Here is another great Quilt Block FOR OUR QUILT ALONG PROJECT: Martha Washington
Martha Washington 4″ BlockFor this alternate block I just picked on of my favorite traditional blocks. I remember as a new quilter drooling over this block thinking…I wish I could make this block…I knew it was way over my skills at the time. But guess what? With stitch-alongs like Moda Block Heads 3 you can build your skills really really fast…
We are so lucky today…with how much exposure we have to all things quilting and stitching…I remember the thing I looked forward to most was my quilt guild meeting where once a month I could get all kinds of inspiration. Now it is everywhere! I love it of course, but how many of you remember those long days in-between before you would hang out with quilting friends and the two places we had were the guild meeting and the quilt shop! I am feeling a little down, I just received word another retreat is cancelled for me….I MISS MY RETREATS with my students/friends.
Those of you who consider yourselves beginners I want to share some key things that are going to make you a better piecer…hands down. It is so cool to be a quilter now…we can teach you so much everyday…
must haves to be a great Block Maker
STARCH YOUR FABRICS
CUT ACCURATELY -make sure you are using great quality rulers, yes some are way better than others. Make sure you have plenty of light when cutting. Cutting is so important.
NICE SEWING MACHINE– I could not believe the difference in my stitching on a quality machine. Make sure you can stitch a consistant 1/4″ seam allowance that when you stitch 3 strips of 1 1/2″x 3 1/2″ starched fabric together that middle strip measures 1″ and the whole block measures 3 1/2″. Adjust until it does. If you can do it with a 1/4″ foot, or you need to stitch up against tape, however that may look. You do not need to spend thousand and thousands of dollars for a great machine…but make sure it’s great quality.
Nice STEAM iron.…if your fabrics are starched they are pre shrunk…and the steam will not shrink them any further while piecing a block. Flat blocks make flat straight quilts.
These are really the most important, yes, there are many others important things but not quite as important as these…and yes this is my opinion…but watch how easy it is to make a 4″ finished block…I starch, cut everything to the correct size…no trimming down here…I only cut off dog ears when it’s time…and my blocks come out pretty reasonably well!
Here I am this morning making this block…yes…cutting and piecing was probably 20 min at the most…I know the video is fast but you get the idea…also, I know it is not how fast you can do something…but when you want to make lots of things…time matters for me. In my groups I am getting things like…I am still working on last years projects…so TIME saving is important!
Sorry this isn’t prettier, but I did add a link so you can print this off easily.
Cutting Sizes for all Block sizes.Click HERE to print a PDF of this Alternate Block
I have a great new facebook group called STITCH with Lisa Bongean, join us if you are not already a member...Today I am going to do a Facebook LIVE on our Summer Blocks of the Week...this is our biggest best-est Stitch Along we do…We do three kinds…scrappy pieced, wool applique and english paper piecing! If any of these pics below pique your interest…stop by (link above) today at 4pm CST. to see the SBOW blocks…and the FREEBIE! If you are not on Facebook, I will be doing a whole post here with all the details soon!
Happy Friday Everyone…our Friday Give-Away will be during our LIVE event at 4pm CST.
- Corey Yoder of Coriander Quilts
- Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life
- Betsy Chutchian
- Jan Patek of Jan Patek Quilts
- Brigitte Heitland of Zen Chic
- Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings
- Lissa Alexander
- Laurie Simpson of Minick & Simpson
- Vanessa Goertzen of Lella Boutique
- Stacey Iest Hsu
- Robin Pickens
- Janet Clare
- Jen Kingwell
- Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree & Company
Click this Icon to visit Primitive Gatherings!
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