Tuesday Quilt block Sept. 17

Well, I have been away from this blog for some time! Life got busy and quilting fell to the wayside.  I had a little time 2 weeks ago to work on my quilt in the manner of Jane Stickle and you what? I found that one block had disappeared.  I made it again, in red.

So I am sharing it today for my off and on again Tuesday quilt block.

 

In the book on this quilt, this is known as Chattanooga Charlie.  To quilt historians, it is know as Old Maid's puzzle, or as Crosses and Losses.

 

I am linking up with Connie at Freemotion by the River and Quilt Story as I do most weeks I have blocks to share. Both blog hops have of pictures of pretty quilt blocks and other projects. I also hope to join Work in Progress Wednesday - if I remember to hook up!

Keep up with this blog on Facebook: just click on Viridian61.

 

Viridian

 

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Tuesday Quilt blocks Aug. 6

Welcome back to my little blog after I spent a week away. I had some work to do under a deadline, and that was followed by a short business trip related to that deadline work.

But now I am back and ready to catch you up on my Dear Jane quilt project.  The blocks are done and I have started bordering them.  Cut the sashing fabric 1 inch wide and the proper length.  The sashing will be 1/2 inch wide when done. 

Next, I have sewn the bordered blocks together in units of 9. I have kept the center similar to Jane's Mother quilt, and some sort of color order, but after that the blocks are a bit random.  They are not in the same places as in Jane's quilt, which leads to a bit of 'cognitive dissonance', as the psychologists say.  It's that sense of What...??? before your brain reorganizes what it is seeing.

Anyway, this is what the center looks like now:

 

The top portion is sewn together, the lower blocks on the right and left are just laid out.

 

I am linking up with Connie at Freemotion by the River and Quilt Story as I do most weeks I have blocks to share. Both blog hops have of pictures of pretty quilt blocks and other projects. I also hope to join Work in Progress Wednesday - if I remember to hook up!

 

I am on Facebook too: just search for Viridian61.

 

Viridian

 

 

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Tuesday Quilt block July 23 Tutorial on a Corner

I have finished all blocks, triangles, and corners. Below is my last corner, the lower right corner or signature corner. This is what it looked like after appliqueing the 6 melons.

Now what to do about the star in the corner? Jane appliqued 5 little triangle shapes, surrounding the center pentagon.  I decided to add lines and paper piece the star, even though it gets complicated. Yes I avoid applique of small melons and triangles when I can.

Tutorial step one: add lines and convert to paper piecing.  Below is how I did it.

Mark which areas are background fabric, and which are focus fabric.  Cut shapes a little larger than you think you will need.  When done with paper piecing, add lower left piece to central piece, then lower right piece. 

Add top piece last of all:

You see I had issues with the background fabric!  Sew this last seam.  Then attach this piece to the rest of your corner piece.

I am linking up with Connie at Freemotion by the River and Quilt Story as I do most weeks I have blocks to share. Both blog hops have of pictures of pretty quilt blocks and other projects. I also hope to join Work in Progress Wednesday - if I remember to hook up!

I am on Facebook too: just search for Viridian61.

 

Viridian

Tuesday Quilt block July 16

And the very last triangle is done! And no it wasn't Olympic torch, as I stated in my last blog post, but Northern Lights, on of the tris on the left hand side of the Quilt, as it is usually shown.

 

My applique skills have gotten much better over the course of this quilt!  My early blocks with lopsided melons are embarrassing to look at, but I am keeping them anyway.

 

Next week: I'll share the last corner piece.  then, as I continue, pictures of the Jane Stickle blocks coming together.

 

I am linking up with Connie at Freemotion by the River and Quilt Story as I do most weeks I have blocks to share. Both blog hops have of pictures of pretty quilt blocks and other projects. I also hope to join Work in Progress Wednesday - if I remember to hook up!

I am on Facebook too: just search for Viridian61.

 

Viridian

 

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Tuesday Quilt Block July 2

Well, June was consumed with a long family vacation (great fun, except for the airplane issues!), then recovering from the said vacation.  So I have been away from this blog for some time.

But, time to return with a Tuesday Quilt block.  This is one of the last triangles of my Dear Jane quilt. 

 

This triangle is called Candy Dish.  It can be made almost entirely by paper piecing.

 

I am at the end, and the hard triangles (of course!) have been left until the very end.  I must say I balked at one of the hard ones, and substituted this one instead.  So my quilt will have two copies of this triangle.  Honestly, I don't think anyone will notice!

 

One last triangle - Olympic torch to do.  Then assembling all the blocks.  But it is 2013 - exactly 150 years since Jane did her quilt, so I really want to get at least the top done this year.

 

I am linking up with Connie at Freemotion by the River and Quilt Story as I do most weeks I have blocks to share. Both blog hops have of pictures of pretty quilt blocks and other projects. I also hope to join Work in Progress Wednesday - if I remember to hook up!

I am on Facebook too: just search for Viridian61.

 

Viridian

 

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Friday Fragments June 7

It's the end of the week and we are invited to unload our fragmented thoughts at Half-past Kissing Time. Please visit Mrs. 4444 and see who else is fragmenting today.

*****

It's the last day of school for the children today, which is a happy day for them, a sad day for me.  My month of having the house to myself for 6 hours a day is sadly over. My university semester ended May 3 and it has been a wonderful time of sleeping in late!

*****

I do have one big fragment this week, and it's a bit scary.  We live in a small town and have little crime beyond running red lights.  However, Tuesday someone was resisting arrest and ran from the police, and approached and crossed school property.  The police called for a school lockdown, just in case.  This was scary for my children because they knew it was not a drill, and they did not know what was going on.  It's a good thing actually I did not know this was happening because I would have shown up at their school and just gotten in the way.

How scary that they have to get in the corner, or behind desks that offer little protection.  The police did catch their man, the lockdown was lifted and eventually everyone came home.  The Girl was quite scared and hugged Mom tightly.  Second Son played it tough.  First Son did not seem perturbed at all.

*****

We leave Wednesday next week for a grand trip out west - Grand Canyon, Colorado, Wyoming and Yellowstone.  Wish us luck, all crammed inside a mommy van!

Viridian
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Tuesday Quilt block June 4

And it's time to get back into the quilt and sewing studio, because these two are the last of the blocks I have done and scanned! Here are two more blocks that finish at 3 inches, for my Miniature Madness quilt.

 

The basket on the left is made of fabric that feels thin.  I may redo the block.  On the right is one of the stars from the center of the Jane Stickle quilt, done in feedsack fabric.

 

I am linking up with Connie at Freemotion by the River and Quilt Story as I do most weeks I have blocks to share. Both blog hops have of pictures of pretty quilt blocks and other projects. I also hope to join Work in Progress Wednesday - if I remember to hook up!

I am on Facebook too: just search for Viridian61.

Viridian

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Friday Fragments May 31

I am back after a very long hiatus. I frag in the summer only - way too busy on Friday mornings during the academic year to get on the computer and prepare my post.  But I do read some of the blogs,and rarely, comment.

Last academic year: very busy, and I admire Wayne at Touristic for keeping up!  I taught an overload (extra courses, no extra pay) both semesters.  I really did not like teaching a class of 100 students in a room ill-designed for teaching during Fall semester.

Now; off for a couple of weeks, sleeping in, kids still at school - glorious.

Memorial Day weekend: a family get together, at a state campground, which was great, but rather cool weather, which was not.  A relative brought a DVD of the first season of Gomer Pyle.  I have decided I do not like Gomer Pyle.

I run a meme called Sunday Stamps on my other blog - Viridian's Postcard blog.  But I forgot to set up my post early and schedule it to open Sunday AM.  And, whoops, no computer at the family get-together.  I felt awful.  I have some steady contributors to this meme who put up posts and had no place to link them.  Better planning next time!

See other fragmenters at Half-Past Kissing time!

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Tuesday Quilt Block May 21

It's a beautiful sunny Tuesday here in the American Midwest, and it's time for another quilt block.

These are two Miniature Madness blocks that I finished back in March!  Work has been very busy since then.  They are simple blocks, some classic, some based on Jane Stickle patterns.  Why simple? Because they finish at 3 inches square!  That is real feedsack fabric in those blocks.  I have over 60 of these little blocks now.  Still mulling over how to set them together. 

And I really should be finishing the triangles and corners of my big Dear Jane quilt - I am so close to finishing.  Is it strange that I don't want the process to end?

I am linking up with Connie at Freemotion by the River and Quilt Story as I do most weeks I have blocks to share. Both blog hops have of pictures of pretty quilt blocks and other projects.

I am on Facebook too: just search for Viridian61.

Viridian

Tuesday Quilt block May 14

The last few weeks have been busy for me, but this week is easier.
 It's Tuesday, so time for a quilt block.

 

This is a block in the style of Jane Stickle, made for my daughter's quilt.  Hers is all reproduction pink fabrics and a white background.  Love those double pinks!  This, I believe, is Rick's Volleyball net, but I don't have time to look it up.

 

I am linking up with Connie at Freemotion by the River and Quilt Story as I do most weeks I have blocks to share. Both blog hops have of pictures of pretty quilt blocks and other projects.

I am on Facebook too: just search for Viridian61.

Viridian

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Tuesday Quilt Block May 7

It's Tuesday and time for a quilt block - a triangle, actually.

This is one of the triangles I left until last because it involves so much applique.

 

 

I finished this back in March and I don't remember its name or number - I am sure it is on the left hand side of the Jane Stickle quilt.  I do like the fabric I picked out  and the way it turned out.

 

I am linking up with Connie at Freemotion by the River and Quilt Story as I do most weeks I have blocks to share. Both blog hops have of pictures of pretty quilt blocks and other projects.

I am on Facebook too: just search for Viridian61.

Viridian

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A to Z: reflections

I participated in the April 2013 A to Z challenge.

So what did I do really? I got up at my usual time, made coffee, grabbed a cup. What was added was sitting down at the computer and writing a blog entry 6 days out of 7. It can't be that hard. And some days were not hard, others were. 

I found myself thinking ahead, on certain letters, preplanning my entries.  Other days, well, I sat down in the morning with not much.  I did not have a theme as some people did this year.  I just wrote whatever I wanted and whatever was on my mind.

This was some extra work because normally I blog only once a week on this blog (Tuesday quilt block).  After April was over: for the first few days I rather missed my daily routine.  Oh, by today though I don't miss it! Will I blog a little more, on this blog or my other one, Viridian's Postcard Blog?  Maybe.  I'll have time this summer.

Viridian

Tuesday Quilt block April 30

And next in the sequence is a triangle for the border of my Jane Stickle quilt. This one is LS4 - Virginia's kite.

Ah, I see one piece is a little wonky - it must have slid a little while I was appliqueing.  Oh well, better basting in the future.

I used a very bold and beautiful turkey red print for this triangle. I am very close to finishing the piecing of blocks and triangles for this quilt.

I am linking up with Connie at Freemotion by the River and Quilt Story as I do most weeks I have blocks to share. Both blog hops have of pictures of pretty quilt blocks and other projects.

I am on Facebook too: just search for Viridian61.

Viridian


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Z is for Zed - I'm done

Well, almost done - a reflection post comes later.

Here in America, Z is pronounced 'zee'.  It wasn't until I got to graduate school and met persons from Britian that I learned about 'zed'.

No zebras or zippers in this post - though they did appear in my daughter's A to Z book, that I mentioned in my last post.

Like learning about zed my horizons have been broadened by this A to Z experience.  It's been a busy month, and I haven't been able to visit many other bloggers as I would like.  Thank you to the few who have dropped by here.  More reflection later.

Viridian

Y is for Yesterday

Yesterday it rained, and it probably will again today.

Yesterday I wasn't so tired.

Yesterday I had the day off, but did a lot of work anyway.

Yesterday is still a great Beatles' song, even though I've heard it so many times.

Almost done with the A to Z challenge!

Viridian
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X is for Xebec

Finally, this morning, it hit me. What does this blogging month remind me of?

Why, when my daughter in kindergarten was putting together an ABC's book, and pasting in pictures of things that began with a certain letter.  There were challenges along the way, but all went well until we came to X.  I, of course, wanted my daughter to be different and inventive, and break away from the tired X-rays and Xylophones.  So I looked in the dictionary and found Xebec.  Its picture is below.

 

An older-style boat, used in the Mediterranean for trade.

 

But my daughter refused! "But mommy," she said, "That's a BOAT, and that starts with B!"

 

So off we went on the internet to find a picture of a xylophone.

 

Viridian

 

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W is for Windows on the World

Postcrossing is my Window to the World.

I send cards all over the world and receive back a fun and amazing cards from all over. I currently have exchanged cards with persons in 82 countries.  Just in the last week:  I have received cards from:

The Ukraine:

 

Canada:

 

 

Poland:

 

 

And Hong Kong:

 

It's fun to check my mailbox every day!

Viridian

 

 

 

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V is for Vinca

Vinca is a ground plant, used as ground cover. At this time of the Spring it is blooming with a five petaled, periwinkle blue flower.  It is blooming now in our beds and does not seem to mind the great swings in temperature the American Midwest is currently experiencing.  I don't have any pictures of it unfortunately and no time to get any - must get to work today!  A sure sign of Spring for me, so vinca is my entry for today.

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U is for Umpire

My second son is in training to become a baseball umpire.  He will be 'umping' games between teams of younger children, say 8 - 10 years old.  I guess that means I will be driving him to and from games.

He has learned a lot about the game, having never played in a league himself.  However he is not showing enough initiative ( in my opinion).  He still has to let the organizers know what days he is available this summer, and still should participate in a practice baseball game, just to get a feel of how everything works.

Viridian

T is for Tuesday Quilt Block and Tutorial

Perfect: T falls on a Tuesday. I am going to present my way of doing the Dear Jane kite TRC Longwood. This is the one with the 5-pointed stars. To applique them or reverse applique them, and get lousy, lumpy points either way? Well here is another way.

Prepare your main block using the method you like best, and cut a piece of your background fabric the right size (include seam allowances.)

Then: visualize the center as odd-shaped pieces of focus fabric appliqued onto a background fabric base, leaving  a bit of the background fabric exposed.  Here are my A, B, C etc. pieces traced onto freezer paper, for my favorite method of freezer paper underneath applique.

 

The next picture will help you visualize this.

 

 

Two green pieces appliqued on, the third is waiting.  The star is beginning to form.  Next, piece this  unit into the center of your main block.

 

 

Ah, impossibly sharp star points.

Now on to the star in the corner, which I treated in almost the same way.

 

 

I added some lines and pieced one star point.  For the bottom, I appliqued oddly-shaped pieces of background fabric onto my focus fabric.  Trace these from the diagram in the Dear Jane book.  (You can still see my freezer paper in place). Sew these two pieces together and you have a pretty star!

 

Remove any freezer paper, trim away focus fabric, and finish the corner kite using the directions by Anina. See the end of her post.

 

I am linking up with Connie at Freemotion by the River and Quilt Story as I do most weeks I have blocks to share. Both blog hops have of pictures of pretty quilt blocks and other projects.

Keep up with this blog on Facebook: just click on Viridian61.

 

Viridian

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S is for stamps

When I started Postcrossing I was excited about receiving postcards from around the world. A card from Finland! A card from England! A card from China!  Some with tourist scenes on them, some with reproductions of art on them, all sorts.

It was only later, at least 6 months later, that I began to really study the stamps on these postcards.  Other countries have 'regular issue' stamps, as we do, and you see them again and again.  Then, I would notice beautiful stamps like these, from Russia:

 

Or perhaps these:

 

 

What a world is seen in the microcosm of stamps.  I therefore started my meme, Sunday Stamps, which has been going strong since January 2011.  You may join in with your stamps  on every Sunday, on my other blog, http://viridianpostcard.blogspot.com/.

 

Viridian

 

 

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R is for rolling along, and...

This is post #401 for this blog! Imagine that!

R is for rolling along, as I seem to be surviving this blogging challenge.

R is for robins (American robins) who now are very active, catching worms, and building nests.

R is for relief, now that the second suspect in the Boston bombing has been caught, and will evntually be brought to justice.

R is for recovery, which the City of Boston will now do.

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Q is for Quilt, of course!

If you follow this blog you knew this was coming. Quilting is my main hobby. Yes, I would give up Postcrossing and continue quilting. Not much is getting done lately, so I looked through old blog postings to show you a quilt.

 This is my nosegay quilt, in the midst of being quilted, by the piece.  The prints are actual old fabric, some of it feedsack.  The solids and the white fabric are new.  I haven't touched this since some time in 2010!! it might be time to return to this project.  It is still in the hoop, just as you see it.

Viridian

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P is for Postcrossing

Oh, this was an easy one.

Postcrossing is one of my major hobbies now.  I have shared it in my M is for Mail post.

About Postcrossing:
"The goal of this project is to allow people to receive postcards from all over the world, for free. Well, almost free! The main idea is that: if you send a postcard, you will receive one back from a random Postcrosser from somewhere in the world....The element of surprise of receiving postcards from different places in the world (many of which you probably have never heard of) can turn your mailbox into a box of surprises - and who wouldn't like that?"
Two cards I received this week:

Lavender fields in France, but actually sent from China.  And:

A lovely portrait from Germany.

And Stamps!!

Viridian

O is for Offspring

First, let me express my sadness for what what happened in Boston, and my sympathies for those families who are hurting. However, this does not begin with the letter O.

O today stands for offspring, as in children.  One day they are sweet babies, then the next little terrors.  One day  they are funny, intelligent teenagers, the next they are little terrors.  This morning my eldest was more of a little terror, and his two siblings were annoyed but mostly tolerant.

No names, no pictures on this blog, to protect our family's privacy.

Viridian61

N is for New Quilt Block

It is Tuesday and time for sharing, as I usually do, a quilt block. It is also time for N in the A to Z blogging challenge.  So let me find a New quilt block, from one of my New projects.

These are foundation pieced patterns from the Dear Jane quilt.  OK, this part isn't New.  I should point out though that instead of finishing at 4.5 inches square, these little beauties will finish at 3 inches square.  The one on the left will be finished up as a Christmas ornament and given to a friend.  The one on the right is part of a New project to make 3 inch blocks in real feedsack fabric from the 30's and '40's.  I have about 50 of these 3 inch blocks finished now.

I am linking up with Connie at Freemotion by the River and Quilt Story as I do most weeks I have blocks to share. Both blog hops have of pictures of pretty quilt blocks and other projects.

I am on Facebook too: just search for Viridian61.

Viridian

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M is for Mail

Mail each day used to be dreary.  Bills. Advertising for local businesses.  Credit card offers. Catalogs (well some of those could provide a diversion...) More bills.

Now, I am a member of Postcrossing.  We still get these other things, but now I receive exotic postcards from distant lands.  Going out and getting the mail is fun!

A recent card from Brazil

About Postcrossing:
 "The goal of this project is to allow people to receive postcards from all over the world, for free. Well, almost free! The main idea is that: if you send a postcard, you will receive one back from a random Postcrosser from somewhere in the world....The element of surprise of receiving postcards from different places in the world (many of which you probably have never heard of) can turn your mailbox into a box of surprises - and who wouldn't like that?"

A recent card from Russia

It startled me, looking at my profile, that I have been a member for over 5 years! (My name there is Viridian also).  I have received over 1500 postcards, and in that time I have only received a couple pairs of doubles.  All others have been unique.  I have sent out more than 1530 postcards - most have been registered, some have been lost in the mail.  I guess the cost in postage does mount up (I don't want to think about it!) but it's one of my main hobbies and one that gives me pleasure.

More on mail and postcards and stamps are on my other blog: http://viridianpostcard.blogspot.com/.
I run a blog hop on stamps, called Sunday Stamps, as I started turning the postcards over and noticing the wonderful works of art on the other side!

Viridian