Tiny Tuesday - the Return

A blast from the past!
The last 4.5" midget block post made was 11 and a half years ago! - December 12, 2012

Last night was spent perusing my own blog, rereading many of the very first posts made, and as I fast-forwarded, the #TinyTuesday posts -- wow -- they certainly took me back!   to a time of patience and dedication.  Is anyone still working on yours?  Or hibernating like mine?  Did anyone actually COMPLETE yours??? 

Well, not allowing the ol' me to be outdone, my surprisingly organized folder and stack of completed blocks were taken out with an absolute plan of gauging the progress.
I recall at one time hearing that Sentimental Stitches was going to retire the first 50 blocks, so all of those patterns that had been published were printed and placed in this folder.  And apparently, I actually saved the first 116 blocks SOMEWHERE back then, according to this post from 2010.  I still have my old laptops; I wonder if I can fire them up and dig around for them... T'would appear that the block patterns are now part of a monthly BOM deal.  

Anyway, so... I looked over the next couple of printed patterns with the whole OCD/Type-A in me needing to complete blocks in order.
Pshttt!
Ummmm

Nope

If I'm gonna give this a true devotion again, I need to ease back in!

Therefore, the printouts were strewn about until two were selected as the final winners.

Amidst the stack of fabrics I had set aside with these blocks in mind, I was reminded of the sashing units I had brainstormed SOMETIME back then...

So before even starting on any blocks today, a section of the design wall was cleared away for some playing and admiring... and reminiscing of the 40 blocks completed so far.  All the while placing them on the wall, thoughts lingered on simply 'calling it good' and setting them into a 5 x 8 layout.
but, eh... not very pleasing... tall-n-skinny and not close enough to the 'golden-ratio.'

However the 6 x 7 layout has some promise here.  Specially considering I had chosen two of the patterns that would be a good easing back in!

Block #60 - French 4's

Although paper-piecing was the recommended method of piecing this block, the math-mind was given a workout during this summer break.  A little measuring and a little fraction scribbled-addition later, the 4.5" midget blocks are back in action.

...and it felt good to be back in the action of the volleyball gym last night too.  I was left with a skeleton crew of athletes after all of the basketball athletes departed for a 3-day multi-team tournament, and although MOST of my attackers are on the basketball team, this lil' team knows how to hustle and finished 1-1 on the evening.  Just a few more moments like this left for me as I elected to resign from coaching after completing 17 years on and off over the past twenty-six.

Happy Tuesday everyone!  Hoping you have an amazing circle too!

Tiny Tuesday: EM #3

EM #3

Another modified Tiny Tuesday using EM (my Brother 770 embroidery machine).   With Christmas right around the corner, I though a snowflakey style block would be fitting :D

Tiny Tuesday: Midget Block #38: Garden Beauty

FINALLY, a "real" midget block to post :)

Although this one is called Garden Beauty, I did some fussy-cutting of some sailor fabric (recognize it Angela?)  Maybe I need to rename it to A Sailor's Heart, or something.

Tiny Tuesday: Midget #37: Imperial Fan

Midget #37: Imperial Fan

I'm beginning to like applique more and more through the variety of midget blocks that have come up over the past couple of months.

Tiny Tuesday: Midget #36: 4H Club

Midget #36: 4H Club

Only a half day of inservice planned today at school, and then vacation starts.  FINALLY!

Saturday Sewing with Nancy

Nancy (Patchwork Penguin) and I retreated via Skype this afternoon;  it's always nice when I get to sew with others :)


I had a few of the subunits completed for Omigosh from leaders and enders over the past couple of weeks;  I wanted to see them come together into something tangible.  They are stinkin' CUTE merely due to their size!  All of those individual squares in the 4- and 9-patches finish at 1/2".

Next, although I'm no where NEAR finishing enough midget blocks, I have been putting some time and thought into the sashing for the finale.  With some motivation from Bonnie's In The Pink quilt, I started drawing up some templates on paper for the sizes needed.  The square-in-a-square will all end up being paper-pieced, but the sashing units will be pieced with the assistance from my Tri-Recs ruler set.

Tiny Tuesday: EM #2

EM #2 

Well, I'm taking the easy way out again this week, merely to have SOMETHING to post for Tiny Tuesday.  This is another block made by EM, my Brother 770 embroidery machine.

To get a glimpse of my embroidered blocks with the others, I took a moment to arrange them on the design wall.  EM #2 is in the top (center) row;  EM #1 is in the 2nd row (2nd from right).  I think they fit right in....in the big picture.

Tiny Tuesday Midget #35: Butterfly

Midget #35 was suggested to be completed using paper-piecing; you can see the line segments pictured in the upper left corner.

Ummm......no thanks!

Instead, I appliqued the wings and body to a 5" square.  Why bother with all those paper-pieced sections???

However, now seeing this completed in a picture, I think I'll stitch a 'seam' with some black floss in order to see the wing top/bottom sections more clear.

WOW! Nearing the end of October already.

Tick-tock-tick-tock.

Squishy surprise! and some hunting seats...

Oh Angela, Angela, Angela!  THIS was the package of goodies I received in the mail on Tuesday;  completely by surprise(!) with a note from Angela saying, "I thought you could use these with your Midgets."  So, yesterday morning, I dug into the fabrics for Midget #35:  stay tuned on Tuesday.

A friend needed some dear-stand seats redone, so he contacted me to see if I could "work some magic."

This one pictured wasn't the worst of 'em; the worst was literally only the 3 straps held together by some completely tattered pieces of black fabric;  no stuffing left what-so-ever!

After a day's worth of trimming, measuring, sewing..... I think they turned out pretty A-OK.

Thankfully, the friend also approved!  He is "extremely happy" with the results!

So...Sunday.  Most of the laundry was finished yesterday.  We have the in-laws visiting us.  (They arrived yesterday around 1:30PM).  The muffins are done.  I think.... Mother-in-Law and I are going to head downstairs so she can see EM in action.

Happy Sunday.

Tiny Tuesday #34: Rocky Glen

Midget block #34 tackled (and posted just a wee bit early)

Hmm....looks wrong, you say??

Well....that's what I thought too.

So, I checked and rechecked the "units" to find out where my mistake was.

You see that I have the 4-unit correct, right? (pictured 2nd from left)

It turns out---it wasn't exactly my mistake. 

It doesn't matter how you "rotate" that "unit" around......it ain't gonna match the final block :\

This was an excellent reminder to look through and check out patterns on your own;  sometimes mistakes are made in published patterns.  Oh well.  In the big "finished" picture.....**shrug**.... It is what it is.

Tiny Tuesday: #33 Merry Go Round

I dusted off the paper-piecing skill for this one;  it took a couple of attempts before I remembered the correct direction to place the fabrics!  A few seams are a teeny bit off;  no biggy for me.

Tiny Tuesday: #32 Arrowhead Star

I decided to cut out some applique pieces on fusible web for this block, and then blanket-stitched the edges, rather than paper-piecing.  

I've made it to OCTOBER with my Tiny Tuesdays!  Whahooooo!  I just might catch up to Angela one of these days  {{**snort-giggle**}}

Tiny Tuesday: EM#1

Not appliqued

Not paper-pieced

Not patchwork pieced

Today......

My midget was EMBROIDERED!

Don't be too hard on me!  It's sooooo purdy!

Tiny Tuesday: #30 Square Blossoms

Oooooooohhhhhhhhhhh!  Gosh.....this picture doesn't even come close to portraying the absolute cuteness factor of this block!

I mean---LOOK at the size of these 9-patches!!!  True, true...I wish I would have chosen two fabrics a bit more contrasting, but.....**shrug**... oh well.  Live, quilt, and learn.

Still cute though!  They FINISH at 1.5"!

And for all the tiny piecing involved, I'm VERY impressed at how (just about) perfect this block came out!  5" all around :)

Tiny Tuesday: #29 Grandmother's Tulip

Okay---THIS block was FUN FUN FUN to make!  Very simple applique...and I adore the green fabric I used.  There are several of these blocks that I could foresee making over and over again for a quilt.  THIS is one of them!

Tiny Tuesday: #28 Calico Puzzle

Straight-forward paper-piecing!  My kind of style!!!!

And did you know----today is the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL for us!!!! :}

Happy 2012-2013!

Tiny Tuesday: #27 Orange Peel

With a combination of applique and patchwork piecing, this block came together without too much difficulty.  The yellow background squares were cut out and the two blue fabrics were prepped and cut for applique.

Nothing too crazy here.....pretty straight forward {{just lots of pieces}} :)

Tiny Tuesday: #26 Old Snowflake

The recommended piecing for this block was altered up quite a bit.  Rather than paper-piecing all of it, I elected to rotary cut and patchwork piece the hourglass blocks.

 

I like how these rulers are labeled!  It doesn't take much calculation at all to determine strip sizes for blocks!  I knew that the finished hourglass block needed to be 1 1/2", so I grabbed my Companion Ruler (a quarter-square triangle ruler), looked at the BIG outer numbers (which show the FINISHED size of the block), and cut strips at the width of the inner/center/smaller measurement listed.

Then I cut up the recommended paper-pieced units for the corners of my nine-patch block....

Then pieced the 9-patch together :)

Still plugging along :)

Heading to school today for a few 'relaxed' hours this morning;  slowly transitioning into school-mode :)

Tiny Tuesday: #25 Guiding Star

GAH!!! HIT ME!

I'm still plugging away on the midget blocks, cutting, piecing, appliqueing, paper-piecing......

MISTAKING!!!!!

but.... I'm not the least bit interested in ripping out these mistakes to have a "correct" block; they'll simply be staying that way and become part of the maybe-someday-huge final quilt :\

Do ya see 'em?????

bleh.......

Tiny Tuesday: #24 Hour Glass

Ahhh....a nice simple pieced midget this week.  No applique; no paper piecing.  Just nice, easy, simple piecing :)

Three weeks in a row :)  Wooo-hooooo

But with school right around the corner, Oh dear....can I keep this up?

Be sure to scroll down a bit more to read about my 1000th post!  You won't be disappointed. :p