Long Time Gone – Week 1

I am joining Angie, from GnomeAngel in yet another stitch along.  Because two at a time isn’t enough.  (The others are 52 Weeks with the Quilter’s Planner and the Garden Snails Slow Along.)
This time we are making Long Time Gone, by Jen Kingwell.  Jen’s samplers are very vibrant and busy, and they haven’t really appealed to me in the past.  But, since Angie is leading this project, I’m jumping in.  (I predict I will be Jen’s biggest fan in a month or so.)  I’ve decided to tame my color palette, using blues and whites/greys.  I have a fat quarter collection of Lizzie House low volumes, and they look great with the blues.  My intention with this project is to lower the amount of blues in my scrap bin.  I’m not silly enough to imagine it will actually empty the bin.

Here are the first two blocks for week one.  They are bow ties, and I love they way they turned out.  I thought about combining the center squares to make a large fussy cut, but I’m fairly certain that would disqualify me from the challenge prizes.
I have mentioned this in the past – the stitch and flip corner method is great, but it creates a lot of scraps.  As my intention is to empty the scrap bin, I am not going to allow any block construction scraps to go back to the bin.  Don’t worry, they won’t be thrown out.  I haven’t lost my mind.
For your scrap busting pleasure, I present a week 1 bonus block.

I intended to make a broken dishes block, but I sewed the bottom units on incorrectly.  I like this block, though, so I didn’t pull it apart.  I like how the white center mimics the bow tie block.  If you know the traditional name, let me know.
Here are the steps to create your bonus block.

1. After stitching all of the stitch & flip units, draw a line 1/2″ from the stitching line, on the part that will be cut off.  This is way easier than trying to feed those tiny triangles into your machine.
   
2. Stitch along the second line.
3. Cut the units apart.
   
4. Open the half square triangles, pressing seams to the dark side.  (I didn’t take a photo for this one – don’t burn your fingers.)
5. Trim the HST units.  Mine finished to 1 1/4″ square.  As long as they are all the same size, the block will work.  I used a tiny Bloc Loc ruler.  It is amazing.  (Sorry – no photos of this step, either.  Don’t cut your fingers.)
   
6. Lay out your tiny blocks in a pattern you like.
7. Stitch together, pinning carefully.
   
8. Press open.
   
9. Enjoy your tiny block!  This one measures 3 1/2″, unfinished.

I’m not certain where this block will be used.  At the end of the project I will see what I have accumulated.  Perhaps some matching pillows?  A mini for the wall?  I don’t think it will work well on the back since it has so many seams.
Are you stitching along with us?  I would love to see your blocks.  I will be sharing all of my progress on Instagram.  You can find me @jenstrauser.