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Sunday, February 14, 2010

Quilt out of my box with 'The Quilt Show' Challenge

I have always been a traditional quilter and I've been thinking that it's time to get out of my box a bit and try some new techniques. Thanks to my Mom and Dad I have all The Quilt Show DVD's so I will start at the beginning and do as many techniques and projects as I can.

Here are my guidelines I will *try* to follow!
  • If there is a technique I am really not interested in or I already use then I may not do it- this is supposed to be fun!
  • I'm going to use what I have whenever I can.
So let the creativity begin!

The first thing I will do is say sorry to Joe Cunningham from `The Quilt Show` Episode 101. I won't be trying the old fashioned quilt frame for basting. Where I live there are lots of these old fashioned frames around so I know how they work and I don't have room for one in this little house on the prairie. Sorry Joe!

I have been busy working on Episode 102 with Vikki Pignatelli the last couple of days.

I finally found a reason to use my flexible ruler and I wondered why I didn't do this sooner?


This was a very easy technique. One tip is to start cutting the freezer paper templates with a craft knife.


Here are all the pieces cut out and pinned in place and ready to sew. I used a transparent thread for the sewing and that worked well but I like the look of matched thread colors better.



Here is the finished piece front and back. Does it look like a prairie?





The second challenge is to try this piecing method by improvisation. I have learned that I am NOT a free spirit. (Ok I did know this already but this reminded me!) I like seeing how it is going to look on a pattern. For this I chose to cut and sew each piece at a time. I suppose I could have cut and pinned and sewn everything at the end but it seemed a little fussy to me.




Would I do this technique again? Yes to the 'pattern' technique and no to 'improvisation'!

The next challenge...The Quilt Show Episode 103

Oh...and did I say thank you to Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims for such a great show?

6 comments:

  1. Is that ever neet. I think ill wait a while before I try that. You do beautiful work.

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  2. I like your prairie piece Ann!

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  3. Oh Ann I am not worthy. You do wonderful work and you are not afraid to try anything. I think it's a great idea what you are doing. Yes your work does look like the prairie. Love Aunt Sharon

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  4. Love the Prairie curves & colours!

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  5. A flexible ruler is the one item I don't have in my vast collection of patchwork and quilting notions!! Now I want one!! Your prairie looks fantastic:-) How was it constructed? Is each layer topstitched onto the other? I'd love to try this out myself!

    Happy Sewing!

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  6. Hi Helen, that is exactly how it works! You just turn under your edges, pin and sew down with a zig zag or buttonhole stitch. It really was fun right from the designing to the finishing. I will be doing this technique again!

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