Hello Friends! I hope you are well today, and I do appreciate you stopping by to visit again! Some of you had written and asked about the progress on my Plain & Fancy BOM. Though my heart was anxious to start, I just hadn’t been able to do anything about it until this morning… and even then, I didn’t get to finish the entire block. That gives you an idea on how behind I really have been on things.
A big challenge I face as a stay/work at home Mom to a young child is that I never know how much I can get done because my life is different each day with a young child. It is just a fact in my current season of life. And I accept it. I had planned to work on the block before Miss Baby woke up this morning. What ended up happening was I was summoned to cuddle up with her for a few hours before she woke up for school. I am sure many of you understand what I am talking about…. BUT… get started with my first block I did. And here is the evidence of the block center I was able to complete:
Disclaimer — my posts on Plain & Fancy BOM will not cover any cutting or construction information. I will only share with you snippets on how I have constructed my blocks. I was commissioned by Quilting Treasures to design Plain & Fancy, and the rights belong to Quilting Treasures. I am approaching my Plain & Fancy quilt as any quilter who has signed up to participate in the program at their local quilt shops. SO, I hope you will understand why I won’t be sharing information on the pattern design and instructions.
Thought #1. I always starch press my fabrics prior to cutting because I normally only finger press when I am constructing the block. I only use the iron to set the seams and block until after the block is constructed.
Thought #2. Ever since my dear friend Wanda showed me how she pinned with the points of the pins facing outward, I have always pinned my patches that way. I find that it’s easier for me piece that way.
Thought #3. It makes me feel good when my flying geese units turn out nicely!
#4. I decided to press my seams open to minimize the bulk.
And here I am, with the block center of Month #1 block. I am hoping I will be able to finish up the rest of the block next week after Market.
I am curious… for those of you who are making Plain & Fancy, do you have any tips that have proved helpful to you in constructed the first block?
** Also, click here in case if you are interested in signing up for the BOM program at your local quilt shop.
THANKS FOR STOPPING BY! I shall catch up with you later.
Ivory Spring 
Wendy, there are few things that trump quilting, but cuddling definitely does. ;)
Not a quilting reply, but spend all the time you can with Baby. I know a woman with a 7 yr old child that spends no time with her at all. Very sad. Your block looks great.
Nice to cuddle with Miss Baby for sure. You peobably would not have gotten the block done without unsewing LOl if you hadn’t cuddled. You would have felt sad that you didn’t cuddle and your sewing would have suffered.
Hugs and I love the block.
Bunny
Family comes first……….Family is most important. The Plain and Fancy BOM is going to be stunning. i am anxious to see the “real” thing. Have a wonderful experience at Market.
Just a beautiful block Wendy — your points are perfect and the block center is stunning. Thanks for sharing it with us. As for Miss Baby and cuddles… they grow so fast — nab all the cuddles you can!! Are you going to Market ? I so wish I was going – only 5 hours away via car… One year I will be there…. Have a great time and congratulations on all of your beautiful designs. Karen
What a beautiful design and block! I commend you for taking such sweet care of your little girl. You will never regret that!
Absolutely…..”cuddle time” comes first!!!! Pressing the seams open is what I do more and more with some of these more complex pieced blocks. The points do not become a “speed bump” in the quilting process. And, absolutely, starch is critical!!! Great posts that will be reminders of proper piecing for all of us!!!!!
The fabrics and the construction of your block are really perfect, Wendy.
A work from home mommy is blessed with different schedules every day. It appears that you manage those changes to perfection as well!!!
Love that you shared your tips with us. Many of them can be used on other blocks as well. That is one of the things I love about quilting…..always something to learn!
There is nothing like a little Mom and daughter time.
Hearing you talk about cuddling with your baby makes me miss that time of my life. My babies are all grown now. So glad you can appreciate and enjoy those very special moments. Loved your block and your petite flower fabrics are so pretty! Love the blue.
I have been so tempted by Plain and Fancy ever since I first saw the pattern! One of my favorite shops, Pinwheels and Posies in Dickinson, TX is doing the BOM…but it is too far away for me to go participate. Seriously thinking of asking them to kit it for me and mail it! Of course, can’t wait to see what beautiful quilting designs you will finish it with!
Girl time cuddling is really the best thing ever! My 7 yr. old granddaughter is a big cuddler and I enjoy every second of it! Hope you have a wonderful time at Market! I’m thinking of going to Houston Market this year. I haven’t decided what classes I’ll take…so depends on scheduling. By the time Houston Market and festival is over, I am usually on overload!
That’s something that was hard for me to adapt to with children, too – breaking projects into smaller bits and finding moments here and there to do parts of them in. My preference is to start a project and then barrel through working on it til it’s done, and I can do that more now with grown kids, though life always has its unexpected calls in every stage. But those early morning cuddles and such are so worth it.
I am doing a (4 block) block of the month with my quilt guild and decided to give your advice a try. We are working with many 1 1/2” finished units. I have been starching and finger pressing and having great success.So much so, I finger pressed a recent 6″ 9 patch block. Not only does it not stretch as much, it goes pretty fast. Now if only I could machine quilt. Thanks for all your help.