Category: sewing

Categories
Build a block Calendar Embroidery goals quilting sewing Study in Scarlet

Time to check in

I know that very few of my YouTube friends… or in-person friends, for that matter… make it to this blog. I may be the only one reading it as I proofread. This is my old school technology habit. This is a nice place to post patterns, etc. as a back up to the comment box on YouTube.

Looking back at my play list…I started the embellishment series in July of 2024 with this video…check out the playlist. I have been publishing a new video every week since then. I have decided to take a “break” from introducing new embellishments for the month of February. In other words, we are going to review and/or combine some of the skills I have already shared. This should be fun and relaxing. By March, I will be refreshed and ready to go forward with new skills in this series.

I also have a set of 12 inch blocks that are blinged out and ready to share. Years ago, I ran a Yahoo group…called werquilters. In the group, we had many fun round robin quilt blocks. One of the round robins was a Victorian quilt block swap.

The rules were simple. You constructed a block with a muslin base. I provided an address list to each participant. You sent your block and tracking sheet out into the world via US postal service. Each month you sent the blocks that you had in your possession on to the next person on the list after you added a little bit of bling. Postage was $1.95 for one of those little 2-day boxes…life was good! If you did want to send it in a box, large envelopes could be stuffed, too. There was no limit to thickness…and no extra postage for thickness! Oh, life was sweet for us quilters. Not so much for postal carriers…sorry!

The A Study in Scarlet quilt project is moving forward. I set a slow pace for this project. It seems that everyone has a sew along going, starting in January. I have even joined a few of them myself. You will have to watch episodes of Blabfest Fridays to get more information about which ones I couldn’t resist…ha ha!

As I am typing this, I am waiting for the arrival of a new camera tripod. This one is up to 70″ tall, easily movable, and tracks motion. It is not as expensive as it sounds. It should make various angle shots much easier…and you won’t have to tolerate the machine vibration as I am filming sewing on my little white singer or on the midarm quilt machine! Life just keeps getting better and better!

I hope that you are enjoying your life, too! Do something everyday that makes your heart sing…pet the cat, hug your loved ones, sew & quilt…something to make you happy!

Later,

Lorrie

P.S. Please remember that comments are turned off here because of spam attacks. Ten screens of something in Russian is not a comments. I am not interested in anyone’s manifesto as a comment! Sorry!

Categories
goals quilting sewing

UFO challenge

I bet that you do not have as many UFO’s as I do! My husband says I am the best “topper” he has ever met…but actually assembling the final quilt! That is like work!

To help you, and myself, I am issuing a challenge. Choose eight UFO’s (unfinished objects). Try to finish one a month for the next 8 months. Not a big committment…should be easy enough, right? (I know I will do a better job this year…last year I hit a 25% completion rate. So sad!)

If you would like to play along, print the form below. Fill it in…and occasionally refer back to it. If you would like to share your list to make you feel more accountable, please e-mail it to me at my gmail address.

A group I belong to will pick a number on the first Thursday of every month of the project to work on…or you can just choose one from your list.

As we work through our lists, we will have projects to share. Everyone is inspired by completed work, no matter how big or small…or even still in progress!

Please join in!

I look forward to seeing and hearing about your progress!

Later,

Lorrie

Categories
Build a block quilting scraps sewing

Patriotic series build a block: Setting Geese

This week we are making four at a time flying geese to accent those cute little stars that swirl around the middle block.
We will need 32 flying geese to frame up those stars. Since we are making them for a time, we will need to make eight geese units.

Trimming the assembled geese makes them perfect to add to the setting star blocks. Please note the direction of your star blocks if you used directional or fussy cut fabrics.

Please watch my YouTube video presentation here for additional assembly details.

Here is the free PDF for these blocks:

I hope you are enjoying this Patriotic quilt series! One more week to go!

Later,

Lorrie

Categories
Build a block scraps sewing

Patriotic Build a Block Series: Setting Stars

We are in the home stretch of this series. We are down to some of the last setting pieces. This week, we are making 22 pieced variable stars.

In the cutting document, I provided a chart for one star OR (in the second chart) 22 stars.  You will need to make adjustments based on your color choices and scrap selections.

Remember that this is a free printable pattern. Enjoy!

Later

Lorrie

Categories
Build a block quilting sewing

Build a Block (Patriotic Series): Follow the Leader

This is a nice and easy block for week 6 of the build a block. For complete directions, please watch the video on YouTube.

The spinning graphic of this block reminds me of all of the commercials about the current elections here is the USA. They make my head spin! How can 2 candidates say opposite things about each other, but everyone is telling the “truth”? Oh, my! I am glad to turn off the television, put on some music, and sew some quilt blocks!

Here is the placement guide for the block in the quilt:

Here is the pattern, with 2 choices of cutting/sewing methods:

I hope you have enjoyed creating this block! I can’t wait to see pictures of progress you have made!

Later,

Lorrie

Categories
Build a block scraps sewing

Build a Block: Yankee Puzzle

Another block with half square triangles! These triangles will spin and swirl their way into your heart!

Yankee Puzzle is made from 16 half square triangles.  If you are making the two color version like the one below, you will need 12 units for the big swirl and 4 for the contrast color.

Here is the YouTube video.  The cutting chart is toward the bottom of this post.  It is a free printable.

The example below and the red, white, and blue example are both made from 2 1/2″ half square triangles.

My inspiration is coming from this old EQ5 book again this week…best quarter I ever spent at a yardsale!

Here are the units layed out. Notice that three of the blocks, starting at the left, go the same direction. The last block on the right is turned a quarter turn to make a flying goose.

Continuing along the right side of the block…

Along the bottom…are you seeing the pattern yet? Three in the same direction, then goose…

The rest of the outside frame…next add a pinwheel to the center (scroll down a little more to see…)

This block can be sewn in quadrant pieces. Here is the stacked pile of quadrants ready to sew…zoom, zoom, baby!

After the quadrants are sewn, lay out is as simple as a quarter turn. A large swirling pinwheel will form in the center when pieces are layed out correctly.

Sew the quadrants together…then sew the halves together…

Ta-dah! Ta-done!

Now for the example made from 1 1/2″ pieces. It finishes at 4 1/2″. (You know I couldn’t resist!)

Finished reveal of this little beauty will be at the end of the post!

Now for my version of the 2 color layout! I creat the large swirling pinwheel (12 half square triangles) with one color.

I add in the second color…

Or maybe this version…

Or this one?? Oh, the decisions!

Here they are finished and ready to use in a beautiful scrap quilt!

Here is the printable cutting chart:

I couldn’t resist adding this beautiful dogwood picture from the post office in Inwood, WV.

And now for a close up…

Simba is enjoying a nice nap on my sewing chair. (The green fabric was put on the chair to prevent her fur from becoming a permanent part of my upholstery!)

Categories
Build a block quilting scraps sewing

Build a Block: Wedding Ring

It’s that time of the week! Time to make another block!

I know this block as Wedding Ring, but the EQ5 book that inspired me called it Odd Scraps Patchwork.  It is a 5 by 5 block.

The video that shows step by step assembly can be viewed here on YouTube. 

 

Here is the “rough copy” from my video from back in October. I showed the block layed out, but never sewed it.

For this block, you will need:

16 (bonus) half square triangles, 5 darks, and 4 lights. These blocks should all be the same size. The ones shown below are the 2 1/2″ blocks. The picture below shows all seams pressed open for ease of assembly.

Here is the completed block. It finishes at 10 1/2″. Love those colorful birds!

Here is a smaller 5 1/2 inch version made with 1 1/2″ blocks.

Again, all seams are pressed open.

Here are both examples the 10 1/2″ and the 5 1/2″. As you can see in the picture below, it changes the look of the block when it is on point. (I didn’t notice this until I sat down and started typing the text than went with this post!)

Now for the cutting charts I have been promising:

The cutting chart above is printable, but you will need to download it and save it in your downloads file first.

I hope you enjoy making this great scrappy block! Please contact me on facebook or at my gmail account. Comments have been turned off because I am not interested in black market viagra!

Have a great day!

Later,

Lorrie

Categories
Build a block quilting scraps sewing

Build a Block: Border Block

Glad to see you here for my weekly Build a Block post! This one is going to be short and sweet because this block is so easy to make…and has so few pieces!

The video for block construction can be found here.

This block finishes at 8 1/2″ square. It is constructed from the following pieces:

Center: 2 1/2″ x 8 1/2″,

outside strips: Two 2 1/2″ x 8 1/2″

Bonus triangles: Sixteen 1 1/2″ bonus half square triangle blocks…8 on each side of the center strip…look closely at the placement below (both pictures are a little different…you decide it is your block!)

I sewed the half square triangle blocks in strips first. Then I pressed those seams open to reduce bulk. You could press then any direction you want. There are no points to match, so it is really your personal preference…as always. (I read in a quilt book yesterday…whatever you do is right…it is your quilt. Amen to that!)

I think this block would also look good as a six in block, using a 2 1/2″ strip in the middle and 1 1/2″ strips on the outsides and only 6 bonus half square triangles in those strips.

I can also envision this block as part of a row in a row quilt…with alternating blocks turned so one goes side to side and the next goes up and down. That would be a great way to use scraps and those half square triangle blocks, too.

On a happy note, this is my 100th blog on this platform. (I had a blog on another platform before…it crashed and burned…time to start over in a new place with the help of my son. I appreciate his help more than he realizes!

I hope you have a great time making this easy block! As always, Enjoy!

Later,

Lorrie

Categories
Build a block quilting scraps sewing

Build a Block: Bear’s Paws

This is yet another block to use up the bonus half square triangles. I made an quilt early on in my quilting experience using this block. It was a gift to my mother-in-law. Sadly, I do not even have a picture of it to share…maybe next time I visit I will have her get the quilt out!

If you are interested in the video version of this constuction, go here.

I made two sizes today: 7 1/2″ and 14 1/2″. These blocks go together quickly, especially if you have the half square triangles already to use. The cutting chart is at the end of this post.

Here is the purple version:

You will notice in the picture above that I, ooops, forgot the background corner blocks!

Here is the corner block…layed out to sew four at a time…

Please notice the placement of the “claws”. They are sewn in opposite directions. You can NOT stack all 8 sets together and sew!

Here I have assembled the paws and have them ready for the final assembly. The center sashing is pressed towards the larger sashing pieces. When the paws are added to the sashing, those rows are pressed towards the sashing strip in the middle.

Here is the pressed block.

Ta-dah! Ta-done! This is the little 7 1/2″ block. Cute, eh?

Now for the bigger version. Here are my pieces:

It is assembled the same way…just twice the size!

Ta-dah! Ta-done!

Both blocks!

Another block snuck in there!

Please note the number of pieces in ( ) at the top of each column.

Here is the cutting chart:

I hope that you are enjoying the Build a Block blogs…especially for the cutting charts. They are PDF’s, so they should be printable.

I love hearing from readers and viewers, but unfortunately, I keep receiving unrelated comments…and inappropriate advertisements. So, consequently, comments are turned off for this blog. You can contact me through my YouTube channel or Facebook group. (I am sure you can figure out the name of those places, if you are here reading…hint, hint.)

Have a wonderful day!

Later,

Lorrie

Categories
Build a block scraps sewing

Build a Block: Lady of the Lake

This block is constructed from two sizes of half square triangles. I used all bonus half square triangles for the layout below. It finishes at 6 1/2″.

Here is the video presentation of the block construction.

As you can see, I still have a large amount of trimmed bonus half square triangle blocks just waiting for a block.

Today I am making a new center block. I have a project in mind for a Lady of the Lake block.

As you have seen in some of my YouTube videos, I love sunsets at the lake…any lake. The center of my block is going to be that! A sunset on a lake.

Both of these fabrics are directional. I want my sunset and my waves parallel to each other.

Perfect fabrics for my vision! These are 5 inch squares. My half square triangles will finish at 4 1/2 inches. I am making two blocks because I am making two of the same project that I have in mind.

To make sure that my fabrics are going the correct direction, I audition them together…not quite it!

Perfect!

When I unfold the sunset fabric, I notice that it is perpendicular to the wave fabric. When they are sewn on the diagonal, they will be perfect.

After I place the fabric right sides together, I draw my diagonal line. Sew a scant quarter of an inch on both sides of the line.

Cut on the line. Press to one side. Trim to 4 1/2″.

Lay out the block. Make sure that all of the small half square blocks are going the same direction. Notice the dark half is in the upper right corner the entire way around the block.

I sew the smaller half square triangles in rows…top and bottom first.

Then I sew the sides next.

After each section, I lay it back out on my design board. It is very easy to reverse pieces…so I double check after each section.

Holding this design board up to photograph it makes the sections look crooked, but they are not. Add the sides first, then the top and bottom.

Here it is! One block finished! I think it is worth dealing with the smaller pieces to get this beautiful block, don’t you?

Here is the second version of this block. I didn’t have quite enough of the teal blocks, so I threw in some other blues and grays. It will work beautifully in the project that I have in mind!

Here are the cutting charts for this block. The top chart is for using trimmed and made bonus half square tringle pieces. The bottom chart is for construction of pairs of half square triangles before assembling the pieces. Please read carefully. Ask in comments if you have any questions.

I love the boldness of this block. It is a great way to use up the smallest of the half square bonus blocks. Give it a try! You won’t be disappointed!

What blocks are you making to use those bonus half square triangles? I would love to see them! My Facebook group allows you to post pictures and share…Come on over!

Later,

Lorrie