Playing Catch-Up

After sewing for a few days straight on the testing, I find myself playing catch-up...on other projects, the washing, cleaning, and duties that slid for the few days.  I am happy to say I am finally at a point where I can breathe, sit, and type for a few minutes.  

Today, I will post the pics and help with the wedding ring and curved piecing. The first thing I did was cut out the scraps to make the arcs.  After sewing them together, I then cut the triangles for the end half square triangles.  I laid four 2-1/4" strips (blue, red, blue, red, and so on) on my cutting table and used my companion ruler to cut the triangles.  This is easy if you put the ruler on the 2-1/4" dotted line on the ruler, flip the ruler over and keep it up.  After these were cut, I sewed them together as they were cut. I added these onto the end of my arcs.  

 

I used a template to cut the "melon" for the center of each arc unit.  Then sewed the arcs on.  When you look at it, the arc is arcing in the wrong direction because you are sewing wrong sides together.  








 
The key here is pin, pin, pin! We pin and sew the short arc first. I found the center of the arc and melon by folding in half and finger pressing the side just a bit.  The first pin goes here. We meet the ends now and place a pin here.  I am not sure if it is the warmth of my fingers, but as I work the fabric, it just seems to go together.  I use a lot of pins.  The goal is no puckers in either the arc or melon.  






 After sewing the short end onto the melon, Find the center of the long arc and do the same again. Remembering to use a lot of pins.  Meet the end your hst (half square triangles) with the ends of your short arcs, the seam with the 1/4" mark on your seam.  The first few I did, I sewed a triangle on the end of each arc.  It was much harder to match up the corners and we not as "pretty" as this process.  Learn from my mistakes and do it the EASY way!!



In the end, you should have an eye shaped piece like this with no puckers or folds.  So far, mine are all smooth.  I am very pleased with my progress, although I am sure this will take a long time as I am trying to make a king!!






If you would like to do the mystery I tested this week, please see The Quilt and Needle's website (thequiltandneedle.com).  You will find the mystery quilt there.  It starts Friday night or Saturday morning (the 17th or 18th).  You will have the option to purchase the four quilts separately (one each season) or all together.  I usually do all four together, lets me know I have them all for the year.  Jessica is a BRILLIANT designer and makes the hardest patterns easy for people like me!!  You will not be disappointed!  Trust me!!  I have bought every one of her patterns.  :-D

Well, I hear the dryer calling my name...back to work!

quilt piecefully my friends,

Debi