Moda Blockheads-Block #8

Moda Blockheads block #8 is Basket of Triangles by Betsy Chutchian. The Block of the Week project is based on 6 1/2″ blocks. I started with this size but I was not happy without the outcome so I decided to make my blocks 12 1/2″. I am very happy with this decision. Although the smaller blocks posted on the Facebook page are beautiful I did not think I could complete all 48 blocks and have any sanity left. I have a deep respect for the members that love sewing small blocks and do it so well. Several ladies even make 3″ blocks using each pattern. I would be a resident at Shady Rest if I tried that. 🙂

So far I have loved each pattern and learned a lot along the way.

I am happy with my color choices but I will redo this block. I did not trim my HST and my block measures 13 1/2″.

#modablockheads

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Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal – April 2017 – Success!

I had two monthly goals for April and I am happy to say I completed both. The first goal was to join my blocks of the Vintage Farm Girl quilt with sashings and borders. As you will notice I did not make all the blocks in the book but I am happy with the ones I did. I joined the blocks with white sashings and red/white gingham corner stones. I found a cute Waverly fabric in yellow with red cherries for the borders that gives the quilt a little more ‘vintage’ feel.

Goal number two was to add the borders to my Nine Patch Star quilt which I accomplished also. 🙂 I added a solid gray border that I think frames the blocks.

Now it is your turn. Are you in the One Monthly Goal challenge with Elm Street Quilts? I have several projects in various stages of completion now so I am not sure which I will choose to be my OMG for May.

#Elm Street Quilts

#One Monthly Goal

Here is the link…I forgot to add it:

http://www.elmstreetquilts.com/2017/04/one-monthly-goal-april-finish.html

 

 

Moda Blockheads-Block #7

This week the Moda Blockheads block of the week comes from Designer Lynne Hagmeier from Kansas Troubles Quilters. It is called Penny Basket. I have to admit when I first looked at the pattern I thought “Oh, a basket of doughnuts.” 🙂 This was around 7:00 a.m. and before breakfast so anything would look like food to me.

This was another fun block and I am learning new techniques along the way, especially the ‘layered patchwork’ that Lynne does so well. Of course we have the option of making each block our own so they all look different.

http://kansastroublesquilters-lynne.blogspot.com

#modablockheads

 

 

Tribute to my ‘bonus’ grandchildren’s father

It is with a heavy heart that I post this message today. My wonderful bonus grandchildren’s father passed away this weekend from ALS. He was the most dedicated father I have ever met. Always the first to think up or join in on any fun activity that came along that involved his kids. He would drive in from another state to watch a ball game or attend any school function that involved his kids. They went hiking, mountain climbing, and many other activities as a loving family. It helped that the dad was the biggest ‘kid’ among them.

I was awarded admission into this amazing family group when my son married a sweet lady with two children. They blended well with few, if any, bumps along the way (that I didn’t even hear about as we live in different states.) If anyone wrote a script about how divorced parents should act and raise their children, these people would win the award. All three (my son, DIL, and X husband) joined together to make it happen without waves. The extended family of all sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. read the rule book and followed it. They are all amazing people.

The result of this dedication to put the children first is two adult children that are happy, educated, and well-adjusted and an extended family that is mourning the loss of a wonderful fun-loving dad that left an impression on everyone that had the privilege of knowing him. They come away knowing they had two sets of parents that love them.

ALS is a horrible disease that takes the lives of so many of our young, robust people. Please support the continuing effort to stamp out and control this disease.

 

 

Moda Blockheads – Block #6

Moda Blockheads for week #6 is called Sunflower by Carrie Nelson. It was another fun and easy block to put together. I continue to have problems with my camera (or just maybe it is the photographer) but the actual colors are a dark tan for the background and the center heart, a rust color for the flower blades, and deep country purple for the inside corner blocks and the center circle. Also, the white shadow on the center circle is spray starch that I got a little heavy-handed when applying. It doesn’t show on the actual block but it popped up in the picture.

This is the first quilt a-long I have participated and I am finding it lots of fun to construct the blocks and seeing all the blocks from others. Each one is amazing and different. I am learning so much and look forward to Wednesdays.

 

 

 

 

Moda Blockheads, Block #5 – Revised

As I mentioned in my last blog post of Block #5 I was not happy with my color choices. It is so funny how colors can look so perfect in my head and then just do not work when the block is completed. Thanks to some wonderful advice from Texas Quilter, I decided to make another block with colors that will blend with my previous choices. The small center star is actually the same autumn purples used in another block even though it looks blue. The color of the large star is a rust color, also used in other blocks. The camera/lighting does not do the colors justice-or the photographer does not know what they are doing. 🙂  (Thanks again Texas Quilter)

#modablockheads

 

Moda Blockheads, Block #5

Moda Blockheads week 5 is called Coronation by Lisa Bongean. Although I am not very happy with my color choices, the block was fun and a learning experience.

Here are the first five blocks. I think I will re-do block #5 with colors that have better contrast.

#modablockheads

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal, April

I am entering the One Monthly Goal program from Elm Street Quilts. In this program you add your goals each month and follow-up with the progress at the end of the month. This is the first time I have tried this and I am not sure exactly how to do all the link ups, etc. but I am going to give it a try. Here is the link:

http://www.elmstreetquilts.com/2017/04/one-monthly-goal-april-goal-link-up.html

Goal #1: Join the blocks I made from Lori Holt’s Vintage Farm Girl book with sashings.

Goal #2: Add borders to my Nine Patch Star quilt top.