Chock-A-Block Wednesday

Disappearing 9-Patch Variation

This is another way to transform

a 9-patch block into something

more interesting.

Fabric Requirements:

Block A:

4 - 5" squares of dark fabric

5 - 5" squares of light fabric

Block B:

4 - 5" squares of light fabric

5 - 5" squares of dark fabric

Layout squares as shown as

sew together in 3 rows.  Press

seams in rows 1 & 3 to the outside

and seams in row 2 to the inside.

Sew rows together and press

seams to the outside.

Now here comes the interesting

part.  Measure the center block,

in this case it is 4 1/2", now take

half of that measurement which

is 2 1/4" and cut 2 1/4" off both

sides of the blocks as shown.

Set aside strips.

Now take the inner section and

cut 2 1/4" strips from the top

and bottom.  Set strips aside.

Swap the smaller center strips

from each block, layout as shown

and sew back together.

Swap the longer side pieces from

each block and sew together taking

care to match the intersections of the

seams.  Notice there will be extra

fabric at each end.  Square to 13".

And there are your two finished blocks.

These blocks would make

a very interesting quilt.



Field Report from Nature Girl

Finding Joy in Life's Simplicity

I have been very lucky to have

led an life filled with excitement.

I don't know how it happened ~ I'm

just a quiet, rather shy person but

I guess I have always been in the

right place at the right time.

Someone will say, "I'm going to ____

want to come along?"  So I go and

that is how life has always been.

I have had thrilling experiences.

But life is not only about the

big ticket thrills, the simple

everyday things can be equally

and sometimes more rewarding.

I try to spend part of everyday

on a trail in the woods with my

best friend, Mia the Wonder Dog.

Sometimes my other best friend,

Mr. Wonderful, gets to join us.

Tonight I saw some beautiful

funghi and a barred owl.

Simply wonderful.

Very soon I'll head outside to have

a good long look at the night sky.  Last

night we saw quite a few shooting stars. 

Where do you find simple pleasures?



Night in Hong Kong

It is almost brighter once the sun goes down.

Hong Kong is a nice city during

the day but it comes alive

when the sun goes down.

It is a chaotic atmosphere on

the street at night.

I love the neon, it reminds

me of the old Times Square.

Cars, buses, taxis, people

and vendors all share the street.

In the night market, a few tarps

are hung, tables and stools are

thrown out on the street and

you have a busy restaurant.



Civil War Remembered ~ Block 35

Star of the West

We are quilting along with Barbara

Brackman's Civil War Quilt 2011.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/

Fabric Requirements:

Fabric A: Light (White)

4 - 2 1/2" squares

2 - 3 1/4" squares

Fabric B: Medium (Gold)

4 - 2 1/2" squares

Fabric C: Dark (Blue)

2 - 3 1/4" squares

Fabric D: Dark (Red)

4 - 3 1/4" squares  - Mark

a diagonal line on the back.

Make Half Square Triangles:

Pair 3 1/4" squares with right sides

together in the following combinations:

2 - A/D     2 - C/D

Sew 1/4" away from wach side of drawn

line and press to the darker fabric.

Square to 2 1/2".

Make Corner Units:

Layout units as shown and sew together

in 2 rows.  Press seam in row 1 to the left

and seam in row 2 to the right. 

 Sew rows together and press seam

to the top.  Square to 4 1/2".

Make 4.

Assemble Block:

Layout  units as shown and sew together

in 2 rows.  Press seam in row 1 to the left

and seam in row 2 to the right.

Sew rows together and press final seam

open to reduce bulk.  Square to 8 1/2.

Check out everyone's work

at Dustin's Flickr site:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/civilwarquilts2011/

This week I used scraps from my

Hopes and Dreams Quilt.  I

designed this quilt a few years ago

for a local guild's Block of the Month.

It was inspired by the American pioneers

who headed West with their hopes & dreams.



The Quilts of the Indiana State Fair

In the Home & Family Arts Building

at the Indiana State Fair there is always

a lovely display of quilts made from all

over the State.  I thought you might like to

see them.

Sorry for the poor picture quality

but this is not a great place to

photograph quilts.  The following

quilts are in glass cases and there

is a lot of glare from lighting but

I included them because the

quilts are so lovely.

For those who live outside of

the United States, do you have

something like a State Fair?



Friday Quilt Class: Flying Geese

This is the method I use to make

the Flying Geese unit.  There are

many methods and tools out there

but I have found this to be the easiest

and most accurate.

A Flying Geese unit starts with a

rectangle that is twice as long as

it is high.  For instance, 2" x 4",

3" x 6", 4" x 8".

This is the finished measurement,

so you will need to add 1/2" to your

measurements to allow for a 1/4"

seam on each side.  So those rectangles

would now be, 2 1/2" x 4 1/2", etc.

We are making a 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" unit.

To this we will place a 2 1/2" square

with a diagonal line marked on the

back on the left side of the rectangle

as shown above.  You will sew a thread

width below the drawn line to

accomodate the turn of the fabric when

pressing. 

 Press to the corner and then

trim the back 2 layers of fabric to 1/4".

Now place another 2 1/2" square with a

diagonal line drawn on back, right sides

together on the right side of the rectangle

as shown.  Sew a thread width below the

drawn line.

Press to the corner and trim the

back 2 layers of fabric to 1/4".

Square to 2 1/2" x 4 1/2".