Making progress
This might be on the way to being compulsive! I’ve got the sewing down to a fine art now – once the foundation squares are cut to size and I’ve got a heap of fabric strips all nice and pressed flat, I can whizz away on the machine and complete a block in around ten minutes. That includes time to stand at the iron board to press every seam. I’ve discovered that if I add a strip each side of the centre one I can get away with pressing two seams at once instead of having to go to the iron for each one. I’m often sitting at a sewing machine or an easel for hours at a time so the only way I can complete the activity rings on my watch is the make sure the iron is at the far side of the room. That’s my exercise for the day covered!
I’ve got 40 blocks finished so far but I’m going to need nearer 100 for a super king size bed. I’ve been deliberating on how these should go together for the best effect. Those limes and yellows are really strident aren’t they? Trouble is, without them I think the quilt would lack any kind of impact. I kept shuffling the blocks around to decide if it would be best to group the lairy ones together in the centre and surround them with quieter colour combinations or should I go with the random nature of the technique, deal them out like a pack of cards, and just sew them together as they fall? Well, patience is not a virtue I possess so having slept on it I went for the random option. Now I know it would have been sensible to make all the blocks before joining them together but since I’m able to put pretty much any colours in this quilt I know I’ve got plenty of fabric left. There’s also a very practical reason – when the blocks are trimmed back to the foundation square it severs all the thread ends and I don’t want the seams to unravel as they are handled repeatedly. The beauty of this design is that so few seams need to match. It’s only the junction of the squares that need care. I make certain to press the joining seams of each row in a consistent direction and alternate the direction on the next row. That helps distribute the bulk so everything lays flat. Now all I have to do is dip into those scrappy strips and carry on but I know there are worse ways to spend my time!
Bye for now. Linda x
Oh, I know that feeling…I’ve started now, so I’ll finish, and anyway the room is in a mess so I’ll wait until I’ve done before I clear up.
It feels good those up ‘some’ of those scraps too, although the pile doesn’t seem to be going down.
Soldier on, it looks great!
Thanks Jill. I have another ten blocks finished since I last posted.I’ve cut plenty of foundation squares and found out loads more strips from my fabric scraps so I’m good to keep soldiering on. Actually the blocks are so quick to make it’s a pleasure to make a couple while I’m waiting for dinner to cook or bread to rest so it’s no chore!