Scraps - Go Chisel

I know someone is going to ask about waste or scraps since that seems to be the big issue/hang up that people have with the Go Cutter.  Yes there is going to be some waste.  I folded so that I could try to minimize the amount of waste though.  I've decided that I'm good with the scraps that are generated because I can use them to make string quilts or something along those lines.  There are enough free-form block patterns floating around in the blogosphere that I really am OK with any waste that might happen.

My picture below is what's left after cutting from a 1/2 yard of fabric.  Remember I was able to get 32 chisels that measure 3.5" wide by 6.5" long.  Because I'm some what challenged at math, I had my husband do the calculation for me.  If I cut myself, not using the Go Cutter, I would have been able to get 30.  Because the points are placed together on the die, I can get 2 extra.  I know that I can not cut like that on my own when it comes to a "funky" shape.

Accuquilt Go - Making Braids using the Chisel Die

This is my first attempt at a tutorial so bare with me.  I'm just so excited about the Chisel die (55039) that I have to share.  I'm going to show you how to make a braid.  Since I haven't gotten very far with my strips, I can't show you the completed top, so you will just have to check back in with me in a day or two.

I used fat quarters and 1/2 yard cuts to get started with this project.  I folded the fabric in half the long way and then in half again.  So a fat quarter that's normally 18 inches wide is now about 4 1/2 inches wide because of the 2 folds.  When I cut the fabric I'm sure to have the chisel the normal direction and then another that is reversed.  With a half yard cut of fabric,  I can cut 32 chisels and 16 chisels with a fat quarter.

The instructions with the die say to cut your strips 6 inches wide.  When I folded, I folded so that the fabric to be cut was approximately 4 1/2 inches or less.  The chisel will measure 3 1/2 inches by 6 1/2 inches.  Because the die is on an angle, I felt safer having some extra fabric on the sides.

Once I cut all my fabric, I sorted it into piles so that all the chisels and reverse chisels were together.  For me, that makes it a lot less confusing when I start grabbing fabric pieces to sew my braid.

To start the braid I pick one of each chisel.  I've laid each one out and labeled as fabric 1 and fabric 2.  First I need to explain that I'm very right handed so I'm writing this and showing pictures that way.  You might night to move your fabrics around to accommodate being left handed.

 Place fabric 1 on the bottom so the chisel or slanted edge is facing right.  Next take fabric 2 and place it so that the slant is facing up.  Head to the machine to sew the 2 pieces together.  When looking at the picture above you will be sewing along the left hand side.  Because I would be sewing blind, I had to flip.

In the above picture, I had to flip the two pieces of fabric over so that fabric one is now on top.  The point of fabric 2 is up at the top of the picture, so if you were looking at the blue chisel without the red it would be facing so that the point is to the back of the machine.  Sew fabric 1 to fabric 2 along the right side using the normal 1/4 inch seam.

Take your pieces to the iron and press so that fabric 1 now points to the right.  I press the seam to the fabric 1 side.  It makes it easier when adding more pieces.

 You are now ready to start adding on to make the braid.  I lay the next piece down next to the sewn piece so that I can make sure that I've grabbed a chisel that is facing the right direction.  The trick of the braid is to get all the pieces together so that it makes a straight strip.  So once I know I'm okay with the direction of the chisel, I flip the fabric so that I'm ready to sew.

I've flipped the fabric over and will sew down the right side from the top to the bottom.  The die cuts off the tip of the triangle, which makes it a whole lot easier to line pieces up.  Once I have the next piece sewn, I head to the iron and press to the right again.  From there you just alternate sides (and chisel angles), adding a new piece as you go. 

I'm not sure yet how long I'm going to make my braids.  Once the length is determined, then you just sew the strips together.  A sashing piece could be placed in between the braids so that less braids are needed for a quilt top.  The ideas are endless.

When I have my braids completed, I will be sure to post more pictures so you can see how to line up the strips.

Let me know if you have comments or questions. 

Where Does Time Go?

I have gotten a few things done since my last post.   This is a picture of the quilt top I made out of the Malaysian batiks my friend brought home from her trip.  I cut big triangles and then tried to make a pattern.  Looks much better in person.  Now I just need to get the back and quilting done. 

This is a lap quilt that went to Idaho for a lady going through dialysis.  There are grandchildrens names in the white blocks. 

This is a t-shirt quilt that will be going away to college with a soon to be freshman.  The lady that made the quilt decided to that a t-shirt quilt would be her first foray into quilting.  She did a great job.  I wouldn't have picked that for my first project.  I'm a big chicken.

Have a great night.

Mail - YIPPEE, YAHOOO

I just picked up my mail.  I got a package from Dawn Rameriz, aka The Pajama Quilter.  She has a new DVD out.  I can see that I'm going to be sleepy at work tomorrow. 

Is It Just Me?

Do you ever feel like you are just set in your ways? I heard that a lot as a kid because my parents were much older than all of my friend's parents. When ever I would ask why my parents did something the way they did, they would respond with "we are just set in our ways". Well I'm starting to think that mentality (craziness) has rubbed off on me.

Jump ahead to yesterday and my trip to the grocery store.  

I love Speed Stick Unscented deodorant.  I have used it since I was in college (ummm, some 20 years ago now) and haven't switched.  Like the label says, it's unscented.  I HATE the smell of womens deodorant.  I might say unscented, but it's not.  I can still smell that faint scent of flowers or powder.  Speed Stick is in with the men's deodorants.  I have looked and looked and look and can never seem to find my favorite stuff when shopping at the big name retails stores.  So I'm at the grocery store yesterday and WA-LA I hit the mother lode.  I bought 6 containers.  That should keep me smelling nice through at least December.  When I got home and my honey was helping put the groceries away, he subtly asks why I bought so much "pit juice".   I explained that I like that brand and I have problems finding it so I felt like I needed to pick up several so that I wasn't always on the search.  He just rolled his eyes and laughed.  Okay, so it is kind of crazy that I spent well over $20 on deodorant. 

So I guess I'm set in my ways too.  Can't wait to pass on that craziness to the next generation. 

Done

Done and ready to make it's journey to California to go live with my in-laws.  I like this pattern in that it's not triangles that make the zigs.  It's strips cut into squares that are then set diagonally.  Definitely on the list to make again.

I've been doing some quilting for other people.  Hopefully after the weekend I will have some more pictures.

Have a great weekend.

Busy Busy Busy

The title should short of explain the lack of posting lately.  There has been so much going on that it isn't even funny.

• We got our the exterior of our house painted so there was lots of running home at lunch to make sure all was well.
• Had someone come and do some odds and ends fix it items on the inside our house.
• Bags bags and more bags for Brandi - 29 embroidered bags to be exact.
• Swimming
• Work
• More swimming
• Machine embroidery on visors and towels for a friend's kids for their birthday
• Bindings attached to 5 quilts that had been quilted.
• One queen size quilt loaded and in the midst of being worked on.  I thought straight lines would be great on this quilt.  What was I thinking?????  I now understand why professional quilters charge a lot of money for custom quilting.
• One small quilt top finished.  Yet another variation to the infamous disappearing nine patch.
• 

•  Oh and I forgot the in-laws that are coming in tomorrow for the weekend.  So there has been cleaning going on.  Well more like hiding and a little bit of cleaning.

I will have to get a picture for show and tell, but a friend of mine went home to Malaysia to visit and brought me back a box of batiks.  All have been cut and the piecing is underway.  I'm quite pleased with my endeavor so far.