I love to sew, mainly quilts and bags. I am 66, married to Fred and have one son, Matthew, who is 27. I enjoy embroidery and applique and prefer to machine piece and quilt my projects. I love my vintage Singer sewing machines especially my Featherweight 222K. I’m enjoying treadling on my 201K Singer and I collect Miniature Sewing Machines and currently have three Essex , one Singer 20, one Singer 40, two Vulcan Miniatures and my latest, a Grain. My love of sewing I believe comes from my Grandmother - I still have the drawings she made for me to embroider on tea towels many many years ago!

Sunday 14 July 2013

SPINNING PINWHEELS.....





BLOCK # 3 - AFA QUILT-ALONG

This block certainly tested the old Singer 201K.  I took it slowly and in the end I'm pretty happy with how this block has turned out.

I did learn one thing about sewing on the Singer.  I need to check my scant 1/4" frequently, as the seam guide 'shifts' a little without you noticing it.  I purchased a little tool to help me with the scant 1/4" .....
it's called the Perfect Piecing Seam Guide by Perkins Dry Goods.  So every now and then, I place this little guide under the sewing foot, lower the needle into the tiny little hole in the guide and then screw my Singer seam guide in place butting it up against the Perfect Piecing little tool.  I then remove the little ruler and away I go again, sewing with a true 'scant' 1/4" seam.

Now I'm making my Batik version of Block # 3.  
This time I will press my seams to one side.  Up until now, all seams have been pressed open.  I just want to see what difference it might make to this block in particular.  I like to 'stab pin' my triangle points together so I get a nice crisp centre to my pinwheel and you just can't do that using the open seams.  Well, I can't anyway!  I have referred to this method before (Civil War Quilt) - this method is from Rodale's Perfect Piecing - a book I go back to time and again.

I've updated my virtual quilt in my sidebar, it's coming together nicely.

Happy Sewing,
Helen
Perfect Piecing Seam Guide

FABRICS USED IN THIS BLOCK:-
BROWN CONTRAST FABRIC -  "MONOCHROMATIX" BY PATRICK LOSE FOR ROBERT KAUFMAN
ORANGE - RAINFOREST COLLECTION BY  CORAL TREE FABRICS "SUMMER RAIN"
FAWN/BLUE/BROWN/GREEN -  Brook Turquoise Pebbles by CP Designs for Studio e

7 comments :

  1. I love the pinwheel block. I think that the little Singer can use that universal "Little Foot" that would give you your accurate 1/4 inch too. The seam guides do tend to slip.

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  2. I love the movement of this quilt and have pinned it to my Pinterest board "Quilt & Sew"... I also emailed a link to my quilting friend who is looking for a pattern for a baby quilt and this would be perfect!!

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  3. Your third block looks great Helen.
    How do you get the virtual quilt grid on your blog?...
    Great idea.

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  4. Great block Helen! Watch that disappearing quarter of an inch!

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  5. great block Helen,well done.xx

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  6. The quilt will be wonderful and PeRFeCt by the looks of your piecing! Well done and hope all good in the health department! :)

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  7. You do such beautiful work and the virtual quilt is such a good idea.
    Lillian

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