Red Needle Quilts: quilt blocks

Showing posts with label quilt blocks. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Basket Quilt and Mini-Dwellings WIP

I'm still waiting for the quilting thread! SIGH!

The 'problem order' made it through US Customs and has made it to France! Scheduled to arrive next week.

Meanwhile; progress on the Basket quilt

The 4 scrappy 16-patches corner blocks are done

The small 4-patches - measure 2.5" square - for the second border is done; 72 out of 72!

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Mini-Dwellings is UFO #25 on my UFO/WIP list

The small house block has been sitting on my sewing table for weeks. The idea is to make a small wall hanging, but I wanted to add that little extra to make it more interesting. I wanted to add some embroidery, but haven't found the 'right' design.

This block is leftover from 'Dwellings' I finished last year.

During the weekend, I flipped through several issues of Australian 'Creating Country Threads Stitchery' magazines to see if I could find something I like.

I did!

I chose three stitchery patterns, and this is a combination of the three.

I don't have a lightbox, I had to tape the pattern and fabric to the window to get the design transferred. The shades on the fabric make it look dirty.

I dived into my DMC floss to see if I have the recommended colors.

I have 9 colors out of 5. That meant going to the neighbor town for shopping!

I got what I needed, and it was a nice long walk.

These are the colors + black.

I may swap the purple with another color, I shall see when I'm there...

Saturday, March 14, 2026

Basket Quilt UFO - WIP

It took me some days deciding on how to do the basket blocks, since I was not that eager to do the original block design. Then I saw Melva's beautiful Basket block and knew right away my blocks need a 'flower pot'!

I think the left one looks much better and I decided on that design.

I also get to use up my basket weave fabrics that have been sitting on the shelf for some years! What I don't use for the blocks, will be used for a pieced backing. I made 5 of the design to the right, those blocks will be used for the backing too.

The pattern calls for 16 Basket blocks and I'm happy to say they are all done!

I went through ALL my stash looking for suitable background fabric for the blocks. The one I intended is not enough! Of course! It's a beautiful Crab Apple Hill Studio called 'Tea Rose'. IMO; it would have been perfect. I need about 2 yards, I have only 1 yard. I have a few in neutrals cream, but I didn't like any of them, they look a bit dull. So, I went hunting online and did order one with tiny flowers in muted colors that should fit.

I love making this quilt (so far! lol), but there's something with the block I don't like, but I can't pinpoint or explain exactly what it is. Hm.... they look like the Gremlins?! LOL

What do you think?

Next step is to make 72 4-patch units for the second border, using 1.5" squares! That means I need 288 1.5" squares! Good thing I have quite some cut already, for this ongoing project I haven't worked on for a very long time. I forgot to add this one when I did my UFO/WIP list for this year.

I haven't done anything red this week.

I have A Quilting Life's BOM for March to do. It includes red. It should be done by next week.

Update on the delayed quilting thread order: The company has re-shipped my order, hopefully with the right custom papers this time.

...and I'm still waiting for other quilting thread too. SIGH! I have 5-6 quilts thread basted and ready to be quilted. Oh well, I have more than enough other WIPs to work on, while waiting...

Linking up with Angela and the RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2026)

Thursday, March 5, 2026

True Blue - Progress

I worked on True Blue in January, when the chosen RSC color was blue.

Unit #1 and #2 were done, and part of unit #3.

The last days I'm working on True Blue again

The last 4 blocks of unit #3 are done

...and I'm almost done with the corner units.

I have to make 160 triangles! I'm almost there! 24 to go!

I'm making it scrappy; one triangle at a time. I have so many 1.5" strips to use. I was struggling with the first corner units; the pressing direction (on the pattern). I think it was because I do one triangle at a time. I got irritated and decided to press the seams open. Doing it that way worked much better!

I love how these blocks turn out.

Those of you on the Northern hemisphere, is there any sign of spring or is it winter?

February has been hot, and it continues into March; we have had a few days with 91.4F (33C), which IS hot halfway on the plateau where we live. The west coastal region has recorded 95F (35C). In addition; 70-85% humidity. I can't wait for cooler days; one month to go before it starts cooling down!

Saturday, October 25, 2025

Last Catch Up on RSC Monthly blocks 2025 / Potholders to a Friend

As the title says; these are the last RSC blocks for 2025

'Coffee with Dad'

I love these blocks! They are so fun and fast to make

7 brown blocks

As you can see, two of them have more red than brown.

8 black blocks

Corrected to 7 blocks

Hm... How did that happen? Do you see it? Cup #3 first row and #1 second row are the same! I made one only! Messed up when I took the photos.

Eclipse

I'm a bit lost when it comes to it. How do I explain that? I have an idea how to assemble the blocks. With that idea, I don't think I can make all blocks beforehand. When the time comes, I will lay out the blocks I have already made, see what other colors fit in and make them.

15 quarter circle blocks - purple / aqua / turquoise / brown

Half circles

1 aqua / turquoise

3 brown / teal

More of these blocks. I've lost count; a lot of 2.5" squares used up. There are 20 in each block. These blocks are going together with the 36-patches I've made earlier

8 brown blocks

6 black blocks

Hollow 9-patches

2 Light blue blocks

4 Brown blocks

1 Black block

Do you have any plans for RSC 2026?

It's so easy getting carried away making blocks, I have lost track of what I have made! I need to put all those blocks together, that would be my main goal for 2026. For RSC, maybe only one block, I'm thinking of the Friendship block. Still some months to go to decide.

These are the potholders I made for a DF in Norway

I couldn't post photos earlier because he wanted them to be a surprise. The package is now delivered.

HAPPY QUILTING!

Linking up with Angela and RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2025)

Thursday, October 23, 2025

Back to Over the River and Through the Woods

Now that the sewing table is cleared for RSC blocks, fabrics and other stuff, I'm ready to work on one of my oldest UFO; Over the River & Through the Woods.

If you read this post, all the stitcheries are done. I decided to use all fabrics to make it scrappier. The fabrics where cut and set aside until I could sew again.

After dust cleaning and mopping floors, the weekend was spent making the star blocks that goes between the stitcheries. Each block measures 6" finished and there are six blocks in each row. They are small, but easy and fast to make.

Update: They are now sewn together and narrow borders between the stitcheries are added.

Photos taken inside on a cloudy day never work out very well. The colors in the first row look almost right, the second row and stitcheries look washed out. Sigh!

It's midweek and I have finished the 64 Flying Geese needed for the border.

I was looking for more matching scraps in my stash, but didn't really find much I could use together with the already chosen fabrics. There are a few to the right.

Next step is to trim the stitcheries, add the inner border and the outer Flying Geese border. It occurred to me I don't have backing fabric for this one. I have enough brown to make it scrappy, I think. I shall see...

Saturday, October 18, 2025

Catching Up on RSC July / August / September continues

It has been a lot of catch up on RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) over the last couple of weeks. I have made a lot of blocks and I'm happy to say I'm all caught up (almost*!) on RSC 2025! Sewing table is cleared for squares and fabrics (for RSC), ready for something new (coming soon).

*There will be two more blocks from Sherry McConnell's BOM, that's it for this year.

For not to make it too photo-heavy, I'll make it into two posts.

What took the most time, was four blocks for Pat Sloan's BOM '182 Day Solstice Challenge' I'm happy to say, out of 25 blocks I have only one left to do. Yet to decide on color for that one. When it's done, I can start working on the settings. The blocks vary in size from 12.50 (smallest) to 24.50 inches (biggest). There will be squares and strips as 'fill-in's' between the blocks. I'm excited getting the top done, but that has to wait. It's already past middle October and I have a couple of Christmas quilts to do.

182 Day Solstice Challenge

Block 19/25 Board Games - Purple

Measures 24.50 x 24.50 inches / 62 cm square

Block 14/25 Honey Bee - Purple

Measures 12.5 x 12.5 inches / 32 cm square

Block 15/25 - Precious Fabric - Light Blue

Measures 20.5 x 20.5 inches / 52 cm square

Block 5/25 - Gramma Anna's Basket - Light blue / Brown

Measures 12.5 x 12.5 inches / 32 cm square

Sherri McConnell's BOM 2025 for October is done

I love how this one turned out in brown

Over to 'Coffee with Dad'

I love these blocks! They are so fun and fast to make.

7 purple blocks

8 aqua / turquoise / teal

8 light blue

Hollow 9-patch

Isn't it amazing how many shades of purple there are?

5 purple blocks

2 aqua / teal blocks

OF COURSE I got carried away with these blocks!

8 blocks in light blue (centre)

These are going to be used together with 36-patches blocks I've made earlier

This is all for now

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND AND HAPPY QUILTING!

Linking up with Angela and RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge)

Saturday, October 4, 2025

Catch-Up on RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) July / August / September 2025

Hello everyone! I'm back!

I can't believe I haven't done a blog post since beginning of august! If you read that post, you know my 'Dear Nina' (Bernina 440 QE) was sick and had to go to a spa in South Africa. She has reached the spa and waiting for either good or bad news about what can be done.

Good news is, I purchased a new Bernina; 770 QE PLUS! Her name is 'Helena'. I got her in August and I very happy! It has a lot of features I most probably never will use. I have yet to explore a lot, at least I know how to do the basics.

The last week I've been catching up on RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) for July, August and September. Not all blocks are done, the 'plan' (unless it fails!) is to do more blocks this weekend.

First up is Sherri McConnells BOM 2025