It’s almost time! For anyone considering the 2009 BOM, I want to tell you that this is definitely not a quickie quilt. It takes time, and effort to make it all fit together, especially if you are not used to precision piecing, but what a trophy at the end! Sue’s directions are amazing, and I will do tutorials again, so you will have plenty of help.
With that said, I have one word for you: measure; Measure; MEASURE.
After completing one, I can tell you that it would have been easier if I had started with more precise piecing habits from the start. Yes, I can sew a ¼” seam allowance, and I just went with it, but the entire process was somewhat frustrating because I always needed to do some tweaking. All of my “floater strips” had to be adjusted, and Sue’s directions really make that quite easy and do-able, but for this next quilt, I want it to just fit together like a snug puzzle. With that in mind, I’m actually doing TWO tutorials this year. Yeah…I’m sick!
I will post the tutorial that I created as I made the quilt that has already been posted on my profile, and I will post another tutorial for the one I’m making now, using the alternative (easier) blocks for a quilt that will be Sarah’s graduation quilt. Sue’s directions for this project are even more detailed than the ones for the appliquéd project, but there is always more than one way to build a block, so I’m just giving you some options. For example; for January’s paper-pieced feathered star Sue shows you how to position your fabrics using a light source. I will show you how to use the Add-A-Quarter ruler. Both ways work just fine and you can choose the one that works best for you. For the alternative block, Sue tells you to cut squares into triangles and sew them together for the half-square triangle (HST) units. I show two different ways to create those same units by sewing the bias seams before the squares are cut. All of the ways will work…just read through the directions and try the one that you think will work best for you. (Also, Sue will have a video coming out, but it probably won’t be available later in the month.)
In preparation for this project I strongly suggest that you take a test to see how accurate your ¼” seam allowance is. (There are instructions on my Webshots page titled THIS IS A TEST!) If you can’t get that right, you are going to be frustrated from the get-go!
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/569415726bHNKHF?vhost=good-times
Although we are not making Leymone Star blocks, I also suggest that you go back and review Alex’s Video Classroom from last June to see how she gets perfect points when you are piecing your blocks. That is great information! I realize that everyone has their own level of perfection, and that’s fine, but there is info available there to make your points more precise if you are so inclined.
One last thing. Remember Ricky’s Rhapsody Blog about drawing the skeleton? He stressed that SQUARE means
SQUARE. This quilt is based on a similar principle. When Sue says to make 1-1/2” x 1-1/2” half-square triangles….she means it! “
ABOUT” 1-1/2” x 1-1/2” isn’t close enough, and I will show you how to achieve that!
It’s going to be an exciting journey, and we will all learn a lot in 2009!
