Tag Archives: block

The Garden Continuum Quilt

I decided to participate in the Modern Quilt Guild’s Michael Miller Fabric Challenge. My plan was to fussy cut some blocks and then improvise from there, although I must admit my improvisation ended up taking place on my drawing pad so that I would have an idea of how much fabric I would need to surround my blocks. Does that mean it is not really improvised? Can there be no planning with improvisation? Perhaps not!

I am calling this quilt the Garden Continuum. It is 48″ x 64″. I used all 6 of the fat eighths provided and I think I made good use of them. I used 2 yards of fabric for the background and the binding, and also added about an eighth of a yard of a solid green fabric.

In keeping with the theme of the quit, I went with edge to edge swirly quilting so that the garden blocks blend in and appear to be floating in the continuum!

November Jane Blocks

I am now up to date with my Jane Blocks. This month I was working with my Singer 301 Sewing Machine which just got cleaned and had some adjustments made. It is such a nice machine. It has a great stitch and is amazingly light. Perfect for taking to class.

I also wanted to comment on this month’s triangle block. Instead of appliqueing the curved piece on the bottom I decided to just sew it on with the machine because it is not much of a curve. And I cheated with the little melon. Yes, I did. It is fused in place with steam a seam and machine stitched around the edges. I think this will be just fine. After all, this is a MODERN Dear Jane quilt, so I am using as many modern techniques as I can!

Quilt for Boston

I was finally able to make it to a Boston Modern Quilt Guild meeting and was pleased to discover that they were still looking for help with the Quilts for Boston project. Alice gave me a bag which I thought was a top to quilt, but I discovered a collection of blocks that needed to be pieced. I had great fun arranging all of the blocks, including a strip of tumbler blocks, some very modern blocks and also traditional star blocks. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to put this quilt together which will go to someone who was directly affected by the Boston Marathon Bombing or I think it may also go to someone who has helped in the healing process. I could really feel all of the love that went into making all of the blocks in this quilt.

August Jane Blocks

Good Grief. It’s nearly the end of August and I still haven’t shared my Jane Blocks.

I enjoyed putting these blocks together … not too much applique this month. Just the handle of the basket, which I did by machine. Not sure if that was a good idea or not, but it looks okay. I used steam a seam and ironed the handle in place and then machine sewed along the edges.

Month three of Jane

Here are my latest Jane blocks. Three of the five blocks are purple this month as indicated in my plan for the quilt .. a rainbow scheme starting with green in the middle, followed by yellow, etc. I still love working with the Kaffe Fassett and Philip Jacobs fabrics. You can use the large scale fabrics and pick sections to work with. The blocks seemed fussy to me this month, but maybe it was me! The reverse applique is the most trying. Hard to get the corners sewn without the raw edges poking out. I think I need most improvement in that area and will not doubt get the opportunity to do so in the next few years of my Jane Journey!

June Jane Blocks

I have finished my Jane blocks for Tuesday night’s meeting. I am enjoying this quite a bit …. so far! I love the fabric I am working with and the fact that each block is so different. This month I had two rotary cut and pieced blocks, two paper pieced blocks and one applique block. The paper pieced blocks are the fussiest, but the triangle block went together pretty quickly. Take a look at the May blocks. 10 done 215 to go!

Here are the blocks:

Project Overload

Okay … Here is a list of my current projects:

Quilters Common Projects:

Dear Jane

Main Streets and Back Roads – A twelve month Block of the Month designed by Antoinette which, if the previous months’ block is finished, is free each month. This is the first month, so I am all set for my free block 2.

Aunt Lucy – A 16 month block of the month quilt in reproduction fabrics with 5 months completed!

Peggy Anne’s Quilting and Sewing Company projects:

In the Meadow was the 2012 block of the month. I started the background a a few of the blocks, but never finished because I was too focused on the Bird Quilt, but I am really going to try to find some time for this now!

Chicken and Stars is a 9 month BOM. I already have two months and I need to get started on this one before it ends up like the In the Meadow quilt!

Seven Sisters – This is the same pattern as the Star Quilt, but I am going to do this as a Seven Sisters quilt, with the 7 stars in the middle in blue and the others in purple.

Christmas Quilt – Peggy Anne has asked me to get a Christmas Quilt ready by June for her store. I have a pattern ready for this and will be getting the top done this month!!!

And … there is a an entire basket of quilt kits …. someday!!!!

Modern Jane

Despite all of the projects I am working on, I could not resist signing up for the Jane Stickle quilt group at Quilter’s Common. I started a Jane quilt a few years ago using reproduction fabrics but I only got four blocks done before I gave up on the idea.

This time around I am feeling more confidant with a few more years of piecing experience and a sewing machine (Bernina 830) that makes it a lot easier to be precise … which is absolutely necessary with these small 4 1/2″ blocks . I have decided to go with modern fabrics this time and I am using a pale gray fabric for the background.

I have a collection of Kaffe Fassett fabrics and also just purchased three sets of 6 1/2″ squares of Kaffe and Philip Jacobs fabrics. I think the 6 1/2″ squares will be perfect for the Dear Jane blocks … 5″ squares would be too small for the blocks that require 2 or more 2 3/4″ square pieces from the same fabric.

I am already ahead of my first attempt attempt at Dear Jane. I have finished four squares and a triangle. I make no promises about keeping up with the pace and I don’t plan to make this a Dear Jane Blog … but, I will post updates as I go along!