Free Quilt Pattern · Something to Think About · Tiny Quilts

Weary | Hopeful

Blog-writing for other organizations can sometimes make me weary. I’ve been the blog-writer for a local guild here, and the other day — Blog Writing Day, as I like to call it, when everything stops and I won’t do one more thing before writing out the news and stuff for the organizaion — I sat at the computer, my mind blank. I wrote the usual paragraphs, then wondered if I should delete some of it, as I am turning everything over to a new person in a month, and would she want to have to write this in her tenure? It all became very complicated, trying to write what’s in someone else’s head, in someone else’s world.

When I write for this blog, on the other hand, I try to find some space and some quiet — a recent challenge during covid-time and we’re all shut in our houses together.

The conditions of these two aforementioned things may explain why you haven’t see a post from me in some time. But here goes.

Part of the title of this post, weary, might describe us all at this time. We’ve been covid-ing since March (wearying), made it mostly through an election (wearying), our energy levels are low, and now we are all putting up our Christmas lights early, trying to bring in some light into this weary world of ours. Ours went up last Saturday, and since we celebrated Thanksgiving early — a social distanced, outside on our patio, meal with local family this past Sunday — all our Christmas decor is creeping in to the house, well before the end of Thanksgiving Day.

It feels right. We need something to celebrate, to rejoice in, and I am looking to the familiar warm-hearted feelings that the Christmas season can bring, and if that means early tinsel and lights and nutcrackers, bring it on. If that means putting out the Christmas quilts, and pillows and table runners, I’m in. Christmas tunes? Now on the playlist.

I was trying to think of ways to help lift the weary and wondered if you were interested in a quilty make to up the holiday cheer. If so, here are two possible ways:

This is a teeny little quilt (4″ x 6″) that can be slipped over a frame. These make cute gifts for friends, for shut-ins, for people you visit but who are still fretting about their gain of the Covid-fifteen-so-no-more-chocolates-please. Directions are found *here.*

This is my field of Christmas trees, made so long ago from *this free tutorial* and which needs to be finished. What always stops me in a project is that I get plans which then complicates everything to that something perfect in my mind, which then shifts me to never-getting-it-finished. Keep in mind that just participating in the act of creation (like our quilts and blocks –and even wooden blocks on barns), can help us feel better about life.

Example of Complicated (work in progress):

Second Iteration

Example of Uncomplicated:

Pumpkins quilt top, finished Tuesday night

Maybe December 2020 is the season for simple, for easy, for uncomplicated. Maybe it’s the time for bringing light, for sharing our lives, for writing holiday cards, letting people know we are still here. And next year, when we’re all vaccinated (my Christmas 2021 wish) and we’re out and about and full of vim and vigor and excitement, and even in spite of all the recovery work that will be around us, we’ll not be weary.

We’ll be hopeful.

from here

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Good Heart Quilters · Quilts

Christmas Tree Block Swap

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This picture-filled post shows when a bunch of the local Good Heart Quilters (my little quilting group) got together to trade Christmas Tree blocks (pattern found on this post).  

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Usually we don’t meet in December, but then Leisa had this idea about these Christmas Tree blocks.  Those who were interested in the swap came together in a Flash Mob Quilt Night; we had a great time, although family trips and sickness prevented some from coming.

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We’re nothing if not helpful.  Some of us had our trees already made, so we all pitched in a sewed, ironed and trimmed the others’ blocks so we all went away with our set.

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We dealt out all the blocks.  I asked everyone to count their blocks, for after an evening of letting loose with children-and-husband-and-life stories, lots of laughing (too many delicious cookies) I couldn’t be depended on to get the numbers right.

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This is one of mine, made afterwards, with a bit of my husband’s blue-and-white plaid shirt.

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Fun fussy-cutting.

Now I either need to make 4 more blocks, or rethink everything and add a ton more.  We could use another Christmas TV-watching quilt, because of:

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The Crown, streaming off of Netflix, fictionalizing Queen Elizabeth as a young woman.

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Poldark, on PBS (we watched the first season via CDs from Netflix).

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And apparently Endeavor, a crowd-pleaser in our house, will return for a fourth season.

Oh, and then there’s that big event called Christmas, which needs some time…Happy Quilting!

tiny nine patches
300 Quilts · Christmas Quilts · Free Quilt Pattern · Patterns by Elizabeth of OPQuilt · Tutorial

Christmas Tree Block Swap

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My friend Leisa saw a Christmas Tree Block Swap that was going on online, and said “Why don’t we do one like this with our group?” Sure, why not?  We don’t have anything else going on, do we? (right)

I drafted a pattern, just drawing this way and that, then made up a test block.  My graphic design guru Simone approved it, and we were off.  I transferred my dimensions to Quilt Pro, my quilt software program and here it is for you to download:

That’s FREE, no charge, but as usual please don’t print off one for your mother or your sister, but instead, send them here to get theirs.  Many thanks.

AND…as a reminder.  Please be sure to set your scale to 100%.

Now, the tutorial.  I apologize in advance for the pitiful lighting.  Chalk it up to working on a deadline, because our swap is in a a week and a half, and I need to get this to my quilt group for our Flash Mob Quilt Night.  (I hope they bring Christmas cookies to share…just saying…)

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I also apologize for filling up your mailboxes with two posts so close together.  But then again, you might need this too, to spread a little holiday cheer around your sewing room.

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This tutorial is for one block.  It took me a grand total of about one minute to make one block.  Choosing and cutting the fabrics took a little longer.  For our trees we are using clear bright tones/prints, such as green, yellow, pink, aqua, purple/lavender, orange, red.  For the backgrounds, we are using black or white prints.  For the tree trunk: something trunkish, please.  Here are all the pieces laid out. (Thank you Mary, for my cool board.)

Sew the Upper Background piece onto the tree.  Leave that tiny wedge of 1/4″ goodness at the bottom right corner (shown in the red circle), and let the top of the upper background just hang off the tree.  Stitch 1/4″ seam.

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Backside of that piece.  Now the 1/4″ wedge of goodness is at the lower left, and the extra background is at the top.  Press seam towards the tree.

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Repeat with other side.  

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Trim off the extra point.  Press towards tree (see below).

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Seam the Lower Background pieces on either side of the tree trunk.  Press towards the trunk.

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Line up the tree trunk with the tip of the tree, to get it on straight.  I’ve left a bit extra on either side, so if you want it wonky, feel free.

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Press all seams toward tree.  You can see here the extra I’ve left you so you can adjust the trunk as needed.

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Trim the block to 6 1/2″ by 7 1/2″ like this: Leave space above the tree tip, roughly 3/4″.

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Then whack off the bottom, so the total height is 7 1/2″.  This tree will finish at 6 by 7″.

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Fussy cutting is always encouraged.

Now if you want to cut out a lot of Upper Backgrounds at once, do this:

1-Layer two pieces of fabric with wrong sides together (like it comes off the bolt).

2- Cut a square 5 1/4″ by 6 1/8″.

3- Measure up 1 1/8″ on opposite sides, and draw or cut a diagonal line.  It should be the same size as your piece B or D.

Remember that these pieces are opposite of each other, so don’t layer up your fabrics with all right sides up, or this won’t work.

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Here’s my first batch.  Now I’ll go do this some more.

Have fun making a forest!

tiny nine patches