So I did not do much in the way of sewing on Saturday as it was a very nice day and there were multiple errands to run, including dropping off my Bernina for service (when I get that very polite message, I always head it into the shop) and running over to the LQS to get some feedback on the piece I am working on for them (I will do another post on that, I promise).  I added another border to that project!  Then I had to run the dogs to their spa treatment, so they spent a lovely time getting baths and having nails painted and the day was pretty much gone.  And had gotten away from me!

So Sunday I decided that I really needed to use up some pieces from the LQS project, including a boatload of 3 inch squares of Kona in a variety of colors.  I overcut.  Quite a bit.  I also had some fairly large pieces of Lucky Penny in white.  And so I started to hack.  And slash.  And hack some more.

I cut white pieces into 7 1/2 squares (that was the final choice – I started at 8 1/2 but they were too large).  I then randomly picked 3 of the 3 inch Kona squares for the corners.  Why only 3 corners?  Why not!

The 3 inch squares were placed on the corners and I drew diagonal lines and sewed on the line.  I then cut 1/4 inch from the sewn line and pressed and Voila, a block.  I made a total of 16 blocks this way.

Placement?  Hmmmm…I decided to have the first row with all the empty corners (no 3 inch piece on it) oriented to the bottom left, the next row pointed it to the upper right, and then bottom left, then upper right!  I got two distinct patterns this way, a full square and an hourglass thingy.

So it was a little small, and I added a 3 inch by 7 1/2 inch strip to make a first border, placing 3 inch Kona squares on the strip ends as needed to place them in spots where they finish up the secondary patterns.  I sewed and trimmed these the same way as the large squares – diagonal line, sew on line, and trim and press.  Once that border was complete, I added a second border of 3 inches by length, adding a 3 inch square on the ends.  For the top and bottom strips, I added a 3 inch white square to make the length fit properly.

I then sewed remaining 3 inch Kona pieces together to get a very colorful border.  I have made a back and the piece is pinned and ready to quilt.  I will update as soon as it is all done!

When I was making my permutations quilt (http://evildemondevildog.com/2014/01/25/a-study-in-permutations/) I did some block exploration.  One of the blocks I made was a twisted log cabin.

The block found a new home and fame and fortune on Instagram!  A couple of folks have asked about the pattern.  So here is an experiment since I have never tried posting a pdf file to my blog!

The block is from Electric Quilt 7 – I have been using EQ for quite some time (okay, ever since it first came out!) and I love the versatility of the blocks, designs and layouts that can be accomplished.  I have attached a six and seven inch version of the pdf file for your use (disclaimer – I checked EQ7s write up and web page and they say the blocks are not copyright – there are a couple of exceptions and this was not one of them).

Twisted Log Cabin Six Inch Block

Twisted Log Cabin Seven Inch Block

Amanda at http://materialgirlquilts.wordpress.com/ has an amazing QAL going on!  Use a layer cake – check!  Use half square triangles – check!  Absolutely loving this QAL.

I am using Shades of Black from Me & My Sister Designs – the layer cake is from Moda.  I am also using a plain purple Kona as well as a Moda Marble Dots in purple to give some variety to the layouts.

And six weeks later we are at block 12!  Every Friday Amanda provides two blocks to add to the QAL.  She provides pictures of her block as well as alternate layouts for the blocks.

I have been having a great time with the QAL and several of my Instragram friends who are participating.  I am not even bothered by the fact that jessicaquilter always gets her blocks done before I do (well, not bothered much I suppose).

Here’s the two most recent blocks 11 and 12 as well as the whole group of 12 that have been made to date.

And we are now up to number 14!  The picture to the left  includes the newest additions (they are shown in the top left of the picture)!  This thing is going to be ginormous!

And tomorrow is Friday so we should be coming to two new ones!  Join me sometime this weekend when I post those.

And again, a finish but blogging is way behind!  It needs to be quilted but I am happy with the result.  There were options for setting the blocks, including sashing and cornerstones, but I went with just having the blocks put together with an outside border.  I liked the additional patterns that formed from keeping the blocks together.  This was an amazing experience!

My admiration of Alison Glass fabric continues, and after working with it for the Feathers QAL I decided to make some geese.  There is an awesome pattern on her website that I may one day try but for this effort I stayed relatively small (about 31 inches square).

I started by making one of my favorite patterns, A Circle of Geese.  This pattern is available from http://www.piecebynumber.com/circleofgeese.htm.   I then created some additional geese in different sizes.

And then I debated what to do and turned to my friends on Instagram who as always helped me out in terms of next steps – I debated putting feathers or arrows as a border, but then decided that I would use the column fabric I had and frame the geese – the folks on IG are so inspirational for me and so full of great ideas.  I love having other quilters to turn to for input.

Once I had that done, I created a backing using some leftover pieces.

And finally, some  straight line diagonal quilting, a binding (always a dilemma to me – again my IG friends helped me out) and a label and voila!

I think it came out super!  A couple lessons learned during this process:

(1) Do not wear headphones when you baste and quilt – you will not hear the crinkling of the paper you apparently forgot to tear off the circle of geese.  Well, gives new meaning to the ‘crinkly love’ of a quilt!

(2) When you piece a backing and believe you have it perfectly lined up, forget it.  I’ve done this more than once!  The back gets just a little off kilter.  It still looks good.

And now I am debating what to do with it.  I certainly do not need another quilt in the quilt museum known as my house.  And it isn’t really a kid’s blanket type of thing.  I debated doing it as a giveaway for my IG friends but that means I have to make a decision (or let some random generator do it).  And you see how I get with bindings!

So for all her help and putting up with my IG nonsense while I worked on this quilt, I randomly decided that pattinottessa gets first decline!

Well, yes indeed, after 25 plus years of sewing and never having participated in a quilting bee or block exchange, here I am in not one but two bees this year!  This one was started by three of my favorite Instagram friends, Jessica, Lisa and Lisa.  We were all ooooohhh and aaahhh about Lindsey Connor’s Modern Bee book.  It is a delightful book that provides 13 quilts to make with friends.

And what started as a lark grew into a hive and grew into more hives!  I lost count but I believe there are fourteen now!  And from what I have seen on Instagram there is now an Australian chapter!

So if you are on Instagram, look for the Moderninstabee2014 hashtag!  and check out the wonderful quilting work by Hive 1 – sewbeait, jessicaquilter, missplanner, pamsaylor53, sqragan, moogiequilter, cristycreates, crinklelove, justalittleoffquilter, lisaquiltslikeaboss, and the mind behind the hive brazenlisa (and me of course).

Here are my February blocks for sewbeait:

And then we moved on to March for jessicaquilter.

And I also had to create labels to provide to everyone based on the awesome label that was created (I couldn’t get the little camera to digitize, but the bee is too cute).

Having a fun 2014!

I am very excited for the upcoming year.  2014 is taking me on quilting adventures that I have never been on before.

I have to begin with what I am most excited about and that is the #NGAQB.  What’s that you say!  Well, for background you should know about the antics I have had on Instragram.  I blame it on Rio.  No, actually I have to blame it on molli_sparkles (http://www.mollisparkles.com/).  It was a few months back where several us on IG were going back and forth on some posts and he was kind enough to suggest that we do a quilt bee with just the guys.  It became known as the No Girls Allowed Quilt Bee and we are all looking forward to the 2014 adventures we are going to have.

I have to admit to a bit of an intimidation factor going on!  Some of the guys in the group have quite impressive credentials and I am hoping that my work is up to the challenge!  Hopefully they won’t kick me out when I forget to clip a thread!

But I really have in a short period of time developed a feeling of quilt community and camaraderie with all the guys who are involved in this adventure.  I will be honest – quilting has for me been a rather solo endeavor.  I tried to get involved in quilt groups before with limited success (being the only guy was just wretched).  And while these days I have evolved into someone who can walk into a quilt shop and just have fun, there was a time where the ‘oh, did your wife send you here for something’ or ‘you look a little lost’ sometimes irritated me enough that I left!  I have not had that happen lately, especially here where I am known in both my LQS and the local Joann’s (yes, I know the store layout better than some of the folks who work there which is a little scary).  So this bee adventure is a big step for me in terms of growing as a quilter and becoming more engaged with those who share my passion for fabric and quilting.

Look for massive doses of postings here and on IG in the month of May!  I have asked for blocks that will be used to complete something I started a while back when this was posted to IG.  This so caught my attention that I started cutting squares of fabric at 4:00 a.m. and had the layout on my design wall by 7!  He is just waiting for the blocks I have requested and then I plan on doing a better banner across the top.  We will see!

I’ve completed my January blocks which have gone off to the UK and am mailing my February blocks off as well.  Overachiever?  Probably a little bit but also really, really nervous since this is the first time I have done something like this and I am really obsessing about time commitments (work is looking to be a real zoo in January and February).  The excellent pattern and tutorial was from http://thepeonyteacup.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/lone-starburst-paper-pieced-block.html.

I also mailed off my February blocks (shhhhh, he doesn’t know it yet).

The other 2014 adventure I will definitely be taking is the a quilt along using the Feathers pattern by Nydia Kehnle and Alison Glass.  Love Alison Glass’ fabric, love the pattern and am looking forward to doing this.  Not sure if I will finish in time (but I hope to!).

And then of course I confess to a few leftovers from 2013 which need to be quilted.  I need to get back to a lovely project using V Christenson Simply Style fabrics.  And I can adventure back  into Tula Pink blocks or 500 Blocks or…well, all the things I’d like to do just is very long, so we shall see as the year progresses.  The most important part for me is that I will be undertaking all kinds of new quilting adventures in 2014 and hope you will be too.  Happy and healthy new year to all!