PROBLEMS WITH PIECING

Happy New Year!  I hope everyone had wonderful holidays.  Now it's time to get back to routine.  Have you made any New Year's resolutions?  I haven't, but I have decided that I need to concentrate on being a better piecer.  Do you remember this block above?  I made this block last year.

And I made several more.  I just willy nilly pieced and put the blocks aside.

Yesterday I made this block.  Then it occurred to me, Maybe I should check and see if all my blocks are the same size.  They were not.

So I spent the next few hours unstitching three of the six blocks that I had completed.  Actually, I unstitched the one in the previous photo and you can see that I have put it back together.  As I remade the block, I measured each square and measured after each seam that I sewed.  And the block came out a perfect 12 1/2" square.  Gads, why can't I do it like the others in the Charity group at the Attic Window Quilt Shop.  They sew and never seem to have to measure or unstitch and resew.  What am I doing wrong?  One thing I know is that when I move from machine to machine (the Janome I use at home and the smaller one I carry to the shop) I need to make sure I use the same seam width. (Sometimes it is hard to remember did I move my needle over two or three stitches).  So I wrote that down on a piece of paper and pinned it to my other blocks.  Maybe that will help.  I still have these two blocks to put back together and then want to make three more blocks before I make them into a quilt.  I think the Charity group that meets first Monday at the Attic Window Quilt Shop will like it, once I finally get it done.  Does anyone else have suggestions on how I can make my piecing easier and better?  

Happenings at the Attic Window Quilt Shop

• Charity Quilts, Monday, Jan. 2, 10-5
• Tuesday Bee, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 10-1 
• The Bee Hive and the Cook Book BOM, Wednesday, Jan. 4
• Doll Bee, Thursday, Jan. 5, 10-3
• Sampler & Bee, Saturday, Jan. 7, 9:30 - 4

ON ANOTHER NOTE: 

• Sew Joy Creations has a tutorial for a Bold Blossom for Spring block

Caroll,

Caring , Sharing and Creating Smiles

AT LEAST IT'S SQUARE!

Sometimes I think I should have my head examined.  I saw this table runner and thought it was all applique and decided to make it.  When I got home and read the pattern in the book, I realized it is all pieced!  Yikes!  The book is The Trendy Table by Heather Peterson of Anka's Treasures.  You can get it at the Attic Window Quilt Shop.  There are 15 table runners in it (all pieced).  Above is just a test piece.  I struggled for three hours, sewing, unsewing, reading, rereading, and finally finished the block.  Guess what!  It is square!  I'm going up to the shop today to get fabrics.  I'm going to finish this one.  It may take me a while, but I think it will be great.  I love flowers.

JINGLE BELL HOP:

Don't forget to stop in at the Attic Window Quilt Shop and pick up your Passport for the Jingle Bell Hop which takes place from Nov. 11 -19.  Passports are only $5.  Along with the purchase of a passport you will get a free pattern, store discounts, and your name will be entered into daily drawings.  Each shop will offer a grand prize of a $50 gift certificate.  You won't want to miss this!!!

SALE, SALE, SALE

• Don't forget:  There is an awesome sale going on at the Attic Window Quilt Shop.   All fall fabric, fall patterns, fall books are on sale for 20% off now through Nov. 5!!

Happenings at the Attic Window Quilt Sho

• Doll Bee & Pajama Pants, Thursday, Nov. 3
• Sound Wave Bag, Friday, Nov. 4
• Sampler and Bee, Saturday, Nov. 5
• Charity Quilts, Monday, Nov. 7
• Happy Scrappers, Wednesday, Nov. 9
• CHANGE: Craft Days has changed.  They are: Saturday, Nov 26 and Friday, Dec. 2.  Sign up now!

Be sure to check the calendar on the sidebar for happenings this week at the Attic Window Quilt Shop.

ON ANOTHER NOTE: 

• New Creative State has a tutorial for a pattern play block.

Caroll,

Caring , Sharing and Creating Smiles

WHAT A FIND!

When Beth Hutchings stopped in at the Attic Window Quilt Shop recently, she asked Chris for help.  Beth said that after her mother passed, she and her sisters found twelve of these adorable Sun Bonnet Sue blocks.  Beth said she wanted to make them into three small quilts for her granddaughters who are 8, 10, and 13.

Above Chris (right) helps Beth decide on sashings.  Of course, all of us at Mod Squad had to jump in and gathered bots of fabric from the shelves that we thought might work.  It was so much fun helping Beth and seeing what she decided to do.

Beth said that she has sewn all her life, but is relatively new to quilting.  She wanted to show Chris this quilt that she made, as Chris helped her pick out the fabrics.  I love her quilt and remember seeing the pattern when I made my Michigan State Quilt for my grandson, but I decided it was too much piecing for me.  Look at Beth!  She did a beautiful job of piecing and she said she even quilted it herself. "I just used my walking foot," Beth said.

Thanks Beth for sharing with us.  I hope to see your Sun Bonnet Sue quilts when they are finished.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:

• Sew Can She has a tutorial for a log cabin hexi potholder.

♥ Caroll, 
Caring , Sharing and Creating Smiles

A LITTLE SHOW AND SHARE

 Last week as I was entering the Attic Window Quilt Shop, I saw that the Tuesday Bee had ended.  I quickly accosted Gerry as she was leaving. I knew she would have something to show us.  She graciously dug through her bag and showed me this long strip that she had pieced.  As always, I'm amazed at Gerry's piecing skills.

This is a close up of the strip.  Gerry said that each little square in the four patch finishes at 1/2".  This is her first strip.  She needs to make more and each strip will have a 5" sashing between it.  She said that she needs 444 four patches to make the quilt!  Yikes!  I wish I had her patience and focus and piecing skills!  I always love seeing Gerry's work.

Pat A.  also stopped by the shop that day.  I think she was looking for some backing.  When I saw this Jar quilt I had to get a picture.

This is a close up of some of the jars.  I bet she had fun looking for all these wonderful fabrics in the jars.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:

• The Crafty Quilter has a tutorial for a snow birds mug rug.

♥ Caroll, 
Caring , Sharing and Creating Smiles

DO YOU LIKE PIECING?

Above is the block I just finished for the Modern Bee Hive that I belong to.  The pattern is Stacked Windmills and is in the book Modern Bee.  Annie is the Queen Bee this month.

As you may know, I’m not too fond of piecing, but I join these groups so I will be forced to increase my skills.  Above I did a lot of cutting.

Then a lot of trimming.

Then I carefully placed the blocks as shown in the picture in the book.  I’m sure this will be no surprise, but even after I placed everything as it should be, I still messed up and had to un-stitch on one row.  I guess I should be thankful it was only one row!  Anyway, I’m glad I made this block.  It does give me more self-confidence when I look at it.  In the first picture it looks like a seam is not straight, so I ran to my sewing room to check, thinking I would have to do more un-stitching.  Fortunately, it must have been the way I smoothed the block (I should have ironed it) that gave it that curved look.  I just hope Annie likes it.

THIS WEEK’S SPECIAL AT THE ATTIC WINDOW QUILT SHOP 

• Patterns are on special this week. 
• All sale patterns are an extra 20 % off sale price. 
• All other patterns are 15% off. 
• Our row by row kits are $10

DON’T FORGET:

• Applique Bee, Tuesday, June 23
• Mod Squad, Wednesday, June 24
• Knotty Girls, Wednesday, June 24
• Doll Bee, Thursday, June 25
• Kids Quilts, Friday, June 26
• Scrappers School House, Saturday, June 27

ON ANOTHER NOTE:

• Clover and Violet have a free pattern for a Bella Clutch.  Really cute.

♥ Caroll,
Caring , Sharing and Creating Smiles

HAVE YOU TRIED THIS BASTING METHOD?

Between baking and shopping and family, I have been able to spend a small amount of time in my sewing room, fortunately.  I say fortunately because I noticed that I get a bit cranky if I don’t get to fondle my fabric.  So today I hand basted this heart table runner.  I blogged earlier about it here.

I used the method that Sharon Schamber uses.  In this video she shows you how to use boards when basting a quilt.  I took a class from her when the West Michigan Quilter’s Guild brought her to town.  I like this method and feel that it secures the three pieces of the sandwich and keeps me from worrying about wrinkles. 

Notice the masking tape around the edges.  This Knife Edge binding that the magazine (where I found the pattern) describes is very different from those I saw on the Net.  I put on the masking tape as a guide so I would know when quilting, not to stitch beyond this point.  Maybe after the holidays I’ll get a chance to actually quilt it.

On Another Note:  Pink Chalk Studio has a tutorial for a water bottle carrier that I think is pretty cool!

Until next time,
♥
Stay Calm! Stay Kind! Stay Positive!
Caroll

DO YOU CHALLENGE YOURSELF?

Today I did some forward thinking and made a table runner for Valentine’s Day in February.  I know it looks like something I could use during the holidays, and I suppose I could.  Those are little cherries on the fabric and I thought would be appropriate for spring.  I’m not a great piecer and figured this project would be a good way to improve those piecing skills.  Information on the pattern tells me that my friends would love this cheerful table runner.  That it would add warmth to my home on Valentine’s Day.

Right off the bat I remembered why I do not like piecing.  The pattern said, on the square to draw a line on the diagonal and then stitch on that line.  Wrong!  There were 20 blocks, each with two of these squares to be stitched on the line.  After stitching ten squares, I decided to see how things looked and discovered that something was wrong.  When I flipped the square over, it was now too small.  Then I remembered that I learned in a class Not to stitch on the line, but to stitch slightly above the line.  This makes everything work out the right size when you flip the piece over.  So a lot of unstitching was done.

Making this table runner was a challenge to my skills, however I persisted!

And this is how the piece turned out.  A lot of cutting and piecing was involved, but I liked how this pattern went together.  It is Heart of the Home and can be found in the January/February issue of McCall’s Quilting Magazine.  The pattern calls for a knife-edge finish, which I’ve never done, so that will be another learning experience.  I’ll show you a picture when I figure out how to do it and get it finished.

On Another Note: Molly Flanders has a nice tutorial for making a block.  I’m not sure what it is called, but I think it’s a great way to use those scraps.  I want to give it a try.

Also check out Peas In A Pod for a pattern review and link to making these cute ear bud pouches.  They make great gifts.

Until next time,
♥
Stay Calm! Stay Kind! Stay Positive!
Caroll

MAY TODAY THERE BE PEACE WITHIN!

 Well my second day of piecing didn’t go as well. I think I felt a little like Karen did on Ramblings of a Novice Quilter. I swear I followed the directions precisely.  I measured and re-measured before I cut.  I accurately drew my sewing lines.  And I still came out with this (above).  The two blocks above yesterday’s block are supposed to accurately fit the Sunburst block.  These two blocks together look way too big to me.

I took the two blocks apart and measured each one.  Each block was supposed to measure 5 inches.  That’s what the book said!  When I re-read the directions, I couldn’t see how that would happen since each blade was supposed to be cut 1 ¼ inches or 1 ½ inches. (there are 7 blades)

I thought there must have been a typo (it happens), so I took the block apart and made sure each blade was cut to 1 ¼ inches. (Yes, I have a little problem with math!)  I put the pieces back together and the block is still too large. (Sorry about the smudge on these last two photos.  I was trying to get the glare out.  I have Photoshop Elements 6 and if anyone could tell me how to do this I’d appreciate it.) 

I put my flawed blocks into the UFO pile and went back to my applique.  The reason I started this little piecing venture it the first place was because I was bored with sewing circles on my Whimsical Quilt Garden.  Sewing circles may be boring but at least it’s not as frustrating as my little piecing venture.

However, I did see a Summer Sampler Series on Freshly Pieced that I would like to try.  Check it out.  

♥

Stay calm! Stay kind! Stay Positive!

Caroll