Here are the Circa blocks that were posted last week. These are perfect blocks for using up small scraps.
This week's blocks are the last in the Circa 2016 series. I started making these blocks in January of this year and next week we start putting our quilts together. It will be exciting!
I'm so happy that it's Friday... this week has felt like I packed in two weeks of work. I didn't, but it sure felt like that! The good news is that I have time to sew tonight! I have my projects all lined up and am ready to go!
Cobwebs might start forming in my quilting studio if I don't get myself more organized and/or find more hours in the day. My sewing table is covered with the projects that are awaiting decisions to progress to the next stage. But I can't deal with that right now.
When I am really busy and feeling overwhelmed, I need something mindless to sew, which means that the projects requiring great concentration, and those requiring decisions get put aside in favour of something quick and easy.
This week in my sewing moments, which have been few and far between, I have been making these broken dishes blocks. Easy and relaxing. No decisions or brain power required. These are for Barb's Block Swap and need to be in the mail at the beginning of October, so it's the perfect project to focus on this week.
I am using my favourite BlocLoc ruler to square up the HSTs, but because I cut the triangles with the Easy Angle ruler, there is very little trimming required. Can you see the tiny slivers that are being trimmed? I wouldn't usually even do the trimming except to cut off the dog ears, but these blocks are for a swap and I want them to be perfect!
I have been making a bit of progress with this month's UFO. I finished making the one missing block and have the complete set ready to make into a quilt top.
Except I can't decide on whether to sash or not. So maybe you can help me decide? Hopefully you can get a sense of the choices even with these terrible photos!
Here are some of the sashed blocks set side by side on the design wall. There are 49 blocks altogether which I would make into a square quilt 7 blocks across by 7 blocks down.
With no sashing the quilt would be 84" square. This would be the easiest way to join them together. But does it look too mashed together?
Here is another set of blocks with a black fabric in between the blocks. It would take longer to put in the black sashing, but would it be worth the effort? Does the black frame enhance the look of the quilt? I would probably make the sashing strips 1.5" (cut 2") and that would bring the quilt up to 96". That's a big quilt!
Okay, now here is another set of blocks with a neutral print between the blocks. It gives a whole different look to the quilt.
I am completely undecided and a bit frustrated because I have procrastinated this decision so long, that I won't likely make my goal of turning these blocks into a quilt top by the end of the month. This project will have to slide onto next month's to do list!
To see more design wall postings, hop over to Patchwork Times.
Welcome to the weekly link up for the hand stitching community! We hope you will visit some of the blogs linked below to see the wonderful range of projects being stitched today.
I will be sitting by the water again today and will be putting more stitches in my reproduction bow tie quilt. It is the perfect sized project to take anywhere. It covers my lap and keeps me warm, but isn't so big that it drags on the ground.
The September weather here has been glorious with warm temperatures and sunny blue skies most days. Last week I was treated to forest bathing, and this week I will be enjoying my Sunday stitching by the water!
I spread the quilt out on my lawn chair so you can you see my stitching progress. I started in the spot where the blocks form a circle and have been stitching in concentric rows out from there. Slow and steady stitching finishes a quilt eventually!
What are you working on today? Link up your hand stitching project below and share your progress.
An InLinkz Link-up
The colour for the Rainbow Scrappers this month is red and I have plenty of red action going on in my sewing room this week. With my smallest of scraps, which are 1" squares or strips I made a few more red blocks for the never-ending Omigosh project. The neutral squares are 2". I have been making these blocks for 3 years now, and am hoping to reach the half way mark by the end of this year.
To see the other red RSC links this week, hop over to SoScrappy.
Last week's Circa block was a half square triangle (aka HST). I just didn't think that simple block would feel happy being with all the other wonderful blocks we've made for this quilt, so I decided to make some broken dishes blocks. I am making 80 of these blocks for Barb's block swap, so what's a few more?!?
To see what's happening with the Circa sewalong this week, hop over to Temecula.
Last night I had a fun visit with the Paris Quilting Bees. What a great group of enthusiastic quilters! I was so wrapped up in the moment that I forgot to take a picture of them to show you. But I did get a photo of their guild banner before I started talking ... I just love a block sampler!
I have some exciting news to share...
I have been sewing the Aurifil blocks of the month this year and have really enjoyed each one. Well, guess what happened?!? This month I won the draw for a box of Aurifil thread! Yes I did! I am so excited and can hardly wait for it to arrive in the mail. I have always looked at the Aurifil thread collections and coveted them... and now I'm actually going to have one of my very own!
My block from last month is even posted on the Aurifil blog... OMG... check it out here. And I got an email from Pat Sloan to tell me that I won... that was exciting enough! But did I mention that I'm also getting new thread too! I'll show you as soon as it gets here.
And in the meantime I sewed my 9th block, which is called "Into the Blue". I think my version will be called "Into the Red". You can download the pattern here. There are 72 pieces in this 12" block. I'm not totally thrilled with how the stripes lined up in the centre, but I'm leaving it anyway. You can see more variations on this block at the link up here.
Here are all my blocks together on the design wall. We've finished 9 blocks so far and have 3 more to go to the end of the year. It will be a great sampler quilt! But wow that is a lot of red!
Apparently I love red!
Here is how many spools of red thread I already have to machine quilt this project when it's done! I ordered a box of it from Tristan a long time ago. I have no idea why I thought I needed that much red thread!!
