For you who may not know, Cheddarback is a block of the month sew-along offered by Gay Bomers of Sentimental Stitches. We began making the blocks last March and when so many of us were asked to stay at home because of the pandemic, Gay gave us the last ten blocks together instead of over several months' time. These first two blocks are remakes. The last ten in this post will allow me to sew together the rest of the quilt. There's a quilt top finish coming soon!
Block 26
This is a 12" block which will go on the bottom left corner. This row of blocks was not in the original quilt. Gay gave us a Barrister's Block pattern and also suggested we could choose a different pattern. I made a block I thought was perfect but found it too similar to another block in the quilt. Then I chose this pattern and made it with blues and a creamy print. When I placed it with the rest of the blocks I realized that using a print background was very unlike the choices the original Cheddarback creator made. She most often used plaids, stripes, or ginghams with darker prints. So I remade the block. Perhaps it's not really the way the creator would have used these
stripes (if she would have used these stripes at all) but I like it
better than the first two blocks. So this one will get stitched into
the quilt. (If you've been counting you'll realize that I now have two 12" blue orphan blocks.)
Block 35
This is a 12" block and also a second version. The first one I made had a fabric with very light stripes and much darker blues. I like this version better. I don't know if you can tell but the flowers in the lighter blue fabric are yellow/orange. I colored them so they would be just slightly closer to the fabric in the original quilt. (And remaking this block means I now have three 12" blue orphan blocks.)
Block 59
This is a 12" block. The original had a tan paisley fabric but I had nothing similar. This light print was the closest I could find. This was a simple block to make.
Block 60
This is a 5" block. This was a paper-pieced pattern. If you've been reading my progress on this quilt you'll know I don't like that method of creating blocks. So I paper pieced only the geese then cut out the rest of the blocks using the paper pattern, leaving 1/4" on all sides, and stitched the rest of the block. I'll do almost anything to avoid paper piecing.
Block 61
This is a 5" block. This block was cut using paper templates. My colors are similar to hers and I find them unusual. From a distance the star in the center disappears completely and this block looks like a large X.
Block 62
This is a 5" block. I wrote about this block here and here. It was a bit of a challenge and it's obvious there are some glitches in the striped fabric where the seams create a little too much white or red. The original fabric was a wavy red and white stripe and her seams barely showed. Oh, to have had some of her original fabric for this block!
Block 63
This is a 5" block. This was a letter block in the original quilt this but since I didn't want to more letters, I made this block. It was simple to create since each square finishes at an inch -- five across for a 5" block.
Block 64
This is a 12" block. When I've substituted or added blocks I've chosen ones that were created/published about the time the original Cheddarback quilt was made, probably 1890-1910. But when I saw the black and white pattern for this 2014 block, called Aunt Dinah, I thought it looked liked it could have been made earlier and I saw the potential to use striped fabric as the Cheddarback creator did. I think the stripes could have been put to better use but I'm not going to remake it.
Block 65
This is a 5" block. This was one of the easiest of these last blocks to make. It is a substitute for a letter block.
Block 66
This is a 5" block. This was another paper-pieced pattern, necessitated by the fact that 5 divided by 3 does not come out to a number we have on our quilting rulers. To avoid paper piecing, I did the division and found that 2 3/16" x 3 comes out to 5 9/16" (after sewing the center seams). I decided to cut on the narrow side of 2 3/16" (yes, I had to consistently estimate just where that was on the ruler) and sew on the wide side of 1/4". It worked just fine. Another success avoiding paper piecing!
Block 67
This is a 5" block. This was another paper pieced block which I didn't paper piece.
Block 68
This is a 5" block. The original has dark green checked fabric. The best I could come up with was this black plaid. It works for me.
And that's the end of the Cheddarback blocks, though probably not the end of posts about the blocks. It's been a fun sew-along and I'm grateful to Gay Bomers for recreating the patterns and making them available to us.
I hope you're staying safe and enjoying the change of seasons.
Cheddarback is a Block of the Month sew-along offered by Gay Bomers at Sentimental Stitches. The blocks are free to download during the month they are published. The quilt is a delightful, quirky, antique with blocks in two sizes, 12" and 5". You can see it at the link above. This is the first time I've tried to recreate an antique quilt. It should be fun -- both the doing and the having.
Right off the bat with the first block Cheddarback offered a challenge. (This is a 12" block.)
Cheddarback Block 1
I love square-in-square and economy blocks but I struggle to place the triangles just where they need to be. I finally figured out that if I folded the squares and triangles in the centers and pressed a crease at the edges, I could align the pieces. It worked a charm for the four corner squares in this Rolling Stone block.
That system worked well when there was only one round of triangles, but not so well for a block with more. The second round of triangles in the block below was harder to place accurately because there was no center crease on the first round of triangles, only the points of the squares. Still I think I managed okay.
Cheddarback Block 2
I'm trying to copy the original quilter's blocks, following her colors first, and then fabric patterns/style (stripes, plaids, small print, large print, etc.) next, if I have fabrics that are close. In the original, Block 2 had a delightful green clover motif, but I didn't have anything close. This was the best I could do.
Cheddarback Block 3
I love how the creator of this quilt used clothing fabrics for some of the blocks, including finely corded fabrics. I tend to think of them as less durable, but this quilt has lasted a very long time.
Block 4, below, used squares cut at 1¼" inch! Just tiny!
Cheddarback Block 4
Block 5 was the hardest block of all to make because of it's set-in y-seams. I'd never sewn them before and hadn't a clue what I was doing. The construction seemed simple at first but not so by the end. I should have researched how to stitch these kinds of seams when they turn at such a sharp angle. The block came out okay but not great. In the end I thought perhaps I should have started stitching from the center instead of from the edges. This is one block that may get remade. Do you have any tips to make y-seams easier?
Cheddarback Block 5
As I look at the original Cheddarback quilt I think I may be in for even more challenging blocks over the coming months! These are this month's blocks all together.
The original quilt's sashing has a white/off-white fabric with a small, loosely-scattered print. I'll need about three yards of whatever fabric I choose. The only light fabric I have enough of on hand is this little rosebud print. I think it is a little too feminine for this quilt. And the background leans toward yellow/green instead of being strictly off-white. I'll have to see what I can come up with.
As I've been working on this quilt I've been thinking about the person (probably a lady) who made it. Where did she find the patterns, or did she create them? How long had she been making patchwork blocks? How did she choose her colors and fabrics? Were they pieces of fabric left over from clothing she'd sewn or were they lightly worn fabric from old clothes? Did she sew by hand or by machine? Certainly she didn't have a rotary cutter and acrylic ruler: all fabric would have been cut by hand. That in itself is amazing to me.
And then I thought about Gay, so carefully recreating the patterns, figuring out measurements, writing directions, making pdfs of the the patterns available to us. Isn't she wonderful? Thank you, Gay!
Gay called this quilt Cheddarback because that exactly describes the back of the quilt. But what I want to know is this: what is the difference between cheddar and orange?
I just learned that today is Piano Day 2019, always on the 88th day of the year in honor of a piano's 88 keys. So I'm sharing "The Orange Fox Waits," a beautiful, gentle song created and played by Robin Spielberg. Enjoy!
These are my Cheddarback blocks for April. I somehow managed to fit them in between sewing triangle squares for my "Flowers" quilt. The creator of Cheddarback used a variety of fabrics in her blocks -- cotton, flannel, pique, etc. Most of my blocks, below, use colors close to hers but the kinds of fabrics are different. I love the idea of the original creator and I being parallel quilters -- her using the fabrics she had available in the late 1800s, I using as similar fabrics as hers from the fabrics I have available from the late 1900s and early 2000s. You can see the original blocks at this month's post at Sentimental Stitches. Block 6 will finish at 12", the others will finish at 5".
Block 6
Gosh, those pinwheels are hard! The placement of the medium squares in the corner of this block is interesting to me. They cause the star to disappear.
Block 7
Gay Bomers, the creator of this sew-along, graciously provided two ways to make this block. I chose the one without y-seams. I don't have many black prints so used one with colors the closest I have to the original, but the fabric style is completely different.
Block 8
By the time I finished this little basket I thought it was the cutest little basket block and pattern I've ever seen. It's just so petite and sweet. It was a bit of a challenge to make and even the original quilter was not able to keep all the points in the basket, though she lost hers at the top of the basket instead of the bottom, where I lost mine.
Block 9
Another square-in-square block. I managed better with this one than the one in the first set. I tried to keep the colors and style of fabrics but didn't have a blue and white check like the one in the original. If I find one I might unstitch and exchange it for this blue.
Block 10
Another pinwheel (with my mismatched points in the center).
Cheddarback Blocks 6-10
I bought fabric for sashing but haven't had time to wash and press it yet. The creator of Cheddarback used two different fabrics for sashing, one off-white print and the other a light blue fabric which she used around the edges. I'd like to use both but I haven't found a light blue yet. I also already have a choice of two red fabrics to use for the cornerstones.
I have a feeling some of other blocks in this quilt will be really difficult for me. This is definitely not a quilt for a beginner but it's certainly one that will expand my block-making experience.
I'm just checking in to claim a finish for my One Monthly Goal for October. I focused on completing the month's two large Cheddarback blocks and sewing the groups of four small blocks together with sashing and cornerstones. Here are the results (in photos with somewhat inaccurate color).
Blocks 35 and 34
Blocks 2-5
Blocks 7-10
Blocks 12-15
Blocks 17-20
Blocks 22-25
Blocks 27-30
Blocks 31, 32, and two letters
Whew! Sashing takes a lot time to cut! I cut enough for these blocks and just a few more and I was ready for a break. I'll have to cut some more soon so I can sew the small blocks to the larger ones.
I don't know why I thought the creator of Cheddarback had made up most of these blocks, but as I was looking through several block books, I began to see some of these blocks. One of these days I'll make a list of block numbers and names, but not today.
Many thanks to Gay Bomers for creating patterns for these blocks. You can see the original blocks for this month here, at Gay's blog, Sentimental Stitches.
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.
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.
These are my May blocks, with annotations. Just look at the photos if you prefer. (I sometimes write/type too much and give too much information, though I'll be glad to have it later when I've forgotten what I thought or did.) You can see the photos of the original Cheddarback quilt at Sentimental Stitches where Gay Bomers is hosting a sew-along this year. Blocks are free the month they are published, then $5.00/set after that. You can see the May blocks here.
Block 11
This is a 12" x 12" block. When I first saw it on Sentimental Stitches I saw red and white stripes and several dark/navy blues. I didn't have a red and white narrow-striped fabric so when I came upon a shirt made with the fabric at a thrift store, below, it came home with me.
The red is a little on the rose side and now that I've made the block I think it looks very pink -- too pink! And as I look at the original block again I see red and off-white, and something else different about the stripes that I didn't notice before. It's a waviness, though it's hard to tell whether it looks that way because the quilt has been washed and dried or because the fabric is printed that way. I will probably remake this block if or when I find a different background fabric.
The other thing about this block is that the pattern as Gay wrote it makes an 11 7/8" finished block. In the directions she said, "I need you to be a little scant on your 1/4" seam allowances to make up the 1/8" we need for our block to have a 12" finished size." All of my 12" blocks have come out a tad too large so I used the same seam allowance I usually use and this block is the perfect size. That tells me I'm not really sewing a 1/4" seam. There are times when it matters more than others and this is one of them!
Blocks 12-15, below, finish at 5".
Block 12
The original of this block had y-seams. Gay kindly created a simpler pattern for those of us who wanted to use it. I simplified her simple version even more by using just one red triangle in the center of the basket instead of a small square and two triangles. Both the background fabric and the blue and white check fabric were shirts.
Block 13
Many people who are members of the Cheddarback Facebook group thought Block 15 was really challenging, and it was. But I found this block just as challenging. Gay offered two versions, one for paper piecing and one for rotary cutting. When I first looked at this block I saw what I thought would be an easy way to sew this block by creating the triangles in each square, sewing the triangles together into squares, then sewing the squares together. Gay's paper-pieced pattern was sewn that way, and that's the pattern I used but I sewed it by machine. It looks easier to sew than it was. The blue striped fabric had been a thrift-store shirt.
Block 14
The original of this block has a purple and black fabric similar to the one above. That blue and black fabric is not one I would ever buy, at least not a fat quarter or yardage. This came in a bag of 3" squares I bought at a quilter's yard sale last year. I wasn't sure I would have enough but since there were four blocks I was able to sew them together in pairs and cut four 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" strips for the border. It was a little tight but it worked.
Block 15
This was the hard basket so many talked about in the Cheddarback Facebook group. It received its own post a week or so ago. The only change I wish is to have reread Gay's description again before making this block so I would have known (or remembered) to use a solid red for some of the triangles. (I would also have used a plaid for the basket but I didn't have one close enough in color to the original.) This is a sweet basket but this is a block I will not remake!
Here they are together. What a variety of blocks there are in this quilt! I haven't decided whether making these blocks is a test of my mettle or a good learning experience. Probably both!.
As I work on these blocks I continue to be amazed as I remember the original creator cut by hand without the use of a rotary cutter or acrylic ruler. Amazing!
I've chosen fabric for the light sashing but I haven't found a light blue/blue grey floral print for the sashing around the side and top edges, so I haven't sewn any of the blocks together yet.
I've learned that if I choose fabrics and cut the pattern pieces at the beginning of the month, I can work on the blocks when I have a minute or two, if it's an easy block, or between other things when it's a more challenging block. Below are the blocks for August, 2019. You can see the originals here. The first four blocks finish at 5", the last at 12".
Block 27
Thanks again to Janet of Rogue Quilter for the package of scrap fabrics she sent a while ago, I found a piece of blue fabric similar to the original for this block. Gay, creator of the blocks, suggested that if we wanted to take the easy way out, we could just make a pinwheel and applique the square to the center and cut away the back. I would have done that but the scrap of blue I had was just barely large enough to cut the five pieces to exact measurements.
Block 30
The original block had a darker brown fabric that caused the lines in the block to disappear visually. I lightened the brown just a little.
Block 28
This was a simple, straightforward block. I wonder why Miss Cheddarback used the dark blue triangles. They cause the star to almost disappear.
Block 29
This was another simple block. The pattern called for three strips of blue but I didn't have one long enough for to go from one corner to another. I cut a center square and four strips.
Block 26
The original Cheddarback quilt has three columns of five large blocks which makes the quilt close to square. Gay offered us the idea to add one more large block at the bottom of each column and gave us the pattern for a 12" Lawyer's Puzzle block for the bottom of left column. (Or, she said, "Please feel free to select another 12" block for your bottom row if
you're not a fan of the one I'm using. It's your quilt - make it your
way!" Gay's so great!) I thought a block with a stronger diagonal would fit better with the other blocks that already create a diagonal in line with where this one will be placed. I'm not sure the blue is strong enough. I think I'll have a better idea after I sew the first two columns of blocks together. This block has several names but I first found it as Lily Quilt Block and used a pattern called Eagle's Nest. You can read more about this block and its creation here.
So, that's some of what I've been doing this month. I really enjoy the challenge of finding fabrics similar to the those in the original quilt making these blocks.
