PICK A PETAL -- MONTH 3

 PICK A PETAL is the 2024 Block of the Month quilt designed by Jen Kingwell exclusively for The Quilt Show. It is FREE to Star Members, join today to take advantage of this great bonus. WATCH Jen's Show to see how she makes this quilt--it is FREE for EVERYONE all of 2024: Jen Kingwell Show 3401

Month 3 introduces Block 2, a unique block with curves and petals, ideally made with hand piecing:

Jen's block from the sample quilt, all hand pieced 

I studied this block for a while, trying to find an easy way to machine piece it. I made several: 

1. Completely hand pieced, following the pattern instructions--too slow for me

2. Machine pieced the first 2 curves and center square, hand pieced the petals. I call this the "Hybrid Method" --that works but not real fast

3. Re-designed to eliminate the curves, applique the petals on top--much faster and a good alternative

4. Substitute a completely different block--I declare that a fail, I tried several alternative blocks but none supported the basic, excellent design of the quilt

So, my personal solution is to do some with idea 2 and some with idea 3:

Curves joining green, aqua, and background sewn by machine, center square added by machine, Petals added with hand piecing 

Alternative block, straight lines by machine, petals hand appliqued on top--before trimming to the correct size, 8.5" including seam allowance

If you prefer hand piecing, simply follow the pattern instructions to make 20 Block 2, using a wide variety of prints. Block 2 is more controlled than Block 1, which used a different print for each position. This Block uses only 5 fabrics.

For the "HYBRID METHOD", using both machine and hand piecing, here is what I did: 

As always--I add at least 1/2" extra to the outside edge for "insurance". That outer edge is only 1/4" FINISHED, pretty narrow:

Fabrics selected, templates traced

A gentle curve I found easy to machine piece, sewing Edge to Edge is fine on this seam, Dot to Dot is NOT NECESSARY here 

Jen demoed a clever trick on her Show, using the corresponding template to draw the actual sewing line should you want to have that line. 

To draw the sewing line for joining Template J (the dark print) to the Background, you will need to do it in two steps. First, place the curved template on the wrong side of the Background, placing the curved edge on  the two dots drawn on the background. I used a mechanical pencil.

The outer curve is larger than the sewing line so you need to work from right side to the middle, Step 1: 

Then shift the template to the left side, put the curve on the two dots, left and middle, to complete the curve: 

Middle curve drawn

To add the curves for the petals, simply use the Petal Template to draw those lines. Be sure the template is right up to the dots drawn when the background pieces were cut out:

                                                    

Five pins show you how this will be sewn. I found it easier to use only 3 pins, middle and outer edges. Sew SLOWLY, it's not how fast can you sew it, but how accurately. I use a Stiletto to keep the outside edges aligned as I sew SLOWLY:

Although this photo shows I sewed "dot to dot" when joining the background, that is NOT NECESSARY with this seam, edge to edge is fine. It is faster and does not require backstitching. Dot to Dot sewing is most helpful where multiple seams come together:

One of the great things about the FORUM is all the things you can learn. I don't know everything. Sonia showed how she has made several Jen Kingwell quilts using curves like this. She showed a little different "path" for piecing. Make 4 units with templates I, J, and K, add the center square to two of those, piece the Petals to the other two. Now you have a long, gentle curve to add the left and right sides to the center shape: 

Another tip Jen mentioned in her Show is that she cuts a lot of the pieces from a wide variety of prints before she makes the block. This gives lots of choices for fabric selection. I think most of us just cut for each block, one at a time. Here is my original plan for this block:

When I got to that stage, I didn't love it. My advice: if you don't love it, don't sew it. Find another option. The Lime green shown above was an option, this purple is what I ultimately chose. Now I have a couple extra sets of Petals for future blocks:

Once the block is sewn and pressed beautifully, it has to be "trimmed to perfection", 8.5" including seam allowance. Take your time and carefully line up the diagonal lines, getting the petals exactly at the 1/4" mark. I fiddle with it BEFORE picking up the rotary cutter. A mistake now could be really bad: 

Before trimming, showing how I pressed this block

AN ALTERNATIVE BLOCK:  I mentioned on the FORUM, in December, I was trying to find an alternative block. HelenW showed what she worked out in Electric Quilt, a block that looks similar but uses straight lines instead of curves. She shared her design with me, I printed it from EQ8 and was ready to give it a try. 

I like it for speed and that from a distance, it resembles the original. In my center I used two of them, do they jump out? 

If you like it, give it a try:

Made in 4 sections, it is easy to use the eighths fabric cuts in the Kit. Jen discusses the importance of grain in her Show so I was sure to cut pieces on the Lengthwise grain, along the selvage:

Cut BACKGROUND    1.5"  X  10.5"  (4)  this includes an extra 1/2" for insurance

        OUTER ROW       1.75" X  8.5"   (4)

        INNER ROW        1.75" X  6"      (4) 

        CENTER SQUARE   2.5", use the Template (1)

        PETALS, use the Template (4)   I added the Dots on the FRONT for needle turn hand applique.

Sew the strips staggered, fold in the middle 

IMPORTANT PRESSING TIP: Press two sets in toward the middle strip, press the other two sets away from the middle strip--this allows the seams to "nest" when sewing the diagonal mitered seams: 

Fold in half, carefully aligning seams. Draw a DOT 1" from the FOLD, that is the DOT for the center Square

Use a Half Square Triangle Ruler to accurately cut BEYOND THE DOT. The dashed line on the ruler sits on the dot, the seam allowance is to the right of the dot. Keep the sewn lines straight as you make this all important angle cut

Ready to join the 4 strip sets to the center square

Dot To Dot Sewing with backstitching is important here

All 4 strips sets sewn to the center square

I sewed from the center square out to the edge, backstitching at the center. Press seams open

                                            

I made a Petal Template without seam allowance so I could draw the sewing line for the hand applique. Using a mechanical pencil gives a light, thin line

Auditioning Petal options

Here is this block except for one last petal ready to be appliqued on. I  will do that in the MONTH 3 LIVE, scheduled to air March 1, 2024:

Wow! That is a LOT of information this month. It gets easier next month when we move to the Log Cabin blocks.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

Flowering Snowball Top Done

Happy to say the Flowering Snowball top is now done:

It is 60" x 60", twenty-five 10" blocks, 1" floater borders, 4" diamond borders. 

Now to make the back and get it basted. Back fabric:

I will have lots of fun quilting this one. The diamond borders will be quilted like I did on Garden Party Down Under:

The Flowering Snowball blocks will get lots of curved quilting and some straight quilting. Eager to get started!

I plan to offer this as a one-day local class this Fall.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

 

Flowering Snowball

A few months ago I saw a Flowering Snowball quilt on Instagram and liked it. 

The pattern has been around for some time. It is #3081 in Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns. She found it published in Aunt Kate  7/1965. It was probably known well before that date.

Doing a bit more sleuthing, on Pinterest, I discovered this block had been a sew-along back in 2014--I usually am really late to these things. Here is the simple block--only two shapes and a small center square:

At my guild show in March, I saw one of these quilts finished and really liked it. Made by Lynda Kronenberger: 

A friend of mine saw Lynda's at the show too, and went right home and made one:

Ellen Anson's quilt

I decided if I was ever going to make this quilt, I'd better get started.

Working with EQ8 or BlockBase, you can easily find #3081 and print templates any size you like. I printed 6" and 10" templates but decided the smaller one was just too small. I created plastic templates from the printed patterns,  and added 1/8" holes for dots at the seam intersections. Later I created two additional placement holes on each side of both templates to give me more alignment marks. Here they are laid on light fabric so you can see both templates:

I used a Pigma Micron .05 pen to draw around each template and make the dots at the holes. It is permanent so be sure it doesn't bleed through to the front. It was easier to see than a pencil:

You can cut the shapes out with scissors or a rotary cutter--I used the rotary cutter most often, just being very careful to cut just INSIDE the drawn line. 

NOTE: If you have an ACCU CUT die cutter, they have a 12" die for this block. And there are plastic templates available for sale online--Google Flowering Snowball Templates to find them. 

Curved piecing is slower than straight seam piecing but I was up to the challenge. I tried sewing the curved seam both with and without pinning. I found I was more consistently accurate with pinning. Try both ways to see which works better for you.

Pinning could be done while "watching" TV at night or on a ZOOM call:

About the time I committed to making this quilt, I learned there was a Sew-Along getting ready to start, put on by Oh Kaye Quilting. I saw this on Instagram and signed up to receive the blog posts with information and joined the Facebook group where many people are sharing their progress.

This pattern lends itself to wonderful design possibilities, using color or fabrics to creating amazing patterns. If you are going to do that, it REALLY HELPS to have a plan. On the Sew Along page there is a link to a coloring sheet--that would help a lot: Oh Kaye Flowering Snowball Quilt Along 2022

I decided to just start making blocks--a variety of lights for the background shapes, and my favorite leftovers for the X shapes, two different color X's in each block. The center square was always lime green, a variety of those. 

As the blocks were made I threw them on the design wall. Once most were done I decided it was time to work on the design. An early photo of some blocks on the wall:

I just kept going and made more blocks. Once I decided it was going to be 25 blocks I made the design wall bigger. I also decided it would get a pieced diamond border, smaller than the one in Garden Party Down Under, but the same idea. 

As of today. all the blocks are pieced and positioned where they will stay (I think, probably, yes, not moving them anymore). And one diamond border is pieced:

 

Now to sew the 5 rows together, complete the remaining diamond borders and get the top assembled.

I think this will be fun to quilt--lots of ruler work and curves. Stay tuned.

Let's qult.

Barbara

MY JOURNEY: QUILT #24

  Another quilt from the Special Exhibit My Joyful Journey, part of the Virtual Quilt Festival, December 3-5, 2020.

QUILT # 24: SIZZLE HOT: 72" x 72". machine pieced, longarm quilted, 2019 

The Story: This was the 2019 Block of the Month quilt for The Quilt Show.com, designed by Becky Goldsmith. one of two I made. For this one, I selected fabrics from my collection that were more "hot" than I typically use. I was very pleased with  how this came out. I put a lot of thought into the quilting designs and did my best quilting to date on it. It is in a private collection.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

MY JOURNEY: QUILT #19

  Another quilt from the Special Exhibit My Joyful Journey, part of the Virtual Quilt Festival, December 3-5, 2020.

QUILT # 19: Robbing Peter to Pay Paul: 64" x 72". hand appliqued, machine pieced and quilted, 2013-2017. An original design inspired by antique quilts:

The Story: An old, traditional block, this was my travel handwork quilt for quite a while. Eventually, the top was assembled and I took a stab at machine quilting it on my Bernina Q20 sit down longarm:

Let's quilt.

Barbara