Category: Study in Scarlet

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Build a block Study in Scarlet

Drunkard’s Path: proportion and templates

To make the drunkard’s path block, I had a lot of inspiration. The basic block is the same. Sometimes the proportions of the pieces are just a little different.
This first book was the only book that had a suggestion of a pattern that you could trace and use, but no tips on sewing the curves.

The proportions in this book are about 1/3 to 2/3 with the pie crust or concave part being the 1/3.

This book doesn’t really have a pattern. It has a picture. What you see is what you get.

This book has fantastic pictures of blocks. All of them finish at 4 1/2 inches. I love small blocks with fiddly pieces because they look so cute when they are finished… But not today. I’m looking for a 16 1/2 inch block for the Study in Scarlet quilt. This book is great for inspiration, but not reality.

This book is filled with tons of block, layouts and suggestions… Not really patterns, but great ideas. I will use this more when I talk about alternate layouts next week.

Noticed that the proportions in this block are about half on the side.

This last book isn’t a pattern book, but it has wonderful pictures of quilts. This one calls the block robbing Peter to pay Paul.

The bottom quilt is the one that we are actually making a block like this week. I love the top quilt. It has some extra solid squares in the corners and creates a butterfly or bat pattern. I think it is absolutely a beautiful pattern. Maybe I’ll do that later on .

Now that I talk to you about different proportions, you can choose your own to create templates to make this block. My YouTube video this week is all about templates.

Watch the video here .

I have a fur baby helper in my room this weekend. This is Honey. She has been at our house for exactly one week today. She is so sweet and such a good helper she even got a new doggy bed from a cheap Walmart pillow and one of bandits recycled blankets.

She’s not sharing her toys, so I’m not letting her use my sewing machine! Have a great weekend! Enjoy sewing!

Later,

Lorrie

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Build a block quilting scraps sewing Study in Scarlet

A Study in Scarlet…a wider quilt

After some thinking about quilt sizes, I realized that 72″ x 96″ was disproportionate. I like a quilt that is rectangular, but this one is not wide enough for two adults to share it comfortably. I decided that it needs to be a little wider. Here are the printable documents that explain the math and a new, wider coloring sheet. The new finished size in 88″ x 96″.

I hope that you are enjoying this “mystery”!

Later,

Lorrie

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Build a block quilting scraps sewing Study in Scarlet

A Study in Scarlet…Pt 1, ch 3 block… Garden Path

In chapter 3 of A Study in Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson collaborate on their first case. When they arrive at the scene of the crime, Sherlock finds his first clues in the garden in front of the house.

Here is the printable pattern for this block:

If the directions at the bottom of the sheet seem short, please watch my presentation of the block construction on youTube here.

I hope you are enjoying this series. Comments can sent to me at YouTube and my gmail.

Later,

Lorrie

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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!

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Build a block Study in Scarlet

A Study in Scarlet…Pt 1, ch 2 block…a 2nd block

Here is a second quick printable for this month:

I hope you are enjoying this sew along series, as well as listening to some classic literature.

Enjoy!

Later,

Lorrie

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Build a block Study in Scarlet

A Study in Scarlet…Pt 1, ch 2 block

This week I am going to keep the text nice and short. I am feeling a bit under the weather. My immune system is working on getting rid of whatever crudge I was exposed to over the holidays…ugh! It is an excellent day to take a nap here in the Northeast part of the United States. Schools have been cancelled. The weather outside is frightful. There is no place to go.

The block(s) this week are basic and simple…4 traditional friendship stars. You can make them super scrappy or all the same…the preference is up to you! Have fun and enjoy!

Here is the direction sheet for Part 1, Chapter 2 of the Study in Scarlet quilt:

You can also watch my block tutorial on my YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/9OW4eApRdOQ

I hope you are enjoying the making of these blocks and listening to the audio presentation of the book. Have a great day! Time for a nap!

Later,

Lorrie

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Build a block Study in Scarlet

A Study in Scarlet…Pt 1, ch 1 block

The blocks for this quilt are based on 1) titles given for the blocks and 2) themes and topics in the chapters.

This first block finishes at 12″ in the quilt. It is called Friendship.

The audio file can be found here on YouTube. It does not have much in the way of visual entertainment. I recorded it so that you can sew while you listen. A new chapter will be released on the first of every month starting December 2024.

The video about block construction can be found here.

This pattern page can be printed at anytime. At the end of the sew along, I will compile all the pages into one very long document.

I hope you enjoy playing along as we make this quilt. Please comment on YouTube if you are playing along. Comments are turned off here because of spam issues.

Have a great weekend!

Later,

Lorrie

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Build a block quilting scraps Study in Scarlet

A Study in Scarlet

I am going to keep my post short and sweet today. I want you to have lots of time to choose your colors for your quilt. Get out those colored pencils! Please print as many of the free coloring pages as you desire…Let’s play with color!

Please join me on YouTube to see my colorized blocks for this quilt. I am always amazed at how each person makes a quilt their own by switching up the colors and fabrics!

Here is the coloring sheet:

I would love to see your fabric choices and your coloring sheet plan! Please send photos to my gmail and I will share them on a Friday Blabfest. We are all inspired when we share!

Later,

Lorrie