Citrus Sweet Love: hand piecing curves

Goodness I can't believe how quickly it is Wednesday again. It's my first week back at work and I have been a little put out that there is actually work for me to do, instead of swanning around updating my blog and chatting to my quilty friends.

However I have managed a little hand piecing in the evenings, to get my second Citrus Sweet Love September BOM block finished. It has been a little character building, but I am getting the hang of it. That's probably just as well, because looking at the quilt, I suspect there is more to come in future months. 

The block has three template pieces, which are stitched together to create an eighth of the circle in a wedge shape. Two wedges are then sewn together into squares, and the four squares form the block. Here are the first three squares. I confess that I didn't hand piece down those straight lines joining the wedges together. I didn't see the point when Bernie could do the job a million times faster. 

Making the plastic template pieces wasn't too bad - and I have heaps of extra plastic if I decide to do something else requiring templates. 

I didn't find a tutorial on hand piecing curves, but my Sarah Fielke Craftsy course covered machine piecing curves, and that was very helpful. I only pinned the beginning and end of the curve and sewed a little bit at a time. This tutorial is how I did the sewing - which is ridiculously simple. It is only the curve that makes it challenging!  I imagine it could be done by machine with a bit of practice, but for one block the hand sewing means the seams are accurate. I don't think I'd do a whole quilt of these but I have eventually enjoyed these. That could just be the pretty fabric though!

I have since finished the last square, and I just need to sew it together now - but work is interrupting my photo opportunities. I'll show you when it's totally finished.

In other news, there's going to be an exciting giveaway here on Friday.  Yes siree.  Here's a hint.

Not that subtle, right?!  Squeeeeeeee.  If you haven't joined the ABC BOW because you don't have the book, this will be your chance.

Linking up to the lovely mid-week linky parties.  Howdy visitors!