Tonite I tried a technique that I'd not done in a long time. My HSTs were a wee bit wonky, so I decided to try speed piecing to see if it was my cutting or stitching. I really am not fond of this method for several reasons; 1) It seems to take forever to get the lines drawn;
2) I am crouched over my cutting table longer than I wanted to be and
3) my smaller rulers are MIA at this point and time, I know that one is broken, I found it when I was packing up the basement before we moved (GRRR - KIDS).
I really do prefer chain piecing - for me that is the quickest and most accurate way to piece. You rather get into a groove with doing the pieces.
I just happened to be looking around when I spotted my corner marker ruler that I don't use anymore and saw my 11" cutting mat - light bulb went off ... I can sit at the machine and do my lines, stitching and cuts. Well that's what I did and I have discovered that it's not my cutting or sewing, it's my pressing .. I'm dragging the iron over these pieces and it puts them out of whack! Well there's that problem solved :D So in the meantime, I've my HSTs done for 8 of the blue Sister's blocks and only 3 sewn up .. it does take longer - or so it seems ... I'm not sure at this point, because even though I started later, I fully expected to have the 8 blocks put together tonite .. ah well .. there's the 5 to do tomorrow (later today actually :S) and then cut out the other 8 blue sisters blocks. I'm still moving forward - slowly but surely .. I'm sure the the rest of these will make up in no time at all
They are looking good! Isn't it nice to learn that the issue with your piecing is NOT your sewing?;0}
ReplyDeleteAs for your last post, I don't recall seeing too many quilts from the 19th century that DID have large borders - especially not around a time of war. Fabric in large pieces was far too dear! So I'd say a small border to tie things together is just what the Dr ordered.
Thanks for the kind comments about the Star BOM choices. I need to update my post, as I got some advice from Tracy at FiberBabble - I'm thinking the "loose floral" will be the border fabric that is used for the setting triangles. Too much danger of having a star point with mostly nothing but black, otherwise. Now I have to poke through my batik/blenders and come up with a green and maybe another blue to go in the blocks.