Barn Block Mini Quilts: January & February

We're 5 months into the year and I'm still on track with my goal to blog once a month (hopefully I didn't just jinx myself!) This month I'm showing off a couple of mini quilts that I recently made. Minis can come in any size and shape, but they're usually around 24" or less, and I find that they're a great way to experiment with a pattern or technique and achieve the satisfaction of a fast finish. Plus they're easy to hang on the wall for a quick change in decor.

Earlier this year I purchased this set of 2 mini quilt patterns from one of my local quilt shops, Mountain Creek. It's the first in a series of Barn Block Minis from designer This & That. The January block, which reminds me of a snowflake, first caught my eye and motivated my purchase.

Here's my version! I was between big projects and needed something small to focus on, so I tackled these tiny pieces. All the fabrics are from my stash, and it's also the first time I made flange binding (that extra orchid band inside the regular binding)

I wasn't sure which way I would want to hang it (my straight line quilting pulled the front out of shape a little bit), so I gave myself both options with 3 hanging corners. I rest the dowel on a thumbtack stuck into my wall.

Time for the February block, which has a heart inside a star with an interesting frame around it -- blunt edges instead of pointed corners. I started my fabric pull for this one with the turquoise print with little red and pink flowers.

I handquilted this mini using perle cotton in coordinating colors, highlighting the piecing and adding a little texture.

I have the block patterns for March and April -- more cuteness to come!

DIY Block of the Month with Mom - February

I've been quilting for a long time (see this blog), but my mom has gotten more into it in the last few years. Lately she's been cranking out an impressive number of quilts for donation to our local Project Linus chapter. If you don't know about Project Linus, it's a volunteer-based organization with chapters all over dedicated to providing blankets to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need. The name comes from the Charlie Brown character who always has a firm grip on his security blanket. Project Linus blankets come in all sizes, colors, patterns, and forms -- knitted, crocheted, quilted.

Back in December, I received an email from Art Gallery Fabrics that had a collection of links to free quilt block patterns featuring their fabrics. I thought the blocks were cool and would be fun to make, and I had an idea to turn them into a block of the month project. Of course I roped my mom into doing it with me. Here's my plan:

• I created two identical fabric bundles using my stash -- one designed for a girl quilt and one designed for a boy quilt. Then I split the bundles in half, keeping one and giving one to my mom, so we each have a boy bundle and a girl bundle. (The bundles have similar color palettes, which just happened because of the fabric in my stash. Also, we can add any coordinating solids we like.)
• We use the bundles to create two blocks each month, using the same Art Gallery block pattern.
• We're not allowed to share or confer until we've both finished our blocks. It's a surprise to see how we used the same fabrics in different ways.
• At the end of the year, we'll combine our blocks to create two quilts (boy and girl) to donate to Project Linus.

Sounds like fun, right? We started in February with the Squares and Diamond Block:

These are our "girl" blocks -- Mom's on the left and mine on the right:

And here are our "boy" blocks -- Mom's on the left and mine on the right:

Check them all out together:

Big Finish: My 2012 Craftsy Block of the Month Quilt

This quilt has been a long time in the making. Back in February 2012, I'd finished teaching 2 of my friends the basics of quilting with some simple patchwork quilts for donation, and they were eager for another project. We found the free Craftsy Block of the Month (or BOM) series that was just getting started with instructor/blogger Amy Gibson. For 10 months, the series supplied patterns and instructions for 2 blocks each month -- all different and each one using new skills and techniques.

We bought our fabric and got started, meeting after work at each others' homes to work on our blocks together, and I posted most of our finished blocks here on the blog along the way. Amanda went on maternity leave and had to put her project on hold, but Caitie and I kept meeting and eventually finished our 20 blocks.

Caitie was the first to assemble her quilt top and begin quilting. I was drawn into some other projects and took a little more time to figure out what kind of border I wanted to add to my quilt. Then I changed my mind and needed more time to actually piece the border, a scrappy variation on Dresden plate wedges.

I have to admit that by the time I'd finished my quilt top, I was pretty tired of looking at it and not at all interested in attempting to quilt it myself. So after letting it hang in my closet for a while, I contacted Melissa at Sew Shabby Quilting. Best. decision. ever. Melissa was great to work with -- responsive, skilled, affordable, and fast. I sent my quilt top and backing to her in Utah and had it back -- longarm quilted beautifully -- in around 3 weeks.

I bound it by hand with a green print that I had in my fabric stash (yay for not spending more $!), and following a spin in the washer and dryer, the quilt that was more than 2 years in the making is finally cozying up my bed, just in time for the chill of fall and winter.

Block of the Month Project: Block #16

This chain block for September forced us to work with curves and lots of smallish pieces. It was pretty intimidating, but with patience (and a lot of pins, at least on my block) we conquered those curves for these cool, modern blocks.  Luckily for us, the same curved blocks appear in Block 17, so watch for an upcoming post on that one.
(P.S. How cute is that Zoey?  Eventually Amanda will catch up on her blocks, but until then Zoey makes a pretty great placeholder in our photo series.)

Block of the Month Project: Block #15

 

 

Surprise!  Mid-August rolled around and Amanda was occupied with preparing for a new arrival, so Caitie and I were left to tackle the remaining blocks on our own.  We have this lovely Double Star to show for our efforts.  Amanda has the adorable Zoey -- I think she wins this one.

Check out our other blocks in the Craftsy Block of the Month series:
Block #1, Block #2, Block #3, Block #4, Block #5, Block #6,
Block #7, Block #8, Block #9, Block #10, Block #11, Block #12,
Block #13, Block #14

Block of the Month Project: Block #14

Gosh, I'm definitely behind on posting these blocks.  This Ohio Star was our first block for August.  It's a simple design with a lot of oomph, and I think we were each happy with our results.  Check out those crisp points!

Check out our other blocks in the Craftsy Block of the Month series:
Block #1, Block #2, Block #3, Block #4, Block #5, Block #6
Block #7, Block #8, Block #9, Block #10, Block #11, Block #12,
Block #13

Block of the Month Project: Block #13

It's Lucky Number 13!  Our 13th block in the series is this great Modern Dresden Wheel.  The straight lines really set it apart from the Traditional Dresden Plate that we made for Block 12.  It's a nice clean design, but as you can see there's still some room for creativity -- Amanda used a yellow center for a sunny look, I went with a neutral center, and Caitie used prints throughout.

Check out our other blocks in the Craftsy Block of the Month series:
Block #1, Block #2, Block #3, Block #4, Block #5, Block #6
Block #7, Block #8, Block #9, Block #10, Block #11, Block #12

Block of the Month Project: Block #12

I've been neglecting my Block of the Month updates, but that doesn't mean that Amanda, Caitie, and I fell off the BOM wagon.  We've been stitching away the last couple of months, so this is just one of a number of blocks I have to share with you.  So let's start with the first block for July, the Traditional Dresden Plate.

 

I've seen Dresden Plates all over the quilt blogs, and almost a year ago I even remember stumbling upon this great tutorial, Dresdens Decoded, from our very own Craftsy Block of the Month teacher, Amy Gibson at http://www.stitcherydickorydock.com/.  Amy pulled that rabbit right back out of her hat for this block in the series.  As you can see, Amanda, Caitie, and I all stuck to the original design by making a scrappy Dresden on a neutral background with a neutral center.  No, your eyes do not deceive you -- my Dresden is slightly smaller than the others.  It turns out just the teensiest variation in the size of the blades makes a world of difference in the finished size of the "plate."  I kind of like the variation, and now we have 3 gorgeous Dresden Plates to add to our stacks 'o blocks.

Check out our other blocks in the Craftsy Block of the Month series:
Block #1, Block #2, Block #3, Block #4, Block #5, Block #6, Block #7, Block #8, Block #9, Block #10, Block #11

Block of the Month Project: Block #11

Here's the second 9-patch block we made for June: the octagon.  The three of us really liked this striking design and talked about different ways to use it in a quilt top -- all the same fabrics, one background and various prints, or even mixing fabrics in each octagon.  Like the Greek cross (block #10), this one came together quickly and easily.

Check out our other blocks in the Craftsy Block of the Month series:
Block #1, Block #2, Block #3, Block #4, Block #5, Block #6, Block #7, Block #8, Block #9, Block #10

Block of the Month Project: Block #10

Here's another favorite block in the series, the Greek Cross.  It's a more interesting version of the 9-patch, but it's still really easy to put together.  And as you can see, it works well in a variety of color combinations.


Block #1, click here.
Block #2, click here.
Block #3, click here.
Block #4, click here.
Block #5, click here.
Block #6, click here.
Block #7, click here.
Block #8, click here.
Block #9, click here.

Block of the Month Project: Block #9

This Wonky 5-Sided Log Cabin brought us back to the scrappiness of Blocks 5 & 6.  Adding that 5th side to the log cabin is harder than it looks, and Amanda and I agreed that Caitie's block came out the best.  As with the modern log cabin in Block 8, we each chose a design to fussy cut for the center square,

Block #1, click here.
Block #2, click here.
Block #3, click here.
Block #4, click here.
Block #5, click here.
Block #6, click here.
Block #7, click here.
Block #8, click here.

Block of the Month Project: Block #8

After the hexagon challenge of Block #7, this Modern Log Cabin was a welcome relief.  You can see that we took some liberty with the number and width of the logs surrounding our center squares.  I like the variety, and each of our designs highlights our fabric choices.

Block #1, click here.
Block #2, click here.
Block #3, click here.
Block #4, click here.
Block #5, click here.
Block #6, click here.
Block #7, click here.

Block of the Month Project: Block #7

Our Craftsy Block of the Month project is back with a vengeance!  This hexi strip block was one of the April blocks, and it proved to be quite a challenge of our little trio's skill and perseverance.  The thing to note about this block is that all the hexagons are handstitched.  I've made hexagons before, and I used my smaller templates to create my hexis, which is why they're smaller than the others.  Amanda and Caitie did an admirable job with this block, even if they don't want to admit it.  What they will admit, however, is that they're not fans of handstitching or hexagons.  But they wouldn't have figured that out without this block, so it was good for something!

The second block pattern in April didn't appeal to us.  It also used hexagons, but the final look just wasn't working for us, so we decided to skip it and duplicate another block in the series later on, after we've seen and made them all and can pick a favorite.

Block #1, click here.
Block #2, click here.
Block #3, click here.
Block #4, click here.
Block #5, click here.
Block #6, click here.

Block of the Month Project: Block #6

I was happy to see this spiderweb block show up as one of our April assignments for the Craftsy Block of the Month series.  I'd seen them on other quilting blogs, and although my head knew that they weren't impossible, my confidence wasn't so sure.  Turns out they're easy!  And they look pretty impressive, which is a nice bonus.  I see more spiderweb blocks in my future, for sure.

Block #1, click here.
Block #2, click here.
Block #3, click here.
Block #4, click here.
Block #5, click here.

Block of the Month Project: Block #5

The Craftsy Block of the Month project continues.  April brought us string piecing techniques, and I have to say that the two blocks this month might be my favorites.  I've made one other string block like this one, although the technique used here was different -- the instructions had us sew each strip onto a foundation square.  The four foundation squares are sewn together at the end to create the block.  Although the foundation means that the finished block has more weight than one in which you sew the strips to foundation or freezer paper, I wouldn't rule out using it again for a string quilt in the future.

To see Block #1, click here.
To see Block #2, click here.
To see Block #3, click here.
To see Block #4, click here.

Block of the Month Project: Block #4

The Craftsy Block of the Month project continues, and Amanda, Caitie, and I press on and try to keep up!  The second block for February is this large chevron, created with some artful placement of half-square triangles and solid squares.  This block is one of my favorites so far.

To see Block #1, click here.
To see Block #2, click here.
To see Block #3, click here.

Block of the Month Project: Block #3

In February, Craftsy's Block of the Month series took us on an adventure with half-square triangles.  I say "adventure" because Amanda, Caitie, and I all suffered some bumps and bruises and ripped out stitches.  But we also learned about accurate piecing, magic methods, and the all-powerful scant 1/4-inch seam, and in the end we have these lovely Balkan Puzzle blocks to show for our effort.

We followed the instructions for creating half-square triangles using the so-called magic method: You stitch a scant 1/4-inch seam all the way around two squares postitioned right-sides together. Then you slice the square up on the diagonals, press the pieces open, and have 4 half-square triangles on the bias to work with. Because the units are cut on the bias, they're very stretchy and can be tricky to work with without pulling them this way and that. Between the stretch and some inaccuracies in my scant 1/4-inch seams, I found myself in a Goldilocks situation with this block: My first attempt was too small, and my second attempt was too big. For the third try, I opted for the traditional method for creating half-square triangles, and my block was just right. Plus, I have 2 spare blocks to piece into the backing now, so all that effort was not totally wasted. Thank goodness for extra fabric!

To see Block #1, click here.
To see Block #2, click here.

Block of the Month Project: Block #2

In keeping with the theme of slashed blocks, Crafty's second block for January is the wonky pound sign.  For this block, Amanda, Caitie, and I took a little artistic license.  Amanda and I reversed the fabric placement so that the strips are neutral instead of print (as they were in the instructions), and Caitie opted for two prints.

This is a very easy and versatile block to make.  You could build a whole quilt top with this block, alternating the fabric placement with each block, or making them all the same but allowing the crookedness of the lines to create improv intersections.

Craftsy Block of the Month Project: And So It Begins

At the end of last year I helped my friend Amanda make her first quilt - a simple 36 x 36 patchwork masterpiece destined for donation to Project Linus.  In the midst of our weekly quilting/sewing lessons, another friend, Caitie, decided she wanted to do the same, so I guided her through her own beginner patchwork quilt.

These starter projects inspired Amanda and Caitie to keep quilting and sewing (surely it wasn't my instruction), so when I found out about the free Block of the Month series offered by Craftsy starting in January, I thought it could be the perfect project for the three of us to take on.  Hosted by Craftsy with blogger Amy Gibson of Stitchery Dickory Dock as instructor, the series combines video tutorials from Amy with written instructions for creating two quilt blocks each month.  The blocks feature different piecing techniques each month, and at the end of the year, you put all your blocks together in a nice size quilt.



The girls and I met for our first BOM (that's "block of the month" for those in the know) night last week and assembled the first block of the series, an asterisk.  We each made some progress with the second block for January and decided to finish that one up on our own, so a photo will be forthcoming after we meet again next week.  February's blocks feature half-square triangles (aka HSTs -- quilters just love their shorthand).