Crossroads Quilt Along - Chain block

I just want to say, I've had these blocks done for a few days, I just couldn't  find time to write about them. So yes, I was slightly late, but not as late as it seems. ;) That being said, I am scheduling this post for the 15th, the day the last set of instructions comes out. 

18 chain blocks. Whew!! There is still time to join the Crossroads Quilt Along from Fat Quarter Shop, and you can still donate to the March of Dimes.

I've been keeping all my extras, and I was able to pull these for the center blocks from them. I had to cut a piece for the pink strawberry and green floral, but I'm going to have some extra fabric to play with. Darn. 

I love a pile of freshly cut squares.

There are more seams to sew just a thread over from your drawn line. It really does make a difference. 

How do you catch your chain piecing? I have a basket that my sewing just falls into as I go so it doesn't hit the floor. I love picking up that basket of pieces. 

When sewing pieces together like Flying geese, or Square in a square, I try to always have that piece facing up, so I can see where I am stitching and not lose my point.

Beautiful chain blocks to finish up our blocks.

Happy Stitching!

Jen

Crossroads Quilt Along

Yes, I'm still stitching in the Crossroads Quilt Along hosted by The Fat Quarter Shop. I'm just going with the whole "I'm two weeks behind every month"  theme...again.... June's block was the Intersecting Block. They came together fairly quickly for all those little pieces.

I'm still in love with these fabrics!! 

Yes, this is the same spot I have been taking all of my pictures lately. It's been a bazillion degrees out, and it's too hot to go looking for fun places to take pictures. I like my air conditioning and  I don't wander too far away from it if I can help it. 

I forgot to take pictures,  but I did cut the squares just 1/8" larger so I could square up my half square triangles. I just feel better about how things go together. 

When stitching the squares onto the rectangles, I always stitch just inside the drawn line. This seems to give me a more accurate piece.

It sometimes takes me a moment to figure out which side I will be pressing towards. Hey, it's a lot of little pieces, and I'm old...er.  

There is still time to join in the fun. There are only a couple of months left, but there are only 3 to 4 blocks per month. 

The quilt along is free, but a small donation towards March of Dimes is appreciated. They are currently below their goal, but I bet we can get them up there. 

Happy Stitching!

Jen

Crossroads Quilt Along ~ Block 4

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Seams, seams and more seams. That was the thought going through my head while I stitched these blocks together. Have you noticed, though, that the more seams, the prettier the block? That is the case with this months Family Block from the Crossroads Quilt Along.

So, so pretty!

Even when I use leaders and enders, my machine eats my corners. Although this time, I just realized it's probably because I have stitched 3 full quilts with this needle... Whoops. I think I owe Queen Lily an apology...and a good cleaning.

I still have issues with the corners though, so for the flying geese units I started stitching in the middle. 

I still haven't gotten on board with the whole "press seams open" thing, though this block has gotten me to think about it. Like I said, there were a lot of seams. When those seams come together...I definitely need to apologize to Queen Lily... and get her a new needle. 

On the flying geese units I pressed up, because open seams or not, I like being able to match up my seams. It's my thing.

On the corner units I pressed down. 

Side note: I did add 1/8" to the cutting measurements for the half square triangles. This gave me just enough to trim those babies into the perfect half square triangle units.

Once all of your units are pieced and pressed, you get to put these blocks together. Pin those seams and stitch away. Once I get to the pin I pull it out before the needle hits, but not before I have gone over the seam to keep it in place. 

   

Beautiful, beautiful blocks. It's coming together, but there is still time for you to join. The pattern is free, The Fat Quarter Shop just asks that you make a $5 donation to March of Dimes. They haven't met their goal yet, so think about joining and helping a great cause. 

Happy Stitching!

Jen

Crossroads Quilt Along ~ Block 3

 Introducing the Friendship block in our Crossroads Quilt Along journey. There were a quick and easy blocks to piece. The Friendship block instructions were release April 15th. The next set will be released May 15th. This quilt is offered for free from The Fat Quarter Shop, but they encourage you to make a $5 donation each month to March of Dimes. A beautiful quilt for a worthy cause. It's a win win. And the fabrics you get to work with Strawberry Fields Revisited. Ahhhh.

We used these three beauties along with our background fabric this month. I still just love those strawberries!

At this stage in my quilting journey I'm not a fan of pressing seams open, but that could always change, and I know that many quilters like it. I chose to not to do them this time around. I get bulkier corners, it's true, but I like being able to match those seams up a little bit faster. 

For these I pressed towards the beautiful prints.

And for these I pressed towards the prints as well. I didn't grab a picture, but for the Flying Geese I pressed to the top goose. This makes it so all my seams can be sandwiched in together and I get nice points.

All the beautiful blocks so far.

Don't forget to go to the March of Dimes site to make your donation!

Happy Stitching.

Jen

Crossroads Quilt Along ~ Block 2

The Crossroads Quilt Along Block 2 from The Fat Quarter Shop, is the Diamond Block. Download the free pattern instructions here. And while you are there click on the link to donate to the March of Dimes. A $5 dollar donation is all they ask for sharing the instructions for this beautiful quilt.

The beautiful fabrics we get to work with this month, again from Fig Tree Quilts, Strawberry Fields Revisited.

I used the Tucker Trimmer (no affiliation) on my half-square triangle blocks. Let me just put in a plug for this tool. I have been testing Pattern 7, and there are a lot of half-square triangles. This tool made it so quick and easy. Without all of the ruler lines I hardly had to think about what I was doing. I LOVE this tool. And I owe my fabric store owners at Fabrics Plus a huge apology (or a bottle of wine) for not listening to them sooner. A lot sooner. 

Back to the blocks. I did add 1/8 of an inch to the fabric I cut out for the HST pieces. I much prefer to make them larger and then trim them down. Either I'm not a very accurate sewer, or I'm too much of a perfectionist, but I LIKE that perfect HST. 

 This has to be my favorite piece of the entire block. I love these little square in a square pieces. So darn cute!

I make sure to sew with the piece up that has the point. That way I can make sure I don't take that point off with my stitching. Nothing makes me happier then a pointy point. (Unless it's that perfect HST.)

All of the beautiful blocks so far. 

392 units

My own Pattern 7 went out to testers today. I'm so excited to have another of my patterns close to publishing. After stitching up all 3 sizes myself, and making the 3 diamond blocks, I have now made 900 HST units in the last 2 weeks. That is a crazy number!  If you need to feel like you have accomplished something, add up those HST units!

Block 3 for the Crossroads Quilt Along comes out April 15th.

Happy Stitching!

Jen

Crossroads Quilt Along ~ Block 1

The first block, The House Block, is out! If you are using the kit available from The Fat Quarter Shop, you will be using these four beautiful fabrics from Strawberry Fields Revisited from Fig Tree Quilts, along with the background. Aren't they just scrumptious? I am totally in love with the strawberries on pink. Of course I am partial to green, especially this green. And then that yellow with the sweet rosebuds. I love it all!

I have to share this picture with you.

I love a selvage with a cute little something on it. The strawberries alone are adorable. The added words take you to another place. "On a sunny afternoon she skipped through the strawberry fields." I can see a little girl, dress and hair blowing in the wind, skipping through the fields. I love warm summer days.

Before cutting these out I sprayed my fabric with starch. I use Best Press, non-scented, but you can use whatever starch you like. I find, especially with Block of the Month type patterns, that starch helps keep the smaller pieces from stretching and throwing your blocks off. 

Yes, I am missing "D". I did cut them out, but somehow they didn't make it into the family photo.

You will see lots of pictures with all the pieces cut out, and labeled very prettily with letters. I know myself well enough to just stick with writing them down on scrap paper. I would lose those pretty letters in a New York Minute. "Organized" is not my middle name. So plain slips of paper it is.

I have a picture of the pieces out and ready to become these beautiful houses, but I had the chimney piece flipped and I didn't want to confuse you. Thankfully, I sewed them correctly. I did rip out the pink and yellow chimney strips, twice, to get that chimney to line up, and I am happy with how these turned out. 

I love this green!

But these strawberries!! Yum!

There is still plenty of time to join the fun! Head over to The Fat Quarter Shop blog to get all the information and to download the house pattern. Each month, on the 15th, the a new set of instructions will be posted. They just ask that you donate $5 to March of Dimes for each download. What could be better, a free pattern and helping sweet little babies? 

Happy Stitching!

Jen

Crossroads Quilt Along And March of Dimes

Have you heard of the Crossroads Quilt Along hosted by The Fat Quarter Shop to benefit March of Dimes?

I am joining the Crossroads Quilt Along and will show you my progress here. Each  month, starting February 15 (which is soon!) and running through September 15th, The Fat Quarter Shop will post instructions for a new block. The instructions are free, they just ask that you donate $5 to March of Dimes when you get the block. Easy Peasy. And what a great way to benefit all those precious babies that need a little help at the start of their life. 

You can choose your own fabrics, or order the kit that The Fat Quarter Shop has put together. I *just* ordered mine. So there are a few left. Hopefully my piecing skills are more on top of it then my ordering skills.

They also have a backing kit available. One full quilt, and helping precious babies at the same time. What could be better?

You can follow The Fat Quarter Shop and their Crossroads Quilt Along on their blog and Facebook page. And you can add your donation at their donation page.

I am excited to sew along!

Happy Stitching!

Jen