September Craftsy BOM finished

I love looking at other quilters blogs. I get so many new ideas and really good hints - then I feel there is not enough time to do all the 'new' things I've seen. I've been writing and sketching in my grid book all the projects I want to start, and I will start then ... one day.

So today I have been working on more curves to complete the two September BOM blocks.

 I thought I would show you how I've set up my colour stash for this BOM project.

As I am using two colours - purple and teal/aqua (with a little bit of green - which I think I might take out and re-do the blocks with green) and a light mauve with pale flower pattern as background, I have two plastic baskets. As I used another fabric for the different blocks, I added it to the basket. I tried to add at least one new fabric each block. That way it was easy for me to choose fabrics for the next block.

 I decided to cut 7" squares instead of 3 1/2" squares to save time. This also gave me circles as 'left overs' instead of pie shapes.

 Here are the all the arches and wedges cut out ready to sew.

I pin in the centre and then mid way between the end and centre and then the end. The centre and the two ends I pin a number of times and the midway points I pin only a few threads to allow for movement. Amy suggests this and it works a treat.

  Amy suggests having the wedge shape on the bottom so one can feed the arch in gently. At times the sewing is slow going, but it is worth it.

 A finished wedge.

 This shows how I finger press in half and in half again (quarters) to have marks to line up to.

 Block 1 -chain block pattern all laid out.

 I sewed each block to make a row, laid it out again to check and then sewed each row together.

 

 Finished block - just needs to be trimmed.

 The second block was Cleopatra's Puzzle Block. Here all the pieces are laid out.

 Finished block :-)

For now, I need to do the October blocks for Craftsy, so in November we can start to put the quilt together. I also need to make 5 Christmas Stockings, one for each grand daughter and 3 for orders. I don't know why I can't say NO when someone asks me to make them something. I am time poor!!!! Aren't all quilters time poor? 

What is the one project you HAVE to get finished sooner, rather than later?

Allison

Modern Mystery Quilt part 2

I like holidays - it gives me time to do what I love - sew.

After finishing a lap quilt for grand-daughter Ava, and a Halloween lap quilt for Emma, I continued with the I Spy jar quilt wall hanging and I'm very happy with it. I only have the appliqué on the bottom shelf to do and it will be ready to back.

 So I started on part 2of the Modern Mystery Quilt. I printed out the template and went through the kitchen cupboards trying to find a plate, bowl or lid that would fit - no luck. I didn't want to make 30 patterns or make a plastic template so I decided to use freezer paper.

I traced over the template and then folded the freezer paper in half before cutting. This gave me a circle.

I folded the circle to make a semi circle again and placed it around the long end of the background fabric. I pinned 4 layers of fabric together and used a dressmakers pencil to trace around the freezer paper and cut with scissors. The pattern says to discard the cut out fabric - YEAH RIGHT!!!! I'll use it for something. 

The larger circle I ironed onto one piece of fabric. I used scissors to cut around it. 

 

I then pinned the paper and fabric to about 4 layers of fabric and cut around that.

After cutting 15 circles I needed to cut them in half to make 30 semi-circles.

 I did this by folding the original paper and fabric circle in half and using my rotary cutter and ruler i carefully cut each group of 4 fabrics in half.

 I watched the Amy Gibson Craftsy video again to see how to sew circles. She is so good with her explanations and hints.

http://www.craftsy.com/lecture/September-Curved-Piecing/551.html?t=1958
 You will need to register for the class - it is free - and the whole class is full of different hints and ideas, it is well worth it.

After sewing 2 or 3 blocks it became easier to pin and sew the curves.

One good hint was to pin the middle and the two ends a couple of times with one pin, and all the other pins only once picking up a few stitches only. This allowed the fabric to move to where I wanted it to be when sewing.

Amy's video showed exactly how to sew and lift the foot to move the background fabric around so it wouldn't pucker.

And here we are with 30 finished part 2 blocks.

Some school work to do then back to start sewing part 3.
Allison

Amy Gibson Craftsy July blocks

So lovely to have time to sit and sew.

I have a number of projects to finish - well ok, I probably have hundreds of projects to finish and just as many waiting to be started .... BUT today I wanted to catch up with Amy's BOM.

So here are July blocks - Dresden Plates - I've never made these before, as I thought they would be hard.

I cut 20 'blades to make the first block. I was lucky that a few weeks ago I ordered from Missouri Quilts a Dresden Plate template, and it worked so well.

I started by folding each blade and stitching along the top. 

I  then turned each blade the right way to make a point at the top. Amy suggested starching, and I didn't but they still turned out fine.

I laid out all the blades and rearranged to make a pleasing pattern.

Then proceeded to sew each pair together, then each sewn pair to another. 

I then centred the sewn blocks on the background fabric and appliquéd them on.

I used a straight stitch with purple thread.

I pinned the inside of the 'plate' to keep it in place while I made the centre.

I sewed two circles together, nicked around the edge, slit one side and turned the piece inside out. 

This will give me a clear finished edge for the centre.

 Now for block 2.

 This is in two colours and each blade has a flat edge.

 When sewing, each outside edge needs to be matched perfectly.

It doesn't matter that the inside edge is not matching as it will be covered by the centre.

To make the edge of the plate easier to appliqué, another circle of material is sewn, with right sides together and nicked and turned the same as the centre.  

This was then sewn onto the background block.

Finished July Block 1

Close up of centre.

Finished July Block 2

I had fun with these blocks. Dresden Plate was not hard, and I will make it again, especially block two. I really like the way it pops out.

 Off now to do August Blocks :-)

Happy sewing

Catching up on Craftsy BOM - May

Been so busy and once I had finished reports, well the first stage of reports - I decided to catch up on some sewing. May Craftsy BOM was first on the list.

 First was to fussy cut a center for the block. 

It is a log cabin block - and I love log cabin blocks.

This is the finished block - well......................

I wasn't so happy with it, so went back to the instructions.

Yes..instructions - and I read them incorrectly. So back to the sewing machine.

So this time I did it according to the instructions.

 ...and it looks much better.

 The second May block was named a wonky log cabin.

I actually made the two blocks at the same time. I used each one as an anchor cloth the other.

This block is more like a crazy patch block and it would have been better if I had used more irregular shapes like a crazy patch.

I like it, but may re-do it later as a real crazy patch.

 This is my anchor cloth. I have always used an anchor cloth and feel it helps with each end of the block pieces and tends to stop stitches falling out.

Happy sewing.

April blocks - Craftsy BOM

Did as much as I could of the Happy Sun blocks and moved onto the Craftsy BOM. 

Aprils blocks consist of English Paper Piecing. 

The first block was to be straight up and down, but it just didn't look right, so I think I will put it at an angle.

When one looks at the other blocks, there are a lot of angles, so I think it will fit in perfectly.

The second block of the month was a sun. didn't like it much, so decided to turn it into a Scottish Thistle.

 It's amazing how different lights make the block look so different.

So here are the two blocks waiting to be machine sewn onto the background. Maybe tomorrow.

 Now to go and look at May's blocks.

Happy sewing.