Starry Bright Sky QAL: Foundation Paper Piecing Pattern 9b

This month is fun - we are doing a foundation paper piecing block!

I am starting with the second block, but have the paper part all ready for the first block too.  I'm busy getting ready to go to a wedding, and then dog sitting and visiting friends on the East coast so get to do that first!

It was an easy pattern to prepare and sew.  Completed it all in one sitting!

I like the way the paper lets you know when you have misaligned the pieces.  I had to add two extra bits of blue to fill the block out...

I've only done a few other paper pieced blocks.  The best was a beautiful deer design that I found online at Julianna's site at: http://jednoiglec.blogspot.com/2012/12/not-so-spring-deer-pattern.html

I sent it off to Katrin in Germany when I was mailing her some blocks she was compiling into a quilt for a friend with an ill child...  I just peeked at her blog and see she has been working on adding blocks to surround the deer block!

The link to see all the other interpretations of the blocks is at:
http://alidatweloqdesigns.blogspot.com/2018/09/starry-bright-sky-qal-linky-month-9.html

Starry Bright Sky QAL - Textured four-patches - Star Gathering month 7

http://alidatweloqdesigns.blogspot.com/2018/07/starry-bright-sky-qal-textured-four.html

I'm a bit behind in the optional textured four-patches part of the Starry Bright Sky QAL.  This month finally had time to get the materials out, read the directions and do the stitching. for the challenge for month 7.

I had fun relearning how to make the knots for hand stitching...!  I like the method where:

1. Thread the needle
2. Take the long end of the thread and place it on the needle so the end is near the eye of the needle.
3. Wrap the thread a few times around the needle.
4. Transfer to the other hand
5. Hold the thread so the wraps stay, and slide the resulting knot so it magically appears near the end of the thread!

After I did some of the gatherings, I had to return to make it so more the fabric would be gathered.

Here is how it looked after I finished the stitching:

I don't have a steam option on my iron, so I left the work pinned on the board for a few days before sewing in the four patch.

Something was wrong with the tension on the stay stitching, but I thought it was making the noise when I got to a stitch that had to be sewn.

Starry Bright Sky QAL: English Paper Piecing Pattern 8a

Link to see how others interpreted this block:
http://alidatweloqdesigns.blogspot.com/2018/08/starry-bright-sky-qal-linky-month-8.html

In my quest to avoid hand stitching I found a site where I learned how to make an eight pointed star:

(I realized after looking closer that y-seams might be involved, so I jumped on the method taught at this site)

https://www.quiltingcompany.com/lemoyne-star-quilt-block-without-set-in-seams-free-block-builders-workshop-video-lesson/

So here is my block!

Front 

Back

I found a nice tutorial for marking the pieces that I may use another time (it's a variation of what I did two years ago when I did the hexagons for Alida's challenge.)

I need to get more comfortable with hand stitching, but pleased that I figured out a way to complete the blocks!

Starry Bright Sky QAL: English Paper Piecing Pattern 8b

http://alidatweloqdesigns.blogspot.com/2018/08/starry-bright-sky-qal-pattern-8.html

I have trouble with all hand stitching.  So again I had to adapt the design and methods for the blocks.

I did make freezer paper templates for the design, but I put the pieces together and sewed them.  I decided to keep going and to sew the background pieces on too.  I was at a quilt away from home sewing event when I did this and I realized I didn't have the fabric I thought I had stacked to bring, so it came out a little differently than I had envisioned.  But I'm pleased with the effect.  (Originally I was going to put additional points on some of the pieces so it looked more like a star, but now it looks like a planet or maybe a meteor like we saw last weekend while in Colorado. Cool!)

I could have been more deliberate with the way the seams went, it could have added additional detail in the final block.  

To see what the others have completed click here:

http://alidatweloqdesigns.blogspot.com/2018/08/starry-bright-sky-qal-linky-month-8.html

Starry Bright Sky QAL: Fabric Weaving Pattern 7a

http://alidatweloqdesigns.blogspot.com/2018/07/starry-bright-sky-qal-pattern-7.html

While I was in Ireland I ordered the wefty needles, I watched the videos I could find, and was really excited to try this new-to-me way of making fabric.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xlUirFs0Kg -
Tumbling Blocks Madweave Tutorial (Wefty)

Fabric Weaving: Triaxial Tumbling Blocks Weave -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ3EvDHUcCQ

Fundamentals of Fabric Weaving with Mister Domestic -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VhYyI5SmN4

I watched more than this while there and once I returned...  I decided to set things up using the bottom of a box I was given at Costco.  Worked well.  I felt good that I didn't go to store to buy the foam core board.

Also, I didn't have the recommended lightweight woven fusible, but I used tape to secure the piece and was able to remove it quite well.

So that wasn't the problem.  

Here you can see that I drew the grid on the box, and used painters tape to secure so I could remove it to the sewing machine...

I just need more help and different directions so I can get the correct pattern in my work.  Maybe an example where a different fabric was used for the different sections - just to get where to do the weaving! I'm not sure if my error was made in level two or/and level three...

So this is what I ended up with.  Not happy with it.  Maybe will make a pillow top, or maybe not.

Other people were able to do the design as planned, and some did not.  http://alidatweloqdesigns.blogspot.com/2018/07/starry-bright-sky-qal-linky-month-7.html  I submitted my block via email, I received the next month's pattern but just now it doesn't look like she posted my image on the linky.  Oh well.

I Made a Purse for Ireland!

I had taken a photo - mine is denim with different colors for the zippers.  I added more pockets.  Very pleased!  Off to the airport now!


How to Make a Cross Body Phone Bag


Tips for doing the Zipper

YouTube: Making Packing Cubes

Mainly need a long zipper to do this.

Have to scroll back all her talk about going to DisneyWorld, but in the end, directions seem clear and the result is very nice. I think she starts the actual sewing around minute 7...!

Managing My Inbox

It's fun getting email. If I did not sign up for blog updates and newsletters my email activity would be very slow. I use gmail for most of my email. I have my work and volunteer emails set up so they go into my personal inbox, and I handle everything from there. It's very convenient. 

I set it up so my default email is my work email, and that helps me organize and find work related emails.

However, it means too often I either do not read emails including blog posts or newsletters, and when I do read them I do not delete them.

My gmail box has been almost full for a long time. 

So now I'm going through and unsubscribing from lists and newsletters.

As I unsubscribe I code the last email with a blue star, and delete all the unstarred messages.

This way I will be able to see how many emails I receive after I unsubscribed, and I will be able to see emails coded with any star (showing interest on my part), and if I want to resubscribe I can see an example email to help me decide.  I also could activate my blog roll on this blog to help me remember to visit sites...

It's slow going.  When I started I had used 99% of the gmail storage.  Now it's at 94%. I thought it would be lower, but that's what it says.

I've tried deleting emails by the date, or the from address - but this time I'm actually unsubscribing.

Some of the services people use for their lists have a spot where I am required to click on why I'm leaving. The choices seem silly.  - I don't want to receive emails.  - the emails are spam   - I did not subscribe  - not what I expected.  At first I was filling out the Other option as I wanted folks to know I enjoyed their emails and posts, but needed to cut back on emails.  Now I just click I don't want to receive these emails..

Denise & Katie Austin’s 6-Minute Toning Workout

Not sure if embedding this video in a blog post will work, but thought I'd try!
Denise & Katie Austin’s 6-Minute Toning Workout

Starry Bright Sky QAL: Curved Piecing Pattern 6a

http://alidatweloqdesigns.blogspot.com/2018/06/starry-bright-sky-qal-pattern-6.html

I had the pieces for this block in my stash....  A while back I had this vision of making a blue and yellow dot quilt, but it wasn't coming together.  It was this selection of fabric though that I have been using for the Starry Bright Sky QAL this year.  These are my longest to have favorite colors: blue and yellow.

I had to trim to make the correct size...

I'll link to her linky:

http://alidatweloqdesigns.blogspot.com/2018/06/starry-bright-sky-qal-linky-month-6.html

(almost forgot to do this, but she emailed me I won the second gift for last month's drawing and that reminded me!)

It's really fun to see how everyone is interpreting the designs.

http://alidatweloqdesigns.blogspot.com/