The Feather Test

Not to worry, no tickling involved in this test, ;) But I did get the opportunity to test a new paper pieced pattern by Kristy at Quiet Play. I love testing her patterns, and I've tested a few....

Winterbound 

 and lately the Geometric Series....these are fantastic....so many options

And the Feather Test and Review

Release of the pattern is set for beginning of November

This one has a lot of seams, and sewing the quill in the centre was definitely the trickiest part, but totally doable. Take your time press and use lots of pins on the second joining seam. (pictures below)

Also just watch the length of your pieces and the angles. I don't know about you but I always have more trouble with one angle flip then the other, so I lay the piece on  that I am checking and flip it over, mimicking a 1/4" seam to see if my fabric piece is long enough, and placement is right, to cover the angled area needed. If you aren't sure about where the placement is for the reverse side, I hold my piece of fabric with 2 fingers on each end, one finger on the fabric side and one finger on the back where the pattern is printed to make sure it extends passed the sewing line enough on each side.

Another thing to watch as you are joining the last section, the bottom background seam, I was so intent on matching top and bottom an sewing in the quill section straight that I forgot about that seam. You'll want to pin there. (red feather was pinned the other two....before I realized...they are both a little off)

The Feather is a very versatile pattern too, you don't have to sew on every sew line if you don't want, and because of the design it actually could be used as a leaf pattern too. It looks great with solids and prints, and a fantastic way to use up some of your scrap bits, so far that is all I've used.

The pattern sections are coloured in such a way to make it easy to use an assortment of colours/fabrics or to add your background colour in every other piece for a more open looking design.

My Tips

I found if you iron press to set the bulky seam and flip it back towards you

and press, it puts the seam allowance out of the way for joining the next section.

But just to be sure, I pin the 3 areas I want to have  line up, catching just some of the seam allowance area and making sure the end of the pin comes up and is over top of the seam allowance of the other seam. The pin holds the seam out of the way.

 I then add more pins to keep everything aligned as I sewed the last seam.

I also found that if you sewed the seam with the feather side up and the seam side down, it went a lot smoother.

 That's it! I hope you will all drop over to Kristy's blog and check out all her fantastic paper pieced patterns and try this one too when she adds it beginning of November!!

Oops...one more thing..... I added an extra piece to my yellow feather centre, to have feather at the top. Easy, peasy, just draw an extra angled line, and add some of your feather fabric!!

With them all lined up you can see they all are a bit different from each other. The yellow I omitted adding any background between colours and skipped those sewing line, giving me larger yellow section. The orange I believe I sewed every line with the background added. The red was a combination, added background, missed some lines and some background pieces. (I also made a fabric mistake that I fixed by adding an extra section that is not in the pattern. How do I make that work? I'll make that same "mistake" a few times, then only you and I will know it wasn't done on purpose!! ;)

This is going to make an amazing table runner!!

But for now back to my One Block Wonder prep!!

Dusk Pattern Review and a Give Away

I was lucky to get to test From Blank Pages new pattern called Dusk. It was the first pattern of Diane's that I have sewn, so I thought I would share a little review with you all.

1. I've never sewn a paper pieced pattern before that came with cutting templates. It was fantastic!!! I was a bit skeptical, being angle challenged....but they were perfect, and a much better use of your fabric!! 
2. The pattern is written so well and easy to follow, with lots of tips and help links
3. It comes with 2 size options, 18" and 24" (mine is 24") 
4. It's on sale right now.....always good

The only minor issue I had was there was no fabric yard requirements listed.  I kinda ran out of one green colour I thought I would have enough of.  To fix it, I added another green and just adjusted their placements and it turned out great. Hind sight, I should have taken the templates and laid them out on my fabric to check, but I hadn't thought of that. (I'm not sure if this was changed in the final pattern alternations) Don't let this stop you though, once you've laid out one blocks templates just write down what you will need and times it by the number of blocks you are making. 

I haven't had a chance to finish my block yet, still deciding if it will be a pillow or a mini for my wall.

I am also pretty sure I see a full quilt with this block in my future!!!! It is just so pretty and you should see all the testers versions too!! Use the tag #fbpDusk or @fromblankepages on Instagram. Diane will be sharing pictures of all our blocks over the next few days. As always you can find me @upstairshobbyroom on Instagram. 

I used Shot Cottons and Kona Indigo for this block. I said this before, but worth repeating....I bought this fabric sight unseen, and wouldn't use it to quilt with, but thought it a good project to use it up with, being as it wouldn't see much washing. It is pretty light weight, better for summer cloths I think, were you serge the edges of this very gauzy type fabric. (If I was talented enough to sew my own cloths, that is)

The Give Away

One lucky reader has the chance to win this fantastic pattern, so spread the word..... and good luck

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So Many Things to Procrastinate With

Lol....Have you ever known that you have deadlines to meet and all you keep doing is finding other projects to work on, that are not that deadline or goal?? I have been so distracted by lovely pattern makers and fabulous paper pieced patterns that need to be tested....and are just begging me to get involved!!!

So I did!! 

Geometric Pig  by Kristy at Quiet Play

and I know I have share this one with you all but it is worth another picture....

Dusk, by Diane  From Blank Pages pattern to be released in October. Stay tuned there is more fun coming with this one in October!! 

and a new crochet project...

because it's fall and I need to stay warm!!

Sorry I have no idea what the name of this stitch is. I have a crochet book that has 500 stitches, which is a bit of a stretch, because a great number of those stitches are just variations of a stitch. This one is a good one though!!

But now I must stay focused!!!!

There are only 2 weeks till the  One Block Wonders BOM starts

I will not let you down,

and this is not for dramatic affect...I seriously don't have the tutorial ready yet. 

That is todays goal so it leaves me plenty of wiggle room to check and re-check everything. 

So that's it, a recap, and a personal push from me to me, lol!!!

Have a great week everyone! 

Oh wait, this was a late entry for Monday's Sales post and I sure would hate for you to miss this sale, so mark your calendars....

(click on the image to get all the details)

#58 My Summer Sewing List

I want to start with an unsolicited review of the Bag of the Month Club from SewSweetness! The short answer is      I loved it!! 
I was so excited when Sara Lawson posted about the club over 6 months ago now, and joined right away! I've only made a few easy bag/totes before and the idea of making my own purses was appealing. The patterns arrived every month in my email and every pattern looked fantastic! Even though I was filing them away to complete after I all the projects on my cutting table were done, I looked the patterns over and they all appear to be clear, well written and well illustrated.
 Then May's pattern showed up, from Anna of NoodleHead Designs, and I knew that would be my first bag!!! The Poolside Tote, perfect size, great summer bag, d ring was the only needed hardware, simple and straight forward pattern (have to ease my way into bag making, so I don't get frustrated, lol) and I knew I had the perfect fabric!! I was not disappointed!! I had one question in the pattern (not enough experience in bag making and wanted to confirm my thought) I emailed Anna and had the answer in no time!! Another great thing is, the bag looks great inside out too!!

I have managed to collect all the needed bag hardware and interfacing now, so now I have 5 more bags to make over the summer, and I am looking forward to the challenge!!

 If you haven't join this years club, you still can, till the end of June! 6 bag patterns for $40.00. Check it out!

  My Summer Sewing List:

       1. MidTown Messenger Bag
2. Convertible Bag
3. Bye Bye Love Bug Bag
4. Butterfly Sling Purse
5. City Slicker Bag (intermediate)
6. Continue Block of the Months
7. Finish Churn Dash blocks
8. Finish Mini Medallion Quilt
9. Batiks Quilt
10. Complete Quilt top for the Layer Cake Sampler

What I've Been Up To:

Making lots of Triple Stars 

Tester Pattern for Kristy at Quiet Play

and hanging out with Caleb at our annual  Church in the Park and family BBQ!!

#18 A Slower Week

I'm still sewing, but at a much slower pace, with my main sewing machine in for repair and my long arm down with a dead computer screen!! Yikes!!! Luckily I just purchased a smaller, lighter machine for taking to classes!

OOh, before I put up the rest of the QAL pictures I promised I have to share pictures of the pattern I tested for Kristy at Quiet Play. It is an amazing pattern!!

 I accidentally took the picture turned! The dark blue should be the square and the light blue on point!! But you get the idea!!














Here: 4 block repeat!! Just love this pattern!!
It's a nice pattern to piece too! You can cut strips and even sub-cut into blocks because nothing is really added at crazy angles!! (Minimum waste)

Well onto the rest of the QAL pictures!!

9. String of Pearls

Nothing really to add for the String of Pearls, but for those who don't follow me on Instagram....

here is the completed front....

and the back.....

and loaded ready for the machine to be repaired so I can quilt this beauty!!

8. Bloom Bloom Pow

I can't tell you how happy I am to finally have this pattern together!!!! I love how happy it is!! I found this one really scary (newbie, fears) but it was more scary in my mind than in actual execution!!  So if you are thinking of doing it....go for it!! Take your time with the seams and pressing, because they do get bulky in the centers!! And if you look close at some of my apple green blooms you will see I made an error when sewing a strip set together and some of my shadow peddles appear to be falling off!! I only share this for anyone struggling with too much perfection....(me) lol!! I'm learning to let somethings go and embrace shall we call it "beauty in the imperfect moments of life"!! And its all ok!! and I still love it!!

                                                                                                                                                                 

Also if you have seen the Bloom Bloom Pow QAL the sides were suppose to be trimmed off to square it up....I couldn't bring myself to cut off what took so long to accomplish!!!! Instead I added triangle wedges to the ends of each row. It worked out great!!

2. City Sampler

This one is so not my normal style, but I'm loving the bright, happy, bold quilt this will be!! Just says fun!!

Oh and in case you are keeping track, to keep me, on track....I have 3 sides sashed on the Craftys BOM 2012!! Hoping to have the other side done today and square them up!! 

I'm going to a have a pile of my own quilts in no time!!! Ya!!

Have a great week everyone!!