What do you do when you have three blocks, all leftovers from Cheddarback, all 12", and all blue? I'm thinking of them as a previously unidentified, unfinished quilt-in-progress, because I am not starting something new until I finish most of the in-progress quilts already started.
But you know, I can only hand quilt so long before my fingers refuse, and I can only hand applique so long before my eyes refuse. I have to have something to sew on a sewing machine for those times when I can't do the other. So, I decided to add a few more blocks to these -- just cutting when I have a few minutes, pinning, stitching, all piecemeal just when I have a minute or two. No hurry.
I scouted through two Judy Hopkins books, 501 Rotary-Cut Quilt Blocks and Around the Block with Judy Hopkins, looking for some like-minded quilts.
I like these books because they give cutting measurements for several different sizes of blocks -- 6", 9", 12" -- depending on the block itself.
I chose the first four blocks to begin with, chose fabrics, and cut them.
I guess this will be another sampler quilt except in blue and other lights and not multi-colored. I hope the blues and lights all work well together. I'm awful about not knowing the end when I begin.
This is the first block I cut. I laid it out to get the placement right. It's called Temple Court.
That background fabric comes from a shirt. A quick glance and it looks like the pattern is non-directional, but when I laid out these blocks and took a photo I could see the print is slightly different in one direction than the other. I hope it won't be too obvious after it's quilted.
I've made four blocks so far, but no photos. I'll do those later.
Did you know it's National Thread the Needle Day? Who knew there was a commemorative day for threading a needle?!
I have needles threaded, ready to celebrate by hand quilting The Blue and the Gray and appliqueing a red circle this afternoon and evening.
--Nancy.
.
Oh blue, how lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lizzy. Ii guessed you might like it. ;-)
DeleteGreat blue blocks--These will be nice in a sampler format...
ReplyDeletehugs from hot and humid Northeast
Julierose
Thanks, Julierose. One would think I'd be tired of samplers by now but I guess not yet. Ha.
DeleteI love blue. The two books are my favorite go to books. They are always close to my sewing table. Hugs
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cathy. I'm not a big fan of blue but since I had these three blocks.... I would like to own both of these books but would like to buy used copies. Sadly, there don't seem to be any reasonably-priced used copies available. I keep borrowing from the library so I have them close at hand, too.
DeleteI love these blocks of course, since blue is my favorite color. This is going to be a lovely quilt!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen. Blue is one of my less favorite colors so I hope I can do them justice and make the quilt lovely.
DeleteThe block on the far right in your first picture is one of my favorite blocks. I think it's called a "Devils Claw" or "Crowsfoot". Neither of those names sounds very cozy. Anyway, I keep thinking that I need to make a quilt just using that block. I got out a scrap quilt that I cut out before all this quarantine stuff. It's a really easy block and goes fast. Then I'm going to get out a UFO from 2015 - sigh. (I do have older ones too.) The soft colors that you have picked out for your blue blocks is going to be so pretty.
ReplyDeleteI love that block, too. I know Cheddarback Block 22 is called Devil's Claw so I was pretty sure the block we both love was called something else. But sure enough, a search tells me it's called both Devil's Claw and Botch Handle. See Barbara Brackman's blog at http://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/2010/11/botch-handledevils-claws.html. I think a quilt with just that block would be great!
DeleteI was curious to know the definition of botch handle and whether it was some kind of tool. One of the online dictionaries tells me that "botch" means (in addition to mess up royally) means "to put together in a makeshift way;" "patchwork;" "hodgepodge." Interesting.
You are just racing through your UFOs, Robin. It's a great way to accomplish a lot during these Covid times.
Thanks, Robin!
It's great to make some different friends for your three blue blocks. I don't have those books but wish I did. I'm in the same boat as you - after too much handwork, I need something at the machine to give my hands a break.
ReplyDeleteI hope those friends play nicely together, Cynthia. ;-)
DeleteI try to have three things on the go, applique for in the car, hand quilting in the family room while watching TV, and piecing for the sewing machine. I'm glad to have something for all of those now, because sometimes the scheduling doesn't work out that they're all going at the same time.
Blue/white is my favorite two color combo, so these blocks call to me.
ReplyDeleteMany vintage scrap quilts were cut from small leftovers and they didn't have the luxury of making sure directional prints all went the same way. I wouldn't worry about it. I have some vintage quilt tops and there are directional prints in some blocks that are going every which way. :)
I'm using not just whites but creams and off-whites so I hope they all work together, Janet. And if they don't, I may have more orphan blocks!
DeleteThanks for the info about the vintage quilts with directional prints going in different directions. I've probably seen some but didn't remember. I don't think I'll NEED to do that with this quilt but who knows!
I love the sewing Susan needles. What fun!
ReplyDeleteIt IS fun, isn't it, Brenna! I have several vintage ones with fun illustrations.
DeleteIhavealways loved a blueandwhitequilt.nice start.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jennie. I hope this one works because I'm using white, off-white, cream, light grey, etc. for the parts that are sometimes white. I love the look of blue and white but I have trouble using white, both when making a quilt and using a finished quilt with lots of white. This is my compromise.
Delete