May 350 Blocks Report

Posted on May 31, 2023 by prairiemoonquilts in 350 Blocks Project

For once, time wise, my month seemed fairly normal. It didn’t just whiz past in a blur, altho we’ve had plenty going on. We’ve had gorgeous weather, too.

I’ve had a lot of family things going on, so I haven’t had many complete days at home, which has cut into my quilting time. But still I managed to get 53 blocks done!

I made this little table mat for my friend, Kathy, out of leftovers from the quilt I made her a couple years ago. I used THIS tutorial, that was brought to my attention by Deanna at Wedding Dress Blue. I’m so glad she posted that link — I’ve used that tutorial at least twice already, and I’m keeping it in my arsenal. It’s a great way to use up triangle trimmings! And Deanna’s quilt is spectacular! You can see her quilt HERE.

I made a couple more Maple Leaves, and another Mad Dash block. If I only make one Mad Dash block a month, I’ll never get that quilt finished, but I hope to step it back up soon.

I also joined in on the current quilt-along in Sew Sweet Quilt Shop’s FaceBook group, called Sweet Kisses. I was already cutting up low-volumes for a couple other quilts, so I just cut for this quilt while I was at it! Made it super easy. Here are my first 5 blocks. I need to get sewing more, now that everything is cut.

I also completed two more of my Blast From the Past blocks. I’m almost at the halfway point. I’m anxious to get it done, I just can’t seem to find much time to work on it. (Because I’m in the throes of writing the next mystery program for Sew Sweet — stay tuned! — more on that later.)

Block 13:

Block 14:

I’m also working on sewing hexies together. Yes, back when I featured my “What the Hex?” pattern as the monthly pattern, I couldn’t resist starting another hexie quilt, so I’ll show you some of that later on. I’m counting each row as a block, since it’s basically a one-patch quilt. I’m using a really old bundle of darks with some scraps thrown in. Here’s a sneak peek, and I’ll show you more later.

And that was my May — how was yours? Did you get a lot done? May is generally a busy month with graduations, gardening, holidays, and spring cleanup after winter. So if you had that cut into your quilting time, I completely understand!

It’s time to report in with what you did manage to get done. I’ve updated the Project Page, and our new block goal for June is 30 blocks for a year-to-date tally of 164 so far. That’s obviously just a suggestion — I love it when you all do so much more!

The prize winner for April is Phillis. Phillis is always a champion block maker, and she’s already up to 1460 for the year! Woohoo!

I hope you have a lovely June, filled with all the things you want it to be filled with. Happy stitching!

58 responses to “May 350 Blocks Report”

  1. Sally H says:

    118 for May, 3 projects. This week I’m sorting the many leftovers into new projects.

  2. Ioleen says:

    I only completed 15 blocks. I’m busy getting ready for vacation 💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻 Happy dancing!

  3. Tanya says:

    I squeezed in my 6 blocks today for May for the Sew Scrappy Spools QAL making my total blocks for May 36. I got sidetracked on making itty bitty boxy bags from my scraps. They are so cute and addicting. I have made 30 of them so far! With plenty more cut and ready to sew. Hoping to squeeze in more quilting time but will be watching the grands this summer. I might teach them all how to sew blocks!

  4. ChrisGG says:

    I made 176 blocks this month which was a surprise since I’ve spent so much time outside weeding!

  5. Kerry says:

    Love Deanna’s quilts and tutorials. I’m still halfway through the Irish Stars!

    I made about 14 paper pieced strings blocks ready to trim and cut into 4 x 3.5 inch squares, and a few court house scrap style squares – I think I’ll turn them into coasters/mug rugs.

  6. Fran says:

    This month, I made 96 blocks I sent 5 quilts to the long arm quilter and got 8 quilts back from her. Machine sewed the binding on them today. Will be hand sewing them at night. I am still doing lots of hand appliqué. If it were not for the leader and ender blocks I made while sewing quilt tops together, I would have had few blocks.

  7. Kathy Parks says:

    I’m chugging along on my blocks for various projects. zI did manage 32 blocks this month.

  8. Becky Cogan says:

    I made 195 blocks for Country Courthouse. Got it all put together in a quilt. There’s a total of 285 blocks with 11,101 pieces.

  9. Marilyn Holder says:

    May blocks: 5. Not much, but finished quilting 2 quilts and organizing myself to finish a ufo.

  10. Ginabeth says:

    I had 31 for May 2023. Barely made the goal. But I also worked on backings for my quilt tops, put together Sewcialites 2, tacked binding down on 1 quilt. Machine backing to top of 3 more. Did not you do any embroidery this month.

  11. Wanda Marvel says:

    19 blocks

  12. Kathi Benchley says:

    I was surprised that I was able to complete 56 blocks in the early part of May. The rest of the month involved outdoor work – mowing grass, weeding and planting the garden.

  13. Sharon Gratz says:

    I was able to get 36 blocks made this month (May). I also was able to deliver a quilt to my latest great grand baby in Indiana and my quilter has 2 completed and sending to me. It feels good to get my UFOs taken care of.

  14. Barb Roberts says:

    I’ve been busy putting together two vintage quilt tops from blocks in my collection and then I had to stop and make a purse. I’m counting only 5 actual blocks for the month. Thanks, Shelly!

  15. Rose says:

    I completed 64 blocks in May. They are parts of 4 different quilts. I also finished two UFOs and loaded another on the quilt frame. Not too shabby. Thanks for the challenge.

  16. Cindy Wienstroer says:

    Thanks for sharing Deanna’s tutorial – lovely and needed. 81 blocks done with an old UFO finished top – need to quilt. Did make 2 table toppers for a FL friend!

  17. Moira Ten-Hove says:

    Total for May: 44 blocks
    I still struggle with defining just what constitutes a block but this month I’m counting the 32 paper pieced slices for ring 2 of a bullseye table center I’m trying to get finished for my sister — it’s from Becky Goldsmith’s Bullseye Quilts from Vintage to Modern. She calls the center, rings 1 and 2 and the corners a block for her pattern but I’m going to extend myself some grace. Paper piecing is definitely not my favorite technique but it’s for my sister…

    I also made 12 economy blocks from a kit that I won as a door prize.

    In addition I custom quilted and bound my niece’s wedding quilt — a riff on Jen Kingwell’s Homestead from Quilt Recipes and long armed 2 88″x90″ comfort quilt tops for my guild.

    A pretty productive month for me and thanks for the tutorial link.

  18. Barbara B says:

    Zero for May, still healing.

  19. PAULA M MO says:

    I have 12 for May…I have been re-re-organizing my sewing area. Was distracted when cleaning out a tub, and ended up cleaning/organizing 2 shelf cabinets. How is it May 31 already? I did pull fabric for Mad Dash…I have plenty of blue to use, just struggling for the 2nd color. Another day…

  20. Only 38 blocks for me this month. Way too many other things going on!
    I saved that tutorial from Wedding Dress Blue and hope to make it soon. Love the fabrics in yours!

  21. Hi Shelly. Looks like you had a good month and created so many pretty blocks. Thank you for sharing the photos and the link. I wrote my post and was amazed when I added up my numbers:
    May Block Goal: 31
    Year-to-date Goal: 103
    January Blocks: 62
    February: 148
    March: 95
    April: 34
    May: 96
    Year-to-date: 435
    Guess it was a keep my head down and sew month 😉
    https://quiltschmilt.ca/2023/05/31/may-350-blocks-project-report/

  22. Wow, you have some gorgeous things going on there! Such a great inspiration to me. Yes, May was good to me. I have 73 new blocks to add and that brings my total for the year to 281. Barring those unforeseen things that always happen, I’m going to make that 350 this year, and probably more! I think I’m back! And I left out the embroidery blocks – I’ll catch those up in June.

  23. Joan says:

    32 blocks done this month. Finished one top, which used up a lot of scraps (big pieces–not usually my choice)… Sewed blocks together for applique quilt–not sure if and/or what I will do for the border… But getting that far felt like such a great accomplishment.
    And then of course, there are the two new quilts I started… One of them is called Posh Penelope, using a quick curve ruler. Will be a good one for using scraps. Lots of steps but good video and pattern directions, so that’s been fun to work on.

  24. May was busier than usual, but I managed to complete 62 blocks.

  25. Louise says:

    112 blocks for me this month. I’ve found time to sew almost every day.

  26. Wendy says:

    25 for me. I can’t believe how fast these months fly by!

  27. Deanna says:

    Thank you for your kind words. I did enjoy that triangle quilt. This month I have pushed forward on my Halfway Quilt. Should be finished sometime in June. Between that and leader-ender blocks, May shows 34 completed blocks.

  28. Pam Desilets says:

    I completed 130 blocks and quilted 3 quilts for customers. Hope it doesn’t get to warm here 93 day. Hard to sew when it’s to warm. Happy sewing for June.

  29. Ceil Podzimek says:

    I managed 22 blocks for May – 5 for my guild row x row, 6 for other guild projects, and 11 for the Green Tea and Sweet Beans quilt-along with my virtual textile group. I’m working on getting my sewing room the way I want it since moving, but there’s still a long way to go. Thanks for the heads up on the hexi pattern – that’s my next Tea and Beans block, so it was perfect timing!

  30. Thirteen blocks for me this month. Some were paper pieced which take much longer but are beautiful!

  31. Dianne D says:

    20 blocks this month, but I finished some knitting projects! Happy sewing,

  32. Linda Knight says:

    No blocks made this month but 5 quilted and bound.

  33. Marlene Clausen says:

    80 for May. 72 of those was for a Quilt of Valor, the remaining was from the scraps cutting these blocks. I turned the scrap blocks into two totes and several mug rugs to be given to friends/family of QOV recipients, volunteers in veterans’ programs, and fund raisers.

  34. Rose Marie Smith says:

    I made 56 blocks this month. I am trying to slow down a bit. How many quilts need to be left behind? Quilters are just a bit crazy, aren’t they!

  35. Diana S. says:

    Am loving your blocks. I always enjoy bowsing Deanna’s site. Will check out the link you posted. I started out good but the last 2 weeks of May I barely got in any sewing. 32 blocks for the month. A scrappy rail fence. Hoping I can get back to my machine this month.

  36. KT says:

    28 blocks for me in May. We were away several days for my son’s college graduation (yay!!). Just 3 more weeks of school, and then I’ll be off for 2 weeks until our summer classes start–I am so ready!!

  37. cathy k says:

    I am working on different projects, try to get rid of some ufos. the month of May produced 118 blocks, not bad.

  38. May block count is 17. Not great, but progress.
    Love the look of this scrappy confetti quilt! I’ve seen so many different versions of these little dancing triangles, I think I’ll start making these blocks. I still have quite a healthy stash of low volume prints and am always happy to find another way to use them.

  39. Karen E. says:

    I’ve been having some really slow months this year. I made 32 blocks in May, for a YTD total of 454.

  40. Marsha P says:

    21 blocks for me. Love the triangle pattern.

  41. Danice says:

    1,460 blocks, wow! That is really a lot. In May, I made only 2 blocks.
    ‘Been working on quilting lately. The triangle pattern and your little quilt are really pretty. Those brown fabrics look great.

  42. Ginny says:

    53 blocks for May. Heading out Sunday afternoon for 2 weeks. I will have sewing with drawl by the time I get home.

  43. Raewyn says:

    Thank you for the link for using triangles trimmings – I was looking at mine the other day thinking about what a huge pile of them I had!! You’ve got a lovely variety of block sewing going on 🙂 I had a lot of straightforward hourglass blocks to make so my tally for May grew to 82.

  44. Phillis Harding says:

    273 blocks this month. Also completed 7 quilts.

  45. Debbi says:

    0 for me. Haven’t been at my sewing machine much this month. Spent 2 weeks the first of the month on vacation in CA and Nevada. When I got home I started my challenge to longarm everyday. I’m aiming for 2-3 hours/day. I’ve only missed once so far. Working on the small items, pillows, wall hangings, table runners and a baby quilt so far. Made a lot to bind so my time at the sewing machine has been working on binding. Just can’t do it all! Definitely getting more comfortable at the longarm for doing something more than a panto.

    You always inspire me. Reminded me that I need to finish up Blast from the Past…just have spacer blocks to do. Love that triangle quilt. What a great scrappy idea for those pesky leftovers.

  46. Bev C. says:

    163 for me. Made and finished 2 quilts and one quilt top that is waiting to be sandwiched. came across a hollow cube block and ended up playing with that to make one of my quilts. What fun!

  47. Paula Mu says:

    Sorry for the late post. I had 72 blocks this month. 15 flower blocks, 3 Riley Blake blocks, 36 Celebration blocks, 12 Scrap Dance Quadrille blocks, 1 Jacqueline Steves block, 4 Scrappy Spools blocks and 1 Sherry McConnell BOM. I think I am up to 409 total blocks so not too bad.

  48. Shirley Guier says:

    40! I finished pickle dish.

  49. Woohoo! Made 46 blocks this month to finish round 4 of my SAHRR.

  50. Just what I needed for my triangle trimmings too! Thanks for posting that tutorial. Blessings,

  51. Delana says:

    Here’s my year :
    January-8
    February-15
    March-1
    April-4
    May-2
    Total of 30 for the year

    Kinda disappointing but I have finished several quilts. The blocks I am working on are large with numerous pieces. What was I thinking?!?!?!!!

  52. Amanda M. says:

    18 blocks for May!

  53. This is my first check in for the year 2023. I have made a total of 215 blocks Jan-May.
    My post can be found here:

    https://dreamworthyquilts.blogspot.com/2023/06/350-blocks-challenge-2023-goal-progress.html

    Deana

  54. Carissa says:

    Glad to hear that you were still able to make some progress this month. I had many other things going on, so I only finished 18 blocks. However, things are still moving in the right direction!

  55. Judy Smith says:

    Only 15 blocks for me this month. I had a deadline for a baby quilt. Hopefully, I’ll catch up next month.

  56. Susan S says:

    love reading about your projects! I only have 6 blocks to report for May. more random pinwheels. it was a hectic and unpredictable month due to wildfires, sick grandvaby etc etc. on the bright side, am going to sew right now!!!!

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