I thought I'd get a jump on the reports by posting tonight. I've spent time sewing 6 out of 7 days this week. Not perfect, but good. I don't know what is going on with the stash report. I am using more fabric lately than usual and not buying much, but it doesn't seem to be changing.
I've been working on my April UFO, Antique Tiles. When I made the blocks, umpteen years ago, I was going to join them the traditional way into a flimsy and then quilt it. But when I decided to make this my April UFO, I decided to make it easier on my shoulder by using the QAYO method. I've made a couple of QAYO quilts, using a method where you make the block, batting, and backing the same size and then quilt it. But I've always had some shrinkage in the size of the block after quilting, so began looking around for another method.
After hours online looking at website, blog, and youtube tutorials, I have become a fan of Leah Day. Her method is to make the blocks larger than needed and cut to size after quilting AND she recommends sewing a double row of stitches around the edge to make it easier to put on the sashing strips. And it IS so much easier. After quilting, my 12-1/2 inch block was just under 12-1/4 inch, so I just cut it down to 12 inch. Yes, the outer pieces won't be the same as the inner, but at least it will be square and there will be a full quarter inch seam allowance.
I quilted the first block with straight lines beside each seam and that was almost a disaster when the stitches crossed. It puckered where the stitching crossed and stitching in both directions distorted the block. I tried to straighten it before trimming but didn't feel like ripping out every stitch even though I probably should have. So I just sewed a quarter inch inside each piece on the next block. The block as a whole was straighter and I didn't have a problem with fabric bunching at the stitching crosses. For the rest of the blocks, I won't finish the quilting around the outer pieces. It will be too hard to figure out where the stitching should be after I cut the block down.
As I've griped about before, there are a lot of disadvantages to finishing a quilt years after starting it: loss of interest in the project I once thought was great, improvement in skills since beginning makes finishing a chore, not having a written pattern in the package of blocks and bits of fabrics makes me wonder what I originally planned, and now, not having enough fabric to finish the quilt. I looked through my stash and there wasn't anything remotely complementary in any color. A trip to my local quilt store gave me a few choices and I bought a quarter yard of each to try out. I finally decided on a yellow with tiny orange and green stripes. It isn't great, but it has enough of the same colors that it will do. One of the other colors, a blue, will work for a border, and the other color, a light gold will work as a sashing with the backing fabric that I found in my stash.
Linking to:
15 Minute Challenge at Life in Pieces
Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
I've been working on my April UFO, Antique Tiles. When I made the blocks, umpteen years ago, I was going to join them the traditional way into a flimsy and then quilt it. But when I decided to make this my April UFO, I decided to make it easier on my shoulder by using the QAYO method. I've made a couple of QAYO quilts, using a method where you make the block, batting, and backing the same size and then quilt it. But I've always had some shrinkage in the size of the block after quilting, so began looking around for another method.
After hours online looking at website, blog, and youtube tutorials, I have become a fan of Leah Day. Her method is to make the blocks larger than needed and cut to size after quilting AND she recommends sewing a double row of stitches around the edge to make it easier to put on the sashing strips. And it IS so much easier. After quilting, my 12-1/2 inch block was just under 12-1/4 inch, so I just cut it down to 12 inch. Yes, the outer pieces won't be the same as the inner, but at least it will be square and there will be a full quarter inch seam allowance.
I quilted the first block with straight lines beside each seam and that was almost a disaster when the stitches crossed. It puckered where the stitching crossed and stitching in both directions distorted the block. I tried to straighten it before trimming but didn't feel like ripping out every stitch even though I probably should have. So I just sewed a quarter inch inside each piece on the next block. The block as a whole was straighter and I didn't have a problem with fabric bunching at the stitching crosses. For the rest of the blocks, I won't finish the quilting around the outer pieces. It will be too hard to figure out where the stitching should be after I cut the block down.
As I've griped about before, there are a lot of disadvantages to finishing a quilt years after starting it: loss of interest in the project I once thought was great, improvement in skills since beginning makes finishing a chore, not having a written pattern in the package of blocks and bits of fabrics makes me wonder what I originally planned, and now, not having enough fabric to finish the quilt. I looked through my stash and there wasn't anything remotely complementary in any color. A trip to my local quilt store gave me a few choices and I bought a quarter yard of each to try out. I finally decided on a yellow with tiny orange and green stripes. It isn't great, but it has enough of the same colors that it will do. One of the other colors, a blue, will work for a border, and the other color, a light gold will work as a sashing with the backing fabric that I found in my stash.
Linking to:
15 Minute Challenge at Life in Pieces
Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
The available colors do change over time. QAYG is one of the things on my try someday list.
ReplyDeleteYet another reason I plan to finish all my new quilts from now on.
DeleteLooks like you found a way to move forward. Finished is better than perfect.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good choice, and you've moved a project. I should learn that about old UFOs myself!
ReplyDelete