Saturday 2 April 2011

Sharing the Process

Fresh Sewing Day @ Lily's Quilts
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
sib blog

33 comments:

  1. What a great post about your process in making a super cute block! Penny will love it! I am amazed at that sugar bag! You explained everything very clearly and had great pictures to show what you mean, too. I am in awe!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I Love this block! You are so so so talented and thank you so much for sharing your process. I have wanted to try paper piecing with my own designs but wasn't sure how to even start. Now I know. thanks thanks thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is mind blowing! I still can't wrap
    My head around it, but I'll be sewing euro penny and trying to learn at her retreat in a couple of weeks! Such an amazing block!

    ReplyDelete
  4. You're a paper piecing genius Kerry! It really blows my mind how you can execute these intricate blocks. Thanks for sharing your process, I have only tried some simple paper piecing, but I am going to bookmark your post for future reference.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am incredibly impressed and can only say wow!!!!! I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Gosh Kerry! Ok, so I definitely use Kinaesthetic language. What does that mean? lol!
    I went and ordered that book straight away and cannot wait for it to arrive!! Thank-you on so many levels Kerry, for taking the time to write this post, and for the amazing block!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a clever block! I love the braided detail on that mixing bowl. Hope Penny loves it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I can't get over this amazing-ness, Kerry! Penny's kitchen themed quilt is going to be just amazing and I am jealous of her already!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Can I just say that I am blown away by this? I am going to have to sit down and study it and practice with your post open in front of me.

    ReplyDelete
  10. it's gorgeous Kerry! And thank you for sharing the book. I will definitely get that. I've been struggling to construct non geometric paper pieced patterns. So hopefully this will help.

    But yeah...that block is beyond amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  11. It's amazing. And so interesting to see the whole process, too.

    ReplyDelete
  12. You did that so super!! I just love it!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Absolutely fabulous! Your ingenuity staggers me! I struggle with commercial foundation patterns..but you design your own!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Fantastic! Thanks for sharing that. I am in awe. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks! I paper piece but a different way and I have been wondering about the curved pieces I have seen in posts.

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a wonderful post. Just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to walk through the process -- very interesting to read! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I now need that book too although I have a feeling it's not going to make it as easy as you make it sound. This is just incredible Kerry - all the little placed details of the writing are blowing me away and your fabric choices but it's the piecing that's really baffling me - it's just so detailed and so whimsical and so accurate. In awe.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Yowza! Fabulous, fun and fresh, Kerry. One of my biggest regrets is turning down an opportunity to do a 3 day workshop with Ruth McDowell when she came to my guild's seminar b/c at the time it just seemed like SOOO much money, I couldn't fathom it. I just love your block. Thank you for sharing your process.

    And, how do you know all that stuff about the type of learners we are?

    ReplyDelete
  19. are you kidding me? this is so darn gorgeous and AMAZING...

    ReplyDelete
  20. What an amazing block and process, this is going to help me immensely with my March bee blocks! Thank you!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Be still my heart. I cannot believe you transformed that sketch into that block. I don't know which detail I loved more but I will say that when I saw the whisk, I thought, "Surely she will use a solid piece and embroider the wires." But no! The fussy cutting, the perspective, the texture. I just can't wrap my brain around it.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thank you so much for posting this! I love these intricately pieced blocks but couldn't figure out how to go about constructing them. Your block is really amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  23. this post is so amazing that i keep it up in my tabs just to reread it and hope that the quilty wisdom sinks in. and the block you used as your example? absolute genius. especially that bag of flour. i can't get over how gorgeous that is.

    ReplyDelete
  24. This is the most amazing block!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. What an incredible block! I've requested that book at my library now - if only I could have the genius to think of a design so good :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. love it, thank you for the process.

    ReplyDelete
  27. This is just the most AMAZING block, Kerry!! I don't know how I missed this post the first time around...anyway, you have inspired me to buy McDowell's book: it's on its way to me, and I can't wait to push my (very, very basic) paper-piecing skills to another level (although I may not be able to achieve results quite as lovely as yours...). Thanks for the inspiration :)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Thanks for your share! very impressive!

    cialis

    ReplyDelete
  29. how do you even begin a block like this? You are amazing. What a talent you have!

    ReplyDelete
  30. This is just amazing! I love every little detail! I keep coming back to this post, too! :) I've been wanting to make something like this, but had no idea that this was the way to do it!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Thankyou Elieen, I hope you try this technique out!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time out to leave your thoughts, I do very much appreciate you stopping by! Blogger is not sending comments through by email at the moment so I'll reply in the comments.