H blocks

A look back 2011........finches are here........

It shouldn't come as any surprise that my favorite quilt from 2011 was my "H - I give it 5 Stars".  Here is a photo of it hanging in my dining room.  Here is a tutorial on making the H blocks.  I have had many people send me photos of their H quilts using my tutorial as a guide.  I also used the H blocks in this quilt.
As I walked by the kitchen window I noticed movement out by the coneflowers.  First there was a female finch there and by the time I got back with the camera it was the mail goldfinch.

He was really tearing apart the seed head.









I couldn't hold the camera still enough on the super zoom so this one is a tiny bit blurry.  All photos will enlarge if you click on them.

Binding choices........

I found 3 fabrics that I like as binding for the H quilt.
I think all 3 of them work but I think I'll go with the third choice so it blends into the quilt instead of making a statement of its own.        It's hard to believe this is the last day of 2011.  I need to do a collage of finishes but it may have to wait til Monday because I need to get this binding done today and it will probably take me until midnite to do it.


On a roll.......

I pieced a back for this quilt.  I wonder if Kaffe matches the pattern on the large prints when he makes a back out of them.  I didn't match it on mine; half roses along the seam.



I hand basted this quilt while I watched  Unforgettable.  I have decided to ditch quilt it.  There is a continuous path to follow so it should go fast.
I loaded this quilt earlier and decided to go ahead and quilt it while the 10 o'clock news was on.  I just did large meandering with Superior So Fine thread on top and in the bobbin.  I didn't want the thread to show much and that thread always behaves and is a pleasure to use.  I intend to take the quilt to my regular machine and ditch quilt around each H and the stars now.
I found large meandering harder to do than medium or small.  It was harder to keep it a similar size all the way through the quilt.  Also I wanted to move the machine too fast and got some longer stitches.  It came out pretty well though and I'm just glad it is finally getting finished.  It is MY quilt so I won't have to worry whether anyone likes the quilting.
We have had a few frosts so I brought a couple of my porch pots into the garage.  This daisy plant has a bunch of buds ready to open.
The snapdragons are blooming too.  The little plant on the left is pretty straggly but I had to bring that color inside where I could enjoy it.

Today is the birthday lunch with my sisters-in-law.  One of them has the same birthday as I do.

A continuing story

When I write the blog post each day I forget that some of you don't read my blog every day. I thought there was some confusion (from some comments) about the H block and that some of you didn't know I designed and drafted the block and that I have already made one quilt top with this block. I went back and put a label on each of the posts that refer to it so you can go to the label list on my right side bar and click on H block and it will take you to all of the previous posts. I decided to put a link here to the post that explains the "H" (besides the fact that my last name starts with H) and shows where my inspiration came from.


And now on to new business: I have started another Kaffe quilt. I got some of the pieces cut to length while my art quilters' group was here. I don't care for the print Kaffe used in 2 of the center blocks and the border so I will look through my stash for a substitution. I have some of the checkerboard Ikat fabric for the other 2 center squares. I decided to wash it before I use it because it is a hand woven fabric, and a rather loose weave so I didn't get very far on this yesterday.
I pieced the strips for the first 4 triangles.
It was a little scary cutting the triangles since there wasn't a pattern, just the instruction to cut 3 triangles and then piece the 2 end pieces together and cut the 4th one.
This is how they will be placed around the center blocks except that I took the picture from the wrong angle.
I should have been over here at the flat edge at the left. Refer to the picture in the book and you will see what I mean.

Starting a few H quilts

I had fun with the art quilters yesterday. After they left I decided to work on a pile of H blocks that I had cut on Sunday. I have more than one quilt started here. Since my last name starts with H I have a lot of H relatives that I can make a quilt for. I am going to make blocks now and then with different types of prints and store them all in a box until it is so full it will be time to sort through and make a couple quilts. I have several here that are flowery/pastel and some brights so there is the beginning of 2 quilts anyway. Maybe a third quilt with that brown swirl/spot combination.After my hair cut this morning I should be able to just stay home and did into a project.

For all of you H's out there

Here is a tutorial for the H blocks. I do not prewash the fabric. I cut 2" strips of the fabric; 2 contrasting fabrics needed for each set of 2 blocks.
I am showing the cutting of 2 sets of fabric here. I would usually be cutting 5 sets at the same time for time efficiency. I always put the dark fabric on the bottom and the lighter one on top. You can see your cuts on the lighter fabric.

I trim just the smallest amount off at the selvage. Then I make two 8" cuts and one 3.5" cut.

Take the little piece that is leftover at the fold end, unfold it and cut one 2" piece from it.
This makes one dark background block and one light background block from each pair of strips.
If you make an H quilt please email me and show it to me. I would love to see all of the variety of fabric choices.

A quilting day!

I spent most of the day sewing! My reward for cleaning the house earlier in the week. I showed this table runner top a few weeks ago but never got around to quilting it. I did parallel lines about 3/8" apart crosswise on it.Here is a closer view. The lines are not "perfect" because I am not a perfect person. I like things with their subtle imperfections that look they have been made by a human being. Actually I like wonky even better than that. It took and hour and 5 minutes to do the lines in one direction. Now I think I would like it to be crosshatched so I image I have at least another hour of quilting to go.
Earlier in the day I was sewing my H quilt together and I found this piece of fabric (on the left) wrong side up. I finished sewing all of the other rows together and then came back and picked out that piece and sewed it back in right side up.
I promise this is the last picture of "H- I give it 5 Stars". This is the top all sewn together. I did interchange 2 blocks this morning when I looked at and then said "Enough! Sew it".
I sewed a few rows on another quilt too so I feel like I have accomplished a lot. Now I have to start cleaning the basement for my art quilters' group that is coming on Monday.
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It was great to have leftovers to reheat. I don't usually take time to cook myself a good meal in the middle of the day. My mother never liked to eat the same thing twice in one week. I on the other hand, will eat the same thing several days in a row, especially when I can just reheat it and be back to the sewing machine quickly.

Final blocks, final layout

After company left last evening I made the final star block and a few more light blocks for the back of the quilt. I have a couple more leftover light blocks so I may still play with the layout for this. As far as the front goes I'm pretty sure this is the final layout. After I put the last star in I moved several other blocks around trying to spread out the colors more evenly. I'll take one last look at it this morning before I sew them together.
I have to convince myself that it is Friday today since it feels like Monday. It is a good thing that I have a page a day calendar on my computer desk to keep me straight. This year I had the Old Farmer's Almanac page a day and it has been very interesting. Today it says "When cooking parsnips, add a pinch of nutmeg to bring out their best flavor".