Quilt block challenge of the week

**Debbie-cat** · 12-19-2009, 02:33 PM

Wonderful quilts peanut! You are so talented and fast!

**Luckybustert** · 12-19-2009, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by peanut

I thought I'd post the pics of the finished or near finished quilts for this year. I was motivated by this thread at least. And a one week time span to do things was really good for me. Meant I couldn't forget to do things. Though I often wasn't right on time...what with life being what it is...

Experimental Quilt...

Kimono Quilt...

Tribal Fusion Quilt...

Calliope Quilt...

English Medallion Quilt...

Finished top of the Sampler Quilt...

I'm planning on finishing the star quilt table topper this week...just in time for Christmas.

I've switched from quilting to rug hooking, knitting and spinning at the moment. Hope everyone had a successful year quilting this year, and a better one next year!

OMG, Peanut, they are so beautiful! WOW. Thanks for sharing the pictures, I am always amazed and impressed by just how much you are able to get done.

**vickilynn** · 12-20-2009, 08:15 AM

I've got to get back into this challenge, even if it's just a block a week.....better to be in the game than sitting on the bench!

**mauimagic** · 12-20-2009, 01:51 PM

Vickilynn - I've been working on a block a month!! Want to do this next year too - perhaps I'll even finish up a quilt top from what I started this year - absolutely love the soft yellow and peach colors!!

**peanut** · 12-20-2009, 06:51 PM

Last quilt of the year...

From [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Radiant-Star-Quilt-Burns-Eleanor/dp/0922705208"]"Radiant Star Quilt"[/ame] by Eleanor Burns...kind of...I just didn't put any background around the star.

**Debbie-cat** · 12-20-2009, 07:01 PM

Peanut, it is gorgeous!

**Luckybustert** · 12-20-2009, 11:40 PM

Originally Posted by peanut

Last quilt of the year...

From "Radiant Star Quilt" by Eleanor Burns...kind of...I just didn't put any background around the star.

I love it! Very unique looking without the background.

**frugalfranny** · 12-21-2009, 02:29 AM

Originally Posted by vickilynn

I've got to get back into this challenge, even if it's just a block a week.....better to be in the game than sitting on the bench!

You and me both VL! I have plenty of scraps and could be doing a block a week....working through a book I have. Gees, if we got real energetic and did one a day - we could have almost a quilt at the end of a month!!! One a day....hhhhmmmmmm

Peanut.......saw the star in the other thread - still pretty over here too!!

**peanut** · 12-21-2009, 09:16 AM

Yeah, I decided to double post. Some people don't visit both threads...or at least don't seem to post on both...

**mauimagic** · 12-21-2009, 08:31 PM

it's absolutely stunning Peanut!! Love the colors and tones you chose. How did you back it/bind it? Definitely a treasure for years to come!!

**vickilynn** · 12-22-2009, 07:14 AM

Originally Posted by frugalfranny

You and me both VL! I have plenty of scraps and could be doing a block a week..

Yes a block a week or even just one night a week in the sewing room would help me out....maybe that'll be a personal challenge for me...one night a week....just one hour even ......

and finish what is there, finish what is there:
2 quilts put blocks together
finish handquilting garden quilt
baste and quilt old old quilt
THEN start new blocks......

**peanut** · 12-22-2009, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by mauimagic

it's absolutely stunning Peanut!! Love the colors and tones you chose. How did you back it/bind it? Definitely a treasure for years to come!!

I put cotton batting in the middle - scraps I had - and backed it with an old cotton shower curtain in the green colourway. Then machine quilted it, trimmed the edges, and did the binding. I spray basted the layers of the quilt together before machine quilting it.

The trick with the binding is to cut it on the bias so it goes around those corners easier. Someone told me they just use straight cut bias cut across the grain, but I wasn't going to chance it. The lady who showed me how to do it said specifically to use bias cut binding, so I went with that.

The hard part of the binding is the inside corners. You have to make an inverted pleat to get it to lay flat. Basically you double the binding lengthwise and press it. Sew the raw edges to the edge of the trimmed star. When you get to an inside corner you go to where the seamlines would meet or cross each other, stop and backstitch. Then move ahead around the corner, position the binding so it will make a nice corner (hmmm...keep it tight to the last backstitching) and start sewing the next side of the star, backstitching at beginning and end of that side.

The thing to remember is that the pleat is on the outside edge of the star on an inside corner, and on the inside edge of the binding on the outside corners (points).

Hmm...this sounds clear as mud. Hope you can kind of figure it out from this. I can see I need to take photos and do a tutorial on my blog...

**mauimagic** · 12-23-2009, 03:07 AM

Photos and a blog tutorial would be great - must admit I'm too tired to figure it out right now!! Love the idea of spray basting the layers together - mahalo!!

**vickilynn** · 12-23-2009, 07:03 AM

Spray basting is great for tying a quilt or machine quilting...but for me it made hand quilting really hard.....made the needle drag.

I do use it though.....everything has a purpose and a time...