QOV NSD2022 Recap

I wanted to make this Lisa Sutherland quilt. The pattern was only available in a kit in her now closed shop, Quilt Jubilee.  I've been waiting, not so patiently, for Lisa to publish a book with her patterns. In the meantime, Lisa has left quite a few free patterns on her webpage. She even added a few more in celebration of QOV NSD2022! 

I'm not even sure of it's name!

So on Friday I found my jelly roll made from leftover 2.5 inch strips that I had sewn end to end.

Since I didn't have the pattern, I was just guessing at how to make it. I kinda figured I need to sew a square then cut that in half on the diagonal. I would need to do this twice to make 4 quadrants.  I used the old geometry equation: a(2) + b(2) = c(2) or a(squared) + b(squared) = c(squared). Here's a graphic. c is actually the top, bottom and by default side measurements.  a and b are equal, in my case.

So...I use c = 48 since my 4: 12 stars should measure 48 inches. I should have used either 48.5 or 44.5 - there are 2: 2 inch coping strips in Lisa's pattern (see picture above). In any event, when I plugged in c = 48, my a and b = 34. This meant 17: 2.5 inch strips cut to 34.5 inches. Clear as mud?  I cut strips off my roll at 38, sewed 17 together and trimmed to 34.5 inches to make a square then cut it on the diagonal once. I made 2 strippy squares. Here are the results of the two squares each cut on the diagonal once.

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict describes how she made one, here.

Night Owl Quilting's tutorial here.

Connie Kresin of FreeMotion by the River tutorial using a 9 inch block as her base.

Saturday I was working on the stars. I wanted to try the FB QOV Stars block:

A Dandy from Quilters Cache.

Hmmmm.... I wanted two colors to try and calm down the inner part of this quilt. I'm not liking it. 

pattern credit: Quilters Cache A Dandy 

Linda Ashcroft from FB QOV Working Stars had made a variation of this block that I tried next. This is better but not exactly there.

One more attempt. I liked this one best!

pattern credit: Linda Ashcraft's A Dandy Star variation

I was glad I did a test block so I was able to make adjustments before I prepped the other 7 blocks!

After 4 hours, I had sewn three blocks. Two blocks which were experimental and would go into the orphan bin. I was just a tad frustrated at this point. I went upstairs, had some lunch and a change of scenery. I went back to my sewing space and finished the other 7 (yes! 7!) in 2 more hours! Yay!

pattern credit: Linda Ashcraft's A Dandy Star

This is where I left off. I think my next step is to sew my 2 sets of four stars into rows and see what the star row is measuring. Line that up with the 'strippy quarter squares' inner portion and decided a path to make them equal.  

So much thinking!

And just for fun, I'm linking up with Cynthia at Oh Scrap! 

My inner portion of this quilt is definitely scrappy! 😍

SoScrappy Saturday 2.5.2022

Today is the first Saturday of February of the color TEAL/AQUA!

I was a little light in the teal/aqua bag of crumb blocks so I made a few more blocks.

With theses crumb blocks, I made a few hearts and their cutoff hst's. I did sprinkle in a few of the turtle teal crumb blocks that I had made during RSC2021 but saved the rest for my next child's crumb quilt. 

pattern credit: Scrappy Improv Hearts

Today is QOV National Sew Day. Are you sewing along?

I'll be down in my sewing space working on RWB!

Linking up with SoScrappy Saturday

Finish or NOT Friday 2.4.2022

My goal for today was to move my version of Debby Brown's Woven Stars forward. After spending a few days on the design wall while I decided how to tackle the corner triangles, I ended up sewing as the pattern suggests since I cut four too many side triangles! Rather than simply scrap the triangles, I decided to make it as per the pattern. Just think, I could have done this a lot earlier in the week! LOL

After the morning sewing, I had the first set of sashing sewn to the blocks.

Next was the long sashing strips. For this, I did decide to sew one long strip and do my best not too pull it out of whack!

Here it was measuring about 50 x 50. I wanted it a little longer and wider so I added a bit of borders to it. 

In honor of February and Valentine's Day, I added hearts! Patriotic, of course! It measures approximately 55 x 72...before quilting.

pattern credit: Debby Brown's Woven Star

The weather report was 5.1 inches from the storm Landon. DH said that number seemed low. One town west of us reported 7 inches. DH thought that was closer to our accumulation.

Linking up with Alycia at Finish or NOT Friday

WIP Wednesday 2.22022

As promised, the snow has started to accumulate!

The view out my slider door onto the deck.

The RSC2022 color for February is teal. I pulled out my crumb blocks and found most of them had the sea turtle featured in the center (or almost center) and my meager supply of teal.

Sooo....I went to the store and brought a few half yards to supplement. Sorta defeats the whole purpose of the RSC theme but hey....why not?! I did keep my purchases to just a half yard of each, give me some credit, ok?!

The first thing I did was make a few more crumb blocks. Right? I'm cutting up the yardage to make crumb blocks...it's a little fishy...

pattern credit: google search 'crumb blocks', 'mile-a-minute blocks', 'slab blocks' and

                         even '15 minutes of play' and you will find tutorials on construction 

                         methods.

There is QUILTING and SEWING NEWS around the Web! In no particular order:

1. Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict needs to step away from her Hands2Help comfort quilt drive this year due to health related issues. Feel Better Sarah! 

But Mari from the Academic Quilter has stepped up to run H2H2022! I'll be following Mari's blog as H2H is one of my favorite comfort quilt drives to participate in! As soon as I see that Mari has a H2H2022 button available, I'll post it in on my sidebar. For now, here is the picture of it.

2. Saturday February 5, 2022 is the Quilt of Valor National Sew Day. You can register and then sew along in your own studio. You don't need to be a member of National to win prizes!

3. Alycia at Alycia Quilts is hosting a Mystery for Military called Stop Tossing 2022. Click on over to her introductory post to find out all the information on this mystery! Alycia's mysteries are fun and not too difficult! yet still challenging for me! LOL  It finishes at approximately 60 x 80, so perfect for a QOV!!!

Today I'm linking up with Susan at MidWeek Makers

Happy February 1, 2022!

 

photo stolen from web...but I couldn't resist! Pink and whipped cream...yum!

HAPPY FEBRUARY 1st!

Bell Creek Quilts is celebrating by expecting 10-20 inches of snow starting on Wednesday. We are in the path of the next storm...and here I thought we might 'get away' with a milder and less snowy winter! The upside is that if it's snowing then it's cloudy then Punxsutawney Phil won't see his shadow and only 6 weeks until spring!

Well that is if Pennsylvania is in the storm path, too.  😍

Design Wall Monday 1.31.2022

I made a few more 16 patch blocks in red and blue.

 I then added a few of the background blocks, changed out one red block and made the star points.

pattern credit: Debby Brown's Woven Star 

This is where I am stuck. I'm trying to figure out if I want to add the sashing and cornerstones or not. Debby's pattern shows cutting triangles for the corners and ends then adding sashing between. Seems like a bit of extra cutting and sewing to me but I'm not well versed in 'on point' settings and the required math involved. 

I think I'll let it percolate for a spell... In the mean time...

I'm linking up with Judy at Design Wall Monday.

SoScrappy Saturday 1.29.2022

Today is the fifth Saturday of January of the color RED! I consider the fifth Saturday of the month as a 'bonus' or 'free' sewing day!

Did you guess what I did with my little red crumb quilt sandwiches?

I made 'free'style hearts for the little table top tree I brought on clearance after Christmas! I just might make ornaments for all the seasons and/or months. I'm kinda liking the pop of color on the counter. 😍

I started sewing the monochromatic 16 patch blocks for the November 2021 Color Block quilt Woven Stars by Debby Brown. You'll need to enroll...if you haven't and it's free...and then scroll to the bottom of the directions to be able to click on the downloadable link. Of course, I started with RED! LOL

pattern credit: Woven Stars by Debby Brown

Linking up with SoScrappy Saturday

Finish or NOT Friday 1.28.2022

I finished piecing the MSU top yesterday afternoon. It is approximately 60 x 78 before quilting. I'm putting this one in the bin 'to be quilted at a later date'.

pattern credit: Warm Wishes (with modifications...

                                                strips cut at 2.5 inches, strip sets cut at 6.5 inches and

                                                focus fabric cut at 6.5 inches square)

Linking up with Alycia at Finish or NOT Friday

WIP Wednesday 1.26.2022

I decided to make the Warm Wishes pattern with a few modifications for the MSU quilt. I actually cut the pieced blocks strips at 2.5 inches each to yield a block that is 6.5 inches unfinished. I also cut the corresponding focus fabric at 6.5 inch square...unfinished. Here are the first set of blocks. I'm going to make it 13 rows down and 10 blocks across so it will be approximately 60 x 78 before quilting...no border.

 This is as far as I sewed today when DD called. Of course, I talked to DD for maybe an hour, LOL. Today was an off day so she was able to talk when I was awake! 

pattern credit: Warm Wishes (with modifications)

Linking up with Susan at MidWeek Makers

Design Wall Monday 1.24.2022

Today is more of a prepping and planning day for me.

I dug out my red/blue 2.5 inch strips and also cut a few more. I'm behind three quilts in the Color Block Sew Along with Debby Brown. I like to stick to rwb with the color blocks.

 I also organized the newest batch of QOV's for the Casual Quilter's Guild. I think I need to get a humidifier for the basement as it is really dry down there. The last thing I want to do...is short out the long arm again. Last winter, I shorted out the back display. I was lucky that it is still functioning!

I pulled out my red crumb blocks and made these cute little layered pieces. I decided to use the decorative stitches on Baby to stitch over the top seams like crazy quilting. Any guesses as to what? they will become?

Finally, I pressed some more material. I was thinking about making quilts for my in-laws for Christmas 2022. I also thought if I made the flimsies ahead of time, the quilting would go quickly in November/December. First up will be for my FIL. He's a graduate of Michigan State University, Class of 1962.

That's where I ended my day. 

I put a beef roast in the oven. I'm slowly trying to use 'the food' I purchased for Christmas 2021 that I didn't use...

Linking up with Judy at Design Wall Monday