Transparendo Sewalong - Week Four

Hi everyone and thanks for joining us today. Here we are again to share with you the third week of our sewalong. Over the next weeks, Verena from einfach bunt Quilts are here to support our quilting community with tips and tricks and well as soon good old fashioned quilting fun with our Transparendo Sewalong (#transaprendosal). Are you looking forward to it? We are too! 

 This week's hashtag is #transparendosalw4 for Week Four. 

 Please sign up for our newsletters to keep on top of the sewalong.

The Pattern Book

Today is our foourth week of the sewalong. If you don't have the pattern, you can order from my Etsy webshop - Transparendo The Transparency Sampler Quilt from Karen Ackva - Etsy.de. If you live in Germany, you can also pick up some great coordinated fabrics packs especially curated by Verena for the sewalong - einfach bunt Quilts. We highly encourage you to get the book! There a lot of helpful ideas listed including coloring pages to color your own design.

Sewalong Schedule

What is in store for you over the next fifteen weeks? Take a look at our line up. Each week there is a fun, new assignment to complete. The blocks accelerate in skill level with each new block and build upon previous blocks. Learn all types of new skills such as flying geese, nesting and twisting seams, and cutting extra-large pieces of fabric for squares and triangles.

Post your progress on Instagram with the hashtags: #transparendosal and the week -  #transparendosalw1 (week one, etc.) for your chance to be entered into a drawing. If you don't have instagram, you can send me a photo with your fabric selection at 72 dpi with a resolution of 800 pixels or less. The following Sunday, one lucky recipient will be chosen at random. Our sewalong is open internationally, so get out those sewing machines ladies (and gents)!

 

Email Karen with your photo assignment Week Four or

Email Verena with your photo assignment Week Four.

Weekly Prizes

In Week Three, we have a set of Taylor Seville Magic Pins, 1 x Fork Pins and 1 x Extra-ong Pins sponsored by Steidl & Becker (Wholesale Distributor) 

 

 

 

and one Art Gallery Fabrics - AGF Pure Solids Color Card to reference all of your future quilts sponsored by Adlico. 

 

In Week 3, we worked on our half-square-triangle (HST) skills. I love to press my HSTs open. Pressing directions for all blocks are rows are listed on the pattern for easy reference. Read more about half-square-triangles in the Transparendo book.  

Week 4 - Jewelry Box

The Jewelry Box block is constructed using the stitch and flip method of sewing. A square is sewn on top of another square or rectangle across the diagonal, trimmed back to the 1/4" seam allowance and the seam is flipped to one side rather than pressed open. A lot of great patterns and quilt blocks use this method of sewing to create animals and other objects. 

 

When using this method, you should take extra care to sew a scant seam to the right of the drawn diagonal line. If you sew directly on the line, your patch will shrink in size and not line up with the other patch. Sewing a scant seam allowance is also crucial for a succesful point match when piecing in general. 

When sewing rows together, sometimes the interlocking, nesting seams get caught in the sewing machine. Be sure to fix them to allow your seams to lay flat.

You do not have to unpick the whole seam to do this. Unpick or unsew about two to three inches of the area that needs to be improved. Sew over the original seam by backstitching or simply sewing over the original seam, sew the correction, and finish by sewing over the other end or backstitch.

 

Don't worry if you make silly mistakes like me. Some days we just love to sew more! ; )

This is what the block really looks like when all rows are sewn together correctly. : )

Here is the breakdown of the fabric placement. After a few blocks, you won't have to look at your key anymore, the placement will come naturally to you. 

 

The transparency in this block may not jump out at you. I created a quick animated gif to see how the transparency process works. As you may notice, I didn't use gradient colors created with the two-color scheme of reds and blue but changed it up by using color values of turquoise and yellow instead. Isn't it fun to explore?

Jewelry Box - Block Three in the Transparendo Sewalong - #transparendosalw4

I love a pinch or pop of color in this design. It really brings it to life! 

 

This Week's Tip

Correct your seams when you accidentally sew over them. It really is rewarding when block seams are pressed correctly to one side and the block lays flat. You will be rewarded when it comes time to quilt your quilt top. 

Sponsors

We've been working really hard behind the scenes to bring some amazing prizes to our participants. We are so happy to announce our fabulous sponsors!

Gold Sponsors:

• Quilter's Dream Batting
• Steidl & Becker / Taylor Seville
  
• Adlico - AGF
• Robert Kaufman Fabrics
  
• Goldschmied Klär

 

Platinum Sponsor

 The Electric Quilt Company

The wonderful folks at the Electric Quilt Company are sponsoring our Finale Prize of one full version of EQ8 at the end of the sewalong Week 15. To enter your finished quilt top with all blocks and borders, photograph and forward to me or post on Instagram. If you would like to purchase the program, we have a PROMOTIONAL CODE to receive 25% off the software. Enter EASYPATCHWORK25 at checkout. If you live outside of the US, you will be sent a physical item in the mail. After you receive the package, you will be informed how to download and install the software on your system. Please follow the Electric Quilt Company on Instagram and subscribe to their newsletter for other great deals. 

The winner of this week's drawing is Kerstin! You will be contacted shortly about how to collect your prize. Thank to all for participating. We look forward to seeing your beautiful blocks next week as well.

Please participate in next week's drawing. Take a photo and post for all of us to see on Instagram or send to me info@easypatchwork.de with a resolution of 72 dpi no larger than 800 pixels. One lucky participant will be chosen at random. The giveaway is open internationally. Void where prohibited. Open to quilters 18 years of age and older. Good luck to all. Thanks for joining us!

Preview

Next week we will be working on Block Five - Translucent Argyle. I don't know how many times I have misspelled the word translucent. I always want to put an extra "s" in there - transluscent. I guess I have lived too long in Germany. : )

Please leave a comment below about anything you would like to share with us. We would love to hear your thoughts. Take care of yourself and keep on sewing happy. We look forward to seeing you next week!

Transparendo Sewalong - Week Three

 

Hi everyone and thanks for joining us today. Here we are again to share with you the third week of our sewalong. Over the next 15 weeks, Verena from einfach bunt Quilts are here to support our quilting community with tips and tricks and well as soon good old fashioned quilting fun with our Transparendo Sewalong (#transaprendosal). Are you looking forward to it? We are too! 

 This week's hashtag is #transparendosalw3 for Week Three. 

 Please sign up for our newsletters to keep on top of the sewalong.

The Pattern Book

Today is our third week of the sewalong. If you don't have the pattern, you can order from my Etsy webshop - Transparendo The Transparency Sampler Quilt from Karen Ackva - Etsy.de. If you live in Germany, you can also pick up some great coordinated fabrics packs especially curated by Verena for the sewalong - einfach bunt Quilts. We highly encourage you to get the book! There a lot of helpful ideas listed including coloring pages to color your own design.

Digital Alternative

If you don't want to purchase the softcover version of the book, you can pick up the digital version split into 15 sections. After purchasing the sewalong subscription pattern, look forward to receiving one section (15 sections in total) each week for the duration of the sewalong. It is a fun way to know exactly what to be working on for the next seven days. Receive a new assignment each week!

Sewalong Schedule

What is in store for you over the next fifteen weeks? Take a look at our line up. Each week there is a fun, new assignment to complete. The blocks accelerate in skill level with each new block and build upon previous blocks. Learn all types of new skills such as flying geese, nesting and twisting seams, and cutting extra-large pieces of fabric for squares and triangles.

Post your progress on Instagram with the hashtags: #transparendosal and the week -  #transparendosalw1 (week one, etc.) for your chance to be entered into a drawing. If you don't have instagram, you can send me a photo with your fabric selection at 72 dpi with a resolution of 800 pixels or less. The following Sunday, one lucky recipient will be chosen at random. Our sewalong is open internationally, so get out those sewing machines ladies (and gents)!

Weekly Prizes

In Week Three, we have a set of Taylor Seville Magic Pins, 1 x Fork Pins and 1 x Extra-ong Pins sponsored by Steidl & Becker (Wholesale Distributor) 

 

 

and one crib-sized, cotton batting sponsored by Quilter's Dream Batting. You pick which one you want from the ones shown below!

Last week we would talked about auditioning your fabric selections for contrast and interest. The original pattern uses a two-colorway selection of pinks and grays in a range of light, medium and dark as shown below. I chose to use a color value range of petrol, turquoise, pink, yellow and a low volume white. The background color I chose as a tone-on-tone gray.  Read more about the use of color and color value in the Transparendo book.  

I really wanted to see how these two fabric selections would work together, so I mocked up the colors with EQ8 - the quilt designing and planning software from the Electric Quilt Company.

EQ8 Lesson

Before we get started, I was asked if the EQ8 file could be sent to those who have purchased the Trasparendo book. My challenge to you, is to open your EQ8 program (if you have one) and design the blocks yourself to exercise your own skills. If you don't have the program, use technical drawing paper.

 

Most of the blocks in this series are rather simple using a nine patch grid. Design and add each of the blocks week for week. 

Let's design Block Two - Hovering Hawks together in EQ8.

Open your EQ8 program. Start a new file. Name it Transparendo Lessons. 

1. Click on the Block Worktable.
2. Click on NEW BLOCK.
3. Click on EASY DRAW.

 

Now we want to create the 16-patch block or a 4 x 4 grid.

4. Click on GRID.

5. Enter COLUMNS as 4 and ROWS as 4.

6. Left-Mouse-Click, hold and drag the cursor from the upper left corner of the block on the block worktable.

 

 

Drag and hold all the way down to the bottom right corner. Release the left mouse button to get the 4 x 4 grid. You can color this block for Block One - Love Birds in your color scheme. Add the color scheme to the + PROJECT SKETCHBOOK.

 

Let's make the Hovering Hawks block.

7. Make sure only the SNAPPING OPTIONS is turned on to SNAP GRIDS TO POINTS ON WORKTABLE only. The other two options should be click off and not on.

8. Click on the PENCIL (LINE) to draw.

9. Hover your starting point, left-mouse-click the point, drag to the bottom right corner, release.

If you are wondering why there is already a block in there, I imported it to trace the image. You won't actually see that image on the worktable. It is easier for me to trace the block than reference from the book. 

 

After all lines for the block are drawn, COLOR your block.

 

10. Click on the COLOR tab.

11. Click on the PAINTBRUSH tool. This tool allows you to paint one patch at a time.

12. Click on the COLOR or FABRIC you wish to use.

13. Click on the patch on the drawn block. Tip: If you make a mistake, click ALT + y (German keyboard: STRG + z) to undo.

Add the block to the Project Sketchbook.

 

14. Click on the + PROJECT SKETCHBOOK.

 

The first two blocks from the Transparendo Sewalong are now in your sketchbook. You can add to the quilt layout in the program or draw them by hand using technical drawing or gridded sketch paper.

 

 

 

If you don't have either one of those, you can use the included coloring sheet provided in the book. Add your own fabric swatches to the right side of the page to keep your project organized. 

Remember, you should have adequate amounts of contrast in color value to achieve the block transparency effects. This is achieved through the light, medium and dark fabrics as well as a contrast in color. Read all about that in the Transparency book. 

Week 3 - Hovering Hawks

This block can get a little tricky due to the half-square-triangles. I prefer to make the HSTs larger and cut them down to-size afterwards. It makes for a better patch. The pressing directions are listed in the pattern. I recommend always pressing the HSTs open and then working from there. The rows can be pressed in any direction that best accentuates the points.

Here is the breakdown of the fabric placement using those five fabrics plus one background fabric.

 

 

Do you see the transparency in this block? I created a quick animated illustration of different color schemes to enhance the design. Do you recognize your block with your color scheme?

Hovering Hawks - Block Two in Transparendo Sewalong - #transparendosalw3

The fun thing about this block, is that when you turn it on it's side a new design is created, the hawks start to jump out even more to represent a typical Aztec design. 

 

This Week's Tip

Don't iron or even press your fabric with every new sewn seam. Press with your finger or fingernail. This sames time and energy! Some quilters use a super cool tool for pressing such as a clapper or a wooden flat stick. Use what works best for you. 

After the block is completely sewn together, then it is time to carefully set the seams. Too much ironing will stretch your fabric and distort it.

Sponsors

We've been working really hard behind the scenes to bring some amazing prizes to our participants. We are so happy to announce our fabulous sponsors!

Gold Sponsors:

• Quilter's Dream Batting
• Steidl & Becker / Taylor Seville
  
• Adlico - AGF
• Robert Kaufman Fabrics
  
• Goldschmied Klär

 

Platinum Sponsor

•  The Electric Quilt Company

The wonderful folks at the Electric Quilt Company are sponsoring our Finale Prize of one full version of EQ8 at the end of the sewalong Week 15. To enter your finished quilt top with all blocks and borders, photograph and forward to me or post on Instagram. If you would like to purchase the program, we have a PROMOTIONAL CODE to receive 25% off the software. Enter EASYPATCHWORK25 at checkout. If you live outside of the US, you will be sent a physical item in the mail. After you receive the package, you will be informed how to download and install the software on your system. Please follow the Electric Quilt Company on Instagram and subscribe to their newsletter for other great deals. 

The winner of this week's drawing is Martina! You will be contacted shortly about how to collect your prize. Thank to all for participating. We look forward to seeing your beautiful blocks next week as well.

Please participate in next week's drawing. Take a photo and post for all of us to see on Instagram or send to me info@easypatchwork.de with a resolution of 72 dpi no larger than 800 pixels. One lucky participant will be chosen at random. The giveaway is open internationally. Void where prohibited. Open to quilters 18 years of age and older. Good luck to all. Thanks for joining us!

Preview

Next week we will be working on Block Four - Jewelry Box.

Please leave a comment below about anything you would like to share with us. We would love to hear your thoughts. Take care of yourself and keep on sewing happy. We look forward to seeing you next week!

Transaparendo Sewalong - Week Two

 Hi everyone and thanks for joining us today. I am really excited to start sharing our sewalong posts with you. Over the next 15 weeks, Verena from einfach bunt Quilts and I would like to setup a supporting community with tips and tricks and well as soon good old fashioned quilting fun with our Transparendo Sewalong (#transaprendosal). Are you looking forward to it? We are too! This week's hashtag is #transparendosalw2 for Week Two. Please sign up for our newsletters to keep on top of the sewalong.

The Pattern Book

Today is our second week of the sewalong. If you don't have the pattern, you can order from my Etsy webshop - Transparendo The Transparency Sampler Quilt from Karen Ackva - Etsy.de. If you live in Germany, you can also pick up some great coordinated fabrics packs especially curated by Verena for the sewalong - einfach bunt Quilts. We highly encourage you to get the book! There a lot of helpful ideas listed including coloring pages to color your own design.

Digital Alternative

If you don't want to purchase the softcover version of the book, you can pick up the digital version split into 15 sections. After purchasing the sewalong subscription pattern, look forward to receiving one section (15 sections in total) each week for the duration of the sewalong. It is a fun way to know exactly what to be working on for the next seven days. Receive a new assignment each week!

Sewalong Schedule

What is in store for you over the next fifteen weeks? Take a look at our line up. Each week there is a fun, new assignment to complete. The blocks accelerate in skill level with each new block and build upon previous blocks. Learn all types of new skills such as flying geese, nesting and twisting seams, and cutting extra-large pieces of fabric for squares and triangles.

Post your progress on Instagram with the hashtags: #transparendosal and the week -  #transparendosalw1 (week one, etc.) for your chance to be entered into a drawing. If you don't have instagram, you can send me a photo with your fabric selection at 72 dpi with a resolution of 800 pixels or less. The following Sunday, one lucky recipient will be chosen at random. Our sewalong is open internationally, so get out those sewing machines ladies (and gents)!

Weekly Prizes

The second week, we have a set of Taylor Seville Magic Pins, 1 x Fork Pins and 1 x Extra-ong Pins sponsored by Steidl & Becker (Wholesale Distributor) and a fabric pack specially curated and sponsored by me with an array of fabrics I will be using in my new Transparendo quilt.

Last week we would talked about your fabric selection. The original pattern uses a two-colorway selection of pinks and grays in a range of light, medium and dark as shown below. I was undecided between the to fabric selections below. Read more about the use of color and color value in the Transparendo book.  

  

I really wanted to see how these two fabric selections would work together, so I mocked up the colors with EQ8 - the quilt designing and planning software from the Electric Quilt Company.

This is what the quilt would look like if using the blues and yellows from the first image of fabrics above. I used the fabric colors provided in the program as a reference instead of actual fabric swatches provided by the manufacturer. This is a quick way to see what a quilt colorway can look like.

I really wanted to use a fun print or two, so I took the fox print and the dotty print to see if they could be fun together. This was a suggestion from my son; he thought the dark petrol was too dark for the quilt and preferred a softer look. My son has a very great sense for colors!

I couldn't find an image from the manufacturer with the original fabric, so I photgraphed the fabric myself. Next I imported the fabric to my program, applied a crop, then resized the image to 72 dpi from 300 dpi to become a workable image file. Then I added it as a fabric swatch to the program.

This is a quick preview of what the quilt would like with the dotty yellow/turquoise fabric. It uses both the dotty fabric and that cute fox fabric from Riley Blake. As you can see, there just isn't enough contrast due to similar colors in the prints. Although this would look great in other quilts, for this transparency quilt, it won't be enough difference to make me happy. I love contrast!

So I combined the fabrics from each image above and came up with the rendition below. It reminds be of a beautiful composition of both the sample quilt with dark black & blue as well as the pretty pink Transparendo cover quilt. What do you think?

Remember, you should have adequate amounts of contrast in color value to achieve the block transparency effects. This is achieved through the light, medium and dark fabrics as well as a contrast in color. Read all about that in the Transparency book. 

Week 2 - Love Birds

Now that I have my fabric selection mapped out it is time to start cutting the patches. After taking the photos, I realized that cute fox print was not used. Hmm. Should I break it back out and use that one instead? What do you think? Should I bring it back?

Here is the breakdown of the fabric placement using those five fabrics plus one background fabric.

Do you see the transparency in this block? I created a quick animated illustration of how the transparency filters overlap the original block and the final outcome. Even if you don't use fabrics that have gradient colors a shown in the final filter, you can "fake" the effect by using color value to fool the eye.

Love Birds - Block One in Transparendo Sewalong - #transparendosalw2

The fun thing about this block, is that you can audition your fabrics for contrast, value and interest. If you don't like the way it looks, you can start again. The patche sizes are all the same, so this block sews up with little effort. Press your rows in opposing directions. Press with a warm iron after all rows are sewn together. You should be able to sew this block together in one hour or less. You got this!

 

This Week's Tip

When I was younger, I just wanted to jump into a project especially when using pre-cut fabrics. If you choose to use precuts, you won't want to wash them due to the large amount of shrinkage. If you use yardage, as this pattern does, please wash your fabrics and test for color safeness. You don't want to invest the effort into making a quilt to have it bleed. So please, wash your fabrics on a gentle cycle with a gentle washing detergent. Use a color catcher too. It may prevent the colors from bleeding. Dry the fabrics in the dryer if you have one or if you think your final quilt will be put in the dryer as well. Otherwise, air dry. It will allow your fabrics to shrink properly. And lastly, iron your fabrics with steam and starch to get them crisp and flat.

• Wash your fabrics.
• Use a gentle detergent.
• Use a gentle cycle.
• Use a color catcher.
• Dry for shrinkage.
• Iron and starch.

I hope you are starting to have fun planning and sewing your Transparendo quilt together? I am definitely looking forward to sewing together the next block.

Main Mega Sponsor

The wonderful folks at the Electric Quilt Company are sponsoring our Finale Prize of one full version of EQ8 at the end of the sewalong Week 15. To enter your finished quilt top with all blocks and borders, photograph and forward to me or post on Instagram. If you would like to purchase the program, we have a PROMOTIONAL CODE to receive 25% off the software. Enter EASYPATCHWORK25 at checkout. If you live outside of the US, you will be sent a physical item in the mail. After you receive the package, you will be informed how to download and install the software on your system. Please follow the Electric Quilt Company on Instagram and subscribe to their newsletter for other great deals. 

The winner of this week's drawing is Freie! You will be contacted shortly about how to collect your prize. Thanks for participating. 

Please participate in next weeks drawing. Take a photo and post for all of us to see on Instagram or send to me info@easypatchwork.de with a resolution of 72 dpi no larger than 800 pixels. The giveaway is open internationally. Good Luck to all. Thanks for joining us!

Preview

Next week we will be working on Block Two - Hovering Hawks.

Please leave a comment below about anything you would like to share with us. We would love to hear your thoughts. Take care of yourself and keep on sewing happy.