QCC - a happy quilting update

Would you like an update on my most recent Quilting Course? The Complete Course? QCC - Quilting Complete Course. I thought you would.

I have gone to 4 classes so far. We have learned how to:

1. Start a project. Picking fabrics that coordinate to make a cohesive quilt. I started with three of my accent fabrics (because I had them and liked them). Then I found the blue jacks. The reds and polka dots were part of the same line as the jacks. It just seemed meant to be.
2. Straight cuts using the rotary blade. We made 9 Patches, and Strip Sets. Super easy. Just need to remember to measure after every step.   
3. Half Square Triangles (HST). We made the Anvil and Churn Dash. There are a lot of variations you can make using the HST. There are a few more that I want to try for this quilt. So more updates to come I guess.
4. Curves. Oh Geez.  This was new. Seriously new. And hard. Although, as Annette promised, it got much easier with practice. And then I saw a quilt top made entirely of polka dots, and kind of fell in love a lot. So originally I was saying never again. And now... not so much. It might be on the to make list for the summer.

The first three weeks were hard for me. Not because the content was hard, but because I knew a lot of it. I am not saying that I know everything there is to know. Because I don't. HELLO?!?!?! I just started quilting less than a year ago. I don't know half of everything there is to know.


I have learned a lot. I have also gotten a lot of patterns that I can make using each skill. The class has been great about showing me other things I can do using the same skills.

I am making a lot of blocks this weekend. There are a few variations I want to try that will add some pizazz to my quilt. I thought it was going to be a lap quilt, but if I add more blocks, it will get bigger. Same with my butt and cupcakes. Not that its relevant today... Focus. So check back in a few days for more pictures and blocks. Maybe even some how to's.

Adventures in Quilt Making, Part 2 - Triangles

Last week, I learned how to make triangles, the right way. Which also happens to be the way I made them a few weeks ago!

So part 2 of the quilt I am making went like this.
I have 3/8 yard of two fabrics. From each I cut two strips. The first was 5 1/2 inches, and the second 5 3/4. I put the 5 3/4 strip aside.
Then I cut the 5 1/2 strips from both fabrics into 5 1/2 inch squares.

I drew a diagonal line down the center of the flower fabric. I placed right sides together and sewed down both sides of the line. Then lined up my ruler on the sewn line and cut. Because I made 1/4 inch seams, lining the ruler up on the sewn line put the edge on the line I drew.


Because there is a cut on the diagonal (bias) you have to careful about how you press it. If you press it like it is normal fabric, it will distort the fabric. So I pressed up then over towards the darker fabric.

Do you see the ears? There is one at the bottom of this picture. Those have to go. But I also had to make sure that my 9 patch and triangles were the same size.  If they aren't exact my whole quilt will be off.



In fact, we made our triangles over sized on purpose. It is easier to trim triangles than 9 patch (because you have to trim a little off each side to keep them even).

So I measured my 9 patch, then trimmed the triangles to match. When lining up the triangles, use the diagonal line as your straight edge. Then trim the edges. If you line up the edges instead of the diagonal, they won't be true triangles anymore.



Now it is time for some quilt assembly! This is the part I was really looking forward to! Now you can see what the final product will look like!!!! Oh this is soooo exciting!

Quilts are made of odd numbered rows. This way they are symmetrical. My homework this week was to assemble the odd-numbered rows.



I wanted to chain piece them again, but this proved a little more difficult than I thought. I completely botched my first attempt and had no idea what I had sewn together. Thankfully, they were all pairs and I found each a home. The second, third, and fourth rows went together without much incident.


So important things? From the 9 Patch, make sure your spines are vertical. When you sew them together you can control seam buildup and manipulate them if they are not already sewn down.
Also, press towards the 9 Patch. Pick a direction and go with it. Always. For the rest of the quilt. Be consistent.

So we have two options right now. With all the odd-numbered rows created, we can decide which fabric will be the center, light or dark gray.  Isn't it amazing how much different they look? The only difference is where I placed each row. So what do you think? Light center? or dark center?