The Sewing Place

TSP's 2020 BOM - The Basic Basics

Iminei

TSP's 2020 BOM - The Basic Basics
« on: January 29, 2020, 11:54:52 AM »
As a prelude to A New Year of BOMs here is a brief guide to the Basic Basics you need  to enter the Darkside of P&Q.

Equipment:

You will need a Cutting mat, a Rotary Cutter and a P&Q Ruler.

Cutting Mats ...

I recommend an A2 ... 24" x 18" cutting mat.
You will be able to cut across the whole Width of Fabric on this mat.

It is also useful to have a smaller mat, an 18" x 12" is ideal, which you can turn on your table.
This avoids moving your blocks when cutting or squaring up.

Cutting mats can be expensive ... however Hobbycraft do an extensive range of very competitively priced mats ... in the BOYS Section of their stores, the Model Making bit.

If you go to the Sewing Section, or GIRLS bit, you will be paying almost double the price for an identical mat with the one exception in that they have added the word Trimits to the mat ... I kid you not!

If however you want a PINK cutting mat ... you are going to have to pay for the privilege !!!

Rotary cutters ...

these can also be expensive ...

Hobbycraft also do Rotary Cutters (RC's) in their BOYS section at half the price of the ones in the girls!
These can be an excellent buy to find out if you can get on with an RC but generally with RC's and blades you get what you pay for ... Again if you want a PINK one you are going to have to pay for it!

Rulers ...

You can get all sorts of Rulers ...

In my opinion I would say that Omnigrid and Omnigrip are amongst the best.

The OmniGrid rulers have yellow marking which show up on most fabrics but will need sandpaper dots or another nonslip material attached to the underside ....

Whereas OmniGrip rulers have almost fluorescent Lime markings and the nonslip element is included in them .... Genius!

I would steer clear of any rulers with black, grey or red markings.
My first ruler was a 12 1/2" Sew Easy ruler with red markings and I simply couldn't see them against the fabric.

I wouldadvise that the two most important rulers to get are a 24" x 6" and a 12 1/2" square

The first can be used to cut strips from your width of fabric (WOF)
and the latter is used for cutting and squaring up blocks

Then I would recommend a 12" x 6" ruler which is less unwieldy to use during piecing than the 24" x 6"

and lastly a 6 1/2" square ruler.


Additional needs maybe be a ....

1/4" presser foot ....

Darksiders piece most of their blocks using a quarter inch seam and its useful to have a dedicated 1/4" presser foot to attach to your machine. This has a thin guide that runs along the edge of the material ensuring you sew a consistent  1/4" from the edge of the fabric.

You do not necessarily need one of these; you can place some tape on your machine bed 1/4" from the needle and guide your fabric edge along that or place a slightly raised stack of post it notes on the machine bed in the correct position and run the fabric alongside those as a guide ... As long as your seams are consistent you should be ok.

Pins can be useful ...

Most Darksiders use flowerhead pins ...

These are longer and thinner than dressmaking pins and do need replacing at times as they are liable to bend and will melt if a hot  iron goes over them. Personally I find them extremely useful as A) I can see the damn things on the table and the floor, and when on the floor the brightly coloured flowerhead stops them disappearing into the cracks of the parquet.

Fabric ...

Generally Darksiders now use 100% cotton fabrics ... Of course any fabrics can be used but you have to bear in mind weight, the way they behave and whether they have an artificial element that would melt under the Hot irons that quilters use to press the blocks.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * *

As ever, with links to my Picasa albums  ...
click on an individual pic and if there is no description to the right of your screen, click on the i icon for info.

So these I think are the Basic Basics that you need to start your voyage into the Darkside ...
But this is only MY opinion, things I have discovered on my journey since I've started out.
Everyone is different and everyone has their own preferences.

Whichever you choose ... ENJOY!

« Last Edit: January 30, 2020, 08:32:07 AM by Iminei »
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Lisalou1965

Re: TSP's 2020 BOM - The Basic Basics
« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2020, 22:16:09 PM »
Thanks @Iminei. That is a very useful checklist and I find the BOYS vs GIRLS warning where Hobbycraft is concerned, a very good point. Next time I am in the UK I am sure I will feel the need to go investigate...

Lx
If you see me with a seam ripper, now is not a good time

Iminei

Re: TSP's 2020 BOM - The Basic Basics
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2020, 08:27:12 AM »
Thank God!

There is life out there!!!

Thank you @Lisalou1965  I do wonder if I'm just writing these things for myself sometimes !
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

wrenkins

Re: TSP's 2020 BOM - The Basic Basics
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2020, 08:32:07 AM »
Please @everyone take this opportunity to tell someone you love them. Just because they know, doesn't mean you shouldn't tell them!

Love you @Iminei. We just sit here quietly loving you and then you think we don't...  ><

Numpty!  0_0 0_0 0_0
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Iminei

Re: TSP's 2020 BOM - The Basic Basics
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2020, 08:32:56 AM »
Awwww shucks Wrenkie  <3
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Celia

Re: TSP's 2020 BOM - The Basic Basics
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2020, 09:43:16 AM »
I am very excited about your block of the month, I might not do them all and am wondering if it would be possible if I don’t to make them into something like a cushion individually.  Of course  I would love to make the full thing but as usual with me Life sometimes (read problems) gets in the way.

Also any idea about the amount of fabric we will need

Bodgeitandscarper

Re: TSP's 2020 BOM - The Basic Basics
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2020, 09:50:33 AM »
I often read your darkside posts, @Iminei , even though I have no intention whatsoever of cutting up perfectly good fabric to just sew it together again to make a piece of fabric again!  :P
I can see you put a lot of time and thought into your posts, I'm sure it's appreciated by the other patchwork nutters practitioners  0_0

Iminei

Re: TSP's 2020 BOM - The Basic Basics
« Reply #7 on: January 30, 2020, 09:55:41 AM »
@Celia   ... Each block will measure 12" ....
add some 2" borders and you have a perfectly decent sized cushion cover

I'm hoping to start with relatively easy blocks so as you go along you get more confident and more proficient.
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Lisalou1965

Re: TSP's 2020 BOM - The Basic Basics
« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2020, 10:33:40 AM »
@Celia   ... Each block will measure 12" ....
add some 2" borders and you have a perfectly decent sized cushion cover

I'm hoping to start with relatively easy blocks so as you go along you get more confident and more proficient.
See? I find that reassuring. I have not got a lot of experience and I hope to be able to do all the BOMs but knowing you will start with something relatively easy is nice!
If you see me with a seam ripper, now is not a good time

Lowena

Re: TSP's 2020 BOM - The Basic Basics
« Reply #9 on: January 30, 2020, 11:20:05 AM »
Have we had January's block yet? It is the penultimate day today -<
Triumph of hope over experience :D

Acorn

Re: TSP's 2020 BOM - The Basic Basics
« Reply #10 on: January 30, 2020, 11:26:49 AM »
The Darkside Events thread says that the BOM will be running from February to November with two in some months.

I'm really glad to have January and (especially) December off!
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Lowena

Re: TSP's 2020 BOM - The Basic Basics
« Reply #11 on: January 30, 2020, 12:28:12 PM »
Whoops! Should read things more carefully  :|
Triumph of hope over experience :D

Flobear

Re: TSP's 2020 BOM - The Basic Basics
« Reply #12 on: January 30, 2020, 12:45:18 PM »
I'm looking forward to trying a BOM or two (now I know what they are!) but didn't comment on the original post because @Iminei has kindly given me most of that information since I started to lurk on the Darkside  :)
Proud new owner of Elvistoo !!

Ellabella

Re: TSP's 2020 BOM - The Basic Basics
« Reply #13 on: January 30, 2020, 15:17:27 PM »
Will we be able to do this QAYG?

I’m hoping to do some ruler quilting and won’t be competent to do this on a large top, but block by block would be fine.(I hope :S)

Iminei

Re: TSP's 2020 BOM - The Basic Basics
« Reply #14 on: January 30, 2020, 15:19:18 PM »
Its designed as a QAYG project and you will get destructions on how to put it together in one of the months at the end of the year.

Twelve x 12" Blocks will make an excellently sized lap/cot quilt.
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again