Hello and happy Wednesday! I hope you are all having a good time sewing with Moda Blockheads. I know for me, the sewing has been a really therapeutic time of my day with all that is going on. The hum of the machine, the focus on creating something, the calming energy of sewing and quilting...these have been a needed thing lately. Therefore I am especially happy to be providing a NEW BLOCK this week!

UPDATE: I apologize that we've had an issue with connecting with the server for the pattern. Its back up now! Click the link in the gray box to get it from Moda. OR I've uploaded a PDF directly to my site and that is the BLUE "DOWNLOAD FILE" directly below this paragraph. I'm sorry for any problems you've had with getting the pattern  (and keep reading for some color ideas):

Meet BLOOMING LOVE. This block can be done in so many ways. We just had Saint Patrick's Day and couldn't you see this as a four leaf clover? Or a simple pinwheel? This block was born from my Picket quilt and the 18" block I designed "Full Bloom."  I had a great time using the simple stitch and flip corners to make the picket fence or pointed ends to the sections. More info about stitch and flip is below. But for now, lets talk about how you can play with the block.

Half square triangles point to the center of the block with stitch and flip pointed ends extending from each one. A square is in each corner. These are some studies of how the block could look with different color play. For my block I was sewing I wanted to separate one section with a darker red to emphasize the heart within the pieces. I enjoy how it can look like both a flower and a heart, thus the name Blooming Love. Or what if you had two hearts, reflecting each other? In my mind, I originally thought of the pieces showing slight variations of color, either in scrappy mixes or light and dark hues. In the second row above, the 4 hearts meet at their points. Or, If you keep one side of the heart as a solid color and break the other side into two colors, and repeat and rotate that arrangement, it makes a pinwheel. The first two images on the third row show a gradation of colors that move around a wheel from light to dark. This could be really fun to try with some ombre fabrics. In fact, I'm updating this post to add some new pictures of one that I DID try with Ombre Confetti just today (Wednesday)! I made this one in the smaller, 6" size and used Thatched Burgundy for the background. On the last row you can see how it looks if you play with the corner blocks too or create some optical illusion with white center sides and dark corners.

If you haven't made stitch and flip blocks before, its pretty easy. A smaller square is added on a corner (right sides together) with a line drawn corner to corner, diagonally. Sew on that line. I sometimes just do a finger-press to crease the line into the fabric vs drawing it. After sewing, trim the corner off. I like to save those corners if they are big enough to use as half square triangles on other projects. If I'm saving them I will sew an additional seam 1/2" away from the first one (parallel the first seam), and then cut the corner off, leaving me with my little extra HSTs, already sewn. Since I'm making the 8" blocks for this project, the small stitch and flip corners are too little for me to make those extra blocks. I just throw the cut corners away or put them into my fabric cuttings that get donated for pet beds. 

After cutting the corner off, make sure you press the flipped corner open before adding the other corner, just as you would when making flying geese. I've forgotten and had to rip out the top part before. ​

For the half square triangles in the center part of this block (the D pieces on the instructions) I increase the measurement 1/8th of an inch over what the directions say so my blocks are a little bigger when I make them, then I trim up my blocks. I like to use Bloc-Loc rulers to trim my half square triangles.  I press the seam of my half square triangle to the dark side. Then the Bloc-Loc ruler ridge nestles up to the seam when you have the logo on the light side of the fabric. The ridge in the ruler helps it stay in place and aligned for you to trim the block. 

You also might need to trim up corners on the stitch and flip pieces. Any ruler works fine for this. After trimming all the pieces up you can join into rows, then join the rows and TA DA...your Blooming Love block is ready to share some cheer!

If you've been following me these weeks, you have seen I've been making my blocks in both all Thatched fabrics for a more modern, solid look, and in Thatched mixed with scrappier mixes of fabrics. I've used fabrics from Abby Rose on this one to bring in my pink tones. 

Here is the Picket quilt that was my original inspiration! It was lots of fun to design!

Thanks so much for the community and the energy of sewing along! I hope you have a great time with this block! Visit the other Moda designers to see their approach to this block:
Corey Yoder - https://corianderquilts.com/
Sherri McConnell - https://www.aquiltinglife.com/
Betsy Chutchian - http://betsysbestquiltsandmore.blogspot.com/
Jan Patek - http://janpatek.blogspot.com/
Brigitte Heitland - https://www.brigitteheitland.de/blog
Lisa Bongean - https://lisabongean.com/
Lissa Alexander - http://modalissa.com/
Laurie Simpson - http://minickandsimpson.blogspot.com/
Vanessa Goertzen - https://lellaboutique.blogspot.com/
Stacy Iest Hsu - https://www.stacyiesthsu.com/blog/
(Me) Robin Pickens - https://www.robinpickens.com/
Janet Clare - http://janetclare.co.uk/blog/
Jen Kingwell - www.jenkingwelldesigns.com/blog
Joanna Figueroa - https://blog.figtreeandcompany.com/

Thanks so much and happy sewing!
​Robin

The Taos pattern by Vannesa Goertzen can be found on her blog at https://lellaboutique.blogspot.com/   It is a fun mix of half square triangles and blocks, with a nice patchwork center that can emphasize the structure or provide a strong chained diagonal through the block.

Instead of using all squares in the center, I decided to eliminate a few seams and use some rectangles in the square perimeter within the center. That is one of the things I like about this design. You can do a diagonal line of squares going through the center or play with the lights and darks to make other shapes within the patchwork. I decided I wanted a dark green Pine Thatched square to really emphasize that center. 

Don't you love that green Aurifil thread? I love that color of green! It is Aurifil's Light Leaf Green #1147 in Mako 50 weight. And it blends so well with my scrappy/Abby Rose version of the block. I've combined Thatched Chartreuse and Peacock with a small Pine corner square on the inner perimeter with Abby Rose fabrics in green. 

I think if I were choosing fabrics again, I might select something that separates that inner square perimeter more. I used some of the leaves from the roses and the colors are good but I'd like it to have a little more consistency to the overall print. However, I'm very happy with the "tin leaves" on the outer corner and having my little simple bee friend from Painted Meadow on the most center squares. 

I think its interesting to notice how the block looks different with the darker green to the inside of the half square triangles vs the outside (like the all-Thatched version).

I hope you are having fun with this Taos block and doing your own experimenting with the blocks, squares and half square triangles!

Happy Wednesday and Moda Blockheads day!! Laurie Simpson gave us the pattern to a lovely 9 Patch block this week! Check out Laurie's blog post for the pattern or check back with the facebook group on Friday for the pattern.  http://minickandsimpson.blogspot.com/2020/03/blockheads-3-week-8.html

Since the original pattern was for a 6" or 12" block I made an alteration so mine would fit with my other 8" blocks. For the Abby Rose scrappy version of my block, I made the nine patch in the 6" size and then added a 1" border around the block (1 1/2" cut pieces to make 1" finished size when sewn with other blocks). I wanted to continue the look for the darker squares creating an "x" shape so I finished the corners on the outside border with pink squares. 

If you want to add a border like this, I used the 6" Nine Patch block and added (4) 1 1/2" squares in each corner with (4) 1 1/2" x 6 1/2" rectangles, with one to each side of the block.

I love putting the little rose bud in the center of this tiny block. The little leaves, curving lines and rose bud are all from my Abby Rose collection which should be shipping the middle of this month!! The burgundy oval squares are from my Painted Meadow collection.

For the all-Thatched version I made the corners with tiny blocks, the same size as the 4 squares surrounding the center piece. For each of my four outer corners, I assembled (4) 1" squares so they will be 1/2" finished size. I used the same 1 1/2" x 6 1/2" rectangles I specified above for the outer sides. I like how the little outer squares will mimic those inner squares. They seem so cute! I showed the scale with the thimble below for these squares in the center.

I like to see how the simple block made up with just Thatched looks compared to the one with the Abby Rose fabrics. The Abby Rose material with soft flowing curved lines added into the top, bottom and side squares makes a subtle plus sign within the block. I'm feeling some rosy love for this block this week!

Are you ready to celebrate Valentines Day and LOVE? Well, Brigitte Heitland's LOVE block is a perfect fun way to spread some cheery feeling.

​Here is the Thatched and Abby Rose version. Abby Rose will be shipping to shops at the beginning of March! Those roses are perfect for a love theme.

I am fortunate to have my mother visiting this week. Talk about LOVE. She has been my biggest cheerleader and is a wonderful example of love. Not only that, but she made this weeks blocks for me!! Yes, when Mom visits, she gets right into the mix of fabric fun and sews along. She is also sewing along in Blockheads this time to make a quilt.

Foundation paper piecing is a newer thing for me. I've done a few blocks with it and I know the tip to shorten the stitch length is very important. I know because I've forgotten to do that in the past and it is a lot harder to rip the paper out and not tear seams. With a shorter stitch length its SO much easier! I also like that I can mark the colors of the fabrics on the back paper so I can follow my plan as adding the pieces.

Just a thought...these L O V E pieces would look good added side by side into a rectangle as well as in the stacked square.

Jan Patek's BIRDHOUSE block this week for Moda Blockheads 3 is an appliqué design. Last year I did the pieced blocks instead of any appliqué but this year I thought I'd jump into the appliqué spirit! I'm really a patchwork piecing kind of person but it's good to stretch yourself.

I've tried to do needle turn appliqué but I'm not very good at it (I know, I know...I'd get better with practice). But fusible raw edge appliqué is a little more my speed. I'm still a bit rough at it but it IS fun to do something completely different and out of my norm. One thing I enjoy while doing this is getting out one of my other sewing machines. My daily machine is a straight stitch Juki so anytime I need to do decorative stitches, overlock, blanket stitch, zig zag, etc, I bring out my little Bernina or my Juki HZL computerized machine. 

For the first block, I did my ALL Thatched. But this birdie wanted a fancier house, something with birdhouse wallpaper and and a polka dot roof.

I like how Thatched still plays well as a background when other prints are showing off. Leaves, leaves and more leaves in this one. I guess I can call the birdhouse a GREENHOUSE BIRDHOUSE.

As for fusible appliqué tips, I've got two suggestions. One is to let that iron get really hot and really press your fusible or it sometimes peels unevenly. I often don't press it enough to get that good bond. The other tip is one I learned from Anna Maria Horner in a class I took from her. Take a pin and run it over the paper backing to score a little cut line in the paper before you tear it off. You can separate it more easily and peel from that cut line to remove the paper. I had been struggling with the edges of fusible on fabric to separate them and the pin line works much better than my fingernails to start it!

The other thing that always surprises me about appliqué...the mess on my desk! They are happy little cuttings and pieces though. 

Betsy Chutchian's block this week, Crown and Star, reminds me of arms reaching out with spread hands, bursting with joy. You can get it on her blog at http://betsysbestquiltsandmore.blogspot.com/. I've decided to make my center with a dark pine square, surrounded by white star points on peacock for more contrast. The outer perimeter uses the chartreuse and sprig colors, similar to last week's block HSTs. 

This is another one for the green row in my quilt top layout plan. This block falls on the darker range and uses more color and less white/cream. From the instructions, I deviated a tiny bit and made my flying geese units using a stitch and flip method, trimming off the corner after sewing, instead of cutting the side squares into triangles first. There is more waste with the fabric this way but the pieces are not that large so I don't feel bad throwing those cut pieces away. I'm making the 8" blocks, so my flying geese are made with 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangles for the base and 1 1/2" squares for the geese triangle sides. 

My print/scrappier version of the block keeps the Sprig color as my background fabric but I'm using the Stem Plaid from Dandi Annie in green for the outer crowns. The teal color is from Dear Mum and the center is a mistletoe branch from Splendid. I like a little pop of red to tie in with some of the red blocks. 

In my overall scheme, I have three blocks made that make up two greens and one red in my rainbow grid. I'm looking forward to getting more filled in and working out the progression to more white or cream as the blocks progress to the right.

Happy sewing and share your progress on the facebook Moda Blockheads 3 page or tag your blocks on Instagram. Thanks Betsy for a wonderful block! Check out the other designers and their progress too:
​Corey Yoder - https://corianderquilts.com/
Sherri McConnell - https://www.aquiltinglife.com/
Betsy Chutchian - http://betsysbestquiltsandmore.blogspot.com/
Jan Patek - http://janpatek.blogspot.com/
Brigitte Heitland - https://www.brigitteheitland.de/blog
Lisa Bongean - https://lisabongean.com/
Lissa Alexander - http://modalissa.com/
Laurie Simpson - http://minickandsimpson.blogspot.com/
Vanessa Goertzen - https://lellaboutique.blogspot.com/
Stacy Iest Hsu - https://www.stacyiesthsu.com/blog/
Janet Clare - http://janetclare.co.uk/blog/
Jen Kingwell - www.jenkingwelldesigns.com/blog
Joanna Figueroa - https://blog.figtreeandcompany.com/

Week 2 with Moda Blockheads 3 and its a fun block from Sherri McConnell! This is SUNSHINE STAR and I'm continuing my all-Thatched and Thatched-scrappy prints blocks. Sherri will have the quilt block instructions at her blog: A Quilting Life - https://www.aquiltinglife.com/

This week I'm working with greens and teals. My Thatched colors are peacock, sprig, chartreuse and seafoam (seafoam is in Abby Rose). The pattern specifies cutting triangles and then joining them (one at a time HST method) but since I was making two blocks and keeping my colors the same through numerous pieces, I decided to use a 4-at-a-time method. I used 3 HST in a color in a quarter of the block then used the extra fourth HST in the second block, making my center a copy of the Thatched grouping from the other block.

For my block mixed with prints I've got a few from Abby Rose which ships to shops in March. The flowing lines in the background fabric, the little leaves on green and seafoam and the line drawings from the cabbage roses are all from this new collection. The teal graphic leaves are from Dear Mum and I like how the teal/aqua shades from that group work with Abby Rose.

Thanks to Sherri for such a cheery star block! I love star blocks. Next week we will have a block from Betsy Chutchian.

Thanks for stopping by! Check in with the other Moda Blockheads designers to see their versions of Sunshine Star:
​Corey Yoder - https://corianderquilts.com/
Sherri McConnell - https://www.aquiltinglife.com/
Betsy Chutchian - http://betsysbestquiltsandmore.blogspot.com/
Jan Patek - http://janpatek.blogspot.com/
Brigitte Heitland - https://www.brigitteheitland.de/blog
Lisa Bongean - https://lisabongean.com/
Lissa Alexander - http://modalissa.com/
Laurie Simpson - http://minickandsimpson.blogspot.com/
Vanessa Goertzen - https://lellaboutique.blogspot.com/
Stacy Iest Hsu - https://www.stacyiesthsu.com/blog/
Janet Clare - http://janetclare.co.uk/blog/
Jen Kingwell - www.jenkingwelldesigns.com/blog
Joanna Figueroa - https://blog.figtreeandcompany.com/

When I saw the Kinship Fusion Sampler created by Gnome Angel and Skyberries I knew I wanted to try it in Thatched fabric, my new basics line coming out with Moda Fabrics (shipping in November 2019). I was wanting a color-play exercise that used a limited palette and a select group of the fabrics. I like this line for fillers and backgrounds, but they deserve to hold their own in a quilt sew-along!

I love the modern feel of many of the blocks, playing with geometry in often asymmetrical layouts. I thought the woven illustration of Thatched would work well to add just a little depth to the blocks.

I actually jumped in about a week into the sew-along, which is typical for me. I WANTED to do the sew-along but I get distracted and think I don't have time to add ANOTHER project. But then I see people posting on instagram and I can't stand it anymore and jump in late.

My original plan was to make the quilt in mostly grays and white with a tiny pop of color. Maybe just the heart block in orange? I selected three grays from Thatched to use- the Gray 85, Pebble 24 and Shadow 117, giving me a light to dark range of grays. There are actually 5 grays in this first release of Thatched but I wanted to keep it simple. I've never made a black and white quilt before or a black, white and gray one, so this was a new exercise in restraint.

 fBut I guess at heart I am really a COLOR GIRL and I needed more than just one pop of color! I loved the idea of just orange with the quilt, but the addition of greens to the mix felt so much more appealing and fun. I really like how the combination of Chartreuse 75, Sprig 14, Peacock 77 and Turquoise 101 play together. It was a tough call to decide if I should add the dark green Pine 44 to the mix but I left it at the original four greens.

For the oranges I used Tangerine 82 and Apricot 103. Again, tempted to add more with Maize gold but I pared it back. Every time I use the oranges it feels like a jolt of orange juice waking me up!

Usually I keep the color story of greens or oranges within a block but once in awhile, one escapes and jumps in another color block! Quilt block 29 is an example of that with it's little orange square. And block 82 with one orange corner to liven up the group! (And yes, sometimes I go out of order and make some of the later squares in advance if I have the right pieces cut) 

When I got to day 25, I layed out what I had on the floor to get a feeling for them all together. For the planning of this sampler, I used the coloring sheet that Gnome Angel has on her blog at https://www.gnomeangel.com/100days100blocks2019-colouring-sheet/. It was tremendously helpful in planning and playing around with the colors. You need to purchase the pattern to get the coloring sheets and I am not posting my colored in one since that would be a violation of the pattern copyright.

Yes, my helper was involved and let me know she was bored of this whole thing.

There is one thing I wanted to mention about this particular pattern for a sampler. I really appreciate that the sizes of the blocks you cut are very consistent so it is efficient with fabric and makes it easy to precut pieces. For example, a lot of pieces might be 2 1/2" wide so you knew that by cutting that size strip, it would be utilized for a lot of smaller pieces. I could go through and count out how many pieces I would need at certain sizes or how many flying geese were needed at the same size and then make them in bulk. This really cuts down on time and makes it enjoyable to move through the blocks faster and with more efficiency and economy. I thought it was a very smartly planned out sampler that way!

I have been loving the blocks I've been seeing on instagram from other people sewing along. I particularly love seeing some of the fussy cutting and cute fabrics. It is a different feeling to do a sampler with a limited palette and limited fabrics and I like the new muscle that is flexing in my mind to explore the contrast and color relationships. I like how clean and modern this feels to me. But I can't lie, a part of me wants to just throw one of my big flowers into one of these blocks! 

I'm guessing the next time I share these blocks on the blog I'll be done or at least close to done. Follow me on instagram to see more progress with the Thatched blocks at @robinpickens. Follow along to see all the great blocks on instagram with the hashtag #kinshipfusionsampler or #100blocks100days2019 and thank you Angie @gnomeangel and Bec @skyberries for a great sewalong! (Also, I am dying over Bec's blocks made with Heather Ross fabrics- fantastic!!)

A quick catch-up on some Moda Blockheads2 blocks. I have learned so much while doing these blocks! I tried triangle paper for the first time (and liked it!) and I stretched myself with smaller piecing on some of these than I normally do. With every sewalong I do I feel my skills become better. I start to think more efficiently when I look at instructions and question if I can make more of the blocks in a different way (like making Half Square Triangles in the 8-at-a-time method).

This first one is Sherri McConnell's block "Vintage" and I used a bunch of scraps I had from earlier blocks from my Dear Mum collection. I am pretty pleased with how this one came out. I don't have that much experience doing Quarter Square Triangles so this was good practice!

This was the alternative block designed by Corey Yoder called Rainbow Vine. Mine is not a rainbow but does have a variety of green leaves. I liked how quickly this fun block came together. Now I think I need to make sure the block above in my arrangement has a design that suggests a flower bloom! 

The next block is a larger 18" one and is designed by Betsy Chutchian.  Feels good to get this one completed and I really like this pattern! I used #poppymaefabric and #blushingpeonies . After making a big 18” block like this I needed to do a small one next!

And last one to share today is this block designed by Corey Yoder. Its called Dainty Blossom and is an alternate for the Block 48 which was originally designed in applique. This is so cheery! 12 inch block with a big blooming presence!

I just may be seeing my blockheads blocks wrapping up here! Time for arranging and joining!

I know its a journey and not a race. But I feel like I can see the finish line. But I'm not there yet. One step at a time...that's how progress happens. These are the things I tell myself when I'm nearing the end and need that extra push!

So a few more blocks here. Above its the Scrappy Checkerboard designed by Cory Yoder. Below its Ribbon Star by Lynne Hagmeier. I'm trying to take stock of what I have and what I need from a perspective of color and size. I saw a great layout on instagram that Susan @quiltingcousin did and I liked the organization of blocks in the overall quilt. I've decided to model my quilt after this layout too.

But first, finishing the blocks. I'm not done yet. But I'm keeping up the effort and I WILL FINISH! As I roll closer to the finish line I've done Fidget Spinner by Lynne Hagmeier and Bella Spinners by Me & My Sister Designs. Also Around the Corner by Carrie Nelson and On Point Star by Stacy Iest Hsu. Sew on!!!