Good Morning -- well at least for me it is morning -- I think that where I live is practically the last place on land before it turns to the next day! For me, we are only a little over 9 hours into the first day of the year...
Today we can start to sew. When I was a child my father often said to me, if I did the part of a job that I did not care for so much, then the part that I enjoyed most would be more fun -- now in just one word, I think he meant DESSERT...
So, the tedious part...
You will need to pick up 17 of the 12 1/2 inch x 3 1/2 inch pieces {31} and bring them to your sewing machine. You will also need to count out 48 {96}of the two inch squares
In this particular case we are going to make each of the long pieces come to a "V".
In order to sew an accurate line you should mark the back of each of the 2 inch squares with one diagonal line going from corner to corner.
Next you will place a 2 inch square in one corner of the 12 1/2 inch piece so that the right side of the pieces are facing each other, and so that you can see the line you drew on the back of the 2 inch square. Place the pieces as shown and the diagonal so that it crosses closest to the corner.
You will sew very slightly to the right (or inside) of the line, not exactly on it -- this allows for the very slight amount of fabric that is taken up when you fold over the fabric
You can chain sew these small pieces by slightly overlapping the longer section. You will find that if you place the next piece just under the one currently being sewn you will avoid snagging or scrunching the next piece. Sew all 17 {31} 12 1/2" x 3 1/2" pieces so that there is a 2" square sewn to one corner.
Now that you have that corner square sewn you will press it over so that it forms a triangle in one corner.
Open the folded over square and trim away the extra fabric so that it leave about the usual 1/4 inch seam allowance.
Next you will repeat the same procedure at the corner as you did with the first corner for all the 17 {31} 12 1/2" lengths. Including the pressing and trimming.
Set aside 10 {14} of these long pieces and then sew a 2" square to the other end of each strip remaining to make double pointed ends only on 7 {17}
so now you have two stacks of sewn pieces that look like this ** there are still some of the 12 1/2 " lengths that are left plain with no sewn on corner triangles...
Just a word to ACCURACY.
If your sewn squares look like this after you have sewn and pressed them to the 12 1/2 inch lengths -- well, to put it honestly, you need to re-do it. If the fabric behind shows up like that it means that when you cut off the back pieces, the full length will be slightly shorter, when that happens you will stuggle to stretch the pieces to other peices to be sewn later. So to avoid stretched pieces that don't fit at all well. Make sure that you sew slightly to the right of your drawn line. Your corners should look like the photo below...
We will finish up the rest of the sewing before the end of the day (my day, that is) So come back in a few hours for the rest of the sewing instruction for this quilt top.
The way to start a year is not to leave things part way done, but certain other events have conspired to interfere with the time it takes to finish up the instructions today -- So please check back tomorrow and the final piecing and instructions shall be revealed!
Thank you everyone for your patience...
* and I have definately figured out a way to put this into pdf format and will let those interested when I will have completed the process... (still trying to decide if I should charge you for the 'service')
