Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Midnight Blues

As you all know, Bonnie Hunters leader & ender project for 2019/2020 is the shoofly block. She gives a very detailed tutorial how to make the blocks.

This was the incentive I needed to start piecing shoofly blocks but I'm not piecing my blocks the way Bonnie describes. I'm doing them my own way which works for me!

I like the precision of foundation paper piecing so I've made my triangles with 1-1/2" finished Thangles papers. I also didn't make the center block larger. In my block, each of the 9 sections is the same size.


I needed a total of 162 shoofly blocks which means I needed 648 HST's. Got them done but piecing the blocks had to wait because August was just a busy month. 

It's September now and the shoofly blocks are finished, all 162 of them.

Now I need 161 snowball blocks but I'm not piecing those yet. I think piecing those blocks sound like a good mindless sewing project to take along to retreat in November.


The cream squares in the above picture are for the snowball blocks, the squares for the flippy corners are cut. I'll work on marking a diagonal line on the back of those so they're ready to sew at the retreat.


Earlier this summer I did piece 4 snowball blocks to see how they looked with the shoofly blocks. Before I cut the flippy corners off the snowball, I sewed a 2nd seam. I cut between the seams, now I have these tiny little HST's. I'll wait to press then until after all the corners have been sewn, then they have to be trimmed. I have no idea what they'll be but I know this, it will be very small. 

I guess Judy Hanson from Small Quilts & Doll Quilts is making an impression on me. Judy also attends the Jane Stickle quilt retreat. Over the years I have gifted her with many tiny pieces. Her small quilts are so cute!

I'm using mediums and dark blues for this quilt which are already in my stash. I've used at least 25 different blues but so many of them are very dark deep blue/black so I've named this quilt Midnight Blues. Midnight Blues is a lot easier then to say shoofly & snowballs.

I first posted about my project in July. If I make this quilt like I'm planning now, there will be an applique border included or maybe I'll embroider the border . . . I'll decide when the center is pieced.

I know my project isn't a leader & ender project like Bonnie's but, my quilt, my way.

Linking to Midweek Makers, Needle & Thread Thursday, For the Love of Geese, Peacock Party

12 comments:

Jayne Honnold said...

This is going to look fantastic!!

Created by Kathi said...

I love that you are so much like me... get inspired by someone or some block then go off and make it your own! I had small hst's from doing the extra sewing as you describe and made some of the ones I had into part of my outer border... it turned out cool... If you don't recall the quilt I sleep under at the moment then let me know and I can privately share some photos of how i did it :) Good luck figuring out what you wanna do with your offcuts... On the quilt I am working on now Connie made pinwheels with her offcuts as a whole border on her piecing of this quilt! lol It must be getting popular to not waste fabric that can be used somehow... you could even make a pillow from them :) Anyway... Happy Stitching at your retreat on those snowball blocks too.. this will make a lovely quilt! Have a great week end Gretchen :) Kathi

Jayne said...

So many tiny adorable blocks! This is going to be quite a spectacular quilt in the end! I love when I can get bonus HST's from a project! Can't wait to see what you do with those little bits!

For the love of geese said...

One of my favorite songs in my younger years and I have it on my phone to rock out in the car. That is a lot of hst's and today I can proudly say they no long intimidate me. Can't wait to see the finish. Thank you for linking up to Put your foot down, I enjoyed your post too.

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

Your blocks are so pretty! I love the blue and white and you have been a busy lady! I can hardly wait to get back to my life!!!! 2020 Just has to be my year!!!!!!!!!!! Hugs

QuiltGranma said...

VERY nice! I prefer the block you made to hers, personally. I've eve thought of making mine with larger triangles and smaller square in the middle. Have not even started mine yet! (obviously!)

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thank you! Your blocks will be interesting made differently which is the way it should be! Happy Stitching!

Susan said...

I groaned when I saw 162 shoo-fly blocks. Then I read further about the 648 HST's. You're braver than I am!

Gretchen Weaver said...

I've made both Dear Jane and Nearly Insane, what's a few hundred HST's? I just keep imagine what it will look like in my mind, that keeps me enthused. I've got 2 months to mark the lines on the backs of the squares for the flippy corners on the snowballs. But maybe I'll change my mind and decide to eye from corner to corner.

Debbiegsp said...

Hi, Gretchen. I love, and make, many of Bonnie's quilts. But I also love the dignified serenity of vintage two-color quilts. I'm going to follow your idea to use all blues, and a same size center. Im thinking of just using plain cream for the alternate block. I plan to hand quilt mine also. I will be following your progress with great interest. Thanks for sharing all your lovely work, Debbie

Gretchen Weaver said...

Your plan sounds lovely too. That's what quilting is all about, making quilts we love our own way! Happy Stitching!

Anonymous said...

Whew! That’s a lot of shoo fly and snowball blocks. But it looks like it’s going beautifully!