Looking Back a Year

May the Best Block Win....

One of my goals as I journey through the sewing world  ....   Learn by experiences and  from others... how to make things  with more accuracy and precision.

An observation:

Last May, I jumped  in to sew with  the Modern Blocks Sew Along  ( at  And Sew We Craft) , making one block per month,  from this book-

Compiled by Susanne Woods

I was really nervous, because the first block , called " Follow The Leader" (by Sherri McConnell), was really hard for me!  It has 16 flying geese sections in it.  My geese were not uniform in size and the finished block size was a little too small.

I thought, "  if this is the FIRST block,  I may not be able to make the last blocks when we get to them ! My blocks are going to be really bad..."

But to my surprise, the blocks varied in difficulty,  and were fun to make! 

So , after I finished  April's block  (here),  I put all 12 blocks out together, and had an idea.

Remake the first block.... and see if this remade block is better than the original.
And put the best block in the quilt!  LOL

(Uh-oh.... this could be a cool thing .... or turn out to be depressing if the newest block shows no improvement!)


So I got busy and  remade the block.  I realized that really do look at this block differently than I did the first time last year.   I used the 3D Flying Geese method, explained in an excellent tutorial by Amanda, The Patchsmith,  to make the flying geese units.  I am going to use this method whenever I can.  I am also  going to use my seam ripper when I am not happy with a section, too.  Gonna correct it early in the process!

The Follow The Leader Block..... made one year apart

 I gathered my courage (vowing not to get upset if he liked last year's block better ) and asked my husband if one block looked better than the other.  He picked block A, saying that the triangles looked more uniform in size. Yay! { Happy Wife... happy Life for the hubby! }  I hope you were able to look above and pick block A , too.   It isn't perfect, but I am happy with the small changes.

So I am content to have improved, a bit, in my block construction during this sew along journey.
 Maybe I'll make this block every year.... and see if I can get all of those darn seams lined up perfectly someday!!

I'm off to my sewing room!

Follow the Leader

(Trying to ) Follow the Leader

In the beginning of May, I  saw a pretty quilt block on  Blossom Heart Quilts , made by Alyce.  It is called Follow The Leader, and is made with flying geese . Alyce is an awesome quilter and paper piecer.  I am always in awe of her projects!

She wrote  that  And Sew We Craft  is hosting a Modern Blocks Quilt A Long, using the book,  Modern Blocks, compiled by Susanne Woods. The  'Follow the Leader' block came from this book. And it hit me.... I HAVE THAT BOOK!  yay!

The book used for patterns in the Quilt A Long

Modern Blocks Quilt Along hosted  at And Sew We Craft  

This is the schedule of the blog posts for each block:

May- Follow The Leader with And Sew We Craft

June- Spool with The Crafty Mummy

July- Megan’s Star with Anorina of Samelia’s Mum

August- Quatrefoil with Alyce of Blossom Heart Quilts

September- Escalator with Cate of Life Behind the Purple Door

October- Best Friends with Anorina of Samelias Mum

November- Pogo Stick with Ros of Sew Delicious

December- Crosswalk with Amy of Actually Amy

January- Everything Equal with Alyce of Blossom Heart Quilts

February- Parisian Star with Tonya of Crafty Mummy

March- Binary with Cate of Life Behind the Purple Door

April- Stacked Squares with Ros of Sew Delicious

Each month, they  will be sharing a tutorial for the block as well and  a linky  will be open all month for you to link up your blocks. Plus,there will be prizes each month.

Since I have the book (and fabrics stacked stocked up)...
I took that as "a sign" to hop in, and sew along with this group to learn some new quilt block techniques.  :)


I like this kind of Sew Along, because it gives me ideas I would never have thought of before, it gives me deadlines  , and  I can get inspiration from  other talented quilters. Another important benefit is that I can get tips and help from their blog posts.  I just can't understand some sewing terminology on my own.  (I am a late-starter quilter.)

Just "sew " you know....I am stepping WAY out of my comfort zone in doing this , so I can learn to piece some blocks that I have ran shied away from in the past.
I am admittedly a BEGINNER.  I won't be able to "light a candle" next to these talented quilters in the group.....
My  blocks in this sew along will never be "perfect",
and  many seams will not line up properly.  Things will be a little uneven, I am sure. 
And I know I will be late some months.  (We all know that, "Life happens."  )

So, here we go on my journey of learning and practice...

Fabrics I am using

Fabrics:  FQ bundle of Stitch Floral Square  by Michael Miller
              Happi   by Dena  Fabric Traditions
            White-    Garden Pindot  white  by Michael Miller

Happi       not sure if for backing or sashing or binding yet....

May Block :  Follow the Leader    design by Sherri Mconnell

Chain piecing the flying geese

I picked 4 colors to make the flying geese with.

Follow the leader  block

Some of my "better" geese

Notes to myself:  

•  Try to get all triangles the same size
• One improvement- I got the top points of all of the triangles pointed.  (Last year, on my first attempt of flying geese,  a lot of the top points were  caught in the seams.) 
•  I did not use steam to press them.  
• I think I will use starch on the block pieces in June.

There is a linky hook- up for blocks being made at:  And Sew We Craft Modern QAL Block One.

 I am excited to learn new blocks and join in with a new group of talented quilters!  I can't wait to "Follow the leader" on this journey into sewing!  I need the practice, that's for sure!

I'm off to my sewing room!