Less Laundry

Is this a sign?

I turned my back for one minute, and down they went.  I swear I have had far more clothes on this rod before.  It must have been the football pants that pushed it over the edge.  I think this might be an excuse to do less laundry.  It is just crazy how much laundry 6 people and 4 sports teams accumulate.  

Doing the Zip

 This has nothing to do with any type of sewing item.  I haven't had time to do any sewing, but we did a quick family weekend to Columbus, Ohio and Hocking Hills.  The kids really enjoyed the zip line.  I was glad that my step daughter was able to join us for the day also.

I think both the guides were a little sad that Abby brought along her friend.  They were inquiring a bit about how we were all related....trying to figure out if Elliot was a brother or a boyfriend.

 This is the whole gang hanging out on a rock.  

This is doing the zip line.  






















This is Hubby and I posing on one of the aerial bridges.

I did discover that I am a little afraid of heights.  It took me until the 3rd zip to not feel like I was going to toss my cookies.  I was fine when I was doing the zip line, it was just when we were perched high in the trees waiting to go.  I didn't reveal this to my children (who I am sure would have made the situation worse).  It is sort of crazy that the height made me nauseous, because I did roofing with my hubby occasionally before we were married.  I guess having kids changes a lot of things.

I hope to get back to the rest of the FW blocks soon.  

Darting Birds

Are you saying any choice words yet?  You have all month to do these blocks, so don't feel rushed.  Mine went quickly because I had all the 1 1/2" half squares already sewn.

#27 Darting Birds

Cutting:
Dark:
4- 1 1/2" squares
16- 1" finished half squares (1 1/2" strip with the EZ angle)
4- 2" finished half squares (2 1/2" strip with the EZ angle)
Light:
24 - 1' finished half squares (1 1/2" strip with EZ angle)
4- 1 1/2" squares

Sewing:
Sew 16 1" finished half squares; press open and square up if necessary

Join the half squares in pairs and press open
Add a 1 1/2" square to 4 of these.

add the remaining 8 Triangles to the remaining 4 dark 1 1/2" squares.  Square up with the easy angle to a 2" finished half square


 
Join the 2" finished half squares to the pieced triangle unites to make 2 1/2" squares.  Use the diagonal line on the ruler to square up if necessary. 

Add these to the pairs of half squares (Press Open); then add with the remaining pieced units.  Square up to 3 1/2" if necessary. 

Join the 4 units to complete the 6 1/2" block

I am still working on emptying containers.  All these 4 patches were in a box waiting to be used.  I tried several different colors for the background fabric and nothing seemed quite right.  I decided to continue with the scrappiness.  I need to let this simmer for a while.  I have lots of 4 patches and I am not sure where this is headed. 

Birds in the Air

This is the next block for August.  It is number #7 in the Farmer's wife book.  We are going to continue with lots more of the 1" finished half squares.

Cutting:
Light:
4- 3" finished triangles (3 1/2" strip and Easy Angle)
12- 1" finished triangles (1 1/2" strip and EA)
Dark:
24- 1" finished triangles (1 1/2" strip and EA)

Sewing:
Make 12- 1 1/2" half squares;  square up and press seams open without steam.  Trim away excess if desired

Arrange the pieces with all the dark angles going the same way.  sew together in rows.

Sew the rows of 1" finished squares and triangles together and use your easy angle to square up to a 3" finished half square.  This is tricky, because no matter how hard you try, those seams are not going to be all perfectly aligned.  It should be the same size as the larger triangles that you cut.  I pressed everything open and trimmed with each addition.  The quarter inch stitch line should be lined up with the corners of the 1" half squares.

Join the remaining 8 pieces into squares, and then join the squares in a 4 patch fashion.  When I joined the pieced units with the blue triangles, I pinned the corners and tried to align the edges the best I could.

Your block should measure 6 1/2".  I used an assortment of oranges because I didn't have quite enough of one color.  I also substituted a dark for the larger triangles. 

Here is a picture of the 9 blocks from May.  If you see a piece that I have turned the wrong way, don't let me know.  In August, we are only doing 6 blocks because they are more intricate. 

Pine Tree #67

This block is amazing!  42 pieces, so it is not going to be done in a jiffy.  When I say color 1 and color 2, don't be afraid to go scrappy!!  Have you ever seen a tree with all the leaves the same color?  If you have been saving your cut away triangles, now is the time to get them out and sew them up.  If you want to pick a common background color, just grab a pile and sew them up.  If you haven't quite mastered the 1/4", you may want to cut yours a little larger (use a 1 3/4" strip) and square them up.  With pieces this small, it may be easier to get them the correct size by squaring up.

I took a whole bag of gifted triangles.  I sewed them up and they were about 1 3/4" (not every one was the same size).  I used the square up ruler by Quilt in a day and trimmed them to 1 1/2" before I pressed.  I pressed these seams open WITHOUT steam.  There are lots of ways to make half squares.  If you prefer a different method use it.

Cutting:

Color 1 (dark)

• 18 triangles cut with Easy Angle (EA) 1 1/2" strip
• 2 - 1 1/2" squares

Color 2 (light)

• 18 triangles cut with EA 1 1/2" strip
• 2 triangles cut with 2" strip Companion Angle

Color 3 (medium or dark)

• 3" finished half square (3 1/2" strip with EA)

Color 4 (Medium or Dark)

• 1 7/8" X 3 1/2" (tree trunk)

Sewing:

Tree Trunk (Alias EASY Part)

• Line up with triangles cut with the companion angle to one end of the 1 7/8" x 3 1/2" rectangle.  Press toward the trunk
• Add the second triangle lining up with the same end of the rectangle.  Press toward the trunk
• Use your Easy Angle and square up to a 4" finished half square (line up with 4 1/2" line on Easy Angle)  
• Sew together with remaining 4" finished half square to make a 4 1/2" square

Now for the more challenging and time consuming part.  This part went quickly for me because I had the half square sewn already.  

18 half squares that measure 1 1/2"  

(Press Seams Open)

Tips:

1. Make sure you have a fresh needle in your machine. It will make a big difference.
2. Use a stiletto (or fingernail in my case) to guide the pieces through
3. If you have a single hole needle plate, I recommend that also
4. A foot with a single hole will help keep your seams going the correct way

When you have your 1 1/2" squares in
pairs, press the seams open.  I trimmed the beginning and ending seam at an angle to reduce the bulk.  This is the first time I have tried this, and I think it really helped.

Make sure these measure 1 1/2" x 2 1/2"

Arrange the pairs together and sew into 4 patches.  Line up the 45 degree (sometimes called the bias line) of the ruler with the angle of the half squares to make sure your 4 patches measure 2 1/2".  You can see in the picture that I had to trim my pieces up just a bit. 

Sew 2 - 4 patches together and join with the left edge of the trunk.  Join the remaining 3 - 4 patches together and join with the top of the of the tree block.  I pressed both of these seams open also. 

 I have to admit, I was so pleased with how this block turned out.  I did have one mishap and had to use the seam ripper.  Make sure you have your half squares going the correct direction.  I didn't realize my error until I had the whole block together.  Here is the block before I used my new seam ripper.  I am sure you will have no problem spotting that I sewed the 4 patches on the left upside down.  I was doing my happy dance about how well everything lined up when I spotted it.  

I don't know who gifted the great stripe, but it looks fabulous as the tree trunk.  I think this may be my favorite block.  

On the Wall

My design wall is the same this week.  Wait...I didn't get a chance to post last week, so you haven't seen it.  I finished all the corner pieces on these rail blocks. 

 I needed the storage container that this project was in, so I decided I would just sew it together.  I cut it out long ago to use up scraps, but I never started piecing it.  The pattern is from one of Kim Brackett books called town Square.  Her first 2 books are all from 2 1/2" strips or scraps.  I love that the book tells you the directions from both strips or scraps.  She has some great patterns in both books. 

Softball finished this weekend, so I can get back to my regularly scheduled life.  School starts on Tuesday, so not much of a summer vacation. 

Streak of Lightning - #92

This block was fun and quick to make.  I think you will enjoy this one.  I cut all my pieces from a 2 1/2" strip.

Cutting:
 Light & Dark:

• 2 1/2" x 10" strip
• 3- 1 1/2" squares

Dark:
2- 1 1/2" x 2 1/2"
Light:
1- 1 1/2" x 2 1/2"

Sewing:

Sew the 2 1/2" x 10" strips together.  Press toward the dark Make sure they measure 4 1/2".  Square up the end and cut them into six 1 1/2" segments.







Sew the opposite color square to each end of (3) of the segments

Sew the (2) dark rectangles to the light end of (2) of the segments

Sew the (1) light rectangle to the dark end of the remaining segments

Check to make sure they measure 6 1/2"

Sew the 6 strips together flipping as necessary to get the dark color on the diagonal.

This is the easiest block this month!  I hope we are still on speaking terms after this month's blocks.



Your completed block should measure 6 1/2".  Next up is this little baggie of pieces.  Char gifted me this baggie a few months ago.  I decided since she had all the pieces already lined up I would just sew the triangles together.  I squared up the the pieces to 1 1/2" half squares.  I am SO glad I did!!  Remember those little pieces you have been trimming off....and I said you should save them....This is the month.