Spring

I've forgotten to tell you that my Disappearing Four Patch has been quilted and bound and is now ready for the giving. The Official Cookie Tester kindly earned his keep by helping me get a full shot of it, but I have to say that this pic really doesn't do it justice.

It's a very soft, traditional and feminine quilt and the swirl that Roberta used to quilt it just finishes it off beautifully - thank you Roberta! All of those florals really evoke the blossoms of Spring and a reminder that we will soon be able to get into the garden.

I backed and bound it with a very traditional blue floral but just about any colour would have worked because there are so many colours in it.

This one is all ready to deliver. I have to say that without Roberta offering to quilt it for me it would still be sitting in a pile of flimsies, but now it will have a new home.  It is a great pattern for charity quilts because it looks like you've put in lots more work than you really did 😊 and it could have lots of different looks. I'd make this one again....M

Freezing Rain Warning

We've had an interesting mix of weather lately, to say the least, and a couple of days ago that included yet another freezing rain warning, which ultimately lived up to its promise. That meant that Anne's curling was cancelled so she headed down to her sewing room to work on more Disappearing Four Patch blocks.

It seems to have been just the push she needed because she not only finished up all of the blocks...

she got the top sewn together. And there are enough blocks left over to make a table runner, with one block to spare.

She's laid it out in the same way that I did mine and is thrilled with it. That pretty blue plaid next to it will be the backing. It's going to be another charity quilt and I know that whoever receives it will be as tickled with it as she is, so, moral of the story: maybe freezing rain isn't all bad....M

I'm Off To See The Wizard...

Yesterday I felt like Dorothy skipping along the yellow brick road, off to see the quilting Wizard, a.k.a. Roberta, my long-arm quilter at Cocoa and Quilts. A couple of weeks ago she was browsing through my blog and saw the posts about the Slab and Disappearing Four Patch charity quilts and very kindly sent me an email offering to quilt them for me. I couldn't refuse!

So I've been busy putting the finishing touches on the tops.

I made the smaller version of the Slab Quilt for the Canada's Big Quilt Bee (12 blocks), and have two additional blocks that I will include in the package.

Roberta had generously offered to provide backings as well but I happened to find this piece of stylized maple leaves in my stash so I went with that - it seemed perfect for this little patriotic project.

And I got the Disappearing Four Patch top together as well. Love it! It finished off at about 62" x 72", which will be a nice size.

This is such a light, airy and feminine quilt - totally reminds me of a summer garden.

I found a blue floral print in my stash of backings that I think suits it well. No outside border for this one, just a binding that will be the same as the backing.

Early yesterday I sewed the backings together and headed over the hill to leave them with Roberta. We had a great visit and she's keen to get started. I am so over the moon that she is doing this for me that I can't tell you - proof positive of the big hearts that reside in the quilting community....M

Symmetry Wins

Thanks to everyone who weighed in on my dithering about whether to make the Disappearing Four Patch quilt larger or not. Finally, a decision - I'm making more blocks so I cut more squares.

It sounds like many of you often grapple with the same question. Yes, the design will now be symmetrical, which is great, but in the end I went bigger because it's going to be a charity quilt, and I'd like whoever receives it to be able to get as much use out of it as possible.

A smaller quilt is nice, but I'm thinking if it's for someone in need then it should be what's better for them more than what's better for me.

So, I put on my big girl pants and got down to it. All 11 blocks are cut and three are together.

They are all large florals to keep the feel of the quilt light and airy and help break up the smaller prints that are already made up.

It's good to have a decision, and good to see the blocks coming together....M

I Can't Leave It Like This, Can I?

Well, I'm 30 blocks in have enough for a Disappearing Four Patch quilt but my anal, symmetrical self is struggling to say that it's all of the blocks that I need to make. This was a baby quilt that has morphed into a twin and if I make it much larger it will be a double. I want to quilt this one on my machine and if it gets much bigger (it's 50" x 60" right now) I think I'm in for a few challenges.

My issue is that it's not symmetrical - I feel that I should add another column to the right and another row along the bottom, but I really don't feel like making another 11 blocks.

After I took a pic of it I noticed that the smaller strips help create a 'border' around the entire thing, but I think that might just be a bit of rationalization on my part.

What do you think? Is this enough to start sewing together or should I bite the bullet and make the additional blocks? If I made more it would be from larger prints because I think they really shine in this block. I'm sure if I just started cutting they would be done before I know it, but I was so keen on having this one headed for the finish line now....M

My Disappearing Act

Anne's foray into the Disappearing Four Patch block stuck with me so I had to give it a try. I started with 6" blocks rather than the 5" blocks that she used so my blocks will finish off a little larger at 10" square.

I pulled a collection of florals - small, medium and large prints - and tossed in a bit of plaid, which happens to be from a recycled men's shirt, so it's on the scrappy side.

The pile of four patches was all prepped first and I've just been assembling one or two at a time when I pass the machine so the pile of blocks continues to grow (I think a quilt done with just this block would look spectacular!).

And this is what happens when you fall asleep as you sew...There's always one, isn't there, or is it just me?

Originally I thought it was going to be a baby quilt but I think it's going to end up closer to twin sized. Either way, it will be a charity quilt....M

A Little More Play Day

Before finishing up our play day last week Anne and I took a stab at trying a new block - the Disappearing Four Patch. They are fast and easy and would make up into a quick baby or child's quilt. Here's a quick tutorial if you would like to give them a try.

We sewed a four patch block using two white and two blue print 5" squares.

Once it's pressed, cut 1.5" on either side of the centre seamline both vertically and horizontally (the instructions said 1" but we went a bit chunkier).

Switch up the centre strip pieces moving them left to right and top to bottom and sew that together.

And before you know it you have an 8" block. When I left Anne her design wall looked like this...

but she's been cutting and sewing since then and has a few more added to the mix. She says it takes about 10 minutes per block which isn't bad at all.

I like the plaid effect that you get and am contemplating cutting one myself, possibly starting with a 6" block and making my centre seam cuts 1" and see what that looks like. So many possibilities!....M