BlockLotto - May 2010 - Reeds

May 2010 - Reeds

• Directions for the Block: 
  http://blocksnswaps.blogspot.com/2010/04/reeds-free-pieced-quilt-block.html
• Examples of Blocks:
  http://blocklotto.blogspot.com/search/label/May%2010%20photos

Since I have won the last two months I am donating my blocks to the lottery (I'm lusting after them though). They will make a really modern quilt! ...and the lime green would be perfect for the Karl and Heather wedding quilt.....

I finished my blocks up during the week before May (my reward for sending in blocks before the deadline was getting to see the directions early).

I think I have mastered this block now - but when I was first making it I was fretting about the curves and if it was going to be flat.  I put a warm iron on the block and turned it off - then left that over night - that seemed to do the trick.   I used four different backgrounds and three different greens.  It was easier to sew on the plain kona cotton than the print material. I used a paper template to create the block in the middle - the rest were free cut with rotary cutter.

BlockLotto - April 2010 - Wonky Shoo Fly

April 2010 - Wonky Shoo Fly

• Directions for Blocks:
  http://blocksnswaps.blogspot.com/2010/03/three-ways-to-wonkify-traditional-quilt.html
• Examples of blocks:
  http://blocklotto.blogspot.com/search/label/April%2010%20photos

I finished my blocks up during the week before April (my reward for sending in blocks before the deadline was getting to see the directions early).

These were so much fun to sew! Sophie had really clear directions for doing them using three different methods - made it so easy to just pick two pieces of fabric and cut and sew! really it took longer to design on the fabrics and to verify they were washed and color set than it did to stitch them up!

I learned that sometimes the contrast does not show up as expected (see the purple blocks) - in real life these were really pretty fabrics together - just not the best contrast for the challenge.

When the drawing was held for the lottery, I was a winner!

---
To be Added:  The backstory and process of changing these in a quilt!
---

I only kept the dark blue with larger floral blocks (blocks 6 and 8 above counting from the top right) and sent the rest off to others who won them.

These will be so fun to quilt - lots of space for stitching to show in the 'plain' blocks!

BlockLotto - Mar 2010 - Log Cabin Quilt with Attitude

Mar 2010 - Log Cabins with Attitude

• Directions:
  http://blocklotto.blogspot.com/2010/03/scrap-strips-for-log-cabin-quilt-with.html
• Examples:
  http://blocklotto.blogspot.com/search/label/March%2010%20photos

I posted my blocks to the BlockLotto on March 17th

http://blocklotto.blogspot.com/2010/03/blocks-from-june.html

For the challenge, Sophie asked us to use blue, green, purple, black and white - and just to have other colors for accent.

I won the lottery! So 48 blocks will be sent to me from around the world! Very exciting indeed!

---
To be added:  The backstory and process of changing these into a quilt!
---

Now that I have gone thru the process and won the blocks and I can see the importance of really keeping in the colors. My fabric that I used middle right had all the colors she asked for plus orange and red - once the blocks are together those are the colors that stand out.

So for now on I'm really, really sticking only to the colors she lists....

BlockLotto - February 2010 - Liberated Love Letters

Double click image to see detail!

Feb 2010 - Liberated Love Letters

• Directions:
  http://blocklotto.blogspot.com/2010/02/liberated-love-letters-for-february.html
• Examples:
  http://blocklotto.blogspot.com/search/label/Feb%2010%20photos

This second month of the block lotto was really a challenge. We were to think of endearing words and write them out using pieced fabric!

I posted my blocks on Feb 23rd
http://blocklotto.blogspot.com/2010/02/one-word-from-june-d.html

There were not as many people who put entries in the lottery for this month - it was a hard challenge.  Even though I was given a sneak preview of the directions I needed all the time possible to get the blocks done.

It's a very cool effect to combine a pattern with words - something to practice and get more comfortable with doing.

BlockLotto - January 2010 - Tic Tac Toe

January 2010 - Tic Tac Toe

Click on image to show enlarged view.

 BlockLotto - January 2010 - Tic Tac Toe

• Directions:
  http://blocksnswaps.blogspot.com/2009/12/lets-play-tic-tac-toe.html
• Examples:
  http://blocklotto.blogspot.com/search/label/Jan%2010%20photos

The directions were posted January 1st - along with links to photos of example blocks already completed.

It took so much time for me to get set up and to get my quilting equipment and the sewing machine set up.

I also had to figure out how to get pictures so they could be posted to the site. Here is the link to my first posting of blocks for the blocklotto (Jan 24 10)
http://blocklotto.blogspot.com/2010/01/contributions-from-june.html

A few days later I posted my final three blocks (Jan 27 10)
http://blocklotto.blogspot.com/2010/01/final-three-from-june.html

Part of the trouble was my coding from 1989 of putting a safety pin in the fabric if it was washed and tested to be color safe had slipped my mind - so I was soaking fabric in vinegar and then washing it to be sure it wouldn't bleed. The kitchen looked like a science experiment!

BlockLotto for 2010

I am actually writing this after the fact - I can't remember what I was searching for when I found the BlockLotto...

But I am so glad that I found it! Sophie has been organizing this for several years - this year it happens she is having all the blocks to be designed in liberated quilting style - just up my alley. Of course I can't remember when I heard about this too - but I feel a real connection to this style.

Each month Sophie designs a block and posts directions. The direction include what colors of fabric, end sizes, and other steps. She includes example blocks too.

As we want we finish blocks and posts pictures on her blog - if they meet the criteria she includes them in the count for the drawing that is held last day of the month. The winner(s) are announced and addresses exchanged so the blocks can be mailed. The blocks will all be different sizes so there is no use really in making an extra one each month - the photos will have to do for remembering what was done.

So I'm signing on - there is no monthly commitment but as she says "if you don't play you can't win!"

My First Finished Quilt - A Nap Quilt

This is my first finish for a quilt.

Project Started 1992 - finished November 2009

I started the quilt when my son was in preschool. I'd take a quilting class in the room that was next door to that so I could hear the kids as I was sewing. This particular quilt was done with templates. It was called a crazy quilt block. Each student was asked to bring in two fabrics they did not like. I think she asked us to bring a dark and a light fabric. Then we passed the fabric around and we each got a template piece - and we cut up the fabric. Then somehow it was distributed. One of the ladies cut some of the blocks backward and threw away the pieces. I grabbed all those and the scraps that were left behind. I had fun sewing these blocks and made enough for two of these nap quilts. To make it larger I added the pieced border. I was thinking I'd bring it for A to take naps on - instead of beach towels.

But I didn't finish this in time for that - as now, instead of being 4-years old,  he is 21.

Well, I finally decided I wanted to finish some quilting things up so I brought it to one of the Super Saturdays that the Adult Education has - and it was the same teacher! So like 17 years later she finally showed me how to finish it.  (Her "Quilting" classes are really all about piecing.)

1. Tape the backing down - then to tape the batting on top - pin and sew together.
2. Tape the front down and tape the sewed back together - pin and sew together. She had me use the edge of the tape to create the curved corners.
3. Sort of roll the quilt inside out - to birth the quilt - sew up the hole.
4. Make a double loop with the yarn to do the ties. (I ended up using crochet thread as the yarn was very difficult to pull thru. She was suggesting I do the loops in the center of the pieces but I decided to do them in the intersections.

It was fun to do the loops while sitting in the den with B & A watching TV. First I did all the corners - then I adding some about an inch all the way around.

I gave to him, telling him the original reason (for naps). I asked him to use when he fell asleep in front of the TV for his head...

The next morning when I came downstairs he was on the sofa and had the quilt wrapped around his shoulders. Wish I'd taken a photo, but at least I have the memory.

Added 7-26-10:  Caught him sleeping with the quilt..!