Nearly Insane Quilt - Edge Block 93

Nearly Insane Edge Blocks: 88, 93, 96, 97

Another round up of the more recent Edge blocks from the Nearly Insane Quilt, featuring 88, 93, 96, and 97.  As I have said before, there are two of each for these, but I have found that they are all very similar anyway, and they don't have the complexity of the full blocks.  They are great to do if one of the more 'meaty' blocks have taken a long time.


Nearly Insane Quilt - Edge Block 93

Despite its name, my Nearly Insane Quilt is actually the one thing keeping me sane, as it is the only stitching I am managing to do at the moment.  I have a few projects I would like to do, but in the back of my mind I am reserving some time around Christmas ( ... yes, I said Christmas) to do Bonnie Hunter's 2013 Mystery Quilt - has anyone heard if there is one on the cards?


NUMBER OF PIECES: 12
DIFFICULTY: 1/10
SMALLEST PIECE: Triangle 4 1/4" (108mm) x 3" (77mm) x 3" (77mm) 
LARGEST PIECE: Triangle 1 (25mm) x 3/4" (18m) x 3/4" (18mm) 
TECHNIQUE: English Paper Piecing (EPP)
FABRICS: 
Calico
Holiday Treats Red Packed Peppermints by Timeless Treasures
Polka Party Petite" (Buttercream) Lakehouse Dayz Collection by Holly Holderman, Lakehouse Drygoods (LH05037)

Nearly Insane Quilt - Block 7 at Coronation Exhibition at Buckingham Palace

Block 7, Nearly Insane Quilt visits Buckingham Palace, London

Here is Block 7 of the Nearly Insane Quilt on a trip to Buckingham Palace. 

We took a trip up to London at the weekend to visit the Coronation Exhibition, which was part of the annual Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace.  The main attraction for me was knowing that Queen Elizabeth II's  Norman Hartnell designed Coronation dress was going to be on display, along with some of the jewels.  The dress was absolutely breath-taking, and it was lovely to see the construction and embellishment on a couture dress from the 1950's. Most of the pictures from the time are in black and white, so it was lovely to see it in technicolour - there was also a colour cine film of the behind the scenes being shown. No photos allowed unfortunately, so use the links in this post to see the official photos.

As a young girl I used to pour over a book we had on the Queen's clothes, which included colour photographs of the embroidery samples that were used on her dresses.  As the Queen, I *assumed* that her dresses would be covered in diamonds and pearls.  It was only a few years ago, when I visited Buckingham Palace for the Dress For the Occasion exhibition that I realised that the dresses were not decorated in real diamonds and pearls, but in the same bugle beads and mother of pearl that we all can buy in the shops.  Some of the dresses from the 1960s even had plastic shapes for decoration! What an anti-climax.  Nevertheless, it is always a pleasure to see beautifully hand crafted couture gowns, and there was also a display of the real bling that she wore to accessorize the dress on the day.

The Coronation dress had plenty of fine embroidery on it, including beading and goldwork done by the Royal School of Embroidery.  The Royal School of Embroidery still exists and is based at Hampton Court Palace in London.  One of the Fabadashery Blog Followers, Emily, is lucky enough to live nearby and often shares the progress of the embroidery workshops she attends.


Block 7, Nearly Insane Quilt

Back to Block 7.  I was lucky enough to be a passenger on the journey to London, so I managed to get the block stitched together, which is why I was able to take the photo in Buckingham Palace gardens.  Not a tricky block, only 36 pieces.

As always linking up with Connie at Freemotion By the River, where she hosts a lovely friendly Linky Party.

NUMBER OF PIECES: 36
DIFFICULTY:3 /10
SMALLEST PIECE: Triangle, 3" (76mm) x 2 1/8" (54mm) x 2 1/8" (54mm)
LARGEST PIECE: Triangle, 1" (26mm) x 11/16" (18mm) x 11/16" (18mm)
TECHNIQUE: English Paper Piecing (EPP)
FABRICS: 
Little Spots Red, Pierres Famous Travelling Circus, Michael Miller
Tangled Threads in Apple Red on Cream, Mama Said Sew, by Sweetwater for Moda
Spraytime (Scarlet) by Makower #2800-R06
White spots on cream

Nearly Insane Quilt - Block 83

Block 83 Nearly Insane Quilt

Can you believe it - this block marks the half way mark with the Nearly Insane Quilt blocks.  In my original plan I worked out that there are 25 draws, with 3 full and one half block, to get the quilt top complete, and as we are on Draw 12, and this the second block .... yes, we are half way through. The pieces of paper in my Nearly Insane Bowl are gradually diminishing!


Nearly Insane Draw bowl

I am really trying to get the light , medium and dark fabrics into each block, as they work better in the overall quilt.  I am also looking forward to when I have enough blocks to start sewing it together.

Lately, I have been in a hurry to get these blocks done. To be honest it has been a struggle to get just this block done this week, with one thing and another - well, mainly work, it really felt like I was stealing time to get it done.  Nonetheless, it is a finish.


Joining Up with Crazy Mom Quilts

NUMBER OF PIECES: 65
DIFFICULTY: 4 /10
SMALLEST PIECE: Square, 3/8" (10mm) x 3/8" (10mm)
LARGEST PIECE: Triangle 4" (100mm) x 13/16" (72mm) x 13/16" (672mm)
TECHNIQUE: English Paper Piecing (EPP)
FABRICS: 
Red Sprig on Cream (Unidentified)
Cherry Sketch Basic Collection by Timeless Treasures #C8224
Spraytime (Scarlet) by Makower #2800-R06
White on Cream Print
 

Nearly Insane Quilt - Block 78

Block 78, Nearly Insane Quilt

After my recent 120 piece block, the next one I have chosen to do only has 9 pieces in it.  You would think 9 pieces was easy, but I found that with this particular pattern I spent a lot of time trying to choose fabrics that would show it to its best.  Also I have done a very similar one already, Nearly Insane Block 13, so I wanted to make it look different. 
Originally , I had a plain calico centre square, but once it was together it looked insipid, so I unpicked it, and fussy cut one of the Red Hoops from the Mama Said Sew by Sweetwater collection.  For 9 pieces I can't believe the mental strain it has caused!


Red and Cream quilting fabric.  Do you recognise it?

Also there is a new pretty fabric in this block.  I don't have information on what it was called, but I have a faint memory of it have a school related title in the collection.  Does anyone recognise it?

I picked it up at Patchwork Direct, near Bakewell in Derbyshire, when I was away a few weeks ago.  The shop is housed in an 1928 Wesleyan Reform Methodist Church, and had a great choice of fabrics, particularly the Kona Japanese fabrics.  I thought I was very restrained just to come away with a fat quarter of this fabric.

Linking up with Connie at Freemotion By the River

NUMBER OF PIECES: 9
DIFFICULTY: 2/10
SMALLEST PIECE: Square,1  1/2" (37mm) x 1 1/2" (37mm)
LARGEST PIECE: Rectangle 7/8" (22mm) x 6" (151mm)
TECHNIQUE: English Paper Piecing (EPP)
FABRICS: 
Red and White Scandinavian Snowflake Fabric
Somerset Shirtings c 1890 by Julie Hendrickson and Nancy Gere, Windham Fabrics # 35205
Red Daisy Fabric (unidentified)
Red Hoops (5493-31) Mama Said Sew Collection by Sweetwater for Moda

Nearly Insane Quilt - Draw 12

Draw 11 - Nearly Insane Quilt Blocks, 6,17, 42

Here are the completed Nearly Insane blocks from Draw 11.  These three blocks, 6, 17 and 42 add up to 250 pieces in all, with one block just 21 pieces, another 120.  I think it is the variety that keeps you sane!

Draw 12, has pulled out the next blocks as

7 - 78 - 83 - 93

Nearly Insane - English Paper Piecing Travel Packs

I have been getting my house in order with regards my Nearly Insane Quilt progress.  In my 6 Month Progress Report, I mentioned a few outstanding issues with regard the outer edge cornerstones, and the zig zag border.  Well action has been taken, and as you may be able to see I have not only cut out the pieces for all these, and put them into their travel bags, but I have also already prepared the next four blocks.  At 'work' I think all this reviewing would qualify as 'professional reflective practice'.

Old Cutting Mat

All this activity with the rotary cutter has been vastly improved with the introduction of a new cutting mat.  For quite a while I have been having problems cutting my fabric.  I thought a new blade in the rotary cutter would do the trick, but no.    The reason for the trouble was that the mat has been used so much that there are vast crevasses missing from it, so blade was skipping on those sections. I had to admit to myself that my old mat had passed it best.

New Cutting Mat

So at the NEC Festival of Quilts, I invested in a new cutting mat, and everything is working like a dream. 

Nearly Insane Quilt - Block 42

Block 42, Nearly Insane Quilt

Gradually the number of pieces in each draw seem to be increasing.  Last time, the most pieces in these 6" blocks was 110, Block 42 has 120 pieces.  It was easier to do that its neighbour, Block 43, which had 100 pieces and got 9/10 for difficulty. It took time to do, but the finished result is worth it.  I like the colour combinations, with the dark, medium and light fabrics, and the complex pattern which makes the block look more interesting. I hope you appreciate all my matching points - I spend a lot of time coaxing the little bits together.

Suzi the Cat - My Nearly Insane Helper

Fortunately, I had Suzi the Cat helping with the cutting - she helped me cut out the 56 little cream triangles for this block.


120 pieces in a 6 inch block - Nearly Insane Quilt

In fact, there were lots of components in this block: 32 different flying geese units, Ohio Stars, 4-patch's, and I used 5 different fabrics, so there was quite a lot to check as I went along.   The components reminded me of Bonnie Hunter's Easy Street Quilt which I did last Christmas, which then got me thinking, maybe  I could make a miniature Easy Street Quilt using English Paper piecing ..... insane.

Block 42 Reverse - Nearly Insane Quilt

Moving on, here you can see the reverse of the block as I was giving it a good press with the steam iron. I am not too concerned that it will distort because of the paper, and this block, in particular, has a lovely malleable feel to it with all the paper pieces still in it.

Another great addition to the overall Nearly Insane Quilt.

NUMBER OF PIECES: 120
DIFFICULTY: 5/10
SMALLEST PIECE: Square, 1/2" (32m) x 1/2" (32mm)
LARGEST PIECE: Square 1/2" (13mm) x 1/2" (13mm)
TECHNIQUE: English Paper Piecing (EPP)
FABRICS: 
Designer Beads (Red) Freespirit for Westminster Fibers
Quilters Basics, Stof
Polka Party III by Holly Holderman, Lakehouse Drygoods #03035
Apple Line Red Swirl by Alice Kennedy for Timeless Treasures  #C5710
Cherry Sketch Basic Collection by Timeless Treasures #C8224

Joining Up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Crazy Mom Quilts
 

Nearly Insane Quilt - Block 6, Ohio Star Variation





Block 6 , Nearly Insane Quilt, Ohio Star Variation



Here is another Ohio Star variation representing Block 6 of the Nearly Insane Quilt.  It feels like deja vu.

 

Only 21 pieces in this one, which classifies it as EASY. As I do most of my stitching whilst travelling, these 'easy' blocks do not take too much of my concentration, and there are some that I don't even remember doing, as they come together so quickly - this is one of them.    I know the next one has a few more pieces ...

 

I have used a Scandinavian style fabric in the centre, where the pattern looks like it has been pieced, to add a bit of complexity to this block.

 

150th Anniversary Dear Jane Quilt Bag

Since my trip to the 150th Anniversary Dear Jane Quilt Exhibition in Nantes, France, in April, my Dear Jane bag has been my storage of choice for the fabrics I am using for the Nearly Insane Quilt.  It is lovely and big, and they have been piled in and piled out many times.  The bag is also inspiration for perhaps the next project ....

NUMBER OF PIECES: 21
DIFFICULTY: 1 /10
SMALLEST PIECE: Square, 1/2" (12.5mm) x 1/2" (12.5mm)
LARGEST PIECE: Square 2.5" (63mm) x 2.5" (63mm)
TECHNIQUE: English Paper Piecing (EPP)
FABRICS:
Red and White Scandinavian Snowflake Fabric 
Red and White Floral (Unidentified, purchased from The Shuttle)
Prairie Paisley by Polly Minick and Lauri Simpson for Moda
White on Cream swirl print (unidentified)

Linking Up with WIP Freshly Pieced

Nearly Insane Quilt - Edge Block 97 and Cornerstones

Nearly Insane Edge Block 97

The Nearly Insane Quilt is set on point, so along with the blocks there are these triangular blocks which go around the edge. These edge blocks are no where near as complicated the main blocks in the quilt, so they get done quite quickly.  Also, most of them are repeated twice.  However, I did have a bit of a hitch this time around.  Although they look VERY similar, the triangles done in the Bias Check, are a slightly different size (on my pattern), but I didn't find that out until I had sewn them on.  So then I unpicked it ....

2" Canoe Block Cornerstones

Also the 6 Month Progress Report allowed me to review areas that needed attention, which made me realise that I was lagging behind on my cornerstones and sashings, so I have spent a bit of time catching up on these.  Now have 30 cornerstones done and 75 sashing strips complete.  I am not sure how many NEED to be done, but I do know I printed enough paper templates, so I am just working through them. I also started to take out the inner paper pieces from the cornerstones - I can see that is going to be quite a time consuming job in the future.

It is time to do some more fabric cutting for these.

NUMBER OF PIECES: 15
DIFFICULTY: 2/10
SMALLEST PIECE: Square, 3/4" (18mm) x 13/4" (18mm)
LARGEST PIECE: Square 1.5" (38mm) x 1.5" (38mm)
TECHNIQUE: English Paper Piecing (EPP)
FABRICS: 
Cream Bias Check Mama Said Sew by Sweetwater for Moda  #5495 11
Redwork Rendevous by Alex Anderson for P&B Textiles
Red Pin Dot (Unidentified)
Cream Pin Dot (Unidentified)

Nearly Insane Quilt - Block 17

Block 17, Nearly Insane Quilt

Block 17 from the Nearly Insane Quilt is a very satisfying one.  The pattern is symmetrical, the pieces are evenly distributed, and I like the visual effect is has.  It also has 109 pieces, which I think is the most pieces I have done so far for one of these 6" blocks.  It was the August Bank Holiday this weekend in UK, and so I had a bit of time to just sit down and sew, which meant I could get this one finished.


Block 17 - Close Up, Nearly Insane Quilt

One of the quandaries of doing a red and white quilt, is deciding whether to stitch in red thread or white thread, particularly when the two colour are sitting directly next to each other in the quilt.  I tend to use the red thread the most, as it appears to blend into the white, whereas the white appears to pop out from the red fabric.  Naturally, the aim is not to see the stitches at all .... 

These blocks are going to look great without all that green tacking thread!

NUMBER OF PIECES: 109
DIFFICULTY: 5/10
SMALLEST PIECE: Triangle, 11/16" (18mm) x 1/2" (12.5mm) x 1/2" (12.5mm)
LARGEST PIECE: Square, 1" (2.5mm) x 1" (2.5mm)
TECHNIQUE: English Paper Piecing (EPP)
FABRICS:
Calico
Friendship (Tonal Red) by Howard Marcus for MODA (Collections For a Cause) # 46130
Red Sprig print (unidentified)






 

Nearly Insane Quilt - Draw 11

Here are the latest contributions to the Nearly Insane Quilt production line, posing for a group photograph, Blocks 37, 63, 67 and 96. 

When they are put next to each other, you can see the variety of reds that I have used - some warm, some cool.  As with most scrappy quilts adventures I have been on, when you focus in and see the blocks like this, their tones can seem quite different and odd, but once the whole thing is put together they tend to blend together.  To help it along, I am increasingly trying to incorporate the cream calico fabric I am using on the sashing, and the reds from the cornerstones, to bring in some unity.


Cream Bias Check, Mama Said Sew, Sweetwater, Moda

You can also see that I have gone a bit crazy on the Mama Said Sew Cream Bias Check, this time around.  As I do each draw there is often a fabric which is flavour of the month, which is why my random draws are working so well.  If I did it in order, the fabrics would show up like strata on a rock face! ... the draws mix them up well.
So here are the latest blocks

6 - 17 - 42 - 97

I have started to design and cut out the fabric for these, and some of them are quite complex, with lots of pieces - not a problem, just more time consuming to do.