Disappearing four patch

Yvette and finished quilt.

Yvette had made a disappearing four patch quilt and demonstrated the technique to the retreaters. This is the second one I have seen in as many months and will be very handy for the U3A. Jackie had bought an incompletely finished kit and the technique came at just the right time for her to complete her quilt top. Most of the embroideries had been done and Kathy completed the rest for her - beautifully.

1.Four 5" squares (cut from a layer cake) sewn into a four patch.

Cut 1.25 inches on both sides of the seams, vertical and
horizontal.

Jackie's blocks

Now set together

Reverse the side cut pieces and a new pattern emerges so
now sew them together again.

• Today I have laid out quilt as you go blocks and setting squares and written a finishing to do list which seems rather daunting: draft and cut and quilt corner squares, join all the blocks together stopping to hand sew the joins on the back, then cut and sandwich the borders and add. After that the binding, labelling and adding a sleeve won't be too bad. Meanwhile another quilt is sandwiched and awaiting quilting but I find machine quilting hard work and yet another quilt top is awaiting sandwiching, again with the thought of quilting it. Oh woe! I do use a longarmer from time to time but can't quite get over the idea this is somehow cheating apart from the expense. Oh to have the the US tradition of sending quilts out for quilting or engaging the help of a group of friends with the clearest of consciences. I do like to have hand quilting on the go too but can't keep up with my output. I like to piece.

• 

  Corner HST's not done done yet

  
  

  

  I laid the prepped applique pieces out loosely on the setting triangles. Now each
  set has gone into its own little bag labelled
   Top left corner, bottom middle etc
  so when I've attached them to the triangles I'll know where they are to go.

  
  

Winding Up

I'm home now and have uploaded some more retreat pictures rather belatedly.Monday was very busy catching up with the U3A then lunch and an afternoon's sewing with the Usual Suspects. All week has been sorting out the bags and the rather tiresome task of prepping dragon fly appliques  for the setting square of my Bonnie's quilt. Just when I thought I had finished I had three more to do. Photos anon. Once done I shall have some reasonably mindless hand sewing to do in front of the TV and on holiday later this month. What's not to like about sitting on a balcony in Madeira surrounded by greenery, bright skies, sea and ships and hand sewing and listening to a story on my Ipod.

Yvette's on point quilt

Julie's completed top which was
started in a Edyta Sitar workshop in
Paducah.

Yvette's bright quilt using a tricky block

Pat's bright quilt following a Paula Doyle block of the month design

Carrie's using a lovely colour scheme

Yvette's using the split 9-Patch technique

Now Saturday

Star with fussy cut centre

Framed stack and whackery four patches

Whenever I come to a stop in my bout of projects I set out a few novelty squares to make up 12" blocks. It's fun and very moreish.
The first thing I did was working on the Drunkards Path blocks from Carolyn Forsters' workshop. I shall add a border when I get home and once quilted it will be for Linus. In the evening I made some 6" centres for Star blocks. I'm not yet sure how this Shell quilt is going to go.