Saturday, August 25, 2012

Paper-Piecing Stars using Tube Pieced Strip of Fabric

Using this method I made both stars below by rearranging the placement of the blades


Tube Piecing begins by strip sewing 2 long strips of fabric cut to the same width and length. These fabric strips can be any width, I wanted to use this method to cover my 60-degree star blades, (made from light card templates) so the measurement I needed to cut my fabric is 1½" by the width of the yardage (usually 44 inches).

Two fabric strips are placed right side to right side and sewn with ¼" seam allowance, down both outer edges, (this forms a tube), then using a see-through acrylic Square ruler with a 60-degree angle marked on the ruler grid. The 60-degree angle line on the ruler is placed along the outer edge of the fabric, and then the 60-degree angle is cut on the fabric.
To create the 60-degree triangles I needed to change from the acrylic Square ruler to a see-through acrylic Triangular rule.
This see-through acrylic Triangular ruler is then placed along the outer raw edge of tube fabric, lining up the centre of the acrylic Triangle ruler with the edge of the raw fabric (The sewn ¼" seam allowance should match the ¼" seam allowance on the ruler) and measuring 5" the 60-degree angle line is then cut into the fabric tube.

This cut is repeated along the length of the fabric strip at 5" lengths by moving the acrylic Triangular ruler to the other side of the fabric tube, and repeating the cut. The result is a set of pieced fabrics cut into triangles.
Using an unpicker to unpick stitches from point of triangle
now all I have to do is remove the few stitches at the triangle fabric points

Back of Fabric showing
Then press the seams open
Front of fabric with ends clipped off
Triming the ends off and viola it’s done.

Now the fun part begins. I really love this part of the process.
.

Using 4 paper clips to secure my light card template to my fabric, I first line up the points of the card template with the fabric seam (the fabric seams have been pressed open to reduce the bulk at the points)

 Fold the fabric over the edge of the card template and clip in place with the paper clip

The next step is very important.
I need make sure that the pieced fabric seam to run through the points of my card, these points will later join in the centre of the star when the six star blades are sewn together, to get them to match perfectly I must secure the side directly opposite to the paper clip which is already in place, to do this, fold the fabric over the edge of the card template directly opposite and paper clip and clip it in place using second paper clip. Check that the pieced fabric seam is running through the points.

Continue this process with the other two fabric sides using the third and fourth paper clips to secure the edge of the card template.
Notice the ears at the end of the star blade are pointing in the opposite direction. This is want I wanted to happen to all six star blades because when the star blades are sewn together these ears will nestle together nicely.
I then tack the fabric to the card template making sure that the corners are sharpe points and the seam line is running through the point. Repeat the above process five more times. It takes six star blades form one complete star.
 
 
Until next time happy quilting
Anne

Saturday, August 18, 2012

WIP - Paper-Piecing Stars


Yippee! I have just finished more stars for Dylan's quilt. I used the Strip sew method to make these stars.

Strip sewing begins with long strips of fabric cut the same width and length. Fabric strips can be any width, but I want my 60 - degree star blades to be 2" the measurement I needed to cut my fabric is 1¼" by the width of the yardage (usually 44 inches). Then the two fabric strips are placed right side to right side and sewn with ¼" seam allowance, the seam
Dark fabric in the middle
    

 
is pressed open, a triangular ruler is then placed along the outer edge of the fabric, at a 60-degree angle. The pieced fabric strip is cut along the angle . This cut is repeated along the length of the fabric strip at 2" lengths. The result is a set of pieced fabrics cut in triangles.


Light Fabric in the middle

The Tube strip method was used to make the following stars.  I've gotten a few done!!


 

love the colour combinations



I will post more stars soon, better get busy and cut more yummy fabric.

Until next time happy quilting
Anne

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

My Janome table has arrived.

At last my Janome Horizon 7700 table has arrived. The table and sewing machine have been on my wish list for the last 12 months, with my constant stream of chatter and hinting my hubby weakened and bought them for me in May this year.


The table has taken forever to get here from the USA via the Eastern States. (The saying we have in Western Australia is true "W.A. stands for wait awhile!!!") lol… the delay was something to do with shipping space in sea containers.

I LOVE my Janome sewing machine. The machine is HUGE, sleek and a beautiful deep red colour. It's not heavy but it is awkward if you wanted to carry it around, I want to create a sewing area with a solid piece of furniture (table) dedicated solely to sewing, as this baby is not going to be packed away in a cupboard or cleared away to make space for another project. 

Guess what I’ll be doing for the rest of the week? Yep! Setting up my sewing room and clearing the clutter by moving things around - there is nothing like a new baby to set up and play with!
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