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?

Rail Fence complete, ready to quilt

     I decided to make the quilt 3 x 4, as the blocks will finish at 19". I have 5 blocks left and would need to make 7 more to make another quilt. I don't know if I have 14 other colors of batik that are the right color (not too gray) to make it work. I really, really like this pattern of Sujata's.

Rail Fence rearranged

     Can't decide if I should go the 4 x 4 (72 x 72) or go 3 by 4. If I do, I have 5 blocks left over. So, do I make 7 more blocks for another quilt, or do I have more orphans?

I guess the light yellow block needs to be removed.

     I had to unpin another quilt to put this on my design wall, because when I turn my back, Tugger (Mr. Trouble) attacks blocks as soon as they hit the floor.

Rail Fence rolled out

     I finished all the blocks for  Rail Fence and laid them out to see. The finished size for each block is 19". The quilt, if I use this layout, will be 72 x 72 which I am not sure is ok for a comfort lap quilt. I tried a 3 block by 4 block, but the scale of the zig zag seems too big to only go three repeats. I tried a couple of layouts, but am not sure what to do yet. This is when it would be helpful to have some one else in the room for feedback. Besides the cat.

Changed upper left corner only with an extra block 

Scrambled the blocks around

Although asleep on another floor, as soon as the blocks
hit the floor, trouble shows up to do his scrambling

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.