The Sewing Place

Block of the Month - April - Arrowhead

Lantana

Re: Block of the Month - April
« Reply #30 on: April 04, 2017, 23:28:57 PM »
No I find it harder to pick the fabric... the cutting is the easy part... the most expensive fabric I ever cut was a French corded lace that cost £150 per metre.. that was about 20 years ago it was for a wedding dress ..  I did check it a few times before I cut :D

Gulp !!!!!! Did you keep the scraps?

L :vintage:

Vegegrow

Re: Block of the Month - April
« Reply #31 on: April 05, 2017, 08:03:57 AM »
Gulp !!!!!! Did you keep the scraps?

L :vintage:

Yep  a few ...still got them somewhere.. but there was very little waste
"The only place where housework comes before needlework is in the dictionary." ~Mary Kurtz

Lowena

Re: Block of the Month - April
« Reply #32 on: April 05, 2017, 09:42:47 AM »
£150 a metre.........

EEEK
« Last Edit: April 05, 2017, 09:47:43 AM by Iminei »
Triumph of hope over experience :D

Deafoldbat

Re: Block of the Month - April
« Reply #33 on: April 05, 2017, 11:52:58 AM »
Quote
I'm rubbish with rulers - never know where / how to place them to get the correct measurements to cut  :| I often end up having to cut lefthandedly  :| I think a 12.5" square ruler might help me... but.....who knows?

I spy a numpty hat lurking. Put it down! (Why haven't we got the finger-wagging icon yet/)

I thought I explained all this to you in another place. Which bit have you forgotten? (Yes I know, you've had other things to think about lately...)

Lowena

Re: Block of the Month - April
« Reply #34 on: April 05, 2017, 13:21:10 PM »
 :| :|
I remember...and think I've worked it out ( I hope ) with my brain, DOB and am going to have a try this afternoon. I'll post my progress
Triumph of hope over experience :D

Lowena

Re: Block of the Month - April
« Reply #35 on: April 05, 2017, 15:23:51 PM »
I promised a progress report......well, I cut out 4 x 8" squares, ready to make 2 blocks.A lovely orange batik and a dark grey tone on tone.
I sewed them together as per instructions. I made the first cut......all going swimmingly well  :)
Then....absolute disaster!! The 2" cuts up and in would not work at all  :'( Each time I tried I ended up with the pieces joined down the middle ( as they should be ) but also joined along the top / bottom  :'(
In the end I tried 4 times I ruined my original 4 squares of lovely fabric as well as 4 squares of less interesting fabric. Each time I thought I had cracked it, and each time it was joined down the middle and at one end :'(
Suffice to say, that's one block I won't be making. :angry:
Good news D.O.B. I remembered about the ruler and my measuring and cutting were spot on :D so, in the vein of "always celebrate your achievements".....cheers to ruler work  :toast:  :D
Triumph of hope over experience :D

Lantana

Re: Block of the Month - April
« Reply #36 on: April 05, 2017, 16:11:58 PM »
Awwww bless you Lowena  <3 So now are you going to put the ...  um experiments ... in the bin or use them as the start of one of those slab quilts for charity that were featured on another thread?  :)

I copied out the instructions yesterday but haven't tried it yet on account of still being confined to barracks waiting for that delivery! I shall know now to be extra vigilent. The 'there may be trouble ahead' song was going through my head as I carefully drew the diagrams  ;)

About rulers. Well I can work out how to use them but the process;  ah now that's a different thing. Slipping is my problem. I've tried the non slip ones and the various things you can stick on to make them non slip with some success, so then that just leaves blunting the blade by managing to slice bits off the ruler :devil:

All those smug smiley faced people on the youtube demos happiliy slicing away, through several layers even ... flipping the ruler over to avoid having to cut left handed, flipping the pile of fabric over and still keeping the cut edges level ....... make me sick!!

  :devil: 0_0 0_0 0_0 0_0 0_0 0_0 0_0 0_0 0_0 :devil:

L :vintage:

Lowena

Re: Block of the Month - April
« Reply #37 on: April 05, 2017, 17:19:54 PM »
You're such a kindred spirit Lantana  :D
The messed up blocks are already in the bin, much to my chagrin  :angry: as I particularly liked the colour combination  :angry:
Triumph of hope over experience :D

Iminei

Re: Block of the Month - April
« Reply #38 on: April 05, 2017, 18:38:58 PM »
Okay Low, and any others experiencing the same problem!

There is only ONE mistake you can make with the cutting out of this block....

and that is cutting diagonally through  the UNSEWN corners of the squares,

If that happens, just sew the corners shut and unpick 2" from the sewn corners.


Low, I wish, wish, wish we lived nearer..
I would come and walk you through this, it really is the most simple block to make...Please try again.
« Last Edit: April 05, 2017, 18:42:48 PM by Iminei »
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Vegegrow

Re: Block of the Month - April
« Reply #39 on: April 05, 2017, 18:57:09 PM »
As a beginner I love this block ... it was the first one I ever did and it looks sooooo clever when its done.. 
 Lowna do not let this block defeat you.. you can do it
« Last Edit: April 05, 2017, 18:59:19 PM by Vegegrow »
"The only place where housework comes before needlework is in the dictionary." ~Mary Kurtz

Deafoldbat

Re: Block of the Month - April
« Reply #40 on: April 05, 2017, 19:01:07 PM »
Quote
All those smug smiley faced people on the youtube demos happiliy slicing away, through several layers even ... flipping the ruler over to avoid having to cut left handed, flipping the pile of fabric over and still keeping the cut edges level

It is hard to cut through more than 4 stacked fabrics at once, even with a sharp new blade. You shouldn't have to flip things over - ruler or fabric. Doing your cutting on a table that you can walk round will eliminate the need.

Quote
I remembered about the ruler and my measuring and cutting were spot on

Well done, Lowena! You see, you can do it really. Did you bin the hat too?

Lowena

Re: Block of the Month - April
« Reply #41 on: April 05, 2017, 19:17:49 PM »
Certainly have DOB  :angel:
You're obviously cleverer than me Veggie....I'm not wasting any more time on the b****y thing  :angry:
Imi, I did the diagonal cut fine....it's the chopping the 2" bits off the resultant triangles that I just couldn't do. I've just looked again at the instructions and I still don't get it  :( I think I cut in the correct places but still get an extra sewn bit on the arrow parts  -<
Never mind, even though I've only managed January's  :| it's onward and upward.........there's always May  :D
Triumph of hope over experience :D

Vegegrow

Re: Block of the Month - April
« Reply #42 on: April 05, 2017, 20:05:31 PM »

You're obviously cleverer than me Veggie....

Lowena I didn't want to upset you in anyway... I'm sorry
"The only place where housework comes before needlework is in the dictionary." ~Mary Kurtz

Iminei

Re: Block of the Month - April
« Reply #43 on: April 06, 2017, 06:58:47 AM »
Did you consider unpicking the extra sewn bit of the arrows, Low??

Well I'm not going to labour it...You either love it or loathe it and that's it!

it's onward and upward.........there's always May 

Atta Girl! I'l try and make it extra Lowena friendly!

How is your Clue 1 coming L?

Next Clue on the 15th!
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Lowena

Re: Block of the Month - April
« Reply #44 on: April 06, 2017, 15:59:20 PM »
I've done my clue 1 and posted piccys, Imi  -<
I never thought of unpicking :(
Don't worry Veggie, I wasn't being snarky - I really meant it at face value  :|
I think I know what I did wrong, but, Western Power turned off our electricity at 9am today, so they could cut back trees near the power lines. It's just come back on, so no sewing today :(
Triumph of hope over experience :D