Sampler quilt block #6 - Monkey Wrench

 

This quilt block - Money Wrench was done the same way using the foundation piecing method as the Pineapple block I did before.

Using tear away stabilizer I traced the pattern on four 6" pieces.  I placed the fabric pieces on the unmarked side and stitched along the marked lines of the foundation.

I used 3 different print fabrics, of which I chose a plain pink fabric as my background.  From the strips I made the four-patch blocks to create the center pieces.

To make sure I got the patches right in the center of the template I held it up to a window to make sure the seam lines were lying exactly underneath the drawn four-patch on the foundation and that the centers matched.

I placed the four-patch block on the unmarked side of the tear away stabilizer and pinned the first two background colour fabric triangles and stitched on the marked lines of the stabilizer.

After every two pieces added I pressed the triangles back against the seams with a hot iron to keep the fabric flat and to ensure that I wont by accident mess it up when I added the next two triangles.

After every row, I would fold the stabilizer back right on the drawn line I had just stitched to expose the seam allowance and I would trim off the excess.  It created a perfect ¼" seam

This is one of the four finished blocks.  Each block was pieced the exact same way.

After I had my four finished pieces I stitched them together making sure the points matched neatly.

This block will be one of my favourites for this sampler quilt, I enjoyed making it, and love to look at it :-)

Sampler quilt block #5 - Pineapple

Last night everyone went to bed early, so that was a nice time for me to start with my next block - Pineapple.  

I had a lot of fun piecing the block together using the foundation piecing method.  I have never done it before, so I took it slow, making sure to follow each step carefully.  I started out by tracing the pattern on a piece of tear away stabilizer, marking every row by number to make sure I wont get lost adding the strips of fabric.

I did not cut the fabric ahead of time, instead I cut the pieces as I needed them, because I was using 4 different colours and prints I did not want to make any mistakes by going ahead of time.

After I added a row with a specific colour or print fabric, I would fold the stabilizer over to cut a neat 1/4" seam following the drawn line in the front.

As the pattern grew, I was amazed at how 'perfect' the rows were.  I would definitely use this method again, maybe I'll try and come up with a few designs of my own.

Other finished blocks:  

Electric Fan

Stacked Blocks

Tangled Star

Celtic Applique

Sampler quilt block #4 - Celtic Applique

Making this block was quite a challenge.  

I had all the fabric cut, placed the applique pattern on the block of fabric, started to make the binding strips and that's when I realized I was stuck...  I did not have the right tools to create the 1/8" binding strips, so I had to improvise.  

After I stitched the binding and took it to the ironing board, I used a cooking skewer to open up the binding to create a tube to make it easier to iron flat with the stitches at the back.   It worked great!   So many times I have thought of throwing it away, I've never used it, and it was just tucked away in a drawer in my kitchen, finally found a good use for it now :-)

Other finished blocks:

Electric Fan

Stacked blocks

Tangled star

Sampler quilt block 3# - Tangled Star

Making this block was really tricky for me.  The pattern I used was so confusing, but once I had the one section done, it went better.  

Even though my measurements was right, I completely messed it up.  While I was busy making it, it all looked fine, but once I pieced the whole thing together it was clear that some of the corners don't even line up nicely!  My markings was right, I'm sure, but I think because you have to cut the pieces with a seam allowance around the template, I did not cut all of them exactly the same size.  I think I should make templates with exactly the same size seam allowance around it, that way all of them have to be the same... 

I think I should just re-do this block completely, pull the stitches out and try again!

Over all I think the colours look nice, it blends nicely together... and putting them with my other finished blocks I think the end result will look great!  

Sampler quilt block #2 - Stacked Blocks

I have finished the 2nd block for my sampler quilt - Stacked Blocks.

I think the first time I have ever done paper piecing was when I was in school, and if I remember right my mom finished it for me, I think it was for a pillow.  As a child I never liked sewing, and what amazes me is how much I enjoy it today.

I really find it hard to decide on the colours of the fabric.  I never really know what works together.  Although I like how it came out, I am not so sure about the printed fabric.  I still have to make quite a few blocks, I hope that when I put them all together it will look ok...  Click here to see the first block - Electric fan.

Sampler quilt block #1 - Electric Fan

I finished my 1st block for my sampler quilt - Electric Fan

Not so sure if the bright pink works.... 

I know I'm going to have lots of fun making this quilt, making something different with every block, trying different techniques as well.  

I really had trouble stitching a perfect 1/4" seam with every quilt I've made so far, but this time I went a bit slower and I think I have finally won!