I'm a Blockhead

I'm a "blockhead".

I just realized that  I never posted February's Craftsy Block of the Month Blocks.  February's blocks focused on half square triangles, or HSTs.  I actually made this block for last quarter's 3x6 Bee, although I used a little different approach.  I used a Flying Geese technique whereas this one uses the HSTs.  The blocks look pretty much the same, if you ask me.

Here's the previous one I made.

The block is called Balkan Puzzle.  If you remember, I goofed, and made it more like a pinwheel, but I actually liked it just as well or better.

The second block for February is a zig-zag block.  I really had fun with the fabrics in this one.  I think several blocks together matching the fabrics in the different rows would be way-fun.  This was a block I hadn't tried before, but it was super easy, just consisting of squares and HSTs.

I haven't gotten around to March's blocks yet.  March's blocks are string quilt blocks.  String quilt as in Val's Heroes Quilt and Spider Web blocks.

 So, nothing especially new here either, but it seems like I always manage to pick up a few tips and pointers from the lessons.

If you want to join in, the Craftsy BOM quilt-along is free (which is a good thing).

And one of my goals for the year was to do a QAL and keep up.

So far, so good.  Wanna join me?

Block Party

The other day, I was prowling around blogland, when I ran across a post on Val's blog, Pink Please, about her desire to make a quilt to auction to raise money for cancer treatment.  Her post touched me in several ways.  First, both of my parents died of cancer - my mom more than 25 years ago now.   Then in 2004, my best friend (whom I still miss every day) lost her long battle with the ugly disease.  Then, this year, two of my co-workers, both quite young, are valiantly fighting this menace.  One of them, only 46, has pancreatic cancer.  Another, barely 30, has breast cancer.

It seemed like the least I could do was make a couple of quilt blocks.  Hardly a sacrifice at all, really.  Certainly nothing like battling cancer.

And check out the blocks she has received so far!  I am blown away!  This quilt is going to be AWESOME!

On a happier note, I am a member of the Fall Bee, and this is Anna's month.  She chose spider web blocks in batik fabrics.  Here's mine.

 It is a fun pattern, made from the tutorial at alamodefabrics, but I really felt like there wasn't as much contrast as I would have liked.  However, these are the fabrics I was sent, so this is the block I made.  I haven't sewn much with batiks, so this was kind of fun.  This block looks so complicated, but is really very easy if you follow the tutorial. 

Since this was a long weekend (thank you WH and all you Veterans and Veteran's families!) I had plenty of time to play and get caught up.  I read a little, sewed a lot, and maybe, just maybe, I can go back to work rested enough to last until Thanksgiving - only 10 days away!