Sharing the Process

I am linking with Lynne on her new 1st of themonth feature, I am a day late but ready to play.  It is a sharing linky post, go and visit and for a little trip round some new blogs - I am sharing a bit of process on my latest quilt block for Ringo Pie.  It is Penny's month and her theme is all things kitcheny and I could barely contain myself.  She kicked it off with the most amazing Food Aid mixer block- she is queen of piecing.   I had too many ideas but I narrowed it down to baking.   My inital inspiration came from an old Cath Kidston catalogue and some pics I tore out of a 1980s Toshiba microwave cookbook.  Bad recipes but great pictures.

I made a sketch and put a few fabric notes.  I wanted to include vintage cherry fabric underneath so that had to fit in somewhere.  I do rely a lot on the image in my head more than anything else.  It helps to think what kind of representational system do you use?  (I am on a diversion here but hold in there, you may find it interesting).  Take a look at the sort of language you use- written or oral- if you are a Flickr user go and check out the comments you make on other peoples pics.  If you are a blogger read your blog!

Visual language- 'I see', 'take a look at..'- words include look, see, picture, view, clear, image, show,

Auditory language- 'I hear you loud and clear', 'describe that in detail', words include, feedback, resonate, hear, listen, sound, tone.

Kinaesthetic language-'I can handle that', 'get a load of this', 'Pain in the neck/butt', words include calm, touch, hard, soft, grasp, handle.

You may cross over these categories but one will dominate- interesting stuff!  

I am visual, I think in pictures so I don't always sketch out preparatory ideas or specific details, I see it in my head and just try and keep to the vision.  I only sketch it down if there is going to be a delay in making something. Hope that makes sense.  

This is my paper reference map for the piecing.  It is about 13 inches square and in pencil.  Graph paper is helpful here.  I sketch it first and then add straight lines with quilt rulers where I need them.  In this block I wanted a lot of free lines.

Now I chunk it up into pieces and sections.  I used to do stained glass and that helps to imagine how different sections will fit together.  Every piece needs a number.  This method is from Ruth B McDowells Piecing Workshop book and if you want to get into piecing in a big way I totally recommend it.

Here comes the freezer paper.  You place the freezer paper so the shiny side is on top (counter intuitive I know) and fix with masking tape.  I trace using a propelling pencil.  As the shiny side is the wax side it makes a nice groove with each line.

Flip the freezer paper over so the dull side is facing up, you can just about see the tracing lines underneath.  With coloured pencils (not watercolour pencils) I make tick lines between every join, often more than one and using different colours.  These are the reference points for joining all the fabric pieces.  I also add all the numbers and directional arrows to show the top of each piece.  It looks a bit crazy at this point.

Ready to start piecing, but don't cut all you freezer paper pieces out at once!  Start with a section, a chunk that can be completed.  The freezer paper pieces are ironed on to the reverse of the fabric so check your fussy cutting carefully- hey I didn't say it would be easy!   You can see how your paper reference sheet helps to make sense of it all as you go along.

First section completed. 

I used some different methods in  this block.  For some pieces I did the detailed piecing free hand and made it big enough to cut the desired shape out of- I did thins with part of the bowl and the wired on the whisk.

This was really hard, all those curves and odd shapes and I am always prepared to alter as I go along.  Fortunately Penny didn't want a specific size, this has worked out around 13 inches but sometimes the end sizes of blocks like these can change a lot by the end of the process.  I am also prepared for a bit of wonk and quirk in the end block which is a good thing because that is what I got!

The 'Jam' label was stamped and sewn on at the end.  

 Everthing ready to make cherry jam tarts.

I just love cherries!

Enjoy your weekend x