Another Quilt Along!

In all honesty, I do not need another quilt-along in my life. This one is too good to pass up though.

Moda is hosting a this quilt-along using the new book by Susan Ache (@yardgrl60 on Instagram):

"Sampler Spree: 100+ Fresh & Fun Quilt Blocks".

This is a scrappy quilt. Every week, we will make 10-12 blocks. Every week will be assigned a different color, for instance the color for week 1 is blue, so we'll make all 10 blocks using blue scraps.

You can, of course, use any fabrics and colors you choose. A couple of layer cakes would make for a lovely coordinated quilt.

There are instructions for 106 blocks in the book. The cover quilt uses 100 of them. The blocks are 6" x 6".

Details:

Start date: 6/16/2021
End date: 8/18/2021
Frequency: 10-13 blocks a week

Block size: 6" x 6"

Hashtag to use on social media: #samplerspreeqal

I am not very clear about the other details yet, so be sure to follow Twiddletails on Instagram and/or join the Twiddletails Quilt Alongs Facebook group. I will post updates as I get them.

Here are samples of some of the blocks. Aren't they pretty?

I'm planning to dig into my scrap bins for this one.

The Frixion Experiment

As some may know from following me on Instagram and Facebook, my current long term project is the Euphoria quilt. I am REALLY close to the end. The quilt will have a scalloped border. I marked it with my trusty washable marker but found it really hard to see the lines.

Then I remembered that I had a Frixion pen somewhere which would definitely draw clearer lines.  I also remembered that it gets a really bad rap because the lines reappear if the quilt gets exposed to cold temperatures.

I decided to do a little experimentation.

Experiment 1

I used a scrap of pre-washed Moda Bella Solids and created this work of art on it with a Frixion Pen.
I then ironed it to make the ink disappear and put it in the freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit overnight.

The result:

Quite a bit of the ink showed back up!

Experiment 2

I used another scrap of the same fabric and created yet another artwork using the Frixion Pen.

This time I put it in the refrigerator at 38 degrees Fahrenheit overnight.

Result #2:

All gone! It's now been a week and it hasn't come back.

Conclusion:

Since I only tested these two temperatures, my experiments are a little limited. I may do more detailed tests next winter when it gets Iowa cold.

I decided to use the pen to mark the seam line along the border.  Even if the marks come back, they will be hidden.

I'm also not planning on sending this quilt anywhere or gifting it. If lines reappear I can always iron them back out.

I hope this helped if you're wondering about using a Frixion Pen to mark your quilt tops.

My Favorite Color is Moda Sew Along - Block 6

 Oh my goodness! I thought I was making a block but instead I made a small 16-block quilt. It'll take up a lot of space in the completed quilt though.

Disclaimer: Sometimes I will change the pattern instructions a little bit because a different way works better for me. This does not mean that the pattern won't work exactly as written. If you follow the pattern, your blocks will still turn out fine.

Tips/Instructions:

If you're not making the quilt in the Primrose Garden colorway, you will have to have your wits about you. This is where my trusty little cheat sheet came in very handy again.

1. Something that confused me a little is that you have to trim the HSTs (half square triangles) made using 5 1/2" squares to 5" and the HSTs made from 3 1/4" squares to 2 3/4" before making the blocks.

2. The first thing I did was to organize the squares by color as mentioned in the pattern. Remember that each pair of squares will make 2 HSTs, so you will only need half as many squares as HSTs. At first I thought I didn't have enough (and panicked just a teenie bit) because I forgot this little detail.

3. Make the HSTs and trim them as in 1. I found that the squares were a little small and some of the HSTs were hard to trim.  I ended up sewing scant 1/4" seams to make the HSTs a little larger and easier to trim.

4. This is how I assembled each small block (the arrows show seam directions):

5. When you've made all your small blocks, put them on your design wall or lay them out on the floor in their correct positions.  Take a photo for reference. This REALLY helps. Yay for technology!

6. Sew the blocks together in rows. Press the seams in alternating directions.

7. Sew the rows together.  I pressed these seams in whichever direction seemed like it would lay the flattest.

8. In a block this complicated you will never get all your seams to nest, so try not to get too frustrated.

Moda's blog post talks about trimming HSTs. There are 96 in this block!

NOTE: As of the writing of this post, I still have a couple of kits left all colorways, except Cookie Tin.  I also have patterns for sale individually if you'd like to make your own version.

I'd love it if you join the Facebook Group and/or post pictures on Instagram and mention the blog (and tag @twiddletails) if you find this post helpful.