I didn't get much accomplished this weekend. I'm still not feeling
great. I got my voice back but have developed a cough. I'm not one to
run off to the doctor at the first sign of being sick but it's been
almost a week now. And I don't want to be ill when we go out to Denver
this weekend.
As I've written about before, I've been working on my Lotus Temple top which I started in Ursula Kern's class. I started with 2 shoe boxes organizing my palate. It's now grown to 4 overflowing boxes! I have quite a few "ish" colors (yellow'ish', pink 'ish', etc). For being a quilt "outside my box", I sure have a lot of boxes!
Below is the original picture of the Lotus Temple in Delhi, India. I was there during the day with LOTS of people. We were not allowed to take pictures of the inside, which was absolutely stunning! I was looking for a picture of the inside, of which I found none, but came across this picture.
I then isolate the block I am going to do-in this case F3-and make a muslin foundation on which I will sew fabric that loosely mimics the box.
I want the block to finish at 6" so it will be 6.5 unfinished. I use a 7" square piece of muslin as it will "shrink" as I sew on it. It's easier to cut it off than to add it on. Believe me, I've done it both ways and would rather trim!
I made the angled line which is part of the roof line and broke the sky up into 4 (later 5) separate areas.
The pencil lines don't show through the fabric and if I used a Sharpie the black may show through when I use light fabric. I had one of those "Brilliant" moments (Oprah calls them "Ah ha Moments") and used a new water soluble pen. The ink is a lighter color and if it shows through all I have to do is wet it and it disappears!
Here's the line on the front of the muslin
Here's all the lines marked.
How the line looks on the back! I'll be able to see it when it's time to sew on it.
This is where it will be with some of the completed blocks.
The next step is picking out the fabrics to use on the block. I want a light fabric for the roof and fabrics a bit darker for the sky to give the impression of the building glowing in the setting sun.
To keep track of where each fabric goes I have numbered the flower pins (this Brilliant Idea comes from my friend, Ricki Selva) and stick numbered pins in the fabrics indicating where they go on the foundation.
The numbered foundation with the first fabric. I have changed my mind (I'm blonde and I'm a woman. It's allowed!) and now have a 1 and a 1a. I layed fabric 1 approximately 1/4" over the marked line making sure it covered the marked area with plenty to spare.
I then pinned (!) 1a with PLENTY OF OVERLAP and making sure it covered the required area when flipped over. I can't tell you the number of times I didn't pin and the fabric folded itself over and I had to tear and swear and do it all over again.
Both ends pinned down.
Flip it over and start sewing AT LEAST 1/4" beyond the foundation.
After the seam is sewn I set the seam (press it just as it came out from under the needle).
I then press it open making sure there are no little creases.
Next, I flip it over and take my Handy Dandy Tool (I got this one from Deb Karasik) and line it up along the NEXT STITCHING LINE!!!
Sure enough, I didn't measure correctly when I drew the line, but it's not that critical with this project so we'll just fudge it. Anyway, I hold the foundation back over the Handy Dandy Tool so I don't cut the muslin...
...and I take my 1/4" ruler (it has a 1/4" lip) and butt it up firmly against the foundation wrapped Handy Dandy Tool (HDT). (The HDT gives extra firm bulk so the ruler won't slip when you cut). OOPS! I didn't take a picture of me cutting! But then again, I've heard so many horror stories of people getting cut with their rotary cutters I don't want to take a chance of getting cut!
I'm a firm believer that there is always more fabric that needs to be bought so I tend to cut pieces larger than needed. That and I've been caught with cut pieces being too short and having to tear and swear and reposition too many times. I can buy more fabric but have yet to find somewhere to buy more time! To measure my next piece I start by giving myself a generous 1/2" to 3/4" from the previously cut edge.
I didn't show it but I give myself at least 1/2" extension off the end and measure the widest part-here it's almost 3". I call it 3.5" I then look at the longest measurement and give myself at least an extra 1/2". Here I cut the fabric 9" x 3.5".
I repeat the pinning, checking that it will cover the section, sewing, setting the stitches and pressing.
The next piece I want to fragment. I cut a small piece to give me a little triangle next to the roofline.
I sew it at an angle and trim the seam.
After I press it I cut the edge so it will line up with the previous piece that has already been trimmed to the 1/4" seam allowance. Pin and stirch.
I haven't mentioned yet that I use the thinnest pins I have since I will be sewing over them occasionally. I also sew pretty slowly so the needle can slide over the pin if they come in contact with one another.
At this point in the block I am coming to an eventual seam intersection. I will eventually need to turn the foundation along this line so I don't want to stitch too far over it. I try to stitch right up to the line and fix my stitch and cut it at this point.
Here is the completed untrimmed block. I'll now trim it to 6.5"
I'm such a blonde I put Post-it notes next to the 6.5" lines on my square! I note where I want the roof line to fall and make sure that the entire 6.5" area has fabric-no "open" places! I trim the right side and top.
I then flip the block and line up my lines with the cut edges. Trim the last 2 sides and Voile La!
The block in it's new home!
I then started going through my nephews' tee shirts. I really should get started on those quilts. I'd like to finish both of those quilts and Sara (my trainer)'s baby quilt before the pool opens. I do love going to the pool and reading. It's really the only time I dedicate a lot of time to reading. I am a sun worshiper. I know it's not good for me and I do put on sun screen. I have wicked Seasonal Affective Disorder and probably feel the best in the summer absorbing all the sunlight! I do have one of those simulated sunlight lamps that sits in front of my sewing machine to help with my moods in the winter but there's nothing like warming my bones, reading and visiting with friends by the pool!
I really should get some hand sewing done. I WILL finish hand quilting my feathered star quilt by the end of the year!
Happy Stitching!
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