3 Blocks done - now what?

                                     Click here to visit One Monthly Goal September link-up

I have been enjoying making these needle-turned applique blocks from the Rin pattern by Carolyn Friedlander.

I have three blocks done - here is the block I just finished up this weekend.

I just love all these blocks together.

But now what?   Do I make a forth block and set them together in a quilt?  (I mocked up this image in a photo editor - imagine these are 4 different blocks.)

Do I set all in a column and then add a lot of negative space?  (I'd need to buy more fabric.)

Or maybe spread out that negative space a bit ....  (I'd also need to buy more fabric.)

I am leaving towards the first mock-up which means I need to get another one of these blocks underway.  I will certainly pick an easier one.  While I continue to enjoy the handwork, I really, really don't like the bumpy bits on the inner circle.

What do you think?

I'll be linking up my blocks with  Freemotion by the River,   WIP Wednesday's,  Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers.  Needle and Thread Thursdays, Finish it Up Friday and Finished or Not Friday.

Have a wonderful day! Patty

Skill Builder QAL - Starburst

Click here to visit One Monthly Goal September link-up

Hurrah!  It is month 8 in Fat Quarter Shop's Bella Skill Builder QAL.     You can find the pattern and a video tutorial for this month's Starburst blocks on the Jolly Jabber blog.  You can also buy a kit for this quilt here.


Since I don't have the specialty ruler, I used the template provided in the instructions. There is no reason to cut the full shape since that top pointy part gets cut away anyway.

To use the paper template, I taped it to a ruler, aligning along edge. (A).  I drew a line down the center and used my ruler to make sure I was aligned to the grain line (B).  Once trimmed (C), I flipped the ruler over to cut the next unit. (D) and flipped again (E) for the next unit.

Once three of these shapes were joined together, I pressed all seams clockwise and trimmed each block to be 6 1/2 ''. (figure F above).

The instructions call for everything to be joined together and then trimmed but that proved to be not as accurate (for me) then to cut and then assemble the final block from four blocks each at 6 1/2 ''.

My block centers are very bulky and don't all come together in a nice point but I am ok with this.  I'll mash them down (technical term here!) with my hire and be careful not to quilt through the centers.

With one more block to go, time to starting laying the blocks out in the suggested layout to see if works for my colors. Looking pretty good so far!

More photos of the rest of my blocks by following the links below:

• Kaleidoscope Blocks (February)
• Orange peels  (March)
• Pineapple blocks (April)
• Flying Geese (May)
• HST (June)
• Courthouse Steps (July)
• Large HST blocks (August)

Have a wonderful day! Patty

One Monthly Goal September Link-Up

Welcome to September!

New to One Monthly Goal?  Welcome!  You can read about the event and the rules on the main event page.

Sign up to receive email notifications when the One Monthly Goal linkup is open.  Think of it as a helpful reminder!

My goal for September is to turn these set of blocks into a quilt top and to assemble the back.  Bonus points if basted and double bonus points if quilted!  (See more about these blocks and the quilt here.)

We have three great sponsors for September and there will be three (3) winners this month!

Fat Quarter Shop offers a tremendous selection of fabric, notions, books and just about anything you will need for your project. Consider their Sew Sampler box to receive a monthly surprise delivery of fabric and fun.   Fat Quarter Shop is offering a $25 gift certificate to one lucky participant.

Family owned and operated, Clothworks produces outstanding quality fabric for quilters and sewists who love to create.  Clothworks produces a variety of fun fabric lines, including my favorite American Made Brand Solids. Check out their site and sign up for their newsletter to be the first to know about new lines.  Clothworks is offering a Twilight Laurel Burch Basic 2.5'' strip roll.



I'm very excited to introduce to you to Sam Hunter from Hunter's Design Studio as this month's featured designer.

As a pattern designer, Sam is a champion for helping our newest sewists, and our up-and-comers. She likes to design patterns that can be made with beginners’ skills, but that are more interesting than the usual big block patterns that are offered to our newbies.   (You can see my version of one of her patterns here.)

Quilt and photo credit to Sam Hunter
Patterns: Relatively Dimensional and This Droid is Not For Sale

Quilt and photo credit to Sam Hunter

Sam enjoys wrangling with the puzzles of quilt design: she designs mindfully for ease of construction, and economically for little waste. Sam takes care to list the actual skills needed to make a project and her patterns are full of illustrations to make them easy to follow. She fundamentally believe that quilting should be fun, so tries hard to design and write things that are fun, too. For a deeper read of her Pattern Mission Statement, go here.  And make sure you check out Sam's book Quilt Talk.

You can visit Sam on her Blog, Instagram. Facebook, and her Pattern Store.  Sam will be offering a lucky winner three (3) pdf patterns of their choice.

Now it is your turn to link up - what is your goal for September?  (A goal could be to finish a quilt but it could also be to attach a binding.  Whatever it takes to help you move forward and make progress on your projects!  And as long as the project involves a needle and/or fabric, you can link up!)

Make sure you visit the One Monthly Goal event page for the specific requirements for links and social tags. 

And remember, to be eligible for the prize(s) by random drawing you must linkup at both the goal setting and the accomplishment linkup in a given month.   (The One Monthly Goal accomplishment linkup will be available on September 24.)

Make sure you add a link to this OMG post so others can follow where you are linking.   Let's make that easy -  just paste this into your post:  

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal September Linkup.

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks for linking up!

Have a wonderful day! Patty