Sewing Scraps

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Drunkard's Path Quilt (#75)

I enjoy sewing Drunkard's Path quilts and how they chomp through lots of fabric.
All quilt blocks benefit from a final trim after assembly. Every article written on half square triangles discusses at length how to square up blocks - so why is trimming Drunkard's Path blocks not emphasized more?  In the past I have struggled to match evenly the Drunkard's Path pieces from one edge to the other: it rarely happened.  
Good news is that you can end up with a pro looking Drunkard's Path if you: 
1)  Starch and iron all fabric.
2)  Use small stitches and slow speed on your machine
3) Pie shape on top, use pins if you like, or my favorite method which is to tug fabric with tweezers ... BUT bottom line - you have to trim and square up your final block.  
On your template ruler, line up the same measurement on the top and bottom of the curve. I use the 6.5" mark.  Even though the block above is supposed to be 7.5" unfinished - I trimmed them to 7" due to wonky sewing.
When you trim like this, every block will match up on the curve when you do your layout and be of similar size - it's that simple! 
Fabric is Colette by Brenda Walton, bought from one of my go to on-line stores Hawthorne Threads. Not only do they have a great assortment of FQ's but a huge selection of Aurifil which is my go to thread.  
Quilted with simple straight lines on either side of the seams and through the center of the blocks - the overcast 'fire' weather here in So. California just doesn't do justice to the pretty mint greens and periwinkle blues.

Materials:
Colette / Brenda Walton / Blend Fabrics
Flannel / garage sale 
Aurifil 50wt. #5007 (grey blue) & #1158 (medium grey)
Warm & White batting
Accuquilt large drunkard's path die
Thanks to Jeanette Bruce from Gone Aussie Quilting and her picture tutorial that perfectly explains how to trim and enjoy sewing these curves.
Size: 65" x 71.5"
April 2017