Fancy Block Friday--block design edition

After seeing this block by Lauree (locodowo on flickr) I knew I wanted some strawberries of my own.

But, I wanted a group of strawberries with a differing amounts of white space in between.  So I started with a rough sketch of Lauree's block.  (This is a *very* rough sketch that I never would have colored or darkened the lines with pen if I wasn't posting it here.  I just had to get the idea down on paper quickly.)

Then I did a rough drawing of three berries, (I don't have this intermediate step pictured because I drew over my first drawing.) and then I turned that into a block design.

I made two photocopies of this drawing.  One I left as is, but numbered the berries.

The second  copy I turned over and placed it on a window and traced the drawing on the wrong side of the paper.  When I paper piece, my image gets flipped, so I want to paper piece on the reverse image.  After tracing, I cut out the individual berry blocks.

So, I don't have a finished block to post, but I hope it was helpful to show how I turn a sketch into a pattern to work with.

(Sometime soon, I'll have to show you how I number my block for the order 

in which I sew the fabrics on.)

Amanda finished a block for her Fancy Friday.  You can see it here.

Hedgie!

My fancy block is a day late, but, I had a good excuse.  Ruby came back from the repair shop yesterday, so we spent some time getting acquainted.  Details soon.

This week I made a block designed by Sonja of Artisania.  This is her free pattern called Lil Hedgehog.  The pdf file for it is here.

I debated (in my head) about the Joel Dewberry herringbone print a l-o-n-g time, but I absolutely love it.  I love the text print, too.  There, I admit it, I love this block.  I have no idea what I'll do with it, but I love it just the same.

Check out Amanda's circle of geese fancy block and Audrey's mushroom and gnome block. Wanna join us in the Fancy Block challenge on Fridays (or Saturdays)?? Do it! It does get a little easier every week.

Fancy Block Friday

I'm posting my fancy block on time this week!!   (I'm even interrupting my crafting weekend with Melissa to do this post.)  I'm so pleased with how this block turned out that I want to shout from the rooftops.

Here is my sketch from Wednesday night:

And here is the block I finished just a half hour ago:

This is a bee block for a friend in the May Moms Bee.  She sent me cool colors plus red with the instructions to make a block to represent February.  I'm not big on hearts, but paper piecing letters was right up my alley.

Now I'm off to make a potholder for my mom.  Must craft as fast as I can before I get home to the toddler tomorrow.

P.S.: Melissa can attest to the amount of mistakes I made last night in trying to remember how to paper piece again.  There was quite a bit of mild cursing, also.

P.P.S: Amanda made her block on time, too.  I'll have to ask her if there was any cursing on her part.

Fancy Block a day late

Remember that workshop I went to in April (that I might have gushed a bit about?).  Well, I've been in contact with the members of that retreat ever since and we've decided to start a new sewing challenge.  The goal is to use our block design / improv piecing / paper piecing skills on a regular basis.  You have to use the skills to keep them fresh in your mind because it is a totally different way of thinking about piecing.  Our goal is one block per week.  That's a steep order to add to some very busy sewing tables.  But, I typed it out loud now, and there is no going back.  

For my first week, I made an improv house block for Jenny in the  Sew Buzzy Bee.  She asked for blocks to represent each of our houses.  My actual house has two bay windows in front, so I started with the windows and built up from there.  My house has dark green siding on three sides and brick on the front.  All of my brick colored fabrics were just too dark, so I went with berry herringbone Joel Dewberry instead.  The print certainly has texture, even if it isn't really brick shaped.

In retrospect I should have done more drawing with graph paper to come up with a window size and door size to fit on a 12.5" square.  If I had a 15 or 16" square, I could have the windows on either side of the door, and I could have fit the two dormers with windows on the second floor and maybe the chimney.  I've done a few house blocks lately, but they've been tiny and lacking detail, so this was definitely a challenge for me.  Next time I improv piece for this challenge, I hope to play with more crazy angles or some curves.  I also pledge to do a sketch. 

Amanda at crazy mom quilts posted her block here.  I hope that Tara, Carmen and Audrey will join in soon, too.  The plan is to post on Fridays.  So, today is a Fancy Block Friday, just a day late.

Now I have to ask, how are you challenging yourself in your craft?