Wednesday, June 3, 2009

She Sews!

Oh, it feels so good to get back into the sewing room – even when one of the blocks decided to be a bit more of a challenge than seems reasonable.  (It’s the block’s fault.  I’d like to be perfectly clear on that.  Not operator error.  No, sir!)  I thought I’d try and make up another couple of the 2 inch mini blocks.  Here’s the pie:

I used Fold and Sew to make the pie and then the 6 minute circle technique to applique it to the background.  It’s not a horrible block, but can’t say I’m in love with it either.  I’m not sure Fold and Sew is the best approach on the pie either.  Couldn’t see right off hand how to get the right spin on the seam allowances so it definitely lays a bit bumpy. 

The second block went much smoother.  I’m sure this is a classic block and has a formal name.  Since I just drew it up in EQ, I don’t have the actual name to offer here.

Now this is the kind of block that Fold and Sew works like a dream on.  Love the way everything lines up.  (Though, have to say, sometimes a  miniature block looks pretty odd before it’s sewn into something; those quarter-inch seam allowances get pretty assertive when the whole block is only 2 inches finished! )

Here are the blocks that I have made up so far.  I’m thinking (for the moment, anyway) that I’ll make up a total of 12.

I’ll probably only use one of the cross blocks.  Or I could use them as alternate blocks and make more.  I like them so much though that I’ll probably just make up a mini with nothing but the wee X’s and just do straight sashing with cornerstones for the sampler blocks.

I really do like the idea of the pie block.  I designed a little mini in EQ that would be fun to have (not yet convinced it’d be fun to make).

Mini Pie Quilt EQ Sketch

I do love those Civil War era reproductions!  But I also think this could be really fun made up with white backgrounds and some tiny (very tiny) bits and pieces of some of the really bright contemporary fabrics out in the stores now.  Can I blame this impulse to make two of everything on being a Gemini?

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