I’ve been working on this all along, and thought I would get to link up with Chris Knits for the SAHRR Round Six Linky Party, but alas, I checked today and it’s already closed. Oh well, it’s not quite done but will show you what I have in just a bit. I’ve had to do a little adding of borders here and there to get it to the size I wanted for this final round. It’s getting bigger than I anticipated! LOL
Chris chose the shoo-fly block, also sometimes called hole in the barn door or churn dash block! I want to share with you my piecing tip/tutorial. Just click through the slide show below for my process. If you don’t use this method for chain piecing, you might want to give it a try. I admit I was resistant at first, but now since I’ve been using it I can’t imagine piecing any other way – especially when you have a lot of blocks to piece!! I think it was Carole who blogs at From My Carolina Home, from whom I first learned of this technique. To begin with I chain-pieced all the half square triangles for my shoo-fly blocks, pressed them and laid them out and we start there.
Pretty simple technique and it really has saved me a lot of time! So now, for what I have completed SAHRR rows 1-5 and partially completed row 6. Still have a few to go. Hopefully I can get that finished tomorrow or Tuesday. You can get the idea of how it will look finished.
I would like to thank Island Batik for generously supplying many of the fabrics used in this quilt. I used left over fabrics from the Chantilly collection for my shoo-fly blocks. The remainder are from my Island Batik stash!! The background fabric is from my stash and is an Island Batik neutral called almond. The really white background in the hearts is from white Island Batik solid. I love that it has lots of open space to practice some free-motion quilting!
Round 1 was the center block. I used my test block for my January Island Batik project. Round 2 is curves – not my favorite but I learned a lot! Round 3 is diamonds. Round 4 is stars – I love these star heart blocks. The pattern is free from the Heart Felt Quilt Along at Fat Quarter Shop! Round 5 is signature blocks. And the final round 6 is shoo-fly blocks.
I am linking up with Kathleen McMusing for Tips and Tutorials on the 22nd!
Hi Brenda! I wasn’t aware of the alternate names for the Shoo Fly block. Great tutorial in pictures – that’s exactly how I sew my blocks. The webbing keeps everything from getting twisted about. Your SAHRR top is really progressing nicely – I love the Almond background. I’m on the hunt for just the right background for a new table runner for Sue’s sister. The fabrics are very muted like a faded blue. White is too harsh – maybe this Almond would be the ticket. I will have to check it out. {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
Brenda, you SAHRR is looking great! And webbing works wonders when working with whole quilts as well as blocks! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I think I learned that tip from someone years ago, maybe Eleanor Burns? Anyhow, I do that when piecing blocks too. Your Shoo fly blocks are so pretty!
Great tip! I love webbing and the slide show is just perfect. Thank you for linking up to TTot22!