The Great Unveiling at the Friday Stitchers

There was an air of excitement at our monthly Friday Stitchers meeting today.  We had all been taking part in a block swap over the last six months or so.  Each of us decided on what block we would like, and stitched a couple to show our preferred colour palette. Instructions were included and any fabric (if any) that the maker wanted repeated in each block.  The bags were then rotated around the group, keeping it all very secret.  And today we got to see just what was in those bags.

First to see what we had done to her blocks was our hostess Christine.  She had chosen the “Disappearing Nine Patch” block in black and white, and provided the turquoise fabric to tie it all together.  Black and white always looks good together and the turquoise added just the right touch of colour to the blocks.

Christine’s black and white blocks

Margaret wasn’t sure of the name of the block that she chose, and it incorporates a centre nine patch and rail fence blocks with a square in each corner.  The criteria was for this to be made using both warm and cool colours in the prescribed placement to blend in the the floral sashing fabric.

Margaret’s blocks

Everyone loved the beautiful underwater hues of Anne’s blocks.  She supplied the centre square fabric and the block was to be made using turquoise, purple and green. 

Anne’s blocks

These blocks and border strips for Judy came together very easily.  She asked for the blocks to be made with bright fabric either patterned or plain and supplied the dark blue fabric for the sashing.

Judy’s blocks and borders

Unfortunately neither Linda nor Audrey could make it to our meeting, but we still got to peep in their bags to see the blocks made for them.  Linda provided a paper pieced pattern and asked for her blocks to be made in purple, cream and burgundy batiks.

  Linda’s paper pieced blocks

Audrey had asked for her Sunshine and Shadow blocks to be done scrappy, any colours at all, just adhering to the light, medium and dark placement.  There is certainly lots of variety in these small blocks.

Sunshine and Shadow blocks for Audrey

When I received the bag containing the Drunkard’s Path blocks for Joyce I wondered how I would cope with those curved seams.  But I’m glad to say that they were not difficult at all to sew, and came together very quickly.  Joyce asked for a soft palette of florals and creams, and has stitched a whole lot more of these at home, she told us. 

Drunkard’s Path blocks for Joyce

Another soft and pretty block was Fay’s choice, and once again, very easy to put together.  Don’t those colours look lovely together?

Fay’s pretty blocks

It was so exciting to get to open my own bag full of blocks.  I had chosen Log Cabin, and supplied McCalls printed tissue paper patterns.  My blocks were to be done in shades of burgundy and cream, and I am so thrilled with how they look.  I have also sewn more blocks at home, so will have to lay them all out to see how how many more I’ll need.

My burgundy and cream Log Cabin blocks

It was fun to see this “great unveiling” and we all had such a lovely afternoon.  Wonder who will be the first of us to turn our blocks into a finished quilt?  It won’t be me, I’m sure of that!