Princess Rose Charm Pack Quilt (#66)

So soft, so sweet and so pretty is this charm pack quilt made with Princess Rose 2015 by Lecien. (and so hard to capture the delicate pastel colors on camera)

Offsetting the squares and laying out each row so not too many similar colors touch - this is one simple way to use up a layer cake or 5" charm squares.

 By following the seams to quilt - you can create this really nice wavy box pattern that is easy to follow.  Minky and batting is thicker and doesn't glide through the sewing machine throat.  You have to pull the left side of your quilt as you sew - and if you drift a little when you get to the middle sections - the wavy line is very forgiving. I always use Aurifil 50wt. on the top and bottom with a #14 needle and stitch length at 3.5

I try to match the thread color to harmonize and 'sink' into the quilt since I don't do free motion or complicated designs. I love the Aurifil 50wt. Muslin as a great color to meld into vintage like and pastel fabric collections.  

Materials:

Princess Rose 2015 by Lecien

Warm & White batting

Dimple dot minky - white

Aurifil 50wt. white #2024 and Muslin #2311

Size: 60" x 76"

January 2017

Vintage Drunkard's Path Quilt (#65)

This Drunkard's Path quilt was really fun to make.  I used the Accuquilt large Drunkard's Path die which is like being at craft camp - who doesn't like to turn a handle and see things get cut out.  I watched & read every video on how to sew curves, only to find my own way worked fine.

Drunkard's Path Notes: 

1) Starch and iron fabric before using any Accuquilt die.

2) Since it was my first time sewing curves and I didn't know how many blocks I would mess up -  I sewed similar colors together (reds with reds, etc.) and went with 'random' as a design plan.

3) When sewing, I put the 'pie' shape on the bottom - using a pin at the beginning, middle and end to join the two shapes - and tugged with a pair of craft tweezers the bottom 'pie' shape while I sewed ... it worked great with this large block size ... but the quilt police would not give me any kudos for technique! (When I tried this method for a smaller drunkard's path block - 4.5" - the 'pie' shape worked better on top - go figure!)

4) I did not trim or iron any seams until after the layout was finished.

Do not iron seams open.  One seam is pressed towards the pie shape and the block next to it has the seams pressed towards the 'L' side. The seams will now nest.

 5) At first I was trying to make this block perfect right out of the sewing machine - WRONG - you trim and then get the perfect block. 

 Line up your template ruler at the same seam points and everything will meet to make a smooth circle after trimming & sewing. 

 I picked the 6.5" mark on the curved seam (see arrows) and trimmed the block to 7" unfinished. You can pick any point on your template ruler to trim this block smaller - just be consistent that both measurements are the same on the seam line. 

Lastly, white minky backs this pretty quilt. I used a #14 needle to quilt with Aurifil 50wt. in Veriegated Lemon Ice #3910. Straight line stitching (3.5)  on either side of the seams - and then diagonal lines through the circles - perfect every time.

Retro Child Smile Spring 2015 by Lecien
Hints of Prints by Darlene Zimmerman
Red Binding/ A Walk in the Woods by Aneela Hoey
Dimple dot minky / white
Warm & White Batting
Aurifil 50wt. white # 2024 & Veriegated Lemon Ice #3910
Accuquilt Drunkard's Path die 7" finished
Size: 57.5" x 70.5"
January 2017