Over on Diary of a Flutter Kat, Kat is hosting a charity quilting bee called Blankets of Love where she is asking quilters to create a quilt block, a top or donate fabric, wadding, backs, etc to create small quilt for ill children and their families struggling at hospitals. Just to give a little bit of handmade comfort.
I am really excited about this project. My plan is to create two quilt tops, backs and binding to send them to Kat for wadding and quilting. I would like for them both to be finished by March at the absolute latest. So, I started in today.
I had a charm pack given to me by a kind reader, so what better use than to pass that generosity onto someone else? I split the pack into two to make a quilt for a little girl and a little guy. They went to Susan, from Canadian Abroad, to be cut into Drunkard's Path blocks with her super duper Go!Baby. I am a bit of a Go! cynic, Susan was kind enough to let me have a distant test run. Much to my surprise, there was very little wastage from the charms, which was my first concern. Indeed the pieces were beautifully cut!
Using tutorials from Susan and Kerry, I gave the DP block a go. These are my first, so the early blocks were a gazillion times more difficult than the later, but the entire way through I struggled with the curve. The stitching was fine, but I never felt like the block was flat. They were always a little bubbly even after ironing.
I am not entirely sure how to lay out fabric in a DP quilt. With the girly quilt, I just tried to evenly distribute the fabric prints and colors and they look OK. I think with the little man quilt I'll try for more contrast, so a dark circle with light prints on the outside or something like that. One more DP block to go with the little girly quilt, then I'm onto sashing. Maybe I'll have this finished by the weekend! Hope you like it, Kat!
15 comments:
Is it still called a DP quilt if it's not laid out as a DP? Or is it a circle quilt???
I did similar blocks in blue and pink and red leicen fabric...
http://quokkaquilts.blogspot.com/2011/08/so-many-options.html
and it's still in blocks as I can't work out how to put it together. Which is why I'm sticking with black and white!!!! http://quokkaquilts.blogspot.com/2011/09/black-and-white-progress-and-batting.html And nearly finished - woohoo!!!
What a great idea! I've only just started following Kat so I'd missed this post, but I'm totally in and have contacted her. I love the cute fabrics you're using, bound to bring a smile to an anxious family. Traditionally DP have some of the curved edges on the outside so that the 'path' looks staggered, as if you are walking drunk! I have no experience of such walking! Jxo
Still laughing at Judith's comment!!
Try tiny snips into the curves before piecing, it should help to ease the fullness.
Looking good Judith - I am sure a bit of pressing and snipping will help!
LOL! I'm sure the families of the sick children will be very um... amused? that the name of the quilt block for their child is called "drunkards path" HAHAHAHA!
But anyway - back to the main point - these look AWESOME & I'm sure they will make someone very very happy. Thanks so much!!
(Heheh still making me chuckle though!)
Curves? Too scary for this novice!
I belong to a quilting group that donates quilts to hospitals and other needs - always good to get involved.
I think these look amazing. Once they are quilted the puffiness will go away. At least that is my theory. LOL
Oh, so it's YOUR fault Susan's machine is dying by inches then ;o)
These look cute, and I'm going with Rhonda's quilting theory...
There's a Drunkard's Path QAL going on at http://www.needleandspatula.com/. Good for inspiration at the very least. I've never used this type of block so I'm going to be joining in on the fun.
Ha ha I love the idea of a distance test run! Blocks look great!
you are good, and get Susan being so kind as to do a distance test run for you! Im feeling mighty measerly now....may have to run off a find some charity sewing myself!
Love the blocks! Have you tried starch when you're pressing them - might help squash them down a bit...
First I will apologise, this is not meant to be rude, so if it comes across that way- sorry in advance
1. There is a nifty foot available for sewing curves, which can be adapted for most machines- I will remember what it is called and let you know.
2. remember when sewing these curves, that it is the sewing line you are matching, not the fabric edge.
I know this is teaching grandma, but this comes from sewing collars!
So the start of the curve is in a different place on the two pieces. I would pin in centre only, and eyeball it!
I was going to mention the QAL as well as there are lots of different ideas given as to how you can lay out your blocks to give a different effect. I`m making a quilt top for Kat too but haven`t figured it all out yet - now there`s a surprise. I think your blocks look great and as Rhonda says, once basted and quilted, they`ll flatten down. Beat them into submission!!
I found that trimming the blocks really helps after sewing the curves because they sometimes become a slightly warped shape. Also, fmq them so that you get a good quilting but any remaining bumps aren't apparent. I did that with the Max & Whiskers quilt and once I was done you couldn't see any of the 'problems' that I thought were there earlier.
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