Completely Checkered Out!

You knew I couldn’t stop, didn’t you?

I was 10 red string blocks short on the one project I was counting on working on.

The other “On the Go” project was packed and ready to fly to California on Wednesday.

What else is a girl to do but keep going?

So is it still a legitimate Leader & Ender project if I am using block parts to build more blocks while building rows?

I think so!  As long as one unit is being left under the presser foot at all times, you are Leader & Endering – right?

At any rate – This was the project before me and I didn’t want to leave the cabin without a finish.

With more mountains in the distance!

Yes, this is my attempt at those artistic quilt photos, where you see quilters running with a quilt along the shore, corners flapping in the breeze and it looks great.

In my case…it looks like a patchwork episode of Scooby Doo:

Well, sort of!  LOL!

But I’m happy, oh so happy with this!

It's 82'' x 97'' -or about Queen coverlet size.  It would fit a full bed with a nice drop.  I make big quilts, I keep trying to use up more fabric!

When it is quilted and bound, and in my not-so-spare time, I’ll see about doing a graphic that shows what I did.  

I did not make pieced setting triangles, but laid out the blocks on point, filling in the left and right sides with whole 6-rail blocks. (no checkerboards on them) I trimmed the blocks on the outer edge by placing the 1/4’’ line on the ruler on the diagonal of the edge blocks, paying attention to which way the rails needed to slant.  I trimmed the blocks leaving 1/4’’ seam allowance beyond the diagonal.

On a quilt with piecing all the way to the edges I like to set my machine on its longest straight stitch, and run a line of stitching about 1/8’’ from the edge to minimize stretch and to keep all of those seams from popping open during the quilting/binding process.

Is that about as clear as mud?

What to do with these?

These are my cut off pieces and parts!  I will likely use them up by piecing a column or two and piece them into the backing for fun and interest.  

Also in my not-so-spare time! LOL!

Off the front porch rail photo op.

No, my photos are never as innovative as those younger “Modern” girls, but I still love how good a finish feels, don’t you?

You'll find the block pattern for Checkerboard Rails under the free patterns tab at the top of the blog. The layout of these blocks is up to your own imagination.

Today is for catching up on all of the mail order that came in over the past 10 days that I was gone.  Jeff and I have plans to knock it out of the ballpark between today and tomorrow.

I’d love to squeeze in a Quilt-Cam – I know it’s short notice, but how about 8pm Eastern tonight?  We haven’t done an evening one in a while, and tomorrow will be an early to bed night as I leave for California super early.

Meet me in Facebook Live at 8pm Eastern and you’ll find me working on those 10 remaining red string blocks.  If you miss it, I’ll post it in tomorrow’s blog and you can catch it that way.

Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Things that make me giggle on a Monday morning!

Have a great week, everyone!