2020 quilt block 19

I managed to get 36 different items on my 2020 quilt block 19. Sorry I missed last week – I am having fun with this challenge, but have slowed a bit due to sore hand. Nothing serious.

This was my starting point for the 2020 quilt block 19. As I have explained before and regular readers already know, beginners often worry about the piecing phase of making a crazy quilt project. It is common for crazy quilt blocks to  start out looking doubtful, perhaps a bit lopsided or one pice too large or one pice too dark etc  But the block is the foundation layer for embroidery. To be honest for me it is always about the embroidery. By the time a block is embroidered and embellished, it looks totally different. I delight in that transformation. I hope that sharing a photo of the bare block helps beginners to see this.

Feel free to use the block pattern of my 2020 challenge Block 19 if it appeals to you. My hexagons have 4-inch sides and measure 8 inches across from point-to-point.

The details on my 2020 crazy quilt block 19

The aim of the 2020 challenge is to use 2,020 different items on a quilt by the end of the year 2020. Items can appear twice but must only be counted once. An item can be material, lace, braid etc or bead, doodad, charm etc technique or stitch. To find out more about the challenge, you will find the guidelines and list of resources here 

Block 19 item count

Seed beads, bugle beads, and regular perle #8 and perle #5 thread is not counted.

• Beads: 5
• Buttons:6
• Charms: 4  a Daisy and 3 butterflies
• Doodads: 1 Metal Flower findings
• Fabrics: 5
• Lace:2
• Lace motifs:1
• Ribbon:1
• Sequins:1 Butterfly
• Stitches: 2 Feather and Chain and Plaited feather
• Threads: 6
• Techniques: 2 gathered ribbon rayon floss flowers  and rouched ribbon with bead

Total 36 items on my 2020 challenge block 19

The Tally from previous blocks is 569

2020 challenge block 19 brings the total of items used to date to 605! I know I am plodding on this but I hope to meet the challenge!

Sharing a couple of details from this block. The daisy is a bead from a 50’s piece of plastic jewellery.

I get many questions about managing and tracking the count of items, as it’s a bit of a task in this challenge to keep track of what you use. I have some wonderful news about a shared resource that helps with this! Janis Stoker of Journeys With Janis has incorporated the suggestions I made for things you might count in the challenge and created a PDF printable to help you track what you use.  Janis has generously offered to share it and share.  You can download this printable  here. No strings attached – no email required or anything like that. I would like to thank Janis for making this handy tracking sheet available to the community.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about my 2020 challenge Block 19.  If you want to see my other blocks you can find them under the 2020 Crazy Quilt Category.
If you want to see what other members of the community are doing check out the big Facebook groups Crazy Quilt Divas and Crazy Quilt International  as people share their work there.

Have you seen my book?

My book The Visual Guide to Crazy Quilting Design: Simple Stitches, Stunning Results  shares detailed practical methods about how to design and make a crazy quilt. From fabric choice, to balancing colour, texture and pattern, in order to balance and direct the eye around the block.  I cover how to stitch, build decorative seam treatments in interesting and creative ways. My book is profusely illustrated as my aim is to be practical and inspiring.

Useful Stitchers Templates?

As someone who loves crazy quilting and embroidery, I designed these templates with other stitchers in mind. With my templates, you can create hundreds of different patterns to apply to your stitching and crazy quilting projects. They are easy to use, totally clear so you can position them easily and they are compact in your sewing box.

To see what they look like, find out about the free ebook of patterns that come with them visit the information pages.
Or go directly to the Pintangle shop to purchase them.