Grandmother's Flower Garden

I want to post some "in progress" pics of the hexagons I'm prepping for the hand-sewn Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt I'm making, using a technique known as English Paper Piecing, for my youngest niece's baby, due this November.
I've posted some completed "flowers" in previous posts, but here I'm going to show how I prepare the hexagons for hand piecing,

I used a precut piece of fabric from a purchased kit to make a cardboard template (using the cardboard from inside a fat quarter package). From that, I used my rotary cutter to make hexagons from the additional fabric. I used freezer paper for the piecing shapes. It gives body to the fabric as you're sewing. I drew hexagons onto the freezer paper using a sharpie and the inside of one of my nesting hexagon templates. I basically made a honeycomb pattern on the freezer paper then cut them out. At the edge of the paper were half hexes, and I put them together and used those as well.
Then, I pressed the paper shapes to the wrong sides of the fabric hexes. Freezer paper has a shiny side with a thin layer of wax (much thinner than waxed paper, which I don't recommend using - the wax is too thick and the paper is to thin), which will temporarily adhere to the fabric when ironed on at medium heat. If you don't get it quite lined up, you can peel it off and try again. The size of the paper shapes I made leave a little more than the usual 1/4 inch seam allowance, but I was using what I've got handy to make it go a bit quicker.
Once I have all the paper attached via iron, I fold the seam allowances down, using the paper as a guide. I then baste them, going through the paper. This will give me the creased edge to work with as I'm hand sewing. Once the entire quilt top is assembled, I'll remove the basting and the paper, another advantage of the freezer paper and it's temporary stick-um.
A thrifty hint: many second hand stores have craft sections where you can find spools of thread. Now, old thread can be weak and break, and there's no reliable method of testing the age of thread. However, for doing a little hand basting, like I'm doing here, it's fine. Just take off the outer, dusty layer, if necessary and use the rest. I often put my thread ends outside for the birds to use in their nests. Finches seem to like to use it. I just make sure it's in a spot where other animals aren't going to try to eat it. I have a flower pot that works nicely for this.

Things about quilting I've learned...

I haven't been quilting for a long time. Technically, I've only "quilted" two things: A baby blanket and a sling style log/quilt carrier, which isn't bound yet. I tie "quilted" the batik quilt I made. Hardcore quilters don't consider that quilting. They can suck it. It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. It wasn't difficult by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a bit frustrating at times. Besides, when my Grandma Louise made quilts, she only ever tied them.

Anyway, as I've been puttering along at this new textile adventure, I've been making notes. As most artistic people know, rules are made to be broken, or at least bent into submission. So here are my observations thus far... Fair warning, my sarcastic sense of humor has reared its ugly head in this one.

1) That whole pressing-the-seam-allowances-a-certain-way thing? Turns out it's a pretty good idea. It makes the finished top lay smoother and also helps in the quilting process by keeping your layers thin. Sewing along and then hitting a wad of layers can mess up your needle, tension, fabric, and day.

2) For the most part, using the far-right edge of your standard presser foot is more than a quarter inch. Crap.

3) Just because the quilt on the cover of the magazine is butt ugly doesn't mean there aren't cool ones inside.

4) Pins are useless. Straight pins, that is. Personally, I only use them on really long seams, like borders, or curved seams. Or if I have to match seams. Sigh. Okay. For most piecing situations, pins blow.

5) Speaking of pins, the bent safety pins designed for pinning your top, back and batting together? GENIUS!

6) Sometimes fabrics that clash look really awesome together. Well, I think so anyway.

7) Never be afraid to play.

8) Rotary cutters, self-healing matts, and acrylic rulers are quite possibly the best inventions ever. This includes the template (for which I begrudgingly paid $32.00) that measures out strips in 1/2 inch increments. That is my best investment ever, as far as those types of supplies are concerned.

9) Cutting a few (or even a whole bunch) more pieces than you need is never a bad idea. You can use the spares for practice stitches, you can even make another entire project out of them. Matching pillows, anyone? By the same token, always buy more than you think you'll need. Just in case you screw up.

10) It's okay to visibly cringe when someone says Muslim instead of muslin. Please, PLEASE correct these people. You're not being rude, you're being helpful. I used to work at a fabric store and this drove me up a wall. Take it upon yourself to be an educator. I think it's sort of insulting to the Muslim people, too. I wouldn't want to be called an un-bleached, cheap cotton fabric.

11) Along those lines, the flat or faceted, shiny plastic beads on bridal/evening gowns are sequins, not sequence. Sorry I'm getting preachy on this, but it drives me to drink.

12) There's a lot of math involved in quilting. It's okay to use a calculator. They even make special ones for quilters. I don't have one... yet. It's on my wish list.

13) There are HUGE quilt conventions all over the world.

14) There are quilting rock stars. My personal fave? Kaffe Fassett. He designs quilts and fabric and other textile arts. His stuff rocks my world right off its axis.

visit kaffeefassett.com that's where I got this image of him.

15) It's okay to just make quilts for yourself and be totally fine with the little mistakes only you will notice. But...

16) There are quilt competitions and they aren't just for the 4H-ers. Now, if you're a beginner, don't even think about this beyond "maybe someday." I know there are those of you (myself included) who are very competitive, and to you - and me - I say, "Slow down, there, Turbo!" The judges have very strict guidelines and you'll drive yourself to the edge if you think your first quilt will be stellar. Even the quilting rock stars started small. 

'Course, if you like being stressed out and inventing new cuss words, knock yourself out.

17) Learn the difference between "ironing" and "pressing". You want to press. If you iron, your fabric can stretch and get all farkucht. Ironing is moving the iron around on the fabric, pressing is picking it up, moving it to a new place and putting it down. It takes some time, but it's worth it to not have warped fabric.

18) You don't need to get every gadget, ruler and template. There are really slick, easy ways of doing half-square triangles, flying geese and even Dresden Plates. I have the "Easy Dresden Plate" template, sets for hexagons and triangles that aren't half-square. I also have a "Fat Cat" which is supposed to be used for these really twee cat designs. I use it for fans and really large plates. I also make a lot of my own templates from left over cardboard. Fat Quarter packs almost always have a little piece in them for folding into the fabric. They're great for template patterns and stencils. Then, of course, there's that strip maker sheet. I love that thing.

19) You can quilt with any fabric. You can even mix types of fabric. However, keep in mind that different fabrics have different needs depending on their fiber content. Educate yourself.

20) Generally when pressing a point, you want to follow the recommended pressing direction from the pattern. But sometimes you're trying to press and the fabric isn't cooperating... if the overall look of the quilt won't be affected, why fight it? Just make a note, mental or otherwise, that you've done this, so you won't be surprised by a bump in the road as you quilt.

21) Must you wash the fabric before you sew? That depends. Are you making a wall quilt? An art quilt? Something that isn't going to be used and washed repeatedly doesn't need to be washed, really. Keep in mind there are special finishes that are added to fabrics to make them look crisp and shiny for the consumer. It also helps protect the fabric from the dirt and oils of all the hands that will be touching it. Pretty much all fabrics get this treatment, even ones that are labeled as organic. Often the only thing organic about the fabric is that they grew the fibers without pesticides. There are a few companies who don't add the finishing, and are very "green" in their processes, but they are few and far between, so as a rule, or if you think the finishing product might be a bother your skin (some people are sensitive to it), wash your fabric before working with it. 

22) Another fun tidbit about washing. If you really like the way antique quilts look with the puckering, don't wash your fabric first and use a cotton/poly blend for thread. It will encourage that look as the quilt is washed.

23) There is a product you can use whilst pressing that is a starch-less fabric finish. It helps replace the crispness of the fabric after washing and get wrinkles out. It's called Mary Ellen's Best Press. It's sold at most fabric stores and comes in a non-scented version as well as lavender and "clean linen" scents. I really like using it. It doesn't flake like starch does and I still get a nice, crisp seam/crease. 

24) I put one of my tackle boxes (which I use for buttons, hooks and eyes, etc.) under my ironing board. When you stand there so often, it's nice to put your foot up. It saves back pain.

25) Having your chair and machine positioned comfortably can mean the difference between an enjoyable experience and a week in traction.

26) Get good lighting. This is one of my problems, actually. I work in our unfinished basement, and there isn't good lighting down there. I have an overhead bulb, the light on my machine and a floor lamp which can swivel so that I can either aim it at the sewing area or the ironing board. The one window that lets light into my work area is Southern, so it's really good in the Winter, but it gets dark in the Summer. When I hand sew, I'm up in our living room under the 5-bulb gooseneck. I try to use daylight for checking color combinations, but it isn't always available when I need it. Hence the wacky combinations (that's my story and I'm sticking to it).

27) Freezer paper is awesome for paper piecing! It's great for appliques, too. You can iron it to your fabric temporarily, move it if it's not in the right place, remove it when you're done basting. It's inexpensive and you can find it at the grocery store with the waxed paper and cling wrap. Don't use waxed paper, though. It has too much wax on it and leaves a yucky film on your fabric. I hope I don't need to tell you to not use cling wrap...

28) No, you don't have to make your quilt exactly like the one that's in the book. I shouldn't have to say this, but I know there are people who beat themselves up if they don't get just the right thing. Also, if you run out of a fabric, it's okay to substitute. There are quilts known as "make-do" quilts, so called because one or more blocks are different because the quilter ran out of the original fabric. Call yours a make-do and it's a unique treasure.

29) Inspiration is everywhere! 

30) Simple blocks are your friends. You can take something as unassuming as a 9-patch block and make a stellar quilt. You can make yourself crazy thinking you need to make something unique, but unique doesn't have to equal hard. The simplest patterns are often the most amazing. Play around with angles and colors, and suddenly - you're a designer! For example...

The images in this post are not mine, I claim no rights to them. I have tried to credit them as best as possible. I hope their owners realize I'm sharing them with respect to their craft. And that they get a little business. 

This is what can be done with a simple 9-patch:

from quilting-tidbits.com. It goes along with a free tutorial, so hop on over there and check it out!

This is from the blog, Teri's Painted Daisies, painteddaisies.blogspot.com. Teri's art is amazeballs! Plus she's got this adorable cockatiel... 

This is from candlewoodquilts.com They are a home-based quilt business in Tennessee. Go give 'em a look-see!

More poetical inspiration...

Today's poem by William Wordsworth has such wonderful imagery I wanted to share it. I hope it inspires your art.

A Whirl-Blast from Behind The Hill 

A Whirl-Blast from behind the hill 
Rushed o'er the wood with startling sound; 
Then--all at once the air was still, 
And showers of hailstones pattered round. 
Where leafless oaks towered high above, 
I sat within an undergrove 
Of tallest hollies, tall and green; 
A fairer bower was never seen. 
From year to year the spacious floor 
With withered leaves is covered o'er, 
And all the year the bower is green. 
But see! where'er the hailstones drop 
The withered leaves all skip and hop; 
There's not a breeze--no breath of air-- 
Yet here, and there, and everywhere 
Along the floor, beneath the shade 
By those embowering hollies made, 
The leaves in myriads jump and spring, 
As if with pipes and music rare 
Some Robin Good-fellow were there, 
And all those leaves, in festive glee, 
Were dancing to the minstrelsy. 

William Wordsworth 

photo by Bella Fortuna

Above is a photo by one of my facebook friends, Bella Fortuna. She takes amazing photos of nature. I keep telling her she should send her stuff in to National Geographic. Her photos of insects are so perfect! I keep thinking I'll make an art quilt of them one day. She took a picture of a dragonfly that almost looks like it has a little smile. And she captures birds most beautifully. I just thought this pic of a lagoon would work well with Wordsworth's poetry. 

I made a label for Lillian's baby blanket, since we'll be presenting it to her tomorrow - yay! I started out trying to embroider it, but my skills aren't up to snuff on that. I got out my pink acrylic ink and painted it. I can paint much better than embroider, at least for now.

I have to stitch it on, obviously, but this is what I have so far. Later today I'll post some progress/process photos from the Grandmother's Flower Garden. I needed to replenish my supply of hexagons. I had many cut and all the freezer paper was cut, but still needed to be ironed on (which I did last night) and I started basting the pieces. I'll take some photos so you can see how that goes. 

For now, have a beautiful day! If it's sunny where you are, go get some vitamin D. Take pictures, take notes, get your creative juices flowing!

Grandma's Flower Garden

I now have 8 1/2 hexagon flowers. I'm not working consistently on them, but in the evenings after the boys are in bed, sometimes during the day while a movie is on. Now that I know better what I'm doing, it's going pretty quickly. I took some pictures this morning of what I have so far.

Here are the first blooms of the "garden". I had to use the platter under the brown ones so you could see them. 

The basting threads will remain until the whole top is put together. I also haven't taken the time to press them yet, since they're traveling with me in a ziploc bag. For the most part, they're maintaining their shape via the freezer paper I'm using for stabilizer.

It's odd how the colors are different from pic to pic. I didn't really notice it until I looked at the table in the background. The photo on top (the blue flower) is most true. These were taken on my phone. I'm rarely happy with those pix. But, hey, it's serviceable and it's what I've got. It's also the easiest way to get the pix online.

Now that I'm looking at the two directly above, I'm thinking I should have put more thought into how I was laying out the pieces. I've been literally picking them up and stitching them together. I've put them in sets of petals and centers and safety pinned them in their little flower groups, but that's as far as the "planning" has gone. Anyway, in the bottom photo, there are three petals where the stripes are going the same way and the other three are haphazard.  If I'm feeling extra ambitious when all the flowers are completed, I'll go back and fix this (and any others there will most likely be as I'm looking at these, and knowing how I am about such things).

Again, the ones with the blue petals seem to come out with the truest color.

The green one above is "in progress".

Here's the backside of one. I chose freezer paper, since it's a really inexpensive alternative to specially made fabric stabilizers and is available in most grocery stores. It's also temporary. If you're unfamiliar with it, it has one waxy side, which can be ironed on to the wrong side of your fabric, stabilizing it for sewing. Once your seam allowances are basted, it'll stay in place, even when the wax is no longer holding. The wax is minimal enough that it doesn't leave a residue, and if you get it in the wrong position, it is easily removed and relocated. Once the quilt top is complete, I'll remove all the basting stitches and the papers.

To make the paper hexes, I read how one quilter had her husband make a CAD drawing of hexagons put together like a honeycomb. Then she'd tape her freezer paper to a regular sheet of printer paper and send it through the printer and cut out the pieces. Since my husband is not a CAD draftsman, I tried making a jpeg from some hexagon images I found online, but in order to get the right size, I had to futz around with the scale and I ended up using a lot of ink. The dimensions on the screen just didn't match what came out on the paper. I did get a few to work, but, frankly, it was a huge pain in the @$$, between the cutting and the taping and the this and the that, and the schmachta... so I scrapped that idea. Instead, I used one of my nested hexagon templates which was about 1/4 inch smaller than the size of the fabric pieces and good ol' Sharpie pen to draw on a nice, large sheet of the freezer paper. Cutting them out was a breeze, and, dare I say it, kind of fun! 

I used the pages I had printed with the wrong size hexes (just on regular paper, I didn't want to waste the freezer paper while I was messing with the sizes) for trying out color combinations. Yes, I have a huge crayon selection. Don't judge.

It's a bit blurry, but here's a close up of the one I'm currently working on. The white threads are the basting stitches and the pink lines are the connecting stitches. I'm stitching them in the same way I learned from the quilter with the drafting husband. The stitches are pretty wee, but I want this sucker to last forever, so it can be passed down for generations. This is also why I may not actually take the time to undo the one that has the brown stripes. Those teensy stitches won't be fun to take out.

I'm starting to run out of the original set of fabric hexes I purchased in a kit. I thought about getting another kit, since I really hated the idea of cutting out all those fabric hexes, but then I thought, no, I don't want this to just be made from some kit. I'll suck it up and cut out more hexes. I got some fat quarters that went pretty well with the fabric in the kit, used one of the kit pieces to make a template, since they are a different size from any in my set of nested hexagon templates. In fact, I used one of the cardboard pieces from a fat quarter packet to make the template. I now have enough for the quilt without it looking like it came from a kit. It'll have my personal stamp on it now. Frankly, I only chose the kit I got because I wanted to try to put together hexes by hand. I had a trip to go on and wanted something creative to take along, but I didn't have enough time to cut out a ton of pieces before we left. It's just a lucky break that my niece is having a baby girl and I can actually pass it along. Knowing that makes this process so much more fun, and has given me the impetus to be even more creative with it and git 'er done.