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November 3, 2008

One Block Wonder, Apply Brakes Now

What I've discovered that doesn't seem to be covered in the encore!/book two edition.


Trim the selvages off the fabric before you start cutting sections. Selvage is a tighter weave than most quilter's cottons; if it is left on, the two selvage ends of the cut strips have a tendency to curve or cup which can throw off the alignment of the 6 stacked strips.

What every book tells us and I forgot: Remove the aligning straight pins before rotary cutting that spot. Duh. Five blades @ $30.00, you'd think it would be paramount in my mind.

The encore!/book two edition doesn't give any indication about cutting sections after you've gotten your first set of 6 cut. Does the author expect sewists to continue to cut more sets of 6? She doesn't say. Does author expect sewists to use a different registration mark so our next sets of stacked 6's form a different hexagon?

Author could have been a little clearer about what size of top you get from how much yardage, she has obviously used everything from 3" to 24" drop fabrics. The pieces for the hexagons are all cut 3-3/4" so regardless of what drop your fabric has, X number of hexes will equal Y times Z square footage. I will add that info here when I get a section made. There is a chart on page 9 but it isn't very clear to me.

So far I know that my hydrangea fabric has a 12" drop, I cut my strips at 11-3/4" and from that made three 3-3/4" strips from which I cut my triangles. Six original 12" strips is 2 yards of fabric. I'll stop there or this will be as confusing as the book

Because we make this whole quilt out of triangles, 2 sides of every triangle will be on the bias. The book doesn't say but you'll save yourself a lot of grief of you stick a pin in the top/straight of grain side of every stack. Yes you can pull the triangle on 3 sides and you'd know what is top...but do we really want to pull on the bias to find that information?

I am having fun cutting out this quilt. Normally cutting is my least favorite part and probably why I 'only' have 14 UFOs...

See why I usually make up my own patterns? Can't gripe about anything but my own actions then. But really...Any book author who takes pride in their work should have their basic instruction beta tested by a beginning quilter to see if it makes sense and where they might have additional questions. Thus endeth the sermon for the day, I now return you to your regular programming.

November Gratitudes
An interesting invitation
Christmas parties to look forward to
3 goats who love pumpkin harvest time

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow, you made me remember the one I started back in April(http://kare-lifedoesntgetmuchbetterthanthis.blogspot.com/2008/04/what-im-workin-on-today.html). I haven't touched it since as it's still hanging in pieces at the quilt shop! I am so anxious to see pictures of the hydrangea's though. When are you going to post a photo?

BizarreQuilter said...

I know what you mean. I have read the first book and drooled over the second book. I haven't actually made anything from them.

I had similar difficulties reading the chart in the book Stack N Whackier. I am looking forward to seeing all of your tips.

Sorry about your blades. :(

Loz in Oz

Sharyn Mallow Woerz said...

Boy, you don't want much Kare :) I won't have photos of the progress until I get the Kudzu quilt off the working wall. Maybe next month some time. All good things come to those that wait, thanks for stopping by!

Loz, the blade I nicked was old so no really big deal, the new blade makes short work of the 6 layers. Just made me mad to do such a dumb thing.
Sharyn/KalamaQuilts

Grandma Shell said...

Enjoyed readiag your blog Sharyn. You DO have a real sense of humor!

Michelle in E WA (goldendale, if you want to get out your map LOL Look for 97 and go north from the river)

Anonymous said...

ooh that book. I was about to ask you for recommendations for fat quarter quilts books.

Grandma Shell said...

OK. Late comer here. Exactly WHAT book are you talking about? And what quilt pattern? Is this for something similar to the blocks in your header?
Full of questions
Michelle E WA

Sharyn Mallow Woerz said...

Michelle, it is the One Block Wonder book, shown a post or two below this one. Sharyn

Feeling Simply Quilty said...

Thanks for that! I'm starting the encore book on my own right now. I appreciate all your insight.