Sunday 31 March 2013

Nearly Insane Quilt - Block 61


Block 61 - Nearly Insane Quilt, March 2013
Block 61 - Nearly Insane Quilt, March 2013

Happy Easter!
 Another lovely quilt block from the Salinda Rupp, Nearly Insane Quilt.  Part of the fun on this journey has been searching the internet to see how others have approached each block - it is amazing how differently they all turn out.  I like this block, mainly because I have used the Solid Red for the centres.  I think it is just a perfect red, and has a real intensity, especially when placed next to other reds.  It is the remainder of the solid red fabric I have used in my red and white pinwheel quilt.

For difficulty I have given  quilt block a 5/10.  I believe this block is known as a Snowball Block, which is made up from an octagonal shape, rather than hexagons.  Despite being a long time English Paper piecer, I have never really got myself involved in hexies, and actually I found them a bit fiddly.  I was always having to change direction, and when wrapping the fabric around the paper template, one seam always ended up much smaller than the other, by the time I had gone around the octagon.  Also, it was only once I started to piece the block together that I noticed the sides of the octagon were not the same length, and this meant a bit more concentration when  putting it together.  The biggest headache was deciding whether to stitch in red or off-white thread - in the end there is a mix. So it gets 5/10.

On the original pattern there are more pieces, as the centre squares are made up of four triangles, but I have chosen to keep it as a solid square.

As well as this block, I have also been preparing some of the cornerstones and sashing for the quilt.

I hope you like my seasonal photo of Block 61 of the Nearly Insane quilt. (I thought the green grass would tie in with my green tacking stiches nicely...).


NUMBER OF PIECES: 41
DIFFICULTY: 5/10
SMALLEST PIECE: Square, 1" (25mm) x 1 11/16" (17mm)
LARGEST PIECE: Rectangle 1" (25mm) x 1 11/16" (17mm) x 1 11/16" (17mm)TECHNIQUE: English Paper Piecing (EPP)
FABRICS: 
Kona Cotton (Solid Red) by Robert Kaufman
"Polka Party Petite" (Buttercream) "Lakehouse Dayz" Collection by Holly Holderman, Lakehouse Drygoods (LH05037)

"Quilter's Memory" Stof Quilter's Basics #4517-118

4 comments:

  1. I love the photo! Sometimes I take the time/trouble to photograph my item(s) uniquely and never regret it! I love this block, too, and while it does have the perfect red, more importantly to me, I love your use of the two different polka-dot fabrics. It is, er... "spot on!"

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  2. Love the photo! Happy Easter Francis

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  3. Spokojnych Świąt!
    POzdrawiam

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  4. If you actually have grass that green then I am green with envy. Still brown in our neck of the woods. I like the 2 polka dot fabrics in this block. Oh and have I mentioned how I use tiny binder clips to hold the fabric to the paper? It sometimes helps keep the fabric from sliding around so one seam allowance is smaller than the others.

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