More workshop blocks

     The Free Form Block class demonstrated a number of blocks from Cultural Fusion, Sujata's book. We started with the basic half square triangle and cut them into hourglass blocks. We also did the windmill blocks and she showed the rail fence also. I still have a ways to go on these blocks also.

Kind of like this arrangement

Jolene holding another beautiful flower from the garden

"Winter" Quilt

     This quilt is called Winter from the Cultural Fusion book. The curves are cut freehand and 4 blocks at a time are stacked, cut and pieces swapped. Finally got it quilted and bound. My assistant is holding it down from the wind curling it. Glide thread top, Omni in bobbin. My friend bought me the black Marimekko and I wish I had more so the quilt would be bigger. I don't know if it is big enough to be a comfort quilt.

Just needs binding!

      I finished quilting Toran from the Cultural Fusion book. I have been trying to find a binding. When I laid it on the floor to audition binding fabric, the quilt inspector took over. I think I am going to use a black stripe.

String based Quilt sewn up!

     On page 30 of Cultural Fusion, there is a quilt called Toran. It is a little unusual. It uses string pieced blocks layered and free form cut with solids. I liked the look. I have a lot of string scraps and I wanted to use them in a different way, so this was perfect. I had some 10" squares of light paper from Missouri Star Quilt Company, so I used those for the strips and it worked very well. I was able to trim the final blocks to 9" instead of the book's 8.5", so that helped with the quilt size. I also made the quilt rectangular, 4 by 5 blocks. It is a great lap size. I will not put a border on it. The one in the book had a piano key border, but I like the quilt just like this. 
     I think it will be fun to quilt. Have to make a back first. I shot some photos of the steps if you are interested- might help understand how the quilt was made. Page 30 is worn out in my book. At first you may dismiss the quilt, but it has a curvy flow that I really like. I made the free form cuts more curvy than the book because I wanted the curve flow.

String block, solid, string block, solid layers,
free form curve cut- 4 in a set 

Top string piece to bottom, revealing 2nd layer solid 

Pressing the curve seam flat first, then rolling the top back and pressing the block

Initial sample blocks to view

Layout on wall 1

Layout on wall 2

All sewn up and pressed!

Batik Rail all quilted up!

     Despite having some long arm issues, like having the hopping foot get loose and bust the needle guide and waiting for new ones in the mail, I was able to finish up the Batik Rail Fence inspired from the book, Cultural Fusion by Sujata Shah. I quilted each big block section differently- one pattern for the dark fabric and a different for the light. This helps me to try different things and practice more. I used Mocha Glide on the top and blue Omni in the bobbin.
     I really like the quilt. I have 7 blocks left, so I need to make some more to get another one done. All the batiks I have now are too dull for this and my local quilt shop closed in December. It is so hard to see if the colors on shops online are bright enough. It used 6" WOF strips. First, the quilting detail photos.

Whole quilt minus the not yet done binding-what color, hmm, or scrappy?

Fabric Shopping- Yes!

     After a Quilt Guild Consortium New York State Meeting last Wednesday, deep in the middle of nowhere Central New York State, we took a ride to Ithaca and visited Quilters Corners, I think one of my favorite quilt stores. Too bad it is three hours from me.
     I had a gift certificate and spent every cent. 
     First, I bought the end of the bolt, which was on sale, for a one block wonder quilt. I think it will be just the right softness, but enough color. There is over 6 yards there. Repeat is 24" so it should be nice and big.

    Second, I bought half yard pieces of fabric so I can add these to some Japanese fabric I bought on closeout over a year ago. I am planning on making Lattice out of Cultural Fusion.

New Fabric

Japanese fabric bought over a year ago

More Rail Fence Progress

      I am continuing to work on the Rail Fence Quiltalong with the Cultural Fusion Blog. I posted the nine I have done there, but no details. Following, for those interested, are some details that have helped me.

     I have nine blocks completed and 7 pairs yet cut. I don't know if I will make 2 small quilts or one big. So much depends on the colors. I used 6" pairs because I bought a Tonga Treats sale kit from Craftsy that included 6"-ish strips for a pattern, that when I looked closely, did not like. I added some of my own batiks. I could have cut the strips to 5 1/2", like in the Cultural Fusion book, but I did not want to waste a 1/2" of fabric. 
     After cutting the strip pairs the long way and sewing them, I ironed them and trimmed them to 5 1/4" wide (with my Stripology ruler), and then cut them in 5 1/4" blocks. I was able to get 4 blocks with very little waste out of each strip. I used spray starch instead of steam all through the ironing. 

     I laid the blocks out in the right configuration.

I placed the second column over the first- right sides together, ready to sew- chain piecing style.

I staggered each stack to take to the sewing machine.

Second color block set stacked to chain piece

 I staggered the remaining two columns to add chain piecing style. I did two different color block combinations at a time using them as leader-ender pieces so the whole block would be webbed together just needing the rows sewn. Then I pressed all the newly sewn seams.

All webbed blocks, just need rows sewn, nothing can turn out of place!

     The rows were then sewn, the greens block row, the next red/blue block row after, until all rows sewn (one color block row follows the other). Final pressing done on the rows. This way two color block combinations are made at the same time, economical use of thread, effort, and I don't get the orientation of the individual units mixed up and have to rip.

Big Rails

     In the workshop in May I took with Sujata Shah, I made a sample rail fence block from her book, Cultural Fusion. She is now hosting a Rail Fence Quiltalong. Although the book calls for 5 1/2" width strips, I had a pack of Tonga Treat batik strips that were 6" that I mistakenly bought on a sale at Craftsy. So, I decided to use these strips. However, I did not read the warning on the package that says the sizes vary. As a result, I am pairing the strips, and then after sewing the strips together, I am trimming the sewn strip at 5 1/4" and then making the 5 1/4" squares. This makes the block 19" when finished, kind of big. Well, I will just make a big  quilt. Someone will want a big, bright quilt.
   The strips are all primary and secondary color batiks and I had to add in some of my own fabric to pull this off. Here is a sample of two of the done blocks that are 19 1/2" now.