Cheddarback Blocks for June, 2019

I continue to be challenged by some of the Cheddarback blocks.  If it's not finding/choosing fabric, then it's the block pattern or maybe getting the size right.  The first few blocks of the year were a tad too large, perhaps a quarter inch.  But several of the blocks were a tad too small by an eighth inch.  I think only a few have been the correct size when I've finished them.  It makes me wonder what my problem is since I've been sewing the same width seam on all the blocks.  I have plenty of blocks to go to get it figured out!  Any why not enjoy the challenge, eh?  It's all a learning process.

You can see this month's original blocks at Sentimental Stitches.

The blocks in this post are in the order I made them.  I began with what I thought would be the hardest block (but I was wrong).  The first four will finish at 5", the last is a 12" block.

Block 18

The Y-seam seam in a previous block challenged me no end.  I wasn't willing to take the easy way and give up on learning the skill of sewing them and I thought this block would be the hardest of the five this month.  The seams turned out okay, with the assistance of a good press.  It's not perfect but I'm not going to remake it.

Block 19

This is the block I thought would be slightly less challenging than Block 18.  I was oh so wrong.  I cut the outer edges of the pieces 1/4" wider than necessary thinking that it would give me some wiggle room if the block was a little too small.  Size wasn't half the problem.  I couldn't manage to get the points to meet in the center, even after unstitching and restitching three times.  The only blocks I've sewn where 8 points meet are pinwheel blocks which the points are all the same size.  Unlike those, in this block the triangles are uneven and it was impossible (for me) to get them aligned.

On the Facebook group Gay has suggested that it's our quilt and we can make it however we want.  Well, I really want a block like the original but my skills just aren't there yet.  Above is how I chose to finish Block 19.  I'm still deciding whether to cut out the fabric behind the circle.  (I'll probably give this block another try.  The double pink fabric was generously given to me by Lizzy from Gone to the Beach.  (Thank you, Lizzy.)  I didn't want to waste any more of it in another failure, so I'll use junk fabric the next time I try to make this block.)

Block 20

I decided to applique the black squares on this block because I didn't want to interrupt the pattern of the red fabric.  The edges of the black squares are not all exactly straight.  I changed those squares once because I hadn't left enough space for a quarter-inch seam without cutting off the points.  The second time there's a quarter inch around the edges that will leave the points but I ended up with those less-than-straight lines.  This is one of the blocks that had wavy red and white striped fabric in the original quilt.  If I find fabric that's closer to the original I may end up remaking the block.

Block 17

This was an easy block except for the upper right triangle with two fabrics in it.  I wanted to do what Cheddarback's maker had done but, unfortunately, I think I got the size of those two strips wrong.  I may recut and replace that triangle.

Block 16

The original block has fabric that looks greyer -- a white background with grey/black spriggy leaves along grey/black lines.  This was the closest fabric I have.  Also, in the original, the lines are all placed in the same direction in the block, which created bias edges along the outside triangles.  I have so many other challenges with this quilt that I decided to follow Gay's directions instead of trying to recreate the original arrangement.  This is a pretty bland block but it did turn out to be the simplest of the five this month.

I've noticed in the original quilt that some fabrics are used in several different blocks.  So far I've been able to do that, too.  I hope I can keep it up through all the blocks.

Many thanks to Gay Bomers of Sentimental Stitches for making these patterns available so we can recreate this quilt.  It's been fun.

Finishing these blocks was my One Monthly Goal for June.  Goal accomplished!  I'm linking this post to One Monthly Goal - June Finish Link-up at Elm Street Quilts.  Thanks for hosting, Patty.

I'm also linking this post to BOMs Away at What a Hoot Quilts.  Thanks, Lynette.

--Nancy.
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