Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Stealing Stitching Time

I just couldn't wait to work on those Nine Patch Cornerstones for my sampler quilt, so I stole some stitching time today before I made breakfast. Back when I first started quilting I had three little girls under 5 and one on the way - I think most of my quilting was in stolen moments! I always say that I fell in love with quilting because it was the one thing I could do in a day that would stay done, everything else would have to be done again the next day. Now I have more time to quilt, and better equipment, and a whole room to spread it all out in - so it's good to remember and appreciate and just enjoy the process of stitching, creating and designing.

So - I needed 16 3 1/2 inch 9 patch cornerstone blocks for my quilt. I like to do strip piecing for multiples like this, it takes hardly any time to turn out accurate blocks and you don't have to handle (or cut) all those individual 1 1/2 inch squares. I cut 5 strips of red and 4 strips of gray for my patches. For each strip set I sewed one strip of gray to one strip of red.

For the center strip I added another strip of gray. (Always pressing the seams toward the red).
For the two outside strip I added a red strip.
I then layered one edge strip on top of the center strip, right sides together with the seams nestled together.
Using my handy June Taylor Shape Cut, I lined up the bottom edge of the strips and cut them into 1 1/2 inch sections.
I just love how they come out so perfectly, this is an awesome tool for cutting multiple shapes like this!
I then placed my pairs carefully on my large acrylic ruler and took them over to the sewing machine, where I sewed them together. Because they were already paired up and aligned it went so fast!
Leaving the chain together I took them to the ironing board and pressed them all. Isn't it great how all the seams butt up just right?
Still keeping the chain together I returned to the sewing machine and added the 1 1/2 edge strips that I cut from the remaining edge unit. Leaving them chained up helps me to be able to feed them through the sewing machine without having to handle them individually as much. It really speeds up the process!
Then they all get pressed one more time, and cut apart.
Aren't they pretty? Now I have a nice, tidy stack of cute little cornerstones for my quilt! Now I just need some time to lay it all out and sew it together - I just can't wait!
Now I have a nice, tidy stack of cute little cornerstones for my quilt! Now I just need some time to lay it all out and sew it together - I just can't wait!

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