Sunday, July 26, 2009

Creating more WIPs

My favorite LQS was having buy two get one free special on classes this summer, so I signed myself up for a little quilting camaraderie that I miss so much from my days in Texas.

Friday was day 1 of 3 for the 'Advanced Mystery' and this is the result of this portion of the class. I would have had another block but screwed up cutting it. I'm assured my mistake will be put to use later in the quilt. I need to make nine more this size and then cut more fabric for the next session.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a total mystery to me. If it's "highly recommended" that you have two tools for a mystery class, you investigate the tools, don't you?? One of them was this Tucker Trimmer...

which is basically a half- and quarter-square triangle block trimmer. The black dot and solid lines at the top end of the ruler indicate trimming for whole-inch sizes; when flipped around to the half dot side, the dotted lines indicate trimming for half-inch sizes. Below shows a QST made from two HST, which was then trimmed to 4". Line up the crosswise center seam on the solid line marked 4, and trim two sides. Flip the block around, line it up and trim again.

At $13.50, I don't make enough QSTs to justify this, but at least I didn't buy the Magic Wand. I already have a Quick Quarter for that, even if I don't know where it is.

This pretty thing is the result of Saturday's class using Terry Atkinson's Winner's Bouquet pattern. This will be a lapsize quilt when done.

The background fabric (light blue floral) for this is my challenge fabric for a project due Labor Day weekend and the fuchsias and pinks were from the stash.

Here is all the fabric left from cutting blocks for the Winner's Bouquet. I only cut enough for 16 blocks to begin with, and I'm not sure how many blocks the other lady cut for. She was going to throw all those batik leftovers in the trash, but I convinced her I would put them to work in Heartstrings quilts. I think this is what I like least about cutting with templates.


What I've been reading: David Baldacci's First Family: an excellent page-turner featuring Sean & Michelle, the former Secret Service agents from his previous novels.


I slept from 6-11pm last night and have been up since... so I'm off to breakfast with the boys and then a nap!

Until next time,
Sheila

5 comments:

Kim Brackett said...

Love your mystery blocks! I've never done a mystery quilt before, but is sounds like so much fun.

Intereesting ruler. Takes the guesswork out of trimming.

Cathy said...

Yes! It's the same quilt pattern. I like it with all the pinks - great girly combo.

Linda C said...

Looks like you have been busy too, Sheila! I love how your mystery blocks are working out. With the colors you are using it is going to be a lovely quilt no doubt.

I hate it when they make you buy a special ruler--as they are never cheap, are you? Sometimes you find it to be your most favorite tool--my Trudie Hughes rulers are an example of something you would now have to pry loose from my cold dead hands.

I am most interested in the Atkinson Winner's Bouquet. Usually her patterns are well written and the directions easy to understand, I have seen this on her pages and/or blog and hope to od some curved piecing of some sort. It's on my bucket list.

Thanks for the author recommendation too.

Nancy said...

Someone is always coming out with a new device or gadget for quilting. Many of mine gather dust after the first use. I have some rulers that I wonder why on earth I purchased them in the first place.

Joe Pittman said...

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