I picked up a oldish quilting book at a second hand store earlier in the summer. A block called 'St. Paul' almost jumped off the page at me while I was flipping through and that's all it takes for me to buy a cheap quilting book. Seriously, it had a really interesting antique-ish look to it that I looove, but looking closer at the details was all it took to kill my enthusiasm. Set-in seams? Not for this girl...
 |
| Partial St. Paul blocks ready to start sewing... |
Then Ellen over at
Little Jewel Quilts starting posting about her Winding Ways blocks which have a similar look to the St. Paul blocks. That made me go back and take another long look. Hmmm... Maybe? Just a few? I considered a stack of fabric that I have been having difficulty finding a pattern for. I waffled about and then finally I made a test block because
obviously I was taken over by alien life forces that day.
 |
| The first two test blocks |
The St. Paul block actually has more piecing on each side of the block which sets it on-point--not what I wanted for this quilt. So.. after more consideration, I graphed it out and made a much larger block just using the portion of the block that I liked. Well..., then it lost it's antique-ish look, the main draw for me. Once again, everything went on hold and I worked on other stuff. Besides, I do know my limitations and set-in seams are for the more experienced sewist. Even I know that.
 |
Back to the original size and now sewn up in
my chosen colors.... |
Until one day I guess I forgot about my limitations. Because I just jumped in and started tracing the templates onto fabric and cutting like a mad-woman. I think my hand still hurts from wielding the scissors so much. It's beyond me how I ended up in this predicament. Who is this woman and what happened to her in the past several years? lol You'll notice my first (blue & orange) blocks turned out okay. Not terrific because the seams are too smooshed together in the center. The second block is a bit better but then I have a wrinkly look towards the outside of the block. There is definitely room for improvement. Hello? We're talking about me and set-in seams, which I always avoid like the plague.
Obviously....
You are so funny...your blocks look great!
ReplyDeleteYou sound like me when I was trying to draft the pieces and technique for Pink Pickles. These are going to look great!
ReplyDeleteinteresting block! it looks good to me.
ReplyDeleteI admire your courage....well done!
ReplyDeleteI think this is a natural progression from your curved piecing of late. I love that phrase, "I forgot about my limitations". Sounds like a quilt to me ! Take care, Byrd
ReplyDeleteLets hear it for 'alien forces' - this is looking great!
ReplyDeleteGood for you, Audrey. Are you hand piecing these? The one I want to make - but I'm not brave enough quite yet - is a "real" bow tie, with set-in seams. Maybe I'll have to follow your lead and challenge myself to actually try it. Hey, what have we got to lose?
ReplyDeleteLooks good. You ca do it!!
ReplyDeleteTell yourself, I think I can, I know I can...and you will.
Did actually. The blocks look good.
Oh you can soooo do this!!! Good for you for giving yourself a challenge!
ReplyDeleteKerry
Oh you so have to make these fabulous blocks, they're calling to you!! Are you sewing them on the machine?
ReplyDeleteI love following your quilting adventures, and your colour combinations are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI have never pieced this block, so this might be a silly question, but can you not do the piecing without difficult set in seams by sewing the pieces into diagonal rows? And then piece the rosa together like in a on point setting?
Ok, autocorrect - that should be rows, not rosa which means pink in Norwegian.)
ReplyDeleteIm impressed you even jumped in....I would have been staring at these blocks and faffing about forever. I think you did a great job!
ReplyDeleteIve never done set in seams...Im not even quite sure what they are ....
Audrey you blocks are great. Did you cut out part of the design or is that the original block?
ReplyDeleteIt's good when alien forces take over once in a while. Challenges are good for us. Keep going.
ReplyDeleteHand piecing is the answer to set in seams.....slower? yes, accurate? you bet!! Looks good - keep going!
ReplyDelete