Where has the year gone?

Where has the year gone? My last post was in April! I had good intensions to post the Block of the Month here every month, but...what happened? I am going to blame Track. Track season started and then I had no time! If you don't know, I am a High School Track Coach. This year we had 8 kids qualify for the State Track meet. That is more than we have ever had since I have been coaching Track here. So, our season went to the end of May. Then it was summer. It was a busy summer. I say "was", because it is almost over. School starts next week and, so, it is almost over. I am enjoying my last week sewing and quilting. Summer started with having to clean out the basement. We had a water line leak and so I had to go through all the boxes that have been waiting down there for 4 years to be unpacked. After that, we started to put the pool up. We had one problem after another. Finally got it ready to put water in and a storm came through that night and folded it up. End of that pool. We ordered another one and it came the week we were to leave on a mission trip. We got it up though. But, the water they hauled in was dirty. We had to wait until we got back from our trip to get it clean. Finally got it clean and running Sunday. Sunday night and all day Monday it rained, so we haven't had a chance to swim yet! Out Mission Trip was to a very small country in Europe called Moldova. It is close to Russia. In fact, it was part of Russia at one time. We had a Dental Team, a Construction Team, a Medical Team, and a Day Camp Team. I serve on the Day Camp Team. We work with a Baptist Church in Cantemir and we usually go out to a village nearby to do work. The Construction Team helped with a new roof for the church in Cantemir. This year we went to Plopi to do work. We offer free dental and medical services. The Day Camp Team works with children in the village and does like a Vacation Bible School. The Day Camp Team went to two other villages, also. We were in Plopi on Monday, Taraclia on Tuesday, and Hirtop on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday we were in Cantemir. We saw 201 children over the week. Just a side note: If you have ever given to the Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes at Christmas time, they received Shoeboxes last Christmas. Thank you.) The people in the villages have very, very little. Most of their adults are in other countries working. Some of the children live with their Grandparents while their parents are some where else working. So, anyway, we got home Sunday, July 31st. So, that was my summer and that's where the year went. Always very busy, as I'm sure all of you are. too.
Now to get back to posting all the back blocks for the Block of the Month.

Darting Birds

Okay, it is time for April's Block of the Month. Seems like I just posted March BOM...oh, wait, I did! That's because I was a little behind in my posts. This is block #4, called Darting Birds.

You will need:

Fabric A - Medium or dark fabric (Pick your favorite color, that's what I did anyway

Fabric B - Background or light

Fabric C - Another medium or dark fabric. Totally different color from Fabric A.

Cutting Directions: (Use the directions for cutting Half Square Triangles as shown in earlier post)

Fabric B (Background):

Cut 2 - 2 1/2" strips

Cut 24 - 2 1/2" Half Square Triangles (HST)

Cut 4 - 2 1/2" Squares

Fabric A & Fabric C: (From each Fabric)

Cut 1 - 4 1/2" strip

Cut 2 - 4 1/2" Half Square Triangles (HST)

Cut 1 - 2 1/2" strip

Cut 8 - 2 1/2" Half Square Triangles (HST)

Cut 2 - 2 1/2" squares

Sew Fabric A & Fabric C 2 1/2" HSTs to Fabric B - 2 1/2" HST to make a 2 1/2" HST square. Make 8 with Fabric A and 8 with Fabric C.

Sew Fabric B HSTs to each Fabric A and Fabric C - 2 1/2" Square to form a triangle (with is half of the unit shown below). Sew this unit to the 4 1/2" HST to make the unit below. You need 2 with Fabric A and 2 with Fabric C.

Lay out 1/4th of the block as shown the the pictures below. You will have 2 of Fabric A and 2 of Fabric C.

This is my Fabric A.

This is my Fabric C.

Sew the four units together to make you block as shown below.

Congratulations! You have completed another block!

I have been working on my setting blocks. I will show them to you and give you directions for them soon.

Have a wonderful week! Tomorrow is Quilt Guild meeting!

Broken Dishes

Okay, I am finally putting March Block ofthe Month on the website. (I know it is April! Where did March go?!) I am so sorry this is so late, for those of you who have been waiting for it. Life got a little busy for me last month and I just didn't get it done. The next 2 months will be busy with Track season at school. But, I will try to get April block up soon. (As soon as I decide which one will be next)

So, here it is...Broken Dishes.

You will need 2 fabrics, one light and one medium or dark. Cut 3 - 2 1/2" strips from each fabric. You can layer your fabrics, right sides together to cut the strips into Half Square Triangle pieces. You will need a total of 36 Half Square Triangles from each color. When you layer them with right sides facing when you cut, they are ready to sew together.

Sew the Half Square Triangles together like the one on the right. You will need 36 of these.

Arrange them in a 4-Patch unit as pictured. You will have two dark triangles pointing out and two pointing in.

Then I stack them to make 9 sets of these 4-Patch units.

Sew the 4-Patch units together. They will look like this. You will need 9 of these.

Lay out the 4-Patch units into a 9-Patch like in the picture below. Sew the 4-Patch units into rows together, then sew the rows together.

You have completed Block #3 - Broken Dishes.

BOM

I am a little behind on the Current River Scrappers Block of the Month patterns posted online. I will try to get it out this weekend. This is one of the busiest times of the year for me. TRACK SEASON! Our first meet was last Monday and we were supposed to have another one today, but cancelled because it was so cold. Couldn't do any sewing yet because I had to get grades done. They are due in the morning at 8:00, so I did them tonight. One good thing with grades being due is the fact that Fourth Quarter is upon us, which means school will be out soon! Track season also marks the end of the school year coming. By the time Track is over, school will be over, too. I love my job, but am really looking forward to summer vacation, which means warm weather, swimming, a Mission trip to Moldova, and lots of time to quilt.
Tomorrow is Friday. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Enjoy!

Current River Scrappers BOM #2

It is February and time for Block #2. This one is called Jacobs Ladder. It is pretty simple. You will need 2 fabrics. A background (Fabric B) and a main color. My main color is blue throughout the quilt.

From Background: Cut 1 - 4 1/2" strip. From this strip, cut 4 - 4 1/2" Half Square Triangles (HST).

Cut 2 - 2 1/2" strips (or cut 1 strip and then you will need to cut 1 or 2 - 2 1/2" squares from the 4 1/2" strip). From these, cut 10 - 2 1/2" squares.

From Main color: Cut 1 - 4 1/2" strip. From this strip, cut 4 - 4 1/2" HST.

Cut 2 - 2 1/2" strips (or cut 1 strip and then you will need to cut 1 or 2 - 2 1/2" sqaures fromthe 4 1/2" strip). From these, cut 10 - 2 1/2" squares.

Sew Fabric A - 4 1/2" HST to a Fabric B - 4 1/2" HST to make a 4 1/2" HST Square. Make 4.

Sew 2 Fabric a - 2 1/2" squares to 2 Fabric B - 2 1/2" squares to make a 4 Patch unit. Make 5.

Lay out block as shown. Sew rows together. Press seams toward the HST. When sewing rows together, the seams should lock together for easy sewing.

Your Block #2 is complete.

Directions for Cutting Half Square Triangles Using the Half Square Triangle Ruler

This method of cutting Half Square Triangles will save you time and fabric.

1. Determine the unfinished size of the unit needed. Example: If the finished size of the Half Square Triangle is 4", add 1/2" to get the unfinished size. (The extra 1/2" is for the seam allowance.) Cut a strip of fabric the unfinished width. Example: If the unfinished size is 4 1/2", cut a 4 1/2" strip of fabric.

2. Use the Half Square Trianlge Ruler to cut Half Square Triangles. Find the 4 1/2" measurement on the ruler and place at the edge of the strip, as shown. Cut along the diangonal edge of the ruler. If you are cutting several HST units, stack several strips and cut several at a time. You can stack up to 4 strips to cut.

3. The unit will look like this:

4. Flip the ruler over and cut another Half Square Triangle. Line up the angled edge of the ruler with the angled edge of the fabric (as shown above). The top edge of the fabric should be at the 4 1/2" line and the tip of the ruler should extend beyond the bottom edge of the fabric.

5. Turn ruler around, line up on HST and cut off tip. Stack several HST and cut several at one time.

6. When sewing these units together, line up the pieces and sew ont he diagonal edge. Press to the darker fabric. The "dog ears" are already cut off, so you will save time not having to do this after sewing.

7. If you are cutting squares the same size ase the HSTs, cut them from the same strip of fabric.

2011 Current River Scrappers Quilt Guild BOM

We are starting a new Block of the Month at the Current River Scrappers Quilt Guild for 2011. Join me each month to get the pattern and directions for each block. Directions posted here will use a Half Square Triangle ruler and a Quarter Square Triangle ruler. You can use any brand you want. They all work the same. Most, if not all, the blocks are cut from 2 1/2" and 4 1/2" strips. I purchased a Fat Quarter bundle and some yardage for the background for my quilt. You may use scraps, Fat Quarters, or purchase yardage. In the FQ bundle I purchased, there were 4 colors of fabrics: Blue, Red, Brown, and Beige (which I used for the background).

I will also be posting a Setting Block for the quilt later this month. There are 13 Setting Blocks for the quilt. With a 6" border, the finished quilt will measure 96" x 96". Please post pictures of your progress and your finished quilt. I would love to see what you did.

January's BOM is called Water Wheel. Instructions are for cutting Fat Quarters.

Block #1 Water Wheel

Fabric B (Background) - Cut 1 - 4 1/2" strip: Cut 4 - 4 1/2" Half Square Triangles (HST)*

Cut 1 - 2 1/2" strip: Cut 8 - 2 1/2" squares

Fabric A - (Fabric A is the main color of my quilt) - Cut 1 - 4 1/2" strip: Cut 1 - 4 1/2" square and cut 4 - 4 1/2" Half Square Triangle (HST)*

Fabric C - Cut 1 - 2 1/2" strip: Cut 8 - 2 1/2" squares

Sew Fabric A - 4 1/2" HST to a Fabric B - 4 1/2" HST to make a 4 1/2" HST Square. Make 4.

Sew 2 Fabric B - 2 1/2" squares to 2 Fabric C - 2 1/2" squares to make a 4 Patch unit. Make 4.

Lay out Block as shown below. Sew rows together. Press seams away from HST. When sewing rows together, the seams should lock together for easy sewing.

*[See Directions for Cutting Half Square Triangles Using the Half Square Triangle Ruler]