Arc Enemies

This was not going to be a happy post.  It started out happy, then not so much, but will end on a better note. My station is set up beautifully for working on the DWR quilt (from now on, DWR will stand for the Downton Abbey Double Wedding Ring paper pieced quilt project for The Classic Double Wedding Ring with Gail Kessler Craftsy class - whew!).  I boxed myself in at my sewing machine with two rolling storage carts on either side.  One holds my portable combo ironing surface and cutting mat.  That is where I will trim my 1/4" seams and press my paper pieced arcs.  I am using an old travel iron I've had forever (and have rarely used before - not for quilting NOR travel!) because it is small enough to fit nicely on the mat and press my 2-3/4" squares but large enough to be stable and cover my seams in one go (versus the Clover mini-iron, which is so fussy and tiny).  It actually works really well and since I am working on this for a good chunk of the day, it doesn't have an automatic shut-off like my full-sized iron.  Dangerous, yes, but very handy!

I took a tip from Carol Doak herself in her Carol Doak's Mastering Foundation Paper Piecing Craftsy class (which I'd actually forgotten I signed up for and, upon reviewing it for suggestions, realized is pretty darn awesome!  I remember now that I had wanted to make the Bird of Paradise or Mariner's compass paper pieced project from the class.  I will add those to my list!!!) and taped an 'add a 1/4" ruler' to a postcard to act as a cutting guide.  I ended up ditching the cardboard and just using the ruler by itself since it seemed to work more accurately that way for me.  That little Add a 1/4 ruler is just awesome so I'm going to order the larger 12" version sometime (especially since I plan on doing more paper piecing!).

On the other side I have the second cart topped with a tray lined with foam board, holding the numbered piles of cut fabric.  Keeping them in sequence makes the process go more smoothly.  I also have my laminated cheat sheets of each colorway arc with swatches of fabric attached.  I also have my faithful Mickey Mouse Light Box right beside my machine so I can verify an adequate 1/4" with each addition of fabric.  With all this preparation and organization you'd think nothing could go wrong!

That was the happy part of the post.  Then I started sewing.  My machine was set up and I'd reviewed the lesson in Gail's class.  When I started sewing, I kept getting confused about which way to line up the next fabric piece.  Paper piecing is a little confusing at first since you are adding the fabric to one side and sewing on the other.  Add to that a curve and it became as befuddling to me as backing up a car with a trailer attached!  It seemed no matter which way I did it when I folded back the square, my paper template wasn't covered correctly.  I got very frustrated!  Anyway, day 2 and I am in a much better place.  I kept at it until I figured things out.  I think I was holding the paper the wrong way and checking the wrong side for the 1/4" inch allowance.  Now that I've 'got it', I'm humming along and generating lots of arcs to be trimmed.

I timed myself and it takes me about 5-1/2 minutes to make one arc.  That's not including preparing and cutting out all the paper (and fabric, obviously, which took two days).  I calculate about 18+ hours of work just to make all the arcs I need.  That doesn't include fixing all the mistakes I've made (maybe more than once!) such as: sewing a square on in the wrong orientation; sewing a square on facing the wrong way out; sewing two squares of fabric on one square of paper (ugh!); ripping the paper; not covering the paper; getting the fabric stuck down the hole of the sewing plate; blah blah blah.  This quilt will take a looooong time!!  But did I mention my cool laminated cheat sheets???

Comments

[Bec]

That quilt is going to be beautiful! I love your fabrics.