If I can’t confess this on my own blog, then where can I safely write about how this block came about? I used probably the most scientific way possible to pick fabrics for this block. I…used the scraps I found…on the floor! Please, someone – anyone! – tell me your sewing area is a disaster sometimes.
This block is paper pieced and although it looks easy enough, I’m going to have to rate this one as a “confident beginner” pattern. I don’t think I took a picture of the pattern, but if you’re familiar with paper piecing, the general idea is there are a set of pieces that are sewn together and those combined are called a unit. Or at least that’s what I call them.
Then unit A is sewn to unit B, then A/B is sewn to C/D. To that end, in many patterns, unit A is sketched out to show the stitch line as well as 1/4″ seam allowance cutting line around all sides. That way, you’re always sewing literally on a paper line and not using 1/4″ seam guide on the sewing machine. Easy!
This pattern layout had A/B sewing instructions, but it was cut out together and what that meant was there was no paper stitching guide to connect A to B for each of the 4 quadrants. Without the usual guides to stitch this together, I ended up glue basting in the critical areas to hopefully make this come out okay. There are a couple of dark purple smudges in the photo – that’s where I hadn’t waited for the glue to dry so that it would disappear.
I went forward today over lunch and sewed on the other 2 borders and crossed my fingers that at the very least, the 2 red fabrics wouldn’t clash. My husband’s office is just 10 minutes from home so he comes home for lunch most days. He gave me the thumbs up on the fabric in the red border and said it wasn’t noticeable that it was slightly different from the one in the 3″ blocks. I think I’ll probably end up doing some extra stitching in the cornerstones or something in a contrasting thread, just so that it doesn’t draw any attention.
So that’s 2 quilt tops down on the trek toward Christmas gifts!
I don’t have a sewing room, per se, so I have to admit to my whole house being a complete mess!
I had that setup for years. I decided last year we don’t eat enough meals in the dining room so I took over that room!
Wooohoooo! Your productivity is inspiring!
I took a break this week and had 2 days where I didn’t sew a single stitch. That’s really unusual for me!
My sewing room is a disaster area. I am working on getting things used up so I can feel less pressured….
Yes, I got caught off guard Friday evening when someone stopped by and saw my own disaster. Cleaning up isn’t as much fun as the sewing part.
Lol! Yes ,my sewing room can be a real disaster,funny though that’s when I’m the happiest ,among all fabric clutter. Love the fabrics you used in the paper piecing block.
Thank you! I still haven’t cleaned up my mess in there!
I will confess to the disaster of my sewing room without hesitation. Sometimes it seems worse than it is. I like to call it an organized mess.
Oh I’m gonna have to borrow that! Oh wait….my mess isn’t organized at all. Darn it!
Oh sure it is! As long as you know which pile of stuff a thing is under, you’re organized.
Yes, and it always helps to have multiple pairs of scissors I’ve found!