Friday, May 10, 2019

Big Fat and Teeny Tiny Squirrels

I've had both plus-sized and petite-sized squirrels in my life this past week. It was not planned, no. What were the plans? To get started on my May challenge for Island Batik, which is Make it Modern with Hobbs Batting. I have my fabrics chosen, the batting as well. Not totally sure on my design, which will be another from the 30 Quilt Designs Challenge that is still going on, and yeah, you can still join! Drop me an email or PM on IG. We are a lovely little group, and we have decided two things: 1. that we are going to extend the deadline to May 25, so back to the two years previously where it was 30 quilt designs within 70 days, and 2. that we will keep our group going, as it's been generating some good discussions and designs. 😊

So I've been DrEAMi-ing big time most of this week, dropping the regularly scheduled programming (don't tell IB) in favour of some squirrels that have got me running after them. Can a DrEAMi last more than one sitting? You betcha. Does it have to end in a finished product? Well eventually, and the quintessential DrEAMi usually does not let you go until you've made it in its entirety, quilt top or the best: a quilt (or painting as my friend Helen of Word Weaver Art did) finish! However, if you've done like I did, and thrown caution, well, that and your supposed-to-be-working-on project to the winds in favour of just having to make this...


then it's a DrEAMi!


It started with the turquoise pinwheel, which I saw somewhere on someone's blog (an RSC person's for sure) and off I went to Mari's blog to check out the tutorial. Well, a couple of those turquoise scraps were lying right there beside me, from my recent finish, Autumn Winds (go check it out; there's a Giveaway for two prizes; I'll wait here). So I made that block in nothing flat, since I'd had my whites plastic drawer beside me to make the Hearts for New Zealand, something I've meant to do for over a month now, and yep they're on their way but I did take a photo:
I love them! There are two old, no vintage fabrics, the top left olive green, and the middle bottom kelly green, along with some newer ones like the polka dots and the grid ones, and then some really new, that are in a quilt for an upcoming magazine, which I am dying to share, but I have to wait until the end of June, and those two are top row, first and second. All the little HSTs that got cut off to make the bottom of the heart I sewed back together and they will be most likely joining the others from my arrows blocks for RSC, which is my main (and I thought only, ha, yeah) RSC project this year.

Back to the squirrels. Once I made the pinwheel, I was smitten. These are 4.5" finished blocks, so cute, and smaller than the Tula Pink City Sampler 6" ones I made last summer. So this is an ongoing project, like my Canadian Women, that I will thoroughly enjoy, even though 1/3 of the blocks are out! I just had to make the orange one for this month, and then started going back in time to find the others. So now I have 4/14(?) done, and I figure with 3-4 or more per week, (it's a squirrel; I could make them all this weekend, watch out) I'll be caught up in no time. There were cut-offs from the pinwheel which, crazy me, decided to sew back together and make two 1.25" finished blocks!
This block and the Churn Dash variation are done in Island Batik fabrics, ahh I love them, and for teeny piecing they are so crisp and do not fray.

The second squirrel I chased without stopping to come up for air, is a QAL I have found myself now a part of. I actually have joined two this past week, like WHAT is with me? I'm behind in my own QAL for crying out loud. Well, I'm up to speed with the HSTs, but I should be working on the next step which will be released May 15.

This is the Sweet Star QAL hosted by Jessica Dayon. Do not ask because I could not begin to tell you, how I found this squirrel, but it's another, like so many, that tend to live down a rabbit hole... Am I glad I chased this big fat one!
That was my first block. I am finally using this FQ stack I got from Craftsy (before they became bluprint - affiliate link) of Blueberry Park by Karen Lewis. This FQ stack was made for me, greens and blues, my favourite colour combination, and I just knew this quilt would be fantastic in it. With moving my sewing room into the basement bedroom and our former bedroom, yes, two places, which is driving me crazy, but all will be good one day, I came across a few, all right a lot, of fabric that needs to grow up. Like a few of my friends have mentioned, the white is a little weird. It's soft, but it's painted on, as are the treble clefs in the white, so it has the same feel. I'm fine with it outside of ironing it feels weird.

Okay, being the mmm!-nabler that Rose says I am, you will love this QAL. There is a downloadable PDF, and the pace is decent, make four blocks a week, AND, best of all, the blocks are 18" finished, so you will get a big quilt! Another bonus is you can just make four blocks and have yourself a sweet little baby quilt in no time. I'm going for the big one, sixteen blocks. Are you tempted? I can feel you are...
That was my second block. I made it my way. (cue the song, hope you don't get an earworm...) Jessica does her flying geese with the stitch and flip method, which resulted in lots of triangles of a decent size. You know by now that bugs me, and I sew them back together, well, usually not as tiny as the ones from Tiny Tuesday, but it was for TT, so I had to.

There are the HSTs, 16 of them, destined for a pencil case methinks. They are 2.25" finished, so they will make a substantial little flimsy. Well, I knew I could make the four flying geese of two colours each required with the No Waste method, so I did for the second, third and fourth blocks.

This week's homework is complete! (Okay wait a minute... I went to Jessica's home page just now to get her link, and today is Week 3 but it says Week 2 in the body of the post... so I guess I am behind after all according to her schedule, drat! I may have to force myself to make four more blocks today...)  I'm alternating between blue centre stars and green ones, lights and darks. Pretty!

With working on one of my two OMGs this week as well, the cushion cover, which is being done with this block, and shall remain secret for now, I have come up with yet another method to make this block that has four less seams.  Sixteen blocks times four equals 64 less seams; I'm all over that.

I'll be linking up with my own party on the last Saturday of the month! If you had a similar squirrel-chasing moment (or two), I hope you'll join us.

13 comments:

  1. Your TT blocks look wonderful - so glad you are joining in! I love those star blocks you're making for the other QAL, and yes, they are tempting, but no, no, no, I have two other QALs to get caught up on when we get home from this trip! I'll enjoy seeing what you make with them, though. ;)

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  2. You know you're having fun when a tiny squirrel creates adorable micro blocks! :)

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  3. I admit that I was very tempted to join Jessica Dayon’s QAL. Every time a new post comes out, I want to jump in. I like your suggestion to make four blocks for a baby quilt! But I’m not going to start another QAL. I need blinders! So many good ones are in progress.

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  4. I love your star blocks and almost caved in starting to make some. I really don't have time to start a QAL as I know it will reside in UFO land and I do not like UFO's at all.

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  5. Wow, that's a lot of stitching for one week! The star blocks are lots of fun, love the color palette you are using.

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  6. Thanks for the DREAMI - love the star block QAL and now added to that ever-growing list of must makes! Admire your tiny blocks but will leave that idea alone for now.

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  7. Oh what fun squirrels came to visit your little sewing haven! I'm not going to go look at the QAL, I'm not, I'm not. I cannot join in another. I'm so far behind on my current QALs I'm buried in fabric (okay, not really). There is a squirrel waiting for me today, though, I think. It's a timely, necessary squirrel (is there such a thing?), so we'll see if I give him any attention this weekend. Love your blocks!

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  8. Hi Sandra! Your squirrel talk and actually how your brain works sounds just like me. To me, it feels like it is going at top speed. Oh, don't forget this which reminds me of that, and then do this but do it before the first this. I totally followed that whole topic and discussion without issue! I saw that stack of pinwheels too, loved them but didn't drop everything right that minute to make them mostly because my white fabric bin was already put away. Darn it! HAHAHA - you joined TWO QALs. This week. Just reading that, without any details, stresses me out. I sure do understand the draw to join in though . . . so carry on! I'm still working on those 96 flippin' HSTs. I have until Wednesday to be caught up, so plenty of time. Plenty of time for you too! Darn it - those blocks are too cute. Now I HAVE to go over to Jessica's and check it out. ~sigh~ Sue is going to just look at me blankly - another QAL?? Am I nuts?? I'm blaming it ALL on you. Happy Mother's Day. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  9. Your big star blocks look great! And so do your tiny blocks, and your tiny leftovers from tiny blocks. And so do your green hearts! You may be a very busy Certified Squirrel Wrangler, but it never diminishes your style or techniques :)

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  10. I love both of those teal blocks. And I'm tempted to play along with that QAL. But I have got to get caught up on other things.

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  11. All looks great - and you do follow the squirrels don't you! I did get over the "white print" piece of the fabric line you are using - and I love that shadow Plus Quilt it is in. Ok, back to focusing.

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  12. So much gorgeous-ness in this post! I love that IB aqua pinwheel and the tiny blocks you made with the off cuts are fantastic. I've had some of the Blueberry Park fabric and I had the same thought as you...they're beautiful, but they feel a little odd :)

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  13. What tiny blocks, you could use up every possible scrap with blocks of that size, and you have been so busy too. How do you sew so small?

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