Design Wall Monday 1-14-13

I spent a little of every day in my studio this week but I don't seem to have a lot to show for it.  

I've begun a new small quilt from Kathy Tracy's book Remembering Adelia. It is Orange Peel. Here's how I am making my applique pieces. I used a non-melt plastic to make the peel shape. First I traced the peel from the book onto the template material and cut it out. Next I traced the template on to one of my fabric choices. I stacked up several pieces, pinned and then cut adding a 1/4" seam allowance.  

I did put the curve on the bias.  I'm using  a stencil brush to apply starch to the seam allowances. 

Then very carefully I iron the seam allowance back over the template.  Remember to use a lower setting as you don't want to distort the template.  

When the piece is dry I remove it from the template. Wow, does this create great, crisp edges that will make it very easy to applique these to the backgrounds.  I spray a bit of starch into the cap of the spray starch can to access the starch.  I need to go back and trim these seams down to a scant 1/4" or maybe an 1/8th of an inch. 

I have been making a few a day while I'm in my studio doing other things.  It has been a very easy effort.  I think I need to finish about 10 more. 

I'm not sure I'd want to make these templates for some appliques -- the ones with lots of pieces on multiple blocks but the end results are wonderful. I just tend to be cheap frugal with things like this. 

Here's the unit I'm working on for Easy Street.  I'm enjoying my slow work on this quilt.  It may take me most of the next few months but I am making progress. I'm nearly done with this unit and, even better, I'm trimming them up as I finish groups of 10s.  Woe's me -- I've got to trim most of the flying geese units still. Bummer! 

  
Here's my goal results for last week: 

Week of Jan. 7, 2013

Work on Easy Street√

Work on hexagon small quilt √

Continue to clean up studio √

Load and quilt pinwheel quilt on Ruthie OOPS!

Watch more of Season 1 and 2 of Downton Abbey √

Photograph and write up SS #6√ at least the photograph is done!

Do Lessons 1 & 2 on EQ & Anyone want to work through this with me? √√ This was great, why has it taken me so long to go through these lessons?

Week of Jan. 14, 2013

Work on Easy Street Work on hexagon small quilt

Hand quilt hexagon small quilt

Finish prepping all the orange peel pieces, begin appliquing

Let’s try to get a quilt on Ruthie

On to Lessons 3 & 4 on EQ7

Take a look at Patchwork Times to find links to Design Walls across the internet.  And, Quiltville's Quips and Snips to see Easy Street progress. Not posted yet and I don't know if last week was the end of those linky parties.  I'll check back later to see if something is added to link to Easy Street. 

The Christmas decorations are all down and most are away.  The snowmen are up but it is really hard to think of winter when the temperatures hit 70 yesterday.  I like a little winter, honestly.  We need enough cold weather to kill off some of the bugs and to set the bulbs.  Hopefully we'll get some more. 

I'm off to the studio to do some quilting.  

Triangle Tuesday #2

Jan. 10, 2013

Sawtooth Star

This design is #1136 from Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns. You can find a PDF of the instructions by going to Google Docs.  I need someone's help.  Would someone try to download the directions from Google Docs and let me know if you actually can do that?  I am hoping it is working like it looks it is but I'm not sure. Thanks to all who let me know it isn't working the way I expect it too.  I've tried a new setting. Thanks. 

 

Cutting directions are in 4” and 6” finished sizes.

Fabric	Number to cut	4”	6”
Center – green turquoise print	1	2 ½” x 2 1/2”	3 ½” x 3 ½”
Geese background - green	4	1 ½” x 2 ½”	2” x 3 ½”
Geese wings - turquoise	8	See below	See below
Corner background - green	4	1 ½” x 1 ½”	2” x 2”

I decided I needed a better way to figure out whether my cut off triangles would fit in a particular block.  Therefore I made myself some templates to help figure this out. To make a template for a 4” block cut a square 1 ½”.    Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner.  Then draw a parallel line ¼” away. Cut off the small triangle that is left. The template for a 6” block starts with a 2” square, draw a diagonal line from corner to corner and then draw another line ¼” away. Cut off the small triangle. Mark the first template 1” and the second one 1 ½”. 

Test your waste triangles to make sure they are the right size for the flying geese wings.  I also used the template to trim the triangle to the correct size.  I found it easier to get accurate wings by drawing a line on the actual fabric ¼” away from the long edge of the triangle .

 Make the geese units by laying a triangle away from the corner, stitch on the line, iron to the corner. Trim the back fabric.  Repeat on the other side.

Layout the pieces as shown below.  Sew in rows.  Iron toward the plain blocks.  Sew the rows together.

Using these waste triangles is time consuming but I love the idea of utilizing small left over pieces.  Hum, turquoise and lime green?  I think I’ve been influenced by Bonnie Hunter’s Easy Street mystery. 

I've had way too many comments listing odd web addresses recently. I guess I'm going to have to add the capcha (or whatever that is called!) for a while. If that doesn't stop it I'll have to go to moderation.  Why can't folks just play nicely!?  

Design Wall Monday 1-7-13

I've taken it easy this past week.  The studio is beginning to be cleaned.  My big activity was getting Scrap Squad #6 done.  Well, a few threads still need to be tied off but otherwise it is done.  I also put borders on this pinwheel quilt.  

I've started another clue on Easy Street by Bonnie Hunter.  Go to Quiltville Quips and Snips to see lots of different Easy Street quilts and pieces.  So far, Bonnie hasn't posted her linky party.  I'll keep checking back during the day and update this asap. 

Weekly Goals: 

Week of Dec. 31

Finish SS #6 and do the write up√ quilt done but not the write up & pictures

Work on Easy Street √

Do some major cleaning in the studio√ started, more to do still

Reflect on what I want to work on over the next month or two hum.... I've planned a brown bag quilt for the guild and finishing an old mystery UFO, and to start an Orange Peel small quilt√

Relax and read a book or two√

Week of Jan. 7, 2013

Work on Easy Street
Work on hexagon small quilt and orange peel quilt

Continue to clean up studio

Load and quilt pinwheel quilt on Ruthie

Watch more of Season 1 and 2 of Downton Abbey

Photograph and write up SS #6

Do Lessons 1 & 2 on EQ 7 Anyone want to work through this with me? 

Friday after Christmas we all went to the Richmond Children's Science Museum.  What a great time we all had.  Sophia and Jenny rode the carousel.  

Check out Triangle Thursdays for some great blocks to use up those triangles you save from making snow ball blocks and combining strips for binding.   

You can also cruise the internet by going to Patchwork Times to see what other quilters have on their design walls.  I really like the simplicity of the quilt posted by Judy ... go back a day to see the finished quilt.  What a great QOV that one is.  



Happy Quilting All! 

Triangle Thursday #1!

WINDMILL 

This design is #1126 from Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns.

Welcome to the first Triangle Thursday.  The goal of TT is to present quilt blocks that will help you use up those stray triangles cut off from other quilt blocks.  When I started looking at my collection I realized my triangles runneth over.  And, not only have I got scads of them, I’ve saved some that are way TOO small.  My new rule is the short side of the triangle must be at least 2” long.  That size will give me a 1” finished half square triangle unit.

This is just a portion of the cut off triangles I have.  I'll probably have to add some lights to go with all the colors I have. 

 
I plan to present a new block every Thursday.  Hopefully it will be for the whole year, but if I find I can’t keep up, or I can’t find enough appropriate blocks I’ll end sooner.  If this keeps going for the whole year I hope to put 48 blocks into a quilt.  Every block will be presented as a 6” block.  Some blocks, like today’s will also be shown as a 4” block with directions.  Both 9 patch and 4 patch blocks can easily be made as 6” blocks.  9 patch blocks require odd math to make 4” blocks so those are the ones that won’t be offered in the 4” size.  

Come join the fun and use up some of those cut off triangles. You should be able to go to this Google Docs page to find a downloadable set of instructions. When you click on download you should have an option to save as a PDF. That is the easiest way to save the document for future use. I would much prefer being able to upload my instructions as a PDF so I'm open for suggestions on how to do this. I've found that my formatting doesn't stay in place when I download the doc back to my Mac. Sigh. Hopefully I'll get this figured out.

rectangle 

Cutting directions are in 4” and 6” finished sizes.
Background:
     4” block            6” block
Cut 4:          1 ½ x 2 ½”           2” x  3 ½”     

Background  

Cut or find 8* 2”                  2 1/2”                

 Color 1 and  Color 2:

      Cut or Find 4* 2”                 2 1/2”

of each color

*When working with your leftover triangles you need to measure the short side of the triangle. It must be at least the measurement given.  Once the triangles have been sewn together the half square triangles units will be trimmed to the correct size.  Bigger starting triangles just means more will be trimmed away.

I sew my triangles with a scant 1/4" seam. Click on the picture to note where the 1/4" mark is on the plate. I can sometimes fudge a triangle by using a slightly smaller seam allowance and have enough to cut to the right size.

Sew the long edge of a background triangle to a color triangle making a half square

triangle.  Iron to the dark side.  Square up the square to 1 ½”  for 4” block and 2” for 6”

block (unfinished sizes.) Make 4 squares with color 1 and 4 squares with color 2.

Lay out the blocks as shown.

 

Sew into rows.

Press toward the background fabrics.

Sew the rows into the block.  I pressed the horizontal seams away from the pinwheel. 

 

If you don’t have left over triangles to make the half square triangles you can make 2 triangles from a light and dark 2” square for the 4” block and 2 ½” for the 6” block.  For a great tutorial and the “math” of half square triangles visit P.S. I Quilt blog.  I always make my units bigger and trim to the exact size I need. If 2” squares don’t give you enough room to trim, try making your blocks 2 ¼” and 2 ¾”.  Each set of squares will make 2 half square triangles.

Measure your blocks and square up to either 4 ½” or 6 ½”.  Your are done with the first block.  

Join me next Thursday for the newest Triangle Thursday post. 

Happy Quilting All! 

December's Stash Busting

Good news, I used more fabric than I bought this month! AGAIN. 
Fabric In Nov.        12.5yards            Fabric In 2012       113.545
Fabric Out Nov.      12.75                  Fabric Out 2012     108.97
Used In Nov:           5.25                  Used 2012             +4.575

A great month!  But, it was a great month for bringing in fabric also.  Sigh.  The good news is I have a fairly large quilt and a baby quilt ready to quilt. If I am lucky I'll get both of them done in January. 

I spent a few minutes seeing how I've done stashbusting over the last few years.  Not so good actually. 

2009  +      .750
2010  +    5.250 
2011  + 114.500 
2012  +     4.575

Yikes, so far I haven't busted any stash and I went totally wild in 2011.  Not so good but yet I keep trying.  What I found interesting is generally I use about 80 yards of fabric in a year. This year I used nearly 109 yards.  That in itself is great!  I've decided to continue to report my fabric usage because it does motivate me to finish projects.  Not a bad thing even if I go wild buying fabric. 

Here are my rules:  
1) the project needs to be done. (Ok, sometimes I add something and I'm still sewing down the binding by hand but basically it is done.)
2) blocks made and given away count
3) if I buy wide backs, I count it as the yardage in and when it is used the whole amount is considered used.  (hey, I just don't want to get any deeper into figuring little pieces.) 
4) gifts count either coming in or going out.
5) I figure my ins and outs one time a month.  I'd show no results if I did it weekly!

Feel free to join me if you want a bit extra motivation to FINISH. 

I was looking around the internet this morning and I visited Angie's Free Block of the Month 2012.  She has updated it a bit but her previous posts were about moving so I am sure she is focusing on that rather than updating her list.  However, I did run across Peck's Pieces. Go take a look but remember to come back here.   . . .   ok, wasn't that a great site for applique?  I've downloaded the Halloween ghosts and the snowmen and Santa Claus.  I would love to make either of them but I'm not committing to any thing for the time being.  I did want to share her great designs though.  

Come back tomorrow for a new feature, Triangle Thursdays.  For the next few months (or maybe the whole year) I'm going to be sharing patterns to use up excess triangles.  You know the ones I mean -- when you use a square on the corner of a rectangle to make flying geese and cut off the excess triangles.  Yep, I have a whole basket  of them and I want to USE them rather than collect them.  Check in tomorrow for the first Triangle Thursday.  


Happy sewing all!