Saturday 2 January 2016

365 Blocks and Glorious Hexagons



Well here we are, January 2016 - don't these years come round quickly these days?!
Happy New Year to you all and I wish you health, laughter and comfort - if not bounteous wealth!
I mean what WOULD we do with thousands or millions of £'s or $'s?

Hmm Yes, I could write a list too - but I am not altogether convinced it would bring me any the more happiness , contentment or better health ...
... and I think in truth they would be the most valuable things to want.
 Although I would be prepared to give it a try of course and I would  most certainly retire straight away!

I have done some stitching to while away my days off and now have enough '365 circle blocks' to make a nice lap quilt.
I made the first 2 before Christmas and all the others up to last week.
The make one a week plan overtook me and I have made 64 in a  particular subtle color ways and now I've seen some of the others, made in bright and bountiful fabrics - well I will have to make another in much brighter fabrics later!
I guess my mood has been subtle and I have been in prolific mode!


 The laying out process with cats n dog shut out!



I have altered a couple of blocks since the above pic and they are now pinned together in vertical rows, awaiting some wadding to arrive.

Linking my 365 blocks up with

http://quiltyfolk.blogspot.co.uk/


As of January 1st Katja Murak of The New Hexagon book, has begun a new years 'free' Facebook pattern. You can join the Facebook group freely and see what folks are doing and its a much more user friendly activity this year.
Details about this years project can be found on her website, just look for the Glorious Hexagon details.
The part pictures at the top of this post are my first attempt of the first block but I haven't done it right, didn't read the instructions properly!
I hadn't cut the wadding or the backing fabric big enough.
Hey ho, least I wont do that again.
Maybe.
It will make a decent mug rug so no loss there.
But it will give you an idea of the individual quilt as you go blocklets.

http://www.katjasquiltshoppe.com/quilt-along.htm
There are no intensely made rosettes this year, which can easily drive you crazy or obsessive, but you still do need a copy of her book for the patterns of the individual blocks.
This year we will make each individual hexi block, there's 52 in the book, but quilt them as we go along and then stitch each one together.
And of course you don't need to make all 52, you could just make less and make table runners or bags - or a waistcoat, jacket, whatever lol

The only difference is this time we enlarge the books full sized patterns by 133% so these hexi blocks are 4" edges and 8" point to point. Altogether easier to piece at that size and obviously it will grow quickly!

SO relatively less work is involved but it still offers a challenging opportunity to fussy cut - without as much stress!
My own 2015 milliefiori is stalled and will become other things bit by bit. I realised half way through that I would never use it as a bed cover, I didn't really like the mass jumble of colours involved although I thoroughly enjoyed the process and learning how to fussy cut.

However those who had colour toned their work from the very beginning have made stunning covers for themselves and I think that's the secret of best of them.
To have a themed colour combination and not just as so many of us did, a joyous bevy of every colour imaginable!

Ah well back to the fussy cutting, its one Katja block a week as its one 365 block a week too!
So I've no excuse for staying online : )
Have you made any resolutions at all?
Have you broken them yet? lol
I am still thinking about making any ..... it may take me a while to decide!


18 comments:

  1. Such a lovely palette for the circles! Wonderful to see them!

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  2. Que bonitos los bloques del Quilt 365!!!

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  3. Happy New Year Lyn! Love your circle blocks and your hexagon! You are certainly keeping yourself busy!! I shall look forward to seeing your progress through the year! Hope 2016 is a good year for you! Christine x

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  4. Yum. Love your subtle circles and the way you've set them. Congratulations.

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  5. Your 365 blocks are so nice, shouldn't need bright colors. Good luck with all your plans for 2016.

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  6. Happy New Year to you! I haven't made any resolutions this year. I just never seem to keep them so what's the point. I have been working some of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks into tops and enjoying the holidays.

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  7. No resolutions for me - they are a set-up for dismal failure so I know better than to go there! My resolve (not to be confused with resolution) is to continue to use up my stash and tackle the overwhelming to-do list. There's one large project looming (if I manage to muster enough courage to start...plus manage to grease my arthritic bones enough to crawl around on the floor to get it started). Methinks I will manage to put in my time!

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  8. Happy New Year Lyn! My Millefiori quilt is stalled to so while I'm tempted to start the new QAL I think I should think about the other! Love your 365 circle blocks. They look wonderful arranged on the floor; it is amazing what a difference it makes to lock the "helpers" out!

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  9. Years ago I made a resolution to never make another resolution. It's worked really well. 8)
    I love seeing everyone's Quilty 365 blocks - all the lovely variations and colors! Such fun!

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  10. No resolutions for me--they never last! Thanks for the heads up on the Hexagon Sew Along--it looks like fun! Happy New Year!

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  11. Those golds and the occasional pop of red in your circles are the perfect counterpoint to the neutrals. You're really moving right along with your journey. I've also thought about doing another smaller set in children's prints, machine appliqueing rather than hand stitching them.

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  12. Your circles look fantastic. I love the subtle colours.

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  13. Happy New Year Lyn!
    I hope you get health, laughter and comfort too, as well as the boundless wealth xx

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  14. Your Quilty365 squares are fantastic, I love your colors. I'm really leaning towards starting on this project. The circles, you know. Hexies are too scary for me yet! xoxo

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  15. Oh I love your neutral colored circles. Very calming! Enjoy the journey.

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  16. What a lovely colour palette you chose for your circles, so relaxing to look at! It's a great idea to make more than one quilt in different colours...might keep that in mind myself!!! Happy New Year :)

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  17. Beautiful neutrals and I really like the staggered layout!

    The Powerball is at record amount today, $550 Million dollars. Now that could really make, or break, a person..

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  18. I love the soft look of yours, so many ideas in the linky party, impossible to try them all :(

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