Block Two of Celtic Solstice

So, when I started this quilt I thought to myself, "there are 5 steps and a reveal (step 6) and they are released weekly so this is like a 6 week commitment. right???"  Boy was I misguided!  Don't get me wrong, I am loving making it and still anticipating how it will look when it is all put together, but I am close to 8 weeks now and I am just starting to put together the second set of blocks.  I finished the first 61 on Sunday and pressed the last 10 or so last night.

The only issue I had with these blocks is that the seams from the Chevrons and the Pinwheels were going the same direction on the majority of my blocks.  As they weren't on all the blocks and I know my pinwheels were all pressed the same direction, I guess I pressed the wrong way on most (but not all) the chevrons.  This lead to some bulky seams in the middle of these blocks.  I would guess that they would have been a bit less bulky if I had opted to turn the chevron to make stars instead but I really liked this composition for the block.  No worries though, the individual blocks still lay flat which is what is important to me.  

Now I have a whole new set of piles to sew together for the next block....

While this does not look as intimidating as the last set, there is only one less block to be made from these.  That means that due to less seams in these parts they lay flatter and look like less but really they are not.  I put a couple together last night to see how they would look. 

They are ending up the correct size and all.  I can already tell that my issue with this block is going to be keeping the colors on the 4-patches all going the correct direction.  I tend to get distracted, though it appears if the block is turned then they go the opposite... so maybe I only have to make sure they are all going the same direction in each block!  That would certainly be easier!

Final Piece to the Quilt!!

I have finished putting together all of the pieces and I am ready to start making the blocks!  Step 5 was these fun little Split Triangle units:

I am not the biggest fan of triangles, I always seem to mess them up and they never go together how they are supposed to.  Not so with these!  The strip cutting with the easy angle ruler has changed how I look at cutting and sewing triangles.  These were easy to cut, sew and for the most part they even came out the correct size!  Success!!

Now I have all the pieces I need to start making the blocks.  There are 2 blocks to make so I decided to start with the Birthday Girl block.  Here are the piles of pieces I need to sew together to make the first 61 blocks: 

Oh my this is a bit intimidating!  And this is only for the first half of the blocks.  I have another shoe box full of the other half of pieces to make the other block.  I did manage to get about 5 done this morning and will work on them more tonight.  I am going to take the kids for a short hike and then run some errands this afternoon.  

Not perfect but I love how the colors turned out together.  Some people turned around the chevrons to make the block into more of a star but I decided I like it just like this and will make them all with the diamond in them.  Time to get back to it!  

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

I didn't really take a break from the quilt as I have been working on it as well, but look at this cute pillow cover I made!!!  Now I just need to get a pillow to put in it....

This one is not for me, I got enough material to make 2.  This one is for my friend who was so wonderful to take my daughter's Girl Scout cookie order form to her work and sell enough cookies to get her to her goal. She has been sick and it has been so cold out that she wasn't going to make it this year, but now she has sold enough to get the prize she wanted!  Here is the tutorial I used, it was super quick and easy to make!

All Caught Up!!

I was a bit worried last week that I was getting too far behind, but with the super easy step 4 I am all caught up again!  4 patches!!!  I think I am becoming an expert on these.  I did a seam check fairly often and they all seem to be the size they are supposed to be.  I made 300 of them over the last week.  I had to run to the quilt shop in the midst of doing this as I had nearly run out of purple!!  I did not want to use too much in the same pattern as it is supposed to be scrappy and I was also able to go through my fabrics again and find some lighter purples I had previously omitted.

Look at that wonderful matched up seam in the middle!!!

Now I will be moving on to the final step before assembling the blocks!  Who am I kidding???  I will make enough to make a few blocks and then make a few to see how this is all going to look.  I am not patient enough to wait until I have made another 244 units!

As I was already at the quilt shop and I just could not resist, I picked up the Downton Abbey fat quarter bundle.  I have not ever seen the TV show but I have had my eye on this fabric since it came out, I think it is a beautiful set.  

I'm not sure what I will make with it yet but I hope it will be great! Maybe I can figure a way to watch the show sometime... hint, hint Netflix, get it together and get this show for me!!