Shoofly

This week's project requires a truly tiny block (6") so rather than drive you all crazy with truly tiny pieces, I picked an easy block. It's an oldie but goodie...the Shoofly Block:

Giveaway Winner Week 2

Alright...it's time to announce our Week 2 winners. The cats are hiding because we just vacuumed so Ian did the drawing for me today.

The winner of the quilted canvas from our tutorial is





comment number 8: denisewillia who is also quilting along with us.

The winner of the blank canvas is





comment number 22: Kelly O.

Congratulations! An email is on its way.

Mermaids! Birds! Love!

Take a look at Lisa's newest Eight Hand's Around block. I'm in LOVE! I mean, come on...mermaids! I'm too scared to cut into my Mendocino stash so I'm going to live vicariously through this block...

P2122002
Originally uploaded by 10THINGSatAtime

And what about samhanmama's stunning block with the bird in the center:

Eight Hands Around
Originally uploaded by samhanmama

I'm in love with all the fussy cutting going on! I need to know: what's your favorite fabric to fussy cut?

Giveaway Week 2

Woops, I forgot I had scheduled a post...with nothing in it yet! But, never fear, this is the real giveaway post.

There will be two giveaways this week. The first will be the Eight Hands Around canvas from this week's project turorial:



And the second is a blank canvas so you can make your own fabric art.

Just comment below to enter. And if you feel chatty, what's your favorite way to decorate your own little corner of the world? I'm a big fan of photos...both of people I love and places I love. Sprinkled among the frames on my shelves are little trinkets from vacations or gifts from friends.

I'll draw two winners on Sunday afternoon so stay tuned!

Flying Geese Tutorial

Lesly was right when she said that making flying geese is "mind-bogglingly tedious."  All of that cutting and matching and pressing can get extremely confusing, not to mention extremely old (extremely fast!).

It turns out, there's a better way.  Thanks to the kind folks at Quilter's Cache, I learned a couple new ways to make flying geese.

This tutorial covers my favorite method.  It creates four flying geese at once.  Of course, there is a little bit of math, but don't worry, it's only simple addition.

Eight Hands Around - Fix

Hi, people.  I am a moron and listed all kinds of wrong measurements for the 12" block.  I made mine in 8", so I didn't notice that the 12" measurements were off.  I've fixed them in the tutorial, but I want everyone to know they need to look again.

If you already started, please don't give up.  Make another one, I'm begging you.  I love this block and want to see your creations in our flickr pool.

Here are the new, correct measurements:

Step 1 -  Cut light fabric as follows:

• Cut 1 7 1/4" square.  Divide into four quarter-square triangles.  (8" block -- 5 1/4") 
• Cut 1 4 1/4" square.  Divide into four quarter-square triangles.  (8" block -- 3 1/4")
• Cut 2 3 7/8" squares.  Divide each into half-square triangles.  (8" block -- 2 7/8")
• Cut 1 3 1/2" square.  (8" block -- 2 1/2")
• Cut 4 2" squares.  (8" block -- 1 1/2")

Step 2 - Cut medium fabric as follows:

• Cut 4 2 3/8" squares.  Divide each into half-square triangles.  (8" block -- 1 7/8")

Step 3 - Cut dark fabric as follows:

• Cut 6 3 7/8" squares.  Divide each into half-square triangles. (8" block -- 2 7/8")

"Quilted" Canvas Tutorial

Do you ever make one block and then have no desire to make enough for an entire quilt? Because, you know, sometimes the block is really complicated or you're just not obsessed anymore? Do you have "orphan" blocks that you love but don't know what to do with?

Hopefully you do because this week's project will show you how to turn those blocks into art.