Exactly what does crow taste like?

This time at least, it tastes like honey...I learned a new trick/technique/easy piecing guide tip!  

  It was time to cut into some of those beautiful batiks I won and had in my stash.  For the jacket class it meant curves and a glue stick.....neither which appeal to me very much.  But I had signed up and one of my insights was to try and learn new techniques, so.......I re-read the class instructions. 

  Light bulb moment!  The freezer paper templates were  cutting and sewing guides, not applique!  So I tackled 6 of the plain drunkard's path blocks, and got them cut out.  I dug out the glue stick and headed to the ironing board.  Very sparingly I used the glue stick to the correct guide and fabric piece and a light press.   To the machine, line up the arc and the arm/leg piece, pull back the arc template, pull back the fabric on the arm piece and stitch next to the freezer paper glued to the arm piece!  So easy....how did I miss this before. 

  

 

This is what I took to the sewing machine.  The arc pattern piece is on the right side of the fabric.  No seam allowance pressed under.  The freezer paper on this piece is a placement guide only.  The freezer paper piece is on the wrong side of the arm piece.  The glue is only spotted along the seam line on this piece, and the seam is pressed under and thus glued to the freezer paper.  To sew the center points are matched at the mark and pinned. 

  Gently pull back the fabric on the arm piece and check your pinning and placement.  Keep the curve of the arm matched to the arc.

Then remove the arc paper.  Then stitch along the edge of the freezer paper guide on the arm piece.   

   


  Just look at how well the 2 arcs match in the center row?  That's another tip from the class.  You create a master template piece to tape to your square ruler for squaring up the blocks.  This is your guide when squaring up the blocks.

     The more I look at these blocks, the more I like them......they have a real eye catching design.  Do I really need another jacket, would I wear this jacket,  or should these be used in a quilt?   I could do other blocks and fabrics for the jacket, or maybe I have enough for both?   OK, now I have added a whole new dimension to this project, or else it's the meds I am on.  I'll have to ponder this while I'm making more blocks.

Maybe the antibiotics  have kicked in finally, because I think I'm ready to eat some more crow on this.

 Happy stitching.