Block-A-Palooza blocks FINISHED!!!!

Woot-woot! Wooooooooo-Hoooooooooo!

I finished 16---yes, SIXTEEN---quilt blocks! I just decided I wanted to try this. It started HERE (click) on Quilt Dad's blog. You can go there & open each block's original designer's webpage showing the original blocks. As an aside, I think of quilting as something women do. I think of sewing as something women do. Yet, even as far back as early Bible times, you read about MEN making things with fabric. It's BECOME more of a woman's hobby, but really started with men. Whatdaya know? LOL!

I gathered fabrics from my stash & got a few yards of REALLY cheap fabric to go along with those. I'm learning there is a HUGE difference in fabrics from chain stores, especially if they are $3.98 full price, and fabrics from quilt shops that start at $8 and up full price. I mean, a difference BESIDES the price. Of course, if you shop places like Fabric.com when things are on sale, you get the quilt shop fabrics at the chain store prices sometimes! I've also noticed that many chain store fabrics cost as much full price as quilt shop fabrics. The difference is most quilt shops don't take coupons. LOL! I did NOT want to use expensive fabric on something I didn't know how to do yet. I'll be making simple quilts with my better fabric (even if I did get it half-price).

I've learned a LOT about quilting by doing this quilt-along and it's been very helpful. I'll share lessons learned another time.

The last quilt block pattern was posted last Thursday (one week ago) and today the Finishing directions were posted. While I will likely not finish mine for some time (I have to do some modifying, keep reading for that info), I DID want to finish the squares. The girls have several projects for me to do, I have a Girl Scout quilt to assemble, and some clothes I'd like to wear. Oh, yes, there is that detail of homeschooling, too. And card making. And dish washing. tee-hee. I did keep up with dishes. Even when I'm sick my family doesn't do dishes. Seriously. They do other things to help, but they seem allergic to dishes.

I will say the biggest problem overall was getting the seams to be just right. I probably didn't cut just right to start with (I did use my rotary cutter, but with only 1/4" seam allowance, if you cut 1/16" off, that can get you off to a bad start). I am SURE I haven't figured out my 1/4" foot yet. I don't know if I need to put my fabric RIGHT next to the guide or slightly off of it. Whatever I do, I need to be consistent. I also think I'll try making all the same blocks next time I make something. That way, whatever mistakes I make, they'll all be the same! These blocks SHOULD all be 12.5" (once sewn they'd be 12"). Mine range from 12" to 13" on any given side. Some are square, some aren't (as in 12.5" x 12"). That's where I'll need to do some modifying. I'll have to add a border to some blocks before I continue. I'll have to trim some blocks (if I don't lose too much of the pattern). Otherwise I will have to just add a border to all but the biggest & trim them all to that size.

Without further adieu, I give you the blocks. You can click on individual pics if you dare, I mean if you want to see them bigger. Just remember I am NEW to this! I've made a wedding dress, prom dresses & bridesmaid dresses (back when they were FLUFFY and FULL) and I've made baby clothes and doll clothes that are teeny-tiny, but these geese were something else to try to do!