PatchKats – 2nd revision to cutting instructions

I hate this when it happens – I was working ahead on my blocks and found a second error.  Sorry – wasn’t until my pieces weren’t fitting together correctly that I realized what I had done.    So I’m going to put both corrections in this blog post (in case you missed the previous one and so that they are all together in one place ) and I will update my general Errata Page.

So the first correction, which I posted earlier today is in cutting the “Kat” pieces – see the highlighted change below.

The second change is to the background pieces labeled [J].   See the highlighted correction below.  The link to the download for March April from the PatchKats page has been updated with these two corrections.

I’ve rechecked for the millionth time the remaining pieces and all looks good — this is why I always add extra to the yardage requirements — just in case.  Now to go rip apart the section I just sewed when I noticed the background error.

Patchkats BOM — Correction to April installment

Ack!  I hate it when it happens but sometimes it just does.  As I was finishing cutting out the rest of my pieces, I realized I had left one piece off the cutting instructions for the Kats.  I’ve edited the pdf page so any downloaded as of today will have the correction. But if you’ve already printed it, here’s what you need to change.

You need to cut TWO, rather that one, piece of the [M] sections for both types of Kats.

In addition to this correction being made to the revised PDF, it is also listed on the PatchKats BOM Page, as well as listed in my general Errata Page.  Please be sure to cut out that extra section [M] or your Kats will have some very funny looking tails.

PatchKats Progress

  I’ve been busy today.  Friend Gloria came over late morning and we spent several hours sewing.  I’ve got all except two of my PatchKats April blocks done – the Kat heads.  I think I may go looking for a gold color to use for the last two.  Then I need to go back and cut out all the other Kat block and background pieces.  I only cut what I needed for the head blocks so far.

There was a trip to JoAnn Fabrics involved since Gloria  needed more supplies and what did I come home with –

a pretty new shears – that is actually sharp unlike every other scissors here.  I’ve tried sharpening some of them but it has not worked and I  am tired of searching thru them to find one that is just as sharp nipping with the tip as it is cutting with the whole length of the blade.  I had a 50% off coupon and I had a gift card in my purse I hadn’t  used so free pretty blue scissors.

It’s been a lovely spring day here- I’ve had the windows and doors open since early this morning.  The warmer temps and sun the past couple days have the leaves starting to pop out on the trees and green grass everywhere.  Not quite time for the first grass cutting of the season but soon.  I need to wander down to the apartment garden plots because I can see rather large green clumps of something in the plot where I had my garden last year.  I want to see if it’s something that has voluntarily sprouted and is a good plant or if it is a weed since sometime before Memorial Day they’ll be coming to till up the garden plots and I’ll dig it out and stick in a pot if it’s something good that’s growing out there – tho most likely a robust weed.

PatchKats BOM

The March installment download is now available for download – click PatchKats quilt image in sidebar to get to project page.

Here’s what my finished Ribboned Heart blocks will look like.

 The colors aren’t quite true in the photo but pretty close.

 

And here’s all the rest of my border pieces.  There are lots of Stitch & Flip corners to add this month and my suggestion is to make sure to draw the diagonal lines on the back of those squares.  I sometimes get lazy and eyeball them instead of drawing the lines but they are never as accurate since when you stitch the diagonal lines, you really should be stitching a thread or so away from that diagonal line and not directly on it to account for the fabric taken up in the seam. It may seem like such a small amount  but it can really make a difference as to how your blocks turn out.

As you can see from my little piles of pieces, I have many seams to be pressing open before I go on to the next step so I’ll be heating up that iron soon.

My only challenge with these pieces – when I was working the other night I wasn’t paying close enough attention to my background fabric – it has a light dot print on it and I had to redo several pieces that I flipped the background wrong way around on.

Feel free to share photos of your fabric choices or blocks in progress for this project through the Justquiltin Flickr group.  The link to the Flickr group is also found in the sidebar of the blog.

It’s finished! and more PatchKats

As for the finish – I finally finished my Wiggle Wrap last night.  I haven’t taken a final photo yet and it needs blocking, but that was a whole lot of knitting!  I haven’t looked it up yet but I think with the yarn I used, I knit close to 2400 yards of fingering weight yarn into it.  Now that’s going to help my stash busting tally!  I started the Wiggle Wrap nearly a year ago (during the winter of unrelenting cold — tho the last couple weeks  have been very reminiscent of that time) planning ahead to this winter. But it got set aside for Camp projects and a sweater or two. Yes, I was supposed to have this done so I could wear it to ward off the cold.  It’s nice and wide and long so I can wrap it over my head and around my shoulders over my coat on those coldest days.  There will still be time to wear it I think but if Mother Nature wants to make it too warm outside for me to be able to wear it this year — I’m okay with that too. 🙂  It’s also bright enough that if I should get stuck in a snowbank, someone should be able to see me and pull me out.  It was an enjoyable, easy knit, but I’m glad it’s finished.

Now on to more PatchKats — I was just adding in random fabric styles and colors and quickly swapping them out in EQ so here’s a few more ideas (there are some fabrics I would swap out for something that shows up a bit more, etc. but it’s just to give you an idea since I was doing a quick swap and replace) – 30’s fabrics, black/gray/red more modern prints, batiks on black, batiks on light background – just more possibilities.

  Remember the yardage requirements and general info are on the PatchKats project page.  It’s the big button on the right of the page that shows the quilt cover.  Click on that image to get to the information on the project page.  If you are reading thru email subscription, please go to the blog to access the project page.

My fabric order for my PatchKat quilt was placed this morning and my Box of Fun is headed out in the mail to be today so I should have my fabrics on Monday.  I’m mixing some fabrics I had previously purchased, and then added to them with some additional fabrics.  I had a background fabric here I wanted to use but needed more of it and it’s currently out of stock so I think the background around my Kats will be one fabric and the background in the border will be another fabric — both from the same fabric manufacturer so the colors should be very similar – just different tone on tone prints.  Will have to wait and see once I get all the fabrics if it will work out as I plan.

Knitter’s Gifts – From Head to Toe – the final installment

  Since I’m going to be busy tomorrow morning, I loaded up the final instructions for this project tonight so they are now available to download.

 

The final border which, if we are keeping in the “knitting” context, resembles a row of garter stitch or, in the quilting context, is made up of a whole heap of drunkard’s path blocks.  Now occasionally in EQ I draw a quilt design that looks great as an image but may not necessarily be easy to piece.  So I did actually test out these pieces since most drunkard’s path block sections I’ve made in the past were larger.   I’m happy to report that while I consider a drunkard’s path block putzy (no matter what the size of it – due to clipping one piece and having to pin each end) my two tester blocks went together very nicely.

 

Here’s the test blocks I made.

I just grabbed two fabrics off the top of a stack near me to try them. I was especially curious about the block on the right which is used only four times – once in each corner.  I’d never pieced one like that before and it was no more difficult than the block on the left.

Sigh… yet another project (in addition to my Dog Pound Pals) that I need to get moving on and get finished since I still need to make some of the center quilt blocks.

 

Final Giveaways for DPPAS and Knitter’s Gifts

I’ve cleared out my box of goodies and I still have some giveaway goodies for the 2014 BOM projects.   There are still two large Dog Pound Pals 2015 calendars.

 

 

 

 And there are still two Knitter’s Gift tote bags  as well as one blank notebook.  So time to clean out the final items so I can get them mailed out next week oops – not next week, I’m still on vacation so they’ll be mailed after first of the year when I return to work.

How can you be eligible to win these items??  Glad you asked.

(1)  to win a chance at the Knitter’s gift blank notebook — all you have to do is live in the US and leave a comment on this blog post.  Sorry to the non-US residents but postage would cost more than the actual notebook cost which would be a bit silly.

(2) to win the Knitter’s Gifts, you must have participated in that project, not won a tote bag previously (I have a list) and upload your photos of your blocks to the Justquiltin Flickr group.  You can load multiple photos for chances to win but each photo must contain a different month’s blocks that you haven’t posted previously and/or the larger section we have assembled  to date.  (well some of you have assembled it, I still need to play catch up).

(3) to be eligible to win the Dog Pound Pals calendars you must be a participant in that project, not have won any giveaways in connection with that project previously, and leave a comment on our DPPAS page (not this blog post).  Any comment left prior to 12/27/14 on the DPPAS page  is not eligible to be included for the drawing.  I’ll just use comments posted between today and the day I award the goodies.

Winners will be posted on New Year’s Eve.     UPDATED – 12/31/14 – WINNER’S ANNOUNCED – CHECK TO SEE IF YOU WON

From Head to Toe – A Knitter’s Gifts

I just uploaded this months’ installment.  Anyone still stitching along?  Are you caught up (if so you are way ahead of me)!

I put a note at the end of the directions but I’ll repeat it here.  There will be no installment in December – it’s just too busy a month – but we’ll resume in  January and then finish up in February with the final border.

There will be some fun in December tho — I’ve still got some of the Knitter’s Gifts blank notebooks and I think there’s one or two totebags left that I’ll need to do drawings for.

Knitter’s Gifts September Block is Now Available

My quilt design images have been sent off for approval finally so I got to writing this up much quicker than I thought I might.

  The block for this month is now available.  Well, no, this snowman mitten isn’t actually in the quilt but you could easily make him  – the face just happened to be saved in the same file when I was looking for some applique to add to the basic mitten — this month’s block gives you opportunities to make them your own – adding more fabrics, trims, buttons and other embellishments or you could add applique or embroidery.

Remember, you will need your sashing fabric next month! EQ7 estimates 1+1/2 yards for the sashing.  I have to decide what I want to use for that yet.

I’ve been on the computer working since early this morning – dang my day is gone since it’s nearly 6 p.m.   Hmmmm.. might just have to call the pizza guy for dinner tonight!!

A slightly different alternate setting

For those working on Dog Pound Pals – the instructions for this month are loaded to the page.  There is one example of the setting sashing in those instructions, which is in the quilt image printed on that page and on yesterday’s blog post.  You can, however, flip them the opposite so the dark HSTs surround the opposite blocks.  Your choice – the sections are all made exactly the same way as the instructions, just flip flop.

Here’s the original image

and here’s the pieces flipped the opposite way

 

 

 

As for me – you know I seldom actually make my quilts exactly like my own patterns.  🙂  I want the applique dogs as a smaller, separate project than the entire quilt pattern since I’m going to hang the applique dogs on my living room wall. 

The Run Like the Wind border blocks and the bone blocks  I plan to use in a separate quilt I need to make.  They will look equally cute in rows in a baby quilt in more realistic dog fabrics or in bright crazy fabrics.  Or maybe I’ll put a large dog house in the middle and put the dogs around it.  

Anyway, here’s my plan to use the applique blocks for a wall hanging.  It will still be pretty large but I have some nice big walls.