Month 4 Tips and Tricks

[Barbara B.]

As a special treat, we get Month 4 a day early. To celebrate, I also posted my Blog of Tips and Tricks for those Curved Flying Geese blocks a day early too Find it here:

http://bbquiltmaker.blogspot.com/2017/03/halo-star-medallion-month-4.html

I did not find them nearly as hard as I thought they would be. SO, remember, whether you say "I can" or "I can't"--you'll be right. Repeat after me: "I CAN do this!" You really can,

Enjoy the journey!

[Barbara B.]

Thanks so much for your tips on this BOM. I am not a fan of paper piecing but who knows maybe by the time I finish this quilt I will be. I do love how exact everything is turning out. A friend of mine asked why I was doing this if I didn't like paper piecing. I told her I wanted to try it as I do like that the pieces are cut ahead of time. I also know I can quit at anytime but am still here. I figured if Sue Garman could design this when she was so ill that I can finish it in her memory. I am also doing this quilt in red and white in honor of our Canada 150 years celebration.

[Terri A.]

Barb, thanks for your tips. Before I start printing out the pattern, can you give us some idea of the size of one of the pieces of the curved piecing so I know I am printing it the correct size. That is always a dilemma for me as I go to print a new month's pattern. Thanks

[Barbara B.]

Barb, thanks for your tips. Before I start printing out the pattern, can you give us some idea of the size of one of the pieces of the curved piecing so I know I am printing it the correct size. That is always a dilemma for me as I go to print a new month's pattern. Thanks

Excellent question. The base of the flying "goose", the straight, flat side, measures 1.25" finished, So the arc is 1.75" wide unfinished--measuring flat across the "goose".

[Karen M.]

Barb,
I can't tell you how helpful I find your posts. For month 3, those arrows that you included for placement of the triangles saved me. Now, in month 4, I am still having trouble with the whole geometry thing, which is why I do not like paper piecing. Is there any trick you have for the placement of the fabric so that you have the correct amount of coverage when you press it back? I am going to have some funky seam allowances on my flying geese curves.
I am not afraid of the curved piecing. I have done plenty of that, but the paper piecing is going to kill me.
Karen

[Barbara B.]

Barb,
I can't tell you how helpful I find your posts. For month 3, those arrows that you included for placement of the triangles saved me. Now, in month 4, I am still having trouble with the whole geometry thing, which is why I do not like paper piecing. Is there any trick you have for the placement of the fabric so that you have the correct amount of coverage when you press it back? I am going to have some funky seam allowances on my flying geese curves.
I am not afraid of the curved piecing. I have done plenty of that, but the paper piecing is going to kill me.
Karen

This arc can be a little tricky due to the geometry--the angle of the side of the "goose" is 60 degrees BUT we've cut squares in half, 45 degree angles. I only had to fiddle with placing the very first goose and triangle--I put the raw edge of the goose about 1/4" from the line on the paper and placed the raw edge of the background on it--if I tried to guess being 1/8" away from the line, I often missed it completely. So the first seam is about 1/4". After that first line is sewn, all the rest of the edges are trimmed 1/8" from the sewing line, so that gives me the line to place the next piece. Yes, there is an odd amount of seam allowance in the curved arc but that's just the way it works.

I tell all my students: If you had known you were going to be a quilter, you would have paid more attention in Geometry class!

Hope this helps.

[Renata L.]

Just a suggestion... I guess I am fussy about all my seams so in order to get the very first seam allowance to be 1/8" like the rest, I do what Barbara does to match up the fabrics for the first seam, but after sewing it, I take it to the cutting table, paper side up, fold the paper over along the seam line so that only the 1/4" seam is visible, then place my Add-an-Eighth ruler and trim. After that, I proceed to trimming the 1/8" where I'm going to place the next piece of fabric.

[Karen M.]

Thank you so much to you and Barb B. Trimming at the sew line before placing the next piece of fabric has made all the difference. No more problems getting coverage.