Half Rectangle Triangles and a New Block I Am Trying!

This is the finished top (except for borders) I made using the half recctangle triangles.  It currently measures 33 x 55 but will be larger after the borders.

This is the basic block that makes up this patterns.  The only tricky part is getting the triangles going in the right direction when piecing.

I used this technique to make the half square triangles.  The pieces were 5 1/4 in x 2 1/2 in.  It was supposed to yield a 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 rectangle and it some cases it did!!  A lot of cases it didn't...

This is the other technique I used and it didn't yield anywhere near the results I wanted as the tectangles were too tall and too skinny!  So next time I decided to use half rectangle triangles, I will use the handy, dandy rulers I purchased pictured below!

This is the new block I will be playing with.  A friend sent me the Instagram post with this made up and it was quite easy to figure it out (the piece was made up of many blocks).  More on my next post about the proportions you need to make this.  It is a great use of all those different size squares I have stashed away in plastic bags -- 5", 4 1/2", 4/" amd 3 1/2..

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Still Quilting!! And a Couple of Birds!!

I had a day of sewing off site and managed to put together four tops for charity -- 3 baby quilt tops and 1 larger one.  This one is a bit of an I Spy and is 40 x 40.

I was going to combine the next two for a large quilt and then decided I would just make 2 baby quilts instead.  These tops will need to have some border fabric to make them 40 x 40.

I definitely think this one which is 40 x 80 needs to be a bit wider so probably will add some borders as well.

This is the back of a Quilt as You Go quilt which is 60 x 80 -- bigger than I usually go.  I have a ton of 10 squares as well as all my strip scraps.

I like this one but will make the yellow center smaller the next time'

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 This is my latest interest and I haven't managed to conquer it yet!!  This block uses half rectangle triangles which are super tricky to get the right size and I still havent succeeded.  This piece has 36 blocks which you group together to make 9 big blocks.  These are not sewn together yet but when they are, I am afraid a lot of points will be blunted.  Haven't decided whether dI should make 7 more so that it is 4 x 4 and 44 in x 44 in.  I have used 2 different techniques so far to make these triangles the right size.  I finally bought two tools which should help but it is too late to change "horses" on this top!  The blocks were supposed to be 6 x 6 finished but are 5 1/2 x 5 1;2 finished.  I really like the effect of this block whch is easy except for those pesky half rectangle triangles!

It was nice to see something other than mallards in the local water.  Here are two ibis which were with a larger group.

And finally saw some Lesser Scaup down at Carolina Beach Lake.  I used to see lots of different ducks down there and was glad to see some of my old favorites back.

 

Busy, Busy, Busy Finishing the Thirty Tops I Made Last Summer -- Almost There!!

These are several of the 10 bigger quilts and the 4 neonatal quilts I have managed to get quilted in the last few weeks.

It has been my salvation as I have encountered all sorts of problems with all the computer and computer related things in my life!!  This of course is added to the annoyance on the computer on an ongoing basis!

This next quilt club meeting is a trunk show for members to show quilts from the various challenges in which they have participated.  I told the woman organizing it that I had 8 or 9 and she said to bring them all so I will!!  Had to check my blog so I wouldn't miss any!

 

Just a Few More Quilts and Stuff

Just a couple more of the quilts I have completed.  I know there are more but may have missed a few pics!

The next two pictures are of potholders I did to give out to the ladies in the cookie exchange.  The ones in this picture were grabbed first to my surprise as I like the brightly colored ones myself.  I tried several techniques for putting on bincing and finally went with NOT doing the 45 degree angle instead doing a straight seam to finish them off.  They are only 7 in x 7 in so that angled seam was a nightmare.

All of these were made from leftover quilt blocks.  Some I cut down a bit.I will definitey be doing more of these as it is a great use of leftover blocks.

I'm Still Here!!

I have been very busy just finishing off the 30 odd tops I made this summer, many of which I have already piectured but  many are done now.  I still have to download some more pics from my camera ut these were all from my phone.  

These 40 x 40 inch quilts were all made for donation to  the neonatal unit at the local hospital.

This was my own variation on my old "bagel" quilt.  It was quite by accident but I ended up liking it!

It is a variation of the old kaleidoscope block but with some light color in the "spokes".

Before Christmas, I had a very fun time with some friends of my daughter working on a cookie exchange in the kitchen of one of her friends!

The next four are all donation quilts
 for another group I participate in.  They are all about 40 inches wide and 60 to 80 inches long.There is also another one still  on my camera!!  I have been very busy machine quilting!!

  

I have been fascinated by this block and did break it down so I could try it out.  The toughest part was the half rectangles.  I finally found it was easier to just cut them diagonally and piece rather than making them like you do half square triangles.  Stilll don't have the right measurements down pat, but I am getting there.

This is the block!  You then put four of them together.  I am working on a version of this for my guild's challenge but won't post that for awhie!

 

It's Been Far Far Too Long Since I Have Posted!!

It has been a record two months since I have posted on this blog.  My excuse is that (besides the annoying way pictures are stored in this new computer) is that I have been very very busy machine quilting the 30 tops I completed up north.  I have done 15 so far -- 9 since the last quilt meeting 3 weeks ago.

This is one of two that I completed. and they are pretty good sized at 42 x 80.  If you look closely, you can see something new that I tried -- faux piping (that thin yellow strip next to the blue binding).  Luckily, I didn't look on the internet on how to do it!  My way worked well and I think was a lot simpler.  I cut my binding at 2 1/2 inches like always and then cut some yellow 2 1/2 inch strips in half (I have a ton of them!) so that I had strips that were 1 1/4 inches.  I folded them in half and ironed them.  The trick for me was how to turn the corners.  Well I did for the blue binding as usual but started the sewing down of the binding at about an inch from the corner with the yellow strip with the folded side out reaching to the corner.  It worked just fine and the 1 1/4 inch size seemed just about right.  I did this with several of the quilts I completed that I thought just needed a little something extra!

This is another of the larger quilts I finished.  I also did the faux piping on this one.  

This is one of the "potato chip" block baby quilts I finished.  I have tried to use cute fabric for the backs of the baby quilts I made this summer as I used fairly bright colors on front instead of the more subdued colors I usually use.

Another of the quilts with chickens on the back.

There are a bunch more of the baby quilts that I have finished but the next three are just starts of yet more baby quilt tops!!  I have literally a huge stash of 5 in squares and bags and bags of 2 in strips.  I saw the block on the internet in two different settings -- one straight rows and one with rows going diagonally.  I decided to try something new and these were the results.  They are made up of half square triangles and 2  in strips -- very simple but I think a design wall really helps setting them up.

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I now have piles of yellow, blue, green and purple blocks so there are definitely  more of these in the future.  As they are a bit small for the neonatal quilts, I will be adding a white border and then a colored border (color yet to be determined) before binding them.  I have seven more baby tops to do but have to get some batting from the club to finish them..

Still Making Comfort Quilts!

Trying to use up the bags of miscellaneous strips that I brought from NC and I am absolutely sick of looking at them and the pile never gets smaller!  I may do the unforgiveable and just heave them! 

I had a couple of huge bags of purple 45 degree triangles left over from a quilt I made in 1998!!  So I decided that I would make a purple version of the "blue bagel" quilt I made a couple of years ago.  I did have to cut up the light colored background pieces though as well as some of the corners.  This is a closeup of the block so I will remember it the next time I make this quilt!!

I decided to do something a little different with this one.  I get bored easily!!  So I added yellow in two corners so I would end up with flowers of a sort!  I had to hold myself back from adding light green in as I do love the purple/green/yellow combination.

And here it is -- the finished top!  I do  like the combination and may do this again.

I didn't even touch the lighter purples in the previous quilt but thought they would be nice for a baby quilt.  This is using the medium purples.  I intended to put it together like the previous one but accidentally twisted tthe upper left hand corner and decided I liked the look so twisted all the corners.  It then gave me an idea for yet another variation which I will try some day.  Surroundind the four inner bagels is somewhat of another circle in white.  I am thinking I will vary either that color or the pieces in the center of the four bagels!