Choo Choo!! All aboard for this Month's Block!

June was Donnis' turn to present our BOM and she chose the Rail Road Block.

 Below are the samples she brought in to show us different color choices and how to sew them together.

 Deb read the directions and was moving right along.  Keep watch of the red, Deb had a different way that she wanted to put this block together.

 Judy was able to bring her machine this month and was moving right along.

 Shirley is cutting out her half square triangles after sewing them together.  Vevia found out that when the directions call for a SCANT 1/4", boy you should pay attention.  She had to sew another seam closer in and then un-sew the first seem in order to get the 2 1/2" HST's.  Thank you Donnis for the tip on how to resolve the issue Vevia was having.

 Judy and Shirley working right along.

 Remember the red you were to watch for - here is the finished block for Deb.  There were so many ways that you could put the sections together and.....

 then after you got them together - we saw how many ways that you could lay several of the Rail Road blocks and get a secondary look.

 Judy only had a couple of seams left at the end of the day, she sent this picture so that we could see that she did finish hers.  Looking great Judy.

 Though Shirley has not always been able to be with us, she is doing this project at home.  Here are her finished blocks that we have done and a few extras that she has tried.  The pink, black, gray fabric selections make Shirley's look totally different from what the others are doing.  Looking forward to seeing everyone's finished quilts.

 Susie worked on her wool applique as she had already made this month's block.

 This is the book that she got her pattern from, her wool came from the quilt shop in Severy, Ks.

Here is the section she was working on,

 this one she had finished.  Love the color combinations that she is using.

 When Vevia finally finished her block, she went back to working on her French Boutis Embroidery.  It combines embroidery - quilting - and trapunto.  This is the back where you work from, she is doing the trapunto part now.

 And this is the front.  Click on the pictures to make them bigger and perhaps get a better look.

 Remember Machelle's star quilt that she brought in to show some one how to join the pieces?  Well Shirley blessed us with bringing in her completed quilt so that we could see how she finished hers.

 Lots of patriotic fabrics, applique, etc in this one.  She even has the back looking Red/White/Blue.

 Donnis had done an entirely different color scheme and setting, adding extra on the end that goes with the pillows.  So many looks for the same project.  Thank you to both of you for sharing.  A few of us are really thinking about doing this for ourselves.  We will have to get with Dee to see if she still has the pattern.

 Deb's blessed this year with TWO new ones coming into the family.  The one that receives this quilt is going to have a blast learning all the sounds that can go with the pictures.  The pattern is darling.

 At the quilt show in Wichita, Mark and Susie had bought a couple of these bags and then when they went again, Susie got one also.  Very handy for carrying or storing a project in.  Susie forgot to bring in the paper that told all about it, hope we get to hear next month. Tells about the African women that make them, dyeing process, etc.  And hint, hint - this year is the year for another quilt show in Wichita.

 Judy brought in a sample of what we are going to do in July for her block.  At the very top of this post are two options to prepare - one is cutting out fabric by size and the second one is for cutting out templates and then cutting out your fabric.  Judy did the hard work for all of us ahead of time.  Don't know about you - but I am cutting out the fabric and forgetting the templates until another day - or NOT.

Remember next month is moved to the first Tuesday and that we are having a luncheon.  See you then.

"Whirlwind" of a time in May

Deb presented this months 6 1/2" block for our 2014 BOM project and it had a "Whirlwind" of possibilities as you will see.  And yes, Whirlwind was the name of the block - how did you guess?

 We loved the board that Deb brought to display the steps, everyone could see what was going on - regardless of where you were sitting.
The first step gave a few of us the quivers - T R A P E Z O I D S - gives you flash backs into high school math class doesn't it.  But Deb did a great job explaining how to obtain the 16 we needed.

And then those that had waited to cut this final item, were off to work.

 The next step was to sew all the triangles we had cut, on to the trapezoids.  Remember, you can get the pattern directions over to the right of this post, click on the May one and print out from a .pdf version.  Deb gave us a picture perfect (with color) pattern to follow.  Below gives you an idea of how you match up your two pieces, flip them over right side to right side and then sew.  Notice the little dog ears - do not cut off.  When you press towards the trapezoid - those will disappear.

 No you are not seeing cross eyed here.  Vevia's little green ones are cut in the direction Deb showed us.  Susie decided she would be an innovator and see what happens if you cut your trapezoids the other way.

 As you can tell - we all had our minds on our projects.

 Judy was working on a rag quilt for her great-granddaughter in very vivid bright colors and Leila was working on a cross stitch table cloth.

After all the triangles were sewn on, then you sewed two pieces together.

 And then sewed two of those sections together to make the 1/4 block sections.
 We all did learn that regardless of which way you cut your trapezoids - you MUST cut the pieces for each 1/4 section of the block - ALL in the same direction.  You can mix up the quarters for a change like Vevia and Susie did here with their block sections - looks like a chain link sort of.

Our instructor did such a great job showing us how to make this block that it wasn't long and she was bored and went to her hand quilting - available if we needed help.

Colors, ways to sew your sections together, etc - this is a very versatile block.  Notice how our ladies put their blocks together as shown below.

Machelle liked the darker center, so she tore her 4 sections apart and put them back together again.  With the fabrics that she is using on her project - it stood out a little better.

Donnis is our instructor next month and she will be doing the Railroad Block.  Cutting directions are given in a .pdf at the top of this blog.  Below is a sample to give you an idea so you can work your colors in.

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Deb found the right fabric to make a table runner for the French exchange.  People in Morganville asked us if we would make a table runner for them.  I am not clear on all the fine points, but it has to do with the exchange student program.  Deb made it with wheat and sunflower fabric and Susie quilted it.

The back is gorgeous as a reversible possibility.  Click on the pictures to view them a little larger and hopefully you can see the quilting that Susie did.  Thank you to both of you for representing our group so well.

Iowana and Russ surprised us and were able to be with us for lunch.  Iowana brought in pictures of the quilt that she had done for her granddaughter.  For such an ugly block (per V), when put all together and then the magnificent setting it was put in - WOW and double WOW!

Donnis brought in a table runner she has just finished.  Not sure how she got the whirl-a-gigs, but what ever technique it was - she said that now she has oodles of them to use.  Wonderful runner Donnis.

We all got a chance to get a closer look at Deb's presentation board.  She took two of the foam core boards and glued flannel to them both.  The flannel works as a hinge and since she has had it for over a dozen years - you can see that it holds up well.

Deb has also been busy making this darling baby blanket.  Love the colors and that secondary pattern that goes across.

Deb was showing us the back and we were all admiring the fabric - but Deb wanted us to see the yucky outcome of using her quilt stitch on her sewing machine.  Deb - we did not see it.  You did an awesome job for this new little one coming.

Leila has finished her Hunters Star wall hanging.  She chose a simple cross hatch hand quilting pattern and it really made the blocks pop.  Love it - love it - love it.  Her scrap colors were perfect.

Vevia showed us two ways of making the flowers that are in her baskets on her table cover - but the bag that she brought her show 'n tell in got even more raves from some of our members.  Click here to print out the pattern and make your own Fat Quarter Bag.  Susie stated that she has made them in different sizes as they are great for so many things.

Ever have trouble turning your fabric tubes inside out?  Vevia had e-mailed Machelle and they got to talking about products available - and NO - this is not a 'Call of the Midwife' prop - it is a tube turner that Machelle got from her mother.  Not sure if they are still available - but they are definitely different from anything we have ever seen before.

Machelle demonstrated how easy they are to use.

Years ago, Dee had printed out paper piecing foundations for everyone in the group at that time and the ladies had passed the papers around and everyone added on a couple strips to each of the 8 pieces in the color schemes for each group.  Okay, not as complicated as I just made it sound - short version - someone had asked how to finish - Machelle could not find hers - now she has found it and brought it in for us to see.

She got the hard part done - put it all together and as Donnis saw - the middle is nice and flat.  Donnis finished hers, quilting and all, and will bring it in next month for us to see.  Great idea - and we look forward to seeing this UFO of Machelle's quilted and in use..........hint, hint, hint.  hahahahaha

It was a great day to be inside and with people that spoke your language and had similar interests - hit into the low 90's on Wednesday.
Thank you everyone for the part that you did in making the day a great one.  Good to see those that have been absent for a bit.

See you next month - Lord willing, the Creeks don't rise and nothing bigger than a chipmunk happens!