Biggs Details

I am finished with the Apple Pie Ridge Star block, First of the Benjamin Biggs BOM.  

I kept thinking that the shape looked familiar and finally decided that it's the Idaho WIC logo.

Not bad symbolism actually, as I was a WIC Dietitian for 10 years.   But if I were to do it over, I'd do a double scroll like the one from QuakerQuiltHistory.com.

The reason that I LOVE applique is the opportunity to do some really cool details, most of which are only known to me.

I fussy cut the swirls on the flower bud.  And lined up the center veining on both the bud and the leaf.

Here's my process for "fussy cutting" using Backbasting applique.

Use long pins to mark the center veining.  Also the top bottom, and for this shape, bottom of the bud.

By feeling through the fabric, you can position any center veining as well as other designs on your fabric.  I like using small applique pins to attach the fabric to the right side.

Use a contrasting thread to baste the fabric in place.  My general plan is that I can make longer stitches where it is long straight runs, and closer together for the curves and fussy bits.

Remove the basting an inch or so at a time,  and use needle turn techniques to sew the shape down.  I like silk thread and a size 11 or 12 needle.    Clover Black Gold is my favorite, but this is my last one, so I may need to take out a second mortgage to stock up.

Things don't always turn out like I planned.
I'm pretty laid back about letting things look organic...but square leaves are a deal breaker.  (I was busy watching the game and talking to my daughter and didn't notice how bad they were as I was making them. )

I rarely  make this kind of error when hand stitching, but it's not a hard fix.

I used a seam ripper to un-stitch the curves, leaving the inner points that were just fine.

Stitching better.  Though the photography is not.

My point is that sometimes a couple minutes is worth the fuss.

 I'm on my way over the the Benjamin Biggs Blog.  Join us over there if you're working on this quilt.  I'll be blogging both places but with different content.

Primary Source

I love the overall look of the new Biggs BOM that I've decided to do.  With the exception of block #1.  Which is probably not a good way to start a big project.  What I don't like is a combination of it's strange asymmetrical shape the the unknown purpose of the weird green commas.

There is a great history document that was provided with the block called Apple Pie Ridge Star.

Which triggered an Ah-Ha! moment in the shower this morning.  What if this was a bad interpretation of a great block?  Is this the Wikipedia Version of a great masterpiece?

My background as a college professor kicked in and I decided to look for a primary source.  Maybe this is like the "whisper game" where things change as they are passed on....

A quick internet search and I found several historic examples including my favorite variation from QuakerQuiltHistory.com

*Insert Sound of Angels Singing*

Now I'm getting excited!

I grabbed a pen and started reshaping the pattern.

Before my work day had started, I had a mock up.

This is worth stitching.

I do backbasting needleturn applique so I need to trace the design on the back of my fabric.    The thing that I hate about winter at 43 degrees North is that it's dark when I go to work and when I go home.  My "light box" (aka window) doesn't work.

I had already prepped the background block.
So I finished the prep at lunch at work.

I've never flashed a hospital with quilt patterns before.



* If you are not familiar with back basting applique, there are tutorial links on the top right sidebar of my blog.

Progress and a Lie

I am slowly getting a feel for feathers.  Feeling bold enough to try some with yellow thread on dark green.  And I might be convinced to give variegated thread a second chance.  I kind of like it on these skinny doodly lines that I used for fill.

I looked at some Feather Quilt Porn on line and decided I needed to try adding some curly bits, but was cautious enough to do it on the yellow where it wouldn't show much if I didn't like it.  I ended up drawing out the feathers to follow on that side so both sides would come out similar.  I was feeling pretty bold and just drew the spines on the green and did freehand feathers.  Some of them are still coming out kind of square.  I need to work on that.

Now on to the lie.
A couple posts ago I said I wasn't going to start anything new until I'd cleared 10 things off the list.  You knew that wouldn't really happen, right?  Besides, 20 WIPs is a nice round number.

There just happens to be a free BOM that started today.  (Follow the link above to join in.)
It seems like the perfect excuse for using the red batik collection I've been hoarding for years.
It's been washed in Retayne and is in the drier as I type.
I considered my "usual" color palate of lime & fuschia, but think that maybe it's time for a really traditional applique.  I'm not really keen on all the blocks, but sometimes it's good to do something uncomfortable.  Hello Benjamin Biggs.

Quilting Update

 

I finally found the right lighting to show off the quilting on the back of the USA quilt. 

I am currently on block #15 of 50.  I will go back afterwards and add some fill stitching between the blocks.

My other accomplishment of the weekend was indexing the past 3 years of blog entries and updating my  Finished Project Page 

I also updated the Works in Progress Page.

While it is true that I have more than the 19 UFO's that I have posted there, these are the only ones that have photographic proof and providence that they exist.  I will admit to others as needed.  

Progress Report Dec 28

Amy's quilt, aka Bonus Quilt 2 is pieced.

Interestingly, I hung this upside down from the way that I designed it.  I kind of like it better.  In fact, I was planning to do machine stitched lines from top to bottom as it hangs in this photo.  But now I think I might quilt it left to right.  The flimsy finished 74" x 85".  It'll shrink a fair bit as I plan on a cotton batting and fairly close stitching.  That will have to wait, however, as I only have 1 set of basting pins and I'll have to make more progress on the USA quilt to free them up.

Speaking of which, I am extremely pleased with my progress.  I'm working on the outline and first echo quilting on each block.  This is #10 (from the back).  That seems really fast to me.  But all things are relative.

I have added a sidebar to my blog to track my progress on UFO's.  It is my goal for 2014 to clear off 10 of these before I start a couple applique projects that I really, really, really want to do.  I am embarrassed to admit that I have at least 30 quilting UFOs, so I may end up finishing things not on the original list first.   But I am trying really, really, hard to stay focused.

As I saw on a Face Book Poster: " Ask me about my attention deficit disorder or pie or my cat. A dog. I have a bike. Do you like TV? I saw a rock.  Hi! "

USA Quilting 1

I got my least favorite part of the quilt process done yesterday - the sandwiching of the layers.

I was going to use a white backing, but the fabric I had available was white-on-white one of which was too thin and the other to painty. I opted for a red Ikea cotton sheet that I had already pre-washed, but needed ironing.

While I was wishing that I had some really white batting in the stash, it occurred to me that easy stitching was priority because of all the piecing.  I decided to use another piece of the wool I've been saving.  Interestingly, I think that the patterning of the white-on-white backgrounds stands up more with that cream colored layer.

I also discovered at this point that despite my careful stitching, the outer border has a little bit of a wave to it.  It's the result of having a bias edge of triangles all around the outside.  That problem should quilt out with this somewhat lofty batting.

I pin basted and started with a block near the center.

Windblown Square for North Dakota

Algonquin Square for Rhode Island.

After the outline stitching, I plan to do some echoing like this but in a way that merges with or flows to the stitching of the next block.

Third finished block for Sunday was Salt Lake City, for Utah (obviously).

 You may remember from a previous post on this quilt, that there are several rows that got off-grid from the others.  I can see now that there's going to be some clever stitching to camouflage the problem.

This block, for example is about 1/4" smaller than the one below it, but lined up on the right side. It's only noticeable when you try to line up the center points of each block.   A little "fool the eye" quilting and no one will notice.

Bonus Quilt 1

I have been plugging away on sewing up the red scraps from the USA quilt donations.  I had imagined this quite differently, with 12x16  rectangles.  However, I started running low on fabrics and decided to try to organize them in rows of similar widths, 12-13" wide.  I swear that I started this process with 25 blocks...but somewhere in the process I think 2 of the smaller blocks got sewn together.

My new plan is to arrange the blocks into rows of similar widths as I did with the Blue Damn Rube quilt.  I'll be using white sashing.

And I picked a winner.

Amy, this quilt is for you. (If you want it.)
Amy sent heart fabric from Virginia for this quilt, and has been a long time blog follower who always leaves encouraging comments that keep me motivated!