Wednesday, August 01, 2012

WIP Wednesday 8/1/2012

Walk with me as I take you through the making of the blocks for the Think Christmas Blog Hop.

Below is a photo I saw on the internet some time ago. I pinned him to Pinterest. When I was thinking of what kind of block to make for the Think Christmas Blog Hop, I considered traditional blocks. Then I thought of the dog. Why not?

Isn't he cute?

I went to BeFunky.com, cartoonized the photo, then played with it in Picasa.

June Tailor printable fabric

Photo printed to fabric. Image is about 5" square.

Needed to build up the block. I like this red fabric, 2.5" wide.

Trimmed the image to 1/4" seam allowance

Attaching the first strip. Sewing from the back to use the shadow as a guide. Don't want any of the white seam allowance to show.

First two strips sewn on

Trimmed edges

Attached the other two strips, trimmed (not shown)




Photos above: auditioning fabric for next border. I like the black with white polka dots, which happen to kind of look like snow.

I like it!

Block is measuring 9.25" right now. I'm going for 12.5".


Decide that 2.5" strips should be fine. Can trim the block to the right size later.

First two strips sewn on, trimmed

Last two strips sewn, trimmed

Block is 13.25" now, a little over. Not to worry. I'll trim it.

Marking the centers

Aligned pins with "0" line, trimmed to 6.25" from center

Repeated on opposite edge

Trimmed third side

Fourth side trimmed

All done! Please meet Corky the Corgi. 12.5" square.
I will probably finish this as a little wallhanging and display it at Christmas.



On to the second block


I decided the first block didn't take much effort, and I like to challenge myself.

Once again, I started with this cute photo.

This sketch began as an Amy Bradley Dazzling Dog - TC.
He comes with a beanie, but I changed the hat to look like the one in the photo.

Items that might be used in the block

I love the blue background. Looks like sky. But I only had strips. Placed the sketch and strips on the light box. Looks like it will work if I sew the strips together.

Sewed 1/8" seam allowance - quite narrow but should be okay.

Pressed seam open

Frixion pen by Pilot. Won the pen in a drawing at a guild meeting. Haven't used till now.

Marked on a scrap

Touched one half with hot iron just for a second. Mark disappeared! That'll work.

Pieced background. Can live with seam down the middle. 

Sketch and background on light box

Outlined on the right side of fabric with Frixion pen to help with placement later.

Trying out face fabric for size

Covers just fine
Did the same for all fabric pieces, then ironed Wonder Under fusible web to the backs of the fabrics for fusible applique.

Marked back side of sketch with "B's" so I can easily tell which side is up.

Slash marks where edges are under other fabric. Will cut a little extra on these edges for insurance.

Biggest pieces cut apart

Placed pattern pieces on right side of fused fabric. Bottom part of cap is a red stripe. Will attach directly to the white.

Outlined pieces with Frixion pen

Face pattern piece outlined. Note extra space on the edge next to the hash marks. The hat will overlap there.

Ears

Red stripe and ball for the cap

Cut glasses and nose from another copy of the sketch

Couldn't find a white chalk pencil, so used tailor's chalk. Rubbed over the edges of the pattern pieces.

Not bad. I just have to cut on the edges of the black.

Look at that. Almost perfect!

Decided to do a V-neck pullover shirt, so I can could one piece instead of two.

Drew up arrows at the shoulders for the collar.

Collar pieces and shirt layout

Traced with Frixion pen

Trying out the pieces. No heat applied yet. Looks pretty good.

Fused the pieces in place

Tiny buttons for the eyes

Trimmed block to 6.5" square

Used Micron pen to draw smile

Quilt sandwich assembled, pinned layers together for quilting

Invisible thread for quilting, white thread in bobbin

Stitched close to edge to hold layers together

Outlined pieces, free motion quilting on background

View from the back

Eyes sewn on with black thread. Cute!

Decided not to do a binding. Very narrow zigzag with invisible thread to seal the edges.

Zigzag from the back

Looking good! Almost done.

Figuring out placement for fun snowflake buttons

Buttons sewn. Finished!

View from the back.

TC's Christmas
Adapted from Amy Bradley Dazzling Dogs
6.5" square
Fusible applique, free motion quilting on domestic machine
Mostly from stash
Completed 7/31/2012


Below: Design notes



Debbie


4 comments:

  1. Excellent instructions and pictures...you are one creative lady! Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great tutorial. thank you. I love your dog. How sweet. Love the snow babies fq too.
    Thanks for sharing
    cheers
    maggie

    ReplyDelete
  3. I adore the paper pieced doggy it is so cute!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for the tutorial on how to make this. It's a very cute ideal!

    ReplyDelete

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