MONTH 2 -- Show Your Progress Here

[LORI M.]

I started the outside arches. I cut my background pieces 6 1/2 by 8 1/2 so I have more to hold onto when doing the quilting. They can be trimmed down later. For mine, i decided to turn the edges under and straight stitch to attach to the rectangles.

[Helen W.]

I’m adding another question and want to know if others ran into this… I cut out my outside pieces and was afraid I was a little off grain. As you can see one side when I pressed..I had some extra ,but this made the outside piece lie flat. I have sewed another one..but now I’m wondering if I should cut a rectangle and attach to that for better accuracy?

Elizabeth, I cut a rectangle 9 wide and 5 tall. That gives me plenty of wiggle
room. I made a template plastic template of the 2 border sections, I use double
stick tape to tape it to back side of fabric. Cut about a 3/8 inch seam allowance
then use a few dots of glue in the seam allowance to turn the seam over the
plastic. I also made some cuts on the concave shape before turning. Then
I applique it to the double fan. Nice and flat and I like the way it looks. HelenW

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE ENTIRE PHOTO

[Elizabeth A.]

Thanks Helen. I am concerned about the inner arch I cut… if I didn’t cut on perfect grain it will be too large. I was able to tweak the seam … who will know if it’s not a perfect arch?

[Gail E.]

Thanks Helen for those very useful tips. I like the idea of appliquéing for the preferred method for the fans and curved bottom section. They look lovely and neat.

[Helen W.]

Elizabeth, I am having trouble understanding your problem. This photo shows where the grain lines on my blocks are.
There is no way I know of that you can have a straight of grain on a curve cut. That makes it a bias. My photo is for
turned edge applique on the template plastic. So I cut the seam allowance beyond the edge of the curve. If you are
using the templates, and you mark both your sewing line, and seam allowance line for cutting it out, and put some reference dots
or marks on both the fan and the background, you should be able to sew on the line. By hand it is easy to see that the
needle is going thru both sew lines. By machine I find using a glue stick to get it in position first helps a lot. Show a
picture of the whole fan block you are talking about, maybe it will be easier to see what you are asking. HelenW

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE ENTIRE PHOTO

[Ellen L.]

Finished the month 2 blocks. I started hand sewing them, but switched to the machine. They went together like a dream. Can't wait to get the March blocks.

[Vesta C.]

I am having so much fun with the fabrics in this quilt. Going random “mostly” from my stash. I had intended to use each fabric only once…but think I am running out of different fabrics. My goal is to finish the remaining 8 block 1’s before the new block comes out next week.

[GypsyBobbin]

[Vesta C.]

Ready for Block 2

[Ann J.]

Just beautiful! I love the secondary pattern that's visible when the blocks are together.

[Melanie H.]

11 done! Slow, very slow, but steady. I thought I could get 2 done an evening while watching TV, but that isn't happening. I am very slow hand stitcher. I am not much for the scrappy look, and these blocks are the ultimate scrappy. They do look better with the crescents on them. This is a really stretching my comfort zone.
I have made 21 fan blade units and cut more. That is taking a lot of time. I thought I would sew the to the background fabrics like we did in month 1. But I also am considering cutting the background as a square, Then sewing the squares together to make a rectangle of 2 different prints. Then appliqueing the fan unit on the by machine. It will go faster and be less puckered. What do you think?

[Barbara B.]

Your idea will work just fine. I did machine appliqué of the small handle as it was the fastest method that gave me the result I wanted.

[Laura H.]

You are not alone out there. This is my first time hand sewing also. Add to that scrappy is almost impossible for me. I am loving the BOM but definitely slow and loving hand sewing. I am addressing the scrappy issue by using scraps from my stash that I love along with the kit fabrics and "planning" each block considering high contrast and bright colors. That seems to help me have a more calm scrappy quilt. Thanks everyone for your helpful tips.

[Lynnanne]

Ready for Block 2

Your blocks look good and you have created good contrast with value between the center and the outside of them. I like the circle effect.

[Vesta C.]

So nice to have feedback…thank you!

[karonray]

About done with the 20 Glorified Nine-patch. All of the outsides are blue, the nine-patch are all different, my home died fabric. I stitched inside on the fold line instead of appliqueing the outside curve.

[Helen W.]

Love your block Karonray. Would love to see a picture with all your glorified 9 patches. HelenW

[karonray]

Thank you, Helen, you have been very supportive on the Forum for a long time. With the design the Nine-patch form around the center star, I don't think I will make block 2, just make more of the Glorified, Nine-patch. I've made a couple of block 2 and they aren't very friendly, and the nine-patch look so nice. I'm also playing with the idea of extending the curved piecing with Rob Peter to Pay Paul blocks to continue the circles into the applique area. Since I am so far from the scrappy into the controlled scrappy that it will be a different version of Jen's design.

[Barbara B.]

I love everything about this and your plan going forward!

[Helen W.]

Karonray, Absolutely stunning!!! Makes me wish I had gone with my first thoughts of a black background. Thanks for the kind words. Never met a quilter that I did not like. HelenW

[Annette M.]

Month 2 completed. Ready for month 3!

[Helen W.]

Annette, Thanks for posting you design wall. What a great way to see that the colors are looking
good together, and I must say yours look great. HelenW

[Connie H.]

Your quilt is going to be stunning!

[Peg]

oh, to have a large design wall! Lucky you. Fun to see your progress.

[KayeT]

Fun, and like Barb’s tip for the 9-patch and appliqué.

[Susanne M.]

My month 2 blocks are complete. All were traced, hand cut and marked. I did both hand and machine piecing. What worked best for me was machine quilting the center blocks and most of the curves. Hand stitching the corners allowed me to be very precise.

[Helen W.]

Susanne M. The contrast of medium to medium dark centers with the light to light med. really
makes for a beautiful layout. I have noticed that whether the contrast is for light crescents or
dark crescents it really makes for a pleasing overall look. It is my missing sauce in my blocks.
HelenW

[Lynnanne]

Susanne, I like your blocks. Pretty colors and good contrast.