Loyal Union Sampler - update

I am really behind on posting about this one. I am really loving the quilt but at the same time I can not wait to be done. We have been working on this since last August and these blocks are not always easy. I have to rows left to do and I am hoping to be finished by the middle of April. Way ahead of schedule but not soon enough. One row a month gets kind of tiring after awhile.

Once the last 2 rows are on there will be a small muslin border. My outer border will be piano keys. I have been cutting strips off of every fabric I have used but I might have to go back and cut more. I don't think I will have enough. But hey it is progress.

Loyal Union Sampler Month 3

Progress little by little. Still some easy ones. Yet there are a couple that will take some time.

B4 - Castle Wall - This is a difficult one. It took me over 3 hours but I did it all by machine. For me that is a major feat. I don't like sewing slow. With all these templates and set in seams it was not for the faint of heart. But it is done.

B7 - Christmas Star - Easy compared to B4 - lol. 

B8 - Coffee Mill - Triangles and squares oh how nice.

B9 - Combination Star - Hourglass and Square in a square still very nice and easy - that is a plus.

B10 - Connecticut - paper piecing. Good way to relax after some of these other blocks. Just have to watch color placement.

B11- Constance's Pride - A little tricky but figured out how to make it long and then whack it off. Makes the corners match up better. And the B row is done.

C1 -Cornerstone - paper piecing. Another easy one.

C2 - Cotton Boll - Another easy one. This one would be great to use a larger print in the X. 

A couple of tricky ones but a lot that are easier. We are on a roll.

Loyal Union Sampler Month 2

I am a little behind but here are the May blocks for Loyal Union Sampler. Good news is I already have June scheduled to post so I will be on schedule.

These blocks are still a little bit persnickety but I really love doing them.

A2 - Abigail's Swing - This one was with templates and set in seams. I should have done by hand but didn't so it is a little puffy. I can live with it though.

A6 - Augusta - Another pesky one. Trying to line up those points was a little tricky.

A11 - Broken Window - Kind of nice after the previous ones. Still thinking about doing it over because I keep losing my points. This is the last one in the A row.

B1 - California - I ended up using the flip and stitch method to get my black squares. Much easier than set in seams and I don't mind the seams.

B2 - Camp Curtin - Nice to have another simple one. Start to look forward to these after awhiile.

B3 - Campfire - A few pieces but nothing hard.

B5 - Chambersburg - Square in a Square - Nothing to it.

B6 - Charlie Stokey's Star - This one was a tad difficult. I didn't want to deal with the set in seams so I used the stitch and flip method on the white fabric and the dark pink one. The fabrics didn't look like they blended so much before I started. Afterwards, forget it. I can live with it. I was not remaking this block.

June we will finish row B and start on row C. Pretty soon 2 rows done. Yay.

Michelle

Loyal Union Sampler Month 1 - April

I started teaching my Loyal Union Sampler class yesterday. I have 2 classes a month. So to help my peeps out I told them I would post a picture of each block so if they needed a reference they would be here. This way I will also have a nice little reminder of the blocks I did and when.

We are attempting 8 blocks a month so we should be done in 18 months.

A1 - Abel's Favorite. Pretty easy HST and quick pieced flying geese.

A3 - A House Divided - The book has the arrows going the other way but for some reason I decided to beat to my own drum and put them sideways. In reality I just wasn't paying attention and I am not un-sewing it. One of these days I might even get my points to match up better.

A4 - Anneke's Choice -  A paper pieced block that no matter how you look at it is wonky. I just had to call it done.

A5 - Antietam - I love this block a few templates and triangles and you are good to go.

A7 - Beacon Lights - Another one I need to work on not cutting off my points. I have slowed down and I am getting better. I know in the grand scheme of 111 blocks it won't be too noticeable. Another simple pieced block. 

A8 - Best Friend - Points are not my friend. It came out looking a little like Christmas to me. I also learned an easier way to make all those HST.

A9 - Blockade - I call it my taxi cab block. I really like this one and even though it used a template it was easy to put together as well.

A10 - Broken Path - A little bit of rotary cutting and your good to go. Nice to have a quick block thrown in there. We have some tough ones coming up.

 

 

I'm trying to work in rows so we can put them together as we go. There just happened to be a couple of trickier ones at the beginning and I didn't want to scare everyone away at the first class. Next month we will have the A row done and start working on the B row.

 

It will be nice to see every one's blocks. We have some doing blue/white, red/white, scrappy, red/green/white, maroon/brown/blue. They will all look so different. My goal is to not use the same fabrics at all, neither backgrounds or prints. Lets see if that works.

 

Off to get ready for football in the gorgeous 70+ degree weather today before the 40's and snow hit. Welcome to April in Colorado.

 

 

Michelle

Design Wall Monday 3/24/2014

I have a little bit of this and a little bit of that done, or going on. It seems like all I do lately is a little of everything. I think I would really like to be able to sit down and just get something completed. Someday soon maybe.

Downton Abbey Mystery in Sybil color way. Told my sister it would be for Christmas but I probably wouldn't get it done until February. That didn't happen so this is my Sunday work. I only do one set of blocks. Told her she might get it for her birthday, which is in October.

Mastering Miniatures month 2. I have one more block to do and this month will be done.

Loyal Union Sampler. Row 1 done working on Row 2. Class starts next month so I really have to stay up on this one. We will be doing 8 blocks a month for 18 months. I usually work on this one on Tuesdays and try and get 2 blocks done.

One of my blocks from LUS - it took me 3 hours to do this puppy. I just really love set in seams. NOT...good news is I never have to make this blocks again.

 

 

I also have Sylvia's Bridal Sampler going on - I do 2 blocks on Monday. I will show that another week since I had no more room on the design wall. This one will be done in August (after a little over 2 years).

 

I still have my Downton Ladies up on the DW as well. I'm hoping to get that one done this week but I am also working on my next Jo's club. I really need more time in the day and less procrastination.

 

For more DW beauties head on over to Judy's.

 

 

Michelle

Loyal Union Progress

I have been making a little progress on my next BOM class for work. The Loyal Union Sampler. We will be starting this one in April, right at the end of Sylvia's. So every once in a while I will make a block just to get a head start. Today I finished off row 1. I only had to make 3 more blocks so between sneezing and sniffing I finished them up.

The first four blocks. The colors don't look to great but they are all scrappy from my reproductions. Funny that this will be my first big quilt out of those. Guess I was collecting them for a reason.

 

Blocks 5-8. I didn't realize the far right looked so much like Christmas. oh well.

Blocks 9-11. Far left looks really bright and like a taxi cab while the last one looks really washed out.

Tried to get a picture of the complete row but didn't work out to well. I enjoy picking different fabrics for every block but I do admit it is kind of difficult. Not something I do often especially with the backgrounds. I have tons to choose from so hopefully it will get a little bit easier as time goes on.

 

Off to do some knitting and sneezing before getting middle son at school and starting dinner.

 

Have a great day everyone.

 

Michelle

Design Wall Monday 10/7/13

I have been working on a lot of everything so it seems like I get nothing done. I am still stuck on Loyal Union Sampler. It is like potato chips I can just make one. I had to force myself to put it up so I could get my Sylvia's done for this month. I only have 3 more to go plus the 4 extra ones then I can get back to some other projects.

Sylvia's

 

 

 

Loyal Union Sampler

Hopefully with hubby back to work today, no thanks to the shutdown,  I can get some major sewing in.

For more eye candy head on over to Judy's.

Michelle

Design Wall Monday 9/23/2013

I tried to resist. I really did. Friday in between making pasta for all the kiddos I took about 45 minutes and caved in. I started the Loyal Union Sampler because doing Sylvia's Bridal Sampler wasn't enough. Although I did show everybody in my class on Saturday so it looks like there will be a class for this one. We won't start it until March/April though. Maybe by then I can get more SBS done.

These were three of the easiest blocks.

 

 

I also worked on some applique then I was back to working on my hexie project. I finished sewing to strips together, making the third strip and now I am sewing that one on. I only have one strip left to do after this then I can assemble my handy dandy needle case and of course move on to the next project.

 

This one is nice because all of the fabric came from my pre-cut scrap bucket.

 

 

Off to do some chores then hopefully sew some more today.

 

For more Design Walls head on over to Judy's.

 

Michelle