Loafing Around

Star #9 from Sugarloaf wedges

Star #10 from Sugarloaf wedges. 

Pattern is called Flashes of Brilliance by Pam Buda and was found in  the October 2015 edition of American Patchwork and Quilting. 

The goal is 25 stars. I've been using fabrics from stash and muslin. 

A few weeks ago I was doing a little research on Sugarloaf quilts and came across a tutorial for a Sugar Plum block at Susies-Scraps.  I have had a bunch of scraps left over from Peppermint Twist and thought the Sugar Plum blocks would be a good way to use those scraps. 

The tutorial calls for a 10 inch width of fabric but mine are 8 inches. That's okay. I just need to cut 60 degree equilateral triangles and then follow the tutorial and my block will be a little smaller at 7.5 inches instead of 9.5 inches. 

So I gave the tutorial a try. The result of the tutorial should be 3 identical blocks but I chose to make 2 blocks the same and one different.  My first try I ended up with 2 wedges at 7.5 inches and one at only 7 inches and a little wonky. I think I that is because the maker is wonky and cutting was a little less than precise.  I didn't want to give up after my first try so tried again with two different fabrics. 

 On my second try I ironed the lines where I should cut the wedges and voila! success! I had three Sugar Plum blocks that measured 7.5 inches.  I was thinking that for the alternate wedges I could use this red with white pin dots fabric. Or I may find something else. I'm just going to make Sugar Plums from Peppermints for now. 

I've been waiting for days for the winds to die down enough to go take some pictures of a couple of finishes. I've just been loafing around while waiting. 

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

This Week's Sugar Loaf Star

 Star #8 of 25 made of Sugar Loaf wedges. 

They are getting a little easier to make! 

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

This Week's Sugar Loaf Star

Star made of Sugar Loaf wedges.

#7 of 25

 I said I was going to try to make one block a week.  So far so good. 

I Think I Remember Now Why This Is A UFO

I just made this block #6 out of the 25 necessary to finish this UFO. 

I started it back in February 2019 because at that time I had a complex block craving. 

It is called Flashes of Brilliance by Pam Buda and can be found in the American Patchwork and Quilting October 2015 magazine. I love it because it is inspired by a vintage quilt. But for me it is complex to get all those diamonds properly matched up especially since it has been awhile since I've worked on these blocks. I had to rip and re-rip parts of this block until I got the matching up process worked out. The pattern instructions really don't give much advice on matching pieces up. But I'm figuring it out and I also think if I work on these a little more often I'll get the hang of it. 

I was thinking these were Lone Star blocks but they are not. The six individual wedges are called Sugar Loaf blocks and joined together they do form a star. I had never heard of the Sugar Loaf block before I saw it mentioned in the pattern instructions. Barbara Brachman blogged about the Sugar Loaf block so I learned a little more about it. 

Well, anyway, complex or not I think I'm going to make it my goal to make a block a week until there are 25. My UFO project box held five previously made blocks, some sewn together strip sets, some cut strip sets, some muslin triangles and the magazine with the pattern. 

And since I am really committed to moving this UFO forward I went ahead and selected fabrics for the remaining blocks and cut those strip sets. For those of you who ask if I ever cut into yardage well...surprise!... this is one of those times. 

 But of course I am left with some scraps now! Yipee! 

Craving Complex

 I've been concentrating on finishing up all the donation quilt tops I made last year. I still have a lot of tops to finish but I think I need a break from that goal for a week or so.  I've been craving something new; something complex.  So I made a this star block - the first of 25.   It's not really all that complex to make once the sixty degree angled pieces are cut. I think I'm sixty degree angle challenged. Maybe that will change with practice. 

Anyway, this instructions for this quilt is from American Patchwork and Quilting October 2015 and is inspired by a vintage quilt. You know how I love vintage quilts. This one has been on my list since I saw it in 2015. And lucky me...before I retired I used to buy muslin almost every time I saw it on sale (mostly to use with my 30s reproduction and civil war reproduction fabrics) so I have the 4+ yards needed for the background. I considered using another color but I don't have a lot of yardage in solid colors and would have to buy it. I'm not going to buy fabric when I can make do with muslin in the stash. 

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Moving it Forward Monday at Em's Scrapbag