Here come the blocks from the fourth row of my Nearly Insane Quilt, based on a 19th century quilt by Salinda Rupp... I have now less than 20 blocks to finish and I have started sharing the finished blocks in a series of posts, row by row! The blocks are all set on point, with 7 and 6 blocks in the alternating rows.
The blocks are 6″ square and except for a few, foundation paper pieced by me. I drafted all the patterns for FPP on the free Quilt Assistant software, based on patterns in Liz Lois’s book, which contains only line drawings of the finished blocks.
Most of the fabric used is Summer Breeze 3 (with a fat quarter bundle of matching solids) by Moda Fabrics, and the Dutch Garden 2 Collection by Boundless Fabric. I also used a couple FQs in blues and greens plus a jelly roll of yellows I had in my stash.
These blocks are particularly pretty; I think Salinda was becoming more and more adventurous as she made newer blocks.
Nearly Insane Block 21
Number of pieces: 25
Level of Difficulty: Easy, but isn’t it pretty? I enjoyed fussy cutting those beautiful pansies.
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 21
Nearly Insane Block 22
Number of pieces: 133
Level of Difficulty: Difficult… it did have a lot of points to match…And one thing I would never recommend is making a pinwheel with paper piecing!Not only did I join a couple of them the wrong way, there is such a huge bulk in the centre that it is impossible to get a nice point there. FPP is also wasted on 4 patches! Easier piecedthe regular way.
(Did you notice I actually tried to fussy cut those flying geese?)
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP). I recommend regular machine piecing for everything but the flying geese !
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 22
Nearly Insane Block 23
Number of pieces: 45
Level of Difficulty: Moderate, only because those narrow 1/4″ strips were so fiddly!
Technique: English Paper Piecing and hand-piecing, as I did not have a sewing machine when I did this one!
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 23
Nearly Insane Block 24
Number of pieces: 89
Level of Difficulty: Difficult for two reasons. Firstly, lots of points to match and secondly, one of the more difficult ones to draft as well as piece, as the flying geese are not all the same 1:2 ratio!
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 24
Nearly Insane Block 25
Number of pieces: 87
Level of Difficulty: A very unusual block! The centre 3″ x 2″ portion contains such tiny pieces as compared to the huge outer pieces!
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 25
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 26
Number of pieces: 32
Level of Difficulty: Easy.
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 26
In case you have missed my earlier updates, you can see
This is the third in my series of updates on my Nearly Insane Quilt, based on a 19th century quilt by Salinda Rupp... As I have now less than 20 blocks to finish, I have started sharing the finished blocks in a series of posts, row by row! The blocks are all set on point, with 7 and 6 blocks in the alternating rows.
You can see Blocks 1-7 here and Blocks 8 to 13 on this post.
The blocks are 6″ square and except for a few, foundation paper pieced by me. I drafted all the patterns for FPP on the free Quilt Assistant software, based on patterns in Liz Lois’s book, which contains only line drawings of the finished blocks.
Most of the fabric used is Summer Breeze 3 (with a fat quarter bundle of matching solids) by Moda Fabrics, and the Dutch Garden 2 Collection by Boundless Fabric. I also used a couple FQs in blues and greens plus a jelly roll of yellows I had in my stash.
There are two blocks yet to be done in this row, so I have only five blocks here instead of seven.
Nearly Insane Block 14
Number of pieces: 25
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 14
Nearly Insane Block 15
Number of pieces: 35
Level of Difficulty: Easy, but did have a lot of points to match…
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 15
Nearly Insane Block 17
Number of pieces: 121
Level of Difficulty: Difficult.
I found this the most difficult block in the 80 odd that I have pieced so far in this quilt. Not only were there dozens of points to match, it also had rectangles, which are not very easy to foundation paper piece. When I was cutting the fabric, I didn’t realize these were rectangles, so all my fabric was cut wrong! I had also drafted it as a series of ‘square in square’ templates, and matching the points was quite a task. The least bit of discrepancy appears quite glaring when the pieces are so small. So I resorted to hand-piecing at assembly time.
Technique: Foundation Paper Piecing and hand-pieced. I would suggest hand-piecing or English paper-piecing for this one!
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 17
Nearly Insane Block 19
Number of pieces: 44
Level of Difficulty: Easy, but lots of points to match again. This block was one of the more difficult ones to draft, as the pieces are set on point!
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 19
Nearly Insane Block 20
Number of pieces: 40
Level of Difficulty: Easy. A very unusual, but very pretty block.
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 20
That leaves Block 16, which is almost totally improvised, made with all the scraps Salina was left over with, I am sure. So I have also kept it for the last. Block 18, on the other hand, has 229 (yes, two hundred and twenty nine!) pieces and is next on my list. Cutting the pieces took me over four hours! So, let’s see when I can get around to it. Meanwhile, here is happy quilting to all you quilters out there!
Breaking News!! The Foundation Paper Piecing Block Patterns for this quilt are now available for sale on my store !
Continuing the update on my Nearly Insane Quilt, based on a 19th century quilt by Salinda Rupp... As I have now less than 20 blocks to finish, I have started sharing the finished blocks in a series of posts, row by row! The blocks are all set on point, with 7 and 6 blocks in the alternating rows.
The blocks are 6″ square and except for a few, foundation paper pieced by me. I drafted all the patterns for FPP on the free Quilt Assistant software, based on patterns in Liz Lois’s book, which contains only line drawings of the finished blocks.
Most of the fabric used is Summer Breeze 3 (with a fat quarter bundle of matching solids) by Moda Fabrics, and the Dutch Garden 2 Collection by Boundless Fabric. I also used a couple FQs in blues and greens plus a jelly roll of yellows I had in my stash.
So here comes Row Two, with six blocks!
Nearly Insane Block 8
Number of pieces: 148
Level of Difficulty: One of the more difficult blocks, with lots of pieces and lots of points to match! But this block also symbolizes what I love about this quilt. Salinda did not worry about the directions of the HSTs; it is the whimsy that makes this quilt so charming.
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 8
Nearly Insane Block 9
Number of pieces: 76
Level of Difficulty: Moderate, mainly because of the number of pieces.
Technique: Hand-pieced (because I did not have a sewing machine at hand when I did this one.
Nearly Insane Block 9
Nearly Insane Block 10
Number of pieces: 25
Level of Difficulty: Very Easy! I think Salinda needed to do a few really easy blocks after 8 and 9!
Technique: Foundation Paper Piecing
(The fabric here, other than the green, is from the Dutch Garden Collection.)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 10
Nearly Insane Block 11
Number of pieces: 24
Level of Difficulty: Easy log cabin block with a little bit of fussy cutting for the centre 4-patch. But how very pretty it is. There are two more similar log cabin blocks in the quilt; #46 has a star in the centre and #76 has a square.
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 11
Nearly Insane Block 12
Number of pieces:
Level of Difficulty: Easy. Another whimsical block where Salinda just just pieced whatever small bits of fabric she had at hand. I love it!
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 12
Nearly Insane Block 13
Number of pieces: 9
Level of Difficulty: Easy. This has to be the simplest block in the quilt, identical to Block 78 except for the width of the strips, I think.
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 13
So that takes care of Row 2. Check back to see how Row 3 is progressing!
Breaking News!! The Foundation Paper Piecing Block Patterns for this quilt are available for sale on my store !
An update on my Nearly Insane Quilt, based on a 19th century quilt by Salinda Rupp, has been long overdue. As I have now less than 20 blocks to finish, I’ll start sharing the finished blocks in a series of posts, row by row! The blocks are all set on point, with 7 and 6 blocks in the alternating rows.
The blocks are 6″ square and except for a few, foundation paper pieced by me. I drafted all the patterns for FPP on the free Quilt Assistant software, based on patterns in Liz Lois’s book, which contains only line drawings of the finished blocks.
Most of the fabric used is Summer Breeze 3 (with a fat quarter bundle of matching solids) by Moda Fabrics, and the Dutch Garden 2 Collection by Boundless Fabric. I also used a couple FQs in blues and greens plus a jelly roll of yellows I had in my stash.
So here comes Row One, with seven blocks!
Nearly Insane Block 1
Number of pieces: 35
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 1
Nearly Insane Block 2
Number of pieces: 21
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Technique: English paper pieced (because I did not have a sewing machine at hand when I did this one.
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 2
Nearly Insane Block 3
Number of pieces: 37
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Technique: Foundation Paper Piecing
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 3
Nearly Insane Block 4
Number of pieces: 33
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 4
Nearly Insane Block 5
Number of pieces: 40
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
(The blue fabric here is from the Dutch Garden Collection.)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 5
Nearly Insane Block 6
Number of pieces: 21
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 6
Nearly Insane Block 7
Number of pieces: 36
Level of Difficulty: Easy (though did have a number of poiunts to match!)
Technique: Foundation paper pieced (FPP)
Nearly Insane Quilt Block 7
Aren’t they pretty? I am so totally in love with this quilt.
Breaking News!! The Foundation Paper Piecing Block Patterns for this quilt are available for sale on my store!
This is a block that has given me much heartache , and that story deserves its very own blogpost! Meanwhile, here it is, Dozens Squared, the twelfth block of the Round the Year Block of the Month Quilt.
Block Twelve Dozens Squared, Round the Year Quilt BOM (Rainbow)
The block finishes at 18.5″ square (including seam allowance), with a 15″ inset circle. It is partly paper foundation pieced; the templates and instructions can be downloaded in PDF format from the links at the end of this post.
What’s in a name?
This Block 12 of the Round the Year BOM Quilt is inspired by the beautiful Jack’s Chain block. I couldn’t decide what I wanted to call it. I thought of something to do with 9-patches and then Jill’s Chain! But then I counted the number of pieces in the circle – 144. It could not be chance that Block Twelve should contain twelve twelves, could it? The name would have to to have some reference to this, I thought. No way I was going to call it ` Gross’, which is the correct nomenclature for a dozen dozens! Dozens Squared sounded better, also as the dozens would in any case be inset in a square!
Fabric Requirement
The fabric requirement for the block is given for the Dusk colourway. I have scrapped the block that I made in the Dusk colours (not this) – I thought it looked quite ugly (gross?)!
Block Twelve Dozens Squared, Round the Year Quilt – Dusk – Fabric Code
Fabric Colour
Fabric Code
Background
Nine patches
Centre
Spiked wedges
Circle edge wedges
Lightest blue
1
19″ square OR 10.5″ x 25″
Two 6″ squares
2.25″ x 8″
Medium Blue
4
Two 6″ squares
2.25″ x 8″
Two 2″ x 8″
Medium-dark blue
3
Two 6″ squares
2.25″ x 8″
Two 2″ x 8″
Deep blue
2
2.25″ x 20″
2.5″ x 36 2.0″ x 36″
Two 2″ x 8″
Yellow
8
2.25″ x 6″
Gold
6
2.5″ x 12″ 2″ x 12″
Light Orange
7
2.5″ x 12″ 2″ x 12″
Orange
5
2.5″ x 12″ 2″ x 12″
Please refer to the downloadable Instructions File, if you want detailed cutting instructions!
Printing Instructions
Please remember to print the Templates file with your printer setting at 100% or Actual size in portrait mode. Cut out the paper piecing Templates.
I recommend printing also the Instructions file and keeping the Master Template (provided in the Instructions File) at hand when assembling the block. A line drawing version of the Master Template is also included in the file (also a mirror image ). You can use colour pencils to experiment with your own colour combinations!
Piecing Instructions
The Nine-Patches Quick Method
Piece the six 9-patches A, B, C, D, E and F using the quick 9-patch method. The pictures I am showing here are for the rainbow block. You will start with 3 pairs of 6 inch squares.
For the Dusk version, team up the squares in 3 pairs.
Note that we do not measure 2″ from edge, but 1.75″ from seamline!
Similarly from the other seam!
Sew to get two strip sets. Press to darker side – I chose blue here.
If you are doing the Dusk version, you would already be working with 6″ squares. This would be irrelevant!
Pair up the strip sets. Careful! Check you have the right pairing!
Sew on the shorter sides.
Cut 1.75″ from both the seams…
…and sew the centre strip to the double strip sets from the sides
For the block we need 9-patches which finish at 3.5″, so we will need to trim these to 4″, with centre square remaining at 1.5″.
Mark the centre ( of the centre square!) and trim to 2″ from it on all sides.
You could also use the template A to match and trim the 9-patches to size.
Done!
Piecing the Centre
I would suggest cutting the strips into triangles before you start piecing. Lay the 60 degree line in alternating directions as you cut the triangles – remember to leave 1/4″ on the top before you cut in the opposite direction.
I used strips left over from previous blocks; in paper piecing, one need not be accurate in cutting! The next set of triangles will be cut by changing the ruler direction.
If doing the Rainbow block, I may mention that a 6″ x 2.25″ yields 3 traingles quite comfortably. I used 8 different colours for the centre.
The pieced centre triangle templates from the Dusk block
In no time, you would have the templates S, T, U, V, W and Xpieced. Put these aside.
Spiked Wedges
Now we come to the 12 spiked wedges G, H, I…Q, R.
Each of these wedges has 5 pieces. Before you start the actual piecing, I suggest you pin pieces # 1 (2.5″ x 1.5″) and #2 (HST 2.5″) on all the templates. This helps save time in sorting colours and sizes of the upcoming pieces!
Chain piecing must be the greatest innovation in sewing, don’t you think? In no time we are ready for piece#3, (which is the largest piece, at 2″ x 4″)
Align the corner of the rectangle to the busiest corner on the template!
Note the angle and placement of the rectangular piece. It should completely cover the area under Section #3 when opened out.
Trim the excess seam allowance.
Step 2 continued… I like to trim to upcoming seam allowance – 1/4″ beyond the seamline!
Press open. Piece #4 is easy! Just align the long edges of the two pieces and sew!
Add piece #4
Chain piecing, as usual!
Piece#4 chained in place
We are ready for the last step – sewing piece #5 – a rectangle 2″ x 2.5″ ( I used 1.5″ x 2.5″ rectangles, but they made a tight fit, so I have changed the width to 2″.) Again, please check the rectangle placement before sewing to ensure you have the paper section fully covered.
All our piecing is done, all that remains is the assembly!
Assembly Instructions
Assemble the block, using the Master Template as a guide. Remember, the Master Template is a mirror image and shows the block as it would look from the printed paper (reverse) side. As seen here, what is on left appears on right and vice versa.
1. Sew the spiked wedge (halves) to either side of the respective 9-patches.
Sew G and J to opposite sides of A; M and P to opposite sides of C; H and K to opposite sides of E;
Sew N and Q to opposite sides of B; I and L to opposite sides of D; O and R to opposite sides of F.
2. Sew the centre pieced triangles to the 9-patch template sets.
Sew S to GAJ; V to MCP; T to HEK; W to NBQ; U to IDL and X to OFR.
3. Sew the respective circle edge wedges to the just assembled template sets. Here is some auditioning of fabric for the circle edges…
…before I settle on this!
Final Assembly
Option 1
Join background pieces AE1/ AH1 to wedge set containing A and B;
Join the background pieces AF1/AI1 to wedge set containing F and E;
Join background pieces AG1/AJ1 to wedge set containing D and C.
Join in threes – pieced set AE1, AF1 and AG1 to form one half; and the other 3 pieced sets to form the other half
Join the two halves to form the full block.
Option 2
Join the pieced sets to form the full circle and appliqué it to the background square using your favourite method.
Trim to 18.5″ square.
Here is a look at the Dusk version of the Dozens Squared block
Patchworkofmylife
Please note that the downloadable patterns with paper piecing templates and instruction files for the Dreamcatcher Round the Year quilt blocks have been migrated to my store MadsPatch and are not be available for download for free from 15th November 2020 onwards.
You must be logged in to post a comment.