Shoo Fly Leaders and Enders: a new goal

About a year ago Bonnie Hunter suggested making Shoo Fly blocks as leaders and enders. I've never been very successful with the L& E challenge, because

1. I can't stop what I'm working on to cut more pieces for the L & E
2. With chain piecing I use the pieces I'm working on as L & E

This year, however, I have sixty-four 4.5" blocks.

That's considerably more than I've made in the past. For a few weeks I've been thinking how I would lay them out, with which block would I combine them. While various ideas occurred, most would involve buying more fabric, while the object is too use scraps. Yesterday I saw the answer - not in my imagination, but in Bonnie Hunter's blog post! Shamelessly I'm copying her and combining the Shoo Fly blocks with 4.5" 4-patches. Yesterday I cut up almost my entire draw-full of 2.5" strips into 5" and 7.5" strips, and found a few 2.5" squares along the way.

My goal for July is to convert these strips into 4-patches and to make a top, which should measure around 50" square. A reasonable size for a lap quilt I think.

In case you're wondering what happened to the wonky log cabin table runner: yesterday evening at the bee I started hand quilting it! I think it will be finished ....

in a year's time!

I'm linking this to:

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Happy Sewing

Marly.

Wonky log-cabin table runner still needs a reverse side

Finishing this was my goal for last month.

While I got the pieces assembled into a table runner top, I haven't managed to make the reverse side yet. I want to make a reversible table runner, so just slapping a piece of fabric onto the back won't do!

At present I'm following an online course with Carol Lyles Shaw, mid-centrury modern curves, which involves freehand-cut drunkard's path blocks being cut and reassembled improv-style. I had hoped to be able to use the resulting blocks as the reverse, but they finish at 16.5", wider than my table runner! I'll be making smaller modern curves blocks this month.

I'm linking this post to the One Monthly Goal link-up at Elm Street Quilts

Happy sewing

Marly

Improv wonky log cabins

Well, that didn't take long!

Only a couple of days after writing that my goal for this month was to turn my wonky log cabins into a table runner I have finished the top.

The next step is to layer and quilt this, which wouldn't take long were it not for the fact that I've signed up for the Mid-Century Modern Curves class with Carol Lyles Shaw that starts towards the end of this month. I would like to use my project pieces from the course as the other side of this "top". In reality both sides will be tops; I will have a double sided table runner. The downside is that I won't be able to start quilting for at least another month.

In the meantime there's plenty more to be getting on with!

I'm linking at the weekend to  Wendy's                                        I'm linking to:
Peacock Party

You can visit other completed goals by clicking on the buttons above.

Happy sewing

Marly.

One Monthly goal in May:

For May, my goal is to finish assembling my improv log cabins into a table runner.

First I have to make a few more blocks.

I didn't post to the April finishes link up, so what happened to April's goal? A lot of thinking, but not much action. Last time I published this photo:

Then I rearranged the blocks several times:

measurements in this layout: 60" x 48"

but each time it just wasn't working! (I'll spare you the other attempts!)

The reason hit me! Laid out like this each block is an individual, not playing with the others. My original plan to use narrow sashing wouldn't change this. It's like the Academy Awards Ceremony: too many stars jostling for the limelight! The blocks need space to show off! The original suggested layout for the Summer Sampler foresaw this and added neutrally coloured alternate blocks, resulting in an enormous quilt of  92" x 80". Much too big for my purposes.

Does anyone have an idea for using these blocks? I don't need 20 more cushion covers, nor 5 more table runners! I don't think I'll be ready to finish this in the next month; I have to order more fabric for alternate blocks or wider sashing once I've decided how to proceed.

I learnt a lot from making these blocks and enjoyed all the challenges along the way. I want to be able to see them; not leave them in a box!

I'm linking to

Click on the button to see more goals for May.

Happy sewing

Marly.