Contessa Blocks in '30's fabrics: Now 2 tops

Good day, and welcome to my blog.

I am reporting the progress I made this week on my Contessa project.  This pattern is free from Moda's website.  It was the Sew a Jelly Roll pattern for 2024. 

I picked 1930's reproduction fabric and a Kona snow background, and cut and sewed with wild abandon, no counting of blocks.

Beginning of the project is described HERE.

I had a pile of blocks:

Each block finishes at 10 inches square.  I made two tops 6 by 6 blocks in size, and counted how many blocks were left.  I had enough to make two tops 60" by 80" or 6 blocks by 8 blocks, and I had 2 blocks left over!

Top #1:

And top #2:

Yes, they are different, in the placement of the fabric strips.

I hope to quilt these myself on my trusty Kenmore.  They are at a good size for charity giving.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Frederique at Quilting, Patchwork, Applique, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Brick work quilt done

 Good day and welcome to my blog.

I have an older top, from 2019, that is now quilted by the long arm lady I use, bound by me, and finished.

It is a simple brick work pattern, and the fabric pieces are 3 by 9 inches finished.

Start of the project is described in this Blog Post.

Leftovers and well, lots of fabric I wanted to use up are in this quilt.

-- leftovers from Halloween and Christmas quilts

-- really old stash (from the 1990's) for borders and binding

-- ugly, 'what was I thinking?' fabric

-- fabric bought online that was not the color I was expecting

-- fat quarters bought in a bundle that are a bit ugly, that I need to use up

-- fabric for watercolor quilts (remember those?)

-- some yellow fabrics to brighten up the top.

It is 72 by 89 inches and has a plain back and thin cotton batting.  Binding is the same fabric that I used for the outer border.  Thank goodness I saved that green fabric.

A close-up:

No home for this one, but it is done.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Frederique at Quilting, Patchwork, Applique, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Broken Dishes block, in 1800's repro fabric

 Good day and welcome to my blog.  Only light snow flurries here in the American Midwest.

After sewing some Broken Dishes blocks in 30's reproduction fabrics, described in a previous blog post, I decided to sew some blocks in mid-1800's reproduction fabrics, in a larger size.  Instead of starting with 3 inch squares of focus fabric and background fabric, I started with 5 inch squares.  Here is a finished block.

It will finish at approximately 8 and 1/4 inches square.  I continued on:

9 blocks, and then a few more:

I have about 30 blocks done.  I am aiming for 40 to 42 blocks total.  With added borders, I want this to be a throw-sized quilt, that I can hopefully quilt myself on my trusty old Kenmore.  No rush here, I am meandering along.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday (she featured my finish - thank you!), Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Frederique at Quilting, Patchwork, Applique, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Broken Dishes block, in 30's repro fabric

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.

I am away from home on a business trip, but I brought my computer with me, so that I can blog on my usual Monday morning. (and do business work)

When I am in between large projects, I often pull out a small ongoing project of Broken Dishes blocks (also called the Envelope pattern).  

I have pre-cut fabric squares (3 inches) and unbleached muslin squares. Two of each to start.

(OK I had sewn my green squares together by the time I thought of showing my process in a blog post.)

Draw a diagonal line as you see here on the back of the light fabric.  Sew a scant 1/4 inch away from the drawn line, first on one side, then the other.  Cut along the drawn line.

Press open, seams towards the darker fabric.  Arrange half square triangles as in the photo above.  Sewn top and bottom pieces into twosies.

Press again towards darker fabric.  Now pin and sew these two pieces together.  Pins will help keep that center intersection in the right place, but seams should nest nicely.

Because I started with 3 inch fabric squares (not 2 and 7/8, not 3 and 7/8) my final blocks are ending up at an odd size.  This doesn't matter, as long as I keep a steady seam allowance width and all blocks end up the same size.

Note I haven't cut off the dog ears.  If this becomes important later, I will do so.

  

I have a pile of these blocks now.  But they are small (less than 5 inches square) so it will take quite a few to make a reasonably sized quilt.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss (she featured my Shadowpoint quilt, thank you!), Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Frederique at Quilting, Patchwork, Applique, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian