MONTH 7 -- Ask Questions Here

[Elizabeth A.]

Barbara…..I need some clarification on vertical placement of circle. I know it’s not centered on our piece… but not sure where the virtual center would be? Someone mentioned 1 3/4 up…. Would that be from the bottom of the circle in relationship to the fabric. I’ve cut my fabric larger than 8.5… so I’d like to place the center of the circle higher than the center of the fabric…. I wish that notation would be on that pattern page. I truly appreciate all your insight and preparation for us!!

[Barbara B.]

Barbara…..I need some clarification on vertical placement of circle. I know it’s not centered on our piece… but not sure where the virtual center would be? Someone mentioned 1 3/4 up…. Would that be from the bottom of the circle in relationship to the fabric. I’ve cut my fabric larger than 8.5… so I’d like to place the center of the circle higher than the center of the fabric…. I wish that notation would be on that pattern page. I truly appreciate all your insight and preparation for us!!

As the pattern does not provide this information. I made mine 1/2” — this means the bottom of the circle is 3/4” from the raw edge of the border, once it is really 8.5” wide including seam allowance. Since you have cut the border wider than 8.5", know where the finished edge will be and work from that spot.

Decide where you want the bottom of the large circle. It could be 3/8"- 5/8" from the finished edge--anything larger or smaller than that doesn't work well.

It would be helpful if the edges of the borders were shown on the pattern pages but they are not so you just have to do the best you can.

I gave no thought to the center of the large circle, what you asked about, so I can't tell you that place. You will sew the background circle, which has the 6 tiny petals, to the blue larger circle before you applique the larger circle to the border.

Remember to have all the stems in place before doing any other applique.

[Elizabeth A.]

Thanks. Looking at the stem placement….I thought you would work out from the circle… I’ll do some finagling and send you a pic of the center….ugh I’m so linear thinking at times !!!

[Lorna R.]

I'm having trouble with the vine placement. I think I have lined up all the joins correctly but then my last leaf would end up in the corner star. For me anyway, it would be helpful if we could get a whole section at a time (i.e. all templates for months 7,8, and 9 together. If the eager beavers want to forge ahead so be it. I'm feeling I should wait until I get all the templates before moving forward. However, that would really put me behind. Thank you, Barbara, for all your help. I love your blog and your videos. I don't do anything until I see them. I could never have done this pattern without you.

[Azenath W.]

I am feeling the same as you, but I don't want to be behind or I will never finish it....it will become a UFO. So fingers crossed it all works out. I just keep thinking to myself, Sarah says her applique is organic.

[Elizabeth A.]

Thanks for allowing me to think about this…. I placed a line 1/2” below the bottom of the circle. I then measure 8.5 from there and that puts the horizontal line near the top of the circle…. I feel now I will have continuity on all my pieces….whew!

[Barbara B.]

With a 1/2” from the bottom of the circle to raw edge of the border fabric, you only have 1/4” space below the circle when the quilt is finished. I made my space 3/4” from the raw edge so there is 1/2” “breathing room “ between the circle and the bottom of the border. Yours will work, so do whatever you prefer.

[Barbara B.]

I'm having trouble with the vine placement. I think I have lined up all the joins correctly but then my last leaf would end up in the corner star. For me anyway, it would be helpful if we could get a whole section at a time (i.e. all templates for months 7,8, and 9 together. If the eager beavers want to forge ahead so be it. I'm feeling I should wait until I get all the templates before moving forward. However, that would really put me behind. Thank you, Barbara, for all your help. I love your blog and your videos. I don't do anything until I see them. I could never have done this pattern without you.

Here you can see how the leaf comes off the vine and sits on the background square that is beside the Star. I hope this helps.

We are not going to release months 8 and 9 until they are due. Month 8 has more flowers and small leaves, month 9 has the vine leaves and the birds. There is no placement info in either of those next months, just the templates. My blogs will provide some help with placement.

[Elizabeth A.]

Barbara…. This is my last question of the day….(maybe).. how far out the vine does the bird sit? I could ‘break’ the vine there if the strips are not long enough. (kinda wish that was on the vine pattern)

[Barbara B.]

The middle of the bird body is about 15” from the center.

[Elizabeth A.]

I give you 2 thumbs up!!

[Lorna R.]

Thanks, Barbara. The close up photos really helped. L

[Jennifer C.]

I am joining the bom at month 7 -- the posts are very helpful as I'm finding I'm having the same questions/concerns and getting them answered as I read the posts. It also helps be anticipate what issues I made have as I progress through this very challenging border. I worked on Garden Party Down Under and made my stems with the karen k buckley stem maker -- I thought I'd try your method -- its much faster & does not require sewing but do you have a tip for keeping the stems closed? Also do you use starch or any kind of sizing? Also for machine embroidery do you have the same color thread in the bobbin? I'd like to use my TQS prewound bobbins on my machine but wonder what color bobbin thread to use.

[Barbara B.]

I do use spray starch or sizing. Let it soak in, then press firmly with a dry iron. The stems stay folded, no problem. Fast and easy.

I use a light neutral in the bobbin, whitish or light gray, Quilters select 80 weight. Green in the top to match stems, QS 60 or 80 wt, depending on color needed. Simply test tension to be sure bobbin thread is not visible on top.

[lehab375]

Is anyone else struggling with the petals onto the medium size background fabric circle or is it just me? I did the first one & ended up losing the nice points of the petals and also ending up with a no longer circle. I am doing machine applique. The needle went off the edge, which is my best guess as to why I lost the points. I decided since I am doing the machine applique, I am going to sew the background fabric circle to the large blue circle first, then add the petals and center small circle. I wish that I could do hand applique but I discovered recently that the reason I have so much trouble is that I have what the orthopedic dr called end stage arthritis in several of my finger joints. He said there are bone spurs & even though I am still several years from being 70, my hands look more like they see in someone in their 90's. I guess I will be seeing a hand surgeon in a couple years to get replacement joints when I can't do much of anything anymore. I'm just happy I can still sew by machine. I am behind still from last month getting my stars done. I have the center finished with those first 4 stars and I got the 4 oddball corner stars done, but the rest of the stars are taking much longer than I thought they would. I haven't gotten enough done to add my 4 stars to the borders for this month which is why I started working on the center circle and the tabs.

I have loved looking at everyone else's progress.

Linda H.

[Barbara B.]

Those tiny petals are challenging. Yours look good and from 6 feet away, I bet they look perfect.

[Jennifer C.]

Barbara -- I need to review your prior blogs specifically month 2 BOM 2023 -- I can get to your blog, but then how do I navigate to prior months? Thanks for all your help.

[Barbara B.]

Barbara -- I need to review your prior blogs specifically month 2 BOM 2023 -- I can get to your blog, but then how do I navigate to prior months? Thanks for all your help.

Go to the Archives, on the right side, select each month, and you will see all the posts for that month. Each is listed as HOMEWARD BOUND—Month xxx

You can also search — the box is in the upper left, type in Homeward Bound and they should all come up too.

[Elizabeth A.]

Another day….another question. I’m using Print and fuse for my appliqué. I cut out the medium circle from the large….. I’m thinking about appliquéing a ring then adding the petals to the background. I am worried that’s a lot of fabric with the circle … did you cut any away. You didn’t mention it. Just wondered what you might think. Have a good weekend!

[Barbara B.]

No, I didn’t cut anything away behind the appliqué.
Your idea could work. Try one to see what you think before prepping all those rings.

[Pat D.]

I think I've read all the instructions and viewed the videos -
However I'm struggling with the placement of the long vines.

What would help me would be if I could strike a line on the patterns that I could line up with the seam that will join this unit to the existing center unit.

I understand that I need the center circle to be 1/2" to 3/4" from that imaginary line.
What I need is the other end - the low dip of the arc.

How far up from the sewing line is the low dip of the arc????
could you measure that for me???

Thanks, I appreciate all of your advice.

[Kati]

I have the same question. Additionally I wish there was a measure from the tip of the star block edge to the tip of the vine (and not the leaf since we do not have this measure) I struggle with the alignment of the vine. Thank you.

[Barbara B.]

Did you see the Month 7 blog with a photo of where I placed the end of the long vine? The rest of the vine follows the line on the pattern.