D is for Disappearing Blocks

There are lots of different Disappearing Block. Basically these blocks are traditional blocks which once made are sliced up and the pieces put back together to make another block. Jenny Doan, from Missouri Star Quilt Company is famous for the many different Disappearing blocks she has demonstrated on her YouTube channel.

I have made 3 different "Disappearing" blocks using her tutorials. 

Disappearing Pinwheel

Disappearing Hour Glass

Disappearing Nine Patch

Wrapping up my September Monthly Goals

Only one more day of September to go so time to review how I went with my September Goals

1) Jeans quilt. The circles are all cut and 190 of them have the 5" square traced onto them. I want to get the other 65 circles marked and the 255 5" squares selected. Completed

 


2) Finish tracing off the applique pieces for the tea shop quilt. Select fabric and get the applique ironed onto background fabric ready for our trip. Sort out embroidery threads to take with us. Completed apart from sorting out the threads. I have worked out a design for the quilt and will be able to work out what extra blocks I need to make, hopefully tomorrow and get them packed for our trip

3) continue working on Disappearing Hourglass Vanishing Hours quilt. I completed 30 blocks which I thought would be enough with sashing but have since decided to do a different arrangement without sashing so needed to make another 10 blocks. I have completed two and have the other hour glass blocks made. Still have to cut them up and remake them into the disappearing aspect

4) put together the quilt that is currently on my design wall. The Orphan Block Quilt - Orphan Annie is completed

5) Do that Photography class on Craftsy. I have rewatched parts of this class. I have found my disk for my camera and starting to make work of understanding it. Not got far but have started.

6)  So Make curtains as required for Fangirl's townhouse. Completed! She moved in Friday (well that was the first night she slept there. She had the keys from Wednesday) The curtains were all hanging by then although she then decided she needed another sheer curtain for a window that she had previously thought that she would just have a block out curtain on so we got that done Saturday. They really are very basic curtains but she is happy with them.

So with just one day left in the month I can say I have covered all my goals for September. Well the Craftsy class isn't complete but have worked on it a bit

Now to work out what I want to accomplish for October. How are your goals for the year coming along?

Updating September Quilty Goals

Since we are over half way through the month I thought that it would be good to check in on my goals for September

1) Jeans quilt. The circles are all cut and 190 of them have the 5" square traced onto them. I want to get the other 65 circles marked and the 255 5" squares selected. The circles are all cut and marked. the 5" squares selected. Now call this quilt Jean's Jeans Quilt.

 


2) Finish tracing off the applique pieces for the tea shop quilt. Select fabric and get the applique ironed onto background fabric ready for our trip. Sort out embroidery threads to take with us. All the applique squares are prepped. I am still hoping to get more of the backing fabric cut up for the finished quilt so I can make more blocks if I finish off what I have already made. I will take patterns, backing fabric and fabric with me.

3) continue working on Disappearing Hourglass Vanishing Hours quilt. All the blocks for the quilt are made (unless I decide to make another 10) I have only 2 more quilting days left before we leave and not sure I will get to spend much time there on these days. Working out if I am going to sash the blocks or not

4) put together the quilt that is currently on my design wall. This was my orphan block quilt. The top is finished. I am not going to give it away as a donation quilt as making it made it rather special and so want to give it to someone special. Would have loved to have gotten it quilted before I go on holidays but that is not to be. (this is photo of it unfinished)

5) Do that Photography class on Craftsy. No progress made on this. Sigh

6)  So Make curtains as required for Fangirl's townhouse. Have started to make these. Fortunately she has chosen blinds for several windows so it is only two sets of window that need curtains. I have one set made apart from the hems which I won't do till I can check them off on the actual windows. The other set are started. I have the gathering tape pinned along the tops of the curtains but have to sew them on.

So two thirds of the way through the month I have made good progress. I have completed 4 of the 6 goals - ie 1,2,3 and 4. One has been started - 6. Only one not done at all. I am wondering if I should just give up on that Craftsy class and move on.

What progress have you made this month?

Sunday Stash Report - Zippo

Another week with no finishes and no purchases so its all things staying the same.

Used this week:                                0m

Added this week                               0m

Year to Date Used                      122.28m
Year to Date added                      76.39m
Net Used                                        45.89m

I have been working on 3 projects this week. The denim jeans quilt which I have almost definitely decided to call Jean's Jeans Quilt is ready to take away with me. All the circles are cut out with the square drawn in them. The 5" squares to go in them are selected and sitting with the circles. I need to buy thread and machine needles to take with me to work on them. I think I will buy a slightly larger box to carry them with me as they don't fit in the one work box. Or I can put them in two boxes I guess.

Vanishing Hours - Disappearing Hour Glass Quilt. 8 blocks made. 22 cut up and ready to sew together.

Orphan Block Quilt. This is the one with the most progress made since my WIP Wednesday report. I am working away on the border for this. I have made one border from 4 patches - a checker board border I call it. All 1.5" finished squares. I am now working on a flying geese border which is 2"x4" finished. Some of the units I will leave as flying geese and others I will pair up to make squares on point. The border will have 26 units per side and I am putting 5 of the square units on each side. At the moment though I am still making flying geese. I've made about 40 of the 108 I need to make. I would love to sit up late tonight and sew a heap more but need to get a few more jobs done before I go to bed. Have a walking appointment at 6AM tomorrow.

Tomorrow Fixit Guy and I are going camping for a few days. That is the plan. Its started raining today although really its just a bit of drizzle. We will see how the weather looks tomorrow. No great rush to get away and we can play it by ear. The place we are going doesn't have powered sites so there will be no machine sewing. I haven't got my applique project set up so can't start on it which is frustrating. I will have to hunt about and see if I can find some hand stitching to take with me or I just might go stir crazy

Today was Fathers' Day here in Australia. As it turned out none of our kids were home. The 3 boys all live away from home in Melbourne and Brisbane. And Fangirl was in Brisbane for a Comi Con Convention getting her geek on. She took Boyo with her as his birthday present and by the photos and FB status up dates they had a ball together. She flew in this afternoon and so we spent some time this evening together. We had a church meeting on at 5 and it was followed by soup to share. She came home afterwards and we watched Dr Who together on her iPad since we were too late to watch it on tv and the website was playing up and we couldn't watch it via the website but could watch it on the Ap. 3 of us watching it on her iPad. It was cosy!!

I changed my profile picture on Facebook to one of my dad with my daughter. Over the course of the day Fangirl, Massage Man, and Boyo all changed their profile pictures to one of them with their dad. 

Fangirl with her Grandpa

Fixit Guy with his 3 sons 2012

Fangirl with her biggest fan 2012

Boyo and Fixit Guy ready for his school formal

I gave Fixit Guy a fitbit for father's day. So now we both have one. Mine is playing up though... I've lost the step counter off my iphone. I have re synced it. I have uninstalled it and then reinstalled it but the steps still aren't coming up. Not sure what the problem is. I have gone to the edit function on the ap and tried to do it there but the step counter is not showing up at all. Tonight... technology is not my friend.

Linking up with Stash Report@ Patchwork Times

WIP Wednesday - progress on many fronts

I have been working on a few projects this week.

Vanishing Hours - Disappearing Hourglass quilt
Worked on this today at Patchwork. I got all the hour glass blocks sliced up and have 8 sewn together. It excited quite a bit of interest as I was working on it today and now the group are thinking of doing it as one of the blocks for our block of the month (If Lindy can work out how she wants it)

Blocks cut up and stacked carefully ready to be sewn

The pile of 8 finished blocks

For some reason this has come out upside down but it shows the 8 finished blocks laid out. I am thinking I will sash between them but still working on that idea

Jeans Quilt. (Thinking of calling this one Jean's Jeans cause Jean from patchwork gave me a bag of jeans that went into it)
All 255 circles are cut out and have the 5" square drawn inside them. I have selected 255 5" squares to go into the centre of the circles. I have another pile of jeans that are cut up ready for me to do another quilt with but haven't drawn the circles on them yet. Have a pile of pockets from the jeans. Deciding what I will do with them as well.

A box of circles!

255 plus 5" squares all taken from my stash of cut up scraps. It was so easy to go to this draw and sort out the squares I wanted. And yes... there are still heaps left. 

Orphan Blocks Quilt
I got all the orphan blocks I own out. Put them up on the design wall and have been working on a design. 

 Because they were different sizes I have been working on making the smaller blocks up to a uniform size. I have been working with some left over half square triangle units to make pinwheels, flying geese etc as fillers for the blocks. Also some checker board units, 4 patches etc. These have all been with quite small pieces so its been rather fiddly for me.

I already had the scrapy strip block and the square in a square block and one of the flying geese. I made the pin wheel and one of the flying geese a from some hst I made the 

Despite working all day yesterday I didn't get the 4 non uniform blocks up to size. It was fun but I have been falling in love with the blocks that I have made and not sure any more that this quilt will be a charity quilt. I might have to keep it to give to someone special.



I had so much fun making the multicoloured little pinwheels. Going to add some plain colours between them to they stand out more. Still working on the overall design for the quilt. The blocks are 12"



Decluttering Challenge


This is now over. It was an August challenge. I still have quite a few to go back and do but on the whole it worked to get me thinking about getting rid of stuff and reducing the clutter in my home. Now we are up to the Spring Organising Challenge which is 10 weeks of challenges for various rooms in the house. There are 3 weeks of getting organised and then the 10 areas.


 I haven't committed to this as we will be away from the beginning of October but I am thinking of printing out her lists and seeing what I can get done before we go.If you are interested in the challenge look here  on Jess's blog for more information and links to her other lists.

How are your WIPs going this week? Making progress?

Linking up with 

     

Checking in on my August Quilty Goals and setting my September Goals

August Goals

1. Work on Trip around the world (work out a name for it to make it easier to refer to)

Sunburnt Zebras done and dusted AND labelled!.

2 Start work on Teashop quilt - choose background fabric for blocks, trace off applique pieces. Get things prepped for taking it away to work on whilst travelling

I bought the vlisofix  in Brisbane last weekend and have traced off the designs onto it

  

3 Blue Jeans Quilt - get it prepped to take away on holidays with us. This will be my machine project whilst we are travelling. 

I have all the circles cut out for the quilt. I have decided to make it 15 rows by 17 which means 255 circles for the blocks. Still have to draw the 5" squares on the last 65

4 Disappearing Hour Glass quilt - collect together green and cream fabric for this quilt. This will be my project for Patchwork Group.

The hour glass blocks are all made. Yay

5 Cut scrap pieces. The basket is overflowing

I emptied the basket. Its full again. 

6 Make a seasonal wall hanging from Mum's embroideries

I have made the 4 seasonal min quilts as well as making a mini quilt from one of my embroideries. Its of an outhouse and I am going to hang it on the outside of the toilet door. 

 

7 Do projects from Caro Sheridan's photography class on Craftsy. Watch one other craftsy class. 

Given I now have just one day left in the month as I type this I have to concede that this is one that isn't going to be done this month.

8. Label Disappearing into the Blue

Labelled. Yay.

With one day left in this month I can say I have done pretty well with my August goals. I basically accomplished 7 of the 8. Just the Craftsy class that I haven't completed.

Fixit Guy and I are off on a couple of months holiday at the beginning of October. We will be gone for all of October and November and will return home at a date to be determined in December. So September is my last month of sewing at home for this year. So my goals are going to include getting some things finished before I go and getting projects ready to take with me. I am taking my little Janome Gem Platinum with me and when we are hooked up to powered sites I will be able to sew. Lots of the time we will be travelling so I am keen to have some hand projects to do in the car and also whilst we are stopped in camping areas without power.

1) Jeans quilt. The circles are all cut and 190 of them have the 5" square traced onto them. I want to get the other 65 circles marked and the 255 5" squares selected. Actually I have cut more of the circles than I need for just one quilt and have been given more jeans to cut up so think I will probably make a couple of quilt. One for us and one to give away. This will be my machine project for while we are away.

2) Finish tracing off the applique pieces for the tea shop quilt. Select fabric and get the applique ironed onto background fabric ready for our trip. Sort out embroidery threads to take with us. This will be my hand project

3) continue working on Disappearing Hourglass (Think of calling it Time Vanishes) The hourglass blocks are all completed. I have to cut them up, rearrange the pieces and sew them back together again. I have 6 more sewing days - 7 if I go to the Gemmies again for the day (which I will do if anyone else from our group is going out there) before we go. I would love to have the top completed and sent off to the long armer before we head out. (Edit. I ended up calling it Vanishing Hours. Will use Time Vanishes for another Disappearing Hourglass should I make it)

4) put together the quilt that is currently on my design wall. Its various orphan blocks I have dug out. I am trying to put it together in a pleasing way. It will probably become a donation quilt.

5) Do that Photography class on Craftsy. I have watched it right through. Just need to make myself go back and do the practical bits of it. Sigh. This is the third month its been on my to do list. It will be good to be able to take better photos on our trip. I have found my two digital cameras and the instruction books for one of them so its a start. Sigh.

6) Fangirl has bought her own townhouse. She moves in about a month. Its brand new and needs curtains and blinds. I have offered to help get them made so that is really going to be my priority. These other projects are going to fit in around that. So Make curtains as required for the townhouse.

That had been do me then!!
What are your goals for September?

WIP Wednesday Progress!

Been working on a few different things this week.

Blue Jeans Quilt
All 190 of the circles I have cut have the 5" square drawn inside them. I have been chasing some more jeans. I had several lots promised to me but they haven't arrived. Today I was able to visit a Salvo's store that had a $5 a bag special on so I was able to get 5 pair of jeans. A friend gave me 2 pair as well. Then I got a phone call to say another quilting friend had secured a large bag of jeans for me from a clean out at the charity shop she volunteers at. Safe to say I will now have PLENTY of jeans to complete the project. Just have to get moving on it

Disappearing Hour Glass Quilt
I made great progress on this today as I was at an all day quilting get together with a neighbouring quilt group. I got all my hst trimmed up (using my quilt in a day ruler designed for this) and the hour glass blocks made. Tomorrow I will get to iron the blocks and then cut them up to make them disappear. I am going to have to watch the youtube clip a few times tonight to get the process clear in my head.... or take my computer with me to patchwork tomorrow and work on them there.

Disappearing into the Blue and Sunburnt Zebras are both now labelled so I can class them as truly finished.

I have also dug out some of the embroidery blocks my mum made me. I am planning on making 4 of them into seasonal quilt hangings. They were designed to go together in one quilt depicting all 4 seasons but I am going to make them into separate ones. I am trying to use up some of the scrap hst that I have left over from making flying geese in my SOMB quilts in the borders for these mini quilts. We will see how it goes. I took a pile of bits and pieces with me today to work on as well but didn't get to them. Thought I might get sick of the hour glass blocks and I did at the end but was so close to finishing I just pressed on. So pleased to have it done.

I have an red work embroidery of an outside dunny (toilet/loo/bathroom) that I am going to make into a smalling hanging to go on the outside of the toilet door. I have a cross stitched picture of a cat in a bath that Fangirl made many years ago that hangs on the bathroom door. I got a border put on it and have it pinned ready for me to quilt it. I've see a tutorial of a self hanger you can stitch into the binding somehow that I am going to try to locate and do that for the hanger.

 

Decluttering Challenge



Still going slowly with this. 
Day 19. Cleaned out my handbag to take it away. I only have one so it didn't take long
Day 20 Email box - have been continuing to try to get rid of the rubbish. I am setting up lots of rules so emails get diverted to particularly relevant folders which helps me find stuff I need and delete stuff too
Day 21 Someday clutter - nope... haven't done anything with this. Will get to it... someday LOL
Day 22 Electronics and cords. Yes did this one. Got my husband to help me go through all the cords in various drawers and and boxes and we got rid of the ones that were surplus to requirement. I found a place I could send the old phone cords to which was great... post free. It was good to go through things and it came in handy when our club was chasing a cord to connect the computer to the printer. I knew we had a spare and where it was
Day 23 Cosmetics. Cleaned these out when we did the great bathroom renovations
Day 24 Kitchen Counters. Gave these a good clean down on Monday
Day 25 Craft supplies - nope not happened! I did go through the cupboard a six months or so ago but think it could do with a go through.
Day 26 Books and DVDs. DVDs -We've been through these a fair bit over the last few years. Books - have started to go through our bookshelves. Have found some that belong to our daughter and a few I can get rid of. Hope to do a lot more.


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