Calm Blue Ocean Part Six

***just a quick note – it’s been asked if you can paper piece the previous step.  Absolutely you can, but you can’t use the picture on top of the PDF as its not to scale.  Draw your template out as I have instructed, and DON’T cut them apart into template A, B and C.  Paper piece as desired, remembering that your block must be 3.5” when complete (that’s 3” finished, with 1/4” seam allowance around.  Please email me if you’re confused).

Down to this week’s step!

So I’ve decided not to reveal each part of the mystery quilt on the main page from now on, just in case you’re not up to the current step and don’t want to see the quilt till it’s done. 

So click on here to download the PDF, or head over to the Mystery Quilt page to download the next step!

Have fun!

Suzie

A little show and tell

I’ve got nothing new to show you yet so I’ve been looking back at some of my quilts.  The many, many quilts.

 

I’ve always loved scrap quilts.  I love the way that you can throw any colour in and it works.  I think I’ll being doing scrap quilts now till I die.

Not much conversation today.  Perhaps tomorrow.

Have a good one!

Suzie

Dear Jane–Block D5 Cathedral Window

Oh dear, Dear Jane.  Did a dog’s breakfast of this one.  My first attempt at freezer paper foundation piecing and it’s a more than little bit on the wonky side.

I’m torn between doing it again, or just chalking it up to experience, realising that in the overall scheme of the quilt a wonky block or two won’t matter, and move on to the next one.  I unpicked and resewed the borders many times. 

What I probably will do is just leave it for now, move on to another one, and in a few months time if it still bothers me, I’ll make it then.

Till tomorrow,

Suzie

Dear Jane Crooked Creek K1

This little buggar gave me some issues.  I had to unpick and resew them many times.  But it went together in the end, and it’s done.

I think I was tired.  I pushed myself to do just one more block, and in hindsight it was one more block too many.

Never mind.  Done now. 

Till tomorrow,

Suzie

Dear Jane C3

The name of this one escapes me right now and I don’t have the book handy, but I’m pleased with it. 

I can machine piece anything bigger than about half an inch finished, which is good because when you break them down, there are a lot there that can be made that way.  I’m a bit scared to start foundation piecing them, or hand piecing but I expect it won’t be as difficult as I imagine.

Till tomorrow

Suzie

A new way to waste time

*edited to fix up the truly woeful editing that the Ipad does.  Ghastly.*

I've long been a member of quilterblogs.com, and most days visit there to see if I can find some interesting and new blogs to read.  

But to be honest, it's has got very commercial lately and it's hard to find a decent blog in between all the shops spruiking their wares. Don't get me wrong, I'm as keen as the next person to spend money on quilting fabrics, but I'd rather surf quilt blogs than quiltshop blogs, if you know what I mean.

So I was delighted to find the mother load of blogs here at Red Pepper Quilts. There are close to a thousand blogs there you can spend hours of your day checking out, neglecting all the housework and quilting and stuff.

You're welcome.

Why not post yours there too?

Till tomorrow, Suzie

Sunbonnet Sue

Isn’t she pretty?  I found a picture of something like her on the net years and years ago, and loved the idea of piecing her skirt.  I was going to buttonhole the applique but I thought, in the spirit of Dear Jane and all that – I should try to improve my skills.  I took this to a quilt day where I sat next to our group’s best appliquer, and she told me I did ‘very good’.  I told her to be honest, and she was.  She gave me a few tips, but as a first draft, I’m really rather proud of my first effort.

I only have to do about fifty more to make a decent sized quilt.  Hmm.  Wish me luck.

Suzie

Calm Blue Ocean Part Five

Click here for a printer friendly PDF.  Remember, the pictures are much nicer on the PDF plus I have included a third method for printing the templates.

As always, remember scrappy is best! Use lots of different fabric choices when cutting.

We will now be working with templates.

It is very important that this template measures the right size. I’ve given you two ways to make sure that you have the correct size template.

Method A

Download and print out your template, get your ruler and measure each finished (bold) line.

Template A should measure 3” x 3 5/8” x 3 5/8”

Template B should measure 1 ½” x 3 5/8” x 3”

Template C should measure 1 ½” x 3 5/8” x 3”

Enlarge your copy if required.

Method B

Alternatively, on a blank piece of paper, draw a 3” square.

Measure across the bottom line of square and mark the 1 ½” point with a dot.

Join a line from the top left of your square to this dot. Then join a line from the top right of your square to the dot.

Cut the triangles apart and glue onto cardboard. Draw a ¼” seam all around the shapes, and cut apart.

Assembly

From background fabric, cut 224 of template B and 224 of template C.

From coloured fabrics, cut 112 of template A.

Piece the units in the following way:

· On the wrong side of all three units, trace a ¼” seam.

· Lay template B fabric triangle on right side of a template A triangle right sides together, matching raw edges and pinning if required. Use pins to match ¼” pencil line drawn.

· Sew along ¼” seam line on pinned side.

· Gently press open with seam allowance towards template B fabric.

· Lay template C triangle on the other long side of template A triangle, right sides together and matching raw edges.

· Stitch a ¼ seam on matched side

· Gently press open with seam allowance towards template B fabric.

Confused? Don’t be. Check my website under Tutorials to find a photographic display of how to do it. This block is apparently called a Square Goose. Who knew?

Continue stitching these units until you have pieced 112 of them. Put into a ziplock bag marked Unit Five.

Unit Five – Make 112

Triangle In A Square Tutorial

There are lots of these units out there in quilting land, and if you’re like me, you’ve avoided them because of the dreaded template. 

But they are easy, and you shouldn’t avoid them because they make the most spectacular quilt blocks.

So here’s a quick tutorial to show you just how easy they are.

First – download the templates from here.  When printing, it’s important that the finished size of your templates is correct – I need to check the Fit Picture To Frame button to make it fit.  You may need to check the Actual Size button – it all depends on your printer.  The straight edge of your templates B & C (not the picture in the top left corner) should measure 3 1/2” when printed correctly.   Adjust if necessary.

If you like, you can stabilise your template by gluing it to some cardboard before cutting out.  It makes life easier, but it’s not totally necessary.  If you’re doing more than one of these units, and let’s face it, you probably will, this will make sure to keep the template strong and in shape for longer.

Cut template out on the 1/4” line.  (i.e. the lighter line)

Lay template onto your chosen fabrics on the wrong side. 

Trace all around, and cut out.

Lay your Unit B right sides together over Unit A as shown.

Stitch 1/4 inch along.

Fold back and press.

Lay your Unit C right sides together over Unit A/B.

Stitch 1/4 inch along.

Fold back and press.

Trim if needed.  Mine are ALWAYS out and always need a little bit of a shave.  Just a smidgen, that’s all mine need to make them a perfect (cough cough) 3 1/2” unit.

Hope this helps you a little bit!

Till tomorrow,

Suzie

Some more Dear Jane to share

I’ve got a real problem now.  Dear Jane is threatening to take what little spare time I had left.  I stitch a block, and then I think ‘Oh, I’ll just do one more…’ and so it goes.  All chores are left, the dinner isn’t cooked – I’m hopeless.

K12 Grandpa’s Chickens. 

All machine pieced.  Haven’t had to try paper piecing yet.

M12 Hopscotch 

Another relatively easy one, though it scanned very badly.  In real life, it’s not as crooked as it looks.

K9 Scouts Honour.

I adore this one.  The colors are so lovely and rich, and it went together like a dream.  I’ve been piecing another quilt with triangles sewn on the outside like this one, and I’ve been getting better, I must say.  So practice making perfect and all that.

That’s all for today.  I did a couple more of them but they still need some applique on top.  I’ll post them when I finish.

I know I’ve said it before, but it’s so worth doing this quilt.  I am sure that this quilt is responsible for a lot of technical improvement in the general quilting world.  It’s a very special quilt.

Till tomorrow,

Suzie