COLOR MY WORLD--MONTH 9-- TALL BUILDINGS # 4

We've come to the last of the Tall Buildings--# 4 is here and it is the tallest. 

These 8 Tall Buildings # 4 will go on either side of the 4 Skyscrapers, Left on the left, Right on the right.

These are big and there is lots of sewing. The seam allowance that joins the lower portion of each Tall Building is very important, so the Shadow fits properly.

My friend Pam is doing a great job sewing each month ahead so I have pieces for my demos. Here they are finished: 

Here is the Right Side, ready to be sewn together. There are 6 small sections that need to be joined so the Shadow can be sewn on the right side. If those 5 seam allowances are off a few threads EACH seam, the shadow will be too short or too long:

I know the question that is sure to come--What SIZE is this supposed to be? Measuring the paper patterns, they are about 17.75" Finished--that is when sewn into the quilt. With seam allowances, they are about 18.25" on the LONG side when UNfinished.  The top angle is steep so the seam allowance to the very top  will be longer than the usual .5" 

The numbers are "about" because these are  hand-drawn patterns and there is a little variation. There is also variation due to each person's seam allowance, skill with precise paper piecing, even the thickness of the thread used. As long as they are close to that measurement, things will be fine.

I say each month--I never once tried to measure these units when making the quilt last summer. I had  accurate paper patterns, sewed accurately, and used 60 wt. and 80 wt. thread. It all fit together just fine.

TIPS FOR SEWING THE TALL BUILDINGS TOGETHER:

If you haven't started to join the Tall Buildings together yet, now that all 32 are done, it's time. On the Left side sew TB #1, #2, #3, and #4 from left to right.  On the Right side sew TB #4, #3, #2, and #1 from Left to Right.

IMPORTANT SEWING TIP: Be Sure to backstitch at both ends of the seams joining the Tall Buildings. They will ultimately be part of the outer ring that will be a complete circle. The Upper Road center circle will be joined to this outer ring. There is much  handling and pinning and time under the needle to make that final circular seam. Having secure seams at both ends will help A LOT. 

It is important to align the seam correctly. Because the outside edge is an angle, the top of TB #3 will stick out from the top of TB #4. 

You want the seam to be exactly 1/4" wide. If the two buildings aren't aligned correctly, you won't have an even edge across the top, where the border fabric will ultimately be sewn. This is how the outside seam should look: 

I pressed the seams open here. I think on mine I pressed the seams toward the Shadow--it's slightly easier to press and creates a real "ditch". As I knew I was quilting mine and would have lots of "stitch in the ditch" quilting, that was part of my thought process. Do whichever you prefer: 

Left Side, Back 

Left side, Front

You will know you are doing it correctly as you see the outer edge forming a straight line. This is the outer edge, where you will join a border during the quilt assembly--that comes in Month 12. 

It is fun to see the progress many of you are making. Please post your photos on the Forum, under the Topic Tall Buildings -- Show Your Progress Here  If you have trouble uploading photos, there is information to walk you through the process: Uploading Photos Step by Step

In Month 10 we will make the 4 Little Houses in the City--they sit at North, East, South and West.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

COLOR MY WORLD--MONTH 8--TALL BUILDINGS #3

 We are getting through these Tall Buildings quickly. This month they are getting bigger, as we work our way toward the Skyscrapers in the four corners:

Note the differences--the Left side has 6 windows and 2 tall, skinny doors. The Right side has 8 windows and 1 squatty door. As usual, I recommend you make each set of four separately. First, do the left, then do the right--or vice  versa. Just don't get all of them cut and mix them up.

Here are my friend Pam's in progress so I have something to show you:

The Tall Building #3 LS is complete. Notice that shadow is not dark, it's light. Use whatever fabrics you like as you construct your Tall Buildings.

The Right side in in progress--she will sew the bottom part of the Tall Building to the top part of the Tall Building,  then add the shadow on the Right side. Then all she needs to do is add the top part and this Tall Building #3 RS is done. 

I am often asked for the measurements of these Tall Buildings. It is simple to figure out. Start with an accurately printed pattern, meaning the 1" scale box is exactly 1". Use an accurate ruler and simply add up the FINISHED size of each section. Add .5" for seam allowance, top and bottom and you will know what size each Tall Building should be. If  you are measuring the SHORT side, the side the shadow is on, all you need to measure is the Shadow and the short side of the top part. 

Tall Building #3 LS and RS should be "about" 14.375" including seam allowances on the LONG side. The bottom edge, not accounting for the slight curve there, is 4.25" wide, including seam allowances. If yours is within 1/8" of these measurements, you'll be fine.

I will show this measuring process on the LIVE broadcast which will air Wednesday August 4, noon Central time. All LIVES remain available after they have aired. 

After these 8 Tall Buildings, we only have 8 more to go--Tall Building #4 LS and RS--coming up in September.  

Let's quilt.

Barbara

COLOR MY WORLD--MONTH 6--TALL BUILDING #1

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This month we make Tall Building #1, Left Side and Right Side, four of each. While the Left and Right sides are similar, they are NOT the SAME. I recommend you make four of one side before starting the four of the other side, so as not to become confused, since the patterns are so similar:

This is Tall Building #1 LEFT side--the shadow is on the LEFT. When joined to Tall Buildings 2, 3, and 4, LEFT sides, they will be sewn to the LEFT side of a corner Skyscraper: 

The LEFT side is done, the RIGHT side is pieced and is ready to be assembled into Tall Building #1, RIGHT side:

These Tall Buildings are the work of my good friend, Pam, who agreed to work just a little ahead so I have units for our demos and video and I don't have to make extra houses that I will never use again. 

Pam followed my advice from early on in preparing her patterns. Each pattern section is marked so she knows  this is TB #1 RS and which section it is, #1, 2, 3, 4, or the top sections. She also indicated which is the door, window, roof, shadow, and building parts: 

When cutting out the small parts of Background that go on the upper sections of TB #1, you may find you have those small bits in your bag of background pieces leftover from making the Small Houses. They are cut pretty small and I had plenty in my leftovers that I did not have to cut into a large strip of background for those: 

Once the various units are made and trimmed to the proper size of the paper, you simply remove the paper pattern gently, and join each section to the next, being very careful to use an accurate 1/4" seam allowance.

When the lower four sections are sewn together, add the Shadow, that has been carefully cut out with the template for the Shadow. It should be a perfect fit. If it's not, you most likely have a seam allowance problem, either too big or too little. Double check so the shadow fits the lower four sections correctly.

Press firmly as you join the sections and the shadow, a dry iron will prevent stretching as you press. 

I am often asked "What size is this supposed to be?" It is not easy to give you the answer so I am going to show you how to figure it out. These photos show the pattern for TB #1 LS. With an accurate ruler, measure the length of the outside seam on  the top section. Measure the short side,  the side the shadow will go. DO NOT include the seam allowances, just the finished seam. This measures 2 3/8". 

Now measure the outside edge of the TB #1 LS Shadow, not including the seam allowances. This measures 6.5" 

Adding those two measurements, the seam will be 8 7/8" finished. Add the additional 1/2" for the two 1/4" seam allowances and you see that the unfinished edge of TB #1 LS,  should be 9 3/8". INCLUDING the seam allowances:

If you were to measure the longer side, without the Shadow, you would have to add up all the Finished sizes of the four lower parts. It is just easier to measure the Shadow and top section. NOTE: TB #1 RS has TWO sections for the top, each measures 1 5/8" and the Shadow is 6.25", still giving you 8 7/8" + .5" = 9 3/8".

I did NONE of this measuring while making my quilt last Summer. I checked the 1" scale box on the patterns for accuracy and trusted everything would fit together and it did.

Now would be a good time if you like to Stay-Stitch the top and bottom edges on each completed building. This means using a slightly longer stitch within the seam allowance. This helps prevent stretching when handling the buildings as they are sewn together and keeps the lower seams from popping open. If you prefer, you can Stay-Stitch once all the Tall Buildings are joined together, after Month 9. 

I kept my TB #1 LS together in a page protector and put the TB #1 RS in a separate page protector to keep them apart. We won't use them again until after Month 9. 

Next month we move on to the TB #2 LS and RS. 

Let's quilt. 

Barbara