As we speak /read the testers are hard at work trying out the “Chugging Along” pattern. I have sent out the paper piecing patterns for the different blocks to “roam the world”. By the middle of February the results will come in and I can show you all of the wonderful work of the fabulous testers!!!
Of course I tested the blocks too. And I just could not wait to show you my results!
( It is evening here, so my pictures are kind of blurry. I had to tweak some pictures in Photoshop to make them presentable)
The whole set (so far… no promisses I will stop designing new blocks to add! 🙂 )
The coal-car and the passenger’s car:
The freight car of course at the end of the train!
The train is rolling into the station…
… Don’t forget to load some water!
I used a scrap of fabric with bicycles for the “clock” on the station building. I will add some embroidery saying “Station” (DUH!) on the dark brown where it now says “ipatchandquilt”. I will also try to make the clock look like a clock, ha ha!
I just had to design some trees! I have another set drawn up on the computer, but it is not complete yet.
I wanted to show you the wheel of the different train cars. I used several scraps of “Comma” by Moda that were left over from my Christmas stockings .
I have plans for some more blocks like another set of trees and a railroad crossing and such.
Would you like to play with these blocks too? You could receive the complete set FOR FREE!!!
Just leave a comment with great ideas for blocks to add this pattern set. The best comment will receive the whole set of blocks once the patterns is released in the middle of February!!! Please leave your email in the comment if you are a no-reply blogger!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Esther
p.s. I am linking up with the Paper Piecing Linky Party at Quiet Play, Finish Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts and Can I get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.
Lovely! Some little person is going to love a quilt with this train on it, maybe running all round the outside.
That is a wonderful idea! I was thinking more in the line of a quilt made up of rows of trains or a very skinny and long quilt to use as a toddlers bed bumper. I will add you idea to the suggestions in the pattern!
Esther
Maybe a block showing the conductor or a little boy with his puppy.
A puppy? Well what would a boy be without his puppy! 🙂
I have not designed any people or animals for this pattern as I liked the idea of people fussy cutting their fabulous fabrics to put monkey behind the wheel of the locomotive and girafs as passengers. Or something like this. Maybe I will design some people blocks after this set is completed. Thanks for the tip!
Esther
Fabulous!
How about adding some people?
Thank you!
I may be designing some people blocks after all of the “train-stuff” is done! 🙂
Esther
I think your set needs a caboose! Or a piggyback flat car! Or a hopper car. But really, what train is complete without a caboose?
Owww, I think all of the above! 😉
I have already been busy with the caboose, so that is almost done. The others will follow by the end of this week. I hope….A lot of my free time will be taken up by work this week. We will have parent teacher nights on Monday and Tuesday. Exausting!
Esther
when i could make this quilt for my grandson ( 4 jears old) it would be a dream comming treu for him for he is a great lover of Thomas train and loves to play with the Thomas train when he is with me and he loves to see the movie of Thomas
greeting Jitske
Hoi Jitske!
Leuk dat je mijn blog hebt bezocht! Ik ben blij te horen dat je kleinzoon zo’n fan is van treinen! Mijn neefje van vier is ook gek op alles met wielen!
Groetjes
Esther
I would love to play with this block and would my grandson ever enjoy the results. He loves trains
Hello Vera!
YAY for grandsons and nephews! My little nephew mister T was the inspiration for this set. I am almost done with designing the blocks, just a bridge to make and writing up the patterns. Phew, almost done!
bye bye
Esther
Oh these are just adorable Esther! What a gorgeous little scene!
Thanks a lot!
🙂
I think I will be designing some more boy patterns in the future. I enjoy making these so much!!!
Esther
Fabulous work Esther. All little boys will love that beautiful red train – especially my brother, and he’s 62.
Love,
Muv
Ha ha! I have got a brother like that, only he is 36. But I expect he will never change with his love for everything with a large and loud engine!
Bye bye
Esther
These are wonderful. What fun. Your work is superb.
Thank you very much Dolores! I am having so much fun designing everything “trainy”!
Have a wonderful week!
Esther
How about adding a bridge.
sandra(dot)klassen(at)pobox(dot)com
One bridge coming up!
Thanks so much for the tip!
Have a great day!
Esther
I love the water tower! I love the whole collection, but I may be missing it, but where’s the caboose? You of course need a cattle car, but I think a zoo car with a giraffe’s head and maybe an elephants head peeking out would be a must? I’m newish to pattern piecing, but if you’ll let me I would love to test a block or two. I just keep thinking about the book, The Little Engine That Could, and of course Thomas the Tank Engine,.
Thank you so much for all of these ideas. The caboose and a cattlecar are already drawn up, as a car with boxes, containers and logs.
Thank you for volunteering for the testing. I do not know if I need more testers, but I will keep you in mind!!!
bye bye
Esther
A rail road bridge or a mountain tunnel. The expansion will have the background for the scene. I love what you have done, but see it integrated into a scene.
Hello Penny!
Yes a bridge! It will be the last part of the pattern to add. Most of it is done, (shape wise). Now I only need to write up the pattern pages. Some more work ahead, but I love doing it!
Thank you for visiting my blog,
Esther
so cute!!! it definitely needs a caboose! the caboose has a little “porch” on the back and a bell hanging. Fabulous job!!
Hi Gina!
Thank you for describing what a caboose looks like! I like the addition of the bell, but found it to be way to small to create in the pattern. I think I will add a drawing of a bell for those who want to embroider it on.
bye bye
Esther
So very cute. Adding a signal and crossing arms would be a great addition.
Yes yes! That is a great idea! Oh, my list keeps getting longer and longer! 🙂
I will have to write a pattern for those too!
Thanks for the tips!
Esther
Oh, wow!!! What a very talented person you are. This is a beautiful, detailed design. Great job!!
Hello Elaine,
You are making me blush! Thank you very much for leaving such a sweet comment!
Esther
I just love them! Such a fabulous job. I agree a caboose is in order. But I’d love see railroad crossing sign and a toll bridge.
Oh oh… a toll bridge! YEAH! We need one of those too!
Thanks for the tip!
Esther
Hi Esther! These are fantastic blocks and the train, buildings and trees are so wonderful! Just perfect Fabrics and colours, too! I thught about bench with suitcase. x Teje
That is such a sweet idea! I will add that too!
(I thought I was almost done… ha ha, but NO, you all keep coming up with great new ideas!)
Thanks!!!
Esther
I think crossing arms across the rails would be a great block.
Hello Vicki!
Thank you very much for leaving a comment. I appreciate it very much!
Esther
What about an oil tanker car? I love what you have so far.
Yes, I can add an oil tanker! That would not be too hard!
Thanks for the wonderful tip!
Esther
This is out of this world. I adore it. I immediately thought of a caboose with one of the conductors standing on it…or an engineer’s head seen out of the engine. I would love to play with these. What fun. Like how you did your wheels. Very creative. genie
Hello genie,
How wonderful to read all of your comments! You are all such a great help deciding what needs to be added to the set of “Chugging Along”.
Thank you for your ideas for the set!!!
Bye bye
Esther
Definitely some railway signs or “traffic lights” for the train. This looks like it’s going to be an absolutely delightful piece when it is all finished
That is a wonderful idea! I hope I can add them too!
Thanks for the suggestion.
Esther
Beautiful blocks! Awesome idea for sure. I wondered if you might want an X block row for railroad sign or perhaps a traffic signal row … also how about a row of tracks? What you’ve done is really awesome and I look forward to making it!
I have thought about a row of tracks but have decided against them for now. All of the blocks are either frontal views of objects (house, tree) or side views (train cars). I found it weird to add a track as if we were looking down. I may add them anyway to the pattern, so people can decide for themselves.
If I have time I will add the x-block and some lights, depending on how long it takes to test the new blocks that I have been writing since last week.
Thank you for your great suggestions!
Esther
Wow! These blocks are amazing! Love the train and the scenery!
Hi Lorna,
Thanks so much for your lovely comment!
Esther
I love your fussy cut fabrics. My son always wants me to draw a tanker car and a car carrier. His favorite is with a truck on it. He also loves tunnels. Great job!
Okay, a car carrier! Wow, you all keep coming up with new train cars! Ha ha!!!
I will see how much time I have left for writing that block up before the planned release date for this pattern. I am still debating if I want to add a tunnel or not. I will let you all now what I decide upon!
Thanks for the wonderful suggestions!
Esther
Sorry I missed your blogoversary! Love these blocks. I think a water tower would be cool or a bridge…I always see those on the train replica sets:)
Hi Pauls,
No need to apoligize! I know how hectic a week can be!!!
Yes, the bridge! That has been planned, but not drawn up yet. Maybe I can do that on Sunday, I guess…. if life is not FULL with other things.
Bye bye
Esther
Well, lets see, I do loads of crazy quilting and I can see these cute little trains making their way into my own art. If I won, that is surely where these would probably pop up, but I have a wedding coming up soon and then maybe babies! I don’t know right away, but something like this!
Well yeah, these train cars would go perfectly into a crazy quilt. I know the pattern is driving me a little crazy by know!!! I have even been dreaming about trains, YIKES!
Have a great weekend!
Esther
Just fantastic as always Esther! My two little guys are huge train fans! We live three houses down from a set of tracks and can see the trains go by out our living room window, whenever my oldest (four) see’s the logging cars he gets super excited!! He thinks they’re carrying jobi wood from Misty Island (Thomas fans over here!) Though he also thinks that all the tanker cars are filled with chocolate milk!
I love the way you’ve fussy cut for the clock! Perfect!
Yay for logging cars! One has been drawn up today, but needs to be tested this weekend! I hope I have enough brown fabrics for the tree trunks. Or… maybe some shopping is in order! LOL!
Esther
Wow wow wow! These are so awesome!! I am feeling an insane need to create a train quilt! Thanks also for stopping by at my blog and commenting 🙂
Insane? Ha ha, I feel a bit like that exactly at the moment. I see trains wherever I go… maybe I should tackle motor vehicles next?
VROOOOM!
Esther
It’s stunning! And I’ve no idea, what else to include to your train.
Thank you for leaving you great comment!
Esther
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I was so excited to suggest signal lights and crossbars then I found someone already suggested it. Most of the train books and train sets that I read/see with my sons have fences and cows. Something about cows seems to fit the idyllic train scene world! I would LOVE to pattern test for you if you’re looking for any more people!
Great idea! I will think about it!
Bye bye,
Esther
The train is so adorable. One of my grandson is named for my father-in-law Hayes. It was his mother’s maiden name. Anyhow, his passion was trains. He loved trains. His degree was in engineering and he DESIGNED a model engine and coal car himself and made them. He earned a model railroad designer and builder certificate for them. That is not an easy feat. He built small train cars from kits. In one passenger car, he added a water cup dispenser in the restroom. You have no idea how small that was. I have no idea how he did that fine, fine work. My grandson has a thing for trucks (he’s 2). He calls them NUNS! I was visiting them in Albuquerque and he said he wanted to go see if the nuns were working. Well, his dad and his family is Cathoic, so I just blew it off. I thought we were headed to church. Nope, in the edge of their addition, they are adding homes and the earth movers were working. He calls the trucks that because of the noise they make – Nun, nun, nun as the motor revs up. Kids are something else. I need to make a train for his room. If he doesn’t appreciate it, his mother will as obviously she adored that grandfather and has fond memories of him. As soon as I post this, I’m headed to follow you. Thanks for great patterns. I wish I could have been a tester – just found you.
Hello Susan!
How wonderful to meet you too! I adore your story about the Nuns! I really laughed out hard!
I will be designing more “boys” paper piecing patterns in the future, so when I need testers again, you could participate then! Thank you for your fabulous comment!
Esther
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I am working on a circus train for my new grandson. Children like all types of animals in the train cars. Your train is perfect for my project. I am hoping to use your pattern. Looks great.
Hello Suzan!
What a great idea! The pattern can be enlarged if you desire!
I would love to see what you create with the pattern.
Good luck and lots of fun!
Esther