Monday, March 14, 2011

More on The Brown Bag................

Back in the mountains for Spring Break with the two older G.sons.

They and their Grandfather are off skiing most days so I am sewing on the Brown Bag quilt blocks.
I thought to add a few hints about paper piecing and curved piecing as I go, so today I took quite a few pics as I sewed to illustrate my progress.
Both PP and curved piecing can look and sound rather intimidating but once you do one or two you get the feel of it and sail along quite nicely, ask Lauren!
Somehow I managed to leave behind in Phx. the power cord for my MacBook, so I am using DH's Toshiba laptop and I would much prefer my Mac but beggars can't be choosers, my Mum would have said! It's a bit of a struggle manipulating pics etc on the PC, not nearly as user friendly as the Mac so the pic quality is not perhaps as good as usual and I haven't found out how to rotate them in the program I am using

Once the PP part is completed it's important to trim the block exactly on the cutting line before removing the paper pieces [removing the paper is a tedious bit of work but necessary!]
Back of work with all papers torn away! Don't fuss about the tiny bits of paper left behind, they will never be a problem and it is really ok to leave them- IMHO!

Next step is to attach the curved pieces to complete the block, really not difficult, just takes courage and a little practice.
I mark both parts along the curves in three places, middle, and halfway between center and outer edges, I just creased this piece.....................

but on this busy fabric I needed to place pins to mark the divisions.
Match up the pieces in those spots and when you first try this place lots of pins around the curve, the tighter the curve the more pins you may want. Having sewn many curves I don't pin quite as much................. but I do place the pins strategically to ensure that my seams will lay flat because they will be hidden from view underneath my block .........

because we always sew curves with the concave piece on the top.
Here is a completed piece, neatly joined without tucks.
And my twenty completed blocks................

Now will someone please tell me what I am to do with this marvellous concotion of unrelated colors?! Some how this conglomeration of blocks need to become a quilt, probably for a child because it's not very large.

I have only bits and pieces left of the four challenge fabrics and only enough of these two that came from stash to do anything else with.

So what now, just join up the blocks in a random way and bind them? I doubt I have enough fabric left to make another four blocks but perhaps I will try..............
Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggghhhh.
HELP

5 comments:

Khris said...

Well aren't you a clever girl....interesting concoction....enjoy your time away..hugs Khris

farmlady said...

Amazing!! And you want OUR advise as to how to put it together??
This was a lot of work. I wouldn't make four more squares unless it makes a huge difference in the size of the whole quilt.
As for color.... I would spread out the squares more and make sure that the large flower pieces are distributed as evenly as possible. Maybe... separate each square with a new coordinating fabric.(This would probably be more work that adding squares) Maybe... one of the same colored squares on each corner.
Also, the blue "TEETH" stand out a lot so they need to be separated and distributed too. Don't want to scare any little grandchild that might sleep in it.

Gari in AL said...

What great blocks. I like to paper piece but don't do it very often cuz it takes so much time. But seeing your blocks makes me think maybe I need to get back into it.

Coloradolady said...

I like this. I have no idea on telling you what to do, but like the other lady said, the blue jumps out at me, so I'd break it up. I like this quilt, very cheery.

Carol said...

I know what you should do! You should give it to me! I'm not shy!
Are you going to be at Quilt Camp w/ the SanJuaners the end of April? Hope to see you!