Quilts

SHINE: Circles Block 1, English Paper Piecing

June 2, 2014March 2, 2021 Elizabeth E.17 Comments

Worn out from two back-to-back trips, I spent the day quietly hand-sewing my Circles Block #1, Swirlygig, using the English Paper-Piecing Method. A couple of weeks ago, I had decided I wanted to make a series of circular blocks, but I wanted to do them slowly, with hand-sewing. So I’ve turned to English Paper-Piecing, which involves using paper shapes sewn inside your fabric. For a pretty good how-to video, watch *this one,* which uses hexagon shapes. The only difference between this video and how I do it, is that I sew from the back to the front with my whipstitch. Do whichever one you like.)

rwb_block1

The free patterns are now returning (Red, White and Blue is above). I request that you not distribute them, but send people here to this website to get them. Click to download a PDF file:

SHINE Block 1 pattern_opquilt

Please remember to set your printer settings to 100% and check the little scale square included on the pattern. It should measure 1″ in size. Illustrations of patterns below will differ from the newer version of the pattern.

A word about laying out the pieces. The straight grain (threads parallel to the selvage) and the cross grain (threads running across the fabric) have less stretch that does the bias, which is what we call the diagonal line across the fabric. So when you know you have to ease that 1/4″ seam allowance over a curved edge, lay it out so that diagonal bias will align with that edge, as shown above. I didn’t lay out the swirl pieces with regard to grain (paying attention instead to the fabric’s design), but certainly any time you need a little more ease, or want the fabric to fold easily over a pattern piece, put that bias to work for you. First, cut out the shapes, then cut out the fabric, leaving 1/4″ seam allowance around most of the pieces. Baste the pieces onto the paper (good time to use up old icky thread that you don’t want to use in your quilts). Some people like to use freezer paper, others like to use glue. If you do a search on English Paper Piecing, everyone has a favorite method. Mine is folding the seam allowances over the paper edges and sewing them to the paper.

When I started sewing the inner swirling pieces together, it was easier if I placed the piece with the outward (or convex) curve on the top (like Spun Sugar does *here*, but I never clipped any of my seam allowances, nor used glue–just pins). I lined up the outer corner and sewed a couple of stitches to anchor it. Then I moved on down the seam, using an overcast whipstitch. I was happy that it went quickly. Here’s my Instagram photo of the first few swirls sewn together. I was sewing these as my husband drove us home across the Arizona desert. I have a rigid plastic box that hinges in the middle, folding out like a portable desk, and I keep everything in there. After I sewed together most of the inner circle, I went back to joining the last three together independently, then added them to make the circle. Next up were the little triangle points and the outer arcs. I tried sewing these on two different ways: first the little triangle points, then the arcs in between them. Fail. Better to sew a few triangle points to their outer arcs, then attach that to the existing circle. Then repeat.

I sewed about five points and arcs, attach it to what I’d sewn on before, attach that new section to the circle, and then start again with a few new arcs and circles. Above you see me finishing off the last of the sewing the arcs/triangles to the circle. Things can get a little skitty-wampus, but this is the back, showing it sewing with all their papers. I was trying out some designs with my colored pencils, so you see some different colors on the paper.

I’m sure you noticed that the swirls move a different direction in the fabric, than from the drawing. Everything is dependent on how you lay out the printed pieces, text UP or text DOWN. In one of our blocks, we’ll lay them the reverse direction, and have it swirl the other direction.

Everything is sewn together, and pressed.

The outside corners have been seamed together, then sewn on. Again, it’s a little wonky-looking because the papers are still inside.

UPDATE: After doing a couple of circle blocks I found I liked it better using a 14 /12″ square and appliquéing on the circle. Your choice. I used Karen Buckley’s Perfect Circles to make my center circle, sewing a running stitch around the outside edge, then drawing it up around the plastic circle, then pressing it into place. You can iron two pieces of freezer paper together and trace off the circle on the pattern to use as your template, if you don’t have the Perfect Circles. I was having a hard time figuring out how to get that circle on. I took out all the papers, gave it a good steamy press, pinned on the circle and just appliquéd it on. And that’s the first circle block! I am still learning about which colors and shapes and directions will go where with these circle blocks; feel free to experiment as well. I have learned that I can be overly critical with a particular block, but when worked into a quilt, my concerns and criticisms often disappear, so I just keep going. I’ll post one of these about every month, somewhere near the beginning of the month. I hope to get twelve different circle patterns by the time I’m through. I hope you join me on the journey!

Quilts

Circles: English Paper Piecing

May 27, 2014May 27, 2014 Elizabeth E.9 Comments

Inspired (always) by Mary, who blogs at Molly Flanders Makerie, I have had circles on the brain for several months now, hiding behind that other stack of things I’m always yakking about.

from *here*, which also includes a link to her tutorial

I searched through Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of quilt blocks and found quite a few circle blocks that interested me. I have missed having a handwork project to keep myself busy while I watch movies or chat, so wanted to get one together before I start some of my summer travels.

I drew a circle block template in my QuiltPro program, but wanted a 12″ block. Um, my printer doesn’t print that big. So I took a screenshot of a quarter-circle, printed it out four times, then taped it together. I then took it to my local copy center and had them copy it off at a little less than a buck–not bad, I thought. Now I can draw a new block every time, experimenting with what I’ve found here and there and saved in my oh-so-old-fashioned paper files out in the garage. The quarter circle pattern can be downloaded here: QuarterCircle

Notice that the 12″ line is the NOT the outside line, but just inside. I did it that way to allow for seam allowances, but please don’t let it confuse you. That curve ruler is leftover from my Clothing and Textiles college days, but you could use a large dinner plate, or other curved edge.

Circle Block #1 is done. I plan to let this project wend its way through the next several months as I’m doing my part for the Slow Quilt Movement. (Is there even such a movement? So often I see someone talking about a block and whoosh!–there it is the full completed quilt two days later. This one won’t be like that.)

I cut it apart into its pieces. I don’t know if I’ll paper-piece those outside quarter-circles onto the circle block, or appliqué the circle to a big 12 1/2″ square piece of fabric. Stay tuned.

Tomorrow is my mother’s birthday, and I’m visiting her and taking her out to lunch. If you haven’t talked to your Mom this week, give her a call. You may not be as lucky as I am to have a mother celebrate her 86th birthday, so don’t waste any time. If your mother is still here with you, pick up the phone and read her a poem from your childhood, tell her your best memory of a birthday, ask her forgiveness for a time you were naughty and broke her heart, and close by telling her one way she’s a good example to you. Happy Birthday to my mother, a beautiful, thoughtful, smart, well-read and intelligent woman who always made our family believe that they were the most important thing on the planet. Here’s my poem for you:

Quilts

Kaleidoscope

June 24, 2013 Elizabeth E.31 Comments

At long last, I have finished Kaleidoscope.

Here she is on the fence, all quilted and bound and ready to be hung up in our home. The first picture was merely the top, unquilted, but I like that image quite fine (it’s my home screen pix on my phone).

Krista got me started on this process and the above is a photo of my first block, blogged about *here* so I don’t need to redo the gory details (just do a search for “EPP” in my search box, if you do want the whole story).

I liked how I could sew bitsy pieces together into a new design and they could become something else.

I finished my first block in February 2012, wrote about it *here,* using the completion as a sort of a milestone capping off a cancer experience. While I do like the quick quilts that sew up in a month, or whizzing through a bee block, there’s something gratifying about a longer quiltmaking experience, as it serves as a thread through many experiences and days and months and weaves in and out of other quilts.

I liked how every block was a puzzle, a mystery, waiting to be figured out, laying out the pieces to see what it should become and how to sew it together. I liked that it was portable, going to many doctor’s offices, on a road trip, and certainly while making my way through three seasons of watching Downton Abbey.

One center laid out on a computer laptop one night.

Photographed on a hotel chair, pieced while on a road trip to San Francisco.

The way I cut and laid out the pieces was like a twist of the wrist on a childhood kaleidoscope viewing toy, the glass pieces tumbling into another design, another shape. So I started to think of the blocks as visions through a kaleidoscope. I didn’t know how many of these blocks to make–it was one of those things I just kept working on and I figured I would know when I was done.

There were three.

Then there were six.

And then seven, and I was trying to figure out what to do. I ordered more fabric (bless the manufacturers who don’t yank their lines so quickly!). The small bits in the lefthand lower corner didn’t work. So I went with bigger triangles, trying to let the seven kaleidoscope shapes rise to the top.

I labeled and sewed those together by hand as well. Then onto the existing top.

It sat on my pin wall and I just didn’t know what to do–wasn’t really sold on it. Then I thought about the border, chose the bright lime, auditioned it for placement: large medallions going down the middle of the border, or small ones? Again, trying to make the quilt center the star, I went with the latter.

Sewing the top to the borders–the only time I used machine piecing on this quilt top. I decided to leave in the papers until it was all sewn, so they could stabilize the edges. One thing about the edges in this quilt–none were placed with regard to straight of grain, so the top was very flexible, and needed careful handling.

Once those borders were sewn on, the whole top began to sing together again. And now the next puzzle–how to quilt it? I let it sit some more, until I worked up the courage to move forward.

Cut and sewed together more of that second batch of fabric, trying to match medallion to medallion. It worked well enough.

I stretched out the back on my living floor, taped it down, then the batting, then the quilt and pinned it all together. Still didn’t know how to quilt this thing, so it sat for another spell. Finally, I realized it was never going to get done if I didn’t get going on it, and I had three days free–all in a row–so found the perfect thread in my bag from the last run to Superior Threads and got going.

I like to sew on my dining room table. I put down a placemat for my sewing machine and notions, and let the quilt slip-slide all over as I work.

To grip the quilt because I’m not a fan of quilting gloves, I use that stuff you can buy at an office supply store on my fingers (one brand is SortQuik–don’t know what mine is).

After two and half days and sixteen bobbins of thread, I wanted to be done. Really, I did, but the border was a little ripply, so it needed some more. Final tally? Seventeen bobbins of thread. The quilt is 53″ wide by 54 1/2″ long, so that’s fairly dense quilting. I used a polyester thread with little bit of sheen for the top, as well as Masterpiece, a cotton thread. I used Bottom Line for the bobbins–it holds more; I did loosen the top tension to get the stitch balance correct.

The back of the quilt, with the two colorways of the medallions. I came to really love this fabric: Michael Miller’s Gypsy Bandanna.

I had decided I didn’t want a narrow border to show on the top, so went with a faced binding. This label was the last thing to be sewn on, last night as I lay in my bed with my foot propped up on two pillows, recuperating from another surgery (this one not life-threatening, a planned event). But still, for those of us who like to keep busy, like to be doing, this forced idleness is really hard to deal with. I plan to try to figure out how to do some quilting this afternoon, my good foot on the sewing machine pedal and my gimpy foot propped up on a pillow on a drawer. I figure I can get 30 minutes in before I say “uncle,” and head back to bed.

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This is the 116th quilt I’ve made in my life, and the quilt is also part of the Finish-A-Long, quarter two.