A crate of limes, who knows could happen, except I don't have enough "crate" fabric left, but I am about to go to the fabric store on a quest for orange fabric to compliment Terri's fabric.QUOTE=travelinggramma;8212338]Kass - loving both of your creations. Thinking my produce would look good through the slats of a fence? HMM
You are a true illusionist.[/QUOTE]

Kassaundra, absolutely stunning illusion blocks! Wow!

TheMerkleFamily, I love the two you made for Hav and Lstew. Wonderful.

Thank you for the nice comments on my blocks. :) I've got to go back and really look at the other blocks that have been made again. I get in "gallery mode" and grab pix and don't really see them. I want to just stroll through the threads and enjoy them all.

I'm loving all the blocks being posted; I just can't always remember who made what, and that makes me uncomfortable. Hope you'll all bear with me on that.

Kass, your blocks are so unique I went through the gallery and picked them out without looking at the names. Have you considered doing a book? Of course that might take the fun out of the creative process.

MJP, after quilting for many years I found a book on precision piecing that I thought would improve my piecing (my favorite part of quilt making) with new techniques. As it turned out, it was all about the basics and how to improve by slowing down and watching the details we all learn at first. It worked! My piecing improved a lot and became even more fun. Your applique is lovely, and even the pieced block you called a fail looked good to me.

We had freezing rain/sleet/snow last night. It basically puts the town on stop mode because we do not have many plows and it will all go away shortly!
So here is Bibliostone. When I saw this block it was all about back and forth arrows and daisys. Here is your tennis block.

I decided to take on this boom a bit different.... I had a lovely morning digging through my stash and scraps finding the right fabrics to go with everyone's fabric. For the first boom ever, I have fabric for everyone! For only quiling a little over two years, the amount of fabric I have accumulated is impressive. So here is a sneak peak of what is to come...

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Jayne - isn't that a great feeling!! I to see what I have in my stash before I can decide on a pattern. So far I think I have everything, but who knows. Looking like you are on a roll.

Good for you, JayneW, shopping, in your stash! I've been lucky so far too. I even found just enough of Terriamn's orange-red deep down in a box I haven't looked at in months. Yay! I will need a brown for Jaba's but that should be easy to find. I think I'm set for all the rest. How is everyone else doing? Have you found you've got most of your colors or do you need to make a quick trip to an LQS?

This is how I do it too. I just put the fabric right in the bag. Then if I find I need more, different fabric once I decide on a block then I hit the lqs. Mom and I are getting together next Saturday to do some boom shopping. Well hit the stash first then onward to the lqs.

Block I made today for Kassaundra. Sorry the picture looks washed out. I used Burgundy and Green to match the feathers in the fabric.

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Hi Laters,
I have come across a problem I'm hoping you can help with. I've been making some practice blocks before I work all of your beautiful fabrics to make sure they are coming out the way I want. Try as I might, my finished blocks keep measuring 12 1/4 inches.

Some of the things I've done:
1. Used patterns that say they measure 12.5 inches. I used one of the ones from the site posted here: http://delawarequilts.com/BOMs/
2. I've used an Accqucutter to cut my pieces.
3. Measured my seams which are measuring 1/4 inch.


Thanks in advance for sharing your wisdom and tricks!!
Vikki

I do not have a accuquilt cutter, but have heard multiple times from multiple sources that you have to use a scant 1/4 inch when you use that cutter.

Oh how pretty I love it, thanks, this is my first block for this boom and it didn't disappoint.

Kassaundra, so does that mean a seam that is less than a quarter inch?
vikki

I found an orange piece of fabric at the quilt store today so was able to finish Terri's block. Hope there is enough purple, I used the whole F8 w/ just a couple of scraps left.

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This was actually plan B, my original idea worked on paper, but I couldn't make it look right w/ fabric (tried w/ scraps just to make sure it would work thankfully)

Yes, that is my understanding of working w/ accuquilt. Like a couple of threads short of 1/4 inch.

I love this!!

Amazing! Again :) Wonderful block, Kass!

Hi Vikki, yes, scant is just less than 1/4 of an inch. Maybe a thread or two less. I think of the quarter inch line as the fold line, not the stitching line. The thread and the fold take up the tiniest bit of fabric. If you have multiple seams across a block, it may be enough to account for your missing 1/4 inch. Also, like Kass, I've heard you must use a scant one quarter inch seam with the cut pieces but that's only what I've heard, not experienced. I've also heard that depending upon the type of cutter you have, the direction you feed fabric may make a significant difference in the cut size of each piece. You'd have to test that one yourself and it may vary with different cutters. I'm pretty sure someone else here must have one so they'll speak up to help. But in the meantime, check your quarter inch seam. The best thing you can do is sew two pieces of fabric together using your 1/4 inch seam and see if they come up to the proper size. For example, if you've got two precisely cut 3 1/2 squares, (measure with the same acrylic square, with the ruled line directly on the cut edge of the fabric, not inside, not outside) after sewing them together they should measure 3 1/2 by 6 1/2. If not, un-stitch and adjust your seam smaller if the pieces are shy of 6 1/2 inches wide or enlarge it if they are over 6 1/2 inches wide. Hope this helps. Until you get the problem figured out, all of your blocks will be short. Spend some time working it out and soon your blocks will be coming up just about perfect every single time. The quarter inch seam is an elusive thing.

Kass love love my block. Yippee.

vikki are you using a hand crank Go. Or the Go big. I gave up using my Go for boom blocks till I bought the Go Big. Previous to the Go Big my blocks were also to small. Good luck

and more gorgeous blocks! Wowza!

More creative blocks. Such a feast for the eyes.

Vikki--in addition to what's been said, are you starching and pressing everything well? What kind of thread are you using? If you're marking lines (like for HSTs) is your marking line narrow or thick? It should be narrow. Try sewing a smidge to the left of that line. Also, those directions that say cut pieces with a 7/8 fraction, go ahead and go up 1/8", then press open and trim down. When you find the perfect sewing line, you might want to put a piece of bright tape on your needle plate.

LStew - that block is awesome - the colors of dark and light really make it pop!
Kass - as always - amazed at those circles of your
Vikki - I have a tendency of sewing wider - so I cut my pieces larger and trim. I can even mess up a paper pieced block and come out short. Never quite sure. But taking your time and measuring has helped me.

I got two more done today, and then went through stash. I only need the brown. Amazing how many orange, green and purples we have this round. But my neutral and browns are low. Oh well, we all know what that means.
I love making this star - especially with Christmas red and white. I just love how it came out.
PamelaO - My Grandson loves anything camouflage, and I had dark and lighter blue camouflage and tried my hand at this pattern. Hope it will work

Those are beautiful! I especially love the star!
Vikki

Great idea Travelinggrandma, I'll try that!

Thanks Zozee! I am starching and ironing. I like the idea of cutting the extra. I also adjusted my needle to make my seam a little narrower. Great advice!

Kass,
I have a little hand crank. I tried both and and accuiquilt cutting with the same result. I think what I'm learning here is my seam can't be exact 1/4.

Thanks Janice! I'll try that. I finally figured out how to move my needle on my machine so will try sewing at different settings until I get the measurement down.
vikki

I love the way those colors pop!
vikki

Beautiful blocks TG! Although it’s a wonderful block, it’s not my fabric. I think you might have made that one for Darcyshannon. My fabric is the one with little birdies and dandelions on it.

Terri, I’m using a gobig and am just getting ready to try a new block. I’m still doing a tester block first though as I’m pretty new with it still. So you’ve had good luck with coming out to 12 1/2 with the gobig?

Vikki,

I have the Accuquilt Go Big. It was a surprise to find some of their tips in the instructions. They do work.

One is to feed the fabric through so the lengthwise grain is in the same direction as it goes through the rollers. That's because the lengthwise grain (parallel to he selvedges) stretches less than the cross grain (perpendicular to the selvages). The trip though he rollers puts enough pressure on the fabric to stretch it a bit.

Another trick I've found to improve stability is to line up the lengthwise grain with the metal cutting edges, not the die frame. The closer a cut edge is to the straight grain line, the less problems you'll have with the edges stretching.

I also stitch with the scant 1/4-inch seam the other ladies have described.

None of this is hard, but it takes a while to make it a habit. Good luck!

I had to move my needle from 3.5 to 4.2 to get a scant quarter inch. I watched a craftsy tutorial about precision piecing. They suggested to cut 1/2 inch strips very carefully. Sew them together with a 1/4 inch seam Then your finished strip should measure 1/2". This allowed me to make the adjustment after a few tries. I thought this was a lot of adjustment but it's what my machine needs. Now I have to remember to adjust that setting when I turn the machine on. I wrote in black marker on my machine to remind myself!

:D I agree. I assumed it was intentional and done for effect. However, it is what made me miss it at first glance because I had to be extra careful to keep the peas all going the same direction in the block. I actually bought the peas for that quilt because they were so little and cute. I hope you will ride your galloping horse a little faster when you are riding by my quilts.

lurking again. All the blocks are gorgeous as always !!
vikkim for what it's worth, I too in my first boom had trouble with the size of my blocks and 1/4 inch seam. Janice and everyone were so helpful, I ultimately resulted in buying a 1/4 inch seam foot for my machine. Did the trick for me.

Love your blocks TG, especially the star.

Thanks Mjp,
I was finally able to find out how to move my needle settings. I'm still fussing with it but think I'm on the right path. I've really appreciated all of the suggestions and ideas!!
Vikki

Thanks Marietta! Nice to know I'm not the only one :)
Vikki

Thanks Annie! I appreciate all the support. Well then, PamO got a couple of texts and calls too! :D Like you said, I will get the habits down and it will all become easier.
Vikki

Ask and ye shall receive. When I was a child one of my favorite things about grocery shopping was to look for fancy produce stickers, when I would find one my Gma would buy that produce so I could have a fancy sticker for the collection (on the refrigerator), so your limes needed a fancy produce sticker.

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I wasn't sure about the huge difference in color from the very light to the very dark in the limes, I think they are a bit distracting in this block.