march: scrappy log cabin

First off, THANK YOU for making this block for me.  It's bright and cheerful and will serve as a picnic blanket this summer because we finally have a lawn in our backyard!!

I sent fabric and instructions on Wednesday so most of you should receive it today, the 28th.

The middle square will be 3" and I have sent that to you along with several other fabrics for you to put into the block to create a sense of continuity.  You will need some 1.5" strips of fabric and 2" strips of your own fabric.

Colors: light yellow, shades of pink, orange, lime green, aqua 

(Please, please, please refrain from red and purple and stick with the colors you see)

You will start adding strips of fabric to the LEFT side of the 3" middle square and move clockwise.  The first strip will be strip #1.  You'll add strips #1 through #28.  The widths of each strip  and how many fabrics each will contain (one or two) is below.  It is okay to repeat a couple fabrics in your block.

Strip 1: 2" strip of one fabric

Strip 2: 1.5" strip of one fabric

Strip 3: 2" strip of one fabric

Strip 4: 1.5" strip of one fabric

 Strip 5: 1.5" strip of one fabric

Strip 6 & 7: 2" strips of two fabrics

Strip 8: 2" strip of one fabric

Strip 9: 2" strip of one fabric

Strip 10 & 11: 2" strips of two fabrics

Strip 12 & 13: 1.5" strips of two fabrics

Strip 14: 1.5" strip of one fabric

Strip 15 & 16: 1.5" strip of two fabrics

Strip 17 & 18: 1.5" strips of two fabrics

Strip 18 & 19: 2" strips of two fabrics

Strip 21 & 22: 1.5" strips of two fabrics

Strips 23 & 24: 2" strips of two fabrics

(at this point the block will be 13.5 width x 12.5 length)

PLEASE NOTE: You can stop at this point making sure the size of the block is 13.5x12.5 or I would LOVE it if you could add four more strips around the block to make it a little bigger.  If not, I'll go ahead and add the strips- not a problem!

Strip 25: 1.5" strip of one fabric

Strip 26: 2" strip of one fabric

Strip 27: 1.5" strip of one fabric

Strip 28: 2" strip of one fabric

The finished block will be 15.5" x 15.5"

Please just make sure it ends up 15.5 by 15.5 even if it means making the last strips a little wider or narrower.

Thanks again!

Castle Complete

One more block ready to guard the keep. This quilt is going to look amazing, Nicole. 

Castles for Nivole

I must admit that I was intimidated by this due my lack of skills. Thank you for taking the time to make the written tutorial!! I conquered a fear and learned a new skill. 

And I only had to unpick a few seams. Success!

I also made a quilt for my Mother in law's birthday last week. What do you get a lady who has everything? 

⭐️for Mardie

You were just kidding when you mentioned patriotic stars in time for Christmas.....right??! 

* castle wall on deck, Nicole

Turrets & drawbridges

For Nicole...

I love the precision of paper piecing!  I'm sorry that the points don't all line up.  I hope it's close enough.

em

castle wall love

It's not perfect but I did it (and I have to admit it WAS rewarding after I figured it out- with help)!!!  I do love the colors and the pattern is beautiful.  I look forward to seeing the quilt when it's finished.  I'll get those threads trimmed before I put it in the mail. :)

Here's the polaroid quilt that I finished.  I chose a meander stitch and I am happy with it.

Lastly, I'd like to share a quilt my 9-year old made last summer.  She wanted to do it ALL herself (with my instruction, of course).  After months of her almost finished quilt sitting in her room she finally hand stitched the binding.  I just pulled it out of the dryer this afternoon.  I won't tell her that her brother crawled and danced all over it.

Announcing New Additions to the Tobler household!

I thought I would send on a few pictures of our newest grand baby!

Andy Gareth Curtis:   Born, January 4th to our youngest daughter, Grace. 

Two Curtis boys now, Clark 2 1/2 and Andy! 

Andy makes 13 grand babies for us. 

In March, Lizzy will bring #14!! 

And.... another drum roll please...

Yes, below you see a Mid-Arm machine. (I must have been a very good girl last year!)

This machine has a 16" harp opening so that I will no longer threaten to throw my regular machine out the window while cramming my quilts into the ultra small harp opening!

Come and Play!

Love, Mardie

My dearest, ever-forgiving Emily-

I received the extra fabric in the mail on Friday....

I completed your block today. Once completed I noticed yet another slice in the doves. Ugh....(this was from my original screw up, not a new screw up)

So I did what any good friend would do- I picked out just enough for you to replace it. I thought it would be easier than asking you to send me         

ONE.MORE.TRIANGLE.

I truly love this square, but I don't think the feelings are mutual. The doves are offended and my hands are tied without a fabric superstore nearby.

I will send extra chocolate. 

Can we still be friends? I understand if you say no....

Your (cut-challenged) friend,

Kristin 

Castle Wall Love

I fell in love with this 30’s vintage quilt a couple years ago but those Y-seams, blah. 

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since. 

When I saw this paper pieced version pop up on my Pinterest feed it was like the stars aligned. 

I love paper piecing.

I love castle wall.

Quite serendipitous. 

I hope you don’t mind making a girl’s quilt dreams come true!

Ladies, I’m not going to lie. 

Good news… I’d say the complexity of the paper piecing is pretty darn easy: not a bad project to start with if you’ve never attempted paper piecing before.

Bad news… it is time consuming.  It took me a couple of nap times, plus some to complete.  

Here is my version.

I debated for a long time on which fabrics I should choose but in the end I chose to stick with red, white and blue.  If nothing else it will make this ex-pat a little less home sick. 

If you’ve never done paper piecing, or if it’s been a while, or if you know how to do it perfectly well but want some tips on how to do it better, then look no further than this tutorial.  I use some of her techniques and leave some at the door (like when she says don’t bother using a ¼” ruler when cutting the excess fabric on the seam, she be straight up crazy). There are bunches of paper piecing tutorials out there.  I don’t care which method you use.  Choose one that works for you.  

Fabric is in the mail.  

I hope you find this project as fun to do as I did. 

Thank you ladies!

XOXO,

Nicole