2025 Designer Mystery Block, Stonefields, Blocks 33 & 34

The August block (block 3) from Fat Quarter Shop for the 2025 Designer Mystery quilt has been pieced.

Last month someone asked if there was enough fabric in the packets if you made a mistake in cutting. I supposed it depends on how big of a mistake you make but I would say there is enough to correct mistakes.

The floral white background fabric has been in all three of the blocks so far. I had enough leftover from the first two blocks that I didn't even need to cut into the fat quarter that came with this block.

These floral fabrics have not been used so far, in fact none of the floral fabrics have been repeated so I'm accumulating a nice assortment of fabrics for a future project.

I'm ready to start Section 3 of the Stonefields quilt. There are only two blocks in this section that are pieced. Blocks 33 & 34 are named Bordered Four Patch, all the other blocks in this section are completely appliqued.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday, Put Your Foot Down, Free Motion Mavericks, TGIFF!, Finished or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Patchwork & Quilts

Stonefields, Blocks 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 & 25

Block 19, from Stonefields, is called The Oscillateur. When I saw the applique design, I immediately thought of a poinsettia. At Christmas time there are a variety of different colored poinsettias. I don't know if they come in shades of blue but my first one is light blue . . .

while block 20 is a mottled cobalt blue.

I really like the soft blue vine/leaf background fabric, it's one I bought during my birthday outing.

Blocks 21, 22 & 23 are named O for Oscar.

Block 24 is called Four Little Stars, there are a LOT of points on those stars.

I wish now I had used several different fabrics for the stars but it's finished and I'm not going to redo it.

Block 25 was also supposed to be Four Little Stars but I didn't make the second star block, instead I improvised and designed Four Little Birds. 

It is so much easier to applique circles than pointy stars!

This completes section two from Stonefields.

Stonefields is designed by Susan Smith. I am stitching Stonefields along with Chris and Rebecca. Click their name to view their progress.

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap, Handmade Monday, Sew & Tell, Craftastic Monday, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday

Ugly Blocks!

 After finishing a project, I cut the scraps into usable pieces, strips if it's long enough, otherwise into squares. I use these in on going projects or scrappy quilts.

I've slowly been diminishing the squares in the 2.5" box. What was left in there were the 'ugly' fabrics, to me anyway. A lot of the background fabrics had a yellow cast to them which I didn't appreciate and there were a lot of dark beige squares also. There were a lot of green squares but also browns, blues and a few reds. I did let some of the 'pretty' squares participate because they were also in the box.

I had placed them into a bag to take along to the April retreat to start sewing 4 patches but that didn't happen. Earlier this summer I put the bag beside my machine to run the squares through as leader/ender blocks. I guess I should clarify I really sew ender blocks. When I stop sewing, I stitch 2 squares together then turn off my machine. They sit there waiting for me to start sewing again.

Once the blocks were foursies, I sewed them into 16 square blocks. I have over one hundred 8.5" blocks pieced. For now they're on a shelf waiting to be trimmed then sewn into a quilt top. I don't know what I'm going to do with this quilt, I feel guilty giving it away as a charity quilt when it's made with mostly ugly fabrics! The trimming and finishing will happen in the winter. I'm glad to have those squares gone from the box.

Do you have ugly fabrics in your scraps? Do you sew them into charity quilts to be given away? And please don't tell me Bonnie Hunter says to cut them smaller so they're harder to see! I already have a box with plenty of 2" square and 1.5" squares to sew together. 

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday, Put Your Foot Down, Free Motion Mavericks, TGIFF!, Finished or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Beauty Pageant, Patchwork & Quilts

Stonefields, Blocks 14, 15, 16, 17 & 18

Blocks 14 & 15 are called Bordered 3/8" Hexagons. The blocks have a pieced block base with an added EPP flower.

Obviously the patterns calls for 3/8" hexies but I don't have that size on hand, however, I do have 1/2" hexies so that is what I used and they fit perfectly.

Blocks 16 & 17 are named Square Peg in a Round Hole.

Again the applique has been stitched onto a pieced block.

Block 18 is named Star in a Star

A perfectionist would redo the center circle because the flower design is not centered perfectly, I don't claim to be a perfectionist.

There are a lot of layers in this block. I have tentatively thought I might possibly hand quilt this quilt so I've cut away some of the layers on the backside as I appliqued the layers for ease in hand quilting.

The center circle is appliqued onto the small star layer, the other layers have been cut away.

Stonefields is designed by Susan Smith.

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap, Handmade Monday, Sew & Tell, Craftastic Monday, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday

Stonefield's Quilt

The next group of Stonefield's blocks have been started, there aren't any completely pieced blocks in this group. There are several blocks that are pieced then have applique added so I pieced those blocks this week.

Blocks 14 & 15 are called Bordered 3/8" Hexagon.

Blocks 16 & 17 are named Square Peg in a Round Hole.

Blocks 21, 22 & 23 are called O for Oscar.

The blocks will look much more interesting when the applique is added.

These blocks are not yet trimmed to size, I'll do that after they're completely finished. These blocks were all pieced by the foundation paper pieced method.

Come back Sunday and see how many of the blocks are appliqued and finished by then.

Stonefields was designed by Susan Smith. 

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday, Put Your Foot Down, Free Motion Mavericks, TGIFF!, Finished or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Beauty Pageant, Patchwork & Quilts

Stonefields, Blocks 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13

Prepping these little applique blocks takes so much time while stitching them goes fast. This week I completed five blocks . . .

Blocks 9 & 10 - Gateau de St Honore

Block 11 - Willie's Birthday

There were supposed to have been two Willie's Birthday blocks but I don't like the design so I only made one. Then I made a mistake with the one block I did piece, I traced the design the wrong way 😖. I went ahead and used the pieces even though they're spinning the wrong direction. I'll let you know if Susan Smith sends me an email of complaint.

Blocks 12 & 13 - Posy Pot

I'm trimming each block to size after it's completed so all they're ready go sew into a flimsy when all the blocks are finished.

I think the Posy Pot block is the cutest block of the blocks completed so far. I made two of them since I only made one block 11.

The blocks finish at 6".

Stonefields was designed by Susan Smith and can be purchased online from various places, just google it. My pattern was kindly gifted to me several years ago by Nanette after she finished her Stonefields quilt, she had Rebecca Grace quilt it.

I was in Wakarusa last week so I took pictures of the quilt gardens. The first garden is the one at Grandma's Pantry.

And the garden in downtown Wakarusa.

This lady gets to drive around town and water all the hanging baskets and village planted flowers.

Here is a link to the 2025 Quilt Gardens, Along the Heritage Trail.

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap, Handmade Monday, Sew & Tell, Craftastic Monday, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday

2025 Designer Mystery Quilt

Block 2 of the 2025 Designer Mystery quilt has been pieced. The directions are well written and it's fun using colors that aren't normally used in my sewing room.

The finishing kit was included in the July delivery. I'll start piecing the finishing bits & bobs in autumn, there is too much happening in the summer for extra sewing.

I'm not a patient person and I confess that waiting for the shipment every month is challenging for me. This is why I don't normally participate in BOM's.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday, Put Your Foot Down, Free Motion Mavericks, TGIFF!, Finished or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Beauty Pageant, Patchwork & Quilts

Starting Stonefields

I'm starting a new quilt, it's mostly applique and supposedly all hand sewn but I'm not going to hand sew the pieced blocks, I'll use my sewing machine.

Originally I had planned to use  blue fabrics. For background fabric, I planned to use Kona snow and also  cream background fabrics. 

But since I've made many quilts with blues, perhaps it was time to change to something different. I had some fabrics I loved that I bought several years but then I decided the prints were too large for blocks that finish at 6" so I went back to blues.

I foundation paper pieced blocks 1, 2, 3 & 4 which are saw tooth stars and simply titled Star Block.

I've made a Dear Jane quilt and a Nearly Insane quilt and used white background fabric for both quilts. This quilt I want to change it up so I'm adding some figured background fabrics. I'm not sure how it will look, perhaps I'll end up remaking blocks and using a plain background.

Blocks 5 & 6 are Orange Peel blocks.

Blocks 7 & 8 are Pomegranate blocks.

I looked through all the patterns and decided to go ahead and make more stars, blocks 78 & 79 which are Ohio Star blocks and titled 'Pyjama Party'.

Stonefields was designed by Susan Smith and can be purchased online from various places, just google it. My pattern was kindly gifted to me several years ago by Nanette after she finished her Stonefields quilt, she had Rebecca Grace quilt it.

Nanette replaced several of the applique designs with designs of her own choosing. Other people who made this quilt have also changed some of the designs. I don't know if I will or not, I'm taking it block by block. I'm also not sure if I'll be making the hexies for the outside border.

Rebecca, Chris, Hanne and I have joined in a very loosely formed sew-along but we're sewing along at our own pace. Chris has started her blocks and Rebecca started hers here. Hanne already has a considerable number of blocks made. I'm the last one to start. 

Stonefields was not my list of quilts to start this year but I'm starting anyway. I am not going to work on this quilt exclusively, I have another quilt I want to start this summer. 

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap, Handmade Monday, Sew & Tell, Craftastic Monday, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday

Small Love Triangle Quilt

Several years ago, my friend Lynn and I both purchased the Red & White Gatherings quilt book designed by Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings fame. Neither one of us ever made a quilt from the book so last year I challenged Lynn that in 2025, we each needed to make a pattern from the book. We could put our own twist on the quilt but the project needed to be based on one of the patterns and it didn't have to be a full sized quilt.

In my January post about all the quilts I wanted to work on this year, I shared that I wanted to make the feathered star quilt called Starlings. I love feathered stars! That was the plan when I wrote up the list but I've since changed my mind. I have made a small version of the Love Triangle quilt. 

There are a lot of HST's in this block, I really didn't want to pieced the huge amount of HST's for a full sized quilt.

The checkerboard border blocks finish at 1.5" but they look larger in the photo.

My small not-quilted version finishes at 43.5". For now she's hanging in the 'to be quilted' closet.

Bonnie has published her new Leader & Ender challenge, Four Patch Fun! I don't make Bonnie's L & E projects every year, I want something simple to run under the needle and I don't participate if the block includes HST's or QST's. I might start the new sew-along sometime but while I stitched Love Triangle, I sewed 2" squares together to make twosies then I sewed 2 twosies together and made 4 patches. The plan is someday to have a simple scrappy patchwork quilt, simple and easy without fuss.

I wrote about organizing my sewing studio in last week's midweek post and several people commented on all the space I have. Yes, I am fortunate have a very large studio. We have an unfinished basement under the house and my studio is the full south half. I've added carpet remnants, because I usually walk around in my bare feet (in the summer anyway, other seasons I wear heavy socks), to cover the concrete on that side. I've also added LED lights to the rest of the south side. I feel fortunate to have so much room and when I'm done sewing, I can leave the mess and go upstairs. Walking up and down stairs helps keep me limber, at least that's what I tell myself. 

Here is a link to the post I wrote about my sewing studio when we moved in 3 years ago, it has evolved from then. I've added more shelving and switched the placement of the cutting table and sewing machine cabinet. I also added another display wall. I do run a dehumidifier from the first of April through the first of November. I empty it daily, more stairs exercise.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday, Put Your Foot Down, Free Motion Mavericks, TGIFF!, Finished or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Beauty Pageant, Patchwork & Quilts

Blue Embroidered Blocks

One of the projects on my list to complete (!?) this year is #11, Blue embroidered blocks.

I did NOT embroider these blocks. Several years ago I purchased them off the resale table at the retreat. There were 21 blocks in the bundle and they were very aged stained. 

When I went to pay Patty for the blocks, she told me she knew I would be the person to buy them. I guess my love of blues is well known. She told me she had purchased them in Lancaster County, PA.

I took the blocks home and soaked them in this product which I purchased at Calico Point. (I'm sure you can find it online if you search for it.) I could see the yellowing disappear right before my eyes, I couldn't believe the difference in appearance!

After soaking the blocks, I rinsed them in clear water then carefully dried them by rolling the blocks in a folded bath towel. Then I placed the blocks individually on the carpet to air dry. Once the blocks were dry, I pressed them with a hot iron then trimmed them to 12.5". The above picture is after the blocks were soaked, pressed and trimmed.

How do you arrange 21 quilt blocks?  Obviously I didn't want to arrange them 3 by 7 so I decided on an easier solution, make 4 applique blocks and set them 5 by 5. 

One of the quilts on my list of applique quilts to make is the Budding Beauty Quilt. (Here is a link to the free pattern from the American & Patchwork website). This applique block is very similar to several of the blocks I appliqued for the purple embroidered blocks but not as large. My blocks will finish at 12", the blocks in the Budding Beauty quilt are smaller.

These blocks appliqued fast and all four blocks are completed but not trimmed to size.

The vine is leftover bias from Blueberry Pie. It's slightly wider than what the pattern calls for but it already made and I'm using what I had on hand.

I'm making a slight variation for my blocks, on the original pattern, the center leaves cover the vine in the center. That was too much bulk for me. 

To make the plastic template for the leaf, I used this plastic. I think I purchased it at Lolly's in Shipshewana for $9.

Again I'm using the Wash-Away Applique sheets to add stability to the leaves. I traced around the plastic template onto the front side of the applique sheets then cut them out individually. Then I pressed them onto the back side of the fabric.

I don't know if this project will be sewn into a flimsy this year or not but progress has been made. Maybe finishing will happen next year.

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap, Handmade Monday, Sew & Tell, Craftastic Monday, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday

This 'N That

I've been wasting way too much time lately looking for 'things' in my sewing studio so I decided it was time to organize.

First were the wire shelves. I consolidated fabrics and batting. I organized the stencils into containers by size so I can find them easier. They may not look organized but they are much much better than they were. I need to label the fabric tubs so I can see which tub is which color but I know where the blue tubs are, all 3 of them. Labeling will happen this week.

Next were the white cubbies. The left side cubbie hold scrappy long term projects. The projects on the top of the cubbie are projects for this year, Garden Party, Fire Island Hosta Queen, the blue embroidered blocks and Tree of Life. (Here is a link to a blog that shows a finished Tree of Life quilt, this is an old kit from the 60's.)

The right cubbie holds supplies. Before the reorganization, they were intermixed with the scrappy projects. On the top are trays that I use when I prep projects. I used to prep more than one project at a time, that is why I have so many trays. The middle box is odd sized strips that are left from trimming. I have a scrappy strip project started that they'll be used in. (It needs to be moved to the left cubbie.) The right box/basket is EPP pieces. They will be reorganized into one of the empty blue boxes in the cubbie.

I never shopped often at JoAnn Fabrics but of course I stopped in when they actually dropped their prices during the foreclosure sale. I bought several cotton batts (should have bought more!) and a couple storage boxes. One of the boxes was for the Tree of Life  project. The storage boxes had a top divided tray that I didn't need for the 2nd project. I repurposed it to the right side of my sewing machine cabinet. That side was always a mess of clutter.

I don't know if the tray will stay this organized but it will certainly be better than it was. My mother bought that pin dish ash tray for me when I purchased my first sewing machine. It's a perfect pin dish, I'm still using it after 52 years.

What is especially nice about reorganizing is I have found 'things' I've been looking for. I found the decorative stitch card for my Elna. It and the Elna manual are safely stored in the bottom drawer of my sewing cabinet. The spools of lace that were stored there will be donated to the craft department at the relief sale.

I also found the Dancing Star blocks that I've been searching for ever since we moved here, almost 3 years ago!

For now they're displayed on the display wall while I decide if I want to finish this quilt. I think the blocks are very pretty but I have no enthusiasm to finish it. I'll mull it over until I need to use the display wall for something else. They'll probably end up being donated to the sewing box at the relief sale. This is where a lot of UFQ's end up.

Dancing Stars is a free pattern from Amy's Creative Side.

While I was organizing, I decide to wind bobbins so when I start sewing, time won't be wasted in winding bobbins.

The basic colors are covered. I always keep a few black, dark gray and blue just in case I need those colors.  

Next I need to tackle the bookshelves.

Last year I made an anniversary quilt for our oldest son and DIL so it would be ready when it was anniversary time.

I mailed the quilt last month and it arrived on the day of their anniversary. They texted a picture and to say thank you but since it was l0l* that day, they wouldn't be using it for a while. Totally understandable!

It was so nice to have this quilt completed and ready to send ahead of time.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Wednesday Wait Loss, FM Mavericks, Put Your Foot Down, TGIFF!, Finished or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Beauty Pageant, Patchwork & Quilts

Embroidered Hearts, Block 4

The 4th applique block for the embroidered hearts quilt is finished. 

The applique I'm using is from this book, A Baltimore Album, 25 applique patterns by Marsha D. Radtke. This block is called the Rose of Sharon Circle and is the 7th block in the book. It's the top left block on the cover.

Years ago I took my book to Staples and had it spiral bound so it would lay flat when copying the patterns.

The fabric background is white but it seems to look different in the picture. The green I used for the leaves is fossil-fern fabric.

Here are all four blocks. I think this quilt will look nice with the appliqued blocks in the corners.

I appliqued these blocks using the freezer paper method. The round flowers used in this block used the same freezer paper from the first applique block.

You can't use the freezer paper indefinitely but you should get at least two ironings out of it. Make sure you use a HOT iron!

Here is an applique hint I didn't show you before. When you have multiples of the same piece in an applique block, trace the design on the freezer paper. Staple that piece of paper onto several more layers, then cut out the stems.

Make sure you always label where the location of the applique is to go. AND make sure you reverse copy your pieces if they are not symmetrical.

Remove the staples and separate the individual stems, they do stick together slightly because of the staples. If you iron them together, you can't separate them afterwards. Guess how I know that!

Here is a photo of the embroidered block. They'll finish at 17" so of course I'll trim the applique blocks to 17.5 before finishing.

I'm not going to finish piecing the quilt this summer but the blocks are now ready to go when I have time to finish it.

This quilt is #12 on list of projects for this year. It's not a complete finish but progress has happened and that is what is important.

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap, Handmade Monday, Sew & Tell, Craftastic Monday, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday