I am so excited about working on this quilt for my mom, and that excitement just ramped up a few notches when I opened up my new jelly roll of Tradewinds by Lily Ashbury fabric that I talked about on my last post. I've already made 10 blocks and ran out of fabric. So I picked up more fabric, not exactly the same kind, but similar colors. But when I opened the new jelly roll..... OMG!
This fabric is so luscious and yummy it makes me long for a bowl of tropical fruit! See what I mean?
One tip I can share... (and I don't have a picture that demonstrates that yet) when I sewed the blades (with the points) together I started sewing about 1/4 inch down from the top and backstitched to the top, and then continued down to the end of the blade. Doing it this way the threads are 1/4 inch from the top which hides the start position and the thread ends, and makes the points that much prettier and cleaner. I learned this after making ten blocks (200 blades!)... so I know of what I speak.... and like my Dad always said, "when all else fails, read the directions!"
This fabric is so luscious and yummy it makes me long for a bowl of tropical fruit! See what I mean?
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Before I opened the jelly roll ^ |
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| I see that wonderful 'mango' color... and my mouth waters.. really! This is such a joy to work with this fabric! |
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| Even my scraps are happy! I saw a very cute paper-pieced umbrella on flicker somewhere... I think these scraps could make a very cheery umbrella! or ten! :D |
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| I sewed the wedges 2x2 in the order I wanted them on the 'plate'. It worked much better than when I sewed all of one print and sorted out the order after the fact. |
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| Another view of the wedges joined together on my ironing board. I also clipped the folded edge on all of them for easy turning. |
One tip I can share... (and I don't have a picture that demonstrates that yet) when I sewed the blades (with the points) together I started sewing about 1/4 inch down from the top and backstitched to the top, and then continued down to the end of the blade. Doing it this way the threads are 1/4 inch from the top which hides the start position and the thread ends, and makes the points that much prettier and cleaner. I learned this after making ten blocks (200 blades!)... so I know of what I speak.... and like my Dad always said, "when all else fails, read the directions!"
The directions were right on the cardboard the wedge template came with!
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This is the first plate in the new fabric.
The wedges are machine stitched together, but I hand sewed the plate
on the background fabric, and then hand-stitched the center as well.
This fabric is easy to hand stitch too!
The purple & yellow thingy is a seam ripper) I used to keep my place on the circle of fabrics. This is next to my sewing machine. I'm just going around the circle stitching the tops of the wedges. I alternated the "pow" fabrics with the 'duller' ones ~ none of these prints are boring! And I put them next to fabrics that had at least one common color. I'm liking the results.
P.S. some of these wedges even have the wrong side showing.
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Just had to share my 'happy fabric' :D
