Month 9 The BARN!

[Barbara B.]

Time to make the Barn--here are a few tips I think you will find helpful:

http://bbquiltmaker.blogspot.com/2018/09/month-9-patchwork-barn-part-1-barn.html

Tomorrow there will be tips for the applique'. September 5 there will be an alternative block I made, if you want something other than the barn in the center.

[Jane S.]

I am thinking since I am not a barn person of maybe borrowing Edyta's house design from one of her earlier books. Can do a couple of houses and the applique.

[Barbara B.]

Great idea, Jane.

[Joan D.]

When this started in January I was so excited to make this for a sister who loved blue and white quilts. In Feb she was diagnosed with colon cancer so while she was fighting this disease each month as I finished the blocks I would take photos and send them to her. She lost that battle on Sept 3 and I am now having a hard time getting back to working on the quilt, I keep telling myself keep working on the quilt it will help. Right now it is not working I have been watching your progress maybe that will bring back my enthusiasm.

[Barbara B.]

Snowlady, so sorry for your loss. Give it time, when you are ready you will be able to return to this quilt as a tribute to your sister.

[Judith A.]

Snowlady,
I too am so sorry for the loss of your sister. I hope someday you can complete the quilt in memory of your sister.

Judy

[ANNE E.]

Dear Snowladyns, So sorry for your loss. When my husband passed away 2 1/2 years ago it took me over 18 months to start sewing again.
I decided to make quilts for my 2 children out of his shirts but as I was cutting them up I was so upset that I had to stop it was just too soon.
I started again and have nearly finished the top for one quilt, that will be for my daughter and the next one for my son.
He lives in Australia and I hope to take it to him at Christmas.
It's still very hard but I'm so lucky to have a wonderful daughter who lives opposite me and together we are learning to cope with our loss.
Hugs
Anne

[Sandra T.]

Barn block is completed. Thank you, Barbara, for your invaluable assistance. The instructions on your website for the barn roof were easy to follow and very thorough. I added a few my own touches to the block such as a patchwork block for the barn roof and embroidery on the windows and door.

[Sandra T.]

So sorry if this has been asked and answered but I don't know how to blog and only see about 5 posts and cannot figure out how to get to more content. I sent the following message to the quilt show for help and was referred to Barbara's blog where I found a great review for putting the barn roof together. Unfortunately, even following those I still get the same result and would appreciate any help. Here is my problem: I have been trying to make the barn in the 2018 BOM using the templates for the roof. I don't see directions for how to use the original templates and when I make the roof (I have tried twice) the 6 1/2 units are coming out at 6 inches. Is there a video on this or some guidance you can give me? Do the templates need to be enlarged? The templates appear to have a cutting line and quarter inch sew line but am I supposed to add a quarter inch around them anyway?

[Barbara B.]

Chrystie, if you are following the directions I wrote in the Month 9 blog, I don't know why your roof halves are not coming out 6.5" unfinished. There are only 3 things we can do wrong in piecing: the cutting, the sewing and/or the pressing. Double check that your printed roof templates are the correct size--the dashed line at the bottom of Template B is 6"--this is the sewing line. The 1/4" seam allowance has been added--be sure you include it in your template. If the template is the correct size, and you've cut the pieces accurately, that means your sewing must be off a bit. Double check that you are sewing an accurate 1/4" seam. An easy way to do this is to cut 4 rectangles, 1.5" x 4.5". Sew them together on the long seam, press carefully and the block should be exactly 4.5" square unfinished. If it is wider than that, your seams are too skinny, if it is narrower than that, your seams are too fat. With the Barn Roof angle, you have to get that seam allowance just right on all of the seams, two seams per half, one center seam--for a 6.5" half Roof. Once you have two accurate roof halves, the final center seam is just as important--the roof should be 6.5" x 12.5" unfinished.

Here is that blog post:

https://bbquiltmaker.blogspot.com/2018/09/month-9-patchwork-barn-part-1-barn.html