I hope you’re on your game today because it’s a complicated one!
Today we’ll make this cutie.
Always having fun going through my scrap basket!
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Cut:
No need for Thangles or any other tools!
As usual I made a couple more!
How many will you make?
Show us your blocks at my Sewing With Susan FB Group.
We want to see your progress too!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SewingWithSusan/
Just Keep Sewing…
Susan
Super easy block today.
Had lots more fun going through my scrap basket!
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Make:
I used Thangles again & pressed the seams to the red fabrics
because I like the way it helps the seams nest
while I’m assembling the block.
Use your favorite method.
Arrange the hst’s & sew together into a pinwheel block.
I removed the stitches in the seam allowance &
made a little pinwheel in the center to make the block lie nice & flat.
I also made a couple more…
How many will you make?
Just Keep Sewing…
Susan
Show us your blocks at my Sewing With Susan FB Group.
We want to see your progress too!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SewingWithSusan/
Just Keep Sewing…
Susan
I hope you had a good weekend.
It’s such a bizarre time.
Nothing is usual.
So thankful for my quilting friends & my quilting!
Something else I’m thankful for
is the sun shining into my sewing room!
Today we’ll make this cutie.
Had lots more fun going through my scrap basket!
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Cut:
I like using Thangles when I need such small half-square triangles.
Use your favorite method.
Sew the squares into rows.
Press the seams away from the hst’s.
Sew the rows together.
I pressed the last seams open.
Taking out the few stitches in the seam allowances helps the little blocks press flatter.
How many will you make?
Show us your blocks at my Sewing With Susan FB Group.
We want to see your progress too!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SewingWithSusan/
Just Keep Sewing…
Susan
Today’s block(s) is Bright Hopes.
Had lots more fun going through my scrap basket!
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Cut:
Sew a partial seam only
sewing the center sq. onto 1 of the rec’s.
Sew 1/2 – 3/4 of the seam.
Finger press seam toward rec.
Layer another rec. on top.
Sew that entire seam.
Press seam toward rec.
Layer another rec.
Sew seam then press toward rec.
Pin the 1st rec. out of the way.
Layer then sew the last rec.
Press.
Finish the first seam.
A pin will help keep things lined up.
Pretty cute, huh?
Of course I made 3 of these!
They’re super easy
& can use 5 (15) different Thimbleberries prints!
I think the backs of these blocks are just as pretty as the fronts.
We’re getting quite a stack of blocks for just 4 days.
Image what we’ll have after the crazy quarantine is over!
What do you think?
Do you like the variety so far?
Any block in particular you’d like me to feature?
Show us your blocks at my Sewing With Susan FB Group.
We want to see your progress too!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SewingWithSusan/
Just Keep Sewing…
Susan
I’ve been listening to 80’s Pop Radio on Pandora the past couple of weeks.
It just plays in the background.
A few days ago I chose our family’s theme song:
No need to watch, just listen to the refrain.
Can you relate???
Today’s block is Tiny Tree.
Had lots more fun going through my scrap basket!
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Cut:
I used my “Lazy Susan” technique for the flying geese again.
See the spool block post here for instructions.
I pressed the seams toward the trunk.
I think it makes the trunk stand out.
Next, sew the tree to the trunk.
I pressed this seam upward &
clipped the few stitches in the seam to make it lie flatter.
You could make a whole forest of these in an hour!
Show us your blocks at my Sewing With Susan FB Group.
We want to see your progress too!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SewingWithSusan/
Just Keep Sewing…
Susan
How many squares in a box blocks did you make yesterday?
Having fun like I am?
Today’s block is American Homes
but I’m renaming mine to Goldilock’s houses.
You’ll see why I renamed it below.
Had lots more fun going through my scrap basket!
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Cut:
Use “Lazy Susan’s” flying geese method
as described in the spool blocks
to make the top of each house.
Press seams open or toward the triangles.
Sew the columns together to complete the block.
I made 2 blocks.
I was going to stop here, but trudged on.
I’m glad that I did!
Show us your blocks at my Sewing With Susan FB Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SewingWithSusan/
Just Keep Sewing…
Susan
How many 3″ spool blocks did you make yesterday?
Since I’ve been getting asked
“how many blocks do I need to make?”
&
“how many days will we be making blocks?”
The answer is:
Lol, not sure I’ll live that long.
The real answer is make as many as you want.
I have no idea what I’ll make with these blocks.
I just want to give us something fun & easy
to work on instead of watching TV or reading the news all day.
Sew & have fun!
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This is Squares in a Box.
Cut:
& if you’re an overachiever,
cut a couple, a few or even 100 more!
Sew the inner sq. between the 2 outer sq’s.
Next sew the block together.
Voila!
Show us your blocks at my Sewing With Susan FB Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SewingWithSusan/
Just Keep Sewing…
Susan
3″ blocks are quick,
easy,
fun
& don’t take a lot of fabric!
Yup!
I decided on my treasured Thimbleberries stash,
which ironically is still growing
(with the help of my friends & this isn’t all of it!)
although Lynette Jensen hasn’t designed any in several years.
Cut:
Are you familiar with my “Lazy Susan” flying geese method?
Instead of drawing a line on the square,
I lay a ruler over the lined up square & rectangle
with the 1/4″ line corner to corner instead,
then cut off the corners.
I just noticed this morning that this Creative Grids ruler
is visibly able to align with both corners at once.
I typically use my 6″ Omnigrid ruler.
NOTE: This isn’t a typical flying geese block.
Typically you must do 1 corner at a time.
This gives me a place to align the scant 1/4″ seam.
Sew the 2 seams with scant 1/4″.
Press seams as sewn, then open for less bulk.
Sew awesome 1 1/2″ sq. between the 2 cream 1 1 2″ sq’s.
Press seams as sewn, then open.
Sew rows together.
Voila!
I like that word…
Then cut some more fabrics…
to make more…
Show us your blocks at my Sewing With Susan FB Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SewingWithSusan/
Just Keep Sewing…
Susan
During my 3 1/2″ hour commute to my studio this morning,
(OK, I was very much sidetracked when I started cleaning behind my computer that got pulled out yesterday to try & help my husband work from home. I then spent the next 3 1/2 hours pulling out furniture, vacuuming, dusting & cleaning every window inside & out!)
It was time, but I do not enjoy the task!
Lots of time for thinking though…
The idea came to me after I self imposed my own quarantine nearly 2 weeks ago.
Then in hearing from my friend, Chris over the weekend who’s sister-in-law had passed away from the virus,
I made a decision that I was going to help in my own way.
While busily praying,
binding
& sleeving
my new,
but no-longer-going-to-quilt-market quilts
these past few days,
I decided since a lot of you enjoyed our little 3″ blocks
from my 12 Days of Christmas quilt-along,
that more little 3″ blocks would be fun now too!
Everyone has fabric enough for 3″ blocks, right?
For now, gather your “collection”
& get it ready with Mary Ellen’s Best Press.
Working with little pieces is no big deal
when you press them with Best Press first!
Spring? Civil war? Batiks? Brights? Christmas? Scrappy?
Doesn’t matter!
Just use your favorites.
I’ve not decided yet myself… maybe Thimbleberries?
I will decide & I will get to work so you can start sewing!
I’ve already decided on the first block
and did some browsing here for more ideas.
Are you with me?
Want a little bit of sewing each day
to take your mind off of the things we cannot control?
Chop, chop, go make some decisions!
Just Keep Sewing…
Susan
It’s a very crazy time these days for sure.
I’ve been self quarantining myself this past week.
With Spring Quilt Market being cancelled &
my teaching scheduled been put on hold,
I decided I would work on a couple of UFO’s,
something I NEVER do!
The first UFO on my list was Diane Knott
of Butterfly Threads Quilting‘s,
Under The Mistletoe.
This is a pickle dish block made with foundation paper piecing
that Diane taught at our guild’s Quilt Away 2019.
I had just 1 block & 1 more “football” made.
So, my favorite part, I set to choose football fabrics!
I love FPP accuracy!
I trimmed the excess with my rotary cutter.
It’s quicker than scissors.
I just hold the ruler right where I want to trim, sliding it along the cutting line.
Inner curves are easy.
Outer curves, even easier!
It was fun watching this piece grow!
I love using my stash,
not worrying about how old a fabric is
or how it my appear photographed.
Soon I was sewing in the corners & side pieces.
A fellow guild member, Loraine, who had finished hers,
recommended how to quilt it.
Something else I don’t do a lot of is my own quilting.
I love the way my table runner turned out!
If you don’t have any UFO’s (lolololololol)
& you’d like a project to work on today,
my quilting friend,
is having a quilt along with a free download pattern today.
What are you doing during this time?
Please share your projects & progress on my Sewing With Susan FB group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SewingWithSusan/
Please stay home & stay safe!
Just Keep Sewing…
Susan
Quilting my way through life! 