MONTH 1 — Show Your Progress Here

[jptousley]

Just finished Month 1! Quite a challenge to connect the border…more so than the roads in Color My World. I think it might have been easier to hand piece, as a lot of my pieces are off grain. I love this BOM!

[soniasimone]

It looks so great!

[Monique G.]

I love your background fabric. It must have been difficult to keep the print going all the same way. Well done!

[MARILYN S.]

Well, you all are quite ahead of me! But I enrolled my Cricut to get cutting today! Sorting out more scraps. Progressing nicely.

[Ellen L.]

How cool! My husband got me a cricut for Christmas and I'm a bit intimidated by it. Haven't taken it out of the box. But I'd love to figure out how to do this.

[Cheryl B.]

Hi I used my scan n cut similar to your machine, really helps with accuracy cos it cuts right on the line. Well done.

[MARILYN S.]

I have both machines - the Scan N Cut and the Cricut Maker. Used my SnC for odd remnants of fabric. Scanning the fabric on the mat and then placing the templates to cut helps use up every tiny bit!

[Barbara N.]

Here is my center block. So much fun! The instructions did not add the “D” background, right?

[Barbara N.]

Here is my finished block one without the “d” section. The written instructions do not contain that part but think Barbara B. showed that part in the video. So I am not sure if I am to add it or not. I machine pieced the entire block. I used my rotating cutting mat and size 28 mm rotary cutter to cut out everything except the bottom of template B which my rotary cutter did not like. I just penciled it in and cut by hand. I clipped the curve pieces and used a 2.5 stitch length to ease in the curves. This was fun to put together. I am using fabric from my stash.

[Barbara B.]

The written instructions clearly show how to add the D background pieces, page 5 of Month 1 pattern.

[Barbara N.]

Thank you, Barbara B. It does help if you read all the instructions!

[soniasimone]

Really nice fabric choices and piecing!

[Marilyn M.]

This is my hybrid version of centre star and fans - machine piecing and applique - prior to appliqueing on to the background fabric. The reason I finally decided to participate in this BOM was to make a dent in my scraps and fabric, but I really am feeling quite a bit out of my comfort zone. I've worked on scrap quilts before, but in a more "controlled" fashion, i.e. no more than five or six colours in various shades/tones of each. Such a multitude of fabrics, prints and colours is quite a challenge for me.

[Helen W.]

Marilyn, It looks great. I too feel totally out of my comfort zone, so I am not going all scrappy.
HelenW

[Judith A.]

Marilyn, I really like this. It looks great.

[Rosa W]

Good day!
All of the fabric choices are lovely. I finished the first half. I didn't think I could do the curves on the machine, so I did hand piecing. Some may be done by machine. The templates are awesome, but I will stick something on the back to stop the template from sliding, maybe double-sided tape with a small piece of sandpaper. Also, a new blade would help.

Monique G. your fabrics gave me an idea for using the Aboriginal fabrics I have stored away waiting for a project. Gosh, can I make two of these quilts?

Lots of ideas, thank you all!

Thanks for sharing your tips & tricks,
Happy stitching, Rosa

[Helen W.]

Rosa, I use double stick tape all the time. I used it hold the template plastic to the fabric when
tracing to do Judith's idea of glue baste seam allowance to plastic and then pop the plastic off
with the edge of my appliquick stick. Post a picture of your Aboriginal fabrics, I would love to see them. HelenW

[Rosa W]

Took me a minute to figure out how to post the pictures. The fabrics in the middle are what I am currently using. The other photo are the Aboriginal fabrics, colors are blurred. Rosa

[soniasimone]

Lovely and rich

[J. Norman]

My fabrics for the first month are all ready to go. I plan on machine piecing.

[Sheridan D.]

Still a work in progress. I realised after cutting out fabric using the black line in the lollies fabric and eliminating a seam that I have made the Y seams a lot more difficult. I now have the clip into the corner.

[Helen W.]

I see you used your dividing line to eliminate seams. It looks great. HelenW

[Cheryl B.]

Here is my first block. Appliquéd the circle and will cut it down later as I may quilt as I go. Cheers from Australia

[Helen W.]

Cheryl B, I love the idea of quilt as you go. I always think about
it and then chicken out. If you do it please post pictures of your process. HelenW

[brigitte.wieser]

I finished my centerblock today. It's pieced by machine. And really thanks a lot for the tip of glue-basting and Barbaras instructions of making this block, so it was quite easy.
So I'm looking foreward to month 2

[brigitte.wieser]

Thank you Helen

[brigitte.wieser]

I tried twice to answer your question, but it didn't work. So this is the third try.
I pressed all straight seam allowances open flat, not to one side and the curved ones towards the middle.
And I sewed the four border pieces to the fans first and closed the mitered corners at least.

[Judith A.]

Beautiful. You took care in how you cut the pieces. Looks really good.

[Sue H.]

I have just started working on my Month 1 block. Here is my progress so far. Picking the fabrics took the most time!

[Carole B.]

Well, it’s a start. Handpieced and learned a lot just from these first 8 pieces. Hoping it gets easier as I go. Wool is so much more forgiving!

[Barbara B.]

Now you are ready to add the Fans and background!

[Ann S.]

Finished the center block though I haven't yet trimmed it to size... I did check to make sure I have enough fabric to make it just right!

[Helen W.]

Well, it’s a start. Handpieced and learned a lot just from these first 8 pieces. Hoping it gets easier as I go. Wool is so much more forgiving!

Carole, It looks beautiful. Any tips on not seeing the stitches from the front.
My hand stitching was too loose so I sewed over it by machine, and it looks
fine. I guess I am using a different sew sequence. I did not put the whole
star together first. I will see if I run into hard times. I did turned edge applique
with top stitch for the C template. I made diamond pairs and then added the
fan. will put pairs together, then add remaining fans. Then start thinking about
the outside background.

Looks like you have some ugly weather headed your way. We have snow
predicted for all next week. HelenW

[Carole B.]

Helen, love how you are laying out your fabrics. This will be striking! I’m not seeing my stitches from the front. Had you pressed the seams open? If so, I would think that would cause it. I’m hoping that as I progress with hand piecing, my stitches will get smaller. I’m also hoping this will get me warmed up for attempting to hand quilt. I have a wool appliqué quilt on linen that I’ve been working on for the past year with the plan of hand quilting. That won’t happen until 2025, though! As for sequencing of this block, I’m following Jen’s pattern. Thrilled I get to see her again in person in a few weeks at Road2CA. Maybe I’ll bring this block and have her sign it! We are expecting ~10 inches of snow starting tonight through tomorrow. I hope to finish this block during that time. Currently drawing and cutting fan pieces now.

[Helen W.]

Carole, I did press the seams open but then press them all in the same direction to sew over it
by machine. I too hope to get myself to try hand quilting a quilt. I am still on the final borders

of my Homeward Bound After Dark. That is the one I want to try to hand quilt. But I got so
excited about getting started on Pick A Petal that I have not touch it since Jan. 1. I is snowing
here and probably will have to do some shoveling snow before I get to sew tomorrow.
HelenW
Be sure to tell Jen that she has a ton of fans at TQS and she should check out all great
center blocks that are being created. Lucky you to go see her.

[Judith A.]

Helen, the more I look at your block, the more I like it. Great fabric choices. They play well together.