JemJam

Red Eye Quilt-DGS

Another do. Good Stitches quilt complete!

I had been wanting to make a quilt using this pattern, so why not entice our DGS group that they need to make a block, too?! This is such a big block, that overall I think it worked out fine, because everyone had to make just one block.

I quilted this with a variegated Aurifil thread from the Tula Pink collection, I am loving that set too much, it really is perfect for quilting.

 

Not much else to say but, thanks to our great group for such great blocks!

 

Pattern: Octagonal Orb Quilt Block by Elizabeth Hartman

 

 

 

Checkers Quilt

A long time ago, I received blocks for my do. Good Stitches group and I finally put it together! So many excuses and events, but, whatever, it is done! Thanks, Harmony group, for being so patient!

 

                    Bobbin studying the quilt 

 

I will be sending this to Project Linus very soon with the quilt I show next. Yep, I have 2 more to show you from me being a quilter in DGS. I have one complete (need to make the pillow to go with it) and one to finish.

I thought that I could easily be a quilter in this group, but, I am so busy and I feel bad to get behind. I will be caught up before it is my month again and I will remain a quilter because I do enjoy the work, as long as it isn't too much of a problem for my group, I will continue to donate my time. Ugh, life is hard...

Small Town Checkers--a Tutorial

I have a quilt block tutorial today, it is based on a block called "Country Checkers," my version is called Small Town Checkers.   I prepped this at night, so, the pictures are icky, maybe I'll do it again during daylight, but, that's a challenge with a five year old wanting to do stuff like "hang out" and eat and shower.

Gather some scraps that are at least 2.5" in desired colors.  To make one 14.5" block, you will need:

13- 2.5" squares in a solid

12- 2.5" squares in various prints

Arrange your squares like this, your top and bottom rows should have 3 solid squares.

 

Sew your squares together for each row, I chain piece.  After you have sewn them together, press seams to one side--alternate directions for each row. For example, the top row's seams are pressed to the left, second row's seams are pressed to the right.  This will make aligning seams in the next step less bulky and they will line up nicely.

 

Carefully sew your rows together.  Press these seams open.  Square up block, if necessary.

 

We are going to make this block a "square in a square" now.

 

Get 2--7⅞" squares.

Cut in half diagonally.

 

With right sides together, sew one triangle on an end of your block.  Next, sew other half of square to the opposite end of block.  Be sure to trim your "dog ears" after sewing on each triangle.  In picture below, my triangle is not right sides together, I just placed it there to show where it is going.

 

Now, take your last two triangles and sew them to other ends, for the best results, I fold my triangle in half to make a crease and I do the same to my 25-patch, then I match the markings and begin to sew.

 

 

Press well and you are done!  Yay!

Block measures 14.5."

 

We are using this block for my first month as a quilter in do. Good Stitches!  I'm so excited to be a part of this group!  You can read about DGS right here!