Big and Scrappy

I am still working on that surprise quilt and I expect I will be for a while yet. I thought I would show you some blocks for another section of the quilt.

First is the HUGE block. I just kept adding pieces to this until it was large enough. It is 18.5 and will finish out at 18 inches. This means that I will be doing lots of work in multiples of NINE.


(you can click on these pictures to go to my Flickr photos and see them larger)

I decided to be "less ambitious" (ha ha) and just make 9.5 squares. After all, I have a square ruler in that size. It makes life easier. PLUS the string squares are also that size so it will all fit together for a really "busy" patchwork quilt.

So here are a couple of 18.5 blocks made from the smaller units.



As you probably noticed, there are some smaller blocks incorporated into the units. There is a paper-pieced tulip block that I messed up on. Hey it works fine in this!
There is also some curved piecing that was made just playing around. I cut it down. Don't be surprised if the other pieces of it show up later.

To photograph these I made a temporary "design wall" by hanging some batting over a door. That is why my squares don't look square. I promise that they are. But even if they aren't -wonky is definitely allowed in this quilt.

This is a NO RULES quilt and it is a lot of fun. You should try it. If you do, let me know and be sure you post a picture of it somewhere so I can see it.

Strip Surprise

I assume you have discovered Quiltville, Bonnie Hunter's website. I find lots of inspiration there, as well as anywhere I can find it. After seeing all that Bonnie does with Strips, Crumbs and other small dabs of fabric, I saw somewhere else about strip piecing on a foundation. So I made a lot of squares (also here) Now I am putting them together. I am planning a surprise quilt - unless the surprise-ee is watching my blog. (I don't think so, I think she will be very surprised!) Anyway, I sewed sixteen of the strip blocks into this piece. Wow, I have impressed myself!



I am planning to do this "quilt as you go" style. I will make this the WIDTH of the quilt then add backing and batting and quilt it. I am thinking that this will be the UPPER MIDDLE of the quilt to make a big band of diagonal motion there.

I have more of the diagonal strip blocks left so they will work in there somehow. I also have the crumb blocks I posted earlier.


I have a number of them made now also - not enough but I have more "scraps" to keep on making them. Those will go into this quilt too. This will be a very scrappy and colorful quilt. (imagine that! Ha ha, I don't know how to do muted) I am hoping it comes together into a lovely, artsy quilt for someone very special.