"G is for Gouda"--orange and grey little alphabet, top completed

 

G is for Gouda
Orange and greylittle alphabet
36 by 30 inches
My 10th alphabet quilt
Top completed 2024
Block finishes 6 inches (6 1/2 inches unfinished.

Gouda cheese isn't supposed to have big holes in it, but I could not pass up naming this quilt for the G block fabric.
I used the B is for Baby pattern by Temecula Quilt Co.
There are a few errors in the pattern--or maybe I was reading things wrong-- and the scale of the letter drawings does not always match up with the directions, so I needed to review each letter before cutting and sewing.
I changed up a few of the construction techniques, letter proportions, and the set and made extensive use of the Doug Leko mini folded corners tool. Love that thing.
BUT it is a pleasant small primitive style alphabet and it got me to put together this orange on grey scrap alphabet quilt.

Plan to machine quilt it myself as it is small.

I framed each 4 inch finished letter with 1 1/2 inch cut rectangles, alternating blocks with the longer frame on the top and bottom of a letter next to the longer on the sides of the next letter. All frames were pressed away from the letters. Because the blocks alternated in orientation of frames, only block outer seams needed to nest.

Oranges were from my shelves and a few shared by my small group. I asked them to think "Creamsicle" when going through their fabrics.
Grey solids also from my shelves. Who knew one person could have so many varieties of solid greys.

My adaptation of Temecula Quilt Co. pattern. Use my set at your pleasure.

lower case alphabet, red and white, top completed

Lower-case alphabet (red and white)
63 by 55 1/2 inches
Top completed 2024

This is my 9th alphabet quilt, the first with lower-case letters.
I wanted to make a lower-case and found several cross stitch designs on Pinterest. The links were dead so I am not sure who to credit. I made small edits from those inspirations and adapted to piecework.


Background red scrap squares are cut 2 inches, finishing 1 1/2 inches.
White letters (Kona Snow) are from 2 inch cut strips that are left continuous where possible.
Basic directions are here.
I worked from the left to the right into rows that minimized but did not eliminate all twisted seams. After the rows were assembled, I added additional a border of 3-squares-wide rows on all four sides.
Rundown of my alphabet quilts. (in parenthesis the source or inspiration--I adapted all to my sewing style and altered many letters along the way)

a. B is for Beth, done with plaids and various red solids (loosely based on Cheri Payne's from her blog Quilts by Cheri)
b. I-spy alphabet (McCall's Best Day Ever alphabet)
c. 30s repro alphabet blocks (Moda's Spell it with Fabric)
d. 37 times around the sun, green with a bit of pink batiks on neutral batiks (Moda's Spell it wiht Fabric)
e. Solid squares on teal (Missouri Star Easy Alphabet)
f. Checkerboard medallion with 1880s repros (Lisa Bongene's Primitive Gatherings Mini Alphabet)
g. Red and white capital letters (Missouri Star Easy Alphabet)
h. Eggplant chunky alphabet with batiks (Alyce Blyth's Easy as ABC)
i. Being quilted--Red and white lower case alphabet (adapted from several cross stitch drawing on Pinterest--originating links were not included)
j. In progress--Orange and grey small letters (Temecula Quilt Co. B is for Baby)
k. Just started--Grey with scrap orange triangles 

backing

alphabet i (9), lower case

Started a new alphabet for the new year.
This one is based on a couple of cross stitch graphs that I found on Pinterest that do not have working links. 

Making it with a 2 inch cut, 1 1/2 inch finished grid. Reds are cut 2 inches square. White (Kona Snow) is cut into lengths to fit grid

My notes for cutting the white pieces from 2 inch strips:
Squares    Cut        Finish
1                2           1  1/2
2                3 1/2     3
3                5           4 1/2
4                6 1/2     6
5                8           7 1/2
6                9 1/2     9
7               11          10 1/2
8               12 1/2    12
      
Rundown of my alphabet quilts. Several more on my to-do list.
a. B is for Beth, done with plaids and various red solids
b. I-spy alphabet
c. 30s repro alphabet blocks
d. 37 times around the sun, green with a bit of pink batiks on neutral batiks
e. Squares on teal
f. Checkerboard medallion with 1880s repros
g. Red and white capital letters
h. Eggplant chunky alphabet with batiks
i. current red and white lower case alphabet

Anyone know of a cyrillic pieced alphabet?

eggplant alphabet, based on a design by Alyce Blyth, top completed

 
Eggplant Alphabet
81 by 61 inches
Top completed 2023

My 8th alphabet quilt.
Alyce Blyth has a free quilt-along on her blog Blossom Heart Quilts from 2013, Easy as ABC.
https://www.blossomheartquilts.com/easy-as-abc-qal/

It has delightful chunky modern looking letters for which I used eggplant-range purple batiks on a subtle horizontal washed greyed pale lavender ground.
(I learned not to purchase batiks online if I expect a specific shade. The ground was purchased for another project and was not what I expected. It worked well for this quilt.)

I pretty much stuck to Alyce's letters with a few alterations and construction changes.
I did re-scale letters from a 2 inch (2 1/2 inch cut) grid to a 1 1/2 inches (2 inch cut) grid. I also changed construction techniques on some of the letters. I resorted to my nemesis of paper piecing (freezer) for the X and the Y.
You can read about how I scaled down Alyce's pattern and how I framed the blocks here.

With this alteration, my letters measure 4 1/2 by 6 inches,  finish 7 1/2 by 9 with the background, and my framed blocks finish 9 1/2 by 11 inches.

20 Vertical sashings are cut 2 by 11 1/2 inches.
Three horizontal sashings are cut 2 by 54 inches
One horizontal sashing is cut 2 by 43 inches (goes under ABCD)
One horizontal sashing is cut 2 by 21 inches (goes above YZ)
Top left corner is cut 13 by 11 1/2 inches (goes left of A after horizontal sashing is on)
Bottom right corner is cut 13 by 33 inches (goes right of Z after horizontal sashing is on

At this point, the vertical length of the top measures 73 1/2 inches plus seam allowances of 1/2 inches, so 74 inches
The horizontal width of the top measures 53 1/2 inches plus seam allowances of 1/2 inches, so 54 inches (*61 once side borders are attached)

I cut 4 inch borders
Cutting:
74 inches for sides
61 inches for top and bottom
I will bind with the light.

With borders, top measures 81 by 61 inches
I try to take careful notes as I sew, but be aware I may make mistakes in my measures.

Again, letters were designed by Alyce Blyth. She gets all the credit for her delightful design.
Scaling down and setting are mine--use at your pleasure.

purple alphabet in progress using Alyce Blyth from Blossom Heart's pattern

Another alphabet!
I don't make a purple quilt very often. I use purple in my quilts, but decided to make it the focus of this alphabet.

Alyce Blyth has a free quilt-along on her blog Blossom Heart Quilts from 2013, Easy as ABC.
https://www.blossomheartquilts.com/easy-as-abc-qal/

It has delightful chunky modern looking letters for which I used eggplant-range purple batiks on a subtle horizontal washed greyed lavender ground.
I pretty much stuck to her letters with a few alterations and construction changes.
I did re-scale letters from a 2 inch (2 1/2 inch cut) grid to a 1 1/2 inches (2 inch cut) grid.
I kept the frames cut at her 1 1/2 inches.

With this variation, my letters finish 4 1/2 by 6 inches, finish 7 1/2 by 9 with the background, and my final framed blocks finish 9 1/2 by 11 inches.
The background frames are cut 2 by 6 1/2 inches for sides and 2 by 8" for the top and bottom.
The purple frames are cut 1 1/2 by 9 1/2 inches for the sides and 1 1/2 by 10 for the top and bottom.


This little chart helped me stay on track

1 square        1 1/2" finished         2" cut
2 squares       3" finished              3 1/2" cut
3 squares       4 1/2" finished        5" cut
4 squares       6" finished              6 1/2" cut

Examples--something 1 by 3 squares was cut 2 by 5"; 2 by 2 was cut 3 1/2 square

I am struggling a bit with the X and may have to resort to paper piecing--a technique I greatly dislike. There is a right brain/left brain thing with it that makes me unhappy to work with it.

BUT, what a great pattern! I am mulling ideas for how to put together and border it.

alphabet with checkerboard, quilt completed

Alphabet with checkerboard
quilt completed 2022
About 67 inches square

Setting is mine.
Letters adapted from Lisa Bogean's pattern for Primitive Gatherings.
Construction details are posted here.

Some, but not all, of the letters have fabric where the image references the letter:
Kittens, Eggs, Roosters, Dogs, Teapots and Teacups, Scissors, Horses. Frogs, Musical notes, 
Used up some bits of indigo picked up on a trip to Japan in 1989.
This is my 6th alphabet quilt.

Medallion setting is mine. Use at your pleasure.

My final finish for 2022. It has been a good year.

red and white alphabet (alphabet G), Missouri Star Easy Alphabet altered; top completed

Red and White Alphabet
57 by 45.5 inches
Top completed 2022

Three reds clash 
Many, many reds are marvelous

While cutting reds for the red and white checkerboard and stars quilt, I cut a pile of 2 inch squares anticipating making this quilt (also pieces for a third quilt to come). The white is Kona Snow.
I used the Missouri Star Easy Alphabet, changing the scale down to  2 inch cut and 1 1/2 inch finished. I altered construction, using larger pieces for the white when possible. The Doug Leko mini ruler is a great tool for doing this. I also changed the V and the X. 

Some tips for construction:
-Cut 29 white rectangles 2 by 9 1/2 inches to have ready to use whole or to nip off corners with the Doug Leko ruler. Love that thing.
-Don't nip off ahead of time, wait til you are doing each letter to make sure you nip off the correct ones.
-Have a pile of red triangles ready to sew onto the nipped ends. I use the Easy Angle or Bonnie Hunter's Essential tool for these
-Sew a bunch of red squares in pairs and then some into 4s and some into 6s. These are ready to pull from as you lay out each letter. If 3s or 5s are needed, grab a single square to add to one of the units in layout. Replenish these sewed units every few blocks. Don't press these units until block construction
-Make some 2 inch red/white triangle squares to have ready for where they are needed
-Have some white 2 inch squares ready
-Have some lengths of 2 inch white ready to cut down as needed for the other pieces and a few flying geese using Bonnie's ruler.
I kept a chart showing the lengths for other pieces handy for when I need to prepare each block; some of these will be nipped with Doug Leko's ruler:
One square 2"
Two squares 2 by 3 1/2"
Three squares 2 by 5"
Four squares 2 by 6 1/2"
Five squares 2 by 8"
Six squares 2 by 9 1/2"--these are used as the sashings

The letters were made in sequence so I could adjust the pressing of the sashings between the letters to nest. There are a few twisted sisters in here but not many.
Each row of letters was pressed to the left (except for a few sections pressed open to reduce bulk), and the spacer rows were pressed to the right. I pressed theses spacer rows towards the letter rows and this helped keep the quilt square.
Spacer rows were 25 squares.
I added each spacer row to the bottom of each letter row as completed, then attached to the mothership. Spacer row always on top going into machine.

I added an extra row of squares all around the quilt to get to the size/proportions I liked. I was considering 16 patches of red again around it--that would get it to bed size--but I was satisfied with the proportions where I stopped.

The reds are from my shelves and from my friends' sharing. And a bit of shopping. I pushed from red towards the madder/orange reds with a few in the purple reds. It feels festive.

My objective to have a stack of red and white quilts has me up to three!
And the series of alphabet quilts is now at G.

My adaptation of the Missouri Star pattern. Use my changes at your pleasure.
Buy the pattern! The illustrations are helpful in construction even with adaptations.
I always buy patterns that I adapt--I want to support the designers out there!

A very pleasing S

My V variation

My X variation

love these reds!!

alphabet, (Missouri Star Easy Alphabet) quilt completed

Alphabet
2022
79 1/2 by 58 inches

Adapted from the Missouri Star Easy Alphabet pattern.
I changed the V.
They use squares for the backgrounds. I instead used larger pieces of fabric. I used Doug Leko's mini simple folded corners tool and Bonnie Hunter's Essential Triangle tool to make these construction adaptations.

The background is Kona Cyan. Love this color.
The scrap squares were from my solid 2 1/2 inch squares bin. Having that bin ready to go made for a quick quilt.

The back is a delightful qwerty typewriter keys batik in a coppery brown.
Quilted by Sue Divarco

This is my fifth alphabet quilt. I have the sixth being quilted and have another two in planning stages.

Penny Dog in the picture!

alphabet medallion (alphabet F), top completed. Primitive Gatherings letters (adapted), my set

Alphabet Medallion 
about 67 inches square

Letters are based on Primitive Gatherings Mini Alphabet Quilt by Lisa Bongean.
https://www.primitivegatherings.us/mini-alphabet-quilt

I made major changes in construction and used larger backgrounds to the outsides of the blocks so my blocks finish 7 by 8 inches. (7 1/2 by 8 1/2 unfinished)
I used Doug Leko's Simple Folded Corners tool to achieve simplified construction versions of the letters.
https://antlerquiltdesign.com/collections/notions/products/mini-simple-folded-corners-ruler

I design medallion quilts as I go, thinking ahead one step as I work on a section.

I cut sashings 1 1/2 inches and made the odd log cabin style blocks (finished 8 by 9 inches) for the corners, leaving sashings and cornerstones off the log cabins. This completed the blocks part of the medallion. It is a bit wider than it is long.
At this point it measured finished 49 inches wide and 46 inches long. (I think...)

I prefer quilts to be either square or longer than they are wide, so decided to make a checkerboard 3 squares wide on the sides and 4 squares wide on the top and bottom, with the squares cut 2 inches, finishing 1 1/2 inches.
To make the math work, I added a 1 1/2 inch cut striped spacer border around the letters.
At this point it was 51 inches wide and 48 inches long. (again, not positive on the numbers)
After the checkerboard I sketched out additional intricate borders, but they seemed to distract from the alphabet, so I added a simple striped border, cut 4 inches.
It then finishes up about 67 inches square.

I am happy with it! I started it in December and set it aside while the Spring semester took my brain. 
All the fabric was on my shelves except for the stripe. Lots of favorites from decades of purchases. Some bits from a trip to Japan in 1989 were all used up.
I may cut the stripe on the bias for the binding.

This is my 6th (F) alphabet. The 7th (G) is being planned on paper--watch for a red and white alphabet over the next months! And the 8th (H) is also planned.

The setting is mine--use at your pleasure.

a new year, a new alphabet

I've been working on this for a couple weeks. It will be a longer term project as spring semester course planning is taking precedence. 
I am using shirtings for the backgrounds and indigo, cadet, and royal blues for the letters; reds and madders for the sashings. I am using up some precious small pieces of Japanese fabrics from a trip there in 1989. It will be a medallion quilt so I will design it as I go.

I jokingly told a friend that instead of numbering my alphabet quilts, I should letter them as getting to 26 might be happening. This is number 6, or F.

The letters are adapted from the Primitive Gatherings Mini Alphabet by Lisa Bongean. I again used Doug Leko's folded corners tool (the small one) and Bonnie K Hunter's Essential Triangle tool to make my construction adaptations work. 

Happy New Year! Another year of uncertainty, but another year of hope.
One of my mother's expressions of wisdom, in times of uncertainty of her health, was telling my sisters and me, "Keep making plans". She did not want us to hold off on anything in anticipation of her condition changing. 
In 2022 I'll be over here in Chicago, making plans.

alphabet (Missouri Star), top completed

 

Alphabet
81.5 by 59.5 inches

Made using the Missouri Star Easy Alphabet. I changed construction to use larger pieces for the backgrounds rather than their method of all squares. (I also altered their V.) Using Doug Leko's Simple Folded Corners tool (the small size) and Bonnie K. Hunter's Essential Triangles tool made this work. 
A straightforward alphabet! I like it, and because the letters came from my solids scrap squares bin, it was a quick sew.
Kona Cyan was used for the constant. I have just one border, cut 7 inches. I will bind it in the same.

A fitting end of piecing to a year that started with an alphabet.
This is my 5th. More are in the planning stage!