Week 52 Christmas Star

Only one more challenge block potential to come after this. Yes, this week was another block that required me to be extra choosy with my fabrics as I did not have color variety to make the pattern successful. And since this was a grey/confederate block my stripe options were almost non existent - I had wanted, at first look, to make the wedding ring version with a striped fabric as shown on BB's blog.

But by digging deep into the grey stash and coming up with a few options I went ahead and cut fabrics. I chose what is meant to look like a Christmas rose for the center and four small triangles cut from the Santa's Beard (Jinny Beyer) fabric to go with the Christmas Star idea - oh, and then the fabric with the small stars on it as well.

I am certainly looking forward to being able to have a tidy up in my sewing room after next Saturday's block is made. Perhaps I'll find the week 50 Grapes of Wrath block then which is temporarily awol!

New York rev 1

As mentioned last week I was not entirely happy with the big dark square in the top left corner. So I decided to have another try with the star as shown on BB's blog as the original before it was simplified to make an 8" block. The math does cause problems. I entirely drafted the small star square (yes, got out my compass to accurately divide the four inch square into three) and paper foundation pieced it. Now it is pieced into the rest of the block we see what happens with accurately dividing four inches into three as opposed to rounding and trimming. Oh well.

On the flickr site I noticed some people had used this star instead and since it has always been a favorite of mine I decided to try a block with this one in it.

You might note I have not done a redo using the fabrics that had the red in that I had cut into last week as I felt as though I was cheating my own color scheme rule just a little. After several weeks of needing to stitch a blue block I see we get a confederate block today.

Today's block, the Christmas Star, awaits. But I might need to spend some time in the kitchen first cooking for Christmas. Then wrapping for Christmas. Oh, maybe I'll sew the Christmas Star on Christmas.

Week 51 New York

For the block today Barbara Brackman suggested that it might be one to consider using in the corners of the quilt. So with that in mind I decided to make three versions.

Even if I do not repeat the use of this block in the corners it will be good to have some choices of colorways to help with layout of the blocks. The blue fabric I used for the stripe above is one that I have had all along but not used. Other fabrics that came from the same collection have appeared from time to time I think but not this one.

Here I went with fabrics with just a touch of red in them which has appeared in a few blocks this year.

Of course again it was a challenge for me today to create what is essentially an American flag block when the very necessary red is not a fabric choice I have to select from. And supposing I have some idle moments I might have a try at making the block that this is based on which uses a pieced star in the top left. BB decided that was a difficult one to turn into an 8" block (good thinking!) but with foundation piecing as an option I'd like to see if I could make it work. The fabrics I have with stars on for the top left position give quite a heavy feel to the block that I'm not sure I am happy with.

In the meantime, I think my favorite is the first block I show. That wavy line of stars looks good even if the blue it uses is a difficult one to work with. What's your favorite?

Week 50 Grapes of Wrath

The block this week is one of those that really is better set on point - so kindly twist your head a little could you?

There were several liberties I needed to take with this weeks block with the color being the most obvious. That said, I notice on the flickr site that some people have commented that concord grapes are blue so that is a little solace. I decided to add in a few extra seams to eliminate piecing on the bias. And this fabric has been sitting quietly waiting to be used and I thought the woven appearance of it was well suited for the basket portion.

Another blue block to put up on the wall while I wait for the last two blocks so I can make my final decision on the setting colors to use.

Week 49 Yankee Puzzle

For this week I felt like a brighter block with some pretty fabrics was needed. And it's another Union block so the blue pile was the place to find what I wanted.

There were a few perplexing minutes when I wondered if I was going to have to recut two of the four striped triangles as I could not seem to get the stripes to all run the right way but then suddenly all was clear and correct.

Only four more Saturdays to be presented with a new block. Will there be another applique block to do?

For the layout I have chosen to do I will need an additional three blocks as well as the setting blocks. The weekly blocks are now pinned up on the design wall so I can keep an eye on them while I work out what those additional blocks should be; it's likely I will make three more the same as the one that I choose for appeal so all four corners can have the same block. Or maybe not.