One Block Wonder Row Marking Pins finished

Small sections of foam to organize

All ready to use!

Figuring out how to store the marking pins

All in one covered box!

Stuck in hard styro to dry.

works with metal & plastic. Has a LARGE opening tho!

Letter and numbers

One Block Wonder pins

I mentioned early in the week that I was working on a set of pins to mark my rows/pieces for a future One Block Wonder quilt. I’ve gotten them all made. (Look back for the tutorial at https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/one-block-wonder-pins-tutorial/)

UPDATE ( 1 Dec 2015) – UPDATE – It seams that someone else has written a great tutorial for this project -Nancy West has nice graphics and instructions on her blog –  My Fancy Nancy Life  .  I’m not sure if I saw this when I was looking for a method, but her project is similar to mine.  Differences is she likes  fancy pins, my pins are “very utilitarian” .  The pins she used are way more expensive than the yellow headed quilt pins I used.  (I was making lots!!!).    Of note; I bought my glue, the pins, the beads, numbers and letters, all at Hobby Lobby.

I was asked on a Facebook One Block Wonder forum “WHY make pins?”.  I thought the best way to answer was with a photo of how I marked my first (and only completed) One Block Wonder. I was also asked if I plan to use them for other quilts. The answer is YES…any time you need to mark your columns/rows these pins will be effective.

There is a lot of “design” that goes into a OBW once your triangles are all cut out, and sewn into 1/2 hexigons.  You don’t want to “mix up your carefully planned arrangement”. Numbering helped to keep it straight!

This picture shows the hexi’s once the triangles have been cut and finding a pleasing arrangement of the 6 triangles.  The ones that look like “bows” in the upper right corner have been selected and the center point pinned (3 pieces on each stack). That pin helps to remind which point of that triangle is going to be in the center.

unsewn hexi’s

A little sewing (1/2 hexi only); then it was time to start arranging on the design wall.

This photo shows them “on the design wall”

Once a final layout has been chosen; it is time to “make the quilt”.  We quilters like columns and rows.

Each half – hexi had a column/row marker.  I did this with paper and straight pins.  My “teacher”  (also known as the One Block WonderWoman) had me mark in the same method that she used.  The goal here is not to “confuse yourself” as you take them from the design wall to the sewing machine.

Paper worked for marking the blocks, …it was effective; but it was suggested to me (again by the One Block WonderWoman) that marking pins would be very cool. It has taken me nearly 3 years to “get around to it”. (I tried once before, but lacked the proper execution of the plan). (Yes, it was a little fussy and messy and I had more fun playing with the beads, sorting and arranging. The gluing part was a pain, and messy. Good thing it dried clear! ) I’m sure I read on someone’s blog a year or more ago about “glue” for the marking beads; and if I ever find that blog, I will come back here and give credit. It was NOT an original idea on my part at all! (All I can say is THANK YOU to all those people who blog and show great photo’s and tutorials!)

Would you like to know what the original fabric looked like and the final quilt looked like? Take a look back to 2012 !

Do those fish look familiar? They are the turquoise 3″ squares on my Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt I showed – https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/2nd-mystery-quilt-top-done/
This quilt was for my third grandchild; made before she was born. We fondly referred to her as Baby Bulldozer (named thus by her older siblings). She will also get the 2nd Grand Illusion Mystery quilt; and I had fun “tying them together” using the fish fabric again.

If you like One Block Wonders; check out the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/1435295876732150/
And don’t forget to check out the OneBlockWonderWoman on WordPress…she is always making something pretty! https://oneblockwonderwoman.wordpress.com/
I am a “visual learner” and was very happy when I found great video tutorials here – http://ifthesethreadscouldtalk.com/new-york-kaleidocally-hexed/
If you want to make one, do get Maxine Rosenthal’s book –

One-Block Wonders: One Fabric, One Shape, One-of-a-Kind Quilts

I was 2 of her books, the one mentioned here, and also the ENCORE book. They are still available and you can pick one up at your local quilt shop/show/book store or Amazon.

My OBW marking are finished, stored in their handly little container and waiting for me to start another OBW. I actually have one started (and put away in my UFO stack from last year) and the fabric for another bright and cheery one. But first, I have a Quilts of Valor to make; on a deadline…..more about that in a future post.

Have a great day, and ENJOY the first day of Spring! We had snow showers this morning, but now it is raining; and I can live with that! Time to sew!