| | Home | Board | Calendar | Education Tidbits | | Members | Newletters | Programs | Philanthropy | Slide Shows | Sign In | |
December 2024
ANOTHER TIDBIT ON MODIFYING A QUILT PATTERN
ANOTHER TIDBIT ON MODIFYING A QUILT PATTERN
Where did 2024 go? The older I get; it seems like each year goes by faster than the year before. I really enjoyed 2024 and I look forward to 2025 being just as special. I am really excited to be able to attend “The Road to California” quilt show in January 2025.
Recently, I began sewing a quilt called “Spread Joy” that I hope to finish sometime in the new year. The design includes 14 Christmas Trees, each sewn in eleven 1 ½ inch rows. As shown in the picture of the pattern, to create the tree shape, the pattern requires alternating green and red strips snowballed on the ends of the colored strip using 1 ½ inch squares. The colored rows are finished with white strips sewn at each end. The rows of color are interspersed with white strips to build up the tree block to measure 12 ½ x 12 ½ unfinished.
Rather than following the pattern requirements cutting out and sewing on all those small squares, I decided to increase the length of the row-end white strips by at least 1 ½ inches. To snowball the colored piece, I used those lengthened strips rather than sew on the small squares and then sew on the strip extensions. This change makes for fewer close small seams all over the resultant quilt.
The fewer seams makes it easier to press each block flat. To make the block even flatter, I pressed the diagonal seams open rather than pressing them over. Another change I made was to make all the interspersing white strips longer than the pattern requirements. By doing that, I was able to sew the tree block together, pressing each row as I sewed. Then I could square up the unfinished block to 12 ½ inch square rather than attempting to sew a bunch of 12 ½ inch strips together; expecting to make perfectly lined up strips resulting in 14 perfect blocks. I never get it right if I do that. I always do better to make the block bigger and then trim it down to the proper size. This method is also less stressful for me and less stitch ripping and re-sewing.
Here is a picture of my version of the trimmed unfinished Tree Block No. 1, measuring 12 ½ inch square. 13 more to go.
Happy Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and Happy New Year’s Eve. See you again in 2025. Be well. Blessings to you and your family.
Please e-mail the Webmaster for any problems with the website or any questions: webmaster@crazyquiltersguild.org
|
December 2024
ANOTHER TIDBIT ON MODIFYING A QUILT PATTERN
ANOTHER TIDBIT ON MODIFYING A QUILT PATTERN
Where did 2024 go? The older I get; it seems like each year goes by faster than the year before. I really enjoyed 2024 and I look forward to 2025 being just as special. I am really excited to be able to attend “The Road to California” quilt show in January 2025.
Recently, I began sewing a quilt called “Spread Joy” that I hope to finish sometime in the new year. The design includes 14 Christmas Trees, each sewn in eleven 1 ½ inch rows. As shown in the picture of the pattern, to create the tree shape, the pattern requires alternating green and red strips snowballed on the ends of the colored strip using 1 ½ inch squares. The colored rows are finished with white strips sewn at each end. The rows of color are interspersed with white strips to build up the tree block to measure 12 ½ x 12 ½ unfinished.
Rather than following the pattern requirements cutting out and sewing on all those small squares, I decided to increase the length of the row-end white strips by at least 1 ½ inches. To snowball the colored piece, I used those lengthened strips rather than sew on the small squares and then sew on the strip extensions. This change makes for fewer close small seams all over the resultant quilt.
The fewer seams makes it easier to press each block flat. To make the block even flatter, I pressed the diagonal seams open rather than pressing them over. Another change I made was to make all the interspersing white strips longer than the pattern requirements. By doing that, I was able to sew the tree block together, pressing each row as I sewed. Then I could square up the unfinished block to 12 ½ inch square rather than attempting to sew a bunch of 12 ½ inch strips together; expecting to make perfectly lined up strips resulting in 14 perfect blocks. I never get it right if I do that. I always do better to make the block bigger and then trim it down to the proper size. This method is also less stressful for me and less stitch ripping and re-sewing.
Here is a picture of my version of the trimmed unfinished Tree Block No. 1, measuring 12 ½ inch square. 13 more to go.
Happy Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and Happy New Year’s Eve. See you again in 2025. Be well. Blessings to you and your family.