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Nearly Insane !

Yes, Nearly Insane, or - as I would have it - Definitely Bonkers :-)

I've gotten Liz Lois' permission to share this block with everyone. She is the lady who wrote the book "Nearly Insane". The block with the most pieces in that truly amazing book, is block # 18.
It has 218 pieces !
And my love of precision battled mightily with my decision to try and machine-piece all the blocks on this blog. The decision won over the love, which is why it is not (nearly) as precise as I could have done it by hand. HOWever, I know that there are machine-piecers out there who can do it precisely with ease.

There are many (MANY) blocks in the "Nearly Insane" book that can be Inklingo'ed. All you have to do is decide whether the unit you want to Inklingo is a QST or a HST. Then measure the size of the unit in the book and pick the same size Inklingo template.

In this case, the majority of units are HST (Half Square Triangles), and they are all 0.5". Your measurement in the book, as well as the size of the Inklingo template, is the finished size.

I recommend you down-load Monkey's Cheat-sheet, and write down the requirements on one, before embarking. It is much easier to follow the printing-directions when written on the cheat-sheet, than it is on what can be written up for a blog, (and I have not yet mastered the art of embedding a pdf-file on a blog)

In the original block, there is no "background-fabric", I have, however, chosen to use the background fabric that I have used throughout the sampler-blocks. For ease of reference (since this is a many-pieces block), I have written the colour of the fabric I have used in the printing-directions too.

The block is made, either with Collection 2 or the new, downloadable HST collection and QST collection.

Fabric-1 (background, white / light)

96 HST, 0.5" - uses the square layout, (which is both on the CD and in the downloadable collection)
6.25 x 11.5" printed Landscape AND
6.25 x 11.5" printed Landscape
4 QST, 0.5"
2 x 4" (use smallest size your printer will accept, for mine it's 3 x 5")
4 squares, 0.5", (not printable).
Cut each square 1" for a finished size of 0.5"

Fabric-2 ( Focus 1, pink / medium)
3.25 x 11.5 to layer with Fabric-1, (do not print), giving a total of 32 HST-squares
2x 4" to layer with Fabric-1, (do not print), giving a total of 4 QST-squares
9 squares, 0.5", (not printable).
Cut each square 1" for a finished size of 0.5"

Fabric-3 (Focus 2, brown/ dark)
6.25 x 11.5" to layer with Fabric-1, (do not print), giving a total of 64 HST-squares
4 squares, 0.5", (not printable).
Cut each square 1" for a finished size of 0.5"
2 rectangles, each 0.75 x 1.5", (not printable).
Cut each rectangle 1.25 x 2"
2 rectangles, each 0.75 x 3" (not printable).
Cut each rectangle 1.25 x 3.5"

- - -

Make all the HST and QST units. See Triangle Tips, or in your collection, OR in the Inklingo Handbook for tips and hints on how to do it.
This step will take quite some time, since you will need to trim off all the points. The bits in this block are so small, that everything that can be trimmed, should be trimmed. FORtunately, with Inklingo, you have lines along which to trim, so it isn't hard at all, just somewhat time-consuming.

Take the QST-units, of the Fabric-1 and Fabric-2 bits.
Make a star, exactly the same way you did the Ohio Star. The only difference between the two is the size !
Border the star with the rectangles made with Fabric-3, adding first the two short rectangles to opposite sides, then the two longer to the remaining sides.

Next comes a number of rows of HST. They are not difficult to make, however, to get the block to look as it should according to the book, it is important that you look closely at the pictures, and add them as they are there ...
Another option is to live with it looking different from the original pattern, and rest at ease, since only NI-buffs with a strong leaning towards QuiltPolice will ever notice :-)
Disregarding Inklingo, this block is a bear to frog-stitch and to press. Do not expect it to lay flat with ease.

Make 4 rows, each with 6 HST-squares of Fabric-1 and 3
To two of these rows, add a Fabric-2 square to each side.
Join the two rows that have no square at the end, to opposite sides of the centre unit.
Join the two remaining rows to the remaining two sides.




Make 4 rows, each with 8 HST-squares of Fabric-1 and 2
To two of these rows, add a Fabric-3 square to each side
Join the two rows that have no square at the end, to opposite sides of the centre unit.
Join the two remaining rows to the remaining two sides.




Make 4 rows, each with 10, HST-squares of Fabric-1 and 3
To two of these rows, add a Fabric-2 square to each side.
Join the two rows that have no square at the end, to opposite sides of the centre unit.
Join the two remaining rows to the remaining two sides.

Finished !

Free Pattern - Passacaglia

In the year 1973, the British author Lucy Boston made a quilt for her friend, harpsicordist Colin Tilney.
As all of her quilts, it is fairly simple in it's basic construction, yet very intricate in its execution.

In early August of this year (2009), I was given a copy of Diana Boston's book "The Patchworks of Lucy Boston", and saw the picture of the quilt.

The book has no directions, just a few pictures, but since when has that stopped a determined quilter :-) I fell in love. Hard. Really, really hard :-) And started to make blocks to make my own version of this quilt. As of now (December 2009), I have finished 30+ blocks, all of which you can see on my other blog.

Then, a couple of months ago, I wrote Diana Boston, and asked her permission to make a pattern, and she graciously granted that. The quilt is not in her posession, however, but resides in Canada, with Colin Tilney.

When I started to write the pattern, it turned out to be very, very difficult to make lucid AND comprehensive, wherefore some very hard decisions were necessary. This is why the pattern I'm giving away this Christmas, is a pattern for a table-runner, and not a full quilt. Should you want to make a full quilt of your own, however, it should be possible to do with the information in the pattern.

The pattern turned out to be impossible to write it up for the blog, which is why you need to download it at Linda Franz Inklingo home-page. It is written for the Free Collection, so if money are low, but stash is high, you need not go out and buy anything at all.

You can buy Diana Boston's book direct from her, right here, or, if you are in North America, from Linda Franz, right here. Be aware, though, that there are no patterns in the book, just pictures of the quilts Lucy Boston made.

You can download your free Passacaglia pattern here : http://lindafranz.com/product.php?productId=55

Merry Christmas ! And if you don't celebrate that, then Happy New Year :-)

Puss in the Corner

For those of you who do not celebrate the season and/or are feeling somewhat fed up with the whole thing, here's a nice, absolutely non-christmassy block.
... and anyway, with winter being in full swing in the northern hemisphere, a warm corner is where my pussies prefer to be.

... and yes, I do know that there are many blocks called "Puss in the Corner" and that this is probably not the one most frequently associated with the name, but I really like it, and it gives those of us who makes this block the opportunity to practice this kind of corner ... which is much used in quilt-blocks.

Uses either Collection 2 or the new, downloadable "Half Square Triangles 00B" collection.
The squares can be printed from either the Inklingo Lite # 4 (the smaller size of POTC), or Collection 1.


Fabric 1 (background)
1" HST (16 needed)
4.25 x 8.5"
2" square
Cut 2.5" square
3.25" square for Flying Geese

Fabric 2 (focus 1, dark)
2" HST (4 needed)
3.5 x 6.75"
1" squares (4 needed)
3" square, cut apart to make 4 squares, each 1.5"

Fabric 3 (focus 2, medium)
1" HST (8 needed)
4.25 x 5"
3.25" square for Flying Geese


Barbara Brackman # 1669

Make a total of 8 Flying Geese, 4 in each distribution of fabrics. Use the Flying Geese method, found on p. 10-11 of the Triangle Tips.

Join the Geese, two and two, to make a total of 4 squares (2" finished, 2.5" unfinished)


Make the 4 corner-units.
Start by joining a 1" HST to each side of the 1" square.
Join a 2" HST to the unit, to form a square (2" finished, 2.5" unfinished).
Make 4.



Lay out and join block as you would a 9-patch.

Finished

Hexagon bonus block # 10 - Poinsetta

This block is my own design (as far as I know). IF someone out there has information that others have designed the same block previously, please let me know.
In any circumstance, play fair. If you want to share this block with others, refer them to this page, please :-)

This block uses Collection # 3, but if you want it in a different size (4" to the side, 8" from tip to tip), you can use Collection 1, and use the 1" unit as your base.

Fabric 1 (background)
6 diamonds, 0.75" (p. 115)
3 x 5" (printed landscape)
12 triangles, 0.75" (p. 136)
3 x 6.75"

Fabric 2 (leaves)
12 diamonds, 0.75" (p. 115)
4 x 6.5" (printed landscape)

Fabric 3 (flower)
6 starpoints, 0.75" (p. 97)
5 x 6"

Fabric 4 (centre)
1 hexagon, 0.75" (p. 82)
4.25 x 5" (will yield 4, but it is the smallest sensible size)


Make the diamonds that are to be inset between the star-points. Each of these pieced diamonds consists of two triangles and a diamond of background-fabric, and two diamonds of the leaf-fabric.



Make the star-flower, as you made the Texas Star block and inset the sewn diamonds as you did the unsewn background-fabric diamonds on that one.

Mary's Block or Gentleman's Fancy

Take your choice on the name, depending on whether or not you want to make this into a Christmas-block.

Uses Collection 2, or the downloadable HST 00B-AND the QST 00B collection

Fabric 1 (background)
12 QST, 2"
3.5 x 10.5"

Fabric 2 (focus)
8 HST, 2"
6.25 x 6.5"
4 QST, 2"
3.5 x 5" (my printer's minimum size)
1 square, 2"
cut 2.5" or use the POTC collection or Collection 1.



Make the centre economy-patch :

Take the 2" square and add a 2" QST in Background-fabric to each side of the square.

Add a 2" HST in Focus-fabric to each side of the new square.

Make 4 units, each with 3 QST triangles, BUT the long end.

Add a 3-triangle unit to each side of the Economy Patch.


Add a 2" HST in Focus Fabric to each corner.

Finished !

Joseph's Coat or Scrapbag

Pick the name depending on whether or not you celebrate Christmas :-)

Uses Collection 2 or the downloadable HST 00B collection. Since there are now two different versions of the same sizes of the bits, I will not note the page on which it is on. Download Monkey's Cheat Sheet, and make your own notes.


Fabric requirements

Fabric 1 (background)
12 HST, 1"
xxx
Two unprinted squares, each 3.25, for Flying Geese

Fabric 2 (focus 1, medium)
4 HST, 1"
xxx
4 HST, 2"
xxx
1 square, 2"
Cut a 2.5" square, or print from POTC or Collection 1.

Fabric 3 (focus 2, dark)
16 HST, 1" (for Flying Geese
xxx

Fabric 4 (focus 3, medium)
4 rectangles (not printed)
Cut each of them 1 x 2.5" for a finished size of 0.5 x 2"

Start by making the corner-units.
Make four 1" squares from Focus Fabric 1 and Background Fabric
Add a Background-fabric HST to each side of the Focus-fabric side of the square, forming a 2" HST.
Join the 2" HST of Focus Fabric 1 to the unit, forming a 2" square.
Do this a total of 4 times.


Make 8 Flying Geese, using the 3.25" squares of Background Fabric and the 1" HST of Focus Fabric 2. Use the method described here .

Cut away 1/4" (the seam-allowance) on the bottom of each of the Geese-units.

Add the rectangle to the side where the seam-allowance has been cut off.

Join a Flying Geese unit to the other side of the rectangle, forming a 2" square.


Lay out block as a 9-patch.

Join as you would a 9-patch.

Finished.

Hexagon bonus block # 9

Star of the East
Barbara Brackman # 241.1 / 3716

Uses Collection 3

Fabric 1 (background)
6 diamonds, 1.5" (p. 122)
5.5 x 6.25"

Fabric 2 (focus A, dark)
6 half-diamonds, 1.5" (p. 125)
4.5 x 6"

Fabric 3 (focus B, medium)
6 half-diamonds, 1.5" (p. 125)
4.5 x 6"


Join the half-diamonds from the two focus-fabrics, to form a total of 6 diamonds.

Join them as you would a normal 6-pointed star. Make sure that you alternate the colours on the two focus-fabrics.

Add the backing-fabric. If you hand-piece, this can be done with one continuous stitch.

Finished.