The designer's squares sewn

     From a past post, I wrote about my granddaughter's quilt design and how she said she only designs quilts, not sew them. So I sewed all the squares and showed it to her. She said, "I knew it would look like that." How come she gets it at five when sometimes I struggle to see how it will come out? 

Because of the star, I sewed each section in a web in three sections, columns first, then the rows. Then I sewed the long seams connecting the sections.

The sunlight was coming through the fence, so it looks a bit odd

Scrapper Junior in training

     My 5 year old assistant (granddaughter) in holding quilts for photographs was looking through my box of 5" squares that I cut from scraps and leftovers. I asked her if she wanted to design a quilt. She said yes. We sat down with graph paper and looked at some quilt photos I had saved. We were able to modify one to use the 5" squares. I laid my big felt on the floor, and we started with the star. She chose all the yellows and then the dark bordering squares. Then she filled in all the other squares as we kept counting and rechecking our graph paper design that we colored with pencils. She was very insistent on only using one fabric once (Yes, she really is my granddaugher!), so I had to cut more fabric of her choosing in order to have them all different. 
     The quilt was laid out in my family room, and my bedroom has a door that looks out over the family room. So, we went upstairs and looked down at the quilt. I photographed it on my iPad and then she went back downstairs and moved things around until she was happy with it. She searched for the red heart fabric in the bottom right corner of the darks to make it final. We put the painters tape numbers on the top columns and I picked it up by columns to sew it web style. She balked at the sewing end and said she just designs them. Here is Jolene's layout:

HST Adventure

    One of my favorite bloggers, Vicki Welsh, http://vickiwelsh.typepad.com/field_trips_in_fiber/, is sponsoring a Half Square Triangle Block Quilt Along called HSTeria Quilt Along.We can choose our own patterns and fabric, but use Half Square Triangles. 
     I am going to use two Marcia Derse charm packs I bought at Missouri Star Quilt Company and some black and white fabric from my LQS, Kim Schaeffer from Andover as the other half of the triangle. I have no pattern in mind. As mentioned by Vicki, I bought a copy, used, of Spectacular Scraps by Judy Hooworth and Margaret Rolfe. In there are many layout ideas. Once I have all the blocks made, I will decide how to put it together. This is a challenge to myself. I was a little disappointed in the Derse squares as they were grayer in color than I like. I like fabric a little brighter. I am hoping the black and white will help. 
     Wanda, on her blog, is doing gorgeous colors with her HSTs. 
     I took some photos of my start. I make HST with the lines down the square method as when I sew triangles, the bias always gets me.

The charm packs, some samples made, and the black and white fabric

My favorite tool to draw the lines and all the blocks paired up ready to sew

Chain, chain, chain on the Singer 15-91

The whole pile chained

All ready to cut apart

Sample blocks, trying on for size

     I have been collecting scraps from generous people and cutting them into either WOF (width of fabric) or smaller size scraps, 2 1/2, 3, 4, 5 and 6" squares. I love the 5" size, called charm square, so I have been searching for easy patterns to make for the comfort quilts. I love the disappearing nine patch. I made one kids print one, but the other prints made it busy, so I am trying a black and white plus kids print one. Unfortunately, I did not read the ebay listing correctly and bought 4" black and whites and have to cut new 4" blocks for the kids prints. So I will also need more blocks. Grrr.
 

Just needs binding

Closeup of FMQ

Two sample blocks of Disappearing nine patch, kids prints center,
black and white borders, 4" squares.

     Other samples I have tried are from dontcallmebetsy tutorials. I sewed the sweet girlie quilt and double flip HST blocks to try out using 5" squares. I like both of them so I need to buy some plain white for these. 

Sweet Girlie

Double Fip HST blocks, two arrangements