Let's Quickly Join.......Let's NOT.

Your blocks are made and quilted....all ready to join. The temptation to "quickly" join the blocks, in order to  finish is high....don't give in. The are many parts of QAYG that are quick and fairly forgiving, joining the blocks is not one of them. I really don't mean to scare you off, it's just that you've worked so hard, to make these beautiful blocks, you want them beautifully joined as well. Take your time. Here are some tips that really help me.

 Pin and pin some more. I'm really not a quilter, that pins very much, but when joining the long strips I find it's a must. I pin at every intersecting block, so that everything meets where it should, and then some pins in between.

 Put your ironing board beside you, in order to support your quilt...as you add the rows the quilt gets heavier and starts to pull, resulting in crooked seams.

 

Press and press some more. I place an ironing pad on my cutting board so that I can lay the quilt flat.

 I press the join at the back, first.

Just look at the fancy new iron, I bought a few weeks ago....it's fabulous.
 You can leave it sit, just like that, it has an automatic lift so it doesn't burn anything, when it rests.

I turn the quilt over and press the join from the front. 

 

Then I press the joining strip to one side and pin some more.

 All ready to stitch down...I prefer to stitch this down with my machine, rather than by hand....this is where I like to save time.

Here is half the quilt, on the banister.......the rest is  in the  sewing room waiting to be joined, carefully.

Free Bee for May 2012

Since I'm up to my armpits in shott cottons anyway, it's a good thing I can use them for my April and May Free Bee blocks, as well. True to my erratic quilting ways, I threw myself in to May's block for John without finishing starting Ethne's block for April. It was just the mood I was in....what more can I say.

John has us making totem pole type blocks inspired by Erin Wilson...well worth checking out. 

 

We Have a Winner

We have a winner.....thanks so much, for all your wonderful comments. 

The winner of the fabulous book Quilting Modern
is Rhonda of QuiltNut Creations.


 I just popped over to her blog and saw some interesting long arm quilting going on, you just might want to check it out.

It Was a Very Good Day

 My wonderful son with his beautiful boy.

Indeed, it was a very good day....our hearts are full.

And of course, here are a few pics, of the quilt I made for him.

Speaking of Joining

I've started a Flickr Group.....
QAYG Unstitched

The QAYG topic is humongous (to borrow another one of  my little granddaughter's favourite phrases). As a result I've started a Flickr group to share our projects and field some of the many questions, that come my way. 

When I look at how often I use this method, even though I have a long arm...I realize just how much I love this way of quilting.

I really have no idea how to run a Flickr group, but will have fun trying. Who knows I might even figure out how to create a button, after all Lynne tells me how, right here. And If I follow along on her Touch draw tutorials, who knows what might happen.....now let's not get carried away!!

If this is something you're interested in, come join QAYG Unstitched.  With all that un-stitching we might just become unhinged....let's do it together, I'd love to see you over there. 

And the Joining Begins.....

As you can see, I've decided against using the stripes.

Making progress.

A little improv joining going on.

I would like the joiners to blend into the quilt, rather than be an obvious design element .

  

A close-up...can you see which strip is the joiner? 

Blocks 11 & 12.....And That's It!!

Here are blocks 11 and 12, of the Oakshott Project and to borrow one my little granddaughter's favourite sayings, for the moment....and that's it. She loves it use it when she wants another turn of anything. "One more time" she'll say "and that's it!"...knowing full well she'll probably get a few more. It's those dimples and big blue eyes that will do it every time. 

Seriously for this set of blocks....that's it!
Now to join them all together. 

Just in case you missed it, check out yesterdays give away here.