Wednesday 18 September 2013

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!

20 comments:

Megan said...

Wow, your curves are great ;-)
How are you doing back at work? I'm impressed that you have the energy to be hand piecing in the evening.

Susie said...

I'm really regretting not joining this citrus sweet BOM :( I think you did a great job

Lucy | Charm About You said...

Love your piecing and those fabrics are totally lush!!

DeborahGun said...

Looks like an amazing BOM - gorgeous fabrics and lovely handpiecing :-)

Jessica Pyykkonen said...

Ohhh so pretty! Both the fabrics and the curved hand piecing!

Anonymous said...

I am in awe of your hand pieced curves. Curves are scary scary things!

Janine @ Rainbow Hare said...

This is sooo beautiful :)

Barb said...

Love your block - it looks beautiful! Oh, and my lovely prize arrived and I love the fabric. I am going to make a cushion cover for my family room. Thanks again!

Leonie said...

love it and love how you referred to it as character building :) hand-stitching is quite relaxing for me... but only when I'm in the right mood :)

sarah elizabeth :: {no} hats said...

Hand piecing curves?! You're nuts, you! Go big or go home I suppose ;)

Miss Jamee Quilts said...

oh, how easy it would be to fall into another stitching project! if i win, i will have noooo excuses not to!

Stephie said...

Gorgeous block! I love hand piecing, sooooo relaxing :) Look forward ti seeing some more!

MsMidge said...

Lovely! The only hand sewing i do is buttons and other odds and ends!

AmandaK@whatthebobbin said...

Hand pieced curves? Awesome work...just beautiful.

Ginx Craft said...

Such beautiful fabrics, and you have combined them very cleverly.

Leanne Parsons said...

That block looks fantastic! I'd be machine piecing those squares together too.

Glinda ♥ said...

Very eye-catching. Love curves - when someone else is sewing them!

Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation said...

you are a brave soul to tackle that! It looks fantastic!

Thanks for linking up to Needle and Thread Thursday!

:) Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

hydeeannsews said...

curved handpiecing! you tackle just about anything, don't you? =) beautiful block.

Lynette said...

Nice! I really like this block. I'm working on a double wedding ring quilt that is seriously kicking my previous fear of curve stitching out the window. I'm wondering if these would click for me, too, now, or if they're short enough that they'd give me enough grief at the machine to still want to do them by hand. . . hmmmmmmm :)