Quilting and Stuff by Knitnoid

Category Archives: Fairy Frost Sunset

2023 Brandon Quilters UFO Challenge

Happy New Year!

Over the next few days I’ll update my list of Finishes, Quilts in Progress and Tops to be Quilted, but today I’m listing out my 2023 Brandon Quilters UFO Challenge quilts. My list was created and turned in at our December meeting.  The goal to finish all of these quilts by our meeting December 4th, 2023. So here’s the list:

  • Mom’s Sweatshirt – Started in December 2008. My goal now is to have it finished by September at the latest, preferably May.
  • Black & White Stacked 4-Patch – Started this in Spring 2008. I started the quilting on it, but needed to rip it out since the border wasn’t lining up.
  • Christmas Row Quilt – This was a block swap I did in October 2008. I want to have the quilt finished by July.
  • Fairy Frost Sunset – The top was mad in 10 days in September 2010. It’s time to get it quilted.
  • Auction Strings IV: Turquoise & Cheddar –  These are the last of the blocks I bought at the auction in September 2018.
  • Princess & the Pea – The retreat mystery quilt started with a panel. I got it quilted last month, then realized I don’t have binding fabric.
  • Christmas Star Swap – These was swapped in April 2019. I have a plan and the fabric on how I want to set these blocks. My goal is to finish by July.
  • QBHD 2022 Pizza Box – We finished the swap in November, my goal to to take it finished to our next meeting on January 16th.
  • Athena – I started this quilt last January.
  • Donna’s Log Cabin – I started this quilt at the September retreat. All the blocks are finished and I sewed the last seam of the 1st half of the quilt just before midnight.
  • Rainbow Challenge – These squares were swapped during the year. I started doing “something” with them in October. I have a plan.
  • Chilhowie, the 2022 Quiltville Mystery – My plan is to keep up with the rest of the clues, but I will lengthen the top.

Fairy Frost Sunset


This evening I finished the Fairy Frost Sunset top. I really think I need a better name for this quilt, but for now I know what I’m talking about.

Ok, enough playing, I need to work on my Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler blocks and my Double Wedding Ring. Of course in the process of making this quilt top, I’ve made significant progress on my Blue Ridge Beauty as leaders/enders…

Some Sunset Blocks

Design Wall Monday

Today it’s the ironing board.  I’m cutting the strips for my Fairy Frost Sunset.  Since I read all of the directions and made a sample block, I know that I can cut the pieces more efficiently resulting in bonus blocks.  Each strip set provides a 12 1/2 piece with a 45 degree cut, a 6 1/2″ piece with a 45 degree cut, a quarter square triangle and a 2 patch.  I  don’t think the 2-patches will play nicely with quarter square triangles, but I’ll cross that design challenge when I get there.

Today is the Guild mini-retreat and as I do for any retreat, I’ve over packed.  This is a handwork retreat, so I’ve got my DWR. Also in my bag so I don’t get bored, is the red work I’ve been working on for 3 years – I think this block just needs a couple of snowflakes, my dragonflies and crayons and fabric to make yo-yos.

Check out what others are working on by following the links at Patchwork Times.

For Best Results…

read instructions first.  So begins the instructions on the Sunset by Sunflower Hill Designs.  It’s good advice for lots of things, not just new quilting patterns.

Somewhere in the back of my mind is another piece of advice “make a sample block before cutting ALL of your fabric” — or something like that.

Of course, I’m not one to follow instructions if there are good illustrations.  And then even if I do read the instructions, I tend to go off on my own anyway.

The first place I varied from the instructions was in my fabric selection.   The pattern said 2 3/4 yards of assorted prints in various colors for the strips in the blocks.  My first question was can I use fat quarters?   To know that I had to read the cutting instructions.

At first glance, it doesn’t look like it:

Cut 48 strips 2″ x 40″.

So I kept reading.  After the strips are sewn together the directions say cut 2 – 12 1/2″ segments and 2 – 6 1/2″ segments.  Knowing this, I could use FQs since I could get a 12 1/2″ and a 6 1/2″ strip out of the width of the FQ.  So, I purchased 11 fat quarters (2 3/4 divided by 1/4 = 11).

Over the last couple of days, I cut into my Fairy Frost and sewed strips together.  Now it’s time to cut those 6 1/2″ and 12 1/2″ segments.  But wait – the next instruction is to cut the end of the rectangles off at a 45 degree angle.  Resulting in triangle “waste”.

These triangles will not end up in the trash — they’ll end up either in my  “crumbs” can or the “orphan block” box.  But then I got to thinking.  Could I cut the fabric with my Companion Angle ruler?  To know that, I’d have to make a sample block.

I’ve figured out that yes, I can cut the strip with the Companion Angle ruler and the block will go together correctly.  After I get all of my blocks made, I’ll sew 4 of the triangles together and use them in another quilt with the left over dragonfly fabric I am anticipating having.

Wasn’t I supposed to be making another SBS block and the guild BOM, not to mention quilting the DWR?  Then there’s the monthly goal to “make progress” on the Cream &  Green quilt and Star Struck.  Good thing this is only the 18th.