Medallion Quilt “Tied Together”

QUOTE FROM MY FRIDGE:

The highest  form of wisdom is kindness”  The Talmud

I am assuming that most of you that are visiting came from the McCall’s blog so  I decided to share another one of my medallion quilts. This one was in “American Patchwork and Quilting” on page 34 in the August 2014 issue.

When I start a new medallion quilt I begin by playing with the center.  I have no idea what the end result will be.  This quilt started with leftover blocks from trades and other projects.

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In the picture below you can see me playing on my design wall.  There are blocks that I thought I might use but didn’t seem to work.  I was considering a red border but if you look at the finished quilt you will see this didn’t happen.

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In the center I used split nine-patch blocks leftover from a trade,

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extra blocks from a Triangulation class taught by Sharon Craig 20 years ago,

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rail blocks from a trade and

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blocks I made to turn the corners.

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Once the center was sewn together I pulled out my bag of half-square triangle units.  If you look the finished quilt and then the photo of the design wall you will see that the rows of triangle units are facing different directions.  I had decided to go with the design wall version but I carefully and accurately sewed on a row of triangle units.  They were turned the opposite way from what I had planned.  You can see that I decided not to unseen the row.  LOL

I have a box of 2 1/2″ strips that came in handy for the pieced strip borders.  I don’t cut my stash into certain size pieces but if the fabric is pressed on the cutting mat with a clean edge and there is less than say 5″ left I will cut 1 1/2″, 2″ and 2 1/2″ strips.

Happy Quilting!!!

Lynn

 

Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks: All Angles #1364

QUOTE FROM MY FRIDGE:

“We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then is not an act, but a habit” Aristotle

All Angles
All Angles

This Block is made from two easy to piece units.

Little Cedar Tree
Little Cedar Tree
Hourglass
Hourglass

In my book Simple Strategies for Scrap Quilts one of the strategies I suggest is to use a common background with what I call “related fabrics”.  When I use the term “related fabrics” I don’t mean the new collection from one manufacturer  that just arrived in your local quilt shop.  “Related fabrics” can be 1930s’ reproductions, batiks, Civil War, plaids, polka dots, bright children’s prints and just about anything else similar enough to group together.

For this block I used my collection of Civil War fabrics with a common background (Olde Townhouse by Paula Barnes for Marcus Fabrics).  The background is lighter than all of the other fabrics.  I have made quilts using bright children’s prints with a black polka dot background.  The background can be light or dark.  You just need contrast to create a clear pattern.

I love playing with different sets for a block.  Maybe one of these will inspire you.

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Straight set with sashing and red corner stones.  The red corner stones act as a center creating an alternate pattern.  I always find this interesting.

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On point with sashing.  This gives you a larger quilt with fewer blocks.  If this quilt hangs in a show the diagonal lines will catch the viewers eye.

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This quilt appears to be on-point but it is really a straight set with an alternate snowball block.

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Another straight set with an alternate block.

Texas Two-Step: Blocks Grouped in Sets of Four

 

QUOTE FROM MY FRIDGE:

We may never have the choices we would have if we were writing the script, but we always have choices.

Often when I visit a quilt guild a member will bring a quilt they have made using one of my books or started in one of my workshops.  Ann Rice brought this wonderful quilt to the Beaumont meeting.  I was delighted.  This is the first time I had seen the blocks made in identical sets of four.  Great flying geese border!!!

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Shown below are four identical Texas Two-Step blocks arranged as they are in the quilt above.

Texas Two Step Four Block

Quiltmaker Blocks #971 #57 #281

QUOTE FROM MY FRIDGE:

“It is the chiefest point of happiness that a man is wiling to be what he is.” Desiderius Erasmus

Fast Track

Gudrun Erla

I used the lightest value with the darkest for the pinwheel.  I think this makes it seem to float on top.  My block came out a little crooked. I decided that just made it a little more floaty.  LOL

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Ups & Downs

Camille Roskelley

I loved playing with this block.  The 3D effect in the old tumbling block quilts was created by using light, medium and dark values. I think a quilt made with these blocks could be very dramatic.

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Vintage Spools

Kimberly Jolly

If I made this block again I would choose a wider range of colors.  The dark pink and purple spools appear much closer in color than I expected.  I am telling myself the ripples in this block will “quilt out”.  LOL

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Texas Two-Step Quilts of Valor

QUOTE FROM MY FRIDGE:

Every good thought you think is contributing its share to the ultimate result of your life”  Grenville Kleiser

Ramona Johnson started this quilt in a class I was teaching on a cruise for Stitchin’ Heaven.   She brought a wide variety of reds and blues along with a white background fabric.  I had never tried to make a three color Texas Two-Step.  Ramona figured out how to arrange the units in the blocks so she would get red and blue pinwheels where the blocks meet.  I am delighted when I learn things from my students.

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All of the blocks have the red and blue fabrics in the positions shown below.

Texas Two-Step Red & Blue

Quiltmaker Block #656

QUOTE FROM MY FRIDGE:

“…when we long for life without … difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.”  Peter Marshall

Serendipity

Karen Combs

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I used the Quilt in a Day 2″ finished size mini geese ruler to make the 4 flying geese units. I was pleased with the results.

This block has four corner units that Sally Schneider called Mary’s Triangles. She has a wonderful method for making two of these units at a time.

Creative Grids calls this unit cat’s cradle. With their ruler, CGRHD1, it is easy to accurately make the units in many sizes.

You might want to look back at my May 18 post for block #293 that also uses this unit.

 

Quilt maker Block #293

QUOTES FROM MY FRIDGE:

“There is no such thing as a problem without a gift in its hands”  Richard Bach

In and Out

Celine Perkins

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I am blaming the lopsided lower left corner on bad photography.  That is my story and I am sticking to it.  LOL.

This block has four of the units shown below.  I was introduced to this unit many years ago by Sally Schneider.  She called it Mary’s Triangles.  She has a wonderful method for making two of these units at a time.

Creative Grids calls this unit cat’s cradle.  With their ruler, CGRHD1, it is easy to accurately make the units in many sizes.

Mary's Triangles

Quiltmaker Block #178

QUOTE FROM MY FRIDGE:

“I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship”  Louisa May Alcott

GARDEN STAR

Pearl Louise Krush

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I used the Quilt in a Day 2″ finished size mini geese ruler to make the 8 flying geese units. I was pleased with the results.  Using strong contrasts in value makes the star points the focus of the block.  It does not show in the  photo but the two darkest fabrics are a very dark green and a dark purple.  Because the values are so similar they appear as the same fabric from a distance.

Spinning Snail Table Topper

QUOTE FROM MY FRIDGE:

“This above all: to thine own self be true”  William Shakespeare

SPINNING SNAIL TABLE TOPPER

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This is my new pattern, CLPLRB002, from Cut Loose Press.  It uses Creative Grids ruler CGRJAW8. The quilt Spinning Snails / Happy Trails from my 3/11 post uses the same ruler.

I love the alternate middle pattern that is created when four of the units are combined with sashing.  Depending on the size of the sashing and borders this quilt will measure about 72″ square.

Spinning Snail 4 block