Super Class - One Block Wonders

Yesterday I went to our guild's monthly quilt class. Diane Steele (http://www.dianesteelequilts.blogspot.com/) taught a class on One Block Wonders. It was a great class. I did get 19 blocks sewn in class, and I have sewn a few more today. I was able to get 19 blocks from a strip, and I have four more strips. I took a 60 degree ruler (which was required for class) yesterday, but it was not the correct type. So, DH and I went shop hopping after breakfast. I found the correct ruler at Cotton Patch in Lafayette, CA, today. I bought the ruler and also the book. Yesterday I borrowed a ruler from my table partner. Today, I cut a strip into triangles, and have sewn about half the strip. I wanted to get enough on my design wall to make a good picture. It is really addictive sewing.

It is much like the stack and whack process. You cut up strips, then sub cut the strips into triangles, then sew them back together into kaleidoscope type blocks. You never quite know how the triangles will look when they are sewn together until they are finished. It is so much fun seeing the design that is made when they are put together. That is where the addiction comes in. You want to keep sewing so that you can see all the possibilities.

These hexagons are pinned in the center, not sewn. You place them on your design wall. When they are all finished, you will move them around until the design is pleasing to you, or until you are tired of playing with them. Then you unpin the hexagons, and sew them in a line/column. After each of the columns are sewn together from top to bottom in a line, then you sew the lines/columns together to make the quilt top. It is frustrating not sewing the center seam of each hexagon. I want to see the finished design, but that will be the last step in the process. These are kaleidoscope blocks. I just cannot get away from kaleidoscopes! I love the kaleidoscope blocks.

These blocks are pinned together in the center, and pinned up on my design wall. I was afraid they would fall to the floor so I pinned them in various places for the picture. If you make the picture bigger, you will wonder what those little white things are all over the blocks! They are my pins. I am hoping all these blocks will play well with each other when I get ready to sew them together.

This morning DH and I went to breakfast at our favorite Livermore eatery, the Railroad Cafe. It just happens to be located next door to the quilt store, In Between Stitches. Isn't that convenient? I looked there for my 60 degree ruler. The only one they had was combined with a 45 degree ruler, which was not what I wanted.

I also looked for some more fabric for my Hungry Caterpillar quilts. I thought I bought lots of fabric, enough for my baby (I mean children's) quilts. But I do not have enough for the backs without piecing some different fabrics together. This first quilt is too wide for one width of fabric, which is usually what I can do with my baby quilts. Of course, they did not have the fabrics that I wanted, but they did have some of the fabric line left. I bought another yard of one fabric. I will have to make do with what I have even if I must piece a back. I hope I can make the next two quilts small enough to use the width of the fabric that I originally purchased.

This weekend has been filled with fun quilty things. But it is after 8:00 p.m. and I am just getting my wash done. I must go and get things ready for the next work week, so I will leave you with this thought: do some sewing every day, even if it is only for 15 minutes. It will make you feel so much better!

Happy Quilting