Quilt Along Progress Update

I have not blogged in while but I have been sewing and made some progress on the two quiltalongs I'm participating in.  Here is a progress shot of my #LittleBlocks365 project.  I'm now working on it in "color order" to ensure I have a good distribution of color in my finished blocks.

I've finished about half of the 56 blocks I need for the setting I plan to use.  Because I won't be using all 365 blocks, I've become picky about which ones I make.  I've discovered that foundation paper piecing is not my favorite technique.  I like it for blocks that require just one foundation, like log cabin, pineapple, and square in a square/economy block.   But when the block uses several foundations that then have to be joined together, and the block is only 3" square, well, that can be an exercise in frustration.  There has been much use of the seam ripper and re-sewing to get the pieces joined correctly and seams lined up properly.  

I've found some of the blocks easier to make if I piece them traditionally.  I stumbled across another quiltalong, called Sewcialites.  The directions include multiple sizes for each block, including 3" finished, and I've incorporated a few of them into this project.  The blocks are a free download at Fat Quarter Shop; if you are interested, you can find them here.

I've moved this project to the back burner while I await the release of more blocks.  Once I have more, I'll resume with yellow blocks.

In the meantime, I'm working on #APQQuiltAlong2021.

This is my first block, a test block, and it came our perfectly.  I'm now working on them in batches of four or five at a time.  The quilt is called Square Dance and the directions are in the April issue of American Patchwork & Quilting magazine, plus you can buy the individual pattern as a download from the All People Quilt website.

The pattern calls for two honeybuns and a charm pack (plus background, border, and binding) but I did the math and figured out I could get a block from a fat eighth.  Good thing as the fabric I wanted to use did not come in honeybuns or charm packs!  I'm using this specialty bundle I bought from Laundry Basket Quilts, making one block from each of 30 fabrics.  

Based on my experience, you can get one block from a fat eighth, with a little fabric left over (helpful if you flub the sub-cutting, ask me how I know!).  You can get three blocks from a fat quarter, possibly even four blocks with careful cutting.  

My next step is to figure out what to use for the corner stones with the sashing.  I want a fabric that stands out from the background but is unobtrusive compared to the blocks.  Time to ransack my fabric stash!