Lucy Boston Blocks

Thanks for the responses on the Caribbean Lucy Boston blocks!

It's so fun to choose colors and they are easy peasy to put together!

 

These blocks are also called Patchwork of the Crosses and Linda Franz has a great book and some helpful videos on her site.

 

I found out about Lucy Bostons or POTC blocks on Pinterest.  Go figure.  I was at a local quilt show last year and found a vendor selling the acrylic templates and paper patties and bought them.  I'm not using a book, just sort of (as usual) muddling my way through.

 

You can hand piece (English Paper Piecing) these blocks using acrylic templates to cut your fabric

 

 

 

and paper ones for piecing.

 

Some stitchers will baste the fabric onto the paper template.  Others will use a glue pen.

I use an Elmer's Glue Craft stick.

 

Here is the finished block I had cut out last week.

 

 

EPP (English Paper Piecing) is very relaxing and can be done on the go, while waiting on kids during soccer practice, and being on the ready to help kids with schoolwork.

(which means I sit at the table while they work, because as soon as I walk away to sew, they need me right now!  LOL)

 

Also on the table is the Bow Tie Value quilt.

 

 

I'm echo quilting the "circular" block.  Plain white thread.  Which I love!  There's just something so clean and simple about it.

 

This morning I surprised my family with pumpkin chocolate-chip muffins for breakfast.

Go me!

 

Stop by these linky parties for inspiration and something other than white (think I'm so tired of snow!) to look!

 

i have to say

quilt story

freshly pieced

quilt infatuation

crazy mom quilts

sew many ways

 

you can find and follow me here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Taste of the Caribbean!

Did you have a chance to go visiting last week?

All those gorgeous projects on the linky parties?

 

I have to say

quilt story

freshly pieced

my quilt infatuation

crazy mom quilts

sew many ways

 

Keera

 

Stephanie

 

Julie

 

little penguin quilts

 

Cristina

 

supergoof quilts

 

These were just a tiny, small sampling of what's being created in the bloggy universe!

 

This week, I continued quilting my Bow Ties Value Quilt.

 

 

I decided on an echo quilt in the "circle" parts of the quilt.  Lots of turning the bulk of the quilt!

 

Here are two Lucy Boston's I had pieced late last year.

 

 

 

Decided to cut out another one to work on.

 

I frequently will turn a fabric over and use the reverse (wrong) side when I'm piecing.  Sometimes the fabric is just too "loud" and doing this softens the effect.

The orange polka dots were just screaming at me.

I flipped them and the pink Kaffe Fassett next to them.

 

 

Much softer, but not a lot of punch.

 

So I flipped the orange polka dot fabric back to right side up and I'm leaving the Kaffe right side down.

 

 

Much, much happier with this!

 

I'm calling these blocks my Caribbean Lucy Bostons!

 

Hope you have a great week and get a chance to visit all the linky parties for inspiration and encouragement!

 

You can also find and follow me

here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Light Bulb Moment!

 

Have you ever had one?

 

 

Oh my goodness!  I just looked up when I started this project.....wait for it.....

February 2nd, 2011.

(wearing the cone of shame)

This was the time in blogland where value quilts were quite the rage.  I drank the Koolaid.

These original twenty-three blocks grew to this!

 

 

A scrappy Bow-Tie quilt.

So many different colors, prints and designers in there.

And oh my!  How Harry Potter-ish and little my Ben looks!

 

 

This is how I've always basted my quilts...on the floor.  Back breaking, leg-cramping, "I will never do this again!" quality time.

Not!

 

So, I got to thinking.  I wanted to quilt.  Something.  Not too big.  This value quilt seemed perfect.

(I can't believe it's been three years since I started it!)

Thought about basting it.

I even rolled the rug in the kitchen up to psyche myself up.

Walked by the tile floor a few times.

Got out the batting.

Walked by the floor.

Picked out a large piece of fabric hubs had thoughtfully bought for me at a garage sale he and Ben stopped at a couple of years ago.

Walked by the floor again.

*Sigh*

 

 

Took a picture.

 

 

Took another.

 

And then walked by my living room wall...

You know.

The one that has a huge empty space because I don't know what to do there.

...and got to thinking...

isn't a wall the same thing as a floor, just tipped upright?

I know what you're thinking, "Oh no u di'n't!"

 

 

Well, yes.  I did.

I had two of my three handsome assistants hold the backing fabric up against the wall while I taped it.

Then they held up the batting.

More tape.

Then the finished quilt top.

Even more tape.

 

W.H.Y. have I never thought of this before?

Using curved, basting pins

 

I got to stand upright and pin the top of the quilt and sat in a chair for the bottom part.

Easy peasy.

No sore back.

No messed up tape job on the floor from walking over the quilt or accidentally pulling up the tape.

No cats trying to nap on the quilt or photo-bomb the process.

 

 

Taping the quilt to the wall took longer than pinning it!

I was very careful when using the pins so as not to scratch the wall paint.

I started quilting it immediately.

Here it is on the machine.

 

 

Even our cat Gizmo can't believe how fast and smooth that whole process went!

(and is wondering why napping on a quilt on the floor-when it's obviously there for that purpose-is a bad thing...and giddy she still got a photo shot in the post!)

 

I enjoyed getting some encouragement and ideas from you last week.  I think I will make more in different colors for a lap quilt.  Just love the original photos of the inspirational blocks!

Thanks ladies!

 

Come on over for a virtual quilt show!

i have to say

quilt story

freshly pieced

my quilt infatuation

crazy mom quilts

and

sew many ways

 

you can follow me here