426877%23editor&media=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm2.staticflickr.com%2F1497%2F25158553793_535686c562.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=_uBU7_BGTB46&description=DesignWall" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 103px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 54px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>sophiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408822963659450038noreply@blogger.com6