March is here! Not spring here in Michigan yet, but edging closer to it. The birds are singing their cheerful spring songs. My March UFO project hasn't been pulled out yet; I will do that this week. I will choose something spring like, I think.Last week I worked on some nine patch blocks for the next Churn Dashers of Tidewater Virginia exchange. We are exchanging negative and positive nine patch blocks, and I had fun making them. We are making four "sets" of 2 nine patch blocks for each member of the group who is exchanging the blocks (six of us). one negative and one positive nine patch in each "set". I found this "a sweet little technique for making nine patch blocks two at a time" (Here)
I noticed some fabrics I chose were "directional" and this method made it easy to make all the squares in each nine patch go the same direction. Such as these keys on a ring in the shirting fabric below: 
Also the embroidered baskets are multiplying on the other end of the design wall. I have a plan to make about 15 of them into a quilt. 
These vintage baskets were designed by someone who loves French knots! Just look at this basket: 
How will a long arm quilter quilt this for me? Will the French knots cause trouble for them? I know that is a problem for the future - not now, but if any of you have any thoughts on quilting embroidered French knot projects, I'd love hearing from you. What are you working on this week? We'd love to see it! Just link up below and we will be encouraged by your progress. You keep me inspired. All I ask is that you link back to this particular blog post from somewhere within your blog post. Thanks! You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter
Here is a picture of my exchange blocks on the design wall. It went very quickly using the new (to me) method. Since my blocks finish at 3 inches square, I started with a light and a dark fabric that were 4.5 inches square. They all turned out the right size when the process was finished. I would never have thought up this method, but it sure was easy. Each column is for a different person.
I noticed some fabrics I chose were "directional" and this method made it easy to make all the squares in each nine patch go the same direction. Such as these keys on a ring in the shirting fabric below: 
Also the embroidered baskets are multiplying on the other end of the design wall. I have a plan to make about 15 of them into a quilt. 
These vintage baskets were designed by someone who loves French knots! Just look at this basket: 
How will a long arm quilter quilt this for me? Will the French knots cause trouble for them? I know that is a problem for the future - not now, but if any of you have any thoughts on quilting embroidered French knot projects, I'd love hearing from you. What are you working on this week? We'd love to see it! Just link up below and we will be encouraged by your progress. You keep me inspired. All I ask is that you link back to this particular blog post from somewhere within your blog post. Thanks! You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter