Yes, I am STILL working on Sedona Star . . .
But I am making good progress.
I am currently working on a series of 3 different applique blocks. I've finished two sets so far and they are really cool. What makes them so cool? Added applique goodies from Sarah Vedeler!!!
Of course Sarah designed Sedona Star and it uses applique shapes from her Heather Feather #1 Die from Accuquilt GO! But she also developed an embroidery design that either stands on its own or enhances the Sedona Star - its called Sedona Surprise. I have loved doing these on my Bernina 830 and super large hoop. See all the little circles, hearts, eyelets, and outlining satin stitches? Don't they add a lot to the block?
Using the embroidery machine did present a challenge for me - and I do love a challenge. The first challenge was a really fun one - deciding on colors that complement the Red Rooster fabrics I am using. The second challenge was a little more difficult - rehooping. Even with the jumbo Bernina hoop, I had to rehoop to get the entire design stitched out. Good thing Sarah included positioning lines that really helped. So now, although not an expert, I am at least somewhat competent at rehooping. I've done six of these blocks (three of two different layouts) and have three more to go.
Next update I'll add pictures of these blocks sewn onto the center medallion. Can't wait!
Keeping Curious!
Sedona Star is next in the line-up. Last time I worked on it, I over cut and made extra pieces. Oh well.
This time up, I faced the somewhat daunting task on insetting 9 sets of stars within squares into the earlier star I had completed.
I was expecting difficulties. But I was pleasantly surprised and it wasn't as difficult as I had expected. Y seams can be tricky - you have to stay out of the seam allowance. No sweat there.
The problem was that when I trimmed up the blocks from the previous step, it was obvious that the paper foundation was drawn in and I couldn't use the printed seam allowance. There were a few nips and tucks, but the iron took care of that. It even seems to be laying somewhat flat!
My plan is to prepare the next set of blocks - print the instructions and templates, get the fabric ready, and stow them away until next time in the rotation. This was a quick turn-around, but it felt like a good stopping point.
Keeping it challenging!
I have a system - I thought it was a pretty good system. I keep projects all together in a tub. I have a list! So how did it happen that I made 1 extra month 3 circle and 1 extra month 4 circle for my Sedona Star quilt?
This is really frustrating. I bought the fabric years ago and probably can't get any more. Now I'm not sure if I'll have enough. Argh!
I know I have counted each of these multiple times. There are only 3 of each of 3 circles - so 9 in total, How did I miss this? I must be getting older and more flustered.
OK, so I just need to slow down, measure twice, count twice, no maybe 3 times, and pay close attention.
The circles were pretty easy, but the challenge is insetting the circles into squares. The first 3 went really smoothly, the second set of 3 were a bear - they just didn't fit well. The inside of the circle was wavy. I spent a lot of time trying to take up extra bulk, redid the seams, pressed until I thought I would burn a hole in the piece. So now I'm kind of procrastinating on the last set of 3.
This quilt has been a challenge in accuracy. Between making sure the paper piecing templates are printed out with the correct scaling (none), gluing them together accurately, sewing accurate seam allowances, and sewing circular inset seams. It is surely the most difficult quilt I've ever done. But I am really learning a lot!
After I finish insetting 3 more circles, I'll have the pleasure of 9 sets of Y seams. Oh Joy! Another challenge that hopefully I'll meet with accuracy and without waviness.
Here's to challenges!
OK, before I move on to the BOMs I want to do in the future (or the ones I plan on starting tomorrow LOL), there are 2 last "current" ones I should write about.
The first one is the Sedona Star, a Sarah Vedeler design I wrote about in my last posting. Sedona Star was The Quilt Show BOM for 2012. This quilt is built from the inside out. It is not a simple quilt. It requires precision cutting and piecing. The techniques featured are foundation paper piecing, applique, sewing set-in circles, and using the Accuquilt-GO! cutter to cut some of the applique shapes.
In January I started enthusiastically - I ordered the fabric for this classy, rich color-way of muted blues, tans, browns, and reds, started downloading the instructions, bought the special foundation piecing / stabilizer product - Ricky Tims' Stable Stuff Poly (a special product that you don't have to remove from the quilt - wash it and it turns into batting), and began working on the blocks.
The first few months went smoothly. The foundation piecing was right on. The Accuquilt-GO! worked perfectly cutting the 12 circles in the center medallion. The appliques star points were perfect. Then it came time to set in the center circle into the circle of star points. Uh-Oh. The diameter of the center section was 3/8 inch too small. I wasn't sure what to do. So I decided to sit on it for a bit - perfectly logical, right?
Unfortunately "a bit" turned into several months and by the time I figured out how I was going to fix my problem, the BOM for 2012 was finished and the instructions were no longer available for download. An email message from Sarah Vedeler indicated I could buy what was once a free pattern (to TQS members) for $60. So, I fixed my problem (resew some seams with a smaller seam allowance) and waited a bit more until Mea Bernina offered Sedona Star as a BOM.
So now I own the pattern and have a few partners in crime - a small group of ladies who are working on Sedona Star too. I have all the Month 3 foundation pieced stars completed and have done one of Month 4. I still have to set the stars into the background fabric, but I'll wait and do that after all 9 stars are done (end Month 5).
Whew! Sedona Star is not a piece of cake, but it sure will be gorgeous when I'm done!
The final "present" but not current BOM is another Quilt Show project - A to Z with Ewe and Me, designed by Janet Stone. I really like the whimsy of this quilt. It's obvious that Janet gets her inspiration for alphabet samplers from her cross stitch past. I hate to admit it but I only have "A" done. I've got lots to do on this one, but I'm really looking forward to it.
Well, that is all the past and present BOMs. 2015 is here, so there are surely some "future" BOMs coming soon.
Here's to a New Year, old and new BOMs, and long time (not old) and new stitching friends!
What is a typical sewing day for you? For me, last Sunday was a super productive sewing day and it happened to include multiple BOMs! I wish I could say it was typical in terms of productivity, but I don't usually get quite so much done. It was typical in one huge way - variety.
"Typical" usually means multiple projects going at once, often at very different phases (design, cutting, piecing, quilting, finishing), and in very different colors and fabric styles. One thing I have learned about myself is that I get bored easily if I have to do too much of the same thing - same blocks, same fabric, same whatever. So I like to keep it varied. Sunday was a really varied day!
As you know I've got several embroidery BOMs going, so yesterday I made 2 tiles for the last Month 10 block for feathered star. I'm only 1 tile away from finishing all the star blocks. Then I will only have border blocks left to do - talk about boring, all 48 of them are exactly the same block with just one piece of fabric changing from block to block. Oh well, at least its bright, bold, happy fabric.
While my Bernina 830 was busy embroidering the feathered star (I'm needed for thread changes and adding pieces of fabric now and then, but mostly the machine takes care of it), I was working on last year's JayBird Quilts' BOM Toes in the Sand. Each month there are 2 blocks using the same pattern but with different fabric. So I got 2 blocks (Month 7 checked off my checklist) done and started cutting the pieces for the Month 8 blocks.
Then in the afternoon I scooted down to the shop for some sewing on the Sedona Star (more details in a later post). My friend Peggy is teaching the Sedona Star at Mea and I join in when I can. Class was cancelled yesterday due to the holidays, but Peggy was working on the shop sample, so I joined her and worked on the Month 4 paper pieced stars. I got one of three done!
As you know, sewing is fun, but designing and thinking about quilting is almost as, if not more, fun. In January I'm going to start a new BOM (details available in a later post) so I've been perusing Pinterest and other sites for ideas about color choices for the new
BOM. I found a FQ bundle of PB&J on Etsy and ordered it so I could potentially use some for this new BOM. Craftsy was having a year end sale, so I also ordered a few FQ bundles from them too.
Overall it was a productive day and I got lots of creative itches scratched (I'm sure there is a better metaphor than that but I used up all my creativity!).
Happy Productive Creativity to You!
They make it sound so simple - just one block a month. I'd be finished in no time. It's sounds so simple, so enticing, so do-able!
At least until you sign up for one after another, after another, and then another. Then it becomes not so simple and do-able. But still enticing.
My name is Denise and I am a Block of the Month addict.
(Hi Denise)
It started innocently several years ago when I started doing an internet BOM from Beth Ferrier called Moondance. I couldn't wait for the next month's instructions to be posted. I finally finished that quilt last year - about 5 years after I started it.
My second BOM, offered in 2012 by The Quilt Show, is a beautiful medallion quilt called Sedona Star by Sarah Vedeler. I was on track in January, but lost it in February when my finished center medallion was 16.75 inches and it was supposed to by 17.5 inches. I got stuck on how I was going to fix it. So, it's still sitting there, waiting for inspiration on a repair strategy. In my "stuckness" I neglected to download the remained months' instructions. Now, if I want to finish this quilt (which I think I do) I have to buy the pattern for $60.
The KVQG traditionally offers a BOM to it's members. Since I joined, there have been 2 different BOM quilts. I faithfully download and save the pattern every month, intending some day to complete them. This year's patterns are urban critters so I have started collecting corduroy, wool, and other textured fabric that will be great for critters.
Shabby Fabrics had a really cute BOM last year featuring cottages decked out to represent each month. Again, every month I dutifully downloaded and saved the pattern for "someday".
I am actively participating 3 more BOM at the moment. One is a mystery quilt by Linda Hahn made of beautiful blue, green, purple and pink batiks. Month 1 was a breeze - but I had to make 4 blocks. This flew in the face of my ideas that BOM consisted of a single block. But I got it done, so sweat. Month 2 was a different story - I had to make 28 blocks! I'm about half way through, and month 3 has already been released. I can catch up, but I've got to work at it.
The second BOM is the Buck-a-Block at Mea Bernina. This is a series of traditional blocks using Thangles for half square triangles. On track!
Number three is Toes in the Sand by Jay Bird Quilts. This is a series of cute triangle blocks using the Hex N More Ruler. It comes every month in the mail from Fons and Porter. On track (if one month constitutes a track)!
I bet if I looked into my stash, I could probably find a few other old BOM that I stalled out on. I distinctly remember a needle-turn applique batik botanical series. I wonder what else I might find.
Perhaps my next challenge should be to get and stay current on my BOM and then next year to be a little more judicious about taking on new BOM. Or not . . . . .
Curious by the month,
Of course Sarah designed Sedona Star and it uses applique shapes from her Heather Feather #1 Die from Accuquilt GO! But she also developed an embroidery design that either stands on its own or enhances the Sedona Star - its called Sedona Surprise. I have loved doing these on my Bernina 830 and super large hoop. See all the little circles, hearts, eyelets, and outlining satin stitches? Don't they add a lot to the block?
