Batik Blocks To Date

I got the latest five batik blocks put together today from the yellow sections that I had posted earlier. I was initially worried that the yellows would blend in with the muslin I'm using for the background. But after seeing how they look in the picture as finished blocks I'm much happier. =) And I ended up with a pile of small scraps from making these five that will give me at least one more block as well. =)

With these five blocks finished, I now have a total of 21 blocks completed. And have drawn up a total of 42 different patterns to use in making blocks.....so I'm only half way through what I've got drawn up....now if I were half way through using up the scraps I'd be doing good...LOL.............however, having basically used up only two of the seven colors of these teeny scraps that I've been saving.....I do believe that it is going to take me a while to use them all up....not to mention that I'm going to end up having a whole lot of blocks as a result. I have a feeling I'll be making more than one quilt from these blocks...maybe one for me and one to sell.

The blocks as they look all together are shown to the left.

Gratitudes:

1. For the work that God has given me.
2. For the ability that God has given me in designing and quilting.

Finally!

Finally finished off all of the teeny yellow scraps of batiks that I had.....and have ended up with enough pp'd sections for 5 more blocks. Began to think I was never going to get them all used up. =) Untrimmed sections are shown over at the right....most of these i know what block they are going into, just have one more to figure out.

I've pulled the coordinating fabrics for the blocks and will finish up the blocks sometime tonite after I get home from work and running a couple of errands after work. The pile if itty-bitty scraps shown at the top right of the pic below is going to end up as snippets and will be used as applique for quilted postcards. Thinking at the moment I'll do flowers of some sort out of them.

Gratitudes -

1. Laryngitis is almost gone, altho allergies are still driving me nuts.

2. For surviving the two tests I had last week. =) And getting an A on one of my midterms.

Block 16

Was finally able to finish the latest batik block last nite. And at the moment, I've used all the browns that I can in blocks....still have a few pieces left, but not enough variety to make one of these blocks.
Next up will be another yellow block. Don't know if that will be enough to use them all up or not, but I'm gonna try....lol. After that I'll go back to working on the orange scraps again. Looking at the piles, there might be enough for another couple of blocks from each color way. Need to get more patterns drawn up as well so that I've got a variety to work from.


Gratitudes:
1. The storm that just went through here did not do a tremendous amt of damage here where I live (altho I haven't checked for further leaks in the ceiling yet).
2. For the extra hrs at work - the extra income is a blessing to me.

Blocks 14 and 15

Finished off Batik blocks 14, and 15 - and finished the yellow batik scraps for now. Still have a few left but not enough variety to make another block with. Found that I had enough browns to make one final 4" finished block center, and that is made, but haven't decided what block (will be#16 when finished) to make with it yet.

Will do that this weekend in between working on altering the waistband of a new pair of jeans (gotta take them in 3" so that they fit me). It's taking me longer than I'd like to get the seams ripped out because my hand keeps going numb and when that happens it doesn't like to work too well. =( I need the jeans to wear to my construction technology lab on Tuesday morning 'cause we'll be outside working on building a shed. And I don't want to wear my good work pants to do that! Gotta get busy on homework today as well.....got oodles of it including a lesson presentation to be written in powerpoint, visual aids to be made for the same lesson, a CAD drawing to be finished (2/3's done), a paper to be started, and a mid-term to study for. Doesn't that all sound like a fun way to spend the weekend? Meanwhile I continue to wait for the broken windows in the apt and the motor in the heater to be replaced....sigh.....

Meanwhile, here are the pics of the three latest blocks.














Gratitudes:
1. For more hrs the next couple of weeks at work
2. for the ability to alter clothes so they fit when needed

Batik Blocks Process

I'm continuing to make more batik blocks and having fun making them. And even enjoying the process of using the teeny tiny pieces that are going into the crazy pieced sections of the blocks. Don't necessarily enjoy pulling the fabric off, but that is a part of the process to making them. Taking it off a block at a time makes it easier to handle doing though. The basic steps that I've been going through to make these blocks are as follows (well after I design the pattern that is!) -

Sort out all of the same 'color' scraps into separate groups. I want these blocks to read as single colors. The color groupings of scraps that I have are as follows - yellow, gold, brown, orange, pink, green, blue, and purple. There will be multiple shades of each broad catagory of color in each block, but over all each block will read as one of the colors. Sizes of scraps range from a 1 inch triangle to larger pieces that I used for multiple pieces. Some of the pieces I've been using are shown in the pic to the right.

Once the scraps are sorted by colors, then I choose a block pattern based on what size scraps that I have and how many that I have. Once the block pattern is chosen, then I proceed to make the pieced section or sections. In this case, like those in the upper right section of the pic above. So I needed a block that would allow me to use those in it. As such I decided to make 4 - 3-inch squares that were crazy pieced, because this pattern had the smallest pieces in it. The resulting squares are shown in the pic to the left.

The final steps of the process include choosing the batik that I'll use to go with the pieced sections, make the sections of the block that are pieced 'normally' or are the final parts of the pp'd pattern, and assemble the block. In this case, the final block is shown to the right. =)

Gratitudes:
1. My road trip to WI was good and the weather was great all weekend.
2. Even tho I've managed to forget one of my flash drives in a school lab, I had already uploaded the needed class assignments so nothing was lost. =)