Vintage Quilt Revival Block Along - Week #5

Love, love, love these blocks!  I mean all of the blocks in the book not just this weeks blocks:  Rolling Squares Block and the Red Cross Block. 

I always wait until the last minute to put the blocks together.  This week I have a very good excuse!  I have been sick!  Not the flu but a head cold since Monday and it became a chest cold Wednesday night!  Nothing worse than an awful cough and no sleep to make you feel even worse.  I finally got some medicine (sleep always help) and I am on the mend!  Phew!  It's good to be back but next week I have to sub at my local high school!  I will probably be exposed to even more "germ-y" stuff in the next few weeks! 

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Rolling Squares

I decided to try the paper pieced version of this block, the Rolling Squares.  I have never done it before, the square-in-square (blue fabric) and of course, flying geese (green fabric). It was fun and very easy.

Red Cross

Of course, I paper-pieced this block, Red Cross.  Unfortunately, I think I was a bit delirious/sick when I did it.  I have never had much trouble joining paper-pieced blocks together until this one.  I think I will try it again now that I am feeling better.  I thought I had better finish this first. 

Throwing OUT the Scraps!

I have ordered a new wire shelf that is arriving tomorrow.  I have a small sewing room that is full from top to bottom with old fabric and so many plastic bins full of scraps from past projects that I have finished.  I don't dare take a picture of this room!  I will however, take photographs of the bits of scrap that I am tossing into the trash.   Anything smaller than a charm square, a 5 inch square, will be tossed.  If it is a larger than a charm square, I will keep it!  I can't throw EVERYTHING away!

Unfortunately, this sewing room is so small and full of "stuff" that I moved my sewing machine, table and supplies to our den/family room several months ago.  I positioned my sewing machine about three feet away my husband's computer so that we can talk and watch television while he is working and I am sewing.  
 
I just want to add that as I am going through the scraps, I am remembering the quilts that I made.  I am feeling very nostalgic but.... I must get rid of it!  I must set those feelings aside!  Approximately, two years decided to throw away the smaller bits of fabric as I finished the project.  So the scraps that I am throwing away now are from quilts that have been done over two years ago.


A few years ago, I had some fabrics that were large pieces. I cut them down to strips because one of my quilt instructors once told us that she cuts her left over fabric into 1 1/2 inch, 2 inch and 2 1/2 inch widths just in case she might need to make a log cabin quilt or anything that requires strips.  I did cut some of my left over fabric but I must say I did not use any of them, not even once!  

The bin on the right is 7" deep x 15" length x 11" wide.  The bin on the left is 7" deep x 21" length x 16" wide.  You can't really see it but both bins are full up to 10" high (from the top of the table).  I am ready to throw it all away!

By the way, I found four quilt tops that are close to being finished.  I have a couple that need a border or two.  I think that they are from the early 2000's. I will try to finish them but I am working the next two weeks at our local high school, Rio Americano.  I will have very little time to sew but I will do my blocks for the Vintage Quilt Revival!  I am really enjoying this "Block Along."

Happy Sewing!

Vintage Quilt Revival Block Along - Week #4

This week's blocks were also very fun to sew.  I thoroughly enjoy paper piecing because of the control that you have over the fabric....every point is perfect, if you are careful every seam is perfect and it is so fast to put together. 

Classic Riviera Block

Classic Dakota Star Block

Vintage Quilt Revival Block Along - Week #3

I enjoyed making these blocks especially Dove at the Window.  I have never made the "star-point units" before.  I always enjoy learning something new so this was fun for me.  I have never ironed a square in half and cut diagonally to make that unit.  A new technique....imagine that.  I thought I had tried everything at least once!

Dove at the Window

Art Square

Zippy Strippy Bags - Large, Medium and Small

I had to work three days this week so I did not get to sew as much as I wanted.  Plus, I have been making so many stars for the Simply Stellar Quilt that I could not get myself to do them today.  I decided to make some Zippy Strippy bags instead.  I made them all today and I felt a lot of satisfaction each time I finished a bag.

This is the large bag - 
11 1/2"w x 6"h x 4"d

Medium Bag -
9 1/2"w x 5 1/2"h x 4"d

Small bag - 
7 1/2"w x 4"h x 2 1/2" d








I used the Zippy Strippy Pattern by Atkinson Designs.  I like her patterns.  The instructions are easy to follow and the items to sew are very simple.

At the Fabric Garden (our local quilt shop here in Sacramento), we had an ongoing class called "Groovy Girls."  It was a monthly program.  We learned how to use those polyester zippers.  I was so freaked out the first month.  I had to sew over the teeth of the zipper!  I cringed when I did it but this method/technique is wonderful and really makes you comfortable putting in a zipper.  I was happy to re-learn the use of the zipper foot.

I used the Chantilly line of fabric by Lauren and Jessi Jung for Moda to make all three bags.  I love aqua and this line really has a lot of it!  

Vintage Revival Block Along - Week #2

Again this week's blocks were fun, fun, fun to sew.  The fabric that I was planning on using "Little Azalea" arrived and I was able to use two of the fabrics, one in each block this week.

Mosaic #19

Diamond Panes