I am sewing the asterisks together, and since they are arranged any which way, sewing them together is pretty interesting. I try to visualize how to sew them together without sewing into corners. First I trim the edges of the asterisks straight, and I usually add a chunk of background WOW fabric to one side, then put it up on the design wall to figure out where the next piece goes, and keep going from there. I don't usually end up with "exactly" what was on the design wall, but as long as I have a photo to guide me (hint hint: use your phone to take photos for reference) I'm in good shape.
I'm not done. I still have to add one asterisk in the upper right hand corner, and I have to sew two more to the left side.
In these photos you can tell I use WOWs interchangeably. I like the variation they provide. I like the way the light hits them differently. Whenever I go fabric shopping I always buy about five or six WOWs in half yard pieces.
Here's what the panel looks like from the wrong side.
How do I get it to look this nice? I press the crap out of stuff, and I use steam. After I press, or before I sew one piece to another, I trim the edge to make sure it is straight. When I sew I pin the pieces together.
Julie watched me when she was here. "I pin stuff," I told her as I was getting ready to sew something together.
"You use a lot of pins," she said.
I shrugged. "Whatever. It works for me."
At any rate, the backs of each and every quilt I make look as nice as the back of the asterisks you see above.
3 comments:
In one of those new books we bought, there's an interview with someone who talks about the seam line becoming part of the design - certainly fits with the WOW seams in free-pieced work, too.
Pins are good . . . so are straight edges AND steam!
I pin a lot too, I totally believe in it. People tell me all the time, I don't pin and I hate to say what I think. :+)
I also use lots of pins. I want my corners to match! LOL I also use steam and I press the seams open - I find the blocks lie much flatter with the seams pressed open.
Megan
Sydney, Australia
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