AIMING FOR PROGRESS

There are now two more lessons finished on my Aiming for Accuracy Quilt-Along quilt.  The units with friendship stars, 9-patches, and hourglass, are new.  They are spread out on my queen sized guest bed.

 

These are the last two actual units.  From here on out, it's putting everything together -- spacer units, sashing, border, etc.  Yippee!

 

Here's my updated chart.

 

 

 

This picture shows what happens when you have dogs, and must use a bed top for a design wall.

 

 

Have a super weekend everyone.

 

 

 

 

AIMING FOR ACCURACY QUILT ALONG

 

Lesson 8 and 10 -- all caught up!

 

 

Here's the view from the design bed.  It's my only off-floor surface large enough, and there's getting to be too many to move to the floor to arrange.  This is our queen size guest bed.

 

 

There are only 16 lessons, so I'm 10/16 finished with the top, or 5/8 done, in simplest form:)

AFA: LESSON 9

 

Here's my Aiming for Accuracy Lesson 9.  Lesson 10 came out today, and I still have to do 8.  Yikes!  Playing catch up.

 

 

This is all my blocks so far, spread out on the floor, sort of as they will be in the quilt.

 



AIMING FOR ACCURACY, LESSON 7

 

Here's my Lesson 7, and below is my updated chart (thanks to Helen).

 

I'm actually keeping up with this Quilt Along!  Yeah!

AFA: UNIT 6

 

 

Unit 6 is finished and charted.  I love having a place to use the text fabric:)

AFA: UNIT 5

Unit 5 is done.  Really, it is straight.  But my photography leaves a bit to be desired!  I'm really having fun with these perky fabrics.

 

And here's the mock-up, showing progress.

MOCK UP

 

Wow, my online friend Helen was able to put my AFA blocks into the mock up.  It's blurry.  The other choice for  now is tiny.  We will figure this out!  But it gives you an idea of the finished quilt and where these squares fit into the total.

I'm better at the quilting tutorial thing than with the techie thing, LOL!

AIMING FOR ACCURACY QUILT ALONG - LESSON 4

 

Here's my Lesson 4 unit.  That 'flapping in the wind' bottom sashing actually IS the right size, LOL!  However, some of the points?  Well, this might be one for the galloping horse rule.

And this picture shows the first 4 all together, although not in correct placement.

 

This quilt is very enjoyable to work on (hint, large blocks).

 

All the patterns are still available for free.  You can link on my side bar.

AIMING FOR ACCURACY QUILT ALONG: LESSON 3

I finished Lesson 3 yesterday.  I love the plaids with the dots.  Now to wait for Lesson 4 tomorrow.  This quilt is very fun to stitch.  I'm having fun working on it.

THE VIEW

Here's my sewing studio view today.  I think I'm in Paradise...............Oh!  I am!  Paradise, Michigan that is:)

 

 

 

There are a few inconveniences to sewing in two places (Florida and Michigan), such as I don't have my 'best-sized' ruler for making these blocks, but goodness, I think the view more than makes up for it, don't you?

 

I'm working on my Aiming For Accuracy Quilt Along blocks for Lesson 3.  Lesson 4 is due out tomorrow.

 

Wherever you are, I do hope you find some time to stitch today:)

AIMING FOR ACCURACY QUILT ALONG, Lesson 2

Last night I finished the second lesson in this quilt along.  Here's my Lesson 2 block.

This is another ginormous 15" block!  I love how we're sashing as we go.  That will make it much easier to put it all together.

Here's a picture of my first two blocks -- we are getting one lesson per week on Thursdays.  They are not next to each other in the finished quilt.

If you are interested in this free on-line project, look for the link in my left sidebar. 

AIMING FOR ACCURACY QUILT-ALONG and a tutorial to make 8 HSTs at once

Here's my first block for the Aiming for Accuracy Quilt-Along.  This is a ginormous 15" fs block, so I used some of my larger prints.  You can find the entire tutorial for the block here, on the quilt-along web site.  There is also a link to this activity on my side-bar.

This block contains eight half-square-triangles, all made from the same two fabrics, so I used a quick-piecing method (which I did not invent) and decided to make a tutorial as I went along, to share my method to quickly and accurately construct the block.

Step 1:  Figure out the size you need to cut your fabric to start with.  I am making 5" finished size (the size they will be when sewn into a quilt, fs) half-square-triangles (HSTs).  Take that number and add 1" to it.  You may have been taught to add 7/8" instead.  That is the number to add if you are extremely accurate and your HSTs turn out perfect every time (not me!).   That extra eighth gives you wiggle room and wastes only a tiny bit of fabric.  So now I'm at 6".  Now double that and I'm at 12".  Cut a 12" square of each of your two fabrics.

Position your fabric squares right-sides-together (rst). 

Using your ruler, draw a line diagonally from each corner making an X, and again horizontally and vertically across the center making a cross.  This is a square-on photo, but the lines are light for a tutorial.  I darkened them and took the next picture, but it isn't straight-on.

Next, stitch 1/4" away from each side of the diagonal lines (the X).

 

I used gray thread, so it might look like more drawn lines, but that is stitching.   Now cut your block apart on the drawn lines..............

 

 

horizontally, vertically, and on both diagonals.

Press each of the eight blocks open and square up to 5.5".  There are many methods of squaring up; use your favorite.  I have a 5.5" square ruler, so I just laid it over each block with the diagonal line on the seam line, and trimmed.

 

You get very little waste with this method (this is all the scraps from 8 blocks),

 

and very accurate HSTs.

 

Here's my eight, made in very little time.

 

There are many other tutorials out there about the importance of pressing, using sizing, etc.  This tutorial was created with the intent of sharing how to make 8 HSTs quickly and accurately.  And, drum roll........................ 8 HSTs were just what I needed for this block.

 

 

There are many ways to make HSTs.  This is what I used for this:)

 

The next installment of the QAL comes out July 4, so I need to get going with my sashing cutting.

AIMING FOR ACCURACY

Have you noticed the new button on my blog, for the Aiming for Accuracy quilt-along?  I can always use help with accuracy -- always learning and looking for tips -- so it caught my eye.  Then I saw Mishka's layout, and loved the quilt!  So..................here are the fabrics I pulled.

Most are from the Annie's Farm Stand line.  I love how they fit Edyta Sitar's Rule of 5 -- a large print, a medium print, a small print, a stripe, a dot (you can read more about that in her book, Hop To It).

Now I need to select a coordinate for sashing, border, etc.  Obvious choices are white or black.  But then I thought what about yellow or green?  And then I thought, what about a black/white print?  Choices, Choices. 

Please leave any suggestions in comments.  I love to hear from you.