Mod Mod Sampler finished

I'm so happy I was finally able to finish a queen-sized sampler quilt created from the modern blocks posted each month in 2014 on the Block Lotto website. I followed the pattern designed by Sophie, who runs the Block Lotto site and who set the project up as a mystery, revealing the block placement bit-by-bit, month-by-month. I love mystery quilts, so this was a fun project for me.

This photo shows the back of the quilt. I decided early on to make it using the quilt-as-you-go method, so I could do the quilting myself. I didn't pay much attention to the backing fabric, and pulled pieces from my stash in a fairly random way, but I like how it looks well enough, and the back is the back, right?
I used the method described in this tutorial to join the blocks together and found it very helpful.

I used white fabric to connect the blocks, back and front, and also it to bind the quilt. I sewed the entire binding on by machine, which was a first for me. Usually I attach the binding to the front of the quilt by machine and then wrap it around to the back and hand-sew it in place. And since I'm a really slow hand sewer, it can take me months to finish the binding. Using the machine, I finished it in a single day. I think I'm on to something!

I showed this quilt to my mom (who's always supported my crafting efforts) before I put the binding on, and she thought it would brighten up her bedroom, so that's where it's going. I'm glad it's found a good home.

Arrows and small mystery

I finished four arrow blocks for the February drawing for Block Lotto. I love these blocks! The first one was a little tricky to make, because the sizes seemed to be a little off, but once I figured out how to trim the pieces I had no trouble.

I've been working since November on Bonnie Hunter's Grand Illusion mystery quilt, and found it was taking more time than I've got to spare these days, so I decided to use what I'd already sewn to make a smaller version of the quilt as she designed it. I think it's pretty cute as a small quilt! My husband said he likes it very much, and that it reminds him of sailing flags. I'm not sure I see it, but I'm not much of a sailor either.

Funny, now that I see these photos together I realize that I they're the same colors! If I win the arrows maybe I should add them to the edge of the mystery quilt?

That's all for now. I hope my next post will show some progress on the quilt-as-you-go project I've had on the back burner.

Woven bar blocks and Modern Sampler

I made just 2 woven bar blocks for the October Block Lotto drawing, but I think they're pretty sweet and wouldn't mind winning them. I also whipped up 4 more in blue and white fabrics for my Mod Mod Sample quilt.

Here's my latest progress on the sample quilt. Although it's hard to see from this photo I've sewn some of these blocks together to form larger units, following the pattern for the Queen-sized quilt, and others have been put together in smaller units, waiting to be attached to blocks we'll make in November and December.

I'm really enjoying putting together the sampler and am excited to see it finished.  

Just a bit of progress....

I haven't been doing TOO much sewing lately because I'm still upstate with my youngest son and my dog, enjoying summer and taking it easy. I snapped this photo this morning from a bridge on a rail trail where I walk my dog. You can see why it's hard for me to stay in and sew.

I did manage to finish 14 spokes blocks for my sampler, and then was thrilled to hear from Sophie that my name had been picked as a winner of the spokes blocks for July in the Block Lotto drawing. I am so happy! I think they are going to make a totally adorable baby quilt.

I made these 5 "windows" blocks for the August drawing, and although I love them I will donate my chances of winning this month to give someone else the opportunity to get lucky.

I'm also including a very preliminary photo of a mini-quilt in progress. My guild has called for members to make quilts that are 20-inches square of their own design on the theme "Celebration." I've been wracking my brains for what to do, and finally settled on the idea of a sun with flowers around it. It's going to be very "art quiltish" and weird, which I've never tried before. I'm totally intrigued by the idea of cutting out flowers that are printed on fabric, as part of a larger design, and appliquéing them on with stems attached. I've seen example of old quilts, where the quilter fussy-cut out printed shapes and then added them to a background, and I have always wanted to try it.
I'll post another photo when I get more done.

Don't you love it when you see something out in the world that makes you think about quilting? I went to a sculpture park and museum last week in Saugerties NY called Opus 40 and saw these hand-made bluestone walls. They were so gorgeous I took a bunch of photos with the idea of one day making a quilt based on them.

Here's a photo of the whole sculpture, from one side. It was pretty amazing.

One modern sun

I'm embarrassed to admit how much I've struggled over this block! The reason I ran into so many problems was mainly that I was working with patterns that had come out of my printer "fit to page" rather than the true size. What a dumb mistake. I had some patterns I'd printed wrong, and some I'd printed correct, and I mixed them up.  How stupid did I feel? You don't want to know.

So the block I made first and donated to the Block Lotto drawing is WRONG. It was one of the bad patterns. So I am going to remake that block so I can still contribute it to the pot.

My sewing machine is in the shop, but it is supposed to be ready today or tomorrow. Then I'll get to work on making it over in the right size.

Well I've gotten a bit of practice anyway. Just one of those weeks, I guess.

Hexagons and several modern sections

I'm making these hexagon diamonds like nobody's business these days, and tacking them up on my new design wall. I'm having fun with it.
I sewed a few of the diamonds together, with white hexagons in between, so I could free up some of the paper pieces before I realized it wasn't a smart idea. I think it will still be ok in the end. It would be much smarter to just concentrate on making new diamonds, and then lay them out before I sew them together. I'm going to try to contain my enthusiasm, and buy some more paper hexagons, so I don't end up having to do a lot of ripping out later.

Slowly but surely I've been making blocks out of modern fabric for a queen-sized quilt that's being designed by Sophie, the master of  Block Lotto from this years' blocks. The segments you see here are made up of the blocks from only 3 months---I haven't gotten to the other 2 yet. But doesn't it look cool?
If you're interested in trying it out, click the Mod Mod QAL button on the right and it will take you to Sophie's instructions.
That's all for now. My birthday is next week---I can hardly believe I am going to be 54 years old. Time is flying! And I have so much sewing to do!

Launching my mod-mod quilt

While I was on retreat with my quilt guild, the Quilters Guild of Brooklyn, this past weekend I got started on the modern sampler quilt I've been meaning to make from this year's Block Lotto patterns. I ended up having only 1 1/2 days to sew, so I was only able to finish 2 months worth of blocks: double chevrons and beads on a string. I took a photo of them up on the design wall to show my progress, and as you can see I'm going with blue-and-white fabric and trying to stick with bright modern colors.
The project attracted some interest from my fellow quilters, who don't tend to make many "modern" quilts. The Brooklyn Quilters are a great group, and I'm proud to be a member.

Stripes for December's Block Lotto

I took a break from the tiny pieces in Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice mystery to pop out 4 very simple but lovely blocks for this month's Block Lotto drawing. I think these blocks could make a terrific child's quilt, which my quilt guild is always collecting, so I'm glad I jumped in. Thanks Sophie!

Oak leaves for block lotto

I dragged my sewing machine to the dining room today to put together these blocks for Block Lotto. Isn't this a great pattern? I love batiks, and I have a big collection of them, so it was an easy block for me.
The leaves aren't really turning yet where I live, in NYC---maybe because the temperature has been 80 degrees the past few days? I'm sure it will happen soon. I love fall, and I love these blocks!

My "Home" quilt project.

Towards the end of last season, my quilt guild put out a summer challenge for members to make small quilts---20 in by 20 in---designed around the theme "home." I'd recently picked up a book about tile quilting, which involves making blocks that look like tiles, AND I'd lost my sewing room and put my machine away, so I decided to make a tile-style quilt by hand.

 Here's the pattern I drew for it, on typing paper. I extrapolated some of it from the tile quilting book, and some of it from another book on making bird quilts, and some of it I made up myself. The birdhouse is a prominent part of the design---I think it will be pretty clear that I was thinking about a home for birds.

 So the blocks are coming together. I've finished 3 of the panels, and have gotten a good start on the last one, on the bottom right. When they're done I'll join them and then back it and quilt it in some minimal way. It's due in 2 weeks, so I am trying to put in some extra time these days.

I did manage to take a couple of hours to make these three little Boomers for this month's Block Lotto drawing. Aren't they cute? I'd love to win these, so I am going to try to make a few more by the end of the month to increase my chances.

Block Lotto stars and family

I am sorry I haven't posted for such a long time. I haven't been doing as much quilting as usual, but I'm planning to get back into the swing of things in the coming weeks.

 At left are 4 stars I made for the block lotto drawing this month. Aren't they great? I'd never think to make scrappy stars with a red background, but I think they really look sharp, and will make a fun quilt. That's why I love the Block Lotto; our fearless leader Sophie always comes up with block patterns I wish I'd thought of myself.















The main reason I haven't been sewing much lately is that my father died at the end of July. He's been suffering with Alzheimer's for about 8 years, but recently started to have problems with his balance and died about a week after a fall in which he broke his hip. He's with my mom in this photo---she's still doing great, but of course we all miss him very much.

The photo below is of my husband's extended family, who gathered over the weekend for a family reunion. I like every single one of them, so it was a lot of fun. I'm the one smack in the center of the photo in the back with the glasses on. The really good looking ones in the front row are my nephews and their significant others.

A quick quilt for my Dad

I used my block lotto winnings to make this lap quilt for my dear father, who unfortunately has Alzheimer's and lives in an assisted living facility in New Jersey. I gave the quilt to him yesterday when I went to visit. I'm not sure that he understood that I'd made it (with a lot of help from the Block Lotto quilters) or even that the quilt was his to keep, but I hope that one in awhile when he sees it he'll know it was made for him with love.

House block

This is the single red-and-white house block I have managed to get finished for the June drawing of block lotto. I love this block! I love this block so much that I plan to make 8 more of these, and then perhaps use this pattern for a group baby quilt I need to organize. I am thinking about suggesting that the quilting friends of the mom-to-be make the block using white for the background and then 3 shades of a single baby-friendly pastel. So far she doesn't know the sex of the baby, but I bet she'll find out and so I'm holding off on starting the quilt. Also, the baby is not due until the early fall, so I've got time.

One fun aspect of using this block for a baby quilt is that I could throw in an "eye spy" option, and suggest that quilters could add a fussy-cut baby-friendly image in the window or doorway, just to add some fun. Let me know what you think,

Ginny

October block lotto

I just finished these 3 blocks for the October round of Block Lotto. This month we need to work with blue and cream fabrics, and can add brown if we want, and are able to make any type of block we want. I didn't have too much time, so I did 3 simple ones, but I like them---they'll go well in someone's quilt when they win the lotto this month.

I won!

I just found out that I won 56 blocks in the Block Lotto drawing for August. I am so excited! The blocks are African Violets, and they are so sweet. I posted the five I made to enter a few days ago. These will make a lovely little quilt!

June blocks for block lotto

Here are the 8 blocks I made for the June block lotto drawing. It's hard to distinguish them from each other in this photo, but each is a simple 3-patch rectangle that contains one blue, one green and one purple rectangle. I decided to donate my chances this month, as I've got too many projects in the works already.