Building Blocks: Post 1

I started a new quilt a long. It is with Leah Day (of course!) and designed to take all year. It teaches quilting and piecing skills.  This quilt is marked, which is new to me- everything I've done has been free handed.  I also really need piecing help.

Here's the pattern if you want to join along: http://www.leahday.com/shop/product/building-blocks-download-quilt-pattern/

Because of my injury, I can only quilt for about 30-40 minutes before I'm getting tired, but quilting is actually one of the few things that isn't hurting my neck. The brace actually holds me in just the right position for quilting, so I'm not hunching like I normally do! When I get it off, maybe I need to throw it into the sewing room :)

But I've been able to work a little at a time and get things done.

Here are the blocks pieced and marked for quilting.  Things start very simple, but since only 2 of the 3 have a real sharp point in the middle of the piecing, I needed simple!
For these blocks, I used a flashlight under a glass table to trace.  I'm using a chalk pencil to mark, and I think I might need something with a finer line for future designs, especially as they get more complicated, it is hard to mark accurately.

And here are the backs of the blocks.  I'm very happy with my stitch length, good and consistent.  The block with all the straight lines has some pretty bad build up where I had to travel stitch in the ditch. Ditches are my nemesis, and straight lines aren't exactly my favorite...

And finally- what the blocks look like on the front.  For ease of quilting, the blocks are pieced as 10" squares, but they will be cut down to 8" squares when they are pieced together.  A little wasteful, but having something to hold onto, as well as quilting on a small square instead of a large quilt really facilitates learning to quilt!