TOP BORDER 10-11-12-13

I recently took a couple of my quilts to a long arm quilter.  I took what I had done on my DJ.  She said that it begs to be hand quilted.  And it would be difficult to long- arm quilt because of all of the stopping and starting required.  It took me a while for me to comprehend what she was saying about "the seams being pressed open, but now I get it. An EPP block is basically seams open because of the way it was pieced.  Normal machine piecing has the seams pressed to the side, so that makes it possible to stitch in the ditch on blocks like that.  It makes sense that you wouldn't want to run a big needle in the ditch in EPP blocks because it would break stitches.

I have a while to think about it, but there is no way that I would hand quilt this.  I just don't have the strength in my hands any more.  So, I think this will be one of those quilts that I will need to baste up and machine quilt myself.  Ive taken this long to piece it, I figure I can quilt a few blocks a day and eventually finish it.  But I have at least a year to go before I will get to that point, so I have a while to think about it.

Now, onto the last of the top border

  T-10

This one was a pain in the neck to make.  Many DIRECTIONAL pieces, mostly on the edges.  The most important thing is getting the points to match.  I generally do that by starting my stitching at the points and working out

T-11

I was missing many pieces out of the package for this row.  I had to make some of them.  I don't know if that is what made it so difficult to put this block together.  Obviously there are DIRECTIONAL pieces, so be aware and mark them accordingly.

T-12

This was the easiest triangle of the whole row.  Basically, just applique the leaf onto the background fabric and then glue to the background card stock.  the leaf was positioned this way, but if I had to do it over again, I would turn it so it looked like the top of the leaf is pointed to the tip of the triangle.

T-13

With this block the ovals and second row of triangles are appliqued on first.   There are directional pieces along the edge. 

So my top row of triangles are finished.  I worked on something every day and it took me about one month to finish the row and sew it together. 

Now I'm going back to do a few rows of blocks.  Row E is next.


Happy Stitching!  T

TOP BORDER 7-8-9

 T-7

This triangle is entirely EPP.  the most important thing to remember about this block is MOST of the pieces are directional.  So mark your pieces..

 T-8

This triangle wasn't too difficult.  the bottom diamonds are appliqued into place and then attached to the pieces.  The pieces that run along the edge are DIRECTIONAL.

T-9

The most important part about this triangle is remembering that the edge pieces are DIRECTIONAL.  And, when piecing together, stitch from the center out on the points of the diamonds/triangle.  That way all of the points will line up.

Keep on Stitching!  t

TOP BORDER 4-5-6

 T-4

With this block it is very important to lay all of the pieces out on a design board.  I have 10x10 piece of cardboard with a piece of flannel.  this block was more difficult because there are so MANY directional triangles.  Even the little ones, 5 triangles down (inner white) are laid a specific way. 
What I did was lay them out, and mark the backs.  After I apply the fabric, I lay them right back where they should go and I stitch  from there so there are no mistakes.  It isn't perfect, I could have lined up that center piece a little better, but it is done. 

TIP:  the very tip in this is different than the EPP modification in the pack.  I machine paper pieced it because I liked the original version better.  I applied it to the triangle that was in the EPP pack.

 T-5

The only directional pieces on this block are the two strips on the edges, so in that way it is much easier to make.   I also machine paper pieced the tip of the block, because I liked the original version better.

T-6

This block also has many directional pieces along the edge.  The little oval and diamond in the tip are appliqued first and then applied to the triangle paper piece. 


Keep Stitching, you will improve every day!
t

TOP BORDER 1-2-3

 T-1

 I actually machine paper pieced the whole block and attached it to card stock.  I liked the original better than the EPP version.  I got one of the stripes a little wide somehow, but then I remembered my motto.... Better finished than perfect.

 T-2

The most important thing to remember with this block, actually, ALL of the blocks, is that the pieces are DIRECTIONAL.  It is important to remember with doing prep work, to mark BACK on the back of the pieces so that the right side edges are going in the right direction.  

T-3

This block was pretty straightforward.  Just remember to mark the pieces that touch on the EDGE.  Those are the pieces that are directional.  Make sure that they are marked  so you know when you apply the fabric.  

Keep stitching!  we will get finished eventually!

t

TOP ROW TIPS

I thought I would take a break from blocks and make a border.  I started with the top border.  This is block 1-6.
I'm posting about what I finished  because I learned something important as I went along.  It took until the 5th triangle for me to figure it out. 

I connected the top of each scallop so there is a continuous line.

 I expected that the triangle would easily fit alongside to the tip of the scallop piece.  But they were consistently a little longer.  I thought that it meant that length was added because I press the triangles in a steam press before I piece them to the scallop.  So I was going into the block, ripping out, and shortening where I could and putting it back together..  and it worked!!  But I was doing this for every triangle.. which is ridiculous.. and maybe I'm too much of a perfectionist, but I realized that I just had to be doing something wrong.  but what?

FINALLY, I figured it out.. Instead of the tip of the scallop sitting flush with the bottom of the triangles, it should be trapped at the bottom the triangles.

When it is done this way, the triangles fit perfectly.  When I start sewing them in I first stitch near the top of the scallop leaving about 1/8" so the scallops can be attached together. 
Then I stitch the bottom of the triangle down leaving about 1/8" over the tip of the scallop. 

I think that just due to so many pieces being put together to make the triangle, it isn't going to be perfect like the edge of the scallop piece. So I tack it down at each end and run a basting stitch, tacking around every inch and attach the two pieces.  This way, it lays flatter and I don't run into bows that I can't get flat enough.  After I'm done with basting, I then I stitch them down. 

It seems to work for me, and I hope that it helps you.

The worst part about making this quilt, is that there were no instructions with it.  We all have different ways of doing things that work for us, and that is how we learn to make this quilt. 

Happy Stitching!!  t

ROW D THOUGHTS

With this row I learned to be patient and use the best technique to get my blocks finished.  I would like them to look like the original if I can, but sometimes.. most of the time, EPP is perfect for this quilt.  It  may take a little longer, but I feel that I have much more control over the finished block and having all of the points line up if I am doing it by hand. 

I recommend sashing each block as you make them.  I always put a sashing strip on the left side and the bottom, and a cornerstone on the bottom left.  Except for the 13th block, which gets two sashings and a cornerstone like all of the rest, but additionally, gets a sashing and a cornerstone on the right. 

I am going for a change of pace and I am going to piece the top row. 

Last night, I used my BORDER TRIANGLE TEMPLATE and cut all 52 scallop pieces in a half an hour.  I used adhesive back sandpaper to put around the edge of the template to keep it from slipping. 
I can only find this sandpaper in discs, I just had to make sure that I didn't use good scissors to cut the strips.  It works great though. 

I am trying to keep chugging along.  At some point I need to take a break to make Christmas gifts, put a border on a quilt top, and make bouquets for my daughter's wedding.  No more two year breaks though!!!



Happy Stitching!
T

D-11. D-12, D-13

D-11

This block was all EPP.  I worked from the center out piecing the rectangle into a square.  Be aware that there are two different sizes of triangles here. 

Piece the side pieces separately as shown.  Before attaching them to the papers, applique the diamond shape into place.  Make sure that it is as close to the tip as you can get it.  Not too difficult, as long as you pay attention.

 D-12

This was the most difficult block although it doesn't look it .  The EPP papers had the dart split down the center, and then the dart was appliqued onto a square. The thinness of the shape was just too much for me to worry about what to do with the excess fabric at the tips.  Getting it around the tips of the paper was one problem,  and then what to do with the excess fabric when they were appliqued down. 

I wasted time and fabric trying several different ways to make these.  Finally, the technique that worked the best was to paper piece the darts and then applique on a corner square.  Put all of that on a square of cardboard stock, and then EPP in the usual fashion.  It didn't turn out too bad after I figured out how to do it. 

D-13

I think that this was the easiest block in the whole row.  I paper pieced all of it and attached it to a 4.5 square of card stock.  The block is called "Field of Dreams" in the book, so a perfect way to use some of my baseball print.

All in all, I'm satisfied to have all of them done and the row sewn on.

Happy Stitching!, T

D-8, D-9, D-10

D-8

This wasn't a difficult block.  The trick is to get the points to meet in the center and straight lines.  This can be accomplished by using a ruler and a pencil to draw a cross to follow when laying out pieces. If you set the tips of the ovals on the line, everything will be straight.  Although this could also be done for the corner diamonds, it isn't really necessary.  as long as the center ovals line up, the corner pieces should line up easily.   I like to keep the fabric on the paper pieces to applique.   I apply some glue on the fabric that is turned over on the back of the paper and press it into place.  I do one piece at a time.  Once the four are on, take a stitch through all four tips and securely draw together.  I have found that makes it look more perfectly lined up.  Then glue the entire block onto a 4.5 piece of fabric. 

D-9

I made the EPP modification of this block. It wasn't difficult, I didn't think to match the plaid in the center piece.. But I remembered my motto..
Work from the center out.  Make the center 7 piece square first. Attach a rectangle to each side, then a rectangle with 2 triangles to the opposite sides.  Last attach the 3 piece corner units.. then your block is finished.

D-10

With this block, I decided to piece the original as I still had to modify how I made the EPP version.
I absolutely hate EPP half square triangles!!!  At first, I thought that I would machine paper piece the entire center and attach it to card stock.  I tried several different ways to do it.
finally,

I printed out a paper piece pattern onto card stock.  Then I made HST using THANGLES 
which is the absolutely easiest way to make HST.  then I put the card stock pattern onto the finished HST and glued.  I did this with the pieces for the modified version too.  But I decided that I could just as easily make the original version.  Well... not entirely easy, it isn't perfect, but I like it better.  Sometimes it is worth the extra time to make the original and sometimes it just isn't.



Keep stitching!!!  T

D-5 ,D-6, D-7

 D-5

I liked working on D-5.  It was simple to do.  I like mixing the prints, if not the colors.  I especially like if I can fussy cut the center on blocks that have large pieces. 

The only tip that I have is to piece the outer triangles and borders separately and attach .  just be aware of the DIRECTIONAL pieces in the edge borders.

D-6

This was a really easy block. But it would have been more complicated if i had EPP the corners on.  So it was easy to paper piece on my machine and then attach the finished block  to a 4.5 piece of card stock.

D-7

This block turned out perfect.  The only thing is the striped fabric is the same as the alternate block in the row before.  So rather than have two blocks next to each other, I will need to move this further down the row.  I need to be more aware of prints since I am only using 3 colors.  I have a lot of fabric, but the limitations in color make it difficult.
The tip for this block is to piece the center square and two rectangles first, then piece two sides of two triangular units and rectangle and attach them to the center strip.  I hope this makes sense, I didn't think to take photos.                        

Okay, on to the next three!  T

D-1, D-2, D-3, D4

 D-1

This row I decided to see if some of the blocks could be made more like the original.  This block was modified for EPP  it basically had 4 squares in the center with one crosshatch to separate them.  I have the Dear Jane Electric Quilt program, so I printed out a paper pieced version for this.  That way I could ad the diagonal piece across each square.  I then glued it onto a 3x5 piece of card stock and joined the borders in the normal EPP way.

 D-2

I had a difficult time with this block.  I wanted it to be like the original so I paper pieced the corner triangles.  The original had a little blue triangle at the bottom of each corner piece so it looked like a half square triangle with the little white triangle in the center.  The paper piecing went okay, but I just couldn't get a good match for the hst.  H appliqued all of the center snowballs down and joined it all up anyway.. First try in the garbage.  I fiddled with this block for a long time.  finally I decided to give up the idea of the HST and pieced it like the modification.  The only change I made was to the center.  I pieced a small square to the center instead of going with applique there.  

 I folded the pieces leaving each circled area open so that those could be folded over the edge of the center paper piece.  It looks much better that way. 

In this picture, you can see the paper pieced corner sections and how the little blue triangles don't match.  Afterwards, I thought that I could have appliqued triangles there.  But making this block twice was enough. 

 

 D-3

This was also a modified block.  Instead of one piece like I made, they had 4 pieces that met in the middle.  I don't know why they would do that.. But I made mine like the original and appliqued the one piece down, and then glued it to the 4.5" piece of card stock included for EPP.

 I used my light pad to position the block before I glued it down. 

D-4

This was another modified block.  But, I attempted to make this by paper piecing the borders with the triangles.. I even did the Y- seams, appliqued on the leaves, but my one mistake was that I forgot to leave enough seam allowance to turn over the edge of a 4.5" card. 

 I finally ended up appliqueing all of it as was intended by the modification in the first place.  I liked the pieced version,but this one will work out just as well.


Until next time.....Happy Stitching! T

C-10.C-11,C-12,C-13

C-10

This is a modified block for EPP.  I actually modified my block from the suggestion by dividing the corner pieces to make a continuous red line around.  Either way, it's okay.  Not one of my favorite looking blocks. 

C-11

Another curved block. I enjoy doing curves, so this was fun

I pieced it into four sections and then sewed them together.  It seems easier to do being able to cut it down into sections.

C-12

This is basically an easy block, but Sometimes all of the tiny pieces are just too fiddly.  no matter what, there is a bulk of fabric behind each 1/2" square.  If this was a miniature quilt I would trim the seams, but this will be a normal size quilt that will be used, so the seams need to be at least 1/4".  The last thing I want is to lose a seam in the middle of a finished quilt!

I rotary cut pieces of fabric.  I cut
25- red 1x1"
20 white 1x1"
4 white 2 1/4" squares

I have a 6x6" foam core board, that I covered with fine grit sandpaper when I was finished with this block.  It is the perfect size to lay out the pieces of the block.  The sandpaper keeps the pieces from sliding off.