One Bad Block Changes the Setting

I'm making a quilt with flying geese blocks.

Originally, I was going to make this pattern, exactly as shown.  But I couldn't figure out how to make their one-seam flying geese, so I decided to paper piece them instead.

That was the first step on my deviation.  I (almost) made thirteen geese blocks, just like in the picture.   I was still OK with the alternating geese and solid blocks, but not too fond of the borders.  So I knew my quilt wouldn't look exactly like this one.

Remember when I said I ALMOST made thirteen blocks?  I made a bad block.  In the two "not" areas, I didn't have enough fabric.  I noticed it on the bottom one first, and thought I could squeak by with a seam allowance of 1/8".  I decided that was a better alternative than ripping out seams, particularly since I didn't notice the problem until after I had the upper white triangle sewn on.

Mistake number two happened when sewing one of the top orange triangles.  You can see that the alignment is way off on the left and the top.  But what you can't see is that it would have left an upper seam allowance of only 1/16".  It was at this point I decided I didn't really need thirteen blocks.  And also, around this time, my percolating subconscious already knew it didn't like the alternating block setting.  So maybe it was subconcious subterfuge.

Now I'm thinking of something like this for the setting.  The inverted V shape looks more like a flock of flying geese.  

You see that peacock fabric peeking out on the left?  It was my focus fabric, but now I don't think I'll be using it on the front.  I might use a variety of white fabrics instead.  If I used the peacocks, the geese wouldn't stand out as much.  

I'm grateful to the peacock fabric because it determined my color palette, which I think is pretty.  I'll probably use it on the back, and have a completely bird-themed and color-coordinated quilt. 

Quicker By the Dozen

Today I started robotic assembly of my flying geese blocks.  I can't really call it chain piecing, because I'm doing paper piecing and the seams don't start and stop at the edge of the paper.   But the concept is the same - faster piecing.

It's working really well.  After several hours, the twelve blocks are half done.

Monday Is Fun Day - Tree Silhouettes

Brass tree from a thrift shop.  Background artwork by Kelli Busch.  Frame from HomeGoods.

Ready to Fly

When I made that first flying geese block yesterday, I was trying to be very careful.  

Usually when I paper piece, I just take a huge chunk of fabric, and wind up with a lot of waste.  In this Alex Anderson book, she has you cut the fabric ahead of time.  That could be useful, but my experience is that when directions have you do that, they are pretty stingy with the dimensions.  I need lots of slop room when I paper piece.

I enlarged the pattern, but didn't take that into account when cutting the fabric.  Don't ask me why.  (Maybe because I did those tasks on different days.)  Anyhow, good thing I only cut enough for one block.  But it worked out fine - instead of cutting squares into four triangles, I cut them into two.  Voila - just the right amount of extra.  Whew!

I'd like the other blocks to go faster, so today I cut out all the fabric.  Instead of making one block at a time, I'll sew the same seam on all twelve blocks, then trim that seam to 1/4" on all twelve, then press all twelve, then sew the next seam.

That ought to make these geese fly.

Four Perfect Geese

I made the right choice in going with a paper-pieced block for flying geese.

Just perfect.

I decided to keep all the geese white and use five different colored fabrics for the background.  One down, twelve to go.

Hybrid Geese

I never did start that lamp mini quilt.  I've been doing lots of outside projects this summer instead of sewing and blogging.  And every time I thought about that lamp pattern, I realized it no longer held my interest. 

But now I feel like sewing again, so what will I work on?

You see that pattern in the lower left?  I picked fabric for it a couple of months ago, so I decided that would be a good project.  You see how it says "sew simple" at the top?  And "triple easy" at the bottom?  

After I (tried to) read the directions, I was reminded of the "hilarious" label that gets slapped on comedy DVDs.  I have yet to watch one described as hilarious that came close to the build up.  So when I see that word on a DVD, I'm not fooled.  And when I see "simple" on a pattern, I feel the same way.

Their way of making one-seam flying geese was too complicated for me.  Plus the block was too big, and I'm mathematically challenged when it comes to resizing blocks.

Segue to Plan B.  You see the nice smiley Alex Anderson book?  She has a perfect (for me) flying geese paper pieced pattern.  I'm going to enlarge it a little bit after I scan it.  Then I'll use the setting from the Sew Simple Patterns, or a variation on it.  Voila - hybrid geese.

This is my focus fabric, which I'll use for the large solid rectangles.

These are the other fabrics.  Right now, I plan on white geese, with the colored fabrics as background.  I suppose I should try one with a white background and colored geese.  Come to think about it, why couldn't I mix it up and use both?  Then I'd really have some hybrid geese.

Next Project - Paper Pieced Lamp

Once upon a time in a magazine, I saw a bookcase decorated with items consisting of a distinct color on each shelf.  I liked it so much that I did something similar in my set of cubbies.  

Each column has items of one color - aqua, pink, orange, and green. And each row has the same type of items - books, mini quilts, accessories, etc. 

A few weeks ago, I stole the pink mini-quilt from one of the cubbies (indexed as Column Pink, Row Mini-Quilt) to put someplace else.  Now I need a replacement. 

After all the trouble my boutique apron gave me, I wanted something simple for my next project, so I'm going to make a quilt out of just one block, that of a paper-pieced lamp. 

These are the fabrics for the lamp.  The columns aren't entirely monochromatic, so I think it'll be OK that I chose a floral that isn't totally pink.

The white fabric is a faint text print.  I thought that was suitable for a lamp theme.

 

This will be the first, but not last, block I'll be making from Penny Layman's The Paper-Pieced Home.