Saturday, July 18, 2015

July meeting - rainout

Unfortunately, due to the wet grass and 40% chance of rain, we are canceling our July 18 outdoor meeting.

Please keep your eyes on email for a possible informal meet-up later this month.

Stay dry everyone!

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Happy Fourth of July! July BOM by Kaesmene

Kaesmene, who blogs at Kaesey, has a perfect block for the Fourth of July.  It's rainy and grey here in Boston so make a pinwheel or two to cheer yourself up and celebrate!



Happy Fourth!

The tutorial for Kaesmene's block is here:  https://kaesey.wordpress.com/2015/07/01/pinwheel-fourth-of-july-block-for-the-bmqg/

Friday, July 3, 2015

June Block of the Month: Rails and Ladders



Sorry this is a few days late!  To make up for it, this one is a two-fer.  This "pattern" will make two coordinating "rails and ladders" improv blocks.

This is an improv-style block based on a rail fence pattern, so there is no cutting list.  All you'll need is a nice big pile of scrap strips ranging from 1" to 3" wide and about 12" or longer, in three colors.  They don't even need to be straight/ even.  Great for using up  scraps!  Here is my pile of strips:



Using each of the two colors separately to make two rough blocks, arrange the scraps in a "rail fence" pattern alternating each color with white.


Sew together into a large block, and do the same with color 2.



Trim these to roughly 2" NARROWER than you want them, width-wise, and about 2 - 2.5" LONGER than you want them, lengthwise.  (Note:  I'm not very fussy about block sizes for improv quilts, but if you want these to finish to a perfect measurement it's probably better to add/ subtract 3" and then trim to size at the end.)

Now, cut a strip from the bottom of each block, across the stripes, approximately 2-2.5"  in width. Again, these cuts needn't be perfectly straight -- they look good a bit wonky.


Do the same for the other color block, and sew a strip of white down the side of each strip.


Now we are going to open up our "rail" blocks to insert these strips.  Choose the place you want the "ladder" to be inserted and open the seam.



Now sew a contrasting "ladder" strip into the "rail" block, press and trim.



Then do the other one.  These blocks look cool sashed in white, and arranged with the "ladders" going in different directions.




Thursday, July 2, 2015

July Meeting Details


Join us in this VERY SPOT on Saturday, July 18 from 1:00 to 3:00 (ish) for our June meeting and outing.  We will meet at FAN PIER PARK which is located right on the Boston Harbor behind the Moakley Courthouse in the Seaport District. 

Bring a picnic lunch or snack; there are also take-out food options nearby including Starbucks, Flour Bakery, Bon Me, and Au Bon Pain near the Children's Museum, and if you prefer to come early to eat (and drink) sitting down, there are several great restaurant options nearby as well including Babbo, Legal Harborside, Rosa Mexicana, The Barking Crab and many many others. 



This location is easily accessible/ walkable from South Station on the Red Line and Commuter Rail, Aquarium on the Blue Line,  and State on the Orange.   There is ample paid parking as well, though it can be quite expensive.  Metered street parking exists -- but don't count on necessarily finding a spot.

If you're planning to make a day of it, this spot is also walkable to downtown, the ICA and to the Rose Kennedy Greenway, where Janet Echelman's aerial installation "As if it were Already Here" is on view.

Hope to see you all there!