Have you noticed it, too? Curves seem to be
everywhere lately! Just this week alone, there’s been a blog hop for the release of
Angela Pingel’s DVD on Sewing Techniques for Accurate Curved Piecing, Rita Red Pepper’s
variation on the Drunkard’s Path,
and just check out all of the amazing curves going on at Stitched in Color’s
clambake quilt-along! It’s true: curved piecing is sweeping the globe!
As you already may know,
I jumped on the curves bandwagon and am about halfway through
Rachel’s Curves Class. I have been doing my best to stay on top of the projects, and am really happy with how the class — and my skills — have progressed over the past few weeks.
The latest project was an improv curves mini-quilt, titled Oh Christmas Tree.
My first tree was *almost* a success. That was, until I assembled the last seam against the tree’s left side. For some reason, my seam line has a few puckers toward the center of the curve.
Michelle (
From Bolt to Beauty), who is also taking the class, recommended that I shorten my stitch length, which I did, and that helped to solve the problem. The shortened stitch forced me to slow down and gave me the time I needed to control the fabric. I realized that I had been tugging on the fabric to get it to pivot under the needle, rather than gently guiding it. Once the stitch length was shortened, I was able to hold the fabric with less tension on the curve, and this resulted in a flatter seam.
How do I know this, you ask? Well, that is because I made a
second Oh Christmas Tree, though pared down a bit, just to practice the skills again.
The next project for the class is the drunkard’s path block, which I am uber excited about! I have only made one so far, but I am already in love! Here’s a sneak peek of my first block:
The class project is to turn this into a pot holder, but I don’t know if I can stop at just one! Have you ever made a drunkard’s path quilt? I’d love to see, if you did!
And if you, too, are having a love-affair with the curve, I’ve compiled a
pinterest board with loads of curve-appeal!
Linking up with Lee at
Freshly Pieced and Lorna at
Sew Fresh Quilts. Happy Wednesday!
I jumped on the bandwagon in February last year when I tried curved piecing with Drunkard’s Path blocks. Mine are based on a design by Emily Cier in her book “Scrap Republic” and happen to be part of the subject of my WiP Wednesday post (which is how I come to be here). Your block looks so good — to good to be a pot-holder!
Yay for suggestions, feedback, and advice that leads to figuring something out. Your drunkard’s path block looks great. Renee @Quilts of a Feather just make a lot of drunkard’s path blocks for the border of her Museum Medallion quilt; you should check it out (if you didn’t already know about it)!
Great tip about the shorter stitch length. That’s a good point – curves seem to be everywhere lately! Drunkard’s Paths are so much fun. You will love them. 🙂
Oh that’s a great suggestion about shortening the stitch length – I might use that! Love the way you blend/mix/match those low volume fabrics too – I’d like to get better at that 🙂
You’re way ahead of me with the curves, looks like you have them bowing to your will already! Your Christmas trees are so cute I’m inspired to try one for each season. I have so much fabric that finding suitable prints would be a breeze *said shamefully, I’m not bragging about that*.
I’ve been eyeing off Angela’s Quilting Mixology – the few quilts I’ve seen in there look amazing, especially the Moroccan tile-like one. A great excuse to master curves if ever I’ve seen one.
I’m liking the drunkard’s path block! The fabrics look so cute together. Maybe I should give some curved seams a go…
Curves can be scary! You did a great job though. I haven’t attempted drunkards path yet, but I do love the block!
Your Christmas tree looks great, both of them! Saw Michelle’s tree at guild meeting this week. So envious of you two’s new skills. Still scared of the curve so I am going to live viciously through the both of you for now 🙂