Sharing the Joy This Year

Joy, rather than happiness, is the goal of life, for joy is the emotion which accompanies our fulfilling our natures as human beings. It is based on the experience of one's identity as a being of worth and dignity. 

Rollo May

Yeah! I got a little done in the last few days! Progress is slow but welcomed. I got 10 Churn Dash Blocks pieced Thursday at the Charity Group Sew In.  Saturday I got them pressed. This block is also know as Monkey Wrench. 

They are not all different, there are several duplicates.  I have pieces for 2 more but they would be scrappy so I think that I will cut enough new pieces to make the parts match like the rest do.  I plan to add the fabrics below as sashing and borders. 

This project will get a few more of the old calicos out of my stash.  Most of these prints are from the 80s or early 90s.  I know many quilters who have given or thrown away all their fabric prints like these.  I think it's better to use them for charity quilts.  I did buy them and I still think they make up into pretty blocks.  As I was sewing at the group several people said how much they liked them.  Hopefully the quilt will bring comfort to someone undergoing chemo.

These blocks were cut with the Accuquilt Churn Dash Die at the Group.  If you would like to make some of them you can find my directions for cutting them with the Easy Angle HERE.

It is really cold, for Georgia, here today.  It may dip down into the single digits tonight.  I know it is much colder in many places to the north of us.  That's Global Warming for you! LOL The average temperature for this time of year here is 52 degrees.

My house plants think it is Spring apparently.  Here are a few pictures of what they are looking like today.

I have the four violets hanging the the dining area.  Two of them have been in bloom almost constantly since last May. They are all in 4 inch pots but as you can see 3 of them more than double the size of the pot with their leaves.  The smallest one hasn't bloomed in a long time.  I nearly killed it somehow and it was down to only about 8 leaves.  It's coming along nicely now.

The begonia was one of my Mother's.  She had such a green thumb.  It has been with me, along with 3 others, for about 5 years now and it has never been so big and healthy.  I'll share pictures of the others soon.  

Have you remembered to change the year on your copyright notices on your blog or pictures?  I did the blog on New Year's but I had forgotten to change the one on my pictures.

I also got a backing pieced and the corners on the blocks for the Grandson's quilt.  I'm hoping to get the top finished in the next few days.  I'm planning to share my review the book and template with you.  That will fall into the category for a New Monthly Linky Party that Vroomans Quilts is starting.  Maybe you want to join in actually making something from some of those quilting books you have collected.  It's called Let's Book It.

Linking with:   Patchwork Times and Stitch by Stitch and Free Motion by the River

 and Sew Can She

Cutting with the Easy Angle

Life ain't easy. Terrible things happen to everyone. You have to keep your sense of humor, give something of yourself to others, make friends who are younger than you, learn new things, and have fun. 

George Vaillant

Easy Angle Tutorial Part I

When I am asked about favorite quilting tools there are several that come to mind but the one that I would not want to be without is the Easy Angle.  On my Previous Post I showed the three sizes that are available.  Stores like JoAnn carry the 6 1/2" size.  The other two may be available at your local quilt shop if not you could ask them to order them.  Some on line shops carry them too.  In the block that I am going to show you ALL the cutting except for the initial strip cuts were done with the 6 1/2" Easy Angle.  I could have used the 4 1/2" one since my strips were only 3 1/2" wide.

First Cut Position

Since I'm using a 3 1/2" strip the tool is aligned with the 

3 1/2" mark at the upper left corner of the strip.

Second Cut Position

In the second cut position it is important that the black triangle tip hangs off over the edge of the strip.  The top edge of the strip is straight with the 3 1/2" line on the tool.

To cut another triangle pair, flip tool back over to the first position align carefully then cut.  Flip tool again to the second position align carefully then cut again, repeat cut and flip until the number of triangle pairs needed are cut 
or the end of the strip is reached.

Squares and rectangles are cut using the reverse side of the tool.  Sizes up to 6 1/2" can be cut by aligning the top edge of the tool with the top edge of the strip.  Cut along the right edge of the tool.  Adding sandpaper or non-skid dots to both sides of the tool is a good idea.  Try to place them away from the lines and on top of each other front and back to prevent the tool from slipping.  You can see how I did this on one of the tools in my previous post.

Here is a completed Monkey Wrench block made using pieces cut with the Easy Angle.  Below are a few more nine patch blocks made with the same shapes.

Pressing tip for working with symmetrical nine patch blocks.

Now you didn't think I could just make one did you?

Looks like I have a bit more pressing to do.  I know the fabrics aren't exciting but I have dozens and dozens of yards of old calicoes to use up.  This block goes together quickly and I will have a nice charity quilt top made in just a few hours.  This tutorial produced just what I didn't need - another project.  LOL I hope you got something from it too.  In case you need it written out here is the cutting needed for the block.

Nine Inch Monkey Wrench Block

Background - 1  - 3 1/2" square

Pair a background and print strip and cut 4  - 3 1/2" triangle pairs with the Easy Angle

then cut 4  - 2" x 3 1/2" rectangle pairs.

Chain piece the triangle pairs and rectangle pairs together.  Press seams to the darker fabric.

Construct rows and block and pressing as pictured.

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial.  If you did please let me know in the comments below.  If you have any questions or anything isn't clear please let me know that to and I will try to help.  Don't think that this is all you can do with the Easy Angle because I will be working on a Part 2 and Part 3 for the tutorial.  

I'm linking to Cat Patches NewFO and Sew Many Ways and Patchwork Times and 
Sew Happy Geek and Lily's Quilts and Freemotion by the River and From Blank Pages