June Bom is Here!

Happy June Block of the Month Day!  

Seriously I hope you are all well and are surviving the extremities of weather we are all encountering throughout the world.  It seems no one is exempt.  Today I have a cold and wet day so what better way to spend my time than to create this Block for you.

Well this Month I chose the Monkey Wrench block, one I like it and two I need to get a few monkeys off my back so to speak this week.

These are the fabrics I have chosen for last month and this months hand piece blocks

So for this month we need three Fabrics, and we need to cut the following

from your background                 4 x 3' squares

                                                     2 x 5 3/4" squares

From secondary fabric                 4 x 3" squares

From main fabric                         1 x 3" square

                                                      2 x 5 3/4" squares

                                     

Fabric cut to above sizes

We then take the two larger squares of the background and main fabric and lay them on top of each other.   Note if using directional fabric you need to cut each in a different direction.  I did not but I am leaving mine as I love the movement and it is subtle.

either rule a line down this point and sew either side with a 1/4" or cut and sew
whichever you are most comfortable with

block laid out without the corner half square triangles

Stitch the centre blocks all into a row and the the other two into pairs, this way we can join in rows

I pressed my seams towards the green squares on these rows and pairs

block laid out ready for stitching

stitch blocks in rows

I pressed the seams towards the centre for ease on the triangles and less bulk in the seams.  

And Ta Da!  A delightful Monkey Wrench Block.

complete Monkey Wrench Block

Our blocks so far!

Now I must let you know that things have been a bit busy around here and I haven't been able to do my hand pieced blocks but I plan to take them with me on Thursday when I take my mum to the Cardiologist as she has had a few problems this past month which ended up with a couple of stays in hospital. Whilst this doctor is very good he is always late so I will go in prepared.

Don't you love how these blocks are all coming along.   Now it will be time to start considering how we will start to lay them all out.  We have a few options, we can just join as they are, we can add sashing, we could even put them on point.

Don't forget this is End of Financial month here in Australia so I thought why not give you a bonus month so in a couple of weeks I will give you a bonus block.  On another exciting news I will be posting the Mystery quilt on Friday so that post will come up each friday for the next 4-6 weeks depending on how we all are going and coping.   

I dearly would love your feedback on how you are enjoying these blocks and if there is anything you would like me to start blogging about, whether it be my colour choices etc or just the way I like to piece etc. so whats keeping you from leaving a hello and how your going in the comments.  I promise I will answer them and keep in mind your suggestions. 

So Until friday take care and have lots of fun stitching this block together ,

Wendy.  

February block of the month!

February Block of the Month is Here!

Today is a very special person in my life birthday so a big Happy Birthday to Margie Burke!

I hope you all are enjoying making this with me!   Today I chosen three fabrics from my bundle, and once again I will make one by machine and one by hand.  I will update this blog post with the one  hand pieced block later in the week.   I have been struggling to finish my quilt and have an ongoing minor health issue I am dealing with this week.

Ok, lets do this!  From our three fabrics I have chosen a dark, medium, and light fabric.  I have also fussy cut the centre a little bit of the hand pieced one you may like to do this if you have a print which would look better centred.  

cutting instructions:- 

Centre 1 x 6.5" square ,  Cornerstones 4 x 3.5" squares, and rails 4 x (3.5" x 6.5")

colours for each block

Cut and laid out ready for stitching

Cut and ready for marking before stitching

We stitch this the same way as our previous nine patch in the rows and then join the rows, taking care of nesting our seams.  Make sure you press your seams to the darker fabric.

top row being stitched

Centre being sewn

Top and Centre rows together

Complete Uneven 9 patch!

I look forward to seeing your blocks posted either in the Facebook page or on instagram!  If you missed last months Block of the month click here

So until next time have lots of fun,

Wendy

January - Block of the Month is here!

Its Here!

Let me firstly explain why I have chosen the 8th to release this BOM first block to you all.  

On this day in 1919 my father was born, he left this world nearly 11 years ago.  Whilst I miss him daily, I look around and smile at all of the little anecdotes and quips he has left me with and it makes me remember all the times we had with great fondness.

So now lets get to the BOM!

I have decided to do one of the most traditional blocks known and one that everyone can achieve great results and on its own it makes a wonderful quilt.  I am talking about the 9 patch block.  I was traditionally made with 5 dark colours and 4 light colours or vice versa.  

This block was made as it was portable, quick and made up into wonderful quilts for the people moving west.  Talking about moving, I thought we would take a journey with this block as see what we can create keeping this block in mind.  The 9 patch is the common link in this BOM but we will look at lots that have derived from it and make them.  For this the first one you may wish to make one  keeping it neutral so that later on we can add appliqué on it saying BOM 2016.

So lets look at what we need.  Now you know your block you can decide on the fabrics you will use.  You can also decide to do this on machine or by hand.  I have done both.  I have made the blocks 12" finish so after they are sewn here they will measure 12.5" leaving the .5" for the seam allowance when sewing into a quilt.

both machine and hand pieced blocks

final layout for machine pieced

layout for hand piecing block

For your block you will need to cut out 9 pieces each at 4.5"  decide if you want to use only two or three colours.  You can play with the colours as I have done to see what you like best.  If you want to test your lights and darks change your photos to black and white mode.

 -firstly lets look at the machine pieced block:-

  

layout your block and take to the machine this way you know which pieces need to be sewn to what, do each row

1/4" foot fitted and ready

make the stitch length a bit smaller

quarter inch being sewn

see the quarter inch seam

chain piecing

one row sewn

Press your seams to the dark side read to sew the rows together

making sure you nest your seams

Then sew the rows together taking care to nest the seams

how nested seams should look

final block

wrong side of block 

now for the hand piecing block.  I have used my rotary cutter to cut the 4.5" blocks and I have use the perfect piecer by Jinny Beyer to mark dots for my quarter inch seam allowance, you might like to make a template or even just use a 1/4 ruler to mark you sewing line

I only drew on five of the block unit pieces

Marked ready for sewing

ready for sewing

Pin pieces 

start sewing at the first dot or the intersection of your lines

do a running stitch along the 1/4'

progressing along

one seam sewn

two seams sewn

sewing the rows together

coming to  the junction of the seams

sewing through the seams

completed block unpressed

Remember to check that your block measures 12.5'   this will help later if it is out your quarter inch is either out or your cutting.  

Now let the fun begin, please if I have left anything out just ask, and be sure to post this on the Wehago Designs Quilting Community Facebook group or on Instagram with a #WDBOM2016,  I look forward to doing all of the variations of this block with you and building on the skills you have.  I am so excited to see everyones creations.  Remember if you do not want to make a whole quilt of them just make a placemat or a bag, even a table runner.   All I suggest is we have fun and create together.

Ok everyone, lets go and have some quilt stash fun!

Waiting on you blocks,

Wendy.