Annie’s Musings

There's this

Wonky House Block Swap

going on over at

Jane's blog

I'm sure I've mentioned in the past that I struggle with mass production, which means anything over the count of one.  As well, my to-do list is ever lengthening and this year I want to work at chipping away at all the inspiring ideas listed on it.  However, two very sweet ladies connivingly rooked me into a private block swap with them for wonky houses.  They just would not take NO! for an answer.  So I caved.  And now that I had yet another commitment hanging over my head, I decided to try tackling the first block.  For which the result is this...

I very quickly learned that I cannot WONK!  I'm a Mrs. Monk...everything has to be straight and even and balanced.  Wonky does not fit in any one of those categories.  But I think I'm doing ok in the wacky department.  Which really doesn't have much to do with a wonky house.  They are very nice ladies and they say it's ok if I do wacky rather than wonky.  I tried to wonk, I really did, but it was just killing me!

Well, there's my "one" wonky wacky house block.  But now I need another one!  Not happy now.  Don't have another idea.  Don't want to make another wonky wacky house block.  Yet I said I would...why did I let them get to me like that?!

Finally another idea came to mind.  For which the result is this...

I forced myself to wonk but I really want to straighten that bird house!  It looks like I wonked the dotted background but it is actually cut on the straight of grain.  There really isn't even much "wacky" in this block, except the house is for birds rather than people. 

At this point I thought I was done with these not-so-wonky yet wacky house blocks when I decided to try one more.  I can't believe I put myself through that...no one to blame but me!

One more resulted in this...

I think those sunflowers are so fun, I wanted to play with them again.  This tea cup just would not accept a door and window design, so I went looking for someone to live inside it.  That beauty queen moved right in.  Now I'm done.  No more wacky house blocks!

I usually work with applique by applying Wonder Under to the back of the applique pieces.  Wonder Under light weight isn't really stiff, but since these blocks might end up in someones quilt, I wanted them to be just fabric pieces.  This is the first time I've ever done applique without fusing the pieces to the background.  Except for the two birds and the beauty queen in the doorway.  It went along well enough, but it's such a breeze with a fusible.  To  keep the bird pieces as soft as possible, I only applied Wonder Under to the edges to assist me with cutting them out as well as stitching them down.

Whew!  I survived yet another commitment.  Well, almost.  The quilt blocks weren't enough for Jane.  She wants signature blocks to go with!  So you can imagine the tizzy I'm in by now!  (I hear my pillow challenge calling me!...and what was I thinking when I committed to that?!)  For the signature blocks, the result are these...

I tried to make them a little wacky too.  Not much for success there.

This commitment is all fulfilled now and I am back to my to-do list and that makes me a happy sort again. **big smiles**

I hope my two conniving cyber friends are happy with their blocks because I just would not have put myself through all that for just any ole body.

You can check out all the wonky house blocks being made in this

flickr group

Have a wonky good day all,

Wacky Annie