Monday, February 28, 2011

Flying geese, quilting and quilt along.

I have tried many different techniques to make Flying Geese or the other unit (like when making the Poinsettia block) and have not been happy with any of them. Gradually I found out my own way to make the Geese and although I try new techniques when I come up on them I always go back to my way, that can be described as cut before sewing. I like using my 6" ruler with the yellow line from corner to corner best.


But sometimes it gets lost in the clutter in my sewing room and then I use my triangle ruler. Those are the Poinsettia units, as you can see, not the Flying Geese. I can't find the pics. I have, where I took photo of every step. This is the last step, a white square placed on top of the unit and then cut in the right direction, If you cut in the other direction you end up with a FG.


I have finished quilting the birthday quilt for hubby, just straight lines, but I like it.


Here is the back, I've been waiting for my Janome's to come home from the service they had so I could sew the binding on. Well the machines are home, but I've been busy doing some happy sewing instead of the obligation ones. (And believe me, binding feels like a obligation). That quilt is over a year late so it doesn't matter if it waits a little longer. Lol.


This is what most of my time has been spent on, the Thread Head Quilt Along. It began last October, but I only learned of it recently and started on it last Friday. I've made seven of the eighteen blocks that will be in the quilt and five of the alternate blocks. I'm only making one of each block instead of two as most others are making. If all goes as planned I'll have made the blocks by the end of the week. The eighteenth block was posted last week so I'm not that far behind. I'm using solid white as a background in all the blocks.

I scanned the blocks and as they are 9 1/2" they didn't quite fit in the scanner so there are corners missing on two sides. And the colors are not quite true, but I'll post a photo (taken outside) when the top is done and then the colors should be more true.

Block # 7.


Hm... Block # 6 seems to be lost in space somewhere.

Blocks # 5.


Block # 4.


Block # 3.


Block # 2.


Block # 1.


Alternate block.


It has been great fun making thees blocks, but the reason for the Flying Geese talk in the beginning is because of the new (to me) technique that Joanne of Thread Tales uses. And I'm simply not good at it so I ended up "doing it my way".

I've also made lots of tops in January and February for kids, that will be given to charity when they are done. I'm using them as a practice pieces for my free motion quilting so there is a bit of selfishness in there somewhere. Lol. Will post photos later.

Sunna.