Brainstorming the “Dud” Lotto – December Bonus
It seems we have enough interest (and quilters with spare blocks from the Block Lotto) to move forward with this idea. Thanks to Julie for suggesting it.
Here’s what I’m thinking:
- Quilters can enter up to 12 blocks, made for the Block Lotto at any time in it’s history, for chances in the drawing. As usual, they may contribute blocks, but opt out of the drawing–I know that not everyone loves working with blocks in various sizes and colors, and that some may see this as an opportunity to pass on their extra lotto blocks.
- This will be a BONUS activity for December. There will still be the usual lotto block (which the sneak peekers have already seen). Both drawings will happen at the end of the month on New Year’s Eve.
Here’s where I need your ideas
- I know that some of you don’t have any dud or leftover Lotto blocks, but would like to play. What is the best way for them to enter, without asking them to make more blocks during an already busy month for all of us? My first thought was that anyone interested could contribute a 4-inch, width of fabric, strip of fabric, maybe a black and white print? Or two strips from a jelly roll? Or … do you have an idea? I don’t want this to become a fabric lotto, so I’m thinking anyone can include fabric for up to 4 chances, or combined with “dud” blocks for a total of 12.
Updated to add the collection of extra lotto blocks I found in my orphan blocks box.
Any of these you’d particularly like to see in my maximum of 12 for the dud lotto?
Bird Block
I just made a bird block and I think it is just too cute! I blogged about it on my blog at http://littlejewelquilts.blogspot.ca/2013/11/scrap-happy-saturday_23.html.
Pop on by if you are interested in reading about it. I would love for you to visit!
Bonus for December – Anyone Interested in a Dud Block Lotto?
It’s Julie’s fault … when I read her sent-and-received blog post earlier today, I thought it was a great idea.
Do you have orphan lotto blocks–well made, but not entered in the lotto because maybe they were a test block or had size issues or made from fabrics that didn’t quite follow the guidelines … or maybe at the time you didn’t think they were good enough.
The blocks should be made from this block lotto, but could be of any vintage. I quickly found these three … I know I have a few more.
So … my questions are: who would be interested in playing in the dud block lotto? Do you have some of those orphan/dud blocks? Would you want to win them?
Sophie’s duds & orphans
I’m stitching some Basket Handles today … How about You?
I’ve been working on my simple medallion idea. Here are the handles for some of my banded basket blocks. My plan is to stitch them by hand while I watch television tonight.
I have enjoyed reading the comments about your bias appliqué experience–I hope anyone sitting on the fence about trying the block because of those handles has been reading them, too. Here are two that might inspire you:
Cathy L said that she, “didn’t find the bias as intimidating as I thought.”
Nann said, “t’s remarkable how a bias strip can seem so wire-y, but when pressed and sewn it curves nicely.”
Below is my project, in progress, on the design wall. If you’ve made the blocks, you probably recognize that I used all those bonus triangle squares in the square blocks in the corners and center. It wasn’t my original plan, but I asked myself one of those, “What if?” questions and here’s what happened. You might also notice that for the baskets with striped band and handles, I cut the band on the bias, too.
If you have been around awhile, you probably recognize the Tomato and Lime color way from our January blocks, too.
I am considering adding something more in the corner squares, a little more appliqué or quilting feather wreaths. What do you think?
Long Leaf
I have been “asleep”! Yesterday I woke up and posted my two blocks for Jude. Enjoy. A lovely, warm and sunny November Saturday on the eastcoast of Norway. Bithalon on TV and The Storm HILDE on her way in the west and north!
Red & White Sampler Progress Report
This afternoon, I finished putting together the top … and hurriedly took a photo before I lost the natural light.
I blacked out the four December blocks that will form a bar at the bottom, but you get the idea … there’s going to be a whole lot of quilting going on in this simple sampler.
I deviated from our lotto blocks in that I made the Bird and House taller, made the scrappy version of the Oak Leaf, and added an appliquéd flag to the top of the Tall Ship.
The quilt, when finished will be a little smaller than 60 by 80 inches. The log cabin variation, Steps, will appear on the back, as the label.
A Quick Quilt Idea – Simple Medallion
I have been thinking about making a small quilt using this month’s basket block, but filling and/or adding to the baskets … and that’s how this little idea began.
If you’ve been around long enough, you might remember this little pillow project, using our liberated basket block. I quilted in some leafy vines coming out of the baskets and added lots and lots of yo yos. At the time, one of my goals was to use up pink scraps. The other was to cover an ugly pillow that was a favorite of one of my cats.
I want to do something similarly small and relatively quick and play around with ideas for “filling” the banded basket blocks.
I decided on small holiday table topper and came up with this basic layout idea for a 30-inch square … which I quickly realized would work for ANY of this year’s 6 by 9-inch blocks.
I drew this quick diagram using the Tall Ship block.
The corner squares are 9 inches, the center square is 12 inches. Those could be fabric squares or quilt blocks. For my holiday baskets, I am thinking of making pineapple blocks.
Another idea for some quickly pieced blocks for the corners and center would be 9-inch 9-patches (made from squares cut 3 1/2-inches) and a 12-inch 16-patch for the center using the same 3 1/2inch squares.
My dining table is quite small, so I will probably stop here, quilt it, bind it and call it done. To make it fit a larger table (or make it appropriately sized for a baby quilt), a couple borders–plain or pieced–would finish it nicely.
I thought this would also make a nice center for a medallion style quilt. If you started here, you could put it on point and/or just add rounds to make a larger quilt.
This would also make a quick tree skirt with a hole cut in the center and an edge cut diagonally from the hole to the edge–how about some holiday themed I-spy houses around your Christmas tree? Or some oak leaf blocks with some 6 inch traditional Maple leaf blocks used to fill the squares?
I’m just thinking out loud … but I liked this idea enough to share 😉
What do you think?
Little Batik Leaf Quilt Top
Well, I missed the deadline for making leaf blocks in October, but I did want to give them a go, so I made a few from some batik scraps I had, and used some other batik prints to knock up this small top. As usual, the block lotto has provided me with inspiration and help to clear my scraps and stash!
Snapshots from Quilt Festival
I came back from Houston with a lot of photos and I will probably be blogging about them on my Sophie Junction blog eventually, but these two were special, because they were made by a couple of quilters from our little community.
Julie P’s Quilt Captain A-MOO-ica from the Exhibit Moo-ston
Both were in exhibits that seemed to make everyone smile.
Jude’s Quilt Forever Friends from It’s Raining Cats and Dogs Exhibit
About the Band at the Top of the Basket
In the directions, the fabric for the top of the band is cut wider (1 inch) and then trimmed to 1/2 inch after it sewn to the basket unit, for a finished width of 1/4 inch.
If you prefer, you could start with a skinnier strip, 3/4 inch by 6 1/2 inches, but I really do think you end up with a more even result if you cut wider and then trim it after it’s sewn on the basket side.
If your blocks come out too tall, it could be that you forgot to trim the band.