Group #6 folks, our thread is over at http://www.quiltingboard.com/member-...a-t200777.html

Charlottemarie
Krisb
Misty Marie
Mhobbs
Come on over to our page and let's chat.

best,
d

So glad I get to chat with you Whigrose in #7.

Group 6 is missing MistyMarie and Mhobbs. :-( I have sent mhobbs a pm but haven't heard from her yet. No contact info for MistyMarie.

best,
deb

Whigrose - if you can't find Misty Marie soon maybe you could contact erindipity to fill the spot. She mentioned on page 28 that she missed out.

Dragonflynana, thanks for the reminder. I remember seeing that 'Want Ad' :-)

I'll contact our Swap Momma Qbee for input.

thanks,
d

If you need a sub, I would be willing to give it a go. :-)

So....how are y'all coming along. Has everyone checked in?? If not, please PM me ASAP. Thanks!! :D

Hi Qbee - Group #2 - theDouble Stitchers checking in here. We have all checked in on our group thread and I believe our group leader, TheMamaHauser, sent you a PM asking if we could have our name added to our thread.
All is moving along with us - so much fun getting to know everyone.

Qbee. group 4 is chugging along. I guess almost everyone is finished the first row and possibly ready to send, but I'm not the group leader, just one of the peons, so don't know for sure. There isn't alot of posting, possibly because we're all sewing?!?!

I have thought and thought until I've thought a hole in it, looking for a clever idea. At this point I think I will just do 5 blocks I've never done before and call it wonderful! Anyone got ABC gum to plug up the hole? After my first row I'll have a better idea what I'm doing. Thank you and good nite:p

For our row, I took all my blocks off of posts on Pinterest - if the pattern wasn't already 12.5", I resized it using my super-ninja microsoft excel skills. I can help you with that if you'd like :)

Thanks for your offer. I will remember your super nija skills w/ Excel, believe me! I have come with a plan and have been working on it so I'm good. Will keep you posted!

So.....it looks like we have not heard from three (3) folks: MistyMarie, MHobbs and Areinn.
I am hoping to hear something by Monday or I will start filing in the gaps with our ladies in waiting...LOL :D

LOL We have a ninja in our group!

Hey TheMamaHauser,
Super-ninja MS Excel skills, eh? I'll bit, how is it done? ( I love learning new things!)

TIA,
best,
d
QUOTE=TheMamaHauser;5562545]For our row, I took all my blocks off of posts on Pinterest - if the pattern wasn't already 12.5", I resized it using my super-ninja microsoft excel skills. I can help you with that if you'd like :)[/QUOTE]

Well, you pull up a new spreadsheet and then you can resize the columns and rows to be equally sized squares (I generally use 50 pixel x 50 pixel).

From there, I look at the pattern to see if it will be easier to recreate using 1" increments or 1/2" increments. This technique works best with patterns that are "grid" designs - say 3x3 blocks within the overall pattern or 4x4, etc. It is the ones that aren't easily divisible (like 5x5 grids) that I tend to use the 1/2" incrementing.

I will then make a square outline of however many rows and columns I need to get to the size of the block = so for a 12.5" block, I will highlight the equivalent of 12" of rows/columns. If I have decided each row/column is 1", then I use a 12x12 grid. If I say that the row/column is 1/2", then I use a 24x24 grid. I have found sticking with either 1" or 1/2" is really ideal (you'll see why later).

From there, I use the border tool to "draw" the pattern. When I know a particular "chunk" is going to be solid, I do a merge-all to make all of the little sub-blocks into one giant block. If I have to draw a diagonal cut across a block (think a shoo-fly block, for example) I will merge the chunk and then use the manual draw-border tool to create that diagonal.

Then, when the entire design is re-created, I use the row/columns to determine what I should be cutting. This is kind of hard to keep straight at first (for me, at least). Basically, I highlight each chunk and I count the number of rows/columns that chunk requires. So, say I have a 12x12 overall grid and I have a chunk that is 3x3. I will make the cutting measurement to be 3.5" x 3.5" to factor in seam allowance.

The part that confuses me (frequently) is when I'm using the 1/2" increments - because when you count how many rows/columns, you divide by 2 and THEN add on the .5" seam allowance.

So, that's the basic breakdown of how I do it. I keep all the blocks I've resized/redesigned/created in one spreadsheet and just keep making new pages each time.

When you first start using this, I suggest making an extra mark at the center points at both the top and the bottom and on the sides (outside the grid) to help you keep track of center. If anyone is interested, I'd be happy to send a copy of my spreadsheet so you don't have to recreate the wheel. It's hard to really explain in words but it's pretty easy to understand when you're looking at it in front of you.

If you want a copy, PM me your email address and I'll send it out tomorrow after I get back from school.

Excel GuRu
 

I thought it could be done, but I had not tried it. I would actually love to have a copy of your spreadsheet, it would be easy to use yours already set up. AND, I am assuming you will send the workbook so we would have all the blocks you have already created on it. LOL How is that for plagerism!!! [email protected]

:D

You gave a pretty terrific, and lenghty, explanation of how you go about your process. Thank you. Isn't technology wonderful?

best,
d

MistyMarie has been found!! :D Now we are just waiting to hear from MHobbs and Areinn
Hopefully we will hear from them by Monday or I will fill the spots with our ladies in waiting :D

Areinn has been missing for over a month now. I hope all is well with her. She is in our boom 8 swap group and has not repsonded to anyone. Not sure what has happened. Just a FYI for you.

The MamaHouser - that is a wonderfully detailed explanation. Thanks for sharing.
I use the same "break it down" method but on graph paper

MistyMarie AND Areinn have BOTH been found!! Now we are just waiting to hear from MHobbs and I just found out we need to hear from debfaye as well :( Again, if we don't hear from them by Monday, I will fill the spots with our ladies in waiting OldCatLady and Lori Peercy.

All ladies have been accounted for.....yah!!! We are now a go in all groups :D :D :D :D :D

Anyone have pictures of their finnished starter row? I hope to post one of mine soon as I am close to being done. Can't wait to see the themes and started rows.

Check on group #4, there are some posted there for our little group.

Groups 8 and 10 have some pictures posted.

Thanks ladies. I'll be right over there.

I'm lagging a little bit in mailing. Sorry. Will get my things (Sherrys' rows) in the mail today/tomorrow. Apologies.

Jane