Foundation piecing tips

I finished piecing Hokule'a this afternoon.  Here it is on the background fabric.  It is 24" x 24".  Doesn't it look like it is out there in the Milky Way somewhere? I have decided on a fabric for the center, but haven't cut it yet. I really learned a lot about paper piecing with this one, so I would like to share some tips with you.  This is not a tutorial, just some things I thought I would pass on.
I really enjoy working with foundation piecing, but I find some of it a bit difficult.  I have found a few things that really help me make this very fun.  Finding foundation pieceing patterns is pretty easy.  Unfortunately, they don't all come in the sizes I want.  That was true for this piece.  I had some general ideas about how many sections I needed for each point, so I started sketching.  Once I drew out the sections, I remembered to add a 1/4 inch seam allowance all around the perimeter.  That is very important.
The hardest part for me is putting on the first two pieces.  I have no easy tips about how to do that.  Some people pin the first piece, some don't.  The most important thing is to remember to put that first piece, right side out, on the non-lined side of the foundation.  The second piece needs to be right side toward the first piece.  See my tips below for how I measure and cut the fabrics to fill the spaces. Beyond that, I have nothing magical to offer. 

The first thing I figured out was to pre-fold the foundation pattern along all the lines.  I was trying to fold and cut after I made each seam, but it was a pain.  This is an extra step, but I have come to learn that creating something using foundation piecing takes time and I don't mind this extra step.  I find that it has saved me time in the long run.

Another important thing to remember is to finger press or iron each piece into place as you go.  This prevents problems such as the wrong piece of fabric being cut or sewn into the wrong place.

This is the thing I discovered that has helped me the most in getting my pieces lined up correctly.  I am about to add piece #7 on this unit.  I have folded back the paper along the line for #7 and set my ruler 1/4" away.  Then I cut all the extra fabric away.  When you are getting ready to cut, make sure you are not cutting any of the fabric covering the areas they are supposed to be covering.






That leaves me a very lovely 1/4" guideline to place my next piece of fabric.

Turn the piece back over and line up the next piece, in this case #7, with the nice cut you just made.  Make sure the piece will cover the area it needs to cover.  This brings me to measuring the pieces.  I always cut my pieces 1" longer than the longest measurement for the shape, and 1" wider that the widest part of the shape. For the side pieces, be sure and add the seam allowance into the equation. So far, this has worked for me.

Another thing I had to learn the hard way was where to start and end my stitches.  I thought I needed to sew 5 or 6 stitches past the line, but that just made the paper really hard to remove.  Now I start and end my sewing 1 or 2 stitches before and after the line.  I have also played around with stitch length.  I have finally settled on #1 on my Bernina.


I hope these little tips make some sense to you.  Following these guidelines, I was able to put together this mariner's compass without ripping out more than two seams, and those happened at the beginning of the process.  I believe each seam ripped out is a learning experience.  It was certainly true in this case.
Thanks for stopping by.  I would love to hear from you about your experience or interesting in foundation piecing.
Joyful quilting, everyone.

A little cutting, a little sewing

I wanted to get the whole block put together today, but I only got half done.  I am having so much fun with this.  I have only had to use my seam ripper twice, so far.  That is a record for me on foundation piecing.  I think I am getting the hang of this.  One of the things going for me in this one is using batiks.  Both sides of the fabric are the right sides.  Maybe I will get the rest of this done tomorrow.  My big plan for now is to do a halo of flying geese about an inch outside the compass.  Hokule'a is coming along. 


I have read so much about EQ7, a way to design quilts on your computer.  I am impressed with what this program can do, but I remain a pencil and paper kind of designer.  I started out using graph paper and a ruler to make everything pretty.  Then I ran out of graph paper, and had an idea I just had to sketch out.  I used ordinary lined paper.  Then I started using any old piece of paper I could find.  I was taking care of Bella on Tuesday when I started thinking about what I wanted to do with the red, black, and white fabric.  This is the sketch I did on a stray piece of paper I found in my bag.  What do you do your designing on?

I did get all the fabric cut and ready to start sewing the blocks together.  Instead of buying more white fabric, I pulled what little I had from my stash.  I also purchased more black on white.  The more I work with these fabrics, the more I like the colors together.  My goal for this quilt is to show off the fabric and the colors together.

I was so excited when I opened the package from Rhonda over at Quilter in the Gap!  Look at these yummy red, white, and black fabrics in the top row.  I had the bottom fabric just waiting for them. This H2H quilt is going to be such fun.  It is one of two pieces of fabric I have in my stash that is big enough for a quilt back, and it is perfect.  I am also going to use it for borders, I think.  I am going to use alternating stars and square in square 12 inch blocks.  Tomorrow, I will buy more white and get everything cut.  Hopefully, I will get some blocks made.  I would like to get this finished and on its way soon.  I really wish I could do more of these kind of charity quilts, but I simply cannot afford fabric in large enough pieces to use for backing.  I know there are sale fabrics out there that are more affordable, but I haven't found a good source yet.  I will keep looking.  I could use 50% off coupons at JAF, but I want to use better quality.  Picky, aren't I .

I finished the hand quilting on this one last night and did the binding today.  This is my 12" x 12" Something from Nothing quilt for the exchange over at 15 Minutes Play.  I really had fun doing the hand work on this.  I started it on the ferry going over to Bremerton, then on the way back.  I really like to do hand sewing on the ferry. 
Tomorrow, I have a full day to spend in the studio.  Once again, I have a long list of things I want to do.  I want to finish my mariner's compass, get my H2H quilt started, put the borders on Robin's quilt, and whatever else I have time for.  It is going to be a fun day in the studio.
Have a wonderful evening.  I am heading to voice class.
Joyful quilting, everyone.

Quilting and the Pythagorean Theorem

I had to dig very deep to remember how to figure out the correct measurements for this block.  I am sure there is a pattern out there somewhere, but I don't know the name of the block so don't know where to look.  I was just doodling around, and decided I liked this configuration for a star.  I wanted to make it into a 12" finished block.  So, I had to figure out what size to make the triangles for the square within a square center part so it would be 6.5" unfinished.  Who knew that high school math would be so important.  The only problem is that the square root of way too many numbers does not end in 1/4 or 1/2.  If you have forgotten the formula, it is a squared + b squared = c squared on a right angle triangle.  Aren't you glad I reminded you?

I needed to know the dimensions for the practice block above so I could start my tutorial on making that block using my newly made fabric.  This piece is 14" x 16 inches.  I think it is big enough for what I need.  I have so many scraps in these colors, I think I will make much more fabric and alternate the star blocks with made fabric blocks to create a very colorful quilt.  As I make more fabric, I am getting faster at it.  I really like what happens when I pull fabrics out of this group and put it together.  As someone mentioned about my intuition quilt, it is something only a mother could love.

Another project I started today is a mariner's compass.  I am doing it as my entry in the challenge block contest for my guild's annual quilt show.  I have chosen three different shades of blue from light to dark to simulate the night sky radiating around the star.  The star points are in various shades of yellow/gold.  I am calling it Hokule'a.  This is the Hawaiian name for Arcturus, the brightest star in the northern hemisphere.  The ancient Hawaiians used the stars for navigation instead of a compass.  I thought the name appropriate.  I will set it on a dark blue background that has spots that make it look like the Milky Way at night.  The photo above shows the first paper pieced section.  I have seven more to go.  I have wanted to make one of these for a long time, so today, I got out my pencil and graph paper, drew one out, colored it with the colored pencils I wanted, then made the foundation piecing templates.  I know there are patterns out there I could have used, but I love the challenge of trying to make my own.

I hope you all have been doing great things.  I will be out of the studio for the next two days.

Joyful quilting, everyone.

Making more fabric

Today is my last day here in Bremerton for a while.  Sis and BIL have landed and are on their way to catch the 4:20 ferry.  I spent much of this day sewing more units for en vino veritas.  I got 96 2.5" x 4.5" units sewn.  I still have to cut the extra hsts off and press them before they can get sewn to the green rectangles.  Maybe tomorrow.  I spent the rest of the time in the studio making fabric.  I am getting this ready to do a tutorial on making a traditional style block incorporating made fabric the 15 min play way.  I will post the tutorial here when I post it on 15 minute play.  Should be May or June sometime.  I am looking forward to doing this tut.

It is an absolutely beautiful day here in Bremerton.  The sky is blue and there are no clouds visible where I am looking.  This morning, the sailboats were out in full force and the boat slips in the marina are pretty empty.  I will leave you with this last look at the ferry rounding the point.

Joyful quilting, everyone, and a peace filled Easter.

Back to the studio

There are some really beautiful sunrises from my sister's condo.  Since they shine directly into the room where I have been sleeping, I am up to get photos of them.  I returned to Bremerton on Wednesday night.  Yesterday, I played bridge with three wonderful women.  This is my sister's bridge group, and I am fortunate enough to be invited to play whenever I can get over here.  It is always great fun.
After bridge, I walked into town in search of the post office.  I wanted to mail my package of fabric to Rhonda at Quilter in the Gap.  She is my partner for the Hands 2 Help quilting project.  I sent her a small stack of batiks in cuts from fat eights to fat quarters.  We were supposed to send 2 yards total.  I hope she likes what I sent.  She posted a photo of the fabrics she is sending me.  They are reds, whites, and blues.  I will have fun designing a quilt to use these fun fabrics as soon as I get them.

After eating breakfast and watching some Fons and Porter on QNN, I went into my sister's studio to start sewing the units I need for the ribbon quilt.  My working name for this quilt is En Vino Veritas, which means "in wine there is truth" in Latin.  This came from the Zinfandel name of this Bali pop pack.  We will see if this name sticks.  Anyway, I am still amazed at how long things take in quilting.  I always go into the studio with grandiose ideas about how much I will accomplish.   Today, I imagined I would get at least half of the blocks finished.  Instead, I only got 96  A units completed.  I still have 96 B units to do before I can start making the blocks.  And this was with already cut and marked pieces.

It seems like such a small stack to have taken five hours.  I don't know what I am doing wrong.  I sewed 192 of the green half squares on with the flip and fold method, and chain piecing.  Of course, I had to sew two seams on each piece because I am too intimidated by sewing small triangles together and I don't want to waste.  I guess that means I actually got 192 2 1/2" block units and 192 HST units. I then paired and sewed these units to make 96 A units. Each of the A units is 4 1/2" square.  Of course, there was a lot of pressing.  I even saved the small HSTs for later. Tomorrow, I will try and get all the B units made.  On Sunday morning, I head back home and will start sewing the blocks together and putting them on the design wall. 
I am trying to keep track of all the time I spend on this quilt, as well as the money.  I am going to put up a display at our quilt show in July to show how much time and money it takes to make a twin sized quilt.  Hopefully, it will help those who have a hard time understanding why quilters charge what they do for their quilts.  If any of you have insights or ideas on what I might include in this display, please feel free to share.  I would also love to hear any of your stories about people gasping in disbelief at your quilt prices.  My display will be up for the full month of July in the front display case of our downtown library.  I would like it to be educational.
Thanks, everyone, for stopping by.  I would love to hear from you.
Joyful quilting, everyone.

Needle turn applique - what was I thinking?

Several years ago, when we were living in Hawaii, I was smitten by the Hawaiian quilts that I saw throughout the islands.  I was totally intrigued by the designs and the amazing work involved.  There are so many shops that sell small pseudo Hawaiian quilts that are made in China.  Tourists eat these up because they are really beautiful and they are affordable.  I was given one of these pieces, and I like it for what it is, but I know it is not the real thing.  Since I could never afford a locally made treasure, I decided I could try to make a small one, just to have the experience.  I started this so long ago, I forget the name of the pattern.  I do remember that I folded the fabric into quarters, then diagonally to create a triangle.  I carefully made my cuts.  Then, I opened the cut piece, laid it out on the background fabric, and basted it in the traditional way, starting in the center and going out and around each stem, flower, and leaf.  Then, I started my needle turn applique.  This was almost my downfall.   I say almost because I soon realized that I was in over my head and put this project away for the future.  The future arrived about a month ago when I put it on my UFO list at guild.  Today, I finished my last applique stitch.  Woohoo!  Now, I have to figure out what next.  This piece is about 30" square.  I do know that I am going to hand quilt it in the traditional style, echoing the pattern.  I was in such a hurry to post this, I didn't even take time to press it.

Will you look at that!  Blue sky.  The ferry was coming from Seattle, and I couldn't resist the photo.  Of course, within five minutes, black clouds rolled in, the wind whipped up, and the rain came down.  You have to love the Pacific Northwest.
I probably won't be posting for a few days since I will be really busy.  I will be back in the studio on Friday.
Joyful quilting, my friends.

Starting a new quilt

One of the projects I brought with me is the bag of pieces for the Christmas Ribbons quilt in Kim Brackett's Scrap Basket Surprise book.  This will be my second quilt from this book.  For this, I am using Bali Pops Zinfandel and hand dyed fabric I received from Carol Doak.  I cut all the pieces a couple of weeks ago, but I didn't start sewing the units together until today.  I put together one block so I could see what they will look like.  I think I am going to really like this quilt, but I definitely will have to change the name.  There is nothing Christmas about my version.

This is the Manette Bridge which is undergoing new construction.  It is very near my sister's place and this is the view from the deck.  The sun peaked out between the ever present clouds today and I tried to capture it in the next photo, but it really doesn't show.  Maybe it will be sunnier tomorrow.  This is the view across the bay.

Today, I also quilted a preemie quilt for the guild.  I will never sew with flannel from JoAnns again.  When I pre-washed it, it got all pilly.  Some of those pills were pretty hard and I broke two needles on them.  Now I have to buy new needles for my sis.  Live and learn.  I got the binding sewn on and will do the hand stitching this evening.  Tomorrow, I will sew more on the ribbons quilt, put together a back for Tasmanian Tango, and move all the quilty things off the bed so my husband will have somewhere to sleep when he gets here tomorrow night.
Joyful quilting, everyone.

Playing with color - a little block

I have spent the week doing things other than sewing.  On Tuesday, after watching Bella all day, I cooked a Cambodian dinner for 15 women.  More about that later.  On Wednesday, I watched Bella.  On Thursday, I went to my Bernina class to learn how to use all the bells and whistles on my new machine. In the afternoon, I started getting ready for my trip to Bremerton to my sister's.  I will be staying here for a week (with two days back home to take care of Bella and go to guild meeting).  I am cat sitting while Sis and BIL go on a cruise.  The photo above is one of the views from the deck.  It is a Washington State Ferry leaving for Seattle.  To prepare for this week, I sorted and bagged many projects to work on while I am here.  My sister has a new Bernina that I am going to love working on.  It has more bells and whistles than mine.

One of the many projects I brought was pieces for a block I need for my color class on Tuesday.  I am going to be talking about playing with color outside of theory and rules.  I have a strong background in the formal study of color, but I like to step outside that box every now and then.  One of the things I am going to challenge the group to do is pick out two colors they really don't like together.  Then, we are going to play with other colors that make those two colors work.  For me, it is brown and yellow.  I really don't like this combination.  So, I picked up some teal and orange and designed a block that woud make me like the brown and yellow together.  This one works for me. 
So, why did I cook a Cambodian dinner on Tuesday night?  I have joined a local chapter of Dining For Women.  Please go check out this site.  We have someone in our group who has thoroughly vetted the organization, and I think it is a very worthy program.  Each month, the organization dedicates all money raised during the month to women and children's organizations in developing countries around the world.  Each month features a different country and our group has decided that each month, a small group of women will fix the meal using recipes from the featured country.  This month was Cambodia.  I get to cook again in November when India will be featured.
That's is it for today.  While I sit back and enjoy the evening on the water, I want to leave you with this question.  

What colors do you really dislike together, and

what other colors could you use to make them work for you? 

Joyous quilting, everyone.

And now for something completely different

I have sewn together all the blocks for the Nature Rhythms quilt and they are on the design wall.  This quilt is turning out just like the one we first saw, and we like it just as well.  It is a very distinct departure from my normal style.  I would never have thought to do anything like this had I not seen one made up.  I am glad I bought this kit.  The kit had just enough fabric to cut what I needed.  There were a few small bits left of some of the fabrics, and I have been using them in other projects.  To get the pattern for this quilt, go to Clothworks Textiles.

I also decided to try and make a small (8" square) Dresden plate with some of the scraps from the fruits and veggies fabrics.  This was my first attempt at this.  I drew a circle, then marked lines for 12 equal petals.  I ironed three pieces of freezer paper together to make a sturdy template, traced one of the petals, and used it to cut all twelve pieces.  I did the circle by folding and cutting freehand.  I still have to attach this to a background fabric, but I think it is fun so far.

I would like to encourage all of you to stop by Confessions of a Fabric Addict and read about the Hands to Help challenge.  I will be participating in this challenge and I hope some of you will consider it.  I also have a button on the side panel that will take you to the post about this program. 

Joyful quilting, everyone.

Guess what I made?

WhooHoo!  Look what I found in the scrap basket!  This 4" x 6" scrap got me to thinking.  What if I pulled some colors to go with this and started playing?

First I found these purples and blues.  Just perfect.

Then these.  There are some end cuts from the Bali pops and some hand died turquoise.

More extras from another border.  I just love this fabric.

Wow!  Orange!  This will be perfect!

These are going to make a really cool block.  What should I do first?  Where should I start.  I know, what about flying geese?

I have wanted to try my hand at curved flying geese for a while.  I grabbed some paper and drew some curved lines.  Then I made random cross lines and connected them for a paper piecing foundation.  I found some left-over hand dyed green for sky and started grabbing scraps and sewing.

Then I needed to make some fabric to sew the geese into.  I love this part.  All the colors and patterns are so fun.  Finding places where each piece fits is a challenge.  This is at the stage where I needed to start adding pieces for size.  I wanted this to be 12" x 12".

Voila!  I am thinking the orange strip is calling for some hand embroidery.  I am not sure what it will be yet, but it will come to me.  It is so much fun to go back and forth between more traditional block styles and this more abstract style.
Joyous quilting, everyone.

The quality of Cotton

Over at Chasing Cotton, Quilting 101 classes have started.  Today's lesson is about fabric.  Rebecca has some good information to share.  I decided I wanted to add a bit about cotton quality and the difference between big box cotton and quilt shop cotton.  I will share some great links at the end of my post so you can go check out my sources for yourself.
I work exclusively with cotton right now.  I use 100% cotton fabric and thread.  I simply decided I don't want to use any more petroleum products than I already do, and polyester is a petroleum.  I love the feel of silk and linen, but they are pretty pricey right now, so I will stick with cotton for a while.  That being said, I am getting more picky about what cotton I use.
I, like most of you, am on a budget, and use my stash as much as possible.  However, I don't have a large stash and it doesn't include much in the way of yardage.  This means I have to purchase fabric now and then for borders, backs, and bindings.  When I first started quilting, I was fine with big box fabric.  By big box, I mean the chain fabric stores like JoAnn Fabrics.  After a short time, I discovered that there is a reason their fabric is less expensive.  It is all about quality.

Quality fabric is more expensive because it is made better.  Cotton fabric is woven in what are called greige (pronounced gray) lengths.  This the the raw fabric before dying and coating.  With quality fabrics, the thread count is greater than 60 x 60 threads per square inch.  If you purchase bed sheets, you will always see higher thread counts on more expensive sheets.  The cotton fibers are also different on quality fabric.  The diameter of the fiber is larger and they are longer.  Egyptian cotton is known for its long, strong fibers.  You can feel the difference when you run your hands over the fabric.  With cotton flannels, this difference is even greater.
The other important difference is in the dying process.  Higher quality fabric patterns are made using more screens and colors.  While the colors might look the same on big box fabric, they are made with fewer passes and are more subject to fading.  One of the things I have noticed between batiks from big box stores and those from quilt stores is that the colors seem to be muddier at big box stores. 

I don't mean to put down the big box fabric completely.  There is a place to use these fabrics on items you don't expect to last a long time.  Quilts and clothes for growing children are well loved and used, so using expensive fabric for something that will probably get glue or glitter paint on it seems like a bad idea.  On the other hand, if you are making a quilt that you hope will be loved and admired for generations, it is advisable to choose that higher quality fabric. 

To learn more about fabric quality for the quilter, here are a few links:
Fabrics.net for fabric identification tips.
Fabrics.net for information about cotton, including definitions of the different kinds of cotton available.
Fabrics.net for quality information.  The last letter on the page has very good information.
Quilting For the Rest of Us is an informative podcast about fabric quality and the difference between quilt shop fabric and big box fabric.
Cat's Quilt Chat for a well written piece about today's topic.

Joyful quilting, everyone.

Playing with fabric, and a few favorite blogs

Sometimes, I spend a long time in the studio, but have nothing new to show because I spent time playing with fabric and looking through mags and books for new patterns.  This happened to me yesterday and today.  Yesterday, I did sew a border on a table runner, but I don't want to post it until it is finished.  I also looked at several pattern books and found one I wanted to make with the Bali Pops (Zinfandel) I picked up at Sisters in Chehalis.  I found one in Kim Brackett's Scrap Basket Surprise. I found a perfect background fabric in the box from Carol Doak.  I cut all the rectangles (576) and squares (288), then I marked my diagonal lines on the squares.  This takes a bunch of time, and it is very boring, but I know that if I don't do it, I will be very sorry.  By the time I finished, I decided to call it a day in the studio.
Today, I looked at more pattern books.  I am in charge of the 2012 Raffle Quilt for my guild, and I need to find a couple of patterns to submit to the board for approval.  I am also the president of the guild this year, so I essentially have two votes one this:  One to select a few favorites, and one to vote for my really favorite.  That would be so much easier if I didn't fall in love with half the quilts I see.  The guild wants to do a more traditional quilt for 2012, but using modern fabrics.  I saw one online that I think might work.  I just have to find it again.  And that brings me to my next topic.
I love quilt blogs.  I spend some time each morning and evening reading about what other quilters are doing.  I am often inspired to head into the studio overflowing with ideas.  I would like to share some of what I found this week.  First, I love this small quilt tutorial over at Don't Call Me Betsy.  This is a very cute small bookshelf quilt where she uses selvedges on the "spines" of the books.  I have already started a small pile of selvedges so I can make one of the gems.
I also enjoy the daily posts over at Stash Manicure.  Each weekday, there are guest posters who bring a real variety of ideas, some tutorials, some give-aways, and general fun to the blog. Today's post has a fun tutorial about making a cathedral window pillow using machine sewing.  Each month, the blog host, Madame Samm, designs a new banner using quilts submitted for consideration by regular readers.  It is always fun to see what she picks.
I couldn't do a post about blogs without mentioning Bumble Beans.  This is the main blog of Victoria Findley Wolf.  She is also the host of 15 minutes play.  Victoria has a fabulous eye for color, and she is a wonderful inspiration for quilting outside the box.  When I came back to quilting after way too many years,  I was sure I would be a very traditional quilter.  After stumbling on 15 minutes play, and after a year creating abstract collages, I have embraced this style of creating quilts as well.  Both of these sites are great fun, filled with beautiful eye candy.
There are many more wonderful blogs out there, but I will wait for another post to share a few more.  In the meantime, you can see who I am following by checking my blog roll.
Joyful quilting everyone.

Two new borders

After seeing the beginning of this quilt on the design wall, Tom pulled one of his Hawaiian shirts and gave it to me to use.  I cut it up, then cut the strips into units to sew together for this border.  The stylized drawings and the white flowers are all from the same shirt.  The colors go perfectly with the fabric in the original piece.  With this border, the project began taking on a definite island trend.

I pulled out a larger piece of the same anthurium fabric I used in the center section, and created a wide border.  Now, it is 41" square.  I want to grow it to at least 60".  I am not really sure what comes next.  I will leave it on the design wall while I work on other projects and see what it says to me.
On another note, there is a wonderful new online quilting class starting over at Chasing Cotton.  It will start on April 6, and it is free. The first week will be all about fabric.  This is aimed at people who are relatively new in the quilting world, but Rebecca is asking that experienced quilters tag along as well.  I will be heading over there each week.  I am looking forward to learning new things about my chosen obsession.
Joyful quilting, everyone.