Constructing a 6" CQ block

One of my ongoing projects if my flower quilt.  Here's one block that's completed to give you an idea of the size and construction.  Total size of the block is 8" square, but I only embroider 6" square.  The blocks all have a green centre and a flower.  The colour of the flower determines the outer fabric.  In this case shades of rust and orange.


I found a couple of really nice flowers on clearance. They are a little bigger than those I have already used, but they have fabric and lace petals and I could trim them later if I need to.

For this tutorial I will be using the pale green lace flower.

Here is the 8" muslin square.  I have marked the corners of the 6" square embroidery area.  I cut out a six sided piece of the green fabric and placed it in the centre.

Next I took pieces of green fabric to  blend with the green flower and laid them on three sides of the centre piece.  I tested it out with my cardboard frame.  

I carried on around the centre piece's six sides laying out fabric of my choice.  The final sixth piece of fabric was tucked under the first piece.

I tested to see if the flower looked OK. To begin sewing, gently pull out the muslin block from the centre , leaving the six fabrics in place.

Next, beginning with one of the six fabrics, lay it right sides together along one of the centre sides.  Sew only the length of the centre side, marked here with pins.

This photo shows the right side.  Press the seam flat.  I have  lined up my ruler with the second centre edge and drawn a straight lined across the first fabric.  Cut on that line, turn the block over and trim any overhanging fabric.

This is the block now.  First piece of fabric sewn down, pressed, trimmed.  Note that the first fabric that overlaps the muslin is not sewn down.  The last fabric will be tucked under this flap.

Second fabric lined up on second side of centre to the edge of the block.

Here's the second fabric sewn, pressed and marked for cutting.

This is the third fabric. 

Third fabric sewn and pressed.  Just a note to say that it makes a big difference to the finished block when you iron each seam.

Here is the third fabric sewn and the trimming line marked on the front.

Turn the block to the back and trim off the excess fabric. 

Carry on adding your fabric pieces,  sew and press, then trim.  Here five pieces of fabric are in place.

Here is the block ready to take the sixth piece of fabric.  The loose first piece of fabric is pinned back so that I can sew a little past the end of the centre block side.

This is the sixth piece pinned down ready to sew.

The sixth piece has been sewn down and I extended it about 1" beyond the end of the centre side.

Everything is sewn except that small pinned section where the sixth fabric was tucked under the first fabric.  I can either hand stitch this down, or machine top stitch with a big stitch that can be unpicked later.

The cardboard frame marks the sewing area.  The cardboard frame works very well.  This one is 8" x 8" on the outside, with 6" x 6" inside measurement. It was made especially for this series of flower blocks. 

Next I would machine a sewing line close to the edge to stop fraying, and then handstitch around the square on the 6" x 6" measurement.  

Hallowe'en 2011 with the Grandchildren

While these four were out with their parents, Jack and Emily's other Grandma and I gave out the candies.  Emily (4 months) is with her older brother Jack.  The other brothers Josh dressed as a pirate and Elijah as a monkey can hardly wait to get going on the candy trail!

My other two cuties are in Quebec and although I couldn't be there, I was thinking of them.  Brynn is a princess and Caleb a knight.  A very handsome couple.

Elijah is two!

Blowing out the candles

My grandson Elijah celebrated his second birthday today, and it was a noisy success! In total there were five 3 & unders, and three under 14's and eleven adults.  Elijah is a sweet child who's answer to the question "what kind of birthday cake do you want Elijah?" has been for the last two weeks: "a Pooh cake Nana".  So Nana (me) who's the cake lady to the family, did what she was asked!  

A post earlier showed Pooh and friends under construction. My friend Verdie and I completed the birthday party scene, it was fun making the tiny pizza and cookies!

Laurie's All About Angels CQI RR

This block has one of the prettiest colour schemes ever!  Shades of dusty lilac and a deep cream are just beautiful together and I really enjoyed adding my stitching to it.  Here is Laurie N's block after Wendy, Debbie and my work.  

I made a lace flower for the top left corner and added bullions and gold beads to the seam.

I filled the patch with scallops of golden chains and added an angel inside each.  Below the seam is a pretty piece of lace with exactly the same size scallops.

A sparkly piece of lilac ric-rac covered  another seam, and in the bottom patch I added some swirls and Kiko's flowers.

A bit of fun with dollies

The ladies at our Seniors have been knitting teddy bears like crazy for the Bazaar this weekend.  This is one of the many little and big bears, in a big variety of colours, using up lots of our small balls of wool.  The pattern is really easy - knit from the toes up and over and back to the toes.  The arms are stitches picked up on the sides, and the ears are pinched and sewn.  Easy as pie!  And they are cute!  But they are all boys!  
I used the same pattern (almost) and came up with a girl doll.  But it has taken me several tries at getting her right.  The first one has dislocated arms and thunder thighs.  The second one's a bit long in the body, and the third one, who knows what she will turn out like until I actually stuff her! 

Big Surprise at our Quilt Show

Betty's Crazy Quilt

Close up of some of the blocks

It was such a nice surprise to see this lovely crazy quilt hanging up in among all the "sane" quilts last weekend at the Rouge Valley Quilters Guild's Show.  It's beautifully put together by Betty Wildeman, and all seams are neatly embroidered.  There is also lots of embroidery on the individual patches and from what Betty said, it seems most of them relate to friends and family.  There are no beads, sequins or button embelishing because this will be a quilt that is used on a bed.

A Quilt Finished

Three of us from our Seniors group completed this "quilt as you go" queen-size quilt over the summer.  Suzanne and I sewed the blocks together, I machine added the blue sashing, and Anna handstitched the final seam on the back.

It's one of the prizes in our draw this weekend at our annual Bazaar.   All the blue fabric was donated.

This is a closer look at the individual blocks.

And here's a look at the back.  We used all shades of yellow and purchased the pretty patterned fabric to use for the strips.  I made blocks earlier this year that were sent to help Australian flood victims and I documented the instructions on how to make a block here.

Busy, busy, busy.....

This is what I wrote last weekend, but didn't have any time during the week to actually post it!

I have too many things on the go at the present.  There's a baby shower cake for the 22nd, my grandson's 2nd birthday on the 30th, a display of sugar maple leaves for my sugar group to be ready for Monday;  today I spent half the day at our annual yard sale in our building, tomorrow is clean-up and dispose of unsold stuff.  Tomorrow afternoon is our quilt guild show, and I'm on from 1 to 4!   Phew!   

It's a week later, the yard sale is done and dusted, the leaves were made and delivered to the Creativ Show in Toronto where Verdie and I did our shift yesterday from 9am until 3pm. I completed a fairy dotee that will be swapped.  I also enjoyed working at our Quilt Guild Show on Sunday (where there was a beautiful crazy quilt on display - more about that on another post).  And the cake for the baby shower cake was delivered this morning.  Here's some pictures I took along the way!

Here's the fairy dotee.  The wings were made with florist wire from my cake decorating stash.

I got soaking wet foraging for these branches in the ravine during heavy rain.  The leaves are gumpaste.

Baby shower cake, 12" x 12".  All sugar cradle.

Here's Pooh and friends still under construction.  

One more e-bay quilt

This 12" x 12" quilted block has been added to the E-Bay auction.  I made this three years or so ago, as a Challenge in the CQ for Newbies group.  We were sent a package of fabric, thread, trim and beads and had to make something of it.  I loved the fabric in the middle and chose "Mother Love" as my project.  I was very new to crazy quilting in those days, and I'm quite surprised at my creativeness here. 

It did not win the challenge and has been idling in a cupboard until lately when Lesley issued another challenge on CQI as a Tribute to Mothers.  I think I was the only person who completed the challenge (and that was because the block was already pieced and embroidered).  All I had to do was back it and bind it.  On the finished version on E-Bay the circle has been centred properly.

For interest's sake, I have the photo here of the  package I received to make the block.

E-Bay Auction - CQI Crazy Quilts for Breast Cancer

About 29" x 30"

These three beautiful hand embroidered and embellished crazy quilts are up for auction on e-bay.  The blocks were created, donated and put together by members of CQI to benefit Breast Cancer.  Click on the photos to enlarge and see the detail.

About 29" x 42"  

About 27" x 27" 

Tone on Tone DYB RR - My blocks

I'm so happy to have my Tone on Tone blocks back home.  This is how I sent them out:  Six inch squares in rainbow colours.  Five would be chosen by the group and the remaining one I would do.  In the booklet I mentioned that they would probably be made into a small wall hanging for a child's room.

Cathy L. chose the orange block and added a wonderful dinosaur, a sparkly corner with a beetle, and some neat ric rac. I also see some tiny kiko's flowers in among the winding chain. 

Cheryl A worked on the yellow block .  She brought it to sparkling light with the enormous  sun.    It's clever the way the sun's rays show off her neat stitching.

Ritva worked on the blue block.  In amongst her wonderful seams, she's added  the perfect charms for a wee boy:  teddies and the truck.

Candji's choice was red.  Her dramatic dragon is definitely the focal point.  There's sparkly seam treatments  and a neat kite to complete the scene.

Green was chosen by Rita.  Her spider is just waiting for his next meal!  Look closely and you will also see a butterfly, some fishes, worms and a turtle, not to mention some lovely seamwork. 

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Thanks, ladies.  I love all your work.