Green Tea and Sweet Beans Down the Drunkards Path

At least the sun is shining brightly today though it's still a bit chilly...it was 0 degrees when we woke up...the weather is changing daily around here now and we are back to 50 again tomorrow.  This usually leaves me to taking inside pictures but I thought I'd try a snow shot again with the next two blocks...

This is Drunkards Path from the Green Tea Sweet Beans quilt... we were to make 2 of them...

 They really do lay flat and square...it's the snow that's lumpy, really!!

 In case you want a tip or two on sewing curves...I know it's scares a few people...I use a technique I learned from Fons and Porter years ago.  First, fold a crease in each piece by folding in half...

 Put the "crust" piece on top of the pie slice shape and pin at the crease in the center...

 I would use at least 5 pins for this small size...

And, lastly...iron towards the "pie" piece.




A sidenote...several commented on the background fabric I used for the last applique block.  It is from the Collage line by Such and Such Designs Carrie Bloomston.  There is some here if you need it, lol!  It has been out awhile and is a little more difficult to come up with but Pink Castle Fabrics still has some.

So tired of Snow So Let's Applique

I think I may lose my mind if it doesn't quit snowing soon!  Ok, ok, that boat sailed awhile ago...but c'mon...this is just past fair.  Somewhere between 6 to 8 more inches fell today in the area...a bit hard to tell exactly with 30 mph winds gusting it about....I won't complain too loudly though as many are without power in the area and we are still blessed to have ours.

So what's a girl to do but sew, I guess...

This is Applique block number 1 in the Green Tea Sweet Beans quilt... 

 I used needle turn hand applique as the technique on this block and am happy with the result.  If you look carefully at the cover - this block is almost smack dab in the center.

 Snow. Snow...I don't love you anymore...

Green Tea Block Block 6 and a Group Outing

It is hard to stay away from this quilt... I have fallen hard for this pattern and have been sneaking in time to sew in order to keep making more blocks...as I mentioned earlier, it probably has something to do with the long winter and the spring feel of the fabrics and flowers in this quilt.

 Today, it was time for block 6 Churn Dash...we are to make 2 of them...this has to be one of my all-time favorite block patterns but I have never made one as scrappy as these are...I chose one of my favorite Tula images of the little girl catching butterflies for the center fussy on one. This is really a nod to my 9 year old self  :)

And, I was finally able to take outside pictures as the weather is much warmer today around 50 degrees...

 Lest you believe that Spring has come to Indiana...I present exhibit A...

 and exhibit b...

 And you can see that snow still dominates our yard.  I also can't believe I'm saying this, but the forecast calls for another 3 to 7 inches of snow on Wednesday...whaaaa?

We are thinking of digging the grill out of the snowdrift for dinner tonight though...

Another day, more progress on Green Tea and Sweet Beans Quilt

As mentioned earlier this week, I have started this quilt...and, as I expected I have fallen hard for this pattern and have been sneaking in time to sew in order to keep making more blocks...it probably has something to do with the long winter and the spring feel of the fabrics and flowers in this quilt.

Today, it was time for block 5 Double Pinwheel...we are to make 2 of them...

I really enjoyed making these and they went together fast and easy!  I am trying to follow Jen Kingwell's lead and do a mash up of 30's and 40's repro fabrics mingled with some Kaffe,  some Tula and AMH and other more modern fabrics.  I have noticed that the more blocks I make -  the more cohesive they look as a group (even though individually they look a bit like a mess)...I will try to get a group shot soon, it's been hard to do with the weather we've been having.

Green Tea Block 3 and 4

As mentioned earlier this week, I have started this quilt...

Part III is making 2 of this block called Lozengers...hmmmm, is that a cough drop per chance...how appropriate...

Part IV is supposed to be 3 hand pieced versions of this block with an octagon in the center which I switched up to a hand appliqued circle on top of a 6 inch X plus block instead...yes, I save my sanity for the important stuff and I think this looks very similar...For the record, I did make one the way the pattern called for...I just didn't like that I couldn't make it lie flat with all the bias stuff going on.  These are machine pieced and are laying quite flat...problem solved.

Green Tea Block 2

So I mentioned in this post that I have started this quilt...

 Part II is 16 Propellar Blocks combined for one scrappy cutie..

If you look at the book cover closely, you can see where this block fits in...I am really enjoying the process of making these blocks though I am machine, not hand-piecing them...they are quite small individually and I am trying to mimic as best I can Jen Kingwell's beautiful use of color.  I know that's what drew me to this quilt originally.  The colors remind me Spring is around the corner!

Green Tea Anyone?

Hi all...I know this little 6 1/2" block doesn't look like much...

Wedding Chain Block

but it has me so excited!!  I have been wanting to start this quilt for a long time.  I know I am late to the party but is anyone else working on this right now? 
For anyone who somehow hasn't seen this before, it is an older BOM from Jen Kingwell called Green Tea and Sweet Beans.  The book can be purchased at that link or through several other sources.  The pattern calls for hand piecing but I plan to machine piece the blocks like this one that lend themselves to it.  I am so happy to finally break the ice and get a start on this.