MONTH 7 -- Ask Questions Here

[Elizabeth A.]

I give you 2 thumbs up!!

[Barbara B.]

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

[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.]

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.

[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.

[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!

[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.

[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 !!!

[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.]

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.]

I’m starting on the border. When I taped pages together, the length measured around 46”. But the longest side is only 42 1/2”. Did I tape them wrong? If not, where should I remove the excess length?

Did you check the 1" scale box? You don't tape all six pages together--there is a left side and a right side. And the star/square adds 8" more to the top and bottom borders.
Did you watch both the Month 7 video AND show #3201 where Sarah shows how to join the pattern pages for the vine placement? And the Month 7 blog where I have photos of the patterns.

[Donna F.]

I’m starting on the border. When I taped pages together, the length measured around 46”. But the longest side is only 42 1/2”. Did I tape them wrong? If not, where should I remove the excess length?

[NinaMarie]

Yeah know I was going to do each piece on all four assembly line fashion - but I think you got the right of it Carol - do one side completely - work out the kinks and THEN do the others. Got my bias stems made - cut the fabric for the borders - ready to start appliqueing tonight!

[Barbara B.]

Thank you, Carol. A lot of time goes into writing the blog, starting with taking photos as I am making each month. I am glad it is helpful. And, yes, reading the instructions and watching the videos is important.

[Carol G.]

Barbara - you have so much patience with us with all our questions!

I just want to say to all please read the Month 7 instructions several times. The length of the stems are in there. The smallest circle template is on the same page as the other circles, tabs & petal templates. I have read Barbara's blog multiple times. Her pictures helped me get it in my head that I need to applique the short stems & the vines before I applique the big circle on the background. And actually the tabs get appliqued before the big circle.

I have decided that I am going to work on 1 border first & see how that goes. I'm not using the kit, but I am getting better at deciding on which fabrics to use a lot faster LOL