Sunday, August 3, 2014

Hive 4 - August Block Tutorial

Hi everyone! My name's Alissa and I live in beautiful Denver, Colorado. My husband and I moved here in January and we love it!

My husband, Graham, and I were married in April. Here's a couple pictures of us.




I don't blog, but you can catch the few pictures I take at Instagram; I'm hoping4flowers.

We also have two fur babies, Julian the cat (11 years old) and Regina the dog (7 months old).




My mom taught me to sew when I was very young, although she was a garment sewer, and I didn't begin quilting until I was in college. And I've been quilting ever since (about 10 years!).

Unfortunately, my sewing room is not put together right now; we just bought our house a month ago, and I'm still trying to figure out how everything will work in our new space. My stash is all in boxes, but normally it would be neatly folded in stacks by color. Scraps are in clear plastic bins.

My favorite fabrics come from Carolyn Friedlander, Anna Maria Horner and Lizzie House, but what I really really love are Halloween and Christmas fabrics. I've really steered away from prints in the past few years, and I've bulked up my solids since I tend to use solids the most.

One thing I learned that I wish I knew when I started is... some rules are meant to be followed and some rules are meant to be broken. Knowing which rules fall into what category is the tricky thing that comes with practice. I personally like to bend most of the rules, and sew things my own way, but sometimes a pattern suggests something for a reason. Maybe it gives great results, or maybe its a shortcut that wasn't obvious. But you'll never know unless you try it their way AND your way.

My favorite quilting tool is my Mini Jambox! I listen to podcasts while sewing, and I would be so lonely without it! Also, I looove my magnetic pin cushion by Grabbit. I've heard they are no longer making them, so I would definitely go out and pick one up if it interests you.

Who is my favorite fictional character? I'd have to say The Lorax.

Ok, on to the block.

This month, I'm asking you to please make a flying geese block made with only white and cream or beige. The block can be any size, any layout, precise or wonky, and any level of creativity (although I would urge you to make something that you would love)! You can use prints or solids, as long as they are white and cream. I'd like to use as few other colors as possible, so solids or tone-on-tone would work best. I'm thinking that when I put it all together I will add in a few little shots of neon pink :)

Shimmery fabrics are always welcome (as long as they are white or cream/beige).

A word of wisdom, if you haven't already converted to the STARCH train, I would highly recommend it. Starch is so so helpful when sewing on the bias. I use Faultless Premium Starch, which I buy at Target for about $1.99.

Here's a few tutorials I find helpful. I love making four at a time (no waste!).

http://www.patchpieces.com/files/flyinggeese.pdf (PDF, this is the tutorial I always go back to)
http://www.houseonhillroad.com/my_weblog/2013/09/make-flying-geese-fast-a-tutorial.html - this one has a snippet on how big to cut each piece for the desired size of geese
http://chasingcottons.blogspot.com/2011/10/circle-of-geese-block-tutorial.html
http://www.generations-quilt-patterns.com/support-files/flying-geese-3-no-waste.pdf (PDF chart for cutting sizes, using 4 at a time method)

Have fun, and thank you, ladies!!

2 comments:

fabrications2B said...

hmmmmm. I may just need to participate in another hive this month!!! Always wanted to try a goose or two!

Alissa said...

Bonnie, yours would be treasured!! Maybe you could deliver it in person...?