More Blocks this Week #chucknoharaqal

One of my favorite on-going projects right now is my Chuck Nohara Quilt Along, which I have written about before.  I'm especially finding myself drawn to the applique blocks, and am sure my balance of pieced blocks and appliqued blocks so far isn't very even, but oh well.  I really enjoy having the hand applique to work on when I sit.  Never used to enjoy it, but now actually really liking handwork.  Cuz I want to be quilting ALL THE TIME.

I started with the blocks by using needle turn applique.  After working on Carolyn Friedlander's Aerial Grove, I thought wow, needle turn is so easy and so fun!  NOT.  Sure, those 'squircle' shapes are soft and easy, not quite a circle, so of course they are fun and easy! When I tried doing some needle turn on my Chuck Nohara blocks, I found I wasn't actually too skilled at it.  Need some lessons with my friends Joyce and Diane, who ARE.

Shortly after I started #chucknoharaqal,  I took a one-day class with David Taylor, (a refresher, after having had a 3-day with him a few years ago) who uses freezer paper and starch to turn edges.  You trace the shape (reversed), onto freezer paper, cut it out on the lines, iron to your fabric, cut out the shape adding just a hair less than 1/4" inch seam allowance. Then paint some diluted liquid starch onto the seam allowance,  and using the nice finger-tip stiletto David prefers and the tip of your iron, press down the seam allowance onto the back of the freezer paper, holding it for 8 seconds. Keep it smooth and slow, no tucks, tiny bit by tiny bit.   Flip it over, press again, let it cool & pull out the freezer paper.  Voila!  I really like this method, am not too bad at it and very pleased with the results.

You say, so???   Well, so I started doing my pieces for Chuck Nohara with this technique! Works great for me!

Anyway, I got going this week on prepping some blocks.  Agonized over fabric selections, did the applique, and had blocks ready for stitching while sitting this week.  The first one, I had already done, but ending up taking it apart and re-doing it, cuz I just wasn't happy with it.  Now?  Happy!  I won't even bother posting the 'before' because I'm pretty sure you will say "Huh? You tore it out WHY?".  The important thing here is that I am happy.

block #1610

 And then I also made these:

#968

LOVE this cherry! #606

#725

#1845

#1846

 In between the 'chuck blocks', I made about a half dozen blocks requested by a fellow DAMQG member and Instagrammer that she will make into a quilt for  a friend of hers recently diagnosed with cancer.   The block is very cute and easy improv-style.  Color scheme green and grey, cut a piece of fabric 9" high, cut it in half, add a strip (width of your choosing) to the middle, cut in half the other way and do it again.  Then square up the block to 9" high,  ANY width you choose).  (I made one more, really skinny and tall, after the photo was taken). Very fun!

Then remembered I wanted to make a couple of charity blocks for DAMQG, #thatdamquiltalong.  Cuz in our guild, everything is some 'DAM' thing.  Rebekah C picks a pattern and palette each
 month, passes out this great flyer to us, and we bring the blocks the next month.  Someone then offers to assemble it, and the quilting and binding also shared by the group, whoever wants to take the next part.

 I also got 2 quilts spray-basted, one a charity quilt, not too big, and the other my Aerial Grove.  But that's a story for next time.....