Broken Dishes pattern: A finish

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.

I am on a business trip, but I do have my computer with me and can blog about my recent finish.

Earlier this year I started a Broken Dishes project, in 1800's reproduction fabrics.  This is an easy enough pattern, but when the blocks are set together, there are a lot of points meeting, so I would NOT recommend it to a beginner.

I wrote in my post then that I was going to quilt it myself on my trusty old Kenmore.  Well, instead I sent it out to the long arm quilter that I use, and it came back some weeks ago.  It's time to finish it.  I trimmed it and bound it in the same fabric as I used for the border.  A look at the finished quilt:

And a closeup photo:

I had to dig in my thread drawers to find a dark brown to do the top stitching on the front of the quilt.  (I machine the binding to the back, fold over, and carefully machine top stitch on the front.)  I found an old spool of cotton covered polyester thread made by Talon America (or American) - remember them?  Note the price:

I hope it is still strong after all these years!

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Design Wall Monday, Wednesday Wait Loss, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, I Quilted This! at Quilting and Learning, 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

Tuesday Quilt Block Aug. 7

The block for today is:

Another broken dishes block.  And no, I am not going to scan and show the 30+ that I have made.  Time to get back to the sewing room and make more Jane Stickle blocks, so that I can show them to you.

I am linking up with Connie at Quilting by the River and with Quilt Story. Both blog hops have lots of pictures of quilt blocks and projects.
If you are on Facebook, you can follow me at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948. Thanks!

Viridian


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Tuesday Quilt Block July 31

My goodness, it is almost August. I guess at this point we can't complain about the heat.

Time to get back into the sewing room and make some more blocks.

This is the envelope or Broken Dishes block.  I am drawn to its simplicity.  It's also easy to make!

I am one of those quilters who like the beginning of things - sewing up blocks and seeing them accumulate.  The play of colors.  I don't like struggling with a full sized quilt top, trying to add borders.  So as you can imagine I have plenty of UFO's (Un-finished objects) in my sewing corner!

I am linking up with Connie at Quilting by the River and with Quilt Story. Both blog hops have lots of pictures of quilt blocks and projects.
If you are on Facebook, you can follow me at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948. Thanks!
Viridian

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