Betsy's Best .....quilts and more: December 2017

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Moda BlockHeads week 43 Any Direction by Lynne Hagmeier

I'm writing this Tuesday, the day after Christmas. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, with family and friends. Every year I say my house my house has shrunk in size, full of my cupboards, and collections and fabric and quilts, leaving little room for family to get from room to room. The house is full, and I know it and I love all the stuff but when it is time to entertain, there is simply no where to stash the stuff!! We had a great day and I have a few photos to show you at the end of the post. Hostess rarely gets the opportunity to take photos!

Question of the Week...How many quilts-Projects did you make this year? How many were for 'work'? How many were for fun? Well, let's count...for "work" 2 for compilation books that aren't out yet; 7 for Spring Market, 10 for fall market; about 10 plus or minus for Quiltmania book I think (most were finished before that), 12 little ones for club...hmm there are more, but I can't think. For fun, almost one...ran out of setting fabric, but have found it now so that may be my first finish of 2018. The making quilts for "work" can be misleading, as I do love what I do!!!

First a disclaimer....

I read the directions, looked at the diagrams, picked fabric, cut fabric, made parts, then observed, I had reversed some values....oops. I plead Christmas exhaustion. sorry Lynne for my mess up on your lovely block, but I kind of like this one too so here it is....

Click Here for Lynne's pattern. You will notice, the geese are supposed to be dark. What was I thinking? Well obviously I wasn't paying attention. I do like what I made, so I decided to keep it. Kind of funny when you read the block's title, Any Direction. :-)

Thanks Lynne!

Check out Jo, Jan, Lisa and Carrie's to see what they have made. Links below.

Any Direction with my 3" mini. Don't shoot me...geese units are 1/2" by 1" finished. I have lots of scraps so I selected 6 background pieces. Cut 6 - 1 1/2" squares. I repeated the same fabrics for the geese background. For each Flying Geese unit, cut 2 light squares 1 1/8" and 1 dark rectangle 1 1/8" x 1 5/8". Use the connector method to make 6 flying geese units. Each unit is slightly oversized so I suggest using the 1/2" x 1" Bloc _Loc ruler or, a regular ruler to trim each unit to 1" x 1 1/2".

Block should measure 3 1/2" for a 3" finished block.

Fabrics are from Lizzie's Legacy, Hope's Journey, Rachel Remembered and Evelyn's Homestead (due in March)

Only 5 blocks to go!

some christmas photos...

From my home to yours...I wish you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous NEW YEAR in 2018!

Until next time,

~ Betsy

Lynne -
Blog - http://kansastroublesquilters-lynne.blogspot.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KansasTroublesQuilters/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lynnektq/
Betsy -
Blog - http://betsysbestquiltsandmore.blogspot.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/betsy.chutchian
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/betsy_chutchian/
Lisa B -
Blog - https://lisabongean.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/primitivegatherings.quiltshop/ or https://www.facebook.com/lisa.bongean
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lisabongean/ or https://www.instagram.com/primitive_gatherings_quiltshop/ or https://www.instagram.com/primitive_gatherings_ca/
Jan -
Blog - http://janpatek.blogspot.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jan.patek.79?fref=nf
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jan_patek_quilts/
Jo -
Blog - http://jomortonquilts.com/jos_journal/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jomortonquilts/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE&fref=nf
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joquilts/
Moda -
Blog - http://blog.modafabrics.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/modafabrics/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/modafabrics/

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Moda BlockHeads Week 42 Turnstile by Carrie Nelson

Six blocks to go...Merry Christmas! This is the last one before Christmas. Thank you Carrie for a quick block! I don't know about all of you but I'm a bit frazzled this year!

I'm still looking for my winner, Ester Townley. Please email me your address at this address bchutchian@hotmail.com so we can send you my Moda BlockHead prize.

I drew your name Monday.

Question of the Week.... My perfect holiday season is big and boisterous, quiet and peaceful? How will you spend the coming week....baking shopping, getting ready for a full house?

I like a happy medium between boisterous and quiet. We have a small family, both sides combined. Everyone has come here for 39 years. I took a year off several years ago and it was soooo weird. we have grown, lost family members, added new family. We've long outgrown the space, and one of the days, I'll say we are too big and we will split up. That will be hard, glad it isn't this year.

This week I'm working, shopping and baking. Steve will wrap packages and set tables. Then I'll reset the tables. He likes to think he helps. ;-) With so much on my mind these days, my biggest fear is forgetting to thaw the turkey!!!

I hope you are all ready! Make it a time to remember and take time to enjoy! When I finish typing, I'm going to treat myself to and eggnog milkshake. Yum.

Again, thank you Carrie for a quick block this week!

Here is my version of Turnstile. Red floral and background are from Rachel Remembered and the brown print is from Eliza's Indigo.

Click Here for Carrie's pattern.

Don't forget to check out what my friends have made. Links below for Jo, Jan, Lynne, and Lisa.

And my 3" mini this month. The plan was to use all leftover triangles when making the geese units as directed in Carrie's pattern. Well, let's just say, plan went awry. You may be able to use your leftovers, but just in case, here is what you need to cut:

Large brown triangles, cut 4 squares 2 3/8", cut again once diagonally (you will have 4 leftover)

Red and Cream triangles, cut 1 square 2 3/4", cut again twice diagonally.

Sew red to cream along one short side. Press to red. Then, sew those units to the brown triangles, press to the brown. Units should measure 2". Join the units in a 4 patch. Block should measure 3 1/2" for a 3" finished block.

and an easy option, if you choose...or both!

All you need are 4 - 1 1/2" finished HST units. Too easy. I made it after the first 3" block disaster.

Then made the block above.

Pretty sweet, I think!

Today's post is short and sweet...got a little Christmas business to do before I can have the nog shake....

and almost forgot to show you the cover of my newest book!
More about it another time.

So my friends, it is time to wish you a very very
Merry Christmas!

Until next time

~ Betsy

Monday, December 18, 2017

Winner announced!

Good Morning! I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed reading each and every comment. I found a number in the spam folder this morning, don't know why, but published them and read them and included them in the drawing. I hope I got everyone! Thank you all for your comments.

I don't have a random selection generator, so I wrote down each name that mentioned blockheads holiday favorites, the guess of my favorite part of Christmas and a valid email. I have several favorite parts of Christmas. Most center around memories from my childhood. One of you mentioned grocery shopping with their Mom...I loved that too especially when we selected the colorful candied fruits for that awful fruitcake that my Daddy loved sooo much. Several mentioned decorations, and you know I love decorating the house. Lots mentioned baking, which is also a big favorite, another thing I enjoyed with my mom. She put me in charge of chopping the nuts as a little girl, for THAT fruitcake! LOL and other confections and cookies. Not with a chopper, but with a butcher knife. It is till my favorite knife if the kitchen. Others mentioned family time, which of course is so special, and more special favorites.

So what is my favorite part of Christmas??? Lights inside and out and driving through the softly lit or brightly lit, neighborhoods peering in open widows, grabbing a peek at their tree. I grew up in a hilly neighborhood in which all the homeowners had lights on their homes and most had luminarias lining their property. The soft glow from the paper sacks was magical to me. Daddy put lights around our house and left them up all year, only to come down when he painted. I will always love Christmas lights and the memories. And of course, we have lights around our house and drive around to see others. A few of you mentioned lights as their favorite and, when reading each one, I smiled.

So to pick the winner, I put the names in a basket (the ones who mentioned lights, twice, as promised, and drew Ester Townley. Ester, please email me your address so I can get it to Moda and they will send your prize.

Congratulations Ester! Hope you enjoy your prize!

Until Wednesday for Block 42, take care and soak up the JOYS of the Season!

~ Betsy

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Week 41 Moda BlockHeads Pinwheel Star by Lisa Bongean

This week Lisa Bongean bring us a lovely pieced star. But before we get to it, let's talk holidays and stress. Every year I think, next Christmas I'll have time, rather make time to do all the fun things I wanted to do last year but didn't get to do. While I am trying this year, there is simply not enough time in the day...I'm sure you all agree. With grandkids involved, it truly is a magical time of the year. decorating is done, shopping started, baking barely started, sewing deadlines, um working daily on them. My holiday wish for you...time. Time to enjoy the beauty and sweetness of life around you. Tis the season and Tis the season of giving.....stay tuned.

Seven weeks to go....Have you enjoyed this journey? If you are a blockhead, leave me a comment about your favorite part of this journey. Don't look, but there is a prize at the bottom of the page, but only if you comment and leave an email address. If you are not a blockhead, let me know a favorite part of the season. Can you guess my favorite part of the holiday season? Try....

Question of the Week...Christmas presents...did you make any? Did you finish or will you still be stitching on December 24? I did not make a single gift this year, but if I had, I guarantee I would still be stitching on Christmas Eve!!!

Thanks Lisa for this week's block, Pinwheel Star

Click Here

for Lisa's blog and the pattern

Pinwheel Star

My version includes fabric from Hope's Journey, Rachel Remembered, and center indigo print from Evelyn's Homestead....I'm trying to sneak in a few print here at the end. Evelyn will ship in March. The way time flies around here, that is like , tomorrow! Fun block to piece.

And the 3" Mini Penny block...don't be fooled, the block is not set like a traditional hour glass block. Miss frugal here, saved all the triangles leftover from trimming the triangles away (narrow seam) when making the star point (flying geese units). My fabrics were starched.

If you make your units as directed, you will have 8 light and 8 dark triangles leftover. Use a scant seam to sew 4 units like an HST(close to an 1/8") pressing to the dark triangle.

Trim the 4 HSTs to 2" square.

Press each unit to the dark.

Assemble a pinwheel unit. Press units to the light.

On the back the seams should spin all in the same direction.

Now sew 4 light triangles to 4 dark triangles along the short side. Press these units to the light triangle. Matching the corner units to the sides of the pinwheel, pin so that the light seams nest, then stitch. Press to corner. Repeat on all corners.

Block should be trimmed to 3 1/2" for a 3" finished block

If you need to cut from scratch, cut 2 squares of dark and 2 squares of light 3" each and make 4 quarter square units. Trim each of those units to 2" square. Sew the 4 units together to make the block.

Hope you enjoy making this week's blocks.

And now, here is the generous giveaway from Moda....

Merry Christmas to you, a lucky winner!

Remember above, I asked you to comment for a chance to win...your favorite part of Christmas season, just one favorite part. And if you happen to guess my favorite, you get your name in the drawing twice.

Each of us, Jan, Jo, Lynne, Lisa and Carrie (modafabrics) have prizes on our blogs, so if you want 6 chances to win, visit each BlockHead's blog. Links to their blogs are below.

My prize package includes a fat 1/8 bundle of Evelyn's Homestead, My book with Carol Staehle Treasury of Quilts, and 2 of my patterns.

Good luck!

Contest ends midnight, Sunday.

Winners will be announced Monday morning, December 18.

Contest will be promoted on our Facebook group Moda BlockHeads. Be sure to visit there as well to see what everyone is making.

Until next time ~

Betsy

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Moda BlockHeads Week 40 Cardinal, by Jan Patek

WEEK 40! Can you believe only 8 blocks to go after today??? I can't believe it. Now we are into the Christmas season there is SO much to do!

I'm so happy you include BlockHeads in this busy time of year.

Before we get to Jan Patek's beautiful Cardinal block, it is Question of the Week time...

Do you decorate with quilts for the Holidays? Are they color - themed, or do they include holiday motifs and fabrics?

I love decorating the house with the quilts for the season!

This goes in my kitchen every Christmas, so I eat with Jan Patek everyday! LOL. Jan designed this favorite quilt years ago for Her book Seasons which is long out of print, right Jan?

Here is my favorite seasonal color quilt...usually up all year, except Fall.

Hope Blooms made with my Hope's Journey fabric. Sorry about the lighting!

Better! An older photo.

I also decorate with antique quilts. This is a red and cream antique quilt top. I can see the tree branches need adjusting!

How appropriate that I show a Jan Patek quilt today...Week 40 Is Jan's week!

Here is my version of Jan's block.

Click Here

for the link to Jan's blog for the pattern and her applique tips.

Fabrics are Rachel Remembered, Hope's Journey and a wing from Evelyn's Homestead. I just had to include a smidge! Evelyn will arrive in March.

I want to show you how I applique when I'm pressed for time like this week.

I use these super cute Kai bent scissors, upside down, to trim convex pattern curves and right side up for concave curves.

My usual applique methods are needle turn back basting or with Freezer Paper templates, but I have students who absolutely love this applique Paper. It is fusible, and fibrous, that softens when washed....

Glue the seam allowance under with Sewline glue pen then drop a dot of Roxanne's glue in place on your background to hold the parts in place. It's a time saver for me.

Favorite though, when time is not an issue, is any style of needle turn.

If you try Hugs and Kisses Applique paper, be sure to reverse your pattern and trace the shapes on the non fusible side.

This sweet helper, lol decided to help me by scooting off all my glued parts onto the floor so she could lounge on the sewing table under a warm lamp. Yep...lots of help[!

3" Mini Penny blocks

Here is just a slightly enlarged star from Jan's design on 3 1/2" background.

And a pieced version from leftovers from the applique.

For this block you need

8 - 1" red plaid squares

2 - 1 1/2" red plaid squares for 1/2" HSTs

2 - 1 1/2" blue squares for 1/2" HSTs

4 - 1" x 1 1/2" blue rectangles

4 - 1" x 2 1/2" rectangles

Work from the center out, HSTs first, trimmed to 1", make pinwheel center. Add rectangles and corner squares in rounds like a Courthouse Steps pattern.

Cute, right?

Until next time ~

Betsy

Enjoy the season!