Noughts and Crosses - a new scrap project

I started a new scrap quilt this week.  I had been eyeing off this design for some time, and had pinned a modern version of it to my Pinterest board 

I don't do too much with Pinterest, but it is a good source of ideas and inspiration.  It did look a bit complicated/fiddly.  I did some searches on the block, and found it under a number of names, but found that it was in Barbara Brackman's Quilt BlockBase attributed to Nancy Cabot......so it is not a modern block, it is in fact an old one, very suitable for my fabrics.

One of the the things with this block, is the need to use directional fabrics to get the full effect of the "cross"part of the construction.  Ideally, we would like to use fabrics with the stripe printed on the diagonal, then you don't end up with those scary "off grain"corners.  I don't have many diagonal print blocks, so used what I had and cut the others off grain, with the stripes going from corner to corner.  the above block turned out well I think.  I used some precious old pieces of the Reproduction fabrics.  The one in the centre is around 20 years old, and one of the first Repro fabrics I bought.  It is from the Cocheco Mills (*I think!) and I have the tiniest bit left. Love it to bits.

 This is the only fabric I used today, that is printed on the diagonal

 These are all on the cross

 The constructions is far more simple than I first thought.  the pieces go together like this.  Make the corners and the centres, then but them all together.

 this blue fabric is one of my precious scraps.  I used the last of it today

This is the first block I made, and I think the least attractive.  The top LH corner fabric I did not cut so that the stripe runs down the centre, and it just misses something.  Never mind, in the mix of things it will work out.

The blocks took me 30 minutes each to make.  This includes fabric selection, and cutting, and sewing, pressing.  Does not include runing out of thread in the bobbin - don't you hate that!--and taking photos of course.  I usually time how long to make them, and then I can set myself a target for how many I can make a day, and how many days/weeks/months it will take to make it.

If I am making something for a magazine, they usually give me a deadline, and i always make the deadline if I know how long each one takes.

I put these 4 blocks together and you can see that you get an interesting secondary pattern.  I think I am going to like this!

The blocks are 7.5"finished, and if I want a quilt 60"x 75"then I will need 80 blocks, at 4 a day then that is 3 weeks....that is if nothing else happens in my life in the next 3 weeks.......I will probably give myself a longer goal, maybe 3 months!

Now for something different.  Right now is Festival time in Adelaide, and in particular the Fringe Festival.  Last night I took my granddaughter to a light display in the city.  The old public buildings on North Tce  -  the museum, art gallery, library, and university have these light shows happening.  They are like a moving picture show from the turn of the century.  You can only really appreciate it in the moving form.  These photos do not give it justice.

It finished on Sunday night 28th February, so if you have not been yet, it is worth the visit.  Breathtaking!

New Block

This is the next block in the Red and Green block of the month.  It is called Lollypop......for obvious reasons I think.

It is not the first time I have used this block.  Quite a few years ago I used it in a 4 block quilt called Fruit Tingle.  The blocks in this quilt were 16".

Fruit Tingle

I used this quilt as a teaching project for a few years.  It was a good one to teach needle-turn applique.  The blocks, and therefore the shapes, are quite large, so new people can tackle the larger pieces, and get the general idea, before moving onto the more tricky shapes.

This Lollypop block is 8"finished, but you can increase the size when you print it, or photocopy it by increasing the ratio.  It is available now, and will be free of charge for one month.  If you look on the RHS of this page, you will see the photo and link.  Just click on the photo, and you *should* be able to print out the drawing.  If you have a problem, just email me.

I have had a really busy month with visits from my sister who lives in Newcastle, in NSW, plus my daughter is moving house next week.  The lead into the move has been really all consuming.  However, we did get a lunch day out when my sister was here.

Maz, Wendy, Di

We went to a fabulous place called the Bombay Bicycle Club.  this is an old pub, which has been converted into an Indian/English Raj themed venue.  If you click onto the link, you can see all the great images of the interior.  It is quite breathtaking.  They have palm trees growing in the dining room.

Natalie, Skylar, and Di at Glenelg

 Glenelg is one of our beach side suburbs, and we had a day out in the sun

Wendy and Di - Very bad selfie at Brighton

 
Edit.......
 I was asked about fabrics needed for the Red and Green quilt.     There are 12 blocks each needs to be cut 9"square....so you can cut 4 across the width of fabric, 1 metre/yard would be enough for the background. The rest is scrappy.....just use what you have.