Saturday, March 16, 2019

Showing the process

I thought I would take a few pics of the process I have used to make the diagonal string blocks I have been showing.  Keep in mind that there are other ways to achieve the blocks...this is just the process I chose this time.


I start out with a foundation paper the size I want my blocks to be.  Next I chose a strip or string of fabric that will at the least cover the paper from corner to corner, put it on right side up.  I always tend to start somewhere near the center but you don't have to.  Wherever you start, make sure that your strip of fabric covers the paper, even when opened out.


Take the next strip and place it against the first strip right sides together.  The thing about starting with the fabric covering center...from then on as long as your fabric is long enough at the line of stitching, it will be long enough when the fabric is opened up for the next line of stitching.



I almost always use an iron and press the fabric open...

Just continue adding additional strips of fabric...

The purpose is to use whatever strip of fabric you come to...no picky matching....just a way to use little strips of leftover fabric that you couldn't use for much else.


Keep adding strips till the foundation paper is covered.  One thing I do that not everyone is does is that last little corner piece that is added....I try to make sure to cut it till the bias is in the seam and the corner edges are with the grain.  I don't know why I bother...all the rest of the edges will be bias.


I always turn over and use a ruler and rotary cutter to trim the blocks to size.


Before rotary cutters and rulers, one used scissors and trimmed to the size of the foundation paper.


Isn't it magic how it looks so neat with just four cuts.


And one last photo of the paper starting to be torn off.   I have used phone book pages, but with them you have to worry about the newsprint transferring  to your fabric.  Supposedly, after so many years it is cured and won't transfer.  Well, on these blocks I used some that was as old as 'that magic number' and while it did not transfer to the fabric, it did rub off on my machine bed.  I switched to the paper above for the most part.  It is blank newsprint paper...I bought it from Amazon.  I have used printer paper, but it is hard to tear off, even with the shorter stitch length I use in making these blocks.

I hope this was good enough to explain the process to those interested.



15 comments:

  1. To me this looks like a lot of work, but the end result is very pretty.

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  2. And you repeat this process to make all the necessary squares to make a big quilt!! Wow!

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  3. Thanks for the tutorial! It looks pretty easy! I don't need a new hobby:)

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  4. Amen to Ginny's comment... this is amazing to me, and I can't believe how neat and cool it looks after you cut it.. I very much enjoyed seeing how you do these..

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  5. Thank you...thank you. This explains to me the foundation paper use. When you mentioned it in a previous blog, I had no idea...now, I know. And your step by step here looks so expertise!! I appreciate this so much. Oh, and I am totally envious of your know-how.

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    1. Ps...thanks for leaving me a comment inviting me to see first hand.

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  6. That is amazing. You are so talented. Happy St. Patreick's Day to you and your family.

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  7. I am so glad to see this! Thank you. I've been wishing you would show exactly how you make the blocks. I might be able to do one. If so, I will let you know. Thank you Rose.

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  8. Judy@newenglandgardenandthreadMarch 19, 2019 at 7:55 AM

    It's always good to have a visual. :-) I have used this method on placements that I quilted as I went along. Works pretty well, and you can move right along once you have the hang of it. :-)

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  9. Not being a quilter I found this all very interesting. It shows how much work goes into making a quilt, time consuming with a labor of love and now I can look at a quilt and really appreciate them more than I did, which was a lot :) Thank you for explaining this in such detail Rose.

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  10. It was very well explained! Lovely tutorial.

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  11. Good for you----much to tedious for me. Also I am all thumbs. You do have a good eye
    MB

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  12. Good pictures and easy to understand instructions. Makes me want to get up from the computer and go sew...except it's late at night -can't see after dark anymore. Getting old really isn't fun.
    Just whining.
    Jeannie@GetMetoTheCountry

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