HAVE YOU TRIED HAND STITCHING?

Some of you may have read that I’m trying to improve my piecing skills.  The book 130 Mini Quilt Blocks is by Susan Briscoe, seemed like just the thing to help me do that.  This book includes blocks from traditional as well as new designs.  One of the sections included the Thrifty Thirties.  I have lots of thirties fabrics in my stash so decided to give these blocks a try.  This is the first block I made.

My printer was out of ink so I couldn’t copy the templates from the book.  Undaunted, I hand-copied them onto freezer paper, drawing on the inside (dotted) lines.  Then I ironed the templates to the wrong side of the fabric.  

I then drew the stitching line onto the fabric and cut out the design one-fourth inch away from the paper template. The drawing line helps me to know that my pieces match and that I'm stitching a straight line.

How do I sew this?  I didn’t want to sew it on the machine, as I wanted something to do when I sat with Mother.  I decided to hand stitch the entire block of this Sunburst pattern.  Years ago, I took a class from Maria Jaffas at the Attic Window Quilt Shop.  Maria showed us how to make a complete table topper by hand.  To this day, it is my favorite table topper.  As I look at the block I made yesterday, I think I got more precise piecing by using this meth.  The book cautions you not to stretch the bias edges.  I think that stitching by hand kept me from pulling and stretching the fabrics.  

The book has several other blocks in the Thrifty Thirties section that I want to try.  It shows you how to make a darling table topper or wall hanging using all the blocks.  I hope to get another one done today.  

Rosie, I hope you are reading this and can give me an “atta girl” for my piecing.

Don’t forget, the Attic Window Quilt Shop will be a vendor at the Grand Haven Quilt Shop this Friday and Saturday, July 29 and 30, from 10 – 5 at St. Patrick’s Center.  More than 150 quilts will be displayed.  Admission is $5.

Mark your calendar now for the Fall Shop Hop in Sept. 22-24 and Oct. 1.  Call the shop for further details.

Check out Alamosa Quilter for a great tutorial.  After trying the disappearing nine patch, I have to try this disappearing four patch. 

♥

Stay Positive!

Caroll

JUST HAD TO TRY THIS

I must have the attention span of a gnat.  Instead of finishing the blue wonky blocks that I recently posted about, I went blog hopping and found something else I had to try.  I stopped by Lily’s Quilts.  She is having a Hex A Long and I was interested in learning about it.  On her blog she has several links to hexagon tutorials.  So, naturally, I had to go visit.  I found a wonderful tutorial on Freshly Pieced that I had to try it.  This is the first block I made.

And this is the second one.  Each block is completely quilted and bound.

A picture on Lily’s Quilts shows sewing the hexagons together like you would for Grandmother’s Flower Garden.  That would be nice for a table topper or place mat or hot pad. 

I think I’ll use mine as small mug rugs.

You can get a template on the Freshly Pieced blog.  I didn’t do that, thinking I already had the right size.  I’m not sure about that as after I made my blocks, I measured my template.  If you measure one side it is 1.5 inches and measures 3 inches at the widest point.  They were sure fun to make and a great way to use up my scraps.

The Attic Window Quilt Shop will be a vendor at the Grand Haven Quilt Show this Friday and Saturday, July 29 and 30, from 10 – 5 at St. Patrick’s Center.  More than 150 quilts will be on display.  Admission is $5.

Mark your calendar now for the Fall Shop Hop in Sept. 22-24 and Oct. 1.  Call the shop for further details.

♥

Stay Positive!

Caroll