MMMMM Minnie

Minnie seems to be my go-to project when I need a little inspiration and today was no exception. I sat down to watch some golf from The Players on TV and cleaned up several hexie diamonds that had been in progress, but my very first task was a bit of a scavenger hunt.

This diamond has been sitting near my chair for I don't know how long missing one last hexie. I was convinced that I didn't have any more pink hexies to finish it off and I knew that I didn't have any more of that fabric, so I was toying with taking the last round off and redoing it, but not before one last search. Eureka! I actually found three, which makes me think that they had been set aside for another diamond. I wasted no time sewing it in place only to realize that I needed another one for the tip of the diamond, so another one found a home too.

I pressed five diamonds that I had finished off and then found two more diamonds that needed a little work, so they got finished too.

It was nice to see something coming together, finally.

Here's one where I didn't have three of the same fabric so I used a slightly different one for the centre - it still works. (Recognize your scraps, Jane?)

And the Official Cookie Tester has been asking for a butterscotch pie so I made one of those the other day too. Finally, some productivity!....M

Quilter's Code

There's been lots going on here but none of it quilting - I'm still waiting for that lightning bolt of inspiration to zap me - so I thought I'd share an amusing Pin that my friend Jane sent along. I've come across a few of these codes before but there's lots here that are new to me. I love PIG! It reminds me of a blog post once entitled 'Because Friends Don't Let Friends Knit Out Of Plastic Bags' that shared a pattern for a lovely fabric basket. I think of it often, and of how nice it was for that gal to be so concerned for her friend's knitting experience :).

It has also occurred to me in looking at the list that I'm probably much more educated than I ever imagined because I appear to have multiple PHDs. Any other PHDs out there?....M

Danuta's Garden Sew Along

Over the last little while I've been asked by a few people if I would do a sew along for Danuta's Garden. Now I have to admit that I'm a total rookie when it comes to sew alongs - I've never participated in one let alone hosted one, primarily because I don't know what they are. But last week, thanks to Paulette, I discovered that Kaaren at The Painted Quilt was going to host one so I skulked over to her blog to see exactly what that might entail.

Kaaren provided a PDF of detailed instructions for how to sew a beautiful checkerboard quilt and then illustrated the steps with photos (I am soooo tempted...). She has also given rough fabric requirements. Mystery solved! So, here's my version of Danuta's Garden (aka The Civil War Quilt) given that the pattern is no longer available for purchase. There are no assembly illustrations but the blocks are very straightforward so hopefully the photos suffice and all of the essential details are covered.

Because I created the pattern from a photo and because I am making a scrappy version, the background fabric is the one that you will need the most of - I'm thinking maybe 4 metres. For the Four Patches, Nine Patches and Ohio Star blocks pull together a good mix of fat quarters - I'd say between 20 to 30. For the Four Patches I also raided my stash and scraps so there would be lots of variety.

I've mentioned before that, with the exception of the background, I started with the leftovers from the first version that I made with mom over 15 years ago and then added to that, focusing on floral prints, but you can choose whatever suits. My friend Linda is making hers in a gorgeous collection of soft blues, yellows and pinks.

Linda's sister Jane made her second version using Kaffe Fasset prints and called it Summer Frolic. I'll see if I can get a pic of the first one that she made - it's done in a green palette and equally beautiful.

For some reason when we made the first version we didn't go with a basic 3.5" block for the Nine  Patches - my blocks are 3 1/8" so the Nine Patches and Ohio Stars are 8 3/8" unfinished. Feel free to use whatever size works for you but be prepared then to figure out the math for the pieces needed for the sashing strips. Also, I am using Ohio Star blocks for my corners instead of four different blocks as shown in the original pattern.

There are five basic blocks/pieces:
42 Nine Patches
- cut 9 squares 3 1/8" x 3 1/8", five in one colour and four in another; 378 3 1/8" squares in total

30 Ohio Stars
- cut four squares 3 1/8" x 3 1/8" from the background fabric for and corners of each block
- cut one square 3 1/8" x 3 1/8" from your second print
- for the star points, cut four 2 7/8" squares from your second print and cut them again on the diagonal to create eight triangles; make four       3 1/8" Hourglass units

30 Solid Sashing Strips for between the stars (8 3/8" x 3" unfinished)

347 Four Patches made from 1 3/8" squares (cut 1,388 squares 1 3/8" x 1 3/8")
Use the Four Patches to assemble two different lengths of sashing:
- 48 short sashing strips made from three Four Patches and four corner triangles, and
- 7 long sashing strips made from 29 Four Patches and four corner triangles

402 Setting and Corner triangles
- cut 2 7/8" squares from the background fabric and cut those on the diagonal; the corners are slightly larger than need be but will give you room to trim


So that's it. I'm not at the point yet where I am assembling blocks and sashing, but as I get there I'll gladly share pics for you. Also, because I am sewing this by hand I have a scant ¼” seam allowance so if you are sewing this on a machine you may want to do a set of test blocks to make sure that the sashing strips align with the blocks.

Hopefully this is clear enough but let me know if you have any questions. I'd also love to see yours if you decide to make one....M

Star Power

Here's a peek at how the next border on Betty's star quilt is coming together, and the gorgeousness just keeps coming. She took the same 4" stars and put them on the point and is using that fabulous large green floral for the setting triangles to create a strip roughly 6" wide. It looks amazing.

I didn't realize it, but this is the first time that she has made a quilt with star blocks and she is loving it. The colours are a little washed out because the photos were taken under her quilting lamp, but it is all very creamy and delicate.

Each one is unique and a beautiful amalgam of colours. The stars are seldom all from the same fabric but the combinations work beautifully together.

So, so pretty. I'm anxious to see the border attached to the rest of the quilt.

I think that Baylea is too....M