Saturday 2 November 2013

Spinning plates

So if you may remember, my latest hand-piecing project had got thus far and you can read  the whys and wherefores here plus a hand-piecing post in general here.


I've added a couple more rounds to it and it now looks like this.


My aim was to make the centre honeycomb shapes darken out to the edges in a random, smudgy kind of way. I then added a Flying Geese border on.

I do like the points on my Flying Geese blocks to be as perfect as is possible. Leanne wrote a very informative and interesting post about the various ways of constructing and trimming them here. For trimming, I went with one of the options she mentioned: the Bloc-Loc.


As you can see, it only takes millimetres off but if left untrimmed, those millimetres have a pesky habit of multiplying into centimetres and so on which, on a long row of Flying Geese blocks is going to really be noticeable. For ease of cutting, I've been using a rotating cutting mat. I think without one, the task of trimming would be quite cumbersome.

If, like me, you're making up your medallion quilt as you go along, there are always ways to make your borders fit. My Flying Geese blocks had to be 2.5" x 5" finished because I'd bought the Bloc Loc and wanted to try it out. However, the maths wasn't working out for that sized block to fit along the edges.

I therefore decided to break the rows of Flying Geese blocks in the middle with a different piece of feature fabric in each row and added cornerstone squares in too, in another different piece of fabric.


To my eye it all works because the larger pieces of fabric have already appeared in the honeycomb centre and the Flying Geese blocks going different ways adds another element of interest.

So that's where I am so far.  I'm going to have a ponder and work out what the next row should be.

In the meantime, it swapped from being a hand-piecing project to a machine piecing one when I started to assemble the Flying Geese blocks. All it took was one restless evening of having nothing to do with my hands and I was back upstairs cutting my next hand-piecing project which involved these.


And this (the large size template)...


...which so far has become this.


I was going to crop my trainers out but I'm going to leave them there in all their triumphant matching glory because whenever I go out in them the children cry 'Oh no mum, not those trainers. They're just toooo bright.'

And finally, I felt my Accuquilt had been gathering dust for too long so I cranked out these...


...which are well on their way to becoming this.


I think I have enough plates spinning at the moment.

20 comments:

  1. You have the most beautiful projects here. Glad you like the bloc loc ruler, I sure do too.

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  2. A blog loc ruler, interesting...! I learned that good tools make al the difference! Your spinning plates look all beautifully and the honeycomb quilt is a stunner!

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  3. Lots of pretty projects! I wear really bright trainers too (we call them tennis shoes), mine are hot pink and bright orange :)

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  4. Always love reading about your current projects! I've heard good things about that bloc loc ruler!

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  5. Gorgeous work. I love EPP but feel you are brave to be doing apple cores as I am rubbish with curves.

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  6. You are on a roll! And I'm loving the various projects.

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  7. Looking great...everyone of them!

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  8. Loads of lovelies as usual!

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  9. Those are some awesome looking WIPs!

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  10. I love how the honeycombs fade out (and the little pair of pants on one). The tip about adding spacing squares on a medallion is brilliant. It always stresses me out to try to make pieced borders fit. lol - too bright!
    Love the new hst project!

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  11. That is some impressive plate spinning! The medallion is fabulous and the problem solving tips for the borders very helpful.

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  12. Lovely projects there .. I've just started a hand piecing project too and wonder what I did with my hands in front of the telly before??

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  13. the bloc loc really does give you perfect flying geese, they do not seem to be on sale in the UK yet but I am keeping my eyes open. Your project is looking so good. Nothing wrong with your trainers, they brighten up even the dullest day. Apple cores looking good too

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  14. Beautiful! And I'm in love with those last two blocks!

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  15. It's beautiful and thank you so much for explaining how you made the flying geese border. I have been stumped on the next border that I am to work on, as I could not work out the math. Breaking up the border is a brilliant way to make it all fit.
    The blocks in the last pic are gorgeous.

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  16. I love your solution to the problem of the flying geese border not working out mathematically - I've tried designing medallion quilts and I end up getting all caught up in getting all the borders to work perfectly. Your approach is much better. Also love the next two projects you're working on, especially the last one.

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  17. Well, aren't you a busy bee!

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  18. The fabrics you're using for your apple core patchwork are so pretty! (Loving the trainers too)

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  19. so how IS the bright and cheery apple core project coming along? could you pretty please let us see? and i'd love for you to bring any and all epp you have going over to the next "in hand" epp link party on dec 14th. these are fabulous and would be a great addition! i'm trying to gather as many epp projects, especially contemporary ones, as I can in one place to inspire us all.

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