This time last year the Scrappy Tripalong was taking the worldwide quilting community by storm. Every second blogger, it seemed, was slicing up scraps and machining them together to create spectacular Trip Around the World quilts, many of which were definitely more beautiful than the sum of their often 'ugly duckling' parts.
Oh, how I wished I could join in, but I had a house to empty, two cats to relocate and a new home to find for myself and Chester the Wonderlab.
Those issues sorted, I could hardly contain my excitement when the Instagram quilting community began to spread the word on this year's craze by Katy of I'm a Ginger Monkey and Brenda of Pink Chalk Fabrics - the Economy Blockalong.
Instagrammers, just search the hashtag #economyblockalong.
I thought very carefully before committing to the Economy Blockalong, asking myself several important questions…
Do I like to create scrappy quilts? {Sure do!}
Do I have enough scraps to make this quilt? {Are you kidding?}
Do I have enough time to fit in another project? {Insert slight eye-rolling and nonchalant whistling}
These Economy Blocks are so darned addictive that I'm going to have enough for a bed quilt in no time. Who needs to sleep anyway?
With every round of triangles needing to be trimmed down along the way, my pretty pile of strings and threads is steadily growing. I've completed 15 blocks so far.
Mine finish at 9.5" before being sewn together, but if you'd prefer even bigger blocks Katy of Monkey Do has a tutorial for a 12" finished block, and a downloadable pattern for a foundation pieced version of the block.
Rita of Red Pepper Quilts has a tutorial for her small-but-perfectly-formed blocks finishing at 5". There's also a downloadable pattern for the foundation pieced version here too. These are so sweet, but right now I just don't have either the time or the patience to make such tiny blocks.
How about you? Are you coming on board?
You have some really fun blocks here, Di! I love watching global quiltalong crazes, and look forward to being able to do one next year. Have fun. :)
ReplyDeleteLoving your blocks!
ReplyDeleteOh, I like those blocks much better than the scrappy trips.......some of those were great, while some were spectacularly ugly. Economy is such a good block for featuring interesting fabrics!
ReplyDeleteYour blocks are so cute. I'm really trying not to get caught up with this quiltalong but it's fun watching from the sidelines. Your nonchalent whistling made me laugh!
ReplyDeleteAh, yes, the Scrappy Tripalong -- I wanted to do it but it didn't fit with my goals (un achieved) of getting rid of my UFOs. Those Economy Blocks look interesting but can I fit another project into the schedule I've set myself this year? Probably not!
ReplyDeleteNo, no, no... hmm. I'm already sleepless for thinking of the quilts that must be made to meet a few deadlines. But gosh, you've done a bang-up job of making this a-long look too enticing! Your blocks are adorable. And you ARE making a free quilt, aren't you? So glad you could say "yes" to this one, since you had to miss out last year. Now I must ask, are you choosing a self word for 2014? Seems the thing to do in the blogosphere. I'm considering, but haven't yet pegged what I'm about in 2014. You?
ReplyDelete