Sewdreamy wrote:
Thank you, Betty Jo.
IT is hard to keep up when it is a BOW not a BOM isn't it? Sometimes these things come along at just the right time which is what has happened to me so I have been able to keep up. Look forward to seeing what you come up with when you get the time.
Marianne

kathyst2 wrote:
Hi Kathy, where do you watch shows with Eleanor Burns? I have watched the 2 shows here on TQS but they don't really talk much about pressing. In the Classroom with Alex Anderson, Piecing 101, she does mention that she should have thought out how to press but then goes on to talk about something else. I followed the hand-out for Laura's class where she says to press the final seams towards the centre squares which makes sense when it is just a single block but not if it is sewn to another star block. I haven't even dared to think how to quilt this :shock: Do you hand quilt?
I'm in awe of anybody doing the big BOM quilts here. Sue Garman is just amazing. I never realised it was possible to download the instructions for her quilts before it was too late.
I will look at my library's online catalogue to see if they have any of Eleanor Burns' books. Thanks for the tip!
So much to learn
Marianne

Marianne, i do a lot of piecing and have run into difficulty because I haven't planned out the direction of piecing beforehand. My last two big quilts were the 2009 and 2011 BOM with Sue Garman's directions, where she talked about pressing, so those worked out well. The problem comes mostly from angled seams adding bulk.

One of the reasons I like Eleanor Burns' books, is that she plans the pressing so that things nest together. Watching her shows for years has taught me that I would do better if I planned too!

I did a "T" block quilt once with so many triangles and it was lumpy at the seamlines. It was hard to quilt. Fortunately, the giftee doesn't know anything about quilts and was thrilled to receive it!

Kathy

I don't know, because I'm not a seasoned piecer, but I love your blocks. I'm getting behind...have gotten so busy with other things. I'll try to get caught up this coming week.

I have made some more star blocks and played with different methods of making the Flying Geese unit. I have also tried different ways of pressing the seams in the FG block. I found I like to press the seams open.

I have now started thinking further ahead and actually suddenly realised that I should really know before I press the final seams in the blocks how I am going to put all of them together. I know this sampler is done with sashing strips but if I want to put the blocks together instead then I should really have a plan before I press. Of course I can always snip a seam allowance here and there to open or turn it to the other side but that is doubling the work. So what do you seasoned piecers do? Do you leave off pressing the final seams or do you have it all planned out before you even cut the fabric : : :

Marianne

Thank you everybody! You are all so encouraging. I will go and cut more pieces for star blocks I have made up a stronger starch so the corners can behave like the rest; I think I got the recipe wrong for the second batch of starch I made and used on the darker fabric in the blocks.
Terrie, fingers crossed that the background fabric will "stretch" and suffice. I am using a fat quarter selection from years ago and adding some random solids left over from blouses and nighties I made a couple of years ago.
Marianne

Marianne - your blocks look fine to me. I even like the way you put the corner squares in, makes a whole new block!

I will try the little paper thing you suggested. I shall begin my star blocks today. Just have to go through my stash, as I hadn't pre-chosen the colours, just decided to use the stash. (although I bought other fabric, just in case) And, I keep rearranging the position of the blocks on the design wall. I hope I don't run out of background!

Marianne, your blocks look great to me. Like Nancy says, once they're sewn into the quilt they will be fine.

Ditto...ditto !! Everyone's blocks look great !! Can't wait to see the finished products ! Limbania...thanks for the reminder
about Quiltville and leaders and enders ! I think I'll start an new habit !!

Hi Marianne - I love your fabrics and how you are doing the colors! Both blocks look really good. In fact, the second one looks perfect. And the little bobble that I see in the first block will just be hidden in the seam allowance when the blocks are put together, so it doesn't matter. Good job!!

Nancy

Marianne, you have taken the learning experience to a new level with all your experimentation with each block and I think that is the real value in doing this class. I applaud what you are doing, and by the way, I'm attracted to the colors of this block as well as the non-traditional shape you've given it. What you're doing and how you are documenting the experiences is inspiring!

Marilyn and Rita, thank you for your input and encouragement. Annis' photos were very helpful. In the cool light of a very grey morning and a really close look at the morning I can see that it is indeed the corners that make my star blocks wonky.

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I am actually pretty pleased with the Geese units which I made larger and cut down to size. Maybe I need to use stronger starch on the fabric that goes into the corner.
I know the blocks don't look like star blocks but I wanted a block that would blend more than stand out. I haven't done a design as such but have an idea in my head; time will tell if I can pull that off. It is funny, I have never liked sampler quilts – I made 2 in a class in the mid-80ties, one by hand and the other by machine, which put me off patchwork for a long time and I thought I would never do another! A couple of years ago I did some BOM and I was very, very careful of how I made them so they looked very co-ordinated. When I saw this class I really, really liked how the quilt looked and now I'm off on a tangent. You never know what happens once you start playing, do you?
Marianne

Limbania and Rita--your blocks are great! Love the fabrics and look forward to seeing how they will combine with the rest of your choices.

Great looking blocks Rita!