Dog Days: Flimsy Finish

dog days |ˈdɔɡ ˈˌdeɪz|: a period of inactivity or sluggishness

Earlier this week Cloud 9 sponsored the latest New Block Hop. Dog Days made is block debut that Monday. The whole theme capitalized on how I was felt whilst in design mode. August was all about dog days! 

Click here for the block tutorial. 

To test the pattern, I started with making 4 blocks. After that, I was addicted and made up another 16! The quilt top has 20 blocks total in a 4 x 5 block arrangement. Each block finishes at 12 inches square and the quilt measures approximately 48 inches by 60 inches. 

After making a string of large quilts, I am feeling this is the PERFECT size quilt, not too big but not too small.

For the test blocks I used scraps to see how they would look all together. I loved how they turned out and kept going, digging into my scrap bin yet again. Boy do I not regret, this top has so many patterns and so much personality. Scrappy is the theme of year, but this might be my last for a while. My scrap bin is officially "under control." 

For now anyways ...

Linking to Needle n' Thread Thursday and Finish It Up Friday 

Dog Days: Cloud 9 New Block Blog Hop

Hello and Welcome!! 

Hopefully you're stopping over from the 2016 New Block Blog Hop sponsored by Cloud 9 fabrics. If you already hang out around here stop by some other sites! Links are at the bottom of the page.  The hop will be happening over the next three days so keep an eye out for some new block creativity here in blogland. 

Summer in New England is officially over. The days are getting cooler and the nights are crisp. Fall clothing and warm coffee are now the trend. Although we are officially ready for Fall this block was thought up during those dog days of summer. In late August it was just to HOT to quilt. Instead I sat down with some graph paper and eventually this block was created. Rosa dog was lying next to me sweltering in the heat, hence the name.

2016 Color Palette 

Directions: 

CUTTING: 

Background - Sky: (2) 5 inch squares, (2) 5 inch by 3 inch, (4) 2.5 inch x 4.5 inch
Color 1 - Iris: (2) 5 inch by 3 inch, (2) 3 inch squares
Color 2 - Lilac: (8) 2.5 inch squares, (2) 3 inch squares
Color 3 - Amazon: (2) 5 inch squares



BLOCK PIECES: Each piece will be 4.5 inches square, unfinished.

Corner Blocks: 

To create the four corner pieces. 

Take the (2) background and (2) color 3 - 5 inch squares. Draw a line diagonally down the back of the background fabric with a pencil. With fabrics right sides together, sew a scant quarter inch from either side of the line. Cut down the center and press open. Trim to 4.5 inch square. 

Take (4) of the color 2 - 2.5 inch squares and draw a line diagonally down the back of the fabric with a pencil. Sew on the line to create a triangle in the corner of color 3, as shown below. 

Pinwheel: 

To create the pinwheel center. 

Take the (2) color 1 and (2) color 2 - 3 inch squares. Draw a line diagonally down the back of the color 1 fabric with a pencil. With fabrics right sides together, sew a scant quarter inch from either side of the line. Cut down the center and press open. Trim to 2.5 inch square. 

Lay out the 4 half square triangles, as shown below, and sew together.

Points: 

Left Side: 

To create the 4 large points - half square rectangles. 

Take the (2) background and (2) color 1 - 3 inch x 5 inch pieces and mark the background pieces with a diagonal line that is 1/8 of an inch from either corner, as shown below. Align the fabric diagonally with right sides together leaving an 1/8 inch gap, sew a scant quarter inch from either side of the line. Trim to 2.5 inch by 4.5 inch.

Right Side: 

To create the 4 small points.

Take (4) of the color 2 - 2.5 inch squares and draw a line diagonally down the back of the fabric with a pencil. Sew on the line to create a triangle in the corner of the background rectangle, as shown below. **Be sure to sew in the opposite direction of the left side point.

To create the 4 point pieces.

Take one left side and one right side and sew together along the center, as shown below, four times.

ASSEMBLY: 

Lay the pieces out as shown to create a 9 patch. Sew blocks together to make rows, then sew the rows together. The block will be 12.5 inches square unfinished, and 12 inches square finished.

Check out all the new blocks being created throughout the week!

Monday, September 12th

Host: Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl

Abigail @Cut & Alter, Janice @Color, Creating, and Quilting!, Lorinda @Laurel, Poppy, and Pine, Melva @Melva Loves Scraps, Renee @Quilts of a Feather, Kathryn @Upitis Quilts, Kim @Leland Ave Studios, Amanda @this mom quilts, Holly @Lighthouse Lane Designs, Irene @Patchwork and Pastry. Jennifer @Dizzy Quilte, Karen @Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats, Anne @Said With Love, Suzy @Adventurous Applique and Quilting, Sharla @Thistle Thicket Studio, Kathleen @Smiles From Kate, Amanda @Gypsy Moon Quilt Co., Sarah @Sarah Goer Quilts, Chelsea @Patch the Giraffe, Jinger @Trials of a Newbie Quilter, Anja @Anja Quilts, Daisy @Ants to Sugar

Tuesday, September 13th

Host: Cheryl @Meadow Mist Designs

Miranda @I Have Purple Hair, Jennifer @The Inquiring Quilter, Sarah @123 Quilt, Leanne @Devoted Quilter, Jen @Patterns By Jen, Jennifer @RV Quilting, Amanda @Quiltologie, Sharon @Yellow Cat Quilt Designs, Jen @A Dream and A Stitch, Jen @Faith and Fabric, Carole @Carole Lyles Shaw, Stephanie @Quilt’n Party, Susan @Sevenoaks Street Quilts, Katrin @Now What Puppilalla, Amista @Hilltop Custom Designs, Nicole @Handwrought Quilts, Marla @Penny Lane Quilts, Silvia @A Stranger View, Sarah @Smiles Too Loudly, Carrie @the zen quilter, Mary @Quilting is in My Blood, Velda @GRANNYcanQUILT

Wednesday, September 14th

Host: Stephanie @Late Night Quilter

Kathy @Kathys Kwilts and More, Paige @Quilted Blooms, Mary @Strip Quilts Pass it On, Allison @Woodberry Way, Seven @The Concerned Craft, Olusola @Alice Samuel’s Quilt Co, Ann @Brown Paws Quilting, Jodie @Persimmon + Pear, Vicki @Orchid Owl Quilts, Kitty @Night Quilter, Francine @Mochawildchild, Shelley @The Carpenter’s Daughter who Quilts, Jayne @Twiggy and Opal, Geraldine @Living Water Quilter, Shannon @Shannon Fraser Designs, Lisa @Sunlight In Winter Quilts, Jessica @Quilty Habit, Cassandra @The (not so) Dramatic Life, Deanna @Stitches Quilting, Denise @Craft Traditions

Sunrise Stars: Pattern

FINALLY!

Look it's my new pattern, Sunrise Stars! It's finally done and ready to download. Head over to my Craftsy site and maybe even drop it in your cart. 

The design for this pattern started as part of the 2016 Paintbrush Studios New Block Blog Hop inspired by their Ocean Sunrise palette of colors. Then it got scaled up to an 18 inch block. Bigger is better for this block. It packs more punch at the bigger size. 

Originally, this pattern started with a strong desire to avoid HST's. In the end I succumbed. There was too much waste otherwise. 

Good news for me, I got another whole quilt out of the "waste" from this one.

Bad news for me, I had to trim 200+ to get this other quilt. Joke's on me for trying to avoid them at all cost! More on that quilt later (promise!).

Good news for you, the new design has minimal waste! 

The test quilt started with a bundle of Kona Solids by Emily Cier, and got edited down to form a perfect rainbow color palette.

Lately I have been wanting to try a gradient/rainbow quilt.

The stars then got paired with some Essex Linen in Denim as an accent color. Then finished off with some straight line quilting to echo the X drawn from corner to corner.

The backing and binding is a large cut of fabric I picked up during our fall Shop Hop with the NHMQG. I believe the fabric is by Amy Butler. 

Either way, the floral colors matched perfectly with the solids on the front. Win for stash usage.

Net: - 16.5 yards YTD