Block Six of Round the Year BOM - Lollipop Candy!

The pattern for the sixth block is posted on my blog; that, above, is the rainbow version. And this here, is the Dusk version

Before you head there, see the versions of this candylicious block that DQ Sobana Sundar and DQ Jaya Parker  tested for me!

Round the Year Quilt Block - Venus

This post is long delayed; I am sorry! This block was tested for me by DQ Anuradha Bahuguna. I love the fabric she used for the background - stars twinking against the darkening evening sky. The pattern and step by step instructions for foundation paper piecing and assembling this block can be found here. Like all the other blocks of the #MMDQ Block of the Month quilt, this also finishes at 18" square, with a 15" inset circle.
I have given you an optional colourway for the block.

This is inspired by a folded star I saw on pinterest and uses a black and white print to set off fluoroscent solids. The fabric requirements for this can be found on my blogpost here.

I am sure you are interested in seeing the blocks that the DQs have been making...

Jaya Parker...

Cindy Ellerbe

Anuradha Ramesh

Diptee Raut

Devi Nair

Revathi Sampat

Uma Srinivasan

Lots of inspiration there, right? Don't forget to check in for the sixth block to be posted on the fisrst of November, 2014.

Sunny Bee Caroline's DQ Web

Hi Sunny bees  :) 

Where do I begin? There’s so much on my mind……………Guess I was just simply fortunate  that I got the chance to be a part of the Sunny Bee in late July. Was very eager to be part of a bee and was told by the master administrator (big hug to her!)  that I would be considered for the next bee whenever there were a certain number of members interested to join a bee. And then…………..to my good luck couple of slots fell vacant :) :)  So here I am as the Sunny bee for October.

Am calling my block the DQ web.  A web to me represents everything about us DQs both as a group and also individually.

A web to a spider is a safe haven, and that’s exactly what DQ has been to me and am sure to many of you also. It’s my quilting home. A place where I’m growing and in many ways being nurtured into being a good quilter. It’s been a place where I have been able to share my silliest of doubts and fears without any hesitation whatsoever because I know I am not going to be judged, because I know that I will be guided and taught patiently. It’s a place where I’ve proudly shown off what I’ve made, because I know it will be appreciated and not considered bragging!

The spider patiently and diligently weaves its web and it does so even in the tiniest and the most obscure spaces. That’s how I see each one of us DQs. We are scattered all over the place – cities, towns, countries; weaving around us our quilts, making our individual webs larger and larger as we learn and grow. In terms of what I’ve called ‘obscure’ spaces, we DQs will quilt, will piece, will sew no matter how big or small, how  temporary or permanent our sewing spaces might be.

Lastly, we are all part of the DQ web. All of us connected, in sync and happy. And; the web is growing!! We’ve touched our 500 mark! My wish for DQ  is that the web be so big that it’s impossible to not notice it in the quilting world!

Now, coming to my block. Fell in love with the spider web block when I saw it! It is a fairly simple block and the results stunning!!

Dear Sunny Bees, for some reason i'm just not able to load the pictorial guide to making this block. However you will be able to access it by downloading it from this link here. Apologies for the inconvenience caused. 

A few links to the block in case you are struggling to figure my thesis in the link above. The size I have chosen is different from those in these tutorials. Also, would request you to follow the instructions I have given for the kite template. 

http://quiltville.blogspot.in/2005/06/string-spider-web.html

http://quilt-it.blogspot.in/2009/01/tutorial-spiderweb.html

http://alamodefabric.blogspot.in/2010/06/spider-web-quilt-block-tutorial.html

http://www.sewmamasew.com/2010/04/spiderweb-block-sew-along/


God Bless and happy webbing ;)...........
Love
Caroline

Sunny Bee Ashley's Gift Wrapped Sun

(Trying to catch up with posting the Bee Block instructions on the blog for the rest of the world. Here's Ashley's. )


I love this idea of these stars as my "sun". This quilt will be special as I am leaving India after almost 3 years. I want this to best express India for you through the fabrics, applique, etc in the star pattern. You can keep it plain or you can embellish.

Have fun and I look forward to the finished blocks.
Here is a view of mine:



Blocks are 10.5" finished (mine finished at 10.25).

Star  Crossed  Block  Tutorial, a  10  1/2"  block
needs:

2  contrasting  printed  fabrics
1  background  fabric

Cutting  Instructions

focus  fabric: two  2.5"  squares
one  2.5"  x  6.5"  rectangle

contrast  print: eight  2.5"  squares
two  4.25"  squares

background: four  2.5"  squares
two  4.25"  squares


Block Assembly
http://www.dontcallmebetsy.com/2012/01/star-crossed-block-tutorial.html

or you can download it from Craftsy:
http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/star-crossed-quilt-block---10-finished/39829


Thanks
Ashley 

Sunny Bee Elvira's Marble Star

(Trying to catch up with posting the Bee Block instructions on the blog for the rest of the world. Here's Elvira's. )

Hello ladies.. I'm so glad to finally able to upload this tutorial for my Sunny Bee block.

I want something Blue, Yellow and Solid White.

The tutorials and details are in my blog: http://chez-vies.blogspot.in/2013/08/dq-sunny-bee-blue-and-yellow-flower.html

I'm sorry for the delay and I hope you enjoy making my block ;)

Happy Quilting
Elvira

Shadows, Clouds, Squircles and a Duet - Layout Options for thr Round the Year Quilt

My back is still bothering me - so I have not been doing any piecing or quilting for over 5 weeks now! Hence I decided to delay Block 5 of the quilt to October 15th and do some designing and calculations instead.
So this fortnight is being used to post layout options (with complete fabric requirements for each ) for the block of the month quilt. Two options are already up, and one on the way. This is the `Shadows' option for the Dusk version.

Here are the `Clouds' for the Rainbow Quilt.

The details for these options are posted on my blog.

And what then are squircles? You need to see this post to find out!

But I will not leave you without sharing with you one more picture...the Round the Year Quilt made in two colours,

As you can see, I have been trying out various borders on this option, inspired by the original Camelot quilt. I  am tentatively naming this two-colour option  Duet, unless you can suggest something more apt?

And I do urgently need some more testers for the quilt blocks and would be grateful to anyone who volunteers! Thanks in advance. 

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Round the Year BOM Quilt Block - Sapphire

This is Sapphire Rainbow, the fourth block of the #MMDQ Block of the Month Quilt, Round the Year. Like the previous three blocks, this one is also paper foundation pieced and finishes at 18" square with a 15" inset circle. The pattern, fabric requirement and piecing instructions can be downloaded from the links at the end of this post.Fellow Desi Quilter Anuradha Ramesh has been sweet enough to find the time to test the other colourway, Dusk, for me. This is the design for what I call the Sapphire Fire.

Sapphire Fire Quilt Block

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I am yet to make this block in this colourway. I plan to use 4 shades of blue fabric from deep to light in this block, contrasted with 4 fabrics ranging from deep orange through light orange and gold to yellow. The background is planned in 2 shades of grey. Here is a look at some of the fabric I have been auditioning for the block! It is Fossil Fern by Benartex - I just love that fabric!

Fabric for the Sapphire Fire Block

Meanwhile, I  have also listed out of a few do's and don't's to keep in mind when paper piecing the blocks from this quilt. For example, 

• I often have people ask me if they can increase the printer settings to, say, 120% if a larger block is needed. It does not work that way, if you have the ¼" seam allowance added on to the template ( as is the case with the Round the Year block templates). You will end up increasing the seam allowance also to 120%!
• I like to cut the templates a bit larger on all sides and trim them after piecing. It may be just superstition, I don't know! I just like the thought of some margin in case things go wrong somewhere!
•  After cutting the fabric pieces, I can save a lot of heartburn if I remember to pin the pieces to the respective templates! At this stage, I also get a chance to check if I have missed out on a piece or two. (If you look at the Rainbow Sapphire picture, you'll spot a missing piece!)
• I like to sort out the templates shape wise unless specifically asked not to. There is a possibility you can chain piece them and why miss the opportunity?  
• It may sound obvious, but please remember to begin with piece #1 and #2 when you start piecing a template!
• Unlike in the case of piecing the templates, numbering or alphabetical order does not work when assembling the templates! So that it is not necessary that A is joined to B is joined to C etc...Follow the assembly instructions given in the pattern.

 You will find lots of more foundation paper piecing  tips on my blogpost which carries the Sapphire Fire pattern. So before I forget, here are the promised pattern downloads for the Sapphire Block for the two colourways. The files are huge, and may take time to download. You need Adobe Reader on your system(downloadable free online) to be able to view/ download these files. Happy piecing and quilting!

Pattern for Sapphire Fire, Block Four of Dusk Round the Year Quilt.

Pattern for Sapphire Rainbow Block Four of Dusk Round the Year Quilt.