So Sad But Not All Bad

Yes, there I was, happily tootaling along on the latest 13-Square mini, thinking I was almost done.

Using Kaffe Fasset shot cottons, which I love.  The most wonderful color depth.  And then, a closer look.

Uh oh.  A sad story indeed.  My machine was skipping stitches.  And, of course, since I used Golden Threads paper and quilted through it, I didn’t notice until I had the quilting all done. 

So sad.  So very sad.

First off, all that quilting is going to have to come out.  Secondly, time for the machine to go into the shop.  It is, fortunately, still doing just fine with my basic sewing (it was that free motion through the paper that it decided to balk at), so I can still get straight sewing done until the machine goes to the fix it man and returns home.  Still, I won’t be getting this little quilt finished for a few weeks, I suspect.  The store person told me she thought the guy who works on the machines is busy for the next two weeks at least.

Well.  So much for that plan.  Time for another side track.  Jo of Jo’s Country Junction does the most amazing projects with the AccuQuilt.  Recently she posted one using the Double Wedding Ring die to make up a pincushion.  She has a video that explains it perfectly.  Check it out here. 

Much as I wish I had every die possible in my little library, I don’t.  And the double wedding ring is one I don’t have.  That’s okay.  I just drew an arc in EQ7 and made a template.  (Ignore that comment on the arc that says cut four.  You actually cut eight.)

Granted my pieces weren’t nearly as exact as Jo’s.  But, hey, this is folk art, right?  Imprecision is part of the charm.  (Of course, I only think this after I’ve been imprecise). 

Still, this is a cutie, isn’t it?  It gave me the opportunity to play with some more of my reproduction fabrics and to use this great bright red vintage button as well.  Great idea.  Thanks, Jo!  (What will she think of next?)

Go! Christmas Tree Table Runner

I really wanted a better picture of the table runner, so I braved the cold yesterday out on my deck (for all of about two minutes) to get a better picture.  I am so happy with how this project came out – I love the purple binding.  Still not a great picture but a little better on color.

For those of you who are interested, I used the two inch square die and the Holiday die.  If you have it (I don’t), you could also use the 6 1/2" square die.

Finished Size: 14 3/4" by 48 1/2"

Cutting Directions:

• White background fabric (1/2 yard): seven 6 1/2" squares
• Squares for seven blocks (scraps): 14 fabrics, eight 2" squares of each
• Trees (scraps): seven trees, approximately 5 1/2" square each, with fusible webbing attached (I used Lite Steam-a-Seam 2).  You can use the Go! or simply free cut any simple tree shape.
• Sashing (1/4 yard): thirty-seven rectangles, 6 1/2" by 1 1/4"
• Cornerstones (1/8 yard): twenty-four 1 1/4" squares
• Binding: 1/4 yard for single fold binding

I think the assembly is pretty straightforward on this.  I liked using (primarily) Kaffe Fasset fabrics: one, because it allows me to keep the runner up past Christmas and two, because I love them.  The Fasset fabrics really give the trees movement.  The color on this photo is pretty awful but it shows the design.  This is my favorite tree.

And the quilt on my dining room table, where it is going to live for a month or two, I think. 

Next?  I finished sewing up a little 13-Square foundation yesterday.  I should have that little quilt up either later today or tomorrow.  Once the semester starts up again this sewing party will slow down, of course, but it sure is fun while it lasts!

A Gift and a Challenge

This is the 150th anniversary to the start of the Civil War, and I’ve been pondering over the last weeks what quilts I am going to make to commemorate that.  We’re big on the Civil War in our house.  We have watched the Ken Burns Civil War series four times now, and we will, no doubt, watch it again.  We get together with a friend, make up a fun dinner, drink good wine, eat a luscious desert, and watch an episode.  We just finished another go through this past year.  Each and every time we are absorbed anew.

We fall in love with Lincoln, again.   Joshua Chamberlain, too.  We wonder anew over the oddness and brilliance that was General Sherman, the fascinating dichotomy of Grant and Lee.   It amazes us every time at just how articulate people were back then – the letters and journals are so moving: funny, brilliant, heartbreaking.  So, first off, if you haven’t seen this series, I could not recommend it more highly. 

All of which means, of course, I’ve been planning some Civil War quilts for this year.  Planning is perhaps too strong a word.  I’ve been thinking about Civil War quilts.  I had decided that at least one would have to be a sampler quilt.  I was thinking four inch blocks.

Now, here’s the gift.  I open my Google Reader this morning and what do I see?  That Barbara Brackman is starting a blog for this Civil War anniversary with a bit of history and a relevant block posted each week.  Eight inch blocks but, hey, I’m flexible. 

Trip on down to the sewing room to begin the day and year by sewing up the first block.  The block is entirely made of half-square triangles so I know what I’m going to do.  I visit the Quilting and Whatnot website and download their paper-piecing units for half-square triangles.  They have every (finished) size in quarter-inch increments from 3/4" to 2 1/2". 

If you use these pdf’s, be sure to turn off the scaling on your printer and check the 1" square measurement to make sure you are on target. 

I knew what I needed in the way of light, dark, and medium combinations on the half-square triangles so I cut up the page to meet those requirements.

You’ll notice the numbers on the pad telling me what size I should cut the fabric to meet my triangles.  Yes, there it is, the first official oops of the year.  The measurements for the 4 half-square units fits one of those paper sections but not the other. 

I use double-sided tape to attach the paper to the fabric (the fabric is placed right sides together).  I find the tape holds the paper on without some of the distortion that pins can create.

The one to the top right was the oops.  It was an easy fix though.  I just split the paper in half and oriented it to the fabric I had cut.

The next step is to sew on the dashed lines.  As always with paper-piecing, I shortened the stitch length a little. 

Once the lines are sewn, simply cut the undashed lines to form the individual units.

Remove the paper, open and press, and you wind up with this. 

Trim off the dog ear and there you have it, a perfectly sized half-square triangle.

Here are all the units laid out and ready to assemble.

Ah, yes.  This is where we get to the challenge part.  Here’s the block all sewn up.  It’s called Catch Me If You Can.  Isn’t it pretty?

I think so.  I also think it would be nice if it measured 8 1/2" square (as it should).  But no, it measures 8 3/4".  Yes.  I got a whole quarter-inch off on an eight inch block.  Ouch.

Challenge indeed.  I love my Bernina except for this one thing: the quarter inch foot just isn’t exact on my machine.  I forget sometimes and that gets me into trouble (see block above).  So, it’s time for me to get my scant quarter-inch seams back on track.  I’ll have to remake this block though, sad to say, I no longer have enough of that pink fabric to do an exact remake. 

Still, I really like that block.  Perhaps I can make a bag to store my blocks in over the course of the year and this can adorn the front.  There’s a thought.

Meanwhile, what a great start to the New Year: a Civil War sampler provided by the always awesome Barbara Brackman and a challenge to fine tune my skills.  I’m ready to go. 

(Though I am wondering just how many tries it’s going to take to create a properly sized block.  Wish me luck.)