Dilys The Quilt: Blog 140

I have had a lovely time at Centre Parcs in Sherwood Forest. Despite biting winds and plummeting temperatures, we spent quality time with our daughter, husband and young family and there is nothing quite like that. Everyone relaxes together and just plays. Many families had grandparents in tow; in fact anyone without grandparents appeared deprived!

It’s back to the sewing machine now. I have been preparing samples for a residential WE at Alston Hall where I am the invited tutor. I always try to use whatever technique I am teaching as an excuse to make something that I need as a gift or I can use myself. For the first sample for fused piecing, I made a quilt for the newest arrival in the extended family, Hugo Osmotherley.

The quilt started with a central pattern of an appliquéd teddy bear, Hugo Bear.

Hugo bear

This image was repeated four times in stitch. I chose a stitch that was easily adjusted to follow the curves of the pattern, and which made the bear look fluffy. I used a variegated thread to match the chosen fabric. I added detail with a free motion stitch.

Thread bear

I made four patchwork blocks to look like this, but, because I wanted to control the placement of the colours and use up scraps of the fabric, I prepared them using a Vilene base. (Not an original idea, it has been demonstrated for years.)

Patchwork blocks

METHOD

I started off with a multi-coloured fabric and a neutral fabric and cut out several 2” squares. (Each block required 25 neutral and 24 coloured).

Fabric and squares

I cut a 12” square of lightweight iron-on Vilene and placed it glue side up on top of a 2” grid drawn onto cardboard. I secured it with pins.

Vilene on grid

I then placed the fabric squares in sequence onto the Vilene, RS up, so the raw edges touched but didn’t over-lap. The grid helped with placement.

Squares onto Vilene

When I was happy with the arrangement, I ironed the squares well to stick them onto the Vilene.

Stick the squares

To sew the vertical seam lines, I folded the first row of squares over the second row with RS together. (It folded easily along the line where the raw edges of the squares meet.) I sewed an accurate ¼” seam, feeding one block through after another to save thread.

Vertical seam

Repeat for every seam

Before I could sew the horizontal seam lines in the same way, I needed to snip into the seam allowances of the vertical seams, up to the line of stitches but not through it.