@fajita is that applique? It looks great, love the colour! I suppose one thing that comes of the instructions being awful is that there are a few different ways to achieve it.

@Iminei I love how yours is progressing, sticking as close as possible to the original fabric will be stunning. I saw the original at the FoQ last year? the year before? and the colours in it are just amazing.

As a celebration of our extension build finally coming to an end and all my sewing stuff coming out of storage after more than a year, I thought i would try this block out from the middle of the coverlet. It's not going well at all - I'm no stranger to Y seams and I don't beat myself up over perfect points, but this is just not working... The points are all over the place, the stars are massively stretched out and beyond any pressing (the centres are crinkling up just to stay in shape), it's a redo for sure.

I have been using the machine method from the book.

Does anyone have any advice/experience here? Should I just English paper piece it instead?

About a month later, here we are - the middle is almost quilted now.  I could have honestly done more but I'm only working on it about 15-20 mins at a time.



I've joined a challenge over on instagram to keep on at it- it's #50daysofhandquilting if anyones interested in joining up as well.

I'm happy to say that the top is done and measures about 55" x 58"



The mitred corners don't work amazingly with clamshells - and they don't match up too well but I kind of like how it looks despite that.  I am really pleased overall, though I may not attempt clam shells for a while.  I had bought the sizzix die to speed up the process and ended up taking 6 weeks!

I need to find something to back it with now...

I got a copy of this one especially for the plus size pea coat, I just love it!  There's a lot I like in this issue but I am mostly sized out of the 'regular' section. I order mine from newsstand.co.uk for a total of £7.23 including postage, which I feel is kind of pricey but it always arrives the next day so it's (almost) instant gratification. Besides, with the cost of a regular paper pattern floating around £10 now, I feel I can justify it.

Love the print

I have a big shot and would recommend it, like the others say - it's an easy, no fuss way of ensuring all your shapes are exactly the same.  I haven't tried non-brand dies in it though, so can't comment on those.

I have found though that there's a fair amount of fabric waste, far more than there would be if I were drawing around templates (I'm currently sending about a million clam shell shapes through mine). Even when cutting small squares out I find I waste much more than when I use my rotary cutter.  Also, the plastic plates need replacing every once in a while, mine are completely mullered but they are about 5 years old and very well used

Don't let me put you off!  It's a handy bit of kit, my mom has one too and she swears by it as she can't handle a rotary cutter for very long due to pain in her wrists.

Thank you Brenda

I did it all by hand as I wanted to learn how to do needle turned applique.  I'm not sure I did it 'right' but it does the job!

The clam shells I'm also having to do by hand as I cannot for the life of me get them to line up with the machine.