Transparendo Sewalong - Week Five

Hi everyone and thanks for joining us today. Here we are again to share with you the fifth week of our sewalong. Verena from einfach bunt Quilts  and I 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 #transparendosalw5 for Week Five. 

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

The Pattern Book

Today is our fifth 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 Quilters Dream Black Poly Batting in Crib Size sponsored by Quilters Dream Batting.

 

In Week 4, we worked on the Jewelry Box quilt block that uses the stitch-and-flip method of sewing. The transparent sampler blocks are getting a little trickier to sew and are advancing in skill level. Read more about different sewing techniques and how to achieve these looks in the Transparendo book.  

Week 5 - Translucent Argyle

Today is a very important day here in Bavaria, Germany. We have elections. Although I am unable to vote, I am very proud that the other members in my household are off to the voting poles to make a difference. Don't think you can make that difference with your vote? Of course you can when other people share the same values and opinions as you do! 

On to this week's sewalong assignment - the Translucent Argyle block is very similiar to the first block we sewed - Love Birds. This block is then framed with right-angle-triangles on all four sides which creates a totally different block.

When cutting the patches for this block, make sure to take the time to cut correctly. Depending on your presser foot and how you sew a 1/4" seam allowance, you may want to add just a little bit to your patches. Also when cutting squared patches, remember to use the 45° angle on the ruler to make sure it really is squared.

Some of the patches will be cut once or twice across the diagonal. When doing this, do not pick up the patch. Rotate your quilting ruler and place it across the diagonal of the patch. Hold the ruler in place and cut with a sharp rotary cutter.

I like to press my seams to one side and almost never open. Everyone has their own preferred method. I just love it whenever I can get seams to nest and twist. It reduces seam bulk! That makes me happy! Also, one of my previous tips was to keep your iron in off mode. Press the seams after the block is finished at close to being finished. Why? Not only does it save energy, but also allows your seams to nest later. When all of the seams are pressed, it is hard to interlock the seams.

Now it is time to sew the additional right-square-triangles to all sides. Lay out the triangles on the coordinating sides and press the seams to get wonderful nesting seams.

To trim the block to 12 1/2" squared, use a large 15" ruler if you have one. If you don't, then invest in one. It is worth its weight in gold! The ruler shown below is more than 20 years old.

Align the 45° angle of the ruler with the upper right corner (if right- handed). Align point 2 (12 1/2") followed by point 3 which should be 6 1/2". Then carefully align points 4 and point 5 also at 12 1/2". Once everything is aligned, carefully hold the ruler down with a flat hand and then cut two perpendicular sides consecutively for a squared block. Rotate the block 180° and cut remaining two adjacent sides consecutively aligning the 12 1/2" marks on the ruler.

Ideally, you will have a 1/4" seam allowance above the points in the middle of each side of the block. Don't worry too much if it is off a bit. When the block is sewn into an offset setting in the sampler quilt, it will not longer be visible.

Translucent Argyle - Block Four in the Transparendo Sewalong - #transparendosalw5

Are you curious to see how a one-block quilt would look when repeating the Translucent Argyle? Here a couple of explames of how beautiful it could be.

This Week's Tip

When aligning and nesting the seams of the triangles onto the 16-Patch block, make sure you have a 1/4" overlap on the start and stop of the patch. This ensures that the triangle is aligned in the middle. Since we already aligned the seams in the middle, this is less important on this particular block. 

When you start sewing the triangle to the 16-Patch block, start with the needle in the down position which will allow you to catch the 1/4" overlap without readjusting the patch.

Don't forget to clip off the dog ears or extra fabric or trim back to the seam allowance as well.

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
• 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 Dana! 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 Six - Holiday Star. This is a really fun block especially as a one-block wonder quilt. I will have a few examples for a Christmas and holiday quilt for you.

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!