Feelin’ Groovy QAL – Week #4 – Paper Piecing (Technique #3)

Welcome back yet again!   It’s Week #4 of our Feelin’ Groovy QuiltAlong and it’s time to learn our last technique – Paper Piecing! This week we’ll be constructing the spikey outer border.

But first — If you’re just joining us this week or looking to catch up, be sure to catch last week’s blog post and video – it’s all about appliquéing the swirls to the background blocks.

READ THE FEELIN’ GROOVY WEEK #3 POST BY CLICKING HERE

Make Copies of the Spikey Outer Border Pattern —
First, you’ll need to make some copies of the spikey paper pieced pattern included in the Feelin’ Groovy pattern.

You can use a cheap thin copy paper to do so and your home printer.

Or you can use Carol Doak’s Foundation Paper sold at most quilt shops. This is a paper specifically made for paper piecing and can also be sent through your printer to make copies.

TAKE NOTE!! Make sure when you make a copy that you have your printer set to “print at 100%” or “actual size”. Make a test copy and refer to the 1″ scale in the bottom left hand corner of the pattern. If this scale doesn’t measure 1″ EXACTLY as it says you know something is off. Additionally measure around the dotted lines of the spikey paper pieced pattern…it should measure 6-1/2″ x 9-1/2″.

For the Lap Quilt size on the pattern cover, you’ll need to make a total (18) copies and for the Baby Size, you’ll need a total of (12) copies. Make yourself a few extra copies just in case!

Cutting Your Strips —
I found that for this particular pattern that if I cut all of my black and white scrap fabric into 3” X 8” strips, I could easily and speedily paper piece the spikey border pattern in no time. So cut a variety of black and white fabrics into 3″ x 8″ strips.

What is Paper Piecing?–
“Paper Piecing”, or also referred to as “Foundation Piecing”, simply means to assemble a unit piece by piece using a paper-printed pattern or muslin fabric pattern as the foundation for the fabric strips. Paper piecing is super fun, super easy and super accurate – you’ll never cut off another point that’s for sure.

First, you need to just wrap your brain around the fact that you are sewing backwards or somewhat in reverse. Before begininng let’s start off with some handy tips to help you along the way – these are also in the pattern on pages 3-4!

• Reduce your stitch length on your machine to 2 or a little smaller – this will help perforate the paper and make it easier to remove later;

• The printed side of the paper (with all of the patterns, marking and numbers) will be the side you sew on and therefore it will become the WRONG side of the unit when complete;

• The solid lines on the pattern denote the lines you sew on. Sew directly on all solid lines starting with “Sew 1”, – starting and ending your stitching several stitches before after the sew line;

• Note that each part of the unit has a number and a color – piece the unit together in the numerical order indicated starting with 1, then 2, 3, 4 and so on. Do not deviate from the numerical order listed;

• Cut a separate piece of fabric for each numbered section of the pattern. The fabric piece should completely cover the numbered section and extend at our over all the dashed lines of the section;

• For paper piecing, place fabric pieces on the unprinted side of the pattern over the appropriate numbered pattern section. For this step, you may need to hold the pattern up to the light to see the section lines or place pins along the lines to guide you in placing your fabric strip over the correct section.

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For exact paper piecing instructions, I always think a visual example is better – so here is my companion video for the week. You can also follow along in the pattern on pages 4-6 for detailed paper piecing instructions, more descriptions and diagrams.

Once your first unit is complete, trim the unit to 6-1/2″ x 9-1/2″ on the dashed lines. DO NOT REMOVE THE PAPER ! We will do that next week when we put the quilt top together.

That’s it for Week #4!!  Next week – Week #5 – our final week – we’ll be putting it all together – woohoo!

Until then, please be sure to email us at colourwerx@yahoo.com if you have any questions.  Or feel free to post questions or progress pictures on our Colourwerx QAL Facebook Group.

Until your next colour fix and next week’s QAL post ~  happy and bright quilting always!    L&C xxoo

Feelin’ Groovy QAL – Week #3 – Appliqué the Swirls (Technique 2)

Welcome back!   It’s Week #3 of our Feelin’ Groovy QuiltAlong and it’s time to start appliquéing the swirls to the slash ‘n sew background blocks.

But first — If you’re just joining us this week, be sure to review Week #2’s Blog Post to find out how to slash ‘n sew the background blocks..

READ THE FEELIN’ GROOOVY WEEK #2 POST BY CLICKING HERE

You can also refer to our Fab Friday Broadcast Episode #16 where I demo’d the same slash ‘n sew technique but used a charm pack to make a small pillow top!

VIEW FAB FRIDAY EPISODE #16 RIGHT HERE!

On to Week #3 of Feelin’ Groovy!
I do love to do fusible machine appliqué – it is so fast and fun and you can use a variety of stitches like the zigzag, buttonhole (or also known as the blanket) or decorative stitches to embellish and texturize your shapes.  Remember there are no quilt police lurking so experiment and have fun!

Also, if you’d like a how to video – you can view Week #3’s companion video tutorial right here!

But first things first….
Prepare your Swirl Shapes —
You’ll be cutting out (20) swirls for the Lap Quilt (on the pattern cover) or if you are making the Baby Size version, you’ll only need (9).

1.  First, gather the pattern page (included in the pattern) and following the directions on your adhesive fusible web, trace (20) swirls (or (9) swirls for the baby size) on the smooth side of the fusible web. Use a #2 pencil for tracing.

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Rough cut these shapes out at least 1/4″ beyond the drawn line.

Again, I like to use the adhesive fusible web Heat ‘n Bond Lite.

2. Next select a 9″ x 9″ square of fabric for each swirl, and fuse the drawn paper shape onto the wrong side of each square.

Cut the shapes out neatly on the drawn line and be as exact as possible.  Use a sharp pair of scissors for this step.

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4.  Once you have all (20) shapes cut out (or (9) if making the Baby size), you are ready to appliqué.

Fuse (or Iron) Each Swirl to Your Slash ‘n Sew Background Squares —
1. Before fusing you may want to lay out all of your background squares and swirls shapes on your design board to make sure you have distributed the colors evenly across the quilt top and also have a nice balance of dark and light values.

2. Taking your first background block and first swirl, peel the release paper off the backside of each shape and iron the shape in the center of the background square.

3.  Also place a piece of stitching stabilizer on the WRONG side of the Small Flower Petal Block.   The stabilizer will help to “stabilize” your stitching especially if you are using a zigzag, satin stitch or decorative titch around each of your shapes.

Any digitized embroidery machine stabilizer will work for this purpose, but my favorite is the Sulky Totally Stable Iron On Tear Away Stabilizer pictured below.

Let the block cool after ironing and then get ready for some fun machine appliqué.

Machine Appliqué Around the Petal Shapes —
1. Set your machine up for appliqué stitching by changing your presser foot to an open toe foot and choosing some fabulous matching thread for your first flower fabrics.

2. Set your machine to your desired appliqué stitch.  I usually like to choose the Zig Zag and set my Bernina to stitch width 2.5-3.0 and stitch length to just below 1.0 .

Test, test, test before you begin.  Once satisfied, applique stitch around each of the swirl shapes. If you need some assistance in getting started with appliqué stitching, please watch the companion video above.

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3. Repeat these steps above until you have created and appliquéd the (20) swirls (or (9) if making the Baby Size version) to the Background Squares.   Once stitching is complete, be sure to tear away the stabilizer from the backside and lightly press each block.

Then trim and square each block to 9-1/2″ x 9-1/2″. Refer to the pattern – page 2 for more information.

That’s it for Week #3!!  Next week – Week #4: we’ll be learning Paper Piecing – Technique #4 – woohoo!

Until then, please be sure to email us at colourwerx@yahoo.com if you have any questions.  Or feel free to post questions or progress pictures on our Colourwerx QAL Facebook Group.

Until your next colour fix and next week’s QAL post ~  happy and bright quilting always!    L&C xxoo

Feelin’ Groovy QAL: Week #2 – Slash ‘n Sew the Background Squares – (Technique 1)

Welcome back!   It’s Week #2 of our Feelin’ Groovy QuiltAlong and it’s time to learn our first technique – Slash ‘n Sew Squares.

This technique is also referred to as ‘Stack ‘n Whack’. Either way, it is super fun and super liberating – no need to be exact with cutting or 1/4″ seams! I know you will find a multitude of other uses for this technique (as I do) in your everyday quilting!

But first — If you’re just joining in this week, be sure to review Week #1’s Blog Post to find out how to purchase the pattern and what fabrics and materials you’ll need to gather –

READ THE FEELIN’ GROOVY QAL WEEK #1 POST BY CLICKING HERE

Each week of the quiltalong, also look for a companion video – I hope you like these little videos (let me know your feedback with a comment below)!!  If you’d like to receive alerts to when the videos are posted and other neat tutorials and replays of our Fab Friday Live broadcasts, then subscribe to our Colourwerx YouTube channel right here!

If you’d like to view this week’s companion video to the Week #2 of the Feelin’ Groovy QuiltAlong, here it is:

Week #2 – Slash ‘n Sew the Background Squares for the Swirls —
By now, you should have selected (5) color groups, and placed (4) 11″ squares in each color group for a total of (20) squares.

Just as a reminder, I will be making along side you a smaller baby Size versions that will measure approximately 40″ x 40″ when complete.

For my smaller size, I’ve selected (4) color groups and placed (4) 11″ squares in each group for a total of (16) squares.

Let’s Start Slashin’ & Sewin’ —
1. Select your first color group of (4) squares. Place the squares Right Side Up evenly stacked on top of each other. Following the diagrams in the pattern on page 1, slap your ruler down on the stack and “slash” at an angle through all 4 layers (whoosh!).

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2. Without disturbing the stacks (very important!), make a second slash (whoosh!)….and then a third slash (whoosh!)… Be sure to use your ruler as an edge to cut against so you don’t slip and have an accident!

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You should now have (4) piles of fabric. Label each stack with a letter….A, B, C & D. Again refer back to the pattern on page 1 for guidance…however if you want to switch it up the angle to make these slashes ‘uniquely you’, go for it but be sure to make only 3 slashes so you have 4 unique piles.

3. Now the fun begins where we shuffle the piles and stitch them back together. Leave Pile A alone…

Take the top fabric from Pile B and place it on the bottom…Take the top 2 fabrics from Pile C and place them in order on the bottom of Pile C…Lastly, take the top 3 fabrics from Pile D and place them in order on the bottom of Pile D. You should now have a different fabric on the top of each pile.

3. Take the top fabrics from Piles C & D and stitch them together – do not worry about exact 1/4″ seams or evening up the top and bottom edges…just stitch them together as best you can! Press the seam to one side.

4. Next Stitch the top fabric on Pile B to the sides of Pile C/D. To finish the block, stitch the top fabric on Pile A to the edges of Pile B/C/D. And just like that – Wow! – you have your first square together.

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5. Set aside the first square and repeat on the remaining 3 sets of fabrics in the piles to complete (4) squares total for that color group!

6. Now repeat the above steps on the remaining color groups. Make a total of (20) squares in (5) color groups if you are making the Lap Quilt. If you are making the baby Size version like me, make (16) squares across (4) color groups!

NOTE: Try not to chain piece these squares. It’s very easy to get the piles mixed up. I make one square at a time. You know you’ve got it right when each section of a completed square has a different fabric in it!

6. Do not square up your blocks just yet! In Week #3, we’ll applique the swirls on and after we do, then we will square up each block after all the stitching is complete!

What Else Can I Do With This Slash ‘n Sew Technique??
Let’s talk for a moment about some other uses for this slash ‘n sew technique. It is so versatile! First, it’s a great stash or scrap buster. You can literally start with any size square you’d like as long as all the squares you start with are the same size – cut them at 11″, 10″, 9″ or even 3″ – you get the picture! Also why not grab an abandoned 10″ layer cake or a 5″ charm pack laying ion your stash.

Remember the golden rule! – (4) squares go in, get slashed ‘n sewed and (4) complete slash ‘n sew blocks will come out!

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So gather as many blocks as you think you might need (and more if you like to have choices like me!) and group them together in piles of (4) squares each and follow the steps above! Once your stitching is complete, just square each block down to a common denominator – for example, 10″ x 10″ or 3″ x 3″, etc….

So once you are done with all that slashing and sewing, what can you make?? Well here’s just a few ideas…how about make (20) 4″ finished blocks from a charm pack to make a 20″ fabulous wonky pillow?

How about making (20) 9″ finished blocks to make a scrappy lap quilt?

How about (14) 6″ finished blocks for a nice table runner?

Or use the blocks as a nifty border around another quilt!

Or like we’re doing, use them as a the background for an appliqué!

What’s great about this technique is that it’s easy, it’s fast and you don’t have to be exact! A win, win, win in my book!

That’s it for Week #2! Week #3 is all about appliquéing the swirls onto the slash ‘n sew blocks. To be ready for that, be sure to gather about 3 yards of a fusible adhesive web like Heat ‘n Bond Lite or Steam a Seam II Lite!

See ya next week! Please be sure to email us at colourwerx@yahoo.com if you have any questions.  Or feel free to post questions or progress pictures on our Colourwerx QAL Facebook Group.

Until your next colour fix and next week’s QAL post ~  happy and bright quilting always!    L&C xxoo