Yesterday I shared the planning for my Dancing Stars quilt and showed how I cut the large hand dyed backing fabric into smaller sections in preparation for the cutting. I got the fabric cut down to manageable strips.
Before I continued I had to make a final decision about how I want to construct the blocks. I generally love foundation paper piecing but didn't really want to do that for these blocks because each block uses 4 separate foundations that then have to be sewn together. As much as I enjoy tedium, I think that even that would get on my nerves after a while.
Several people suggested the freezer paper foundation method but that requires that I have the iron on every time I sew but at my current stage of life I do not need another heat source next to me!
But the primary factor was that I want to press the seams open. With the white fabric in the stars I didn't want color shadows behind it and that meant that I had to sew the blocks conventionally and cut the fabrics with templates. I decided that if I would starch all of the fabrics that I could cut them with templates and piece the blocks conventionally as I did in the sample last week.
I made up a batch (two actually) of homemade liquid starch and got to ironing. Then I got to cutting......I did a lot of cutting!
With each strip I first cut my corner triangles and the solid blocks. I folded the remaining strip into quarters and cut that into 4 - 2" strips. I printed off the foundation templates from Amy's pattern and cut out some templates. I taped the templates to the underside of my rotary ruler and used that as a guide for cutting the pieces. I am cutting through 4 layers at a time and because I am using hand dyed fabric I do not have to pay attention to right and wrong sides. :)
I even used the templates to cut off the rabbit ears.
I need to cut 11 stars out of each strip of fabric but I cut 12. I know that there were a few spots in the fabric where the fabric wasn't exposed to dye. If I run across one of these pieces I will know that I have a few extras and can throw the ones I do not like out.
As I cut each set of pieces I put them in a bag and numbered the bag so I can keep everything straight.
For the star points I found that I had a 60 degree ruler in my stash and used that. I cut the rabbit ears off all of those pieces too.
I cut and I cut and I cut for 2 days and eventually I got all of the fabrics cut. Now it should go together pretty quickly. There should be no trimming and I can press all of my seams open. With the fabrics starched I should be able to get by with finger pressing as I sew.
You know, you have to do the drudge work at some point. Either you trim and press as you sew or you do all of the trimming up front. I think that for this project I am now set up to be able to sew for even just a few minutes at a time and still make good progress.
And then there's this. All of the rabbit ears that I cut off the hand dyed fabrics. I could not toss them out. They will be in a project at some point.
Every time you post about this quilt, I'm a little more tempted to start it!
Posted by: Katie Z. | January 23, 2013 at 04:00 PM
ooh! All those little ears! At first I thought you had scrambled your cut triangles! Looks good!
Posted by: elle | January 23, 2013 at 07:37 PM
Dancing stars litter postcards, anyone? :O)
Posted by: Cindy Is Crafty | January 23, 2013 at 08:36 PM
That is a lot of cutting but well worth the effort, since it will be a beautiful quilt.
Debbie
Posted by: Debbie St. Germain | January 23, 2013 at 10:19 PM
That sure is a lot of triangles! Love the bright colors of the triangles with the soft background.
Posted by: Patty | January 24, 2013 at 10:27 AM
I thought all this tedious cutting was what the Go Cutter was for? No cutter/template the correct size?
Your gradient hand dyed fabric is going to make a wonderfully exciting quilt.
Posted by: laceflower | January 24, 2013 at 12:48 PM
Cute ears! I hate the cutting bit, but as you say, once it's done, you can enjoy the sewing!
Posted by: Karol-Ann | January 24, 2013 at 07:40 PM
I wouldn't want to throw away the ears, either. The only thing I can think of is to corral them under some tulle, so I can't wait to see what you come up with.
Posted by: Andrea | January 26, 2013 at 10:56 AM
This is going to be one gorgeous quilt!
Posted by: Angela | January 28, 2013 at 01:34 PM
glad to see someone besides me tapes paper templates to their rulers! All the bits were so colorful. Cold here on the prairie--most schools are closed because of the cold/severe wind chill. I'm staying inside. Until spring I think!
Posted by: Lori in South Dakota | January 31, 2013 at 07:13 AM