I always wanted to try …
This is the second weekend in February and a topic weekend for Weekend Update.
The topic is to blog about something new that you tried or plan to try. I am having sewing machine problems again and will likely be blogging about something that I thought I’d be trying tonight and will be doing as soon as I figure out what’s going on with my sewing machine.
I realized today that in the past week, I’ve tried a couple new things, not quilting related. Last weekend I tried caving in a big, organized way, at Carlsbad Cavern. It was challenging for me, but worth it.
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At home I’ve also been trying something new–making tortillas from scratch. The recipes are simple and my new tortilla press helped, but I definitely still need a lot of practice. I made (gluten-free) flour tortillas to use in Pioneer Woman’s Butternut Squash and Kale Quesadillas for dinner last night and fresh corn tortillas for breakfast tacos this morning.
Have you tried something new lately? Have a plan to try something? Just been thinking about it? Tell us about it.
Quick tip about low volume
Do you have Instagram on your smart phone? If you do, you can quickly take a photo of your blocks in progress and see if any of your strings are not low volume. Just take the photo, and change it to black and white (Instagram calls it “willow”). In the blocks above, I discovered that there was one color (light purple) that shows up as really dark – so those strings have to come out.
What to do with those Bonus String Triangles
I found the large triangles of string fabric that are trimmed away as part of making the block to be too large and interesting to toss.
The original directions for the block (on my blog, here), included the directions for making a second, smaller heart block.
Of course, you don’t have to make heart blocks from those triangles. They could become butterfly wings or, you they could become fabric for making another block, like the star Wendy made two years ago.
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Personally, last time, I made a bunch of small heart blocks with the intention of making a doll quilt, but then started thinking about a bigger quilt using the off-cuts of string squares from another project … but somehow got no further than just thinking about it. Yesterday, I dug out my blocks and my extra triangles and some more turquoise background.
I’ll add my low-volume bonus triangles into the mix and see what happens.
Here are some example of projects using those bonus blocks/triangles. As you can see, I had some problems with some of the images. Follow the links for more details/better photos … until I can figure it out.
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For a quick and easy project, how about fiber heart postcards to give or mail to your Valentine(s)? Two years ago, I trimmed down the left-over triangles with a 4 x 6 inch postcard in mind. Then I added some Timtex to make it stiff, added a little quilting, some satin stitch around the edge and a card stock back.
For a more artful valentine, look at this project posted by Terri Stegmiller yesterday. I think our low-volume string fabric would make a great background for stamping or stenciling, appliqué and decorative stitching. |
| Use the heart (or other block made from the string triangles for the front of a note card–for Valentine’s day or any day. |  |
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Make an auction quilt for the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative, like this one made by Laura from one of her bonus blocks two years ago. Ami and her foundation is sprinting to the finish this year and hoping to reach the $1,000,000 mark of funds raised for Alzheimer’s research. August 1, 2013 is the last day to register Priority: Alzheimer’s Quilts. If you always planned to contribute but never got around to it, this could be a good time to do so. |
| Make a mug rug. This is an oldie but goodie, that I made from a “fatter” string heart. Find the basics for designing your own here – Scrappy Mug Rug.If you like the proportions of the square heart block better, check out Kate’s blog for her String Heart Tutorial. |  |
| I still use the little sewing kit I made from one of my bonus blocks last year. You can find the link to directions for the small portable handwork sewing kit on the freebies page on my blog (or just follow the link 🙂 |
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Make a 3-diminsional heart that you can hold in your hand, stick pins in or wear as a quilty broach. Find my basic directions, on Flickr, here. |
Of course, you CAN use the hearts (or other blocks you make) as a design elements in quilts … like these (from our Gallery).
A Combination of Blocks (this was made from the lotto blocks, not the bonus blocks, but is such a good idea, I decided to include it).
February Heart Blocks (in a Scrappy Quilt)
How was your week?
Another week has passed (too quickly for me!) and time for another Weekend Update. Join the list by adding the link to one of your blog posts below. (Directions for how to use the LinkTool, if you need them, are here.)
If you don’t have a blog of your own, add a post here in the block lotto community category and then link it.
Did you set quilting or other goals for January? Did you meet them?
Did you try a new recipe, visit someplace interesting or just have a really great (or awful) day? We’d love to read about it and get to know you better.
Looking forward, next weekend (February 8-10) will be our Topic weekend and the topic for Weekend Update will be:
I always wanted to try ____________.
I hope everyone will fill in the blank with something they’ve always wanted to try … try it (or plan to try it) and blog about it. It could be a quilting technique, a new craft, a new-to-you restaurant or recipe, a new sport … or anything. What have you always wanted to try?
I’m headed out of town this weekend … and look forward to coming home and seeing what everyone has been up to.
Welcome to the Weekend Update
Whether you are an active member of the Block Lotto or just follow along, join us for the Weekend Update.
No, not that weekend update (though I am a fan) …
Weekend Update will be a weekly post with a linky list to allow you to share a post from your blog here.
I get to know everyone a little when they sign up to participate. We are a pretty diverse group of quilters … and pretty interesting, too, I think. I wanted us to have an opportunity to share slices of our lives with one another.
The Linky Tool will be enabled for three days (Friday through Sunday, US Mountain Time). To start, we’ll have a designated topic one weekend each month–on the second weekend of the month–otherwise feel free to share anything from your week. A finished project? A new one? A recipe? Fun with family and friends? Your latest adventure? Anything you would like to share with the Block Lotto community is fair game as long as it’s not blatantly commercial and a recent post on your blog.
If you have have suggestions for monthly topics let me know. Keep in mind that they should be something that could apply to everyone here.
A link back to the Block Lotto from your blog is always appreciated. If you haven’t yet added the Block Lotto badge quilt to your blog, scroll down to the bottom of the page and grab the code. For most blogs, it is added as an “HTML/Javascript” Gadget. If you add a link to your blog, be sure to visit some of the others on the list.
I added a post to step through how to add your links and thumbnail photo for anyone who needs it:
Using the Linky Tool for Weekend Update
If you would like to share something, but do not have a blog of your own, you can post it here. Put it in the category, block lotto community. After it posts, come back and add the link to your post.
I’ve also added Weekend Update to the Menu, to make it easy for you to find the Linky party posts and check out the linked blogs anytime.
Show us your Weekend Update.
An Update and a Couple Questions
An Update for the December winners
I (finally) mailed my December star-crossed blocks to Margaret and Nann today. Julie’s went out with my starter package for the Cotton Robin last week. I have no good excuse for being so late and I’m sorry. I’ve been in a bit of a funk since my beloved Bernina died last week–I have an appoint at the end of the week at the nearest dealer (a little over an hour away).
I hope mine are the last blocks you receive (and that all others arrive before mine).
Questions for Everyone
For those of you who have blogs or follow blogs, what do you think about have a weekly Linky party here, where you could share your blog and what you’ve been up to lately? I don’t love the plugin that currently randomly displays some of our blogs in the right side-bar of the At-a-Glance page, plus I know it’s an incomplete list. I thought a weekly Linked list would be a way for members (and other followers) to share whatever they’re up to and give everyone a chance to discover blogs by members of what I think of as the Block Lotto community.
If you like the idea of a weekly Mr. Linky party and have an opinion of best day of the week to do it, let me know. I envision this as being sort of open opportunity to share the latest and greatest from your blog … but it could be more structured and topic based, for example, Show us your … first quilt(s), latest quilt, 2-color quilts, etc … What do you think?
I also wonder if those of you with blogs would be interested in participating in a Block Lotto-themed blog hop. It would be an opportunity for me to promote your blogs on this site and for you to blog about the Block Lotto (though I know, many of you already do–thanks!)
Shoo Fly Setting Idea
The shoo fly blocks in this quilt are the traditional square ones, but I thought it was such a great setting idea … and one that would also work with our tall blocks. Found on Flickr.
(Click the photo to go to the original on Flickr)
I believe that she created these using a disappearing 9-patch technique using pieced blocks similar to that I described here.
I like the idea of adding fabric to two sides of the blocks (however you get there), because it enables you to then square them all up to the same size … if your blocks are from an exchange or the block lotto and there is some variation in the size of your blocks. As a reminder, your blocks should ALWAYS be within 1/4″ of the specified size.
It’s never too late …
It was one of those times when I SHOULD have been working on something else, but decided to make a set of sampler blocks from last year’s lotto blocks. I always intended to make a sampler last year, but never got around to it. It hit me a couple days ago, that I could STILL make last year’s blocks.
The color isn’t great in these photos, but here they are. The brown fabric behind them is being auditioned.
Having made most of these before, they went together really fast. I took a little creative license and decided to appliqué down the 3-D flower and leaves and extend the bottom of the School House block and eliminate the strip of ground that was in the original pattern.
If you’re curious, there are photos of the individual blocks on my blog, sophie junction, as well as some background on the method behind my madness of choosing these 12 blocks last year.
photo of raw materials for pink & white sampler & love words
These are the raw materials for my pink and white sampler quilt. Imagine the background as white fabric, and in that hole in the center, a large scrappy heart (not yet made). I also am one sampler block short, but I have a cup cut out and just need to put it together. I’m also thinking hearts in the outer corners…
sampler thoughts
I don’t have any pictures to show, but I have made a pink and white version of each of the 2012 blocks, with the intent that they will be the outer ring of a sampler quilt, with the inner border being made of the pink and white “terms of endearment” blocks I won in 2011. I’m thinking the center will be either a large scrappy heart (using the pink fabrics against white) or 4 hearts with their points together at the center. I need to pull the blocks out and play with them, and then I’ll share a photo. (room is a bit of a jumble at the moment).
As to 2013 and the new blocks, I’m wondering if the year’s blocks made in multiples would work as a row quilt, with 6 blocks across if tall-way, and 4 blocks across if short-way. Without sashing, that would be a 36-inch wide row, but the quilt might be rather long if 12 rows were made.
I’m thinking of using my red and green Christmas stash, with white background since I’ve never made a Christmas quilt.