Templates and Set-in Seams!

This weeks Grandmother's Choice block presented me with the one block making technique that I really don't like - set it in seams!

This is the method for preparing templates for this type of block, it's what I've discovered work best for me.

First print the templates onto regular printer paper.  Rough cut and clue on to the paper sided of freezer paper.

Starch or use best press on your fabric.

I can accurately cut four pieces of fabric at once with this method, so I fold the fabric to a layer of four, or stack four rought cut rectangles...be sure to be aware of mirror image pieces to make sure you end up with the right pieces with the right side up!  Press the freezer paper to the fabric stack.



Cut out with a ruler, I line up the 1/4" mark on the ruler with the solid line so that I can double check the 1/4" seam allowance.



Once the fabric pieces have been cut, I use micron pigma pen to mark the seam allowances at all corners...on the wrong side of the fabric.



I used to rely on the 1/4" mark on my presser foot, but I found that I just didn't get good results.  The good line I've drawn tells me exactly where to pin, where to start and stop sewing.

I also use a very very small stitch, 1.2 or so, as I approach or leave those set-in seam corners.  This gives me a good tight seam without having to backstitch (set in seams do require a bit of pushing and pulling on sewed seams, and I don't want anything coming apart!)

 

[caption id="attachment_1156" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Amethyst block, Grandmothers's Choice[/caption]

Quilts to consider

 

I thought I'd share this link to Sue Garman's blog where she shows off her new quilt, Afternoon Delight.  Scroll down until you see some wonderful applique pictures!

 

And here's a link to the Caswell Quilt.  Corliss Searcy has drawn a pattern for it.

 

I've been busy with hand applique over the past few days.  I completed  two blocks of  Jacqueline's Album first row.

[caption id="attachment_1146" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Jacqueline's Album first row[/caption]

 

 

 

 

[caption id="attachment_1137" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Georgia Lotus Clark, born September 6, 2012
10 lbs. 11 oz. (really!)[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting to be a grandmother!

Our first grandbaby is ready to be born, likely sometime tonight!  I've been nervously waiting for text updates from my son at the hospital...waiting for when we can come!  The hospital is just under an hour away, so he's waiting till things are really progressing before calling in the parents!!  I think I'm beginning to relate to those fathers from years gone by who weren't allowed in the labour and delivery rooms!

I did put together the Garden Fence quilt top...during which I made way too many cutting errors on the borders as my thoughts were definitely elsewhere...but I did end up with a quilt I'm thrilled with!

 

[caption id="attachment_1133" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Garden Fence, 66" x 66"[/caption]

 

Weekend sewing...and un-sewing!

Here's a pic of my first Grandmother's Choice block.  I finally settled on purples, with black sashing.  I find its a good idea to sew the sashing on as the blocks are made; makes less work when your ready to set the quilt together!  I'll be using the same background throughout the quilt...its part of the reason I decided to go with the purple colours.  I bought about 5 yards of this background fabric, thinking it was a lovely tone on tone background blender.  But its got this odd grey hue to it, everything I've tried to put with it so far has just not looked right,...but purple and black seem to be the one colour that plays nicely with this background.

[caption id="attachment_1127" align="aligncenter" width="296"] Grandmother's Choice, week one[/caption]

 

The other project I got accomplished this weekend is getting My Whimsical Quilt Garden blocks sorted out.  I got them separated from the batting, and made setting blocks.  I think I'll be calling this quilt Garden Fence.  There'll be a light inner border and a red outer border.

 

[caption id="attachment_1128" align="aligncenter" width="404"] Garden Fence layout, hand-applique blocks from My Whimsical Quilt Garden[/caption]

Have you heard of Craftsy?  What a great place to take on-line classes!  Great teachers and subjects, and not just quilting but sewing, knitting, cooking...all kinds of things!

My first class that I took was Stupdendous Stitching...I should be writing about that first...but somehow here's a post about another class:  Re-Piecing the Past.  I signed up for this when the class was on sale, because I love traditional patterns, I thought that the teacher , Kaye England, would offer some interesting history about how the block pattern came to be; and, I was hoping to pick up a trick or two about piecing.

The class has checked all the boxes for me!  Kaye has offered a great quilt pattern for blocks and setting; she gives some great facts about the blocks' origins; and I have learned a few new tricks for piecing.  I'd recommend this class for beginners, but you do need some confidence as Kaye does seem to skip over some piecing steps after they've been introduced in a prior lesson.

Here are the blocks I had finished during July and August, followed by a block called Harriet Beecher Stowe.  The block with the flower applique in it is called "Rally 'round the Flag" and should have an American flag in the centre...while I have American roots, I am Canadian and so I put an orphan flower block in instead (although I guess I could have put in a maple leaf!).

 



 

 

 

 

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Would you cut up a quilt?

I did!  I tried to quilt the Whimsical Quilt Garden...really tried!  I put a nice free motion curvy stitch on the skinny border frame, I put some nice doodling loops around the applique after outlining the shapes.  But, as seems to be happening to me too often, lately,  I just wasn't into this quilt...I didn't like it, and as a result my stitching wasn't as good as it could be; my enthusiasm for getting it quilted, that enjoyment of seeing the quilting stitches bringing the fabric to life - - was not there.  Yesterday afternoon I hung it on a hanger and shoved it to the back of the closet.

A few hours ago, I felt that darn quilt calling me again.  Those applique blocks were a lot of work, the effort and thought that has gone into the quilt so far...I didn't want to leave it mouldering in the back of the closet.  I brought it back to the machine, sat down and gave it and me a good talking to - what lovely applique stitches!  the quilting will bring it all together!  someone will really like this quilt when its done!  But shortly after starting, that gloomy feeling returned.

I took a deep breath, flung it on the cutting board, and proceeded to cut it up!  I cut out 13 blocks, enought to re-set it with the ideas I have n mind.  The rest I'll keep to maybe make a mini or something.  There will need to be some unstitching done.

I feel great at having done this, like a weight is off my shoulders.  I can start fresh when I'm ready, and no longer have to think about how to work on the quilt as it was!