Craftsy Challenge BOM - February 2012's

Balkan Puzzle Block Pattern - Bias Edges

Chunky Chevron Block Pattern - Straight Edges

 I am participating in Craftsy's BOM Challenge with Amy Gibson as the instructor. February's BOM challenge was working with half square triangles (HST). Amy demonstrated two different methods for making HST.

The first was sewing a 1/4" seam all around two facing squares and cutting the square with 2 diagonal cuts. This method left bias edges. Though this method is quick there is a slight more degree of difficulty dealing with the stretch that comes with a bias edge. I highly starched my fabric before cutting and I still ended with a small bit of stretch but not enough that it can't be worked out. 

The second method is to place two facing square fabric together, drawing a line down the center diagonally and stitching a scant 1/4" seam on each side of the line. For the HST cut on the drawn diagonal line giving two HST. 

The Chunky Chevron block went smoothly but the Balkan Puzzle I had to rip out a couple of times. I had the Balkan Puzzle all sewn together when I noticed that the bottom large triangle was upside down. I don't know how I did that so I had to rip out a row and rip out a portion of the row. 

Your comments are welcome or feel free to share your experience if you made these blocks too. Well off to watch the Super Bowl Game with my hubby!

Wristlet Bag with Kanzashi Flower

Wristlet with Kanzashi Flower

Materials and Supplies

1 fat quarter for the focus fabric

1/2 yd for outside fabric

1/2 yard for lining and trim

1 - 14" zipper

2 3/4" buttons

batting

heavy weight pellon

Clover Kanzashi Flower Maker (2 3/4 - 3" size)

Download Pattern Pieces

Cut from focus fabric

  2 of pattern A (outside pocket and bottom half of back)

1- 3" x 10" strip for strap

1- 1" x 4" strip for button loop

5- 2 3/4" squares for Kanzashi Flower

2 - 2" x 2 1/2" for zipper stops

Cut from companion fabric

1 of pattern B (front)

1 of pattern C (top half of back

2 - 3 1/2" x 7 1/2 " strip for inside pocket

Cut from lining fabric

2 of  pattern B

2" x 11" strip for trim

5- 2 3/4" squares for Kanzashi Flower

Cut from batting

2 of pattern B

Cut from heavy pellon

1 of pattern C

Putting the Wristlet Together:

Back of Wristlet:

Sew Pattern A (focus fabric) right sides together with Pattern C (companion fabric).

Press the seam and topstitch. Match the batting with back and machine quilt using your favorite quilting motif.  I used a one inch diamond grid.

Front of Wristlet:

Match the batting to front (B - companion fabric) with batting and quilt in the same design used on the back.

Adding Front Pocket:

Match the heavy weight pellon with piece B (focus fabric). Press the 2" x 11" strip of lining doubling the strip. With right sides together using 1/4' width seam sew the binding to the top edge. Press to the underside. I use a little glue to hold in place. Sew the binding down. Baste the pocket in place.

Inside Pocket:

With right sides together sew the 2 - 3 1/2" x 7 1/2 " strip for inside pocket leaving enough to turn the pocket. Turn the pocket, press and top stitch all 4 sides. Center the pocket on one of the lining pieces and stitch the sides and down the center.

Zipper:

Press the 2" x 2 1/2" strips first in half and folding the edges to the center. The zipper should be trimmed to 1/2" less on each end of the width of the wristlet front. Trim the end of the zipper leaving the metal stop. Sew one of the strips centering the zipper and stitch across the strip and the zipper. Repeat for the beginning end of the zipper.

Sandwich the front piece with the lining right sides together with the zipper sandwiched in between faced down on the front piece. Stitch along the edge of  the zipper using a zipper foot. Repeat the above to attach the back and back lining to the zipper. I placed the lining with the pocket on the backside.  Trim the extending fabric stops to match the seam width.

Wristlet Handle

Press the  1- 3" x 10" strip for the strap in half lengthwise. Press the edges to the center. Stitch along each side lengthwise. Pin to the front of the wristlet matching the edges with the seam edges. (The strap will facing inward)

 Sew the wristlet front & back and lining.

Make sure the zipper is open! With the right sides together lining with lining and pouch to pouch seam around leaving an opening large enough on the bottom edge of the lining to turn the wristlet to the outside. I used a 5/8" seam for the lining and 1/2" for the wristlet. Trim the curved edges and any bulk around the zipper area. Turn right side out. Pull the lining out so you press the bottom seam and then machine stitch close. 

Finishing Touches:

1- 1" x 4" strip for button loop - press in half lengthwise and press the edges toward the center. Stitch along the open edge. Sew the loop with the ends side by side and the loop part is facing the top of the wristlet. Sew a square and "X" to fasten the loop well. Sew the button on.

Make the Kanzashi Flower following the directions. It is very easy! Finish the flower with a button in the center.

Love is faithful - I will bethroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the Lord. - Hosea 2:20

Free Motion Quilting Challenge February 2012 - Tah Dah Feathered Plumes

I want to thank Darlene (SewCaGal) for managing the Free Motion Quilting Challenge 2012. Having personally manage many group efforts - swaps, challenges and group quilts I know first hand the amount of time involvement there is when managing them, especially with the on-going communication that occurs. What I have done does not begin to compare since I have not managed one where there are 2,000 participants as there are in the FMQ Challenge 2012! That is amazing!

Tah Dah! My Feathered Plumes after much and exhausting practice. It was an all day affair! In yesterday's post I wrote about having to slow down my brain! Click on brain to learn how I went about doing that whatever is left of it after practicing all day! If you have seen the picture of the quilter's brain floating around facebook you should know I was too tired to even have it processing correctly. My hubby asked me what I did while he was working and I showed him the above and said it took me all day to learn how to do this thinking he couldn't possibly understand, but he did and even encouraged me. Whew!

Though I had implemented many ideas that Diane Gaudynski gave plus my own, my plumes just were not looking like plumes, not in my drawings and not in my practice sandwiches. Oh! Diane thank you so much for your wonderful tutorial! It was fabulous. I even wrote many of your tips down in my FMQ Sketch Book. Yes - I know I am rabbit trailing. Back to the misshapen plumes. Finally, I drew with pencil lightly the shape of a finished plume and then began to pencil in my feathers to fit the guidelines. I learned sometime during the practice affair that I needed to see lines so I had something to focus on while stitching. And. . . . because I was getting tired. . . when stitching the plumes I rested a few seconds after each feather to refocus on the direction I needed to go.

My Practices

My FMQ Sketch Book

Quilt as You Go - January's Meets February's

My reworked FMQ Challenge 2012 Quilt as you Go

After posting the picture above I noticed that my feathered plumes piece was not straight. During the do over I decided the blue/aqua was too dominant. I centered the folding star and added another layer of triangles with decorative stitching and chose the batik red/orange for a border.

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