Good Monday morning, quilty peeps! Remember those Tilda precut fabric bundles I bought last week? Today I actually have a couple finished blocks to show for myself! This low-stress chop-and-sew project is loosely inspired by the Scrappy Celebration 2023 APQ Quilt Along project, and the pattern is available here.
 |
| 9 inch Finished Block |
For the time being, at least, I’m limited to working with fabric pieces that are either fat quarters (18” x 21”) or fat eighths (9” x 21”) and I only have one piece of each color or print. I also have a bolt of Moda Bella Solids Off White. So my original intention was to make six identical blocks using the fabric combination shown above, but I didn’t have enough of the bubblegum pink solid fabric.
Now, I know that I have more of that exact same Tilda pink solid in my massive fabric stash that is all packed up on a truck somewhere, so I considered setting the partial blocks aside and finishing them later, once I have my hands on the rest of my fabric. But then I thought about the many vintage and antique quilts I’ve seen where, on close inspection, you notice that the maker substituted similar (but not identical) fabrics here and there throughout the quilt, presumably because she or he was “making do” with what they had available. I think those substitutions add interesting character to a quilt, so I decided to experiment with that concept by limiting myself to working only with the fabric pieces in my current Mini Stash. So I’ll have five blocks that look identical to the one in the first photo I shared with you, and one block that substitutes the lavender center square fabric for the 1 1/2” squares on the corners of the blocks.
 |
| Fabric Shortage Variation |
I pieced the “different” block first and then made two of the ones that have only pink squares in the 4-patch units. I like both versions.
 |
| The “Different” Block |
Because I don’t have any of my rotary cutting tools with me right now, I cut out all of the pieces for these blocks with my AccuQuilt dies: the 3 1/2” (3” finished) square, and the 2” (1 1/2” finished) square dies, which fit nicely into the more compact GO! Baby cutting machine.
Don’t you just love popping the seam at the center of a 4-patch block to make the tiny 4-patch on the back of the block? I do it to get a nice, flat seam intersection without a lump, but I also just like to do it because those tiny squares on the back are so cute…
 |
| My Personal Pressing Plan |
You know, I could just keep making this same block over and over in different fabric combinations and set them all together instead of making other kinds of 9-patch and 4-patch blocks like the Scrappy Celebration quilt. These blocks would be pretty that way, either with or without plain alternate blocks to form chains. Oh, how I wish my EQ8 software worked on my iPad so I could visualize some different options! But if I’m being totally honest, I know I might have wasted all of my free time yesterday playing with setting designs in computer software and not managed to sew up any blocks at all.
Today we do our final walkthrough of the new house at 1 PM ahead of our closing tomorrow, but my husband procrastinated scheduling delivery of our household contents and was shocked to discover that the moving pod company needs more than 48 hours notice to get all of our stuff down here from wherever they stored it in North Carolina. 🙄 So our beds, furniture, household goods, and the rest of my fabric are not coming until the 29th, nine days after we close on our house. Ah, well — that will just make it easier to get painting done, right? Positive thinking!
Side note: I think the previous owner of our new home hired Miss Piggy to be their decorator, because every single wall in every single room of the house is currently painted that same lavender color as the fabric in my quilt block. (No, I’m not exaggerating). Repainting is an URGENT PRIORITY!
Not sure how much stitching time I’ll be able to sneak in over the next few days, but it would be nice if I could manage to piece the remaining three blocks that I cut out from these fabrics. That’s my sewing goal, but my #1 priority today is to get a complete set of room measurements for the room that will be my future sewing room when we’re at the house doing the walkthrough: distance from walls to door and window openings, distance from floor to window sill, etc. I will need all of that to do the space planning magic act that is going to fit a large sewing machine, a serger, a cover stitch machine, an ironing station, and a cutting table into an 11’ x 11’ footprint. Wish me luck!
I’m linking up today’s post with the following linky parties:
MONDAY
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts
TUESDAY
To-Do Tuesday at Quilt Schmilt
WEDNESDAY
Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter
THURSDAY
Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
FRIDAY
Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More
Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts
Off the Wall Friday at Nina Marie Sayre
Beauty Pageant at From Bolt to Beauty
TGIFF Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday, rotates, schedule found here: TGIF Friday
SUNDAY
Frédérique at Quilting Patchwork Appliqué
Oh Scrap! at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework
Very pretty blocks, sometimes making do leads to some fun options you wouldn't consider. Hope the rest of the house closing and moving goes smoothly. It's never a fun process.
ReplyDeletesounds like an urgent paint job is needed for the house - maybe in the 9 days before your house hold goods arrive a room or two can be done? Maybe the sewing room before you start to arrange your machines/tables.
ReplyDeleteA variety of neutrals is good for the quilt!
Oh goodness, it does sound like painting is a top priority. I hope you can get it done easily before your contents arrive!
ReplyDeleteI agree, painting is much easier without furniture to move around. Besides, if you get new carpeting or flooring, the furniture is in the way also. I'm glad you have a project to entertain yourself with. Keep up updated about the painting!
ReplyDeleteThe layout of your Tilda and solids look very nice. The Tilda stands out and is a beautiful print! I recently purchased the same print in aqua. Certainly you don’t need the scrappy quilt pattern. Yeap, it is cumbersome to post on an ipad vs a desktop. Best of luck painting and unpacking.
ReplyDeleteGreat block, Rebecca! I'm glad you have some time to create with fabric. I hope the walk through goes well and that moving in . . .especially all that painting goes well!!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat save on working with what you have and sewing! It is fun to have something like this to work on in the midst. Sorry about the delayed furniture but getting it painted before it is all in there would be good.
ReplyDeleteSounds like everything should fit, since you are not also trying to put your longarm in that room. I love purple, but purple everywhere would be too much in a home. Have fun painting, and try to get some rest as it is a lot of work. Love your little Tilda project and I agree that the variation is just as pretty as the original. Thanks for sharing on my weekly show and tell, Wednesday Wait Loss. https://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2024/02/21/wednesday-wait-loss-368
ReplyDeleteBeautiful block, Rebecca! I do like purple, but everything purple might be a tad overwhelming! I hope your walk through went well and by now should have your furniture and have begun setting up! Thanks for sharing on Monday Musings!
ReplyDeleteOh Rebecca, I hope that by now you have your furniture and some semblance of normality back in your life. When I first learned to twist seams, I was amazed at how the back was a miniature replica of the front. Having limited choices can be a good thing. It makes us think differently and come up with exciting new options. According to Sujata Shah, when you don't have something, borrow from the neighbor. She meant that if you don't have red, use orange or pink, an adjacent hue. I agree with her. It adds amazing richness to our work. Sending lots of love and good wishes in your new home.
ReplyDelete