April's Block :: Rolling Diamonds

April is just around the corner, so I've been mulling over what block I want you all to make for my month. I've settled on the Rolling Diamonds block by knottygnome crafts. {Here's the block tutorial.} And here's a sample quilt - isn't it fun?

photo by knottygnome crafts

For colors, take this quilt as inspiration! For backgrounds, please use low-volume or barely off-white. KONA snow would be fine, just no super-stark and shiny white please. Any mix of colors is fine for the rest of the block, which will measure 12 1/2" unfinished. My block turned out more medium that bright, but either is fine. Just go bold over pastel.

I'll basically put this same info in our flickr group. So feel free to comment or ask questions either there or in response to this post. I hope you have fun with this block and thank you in advance!

Three Months Worth

So glad we have this blog....just need to remember I can post here ;-)!!!

For Cindy....

spiderweb block

....just need to put in the mail.

For Carla....

juicy fruit churn dash

....hope this is to your liking.  I really don't mind redoing it.

For Linda....

mid-century modern house block

....fun block to make.

Ready for April!

Cheery Churn Dashes!

With today being the first day of spring here in the US, what better way to celebrate than to show you my collection of cheerful blocks!

 You all outdid yourselves with your fabric choices and I'm so excited to be seriously believing that this will soon come together as a quilt. I'll be sewing the blocks together during a quilt retreat in mid-April. First, I'll need to count and see where I stand on numbers...I still might have a few more blocks to make.

 It was fun to get little notes from you all along with the blocks. Rene' and Cindy have especially nice stationary featuring their own creations. Aren't they awesome!

 Thank you, thank you, for your double duty at making more churn dash blocks for me again this round. I'm loving the addition of yellow to my pallet. 

Next year, I'll think of some other block...I promise!
Piecefully yours,
Carla Timberlake
aka: Lollyquiltz

March Spider

Keep forgetting about posting here.  I finished Cindy's blocks and sent them off.  I think it will be great fun for her to put this quilt together.

Have fun Cindy!

Rainbow Spider!

for Cindy....

She is going to have an amazing quilt!

Another Spider

My spiderweb block-quarters are done! I was surprised how many solids were in my scrap basket!

March Forth!

Cindy's text-y center, solid Spider Web block will be in the mail this week! Such a fun design.

Churn Dash Blocks--Feb 2014

This is where I started out.  I made the four blocks, pressed the inner seams open like a Good Girl (as per the instructions) and joined them together. The block measured too big.  So I went back in and ripped out about half the opened-up joining seams, resewed them, and pressed them them open again.  And I still wasn't happy, but I wrapped it up and sent it off.  Like a Good Girl.

I now know realize I am someone who is Open-Quilt-Seam-Challenged.  If my seams are not pressed open, and I need to adjust a squinch, there's no unpicking needed.  I simply sew a bit bigger seam, and since it is pressed to the side, no worries.  For those of you who are Perfect Seam Sewers, I congratulate you.  It's just not me.  I'm always fiddling with things.  Maybe I'm distracted by a good book.  Or a phone conversation. Or the rain outside.  (She hangs her head in shame.)

So, tonight, I went in and made four more blocks to send to Carla, and like some of the other MCM-ers, I'm leaving them unsewn, for Carla to place them where she wants.  And true confession: I pressed the seams to the side, alternating the direction when I pressed the block seams.  Forgive me, Carla.  I really tried.

I hope you like them both!

Spiderweb Solids

I had my sewing room floor covered with the boxes where I keep my solids, and I was determined to get this block done before I cleaned up tonight.  I used some of my favorite low-volume text (an old one from Sweetwater about growing things), cut random strips and sewed sewed sewed.

I cut the strips in a variety of widths, with the largest (the green) at 2".  I do like having a variety of widths, but am thinking my only advice would be to cut them smaller--say, the largest at 1 1/2" width.  Perhaps because they are solids, the wider pieces pop out more, and I think are a little harder to work with.  I was trimming down a lot.

I think this is going to be a smashing quilt!