Thursday, January 12, 2017

Nearly Insane Blocks

I haven't sewn any Nearly Insane blocks since October. I'm sewing a row at a time but since the quilt set is diagonal rows, each row has more blocks. This row has 9 blocks, two of which are cut in half.

These are the four half blocks; the inset triangles. I piece each half separately. Two will be used in this row, the others will be saved to use in a different row. 


A close up of block 22 which has 132 pieces. I'm pretty proud of myself, I've completed this block but of course there is something I would change but I didn't see it until she was completed. I wish I would have put yellow fabric in the center square. But I am NOT going to make a second block. I can easily live with it the way it is.

When you piece blocks with lots of little pieces, you end up with a pile that looks like this.




Apparently Lucinda did too because in amongst the many stars in this row is this block, a good use for the little scraps. Sorry it's blurry.







Pictures from the rest of the blocks because they want their five minutes of fame.


Sometimes my fussy cutting turns out great. I think this little flower in the center looks nice.









The dark fabrics all look the same in the pictures but I am trying to vary the fabrics.









The soft blue fabric in the borders is one of my favorite fabrics. 










These fabrics are more muted but the yellow brightens them up.




I really like this block even though I got the dark and medium fabric mixed up in the inner border. You never know what you are going to end up with.






Now the blocks are attached to the body. I still have room for the body to hang on the display wall. As you can see, my quilt is pieced with scrappy blues and yellows. She is making very slow progress but I enjoy looking at her as she is displayed.

I would like to have the quilt halfway pieced by the beginning of May. Three more rows and she'll be there but each row has more blocks!

There are two blogs I peruse in my Insane journey, Nearly Insane Fans and Nearly Insane Quilts. Sometimes I have trouble visualizing fabric in the blocks when I have the copied pattern. I check these blogs to see the light, medium and dark fabrics. It is interesting how different they are even though they both made the same block patterns. What really amazes me is they both pieced these blocks! I wouldn't be making this quilt if I weren't foundation paper piecing her.

Alyce, from Blossom Heart Quilts, is having a paper piecing BOM, the Milky Way Sampler. The block pattern is free for a month, then there is a charge. If you are interested in learning to paper piece, I encourage to you to download these patterns when they are free and try them. They look like fairly simple blocks and would be good ones to learn with.

11 comments:

Joyce said...

The yellow and blue are stunning! My hat's off to you for these blocks - such an amazing quilt. I look forward to seeing the completed masterpiece!

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I had that book at one time and really thought I would make it but after hanging on to it for some time I traded it for something else. I just lost interest in those little blocks after I made the two Dear Jane quilts.

Chris said...

They are looking lovely. I cannot imagine hand piecing all those little pieces. I would definitely foundation piece also,.

Karen said...

How pretty the blocks look all sewn together in rows. I was wondering if you are machine sewing all of the blocks or doing some hand piecing on some.

Gretchen Weaver said...

This quilt won't be finished for a long time. I enjoy the paper piecing though.

Gretchen Weaver said...

I didn't want to make a second Jane, so I choose this pattern. After Nearly Insane is finished, I think I'll take a break from paper piecing tiny pieces!

Gretchen Weaver said...

I am mostly machine sewing. I did hand applique the handle of the half basket block. There is another basket block in another row, I will also hand applique the handle too. One of the blocks already pieced is a lemoyne star. I hand pieced the background fabrics since I needed to inset seams.

Glenda said...

Dear Gretchen you are making a wee master piece there, so lovely to see the close ups of each wee block they are little pieces of art on there own. Goodness 132 pieces in one block thats insane LOL It does look lovely on your design wall love love the blue and yellow over all look. Hugs Glenda

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

I like all of your blocks! I see what you mean on the yellow block in the middle, but the block still looks good. YUP - If I ever do this one I will PP it too or either go nuts. Your quilt is really taking shape and I love the blue and yellows! Good work!

Gretchen Weaver said...

I had thought I would try to piece 2 rows this month, but I could only handle 1. There is so much piecing! Someone had told me (who's never pieced NI) that she would be easier than Jane, NOT!!!!! I'll keep working at her month by month and someday she'll be completed. Of course after the flimsy is sewn, I want to hand quilt her. Am I insane or what?

Gretchen Weaver said...

What is really insane, there is a block in another row that has over 200 pieces. I think my goal for that month will be just to piece that block! I am sure going to feel like I've accomplished something when this quilt is finished.