hoping for a second quarter finish !

Its almost the deadline for the second quarter of the 2013 Finish-a-long.

I've got an easier list this time with most of the first quarter attempts repeated in the hope of actually getting some finishes done.

First up is Lucy's hourglass quilt - it just needs to be quilted and bound.

Next on the list is the Mod Pop quilt - I'm pretty confident in my quilting design for this one so I just need to get the back made and its ready for quilting - I'm going to piece the back using the mistake blocks from the front although I'm not quite sure how yet !

Then there are the two whirlygig mini wild things quilts from the first quarter that didn't really get a look in although I did finish unpicking all of the blocks :)

and just to add some interest I have listed these blocks that I've made recently that I'd like to do something with - I made one while I was making the mod pop blocks and now I've made a few more - they seem to grow like topsy :)  just wish I had more of the fabric as I'd love to make a quilt with them !

Linking up to

no finishes

its time for the first quarter finish-along finishes post and I'm a bit sad to report that I don't have one total finish !

having said that I am pretty happy that I have three tops finished and two of those were big projects for me - the first top to be finished was my totally groovy quilt-along quilt - the post about that finish is here.

The second top finish was lucy's hourglass quilt which I loved making - I was really hoping to get it quilted and bound by today but alas I've had a very sore shoulder for the past week so I haven't done much sewing at all !

I sewed the top up and then when I looked at it thought that it was a bit skinny.

so I unpicked the last row on the bottom of the quilt and used those blocks for the side - then I decided it was too square !

so I unpicked those blocks again and put them back on the bottom - so this is the final layout :)

can you see why it takes me so long to get something done !!

I'm going to do straight line quilting on this one in a diagonal grid so I'm going to list it again for the second quarter of the finish-along and hopefully it will be a finish !

The third top that I finished (well started and finished) this quarter was my mod pop quilt - I have a quilting design worked out that I should be able to do but I need to make the backing - I really want to use up the curved blocks that didn't work out for the front so that might take me a little while but I think I should be able to get it done in the second quarter.

I've also made progress on my fourth and fifth quilts on the list - I have all of the pieces cut out - now to sew them up !  I'll list them for my second quarter as well - hopefully I will have some finishes then :)

My 1st quarter finish-along list post is here.

Linking up to Q1 FAL finishes !

april care at do.good stitches

its my month for the care at do.good stitches quilt – I’m very excited to be a quilter and stitcher this year!

I was having trouble thinking about what block to use as I hadn’t worked out a charity to give the quilt to so when Kristy (our team leader) suggested Angels for the Forgotten I was really happy to see that it’s an Australia-wide charity based in Wagga Wagga which is about an hour’s drive from me.  They do great work helping children in care or living in crisis.

"Angels for the Forgotten is dedicated to giving dignity, hope and joy to our community's most vulnerable who are entering foster care or living in crisis.

Our aim is to put a little bit of Sparkle in to otherwise bleak and traumatic situations, to instill the feeling that "somebody does care" in to the hearts and minds of those who feel alone and isolated in this world and with your help we can all make "real change", "a real impact", and "a real difference".

They ask for blankets and quilts around 70 x 70 cms so I’ve decided to use our 20 blocks to make two quilts – one for a girl and one for a boy and I’m imagining their ages to be 6 – 8 years old.

When I suggested to Kristy that I might do a plus sign quilt for the boy and a star quilt for the girl she gently pointed out that it might be simpler to have one design only :) thanks Kristy!

As I didn’t really want to use a star block for the boy quilt I settled on the plus sign.  I had resigned myself to having to use a 9 patch block for the plus as most of the plus sign blocks I’ve seen are interlocking which doesn’t work for group quilts, then yesterday while visiting the new members of our little care group I saw Rachel’s plus block and knew I wanted to use that one so I emailed her straight away to ask if I could use the block but with bigger dimensions.

Rachel has a fabulous plus block quilt in progress using a low volume background which was inspired by a quilt from Ashley at Film in the Fridge who in turn was inspired by Alexia Marcelle Abegg's Marcelle Medallion quilt, from her book 'Liberty Love'.  The blocks are used in the 7th border of this quilt.

Rachel has very graciously allowed me to use the block and so here it is with the cutting dimensions.

click on the photo to enlarge !

The blocks will finish at 12 ½ inches square which means I can make two 3 x 3 quilts.

I’ve decided to use two fabrics rather than the low volume background – one darker colour for the plus and a lighter shade of the same colour for the background.

 

its a pretty simple block to put together - sew the two smaller blocks of the top and bottom rows together and then sew the small blocks to the centre strip.

then sew the large squares to each side of the small blocks on the top and bottom rows

then sew all three rows together

The block should come out a smidge bigger than 12 ½ square but don’t worry about squaring up as I might need the little bit of excess :)

Oh and they don’t take too long to make either !  choosing the fabrics took me the longest as you can see by my first choice for the girls block – crickey - those spots were just way too dominant !!

I'm happier with my second fabric choice !

 

I hope you like my block for april and I look forward to receiving your blocks and making two very cute quilts :)

ps - please email me or post on the flickr group if you have any questions.