Friday – finally block #24

Fellow Quilters,

Happy Friday 😊 Woo-hoo!  We made it to the 24^th and final day of the Time to Quilt quilt-along.  If you’re following along, Friday is the day to pop on over to Northcott’s Facebook page and post a photo of your 2 favorite blocks.  Don’t forget to also like the page and the post for your chance to win some major swag.  You can also post your photos on Instagram and #timetoquiltfigo.  Good luck! I hear tell there might be a couple more prizes after today, maybe some quilt layout instructions on the Northcott Facebook page, and maybe even another quilt-along.  If you’re a subscriber to my blog, you’ll get all the details.  And please share my posts with your quilty friends/fellow guild members and encourage them to subscribe if you have enjoyed this quilt-along.  Shall we get to our final block?

Block 24 is similar to yesterday’s block but easier – no HST units in the corners.  Did you find yesterday’s tip about the order in which you add the sew-and-flip corners helpful?  When I was assembling the units in my super-size Shimmer version, I almost went rogue and changed the way they were arranged.  So many choices!

Same block, different options

I didn’t make any changes to the original pattern on Northcott’s, Banyan’s and FIGO’s Facebook page, simply added pressing notes and the 3 size options.

As I was piecing my blocks I was reflecting on the tips I have shared for the past 24 days, and also the tips Daphne has shared on her daily blog.  Two that she mentioned bear repeating.

Tip #1:  Practice makes perfect.  While making all these blocks over the past 24 days I have found that my piecing skills have improved, as has Daphne.  How about you?  I think we can all agree that we are now experts at half-square-triangle (HST) units.  We’re better at snowball or sew-and-flip corners.  We’re now pretty good at 4-patch units too.  I’ve also become much better at mini-piecing, having worked on the 4½” make-it-mini version.  Some of you would say that isn’t mini, however it’s much smaller than I usually sew.  So give yourself a pat on the back if you’ve made all 24 blocks.

Tip #2:  Daphne posted a great tip about sewing those snowball corners.  Place a line of tape on your machine in front of the needle and make the bottom tip of your angled corner square follow the line of the tape.  This saves having to draw a line on every snowball corner square.  It also works for those HST units.

Tape lines on my Janome travel machine

I have these tape lines on my Janome Gem travel machine, and I had them on my old sewing table when my machine was mounted into a table.  That table didn’t make the move when Hubby and I relocated last year. Now my machine sits on a different table so I don’t have enough space in front of the needle to really take advantage of this tip.

Tip #3:  I have used the same thread for all 3 versions for all 24 days – a medium beige and medium gray Aurifil.  These are my go-to colors.  I put one in the top and the other in the bobbin so that I know which thread is the top thread (it’s easier to unpick if I need to do any).

Medium beige Aurifil in the top and medium gray Aurifil in the bobbin

I was also going to give some tips on sewing machine feet however I shall save that for another post so stay tuned for that.

Here are my finished blocks.  Time to celebrate!

Block 24 done 🙂

Here, by the way, was yesterday’s Stay-at-Home-and-Cruise cocktail du jour – Hubby’s version of an apple-tini since we were scheduled to be in Normandy.

Our version of an apple-tini for our Normandy port of call.

You can find my instructions for Block 24 here.

Northcott’s blocks today are made with Material Girl and Banyan’s are done with Vintage Chic.  I wonder what FIGO is showing in their quilt today.

Speaking of quilts, I played around with my blocks yesterday in my EQ program and came up with some very nice arrangements.  Since today’s post is already long enough I shall save them for tomorrow.  You will be inspired!

I really would enjoy seeing your blocks and your finished quilts.  Please do share them with me, either by posting pictures on my Patti’s Patchwork Facebook page or by emailing them to me at patti.pattispatchwork@gmail.com.  I am also very interested in your feedback on this quilt-along and your favorite tip.  Please post your comments below.  Would you be interested in doing another one?  How often – daily, twice a week, weekly?  How many blocks?  What size of block/quilt?  If you’ve done other quilt-alongs, which one was your favorite, and why?

Thanks sew much, and I’ll see you tomorrow 😊

Patti