There were questions yesterday about cutting for the dies. This die will cut 6 layers at a time so I have 6 different fabrics in a stack. If you are making a 2 color quilt, all 6 pieces would be the same fabric. The insert in the die package tells me how big to cut the pieces.
Here I have put the stack on top of the section that needs to be cut with dark fabrics.
(Under the die are some of the light fabric yardage I have pulled for cutting.)
Then I look back at the package insert and it tells me what size to cut for this next section which is light fabrics.
Then I place them on the die.
Now I have added the third stack of 6 fabrics on the die. I don't need to cut any on the place marked A because I already have a supply of 2.5" squares. Now the plastic top layer gets added and it gets cranked through the die cutter.
You can go to Accuquilt's website and see videos of layering and cutting.
A lot of people call their cutter an Accuquilt but that is the company name; each cutter has its own name. GO!, GO!BABY, GO!BIG and Studio 1 or Studio 2. Their website will give you all of the info.
This is the photo I showed a few days ago with the die and the insert from the package laying next to it.
There is also a large bin of batik scraps from which I have been doing most of the cutting.
After several days of pressing and cutting I now have 2 neat boxes of pieces, larger ones but less than 1/4 yard is on the left. The one on the right is pieces too narrow to cut the pineapple log cabin chunks. All are nicely pressed and ready to use for another project. Even after pressing and cutting all day yesterday I still have more to do. There are 21 pieces of dark and 16 pieces of light in each block. Now to make the reverse blocks I need 21 light and 16 dark pieces of the proper length. I like every piece different in a block and I don't want all of the blocks to be be identical so that means more than 70 dark fabrics and more than 70 light fabrics to have the look I want.
I'm cutting all of the pieces for the pineapple log cabins from my batik scrap box. I'm almost out of die cut pieces so it will be back to pressing and cutting today. I have made all dark blocks so far (dark centers and outside corners). I will probably make 2 light blocks now and alternate with dark ones to see if that is the way I want to go. I really like it as all dark blocks already. I will need to cut some light fabrics from yardage because the scrap box is mostly medium and dark fabrics. I will choose all of the light batiks that I don't like as well and that never seem to get used. All they need to be is light value that is a contrast with dark values and the design in the fabric isn't important in a 1.5" wide piece.
I did a little ETSY shopping right before the arctic front got here. Char over at Clothstitched blog showed some new things she had put in her ETSY shop so I visited it and was immediately ready to purchase the zebra pouch. This won't surprise my closest friends who know I love zebras.
The rope coil basket caught my eye too because I love the artistic treatment she used for the end of the coil. I have seen some pretty awkward endings before and this one is so nice. I loved the bright colors too. I have never made any of these and most likely never will. I have too many other things on my wish list to make.
I know I could make a pouch myself but I'm on a roll with finishing (and starting) quilts right now so I splurged. Char's workmanship is excellent on both items. I like the fabrics she used on some of the others too. I have no affiliation with the shop, just wanted to recommend the shop because I appreciate good quality.
I'm thinking this one might be used for my dishcloth knitting as it fits in there just perfectly.
I loaded the flannel baby quilt after lunch and quilted it later in the afternoon yesterday.
The batting was pieced so I wanted a little closer quilting and did a small meander. I have Hobbs 80/20 batting in this one.
It is 37" square, just perfect for a floor quilt for baby to play on.
The front is mostly yarn dyed woven flannel plaids and stripes with print flannel center squares. The back is a print flannel. I did the binding all by machine so it is really sturdy.
There is just one more bud to open on the white double Amaryllis plants.
58 years ago today I went to the hospital and had my first baby. The weather is just about the same today as it was on that day.
I did lots more pressing and cutting for various projects yesterday. Last night I got the border sewn on the flannel baby quilt that I sewed together last month. Now I just need to clean off the longarm table so I can quilt this.
We are finally getting some thawing. The snow in the backyard was deeper than my boots height so I'm glad to see it go down a little there. I filled the bird feeders and hung some suet cages. Two more days of thawing.
I like to take advantage of sales and especially on free shipping so I got a new cutting die. This is a block I don't enjoy making by other methods but I love the block. I made a sample last night. That is my bin of good size batik scraps and I do my pressing and preparing a little at a time.
This is the other optional coloration. I haven't decided if they will be both light and dark blocks as shown on the package insert or like this sample. I can see this project being a fill in while working on others. When I have the iron on to press something else I'll press about 20 pieces of batik and sort them by light and dark so they are ready for cutting.
I also got the batting cut for 2 quilts yesterday so now I need to work on the backings for them.
I had 4 finishes for January...top left Kaffe 2 colorwash 33.5" square, bottom left batik rectangles colorwash 24" x 38.5", center printed cotton fabric colorwash made with rectangles 40" x 63", and batik orphan blocks quilt 52.5" x 68". All of these were tops from last year waiting to be quilted....and now they are done.
Quilt tops finished in January: I finished sewing the TAW top from last month and started and finished the other 3 quilt tops in January. OBW 52.5" x 67", Red and white stars 44" x 68", Marcia Derse fabric frames and squares 51" x 68", and the Kaffe fabric TAW 78.5" x 98". I like to start the new year strong and try to keep up the momentum at least until gardening season.
I had a lot of sewing and pressing to do on the One Block Wonder yesterday to get it finished.
I turned it 180 degrees from the way I designed it and I think I like it better this way. Since it will probably become a throw quilt it will be seen from all directions.
I got the points to match in some of the blocks.
Others were off by the tiniest bit but as busy as it is I don't think that will be noticed.
