Tag Archives: quilting

Balance

If you haven’t met the quilt block called Balance, then let me introduce you.

Balance Quilt Block

I found this block in Nancy Martin’s Perpetual Calendar 365 Quilt Blocks A Year.

I drew it with a 5 x 5 grid in Electric Quilt .  If you own BlockBase, it is #1817c.

It isn’t often that one sees a green and white quilt (I don’t think I’ve ever seen one…I may have to google that later), but it is March, and I’m longing for spring, so I’ve set this block with green and white. 

Here is how it looks in a straight set:

Balance Straight Set

In the following design, I’ve deleted a few lines from the block to create an alternate crossing block to set Balance with.  I’ve also added another green to the mix.

Balance Straight Set

I squared up the quilt design (it isn’t longer than it is wide now) and rearranged the blocks:

Balance Straight Set

Again, Balance is set side-by-side.  The only difference is in the color placement.  Stars have appeared!

Balance Straight Set

An alternate color theme:

Balance Straight Set

By deleting just a few lines, I’ve created another alternate block to add to the mix:

Balance Straight Set

And one more arrangement:

Balance Straight Set

Lots more could be done with this block, so go ahead and play with it!  See what you come up with!

By the way, this block looks amazingly like Bachelor’s Puzzle.

Aunt Sukey Spins Off

For my personal block/quilt design challenge, I chose Aunt Sukey’s Choice quilt block this week.

Aunt Sukey's Choice Quilt Block

It is drawn with a 6 x 6 grid.

I usually challenge myself to add/delete lines to a block to come up with alternate blocks, and then use these blocks, along with the original block, to design quilts.

I got distracted by SewCalGal’s red and white challenge.  In Phase II, we are challenged to design a red and white quilt.  If we want to actually make the quilt, then Phase III is available for us to enter.

The blocks in the following design do not include the original Aunt Sukey’s Choice block, but two variations that I drew from it.

Aunt Sukey Spins Off

The quilt size is 84.5″ x 96.5″.

Electric Quilt (my quilt design software of choice) even gives the yardage requirements!

Yardage Requirements

And just for fun, let’s see how it looks when I move the red and white around:

Aunt Sukey Spins Off 2

I like them both!

If I were to make this design, I don’t know that I would stick to just three fabrics.  As long as I keep the importance of value/contrast in mind, I could make this a scrappy red and white quilt.

I’m going to link up with SewCalGal!  How about you?  Are you taking the red and white challenge?

Yoda

I thought a simple little UFO would be appropriate for my next project.

Many moons ago, I took photos of a sweet little kitten named Yoda. 

I played with effects on one of those photos in photoshop and created a design to print on fabric.

Yoda

I don’t know how long ago I did this…long enough that when I touched the gold yarn, it disintegrated (Perhaps bad quality?).   I didn’t save the file on my pc (Neglect or a computer crash?) so I have no reference and no way to print more of this fabric.

By the time you read this post, I will have free motion stitched the fused applique.  I’m not sure what else I’ll do yet.

I have more long days coming with the day job, so I don’t know when I’ll be back. 

Meantime, ya’ll have some fun creating, whether you love to create in the kitchen, the woodshop, with Legos, knitting, scrapbooking, or….  Just find the time for the precious creative muse!