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Blockheads ~ Block 10

Blockheads ~ Block 10

Written by: 
cnelson

I feel like we need a Blockheads theme song... something stirring that gets your attention!  Ride of the Valkyries?  Or is that too dramatic?

Be Happy by Pharrell Williams?  We could change "clap along" to "stitch along".

No?  I'll keep thinking about this.

Week 10 - Basket & Flower by Jan Patek.

That's Tammy's block.  She used a wonderful mix of fabrics - the background is from Little Gatherings by Lisa Bongean, the basket and flower are Bramblewood by Betsy Chutchian, and the leaves are from the Moda Weave collection.

Instead of cutting the handle as one piece, Tammy cut a bias strip 1/2" wide.  (Tammy is making her appliqué blocks using a fusible-appliqué method.)  In addition to getting the wonderful bias-stripe effect, it also made the handle a bit easier to apply.

I also decided to cut my handle on the bias.  The "I know a little something about fabric" part of my brain decided it would curve easily, that's what bias does.  The "not an expert at appliqué" part said "...not so fast, maybe there's a reason Jan didn't cut it that way."

It worked but oy vey... did I ever have to steam that bias strip to get it to lay flat.  Two thing to note - these appliqué pieces have been prepped using the freezer paper and starch method, and it's about half-way stitched down.  The rest is glue-basted.  (Fabrics are from Rachel Remembered by Betsy Chutchian, Snowberry by 3 Sisters and Thistle Farms by Lynne Hagmeier.)

The Fig Tree & Co. version?  Glued and no, I haven't started on the stitching.  (It is a week before Market, 'nuff said, right?)

The fabrics are Farmhouse, Strawberry Fields Revisited and Chestnut Street by Fig Tree & Co... Joanna.  Background is Ann's Arbor by Minick & Simpson - coming in August.

Click HERE to get Jan's Basket & Flower Block.

What about Something's Coming from West Side Story?

Could be! Who knows?
There's something due any day;
I will know right away,
Soon as it shows.
It may come cannon-balling down through the sky,
Gleam in its eye,
Bright as a rose!

While all the dancing would be fun, we don't want any fighting and let's be honest... do we have a dewy ingenue in this group?

I also made extra blocks using last week's Ohio Star Variation block.  After seeing Debra Taylor's block on Instagram, I was instantly smitten.

Color placement is everything, isn't it?  I really loved the "crown effect" created by Debra's variation of the Variation.  Variation v.2?

To see how much difference it might make, I used just one fabric for the quarter-triangle squares.  I like it but I think I'll wind up making a version like Debra's before the forty-eight weeks are over.

Thistle Farms, Snowberry and I think the lighter blue is Reflections by Jo Morton.

Farmhouse and one of my favorite ever backgrounds, from Liberty Gatherings by Primitive Gatherings.

Question of the Week ~ Favorite color for fabric?  As in, if you looked at my fabric stash, you'd know that I loved <name of color>?

Let's go with "you'd know I loved fabric."  In every color, and trending toward vibrant and vivid.

There was a time when I would have answered this question like this... Red.  Or black.  Definitely Blue - from Aqua to Navy.  Though I do stash good backgrounds.  But I'm growing increasingly fond of any shade of Orange.

It's true, and while my tastes have changed over the years, mostly I know that I like everything.  Whether it's a mood or a whim, I make something based on what I feel like making at that time.  (Which might explain some of the UFOs...) Before I moved to Texas and dramatically reduced my "fabric collection", it was interesting to see that I did have a lot of backgrounds, reds and greens.  But when I look in my closet and on the shelves now, what I notice most is how colorful it is.  (And how I really need to sew faster.)

How about Get The Party Started by Pink?  Uh... no.  Saturday night, party and squealing tires?

So that's it for this Wednesday, Week 10.  

If you missed it, click HERE to get Jan's Basket & Flower Block.

Posting your blocks!  Are you sharing your blocks on Instagram or Facebook?  We sure hope you are, and more importantly, please make sure you're using the hashtag - #modablockheads.  Something is in the works and we want your blocks included.  (If you've posted pictures and forgotten the hashtag, just go in and Edit the post to add it.)

Be sure to visit Lynne, Jo, Jan and Lisa to see their blocks and what other good things they might have made:

And don't forget to check out the blocks popping up in #modablockheads on Instagram and Facebook for more pictures.  The Moda Blockheads Facebook group is also busy with folks sharing tips, suggestions and support.

Happy Blockhead Wednesday!

And try to think of a theme song!

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