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| Halloween Fabrics |
You can read about Denise Russart's Spooktacular Block Swap here.
I have finished three sets of 3 blocks already; one or two more sets to go. Since I don't want to spoil the surprise for other participants in the swap, I won't show the blocks just yet.
But I do want to share with you a dilemma I was faced with (pun intended).
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| Heads Up! |
If you are a quilter, you have probably already encountered the challenges of dealing with directional fabrics. In one of my blocks I needed half-square triangles in all four orientations. And I wanted all of my heads pointing up!!
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| Half-square Triangle Dilemma |
My solution was to use the "Magic 8" technique. There are many sources online for this, but essentially you start with two squares of fabric, placed right sides together. Draw diagonal lines in both directions X, then stitch 1/4" from each side of both lines. Cut apart at the midpoint, first vertically and then horizontally +, then cut apart on the diagonal line. You will end up with 8 HSTs! In my case I needed 2" finished HSTs so I started with two 6" squares. I also needed 16 HSTs so two sets of squares did the trick in no time at all. It takes more time to trim them to size than to make them.
Our state guild association had it's annual meeting on Saturday. Jenny Doan of The Missouri Star Quilt Company was the featured speaker. Oh, what a dynamic presentation and so many intriguing ideas! Probably the largest number of vendors in a long time, too. I held fast, but couldn't resist this yard of Halloween print and a fat quarter bundle of Moda Grunge.
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| New Acquisitions |
So, while adding 2-3/4 yards to the stash, I moved 1-1/2 yards out with the swap blocks I've finished. Yes, I know, I should count fabric back in when my share of the swap blocks come back to me. We'll see if I remember to do that ......
Stash report this week:
In this Week: 2.75 yards
Out this Week: 1.50 yards
In year to Date: 167.75 yards
Out Year-to-Date: 136.5 yards
Net Used 2014 -31.25 yards
To see what other quilters are working on, pop on over to Patchwork Times.
I don't do halloween, but those are really cute fabrics! Love the tip for keeping directional fabrics where you want them :) Wasn't Saturday fun? I added a bit more than that to my stash, but only where the prices were really good - $2 fat quarters and $5 for one-yard pieces - yum!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't really DO Halloween, either, but I had accumulated quite a few fabrics over the years and thought the block swap a good way to use them up. I have a panel that I will use as the center for the blocks and then it will probably go to someone else -- kids, maybe, or a raffle.
DeletePS - and who could resist the Grunge fabrics? I bought a yard of the orange!!!!
ReplyDeleteI had a hard time resisting her chevron FQ pack that went so well with the Grunge.
DeleteJust love Jenny's videos, how lucky of you to have gotten to see her presentation in person!
ReplyDeleteNo resisting Grunge. . . it is futile to even try ;)
If you ever have a chance to see Jenny in person, GO! The conditions weren't perfect (no AC), yet she was so gracious and carried on like there was no problem. Kept us laughing and smiling all the time.
DeleteI love those pumpkin and ghosts! Are the swap blocks you get back a Halloween theme also? I don't have a Halloween quilt. I just bought a green grunge fabric for my Lone Star. It was the only fabric that could closely match the green I bough 8 years ago.
ReplyDeleteYes, all Halloween. That's why it's a Spooktacular Block Swap. I have one Halloween quilt, one of the first I ever finished. The jack o'lanterns on the back glow in the dark. I put it in the Queen Mother's suite every October for the sitters to enjoy.
DeleteThere's something about Grunge ......
Great looking bunch of Halloween fabrics for your blocks!
ReplyDelete