Northern Lights........................

For some reason - I want to call this quilt Northern Reflections - should I slip you know why!

Another great show n tell yesterday. I am way behind - hey - I haven't even posted anything about this quilt so here goes.

This is a Block of the Month designed by Marti Michell.  There are two options - make the bigger version using template ses B and D or the smaller version using template sets A and C.

This is the show n tell from April - these are the connector blocks - wait until you see the quilt - then you will get it.
The homework was to make at least one of these blocks, although there are 8 in total to make as well as some half blocks, quarter blocks and eighth blocks. 

Northern Lights - connector blocks - I think this is Flo's and she was late to class, so her block missed the group shot

This is the show n tell from April - again the connector blocks, but the SMALL version

Amazing how those blocks are the same, yet they are different.

This is the homework from March show n tell.  There are a number of half blocks that have to be made and each person just put a half block up for show n tell. You can see the big ones versus the smaller ones.  I believe there is one more of this block - it came in late and you can see it in the first picture above - top left corner. 

This is the homework from yesterday.  Another half block - they have to be make TWO halves - in some cases we see BOTH halves, others just put up one half. 

Susan was late and missed the group shot!!!!   But we need to make sure that everyone is accounted for!!!!!

Here are the small versions. While I am getting familiar with everyone's colour choices, there are a few that I don't know yet. But the one on the bottom right - that was a mystery. Turns out that Linda P. is making TWO - one big and one small.  Way to go Linda!!!!!

That is pretty awesome!!!!!    Show n tell is the best part of the class as I just love to see what everyone has done and how they choose their colours!!!!!!!!!!!!!    None of these quilts will look the same at the end.


To refresh your memory - here is my BRIGHT small version of Northern Lights

I did NOT stay true to the colouring of the pattern in this one. My Fabric I (the yellow) which is used only in the connector blocks is the SAME as Fabric B (also yellow) which is the consistent light background.  Just my personal choice and to experiment to see what the blocks looked like. 

Here is the brown version -  oops - I switched the two blocks on the bottom left in case you are comparing the two.   This version is more true to the colouring of the original, although I went monochromatic rather than multi colour like the original.   Notice that there is a different colour for Fabric I (in the connector blocks) than Fabric B in the regular blocks. 

OK - so let`s move onto the homework for this month.   We are making the Broken Dishes block. Instead of making ONE block - you will be making FOUR sections as shown below

One of the FOUR Broken Dishes sections 

One of the FOUR Broken Dishes sections

Two go in the very top row of the quilt (along with the sections of the connector blocks) and two go in the very bottom row.   Check back to the diagram on Page Two to help make sense.   The colouring will be the SAME for all four, although it doesn`t have to be.  Just keep the Background and the Consistent Light the same - the other colours (in my case - the greens or the browns) can be different.


The second block we are doing this month is a WHOLE BLOCK - Grandpa`s Favourite Wheels

Notice what I did in this block - instead of using Fabric F and Fabric B to make the half square triangles in the corners, I used Fabric C and Fabric B to make the half square triangles.   I also substituted a DARK fabric for Fabric C in the center of the block

Here I kept true to the pattern - Fabric F and Fabric B were used to make half square triangles and I used Fabric C in the center.  Totally different look - don`t be afraid to experiment

This is my connector block 

Toad in the Puddle - half block

Wheeler Star - half block

 Hopefully the above will help you as you move forward with the quilt!!!!!!!!!!!


Now onto some pressing issues.    Ooops - I am going to lose marks on this one!!!!    OK - so this is going to be a lesson on WHAT NOT TO DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    Sort of like airing your dity laundry in public!   Bottom line - it does NOT matter how these seams get pressed - we are learning. And this is NOT an easy quilt to press.

Here is how I pressed the Northern Lights connector block.  Notice that I spun the centers of the four patches and in this case it works perfectly. Those four patches do not really connect up to anything - so this was good practise and for those that had never done it - a learning experience.

Now comes the rest of the block - the center part - I pressed my seams to the middle square - I was aiming for consistentcy.  I could have spun those seams, but then the seams would NOT go to the center square and I don`t like that look.  That is a PERSONAL choice - there is no right or wrong.

Pressing the flying geese - the best way is away from the big triangle - like I showed above.

Now the final seams - when we join the flying seese to the center square. You see - I chose to press those two seams towards the center (and away from the point of the flying geese).  I did that because it allows the points of the flying geese to lie flat.  By default and in keeping with nesting seams as much as possible, it makes sense when we join the four patch to the flying geese that we press to the four patches to allow the seams to nest at the corners. And those last two seams are pressed AWAY from the flying geese points and TOWARDS the center - like the other two seams.

Yikes - does that make sense????      There are other times when I like to ensure that those outer most seams of this style of block (a connector block or alternate block) be pressed either into the center or away from the center, but in this case - two are out and two are in. It just works better for this block. Ruby - that is a bit different than what I told you yesterday!    If those seams are either in (all four) or out (all four) - then if you mess up the orientation of the block (wait for it) or sewing the other blocks - every thing is consistent so less likely to make a mistake.   (Do you see what is coming????) 

I must have thought that was a good plan since I did the exact same thing on the brown version

Remember if your seams are NOT pressed in the same direction as mine - there is NO WORRY.  Just wait until you see the rest of my pressing!!!!!!!!!!!   Then you will know why.

Here is the Broken Dish piece - I was able to nest the seams here, but if that connector block had of been rotated one quarter, the two vertical seams you see they are pressed towards the center?   If the block had of been rotated one quarter - then those seams would have been pressed OUT and I would have had to press the Broken Dish seams in the opposite direction to get them to nest.  

Are you still with me?????   This isn't an easy thing to teach - hopefully the pictures are helping.

Sometimes there is NOTHING you can do about nesting seams. See the intersections highlighted above?   In order to let the points of the flying geese lie flat, the seams have to be pressed in the same direction. NO BIG DEAL

Same scenario here -  and perhaps easier to understand.  It is best to press those points in the right direction and let the rest go in the same direction   (in thisi case - those diagonal seams are all going towards the top left of the picture)

Now here is something to keep in mind for the final construction.  Notice that the orientation of the connector block on the left and the orientation of the connector block on the right are NOT the same.  As far as the pressing goes - the one on the left has the seem going IN to the center and the connector block on the right has the seam going AWAY from the center.   So be forewarned - they should be in the SAME orientation.  If you notice at the marked intersections - One nested and the other did not!!!!!!!!!!!    Ooops!!!!!

And this block (which we have NOT done yet) is an idicator that twirling seams is NOT always a good choice.  You can see that I twriled all the seams that I could in the center of the block, but then when I went to sew the blocks to the connector blocks (again these connector blocks are NOT in the same orientation as far as the pressing goes).   

The bottom line is that we try to be consistent, but it doesn't always work. There are many times when I have to repress the seams in order to nest as many as I can.  But it you are consistent, especially in the connector blocks and then use them as a guide (keeping them in the same orientation as far as the pressed seams) then you should be OK.


Hopfeully that clears some of that up.   If I have muddied the waters - let me know.



Have an awesome day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!