Sew We Quilt and Jane’s Fabrics and Quilts have joined forces to create a Red, White and Blue Blog Hop.  Each day 5 or 6 blogs will have a red, white & blue block to share.  There may be giveaways.  My day is July 11th.  The complete schedule can be found at Jane’s Fabrics and Quilts.

I started working on my block almost immediately when I signed up for the hop.  I use EQ7 to design blocks and quilts.  If you don’t have EQ, check out their website: http://www.electricquilt.com/.

EQ let me play with lots of different blocks and I ultimately came up with two blocks and this quilt:

It uses these two 10″ blocks set on point:

I would love to make this quilt.  But look at all those seams in the middle of the first block.  I couldn’t get them to match when I made my sample block.  So, I went back to the drawing board.

You’ll have to come back on July 11th to see what I came up with.  I think it’s as good, if not better than this quilt — and there’s no paper piecing involved!

While you are waiting, check out today’s blogs:

July 3rd

Tonight I worked on my blog post for the hop.  That’s when I discovered I’ve listed the wrong day everywhere.  My day is Wednesday, July 11th, not the 13th.  So, be sure to stop by on the 11th to see what I’ve come up with and a chance to win a give-away.

Sew We Quilt and Jane’s Fabrics and Quilts have joined forces to create a Red, White and Blue Blog Hop.  Each day 5 or 6 blogs will have a red, white & blue block to share.  There may be giveaways.  My day is July 11th.  The complete schedule can be found at Jane’s Fabrics and Quilts.

It’s more like tossed on the ironing board.  Saturday I quilted slightly wonky Free-Hand Baptist Fans on my Log Cabin quilt.  It’s been so hot and this quilt is so big, I haven’t wanted to even take the zippers off and trim it, let alone bind it.

Well, that and I’ve been playing in EQ trying decided on my Red, White & Blue block for the blog hop.

This was going to be my block:

I went as far as designing a secondary block and a quilt in EQ.  But when it came to execution, this block wasn’t very friendly.

First, I’m not fond of paper piecing (it’s #2 on my list of least favorite quilting techniques behind #1 – applique).  Second, my tester and I both had issues getting the seams to line up with all the bulk.  Finally, I decided that this block might be tough for some quilters and I want my block to be easy enough for everyone.

The good news, is I’ve come up with a new block, a more challenging setting block and a cool looking quilt.  But, you’ll have to wait until the 13th 11th to see it.

In the meantime, check out the design walls linked up to Patchwork Times.

Sew We Quilt and Jane’s Fabrics and Quilts have joined forces to create a Red, White and Blue Blog Hop.  Each day 5 or 6 blogs will have a red, white & blue block to share.  There may be giveaways.  My day is July 13th 11th.  The complete schedule can be found at Jane’s Fabrics and Quilts.

Most of this past week was spent prepping the Log Cabin quilt for quilting it yesterday.  Maybe today I’ll get the binding on it.

After quilting, I went in search of Lite Steam-a-Seam 2 on a roll.  Three stops later I  found the 24″ wide Steam-a-Seam, which will work better for me than the 12″ wide that I set out to buy.  While I was there I also picked up a few FQs.

Fabric Added Last Week: 2.5 yards
Fabric Added to Date:  71.685 yards

Fabric Used Last Week: 7.152 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 45.926 yards

Net Used for the year -25.759 yards

Check out how others are doing with their stashes over at Patchwork Times.

If I only look at my “official list” not only did I finish my blocks for June, I got caught up.  Here are all three blocks.

May’s block:

June’s blocks:

I don’t know if I’ll get caught up on my unofficial list this afternoon and evening or not (4 – Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler blocks).   I spent the morning quilting the log cabin quilt and then I went to the quilt shop to pick up some Lite Steam-A-Seam 2 for the Eeyore quilt and a few goodies for the Red, White and Blue Blog Hop.

My day is July 13th and I still need to finalize my block.  But as soon as that and Eeyore is done it will be on to UFO # 3 – Evergreens and Christmas Star.

Hop over to Patchwork Times and check out how others are doing on their UFOs.  With the help of this challenge I might just finish these blocks by the end of the year.

The zippers are on the backing and top.  I have my thread (King Tut #920 Sands of Time on top.  Bottom Line Pre-wound bobbins probably #603 Red) and batting (Warm & Natural) ready to go.  And I have decided on how I’m going to quilt the top — free-hand Baptist Fans.  I suspect this is going to take me longer than the 2 hours I have reserved on Saturday morning.  Perhaps I’ll get lucky and no one will have reserved the 2nd slot and I can keep going.

The backing is a Cranston Print Works 60″ wide fabric.  My guess is it’s from the early 90’s.

This morning I finished the mistletoe block from May which brings me up-to-date on my ‘official’ UFOs.  I said unofficially I wanted to make 2 Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler blocks and quilt one ring on my quilt.

The DWR is way behind, but I’m not going to attempt to “catch up”, but rather just work on it when I can.   I have made some progress this month, so there is hope.

I didn’t get the May SBS blocks done, so I may try to knock 4 blocks out in the next day or two.  If I do, I’ll be sure to post them.

Sunday afternoon I realized I had absolutely nothing on my design wall.  I had taken the blue string blocks down in anticipation of working on Eeyore, but got distracted looking for the backing for the log cabin quilt.  Then there’s the heat.

So, I pulled out the Church block from the Christmas BOM which is due by the end of the month.  Did I follow the instructions? No – but I had good reason.  I wasn’t certain I had enough of the ‘stone’ fabric for the church.  That and the thought of trying to piece a tiny 1/2″ HST to a “window” did not sound like fun.

I modified the pattern to set the windows in via reverse applique.  The first one was beautiful.  The second one I trimmed the building instead of the window!

Between my paper piecing challenges last week and this, I think it is probably time to get back to straight piecing.  But before I can do that I have to make a second window.

Since I was redoing the window, I fussy cut the window so it matched the first window.  Then it was on to the door — when I discovered I cut the walls 1/4″ too short.  Never fear, I solved that problem too.  The roof line is higher!

All in all, I’m really happy with the block and this month’s UFO is DONE!

Now on to Eeyore and thinking about how I’m going to quilt my log cabin quilt.

I’m linking up to Judy’s Design Wall post over at Patchwork Times.