I finally sewed one of the flowers.
It is amazing how different it looks from the pre-trimmed and sewed piece.
Sewing this together really moved me along in the process. I felt able to work on the colors for Flower #1 again.
Flower 2 Finished
Tag: Specialty Ruler
Use when discussing any kind of specialty ruler including Pineapple rulers, Cutting Corners ruler, Folded Corners Ruler and many others.
Progress on the Country Revival / Sad Quilt
The piecing on this quilt takes a lot of time. I think it is because of the curves. That doesn’t mean it is difficult, just time consuming.
In the photo, the top left unit is pieced and trimmed. I wasn’t happy with the trimming. I ended up buying the SKOW recommended ruler, Sew Square 6**, though, despite my love for specialty rulers, I am fundamentally opposed to specialty square rulers. I would much rather the ruler I already have, the Quick Curve Ruler**, be marked well enough so I could trim with it. It isn’t impossible, but I found it to be very difficult. I haven’t decided if I need to make that upper left unit again. I don’t know if I trimmed too close to the green curved shape.
Except for the bottom row, the rest of the units have been sewn, but not trimmed. You can see how weird looking they are before they are trimmed. I bought the Sew Square 6** which I plan to use to trim the other units.
I didn’t buy the whole set; I just bought this one to see if I thought it was better than just using the Quick Curve Ruler.
Flower 1 is still unsewn. I am not 100% happy with the color selection. I bought a few solids, which I am hoping will help fix whatever the problem is.
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.
Flower Motif #2
This is the second of the blocks for the Country Revival/The Sad Quilt. I was able to lay it out much easier than the first block.
I added some solids I had in my pile of Tula fabrics and I think they look really good.
I am really in love with how this looks. I can’t wait to see how it looks sewn together.
I have started block 3, but I have only 4 pieces on the design wall, so not really much to show.
Motif Metamorphosis
I had the Flower motif from the Country Revival pattern** on my design wall for a long time without sewing it together. It wasn’t quite right and looking at it was the only way to figure out how to improve it. I knew I couldn’t use white in the place I had put it originally-leaf area around the outside. I wanted to use white as a background and the white as shown would be lost and change the shape of the flower motif completely. I also didn’t know what to do.
I often find that if I just do something, then I can get started improving a piece.
The first thing I did was decide the white ‘petals’ needed to be replaced with green and become leaves. It was a good start.
I liked the addition of the green, but decided I needed more and different greens. In this photo there are two different Tilda fabrics. One reason is that I used some of the green on the tips of the flowers for a pillowcase for my friend. I didn’t have much left, but I wanted to include some so it would kind of match the pillowcase. I had just enough to make four leaves.
I wasn’t 100% happy with the look and feel. I really wanted an emerald green solid. I didn’t have that so I tried some dots. They were close to an emerald green and looks like a great addition to the overall look.
I still felt like there was nowhere for the eye to rest, so I moved some of the tall, skinny pieces with the slightly curved tops around. Better, but not perfect.
I added in some of the Dovetail by Ghazal Razavi background I bought at Bay Quilts with Julie a few weeks ago. It is a bright white, which I like and the many colors go well. I know it is hard to see in the photo. You can enlarge the photo to see it better.
I can’t get away from symmetry, so I cut more pieces and changed the fabrics around so there was more symmetry, e.g. the piece looked more symmetrical.
I know the changes are slight and hard to see. I changed the corner fabrics and moved some of the other greens around.
My eye was honing in on the pink dots. I wasn’t liking them, but I wasn’t sure what to do. I didn’t want to add more of the pink solid as I thought it would overwhelm the piece in general. For the moment, this is the final version of block 1. I may make some more changes, but I decided to work on a second block and give myself a rest from the pink.
I love that pink and blue Tilda fabric and it is now much less prominent. I’ll have to use it in another block.
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.
Triumphant Again
The way this piecing is going is I cut a lot wrong, then I figure it out, cut it right and piece cool units together. This is the case with Blocks 4 & 5.
However, I like this quilt, am pleased with the fabrics I chose and am learning a lot.
Except for a couple of background strips, these blocks are done and I have the patterns for blocks 6 & 7. I plan to work on this weekend.
Not So Triumphant
After out Triumphant week off, I am back to cutting out pieces. Well, I am back to trying to cut out the pieces. There are very few this week as we are on the borders, but I am struggling with those #@%^ HRT Bs again.
I watched the video, which is very clear, and cut several pieces wrong. I am now watching the video again,but stopping it, doing the step and then watching more. I just can’t seem to wrap my head around this ruler. I am glad she came up with the mystery quilt as it is a good way to try out the tools.
Now I have the Color 3 (turquoise) pieces cut and am about to add some Color 6 (red-violet) pieces. Fingers crossed I can trim these to the correct size.
Truimphant Block 3 Finished
I cut like a demon at Sew Day, so the pieces were ready to go when I was. Having the pieces cut, having fewer pieces and being more familiar with the process meant I was able to finish Triumphant block 3 in record time.
I am all caught up and have a break for a week until the border instructions are posted.
Yes. This top is in sight of being done. Hooray!
There are some pieces I would have cut differently, though I am sure Latifah had her reasons. I prefer large pieces for the background – as large as possible. I’ll have Colleen quilt over the intersections of the background, however, and I am sure by the time I get it back I won’t care. LOL!
These are large blocks: 20 inches finished. Right now this is a large Nine Patch that is 60 inches wide.
I find the shapes that I can make with the HuRTy rulers are really different from other shapes. I looked at Latifah’s other patterns and didn’t see anything appealing. I hope she has a “Design with HuRTy rulers” course.
Truimphant Block 2: Done
I finished the rest of the block 2 blocks. my design wall is full of Sidewalk, so I used the design floor (LOL!) to lay it out.
What stands out to me is that turquoise border around block 1 (center). It doesn’t stand out to me in a bad way. It definitely highlights the center block.
I kind of wish I had used the purple from the center for the purple tips of block 2, but c’est la vie. I am not ripping out more seams.
Working on Triumphant Block 2
I am trying to keep up with the Triumphant Mystery quilt. I don’t want that lingering. Since the cutting is the hardest part, I spend as much time as I can on that when I have time.
I cut all the pieces for block 2, but started out just sewing one (of four) together. It has a really different look than ‘regular’ blocks.
Now to make the other three.
Triumphant Block 1: Done
After cutting a lot of pieceswrong and having to re-cut I finally finished block 1. What I figured out is that I am struggling to cut the HRT B pieces.
For the next block, I will label much better. I had a hard time figuring out which ruler to use for trimming.
I am pleased with the fabrics I chose.
SueS Talks HRTs
The last meeting was a bonanza of quilts. There was a lot of show and tell plus 3, yes THREE, mini-trunk shows. It was so interesting to see the different styles and designs of the members.
One of the quilts at show and tell was SueS’ HRT quilt. I didn’t even know she was working on an HRT quilt. I am on high alert for HRTs since I am working on the Triumphant quilt with the HuRTy rulers**.
SueS sent me the text I used for this post. I have edited it and tried not to change the meaning.
For this quilt she wanted to see how a single block could be used to create a sense of movement. Sue said that the half rectangle block reminded her of a bird in the distant sky, so she tried to create the idea of a flock of birds.
When I first saw this quilt, I was intrigued by the way it looked like the quilt was sideways. Knowing that she was working to create the sense of a flock of birds make the orientation make more sense.
Sue found that of all the techniques she has used for making HRTs, Latifah Saafir’s HuRTy ruler is her favorite. She used the HuRTy 1**, which is for making 1:2 and 1:6 ratio triangles. The 1:2 triangles range from 1 x 2 to 6 x 12 inches while the 1:6 triangles are 1 x 6, 1.5 x 9, and 2 x 12 inches. All of these sizes, shapes and angles can be made using 1 ruler.
Sue found the instructions to be clear. She also found the ruler to be well marked for right (HRT A) and left facing (HRT B) blocks of each size. She found the markings limited the mistakes that are really easy to make when cutting HRTs.
The HuRTy 1** has a QR code printed on it which links to YouTube tutorials. The tutorials provide help for using the ruler. Sue found the videos to be very helpful for getting started, along with general tips for making HRTs. One tip is to press the seams open. You know me! I prefer to press the way the quilt needs. I have also found that HRTs work well when seams are pressed open. The bulk ads up quickly, and pressing seams open helps reduce the bulk.
Other Resources and Previous Posts
- Deb Tucker tutorial on using the Split Rects ruler
- Bias Rectangles Resources
- Latifah Saafir Studios
- More Bias Rectangle Resources
- Tutorial on using the Split Recs Ruler
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.
Started Triumphant
I started Latifah Saafir’s Triumphant Mystery quilt. It is a lot of cutting and I have to re-learn how to use the HuRTy ruler. Well, there are three of them in use for this quilt, so HuRTys!
I cut a bunch of pieces wrong, because of my misunderstanding of the instructions. Fortunately, I have enough fabric to make a few mistakes. I am struggling to get the flip of the ruler(s) from A pieces to B pieces correct. I am trying to be more careful as I don’t have infinite fabric.
More Orange Peel Circles
The Orange Peel circles are back!
Why? I don’t know. I have had a desire to make a few more recently. I bought a fat quarter of fabric specifically for this project and decided that this week was the week to make them. I was able to cut four circles out of a fat quarter and will have a few scraps left to make some donation blocks.
I also used some of the fabric I bought after Sara’s February or March live show. It’s been sitting out taunting me and this was a good way to test the waters.
I started out with the 8 inch Clammy**. I will also work on some with the 6 inch Clammy** next. I am just playing now. I don’t yet have a design or know what my background fabric will be. I have been thinking about it and will probably select a solid. Stay tuned.
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.
Sue’s Flying Geese
Sue said she made this while we were having our Sew Day. Sue was away for some of the Fall, but she misses us (and we miss her) when she is away. At least I do. 😉
Some weeks ago, Gerre demoed the Quilt in a Day Flying Geese ruler. Sue had that ruler and a random FQ bundle she had on vacation, she went to work.
I don’t know how many of the rulers she had along, but using one can make more than one size.
Sue said she thought the ruler was good. She made FGs in sizes that didn’t match up easily, so she had to add pieces. She wasn’t sure she liked the colors, but found it to be a fun challenge.
Sue said that the piece ended up about 30×27.
I like the different sizes of the Flying Geese. I think that adds interest to a piece. The colors have an old fashioned sort of look – not 1930s, but maybe 40s? There is a flat, e.g. not shiny or textured, look to them, but the pink is definitely bubblegum.
The other thing I like is that she just went and played.
Go play! There is always more fabric.
More on the Sad Quilt
After my recent post, I thought more about this quilt and decided that the Jacob’s Ladder pattern wasn’t going to work at all. I tried different ideas, different colors, but it just isn’t the right idea for my friend.
First, I really shouldn’t call it the Sad Quilt. Not a great start. I can’t help how sad I am, though.
Second, as an interim solution, I sent off Frolic! to her. I am glad I have some quilts around I can just send off to people in need.
I love this quilt and had a good time making it, so there is a lot of good karma/energy associated with it. My friend lives in Hawaii, so it wasn’t cheap to send. It was totally worth it since I can’t be there to hug her in person.
In the meantime I am still working on a design made specifically in memory of my friend’s daughter. I am thinking that I will repurpose the Tilde fabrics I bought on vacation into this quilt.
A pattern occurred to me that I bought awhile ago, but haven’t yet tried, Country Revival. I don’t know why it is called Country Revival, because it doesn’t look ‘country’ at all to me.
The QCR (etc) patterns I have made, Metro Twist and Metroscape, have come out well, so I think the end result would be successful. At least is has a chance of being successful.
Obviously the Tilde fabrics would give it a different look than the quilt on the cover. I think I need to find a common fabric I could use in the center to bring the whole quilt together. I think pink would work, even different pinks. I also have that weird blue, which might work.
Also, the example quilt is small. I would want to make it larger, maybe 9 blocks. Still work to do to bring it together, but I feel I am on the right track now.