A-Z for Ewe and Me

Remember The Quilt Show's new Block of the Month for 2014?  It's called "A-Z for Ewe and Me" by Janet Stone.  Here is a picture of it hanging in the TQS booth at the Houston Quilt Festival.  Sherida wrote a really nice column about Janet Stone in this last Sunday's paper, and her TQS episode is currently playing on their website.

Anyway, I just loved this quilt!  It is quite large, about 69"x82".  I was thinking it would make a great wall hanging for a baby or child's room but I wasn't sure I wanted it that big.  I decided I would try to half-size it, which will make it 34 1/2 inches x 41 inches, which seems just right to me for the sort of wall hanging I'm picturing.

I ordered the kit from TQS because I really love the fabric Janet used. Since I am half-sizing it, I decided I might as well make two!  I got started this past week and here are my first two (one for each quilt) blocks or sections!

I looked on the TQS website in their forum and discovered that several others are half-sizing it as well, so I should be able to pick up some good tips and tricks there.

The A block is the Army Star pattern.  Those flying geese units measure 1/2 inch x 1 inch finished!  Those were the biggest challenge of this block.

Here are the F and G blocks.  The flying geese in the F block are a little bigger and a little more manageable.  Plus I had some practice by the time I got to that block!

The G block is called Grandmother's Choice.  The half square triangles in the pinwheels measure 3/4 inches finished.

It will be a challenge, but it's fun!

Janet appliquéd the letters using the fusible method, but I don't really like stitching around everything with the blanket stitch.  That is tedious to me.  Also, by half-sizing the pattern, these letters are so skinny, I was worried the blanket stitch would cover up all the fabric!

My preferred method of appliqué which I've mentioned before is needle turned hand appliqué using the back basting method.  That worked well so far with these letters!

Here are the first two completed sections!  So far, so fun!

Here is a glimpse of the back showing my tracing and stitching for the back basting hand appliqué.

I have two wall hangings, Mountain Blossoms and Sheep of the Month, both started at Laura's, that I want to quilt before I get all my Dear Jane stuff out.  So that's what I will work on next!  I think I will start with Mountain Blossoms.  I ordered a new quilting foot for my Bernina that I want to try out on Sheep of the Month and it hasn't come in yet so I will quilt MB first.

Hope you are having a great day!  Make time for quilting!