Another week has flown by…but here we are again…this week we are in for a special treat…Jan Patek has given us an applique block!!! How sweet is this little bee skep!!! Hopefully Jan has an appliqué video you can watch if you are not familiar with needle turn applique…or you can always fuse it down
n and buttonhole it on your machine. You can find the pattern or Jan’s block HERE
Now…I am all game for doing an appliqué block…but not two…so I designed another pieced block for my patriotic version…here is an alternative for block 4..
Cutting directions are listed HERE in a PDF:
Darks:
A 1- 1-15/16″ x 1 15/16″ square…ok..I know…its between the 2″ and 1 7/8″…be brave and no whining…mine turned out just fine…
B 4- 1-15/16″ x 1 15/16″ squares
C 4-1 7/8″x 1 7/8″squares- cut in half once to yield 8 total triangles.
Lights:
D 4- 1 7/8″ x 1 7/8″ squares- cut in half once on the diagonal, to yield 8 triangles
E 1- 5 1/4″ square-cut in half twice diagonally, to yield 4 triangles
D-same fabric as E– 2- 1 7/8″ x 1 7/8″ triangles- cut in half once diagonally, to yield 4 triangles
Now I know I did not make a PDF of this…but I’m kind of behind the gun to get this out…please just take a pic of it with your phone for now…
Make the QSTs…stitch together the center row…and then add the two side pieced triangle settings…I know…pretty lame directions…but my excuse is still the same as above…
NOW with all that done…I’m supposed to talk about what kind of thread to use…or what I use…I think by now if you are not using Aurifil you may have your head under a rock…but really it is the best…I am sure the other designers will have tons of specific reason why…and they all are going to be true…trust me…we will never lead you astray!
so here is my tip…if you are using Aurifil 50 wt for your machine piecing …buy the large spools!!! I pretty much use 4 colors for my piecing…2310-light cream, 2370-tan, 1140-taupe and 2692-black...here are my big spools in this pic…I placed a normal one next to them so you could see the difference- and not they all are not brand new…so some are skinnier!!!..Now if you buy these larger spools you will save $$ like getting one of those little ones FREE if you buy the larger quantity…If you click on the links on the numbers of the threads listed you can purchase them on our site…we appreciate you buying them from us and supporting our hard work informing you through this blog and creating this wonderful stitch-along…Now I know you probably won’t be able to get them all…but I am using the 2310-cream for the patriotic blockhead and the 2370- tan for the dark/primitive designer blockhead version
Oh…I almost forgot…the larger spools have 6452 yds…
Make sure you go and see all the other designers blocks!!! I also didn’t forget…I will do a post on starching…so look for that also!!! I have been in four states teaching in the last month so again I apologize for doing the bare minimum…
Lynne –
Blog – http://kansastroublesquilters-lynne.blogspot.com/
Betsy –
Blog – http://betsysbestquiltsandmore.blogspot.com/
Lisa B –
Blog – https://lisabongean.com/
Jo –
Blog – http://jomortonquilts.com/jos_journal/
Moda –
Blog – http://blog.modafabrics.com/
Psst! It’s week 4.
Hehe…I was just getting ready to tell Lisa the same thing…..(unless she was giving us a head’s-up and her alternative pieced block ends up being Block 5)….
(PS – No whining 😂😂😂)
geeze louize…told you…I am not on the right track yet…sorry…I changed it!! Thanks for the heads up!!
Is this block 4? Or am I a day late and dollar short??
Karen 618-604-2814
>
NOOOOO….I guess I must be thinking about block 5 which is mine btw…so no…it is really 4…I changed it…thank you!!!
Do I need to have a special thread holder for the large spools or will it fit on my Janome 6600?
I am not familiar with your machine..but I now you can get a holder that sits on the table and holds your cone…
That model of Janome probably has a removable upright spool holder, my 7700 does and they are very similar. But, I would find it in the way, being so far forward, so a separate holder might be a better choice. Give it a try!
Bare minimum? Please – you still made two blocks! YOU rock! (You have to know I particularly like that you wrote the words “no whining”. 🙂
lol…well??? You know…
And here I thought I was getting a break this week because I am not doing the applique blocks, but you come along and supply a pieced one. Can’t decide if I am glad to have a block to make, or sorry I don’t get that break. LOL
I love the little pocket in the harp space of your machine. Is it magnetized?
Good ol Velcro
I like your alternative block. (Not that I don’t like applique, the beehive is sweet.) And I’m so glad you gave cutting instructions for it, I would have used ‘way too many seams to get the same look, so you saved me a lot of time and tears.
Will there be a PDF for those who do not have smart phones?
Thanks for giving us a piecing option for Block 4, Lisa!! I am not an applique fan and I don’t know that the Bee Skep would work with my Snowman Gatherings fabric choice. Looking forward to your block next week #5!!
Your’e the best Lisa 🙂 You keep us informed.
Thank you for making a pieced block for us! I like appliué but not enough to make it when there’s a pieced alternative. And I’m not whinig but I’ll change the layout a bit I hope you are okay with it;-)
Thanks for the pieced block and the Aurifil info. I’m curious about your sewing table. I too have a Juki. Is your machine set into the table? Was this custom made or can I purchase it?
Hi Lisa, isn’t this block #4. If not I’ve missed #4! Thanks for all you do. I love hearing about your travels and the great ladies throughout the US. Vicky
Great block!!!
Can you put this out in a PDF form please. I would like to be able to print it and keep with the other blocks. Thank You
I am running behind already with these blocks…. but appreciate the pieced option you provided. Thanks much!
I was looking for a PDF form too… is that possible? Or asking too much? I tried to print out what’s on my screen but it isn’t working. Anyway — I did the Bee Skep and will try your alternate block too… I’ll pull it up on my iPhone so I can see the screen in my sewing room. Oh wait… I could take my computer in there. Duh! Thanks for your delightful post! Loved reading it! Warmly, Pris from Idaho
Never mind… ignore my post above. I just read through your directions, and you explained why there’s no PDF… oops! Thanks for the photos and instructions!
I cannot get the instructions or pattern to download, for the patriotic block, could you please help.
Janetward@Dnet.net. 😊 Thank You!
Janet… there is no download for the piecd block 4… when you read the instructions it states that..the instruction are just listed on the blog…
Assumed that when you said” for now” that you meant it would be in pdf form at a later time. Could you put it in that format please for those of us that need to print it?
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