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Showing posts with label Two Step Quilt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Two Step Quilt. Show all posts

Monday, June 24, 2024

Design Wall Monday - June 24, 2024

 Good Morning Quilters!

I am happy to report that I am all well. (knee replacement surgery June 3), and am back to quilting.  It is so good to be back.  I finished the binding on the Two Step Quilt and here is a picture of it in the family room, on the couch.  The squares finish at five inches, and there are 20 squares across and 20 down.  Making the finished quilt measure 100” by 100”.  King size for our bed.




Closer picture:


I like it so much!  I will make a label this week.  The idea came from a book by Barbara Brackman, but I think her squares are a different size.  I blogged about it (Here)

While finishing the binding on this quilt, I decided to make a small quilt/doll quilt of the same design.  So here’s my start, with four little blocks made yesterday:


Aren’t they cute?  If you would like to make a little quilt too, here is my plan:

Finished block size will be 2.5 inches square, and I will make 32 of the indigo centered blocks and 32 of the shirting centered blocks.  The little quilt will then be 20 inches square.  I am thinking 8 squares across and 8 down.

Cutting directions:

Cut the centers at 2” x 2”           (32 dark and 32 light)

Cut the shorter borders at 1” x 2”        (64 dark and 64 light)

Cut the longer borders at 1” x 3”        (64 dark and 64 light)

Let me know if you decide to make one.  I think it will go quite fast.  It can be a little leader/ender project.

What is on your design wall?  Mine still has the Hour Glass Challenge quilt on it, and I did get all of the rest of the hour glass blocks made for the final border (132) so assembly of “blocks” of 36 of the hour glass blocks will now begin.  It’s exciting to be near the end.  

Thanks for your beautiful pictures and blog posts for our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.  I appreciate you very much.  Click the link below and show us what you are working on.






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Monday, February 12, 2024

Design Wall Monday - February 12, 2024

 Happy Valentine’s Day

When you have been married for sixty years, and are a sentimental old lady, Valentine’s Day is a favorite holiday.   I hope you have a happy day Wednesday!

This week I got the “Two Step” quilt top finished (Yeah!) and tried to get a picture of it, but it is very big.  My two nephews who are both almost six foot tall, are holding it up for me, and it is still dragging on the floor.  They were holding it up for me during a time out of the Super Bowl game, so it was a quick picture, and back to the game.  


I have on my “project list” to figure out how to hang large quilts to photograph them.  

Also this week, I put together some signature star blocks that I received at the last Shipshewana retreat.  Here is the top before borders are added:



The sample quilt that our group used as an example for this project had a flange between the top and the border.  I cut a flange at the same width as the example, which had a tiny flange.  It was cut at 3/4 inch and folded in half..   After cutting some strips this width,  and practicing, I decided it was too narrow for me to work with.  I re-cut more fabric at 1.25 inches wide.  When it is folded in half, it will still give a small pop of color, but not so narrow that I can’t sew with it.  Here is a picture of my revised folded flange fabric:


Note:  I just now read about flanges on the internet, and the instructions advised cutting the strips 1.5 inches wide.  If I had read that first, I would have used 1.5 inches - which gives a flange of approximately 1/2 inch finished.  Mine will be about 1/3 inch, I guess.  Pictures next week.  I’ve never used a flange before, but I like how it looks.

And a picture of the proposed flange with the proposed outside border fabric:  


I was thinking of a light brown print for the outer border……but searching in my stash, I didn’t find anything suitable.  I did find this big piece of yellow, so that is what will be the outer border……more yellow.  I like it.  The quilt will be couch-curl-up size, so it will be nice for me to have all my friends signatures with me when I am snuggling on the couch.

Here’s a picture of some of our past valentine cards on the mantle.  We don’t buy cards for each other anymore; we just pick one out from this collection of our previous cards to re-gift to each other.  The messages are still the same.  ❤️




What’s up with your design wall?  Are you planning anything for Valentine’s Day?
Please join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and show us what you are doing.  Thanks to all of you who faithfully link up, as we like to read your blog posts.  And look at your pictures.  

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Monday, February 5, 2024

Design Wall Monday - February 5, 2024

 Good Morning Quilters!

I have made a little more progress on my “Two Step” quilt assembly.  Last week I had the top half of the quilt all assembled, and had started on the bottom half.  Here’s a picture of where I am with the bottom half right now: (top half is not on the design wall)




I have two more rows to sew into long strips, and here are the blocks:


But then I have to sew each of the ten rows to each other, and I will be using pins to make sure the blocks line up.  Slow work for me.  I think it will be all assembled by next week though.  I am ready for it to be a quilt top.

Have you made progress this week?  We are looking forward to you telling us about what you are working on.  So please join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below.  Thanks to all of you who are faithful in linking up each week.  I appreciate you.  

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Monday, January 29, 2024

Design Wall Monday - January 29, 2024

 Here are a couple of pictures of my progress this week:

More hourglass blocks are being cut to their 2.5 inch size so they are ready to sew into the hourglass quilt.

More rows sewn together on the “Two Step” quilt that I had planned to get all sewn together by the end of January.  The first ten rows are completely sewn together and off the design wall, and this is as far as I am on the second ten rows.  Revised completion date is mid-February.  My self-imposed deadlines are easily moved.


The reason that not much got done is that our daughter visited us last week and we had a great time with each other.  She went home Friday, and I miss her already.

What are you making?  What deadlines are you meeting, or moving?  Join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and give us an update.  Thanks so much for joining in.  There were so many beautiful posts last week.  I appreciate you.


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Monday, January 15, 2024

Design Wall Monday - January 15, 2024

Good Morning Quilters! 

We have glorious snow here in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  It is a winter wonderland outside, and is perfect quilting weather.



Pictures taken through my bedroom windows yesterday morning.  The poor pine trees are carrying a heavy burden.

Inside, on my design wall, I have half of the rows sewn together for the “Two Step” quilt.  (Info Here).  It is my January UFO goal, and so half finished is good for January 15th.


It is just a little too big for my design wall, with the blocks finishing at 5 inches square, and being 20x20 blocks when finished.  

I’m also busy making hourglass blocks for the challenge hourglass quilt.  (Info here). I need lots of these, and am using up some old fabrics that I hadn’t any special plan for.  They will be very happy in this quilt.  Here is this week’s progress on my lap:


These hourglass blocks finish at two inches square.  I intended to work on some appliqué UFOs also, but that didn’t happen.   Maybe it will happen this week.  

What are you working on?  Please join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below, and tell us all about it.  I am interested in seeing your pictures of the snow in other areas too.  I do love the snow.

Please mention Design Wall Mondays in your blog post, and also link back to this post.  Thank you very much.  

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Monday, January 8, 2024

Design Wall Monday - January 8, 2024

 2024 - HERE WE COME!!

This is a new year, with new resolve to finish some of the UFOs that are in my possession.   This month I am sewing together 400 blocks to make a king sized quilt top.  I blogged about it recently (Here)   The pattern is named “Two Step” and is on the cover of a Barbara Brackman book.

My quilt will be 20 blocks across and 20 blocks down.  I plan to sew two rows a day, for ten days in January, and then it will be a quilt top.  Here are two days of sewing……forty blocks in the first two rows, and forty blocks in the 3rd and 4th rows.  It is interesting that all the center squares are the same size, but look bigger or smaller in comparison to other blocks because of the light and/or dark fabrics surrounding them.  It’s an optical illusion.  It is a very enjoyable project so far.



The two rows on the left haven’t had the joining seam pressed yet, and the two rows at right have been pressed.  They are temporarily hanging from my fabric storage cabinets until the design wall is empty.  

On the design wall is the hourglass block quilt that I am making (which wasn’t even on my UFO list).  The girls at the last retreat I attended showed an antique quilt and challenged everyone to make their own version.  My version has a combination of hsts and hourglass units, because I want to use up some of the  1,200 hsts in my stash that were from a group hst exchange.  Picture of original vintage quilt is (Here)

My quilt progress so far:



Someone said it reminds them of an old Dutch quilts, and that pleases me very much.  I love vintage Dutch quilts.

Since I think I know where I am going with this quilt next, I will take it down from the design wall to work on the next part——which will be six blocks deep of hourglasses all around the outside.  The hourglass blocks need to be made, and sewn into rows of six. That can happen “off design wall”  while the January Two Step…….“2 rows of 20 blocks each for 8 more days”  quilt progress takes shape on the design wall.  

I am so enthusiastic about completing some of the projects I have started over the years.  Have I told you that my UFO count is over 50 projects?  And that I love them all.   January always fills me with hope.  How about you?  

Please join in our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and show us what you are working on this week.  I hope you have January enthusiasm too.  If you don’t, I hope some of mine rubs off on you.  January is a good month to start things and finish things!

Hugs, Judy

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Monday, December 11, 2023

Design Wall Monday - December 11, 2023

 Good Morning Quilters!

Since I’ve been sick with a bad cold for over a week, I’ve done little quilting,  However, I did do a little planning on what I want to work on to start the new year.  The number of UFOs here must be dealt with, and 2024 will start with a good push against them.  I know, it is only mid-December and I have no Christmas decorations up yet, but the thoughts of starting the new year with some pleasant beginnings cheered me up.  I didn’t feel like doing too much.  I am feeling better each day, and have decided to resume living.  lol

So here are my 2024 plans::  

I have this UFO that is very near completion, and I want to get it all done.  It  is called “Two Step” and is on the cover of a book by Barbara Brackman.



I have most of the blocks made, but in a different size than the pattern, and my block count is 200 of each of the two contrasting blocks.   The pattern blocks finish at 3.5 inches, and mine are a little bigger.  I think they finish at 5 inches square.  After I got the UFO unboxed and looked at it, there were only about 17 blocks in pieces.  I sewed them all into blocks last week, so the only thing left to do in 2024 is sew all the blocks together.  

A second UFO that I looked at was a Jacob’s Ladder block exchange quilt pattern.  The blocks I have are from an exchange with The Churn Dashers of Tidewater Virginia, and the quilt is shown in American Patchwork & Quilting, December, 2019.



With the exchange, I had 96 blocks, and the quilt has 120 blocks.  So I only need to make 24 more blocks……12 slanted to the right and 12 slanted toward the left.  I am making one of each whenever I can to get all the blocks completed by February, 2024, so I can sew the whole top together then.  I made 2 last week while I was sick, and I am making 2 more today.  Here is a picture of the current two of them laid out with the sample block next to them:




The two blocks use the same components, but hsts are turned differently.  I have to lay a sample block out with the one I am sewing together,  just to be sure I have the parts turned the correct way.

What are you working on, or planning for next year?  I am planning on getting the  Christmas tree up and decorated before we meet again next Monday.  Please stay healthy and take care of yourself - this cold was a doozie!  And thanks for joining in our Design Walk Monday Linky Party!  You are a blessing.


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