Transparendo Sewalong - Week Six

 

Hi everyone and thanks for joining us for another edition of the Transparendo Sewalong. We are here to share with you the sixth week with another fun block assignment. Make all 12 blocks, sew together the quilt top as shown in the book and enter your finished quilt top for the random drawing of all participants in Week 15 for your chance to win a full-version copy of EQ8 sponsored by our platinum sponsor - The Electric Quilt Company.

Verena from einfach bunt Quilts  and I are really excited to support you and our quilting community with tips and tricks and well as soon good old fashioned quilting fun with our Transparendo Sewalong (#transaprendosal). 

 This week's hashtag is #transparendosalw6 for Week Six. 

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

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 weekly photo assignment. 

Email Verena with your weekly photo assignment. 

Week Six Prize

In Week Six, we have a set of eight different easypatchwork patterns to enjoy, sew and make at your own pace. All patterns have full-size foundation papers so no carrying your papers to the copystore. Simply trace against a good light source such as a window on light-weight paper. 

 

Week 6 - Holiday Star

This block uses a very classical quilt block, the Ohio Star with a square, transparent filter overlaid on top. Do you see the square?

When I designed the construction of the quilt block, I wanted the patches to lay flat. To achieve this, some fun twising and nesting seams were used. Anyone can construct a block using flying geese, but those types of patches just don't lay flat enough for me. I like this method better using QST or quarter-square-triangles. 

When you sew the two quarter triangles together, align the tips. Don't worry about anything else aligning at this point. the block will be trimmed later.

Continue to sew the patches together to get two larger, Half-Square-Triangles (HSTs). You shouldn't have to trim anything at this point. Now you will align the two HST units together, nesting the center seam, pin in place 1/4" inward from the raw edge. Sew.

Trim off the dog ears and open up the unit. Check to see if the centers tips are aligned and there is a cohesive line through the middle of the block.

First check to see if points (A) are aligned and not cut off. The check to see if there is a straight line (B) running through the middle of the block aligned correctly.

If there is too much space between the points, you may have to trim off some excess fabric to get the patch trimmed back down to 1/4" or sew with a larger seam allowance or a generous 1/4".

After the unit is sewn together, flip it over. Remove the first two stitches of where the seam crosses to pop and rotate the intersecting seams. Now all of those seams will rotate and lay flat! 

Before sewing all units of the block together, make sure you trim and square the block. Align all five points shown with the red arrows before square up two adjacent sides with a rotary cutter.

Lay out all patches and sew the block together in rows.

Be brave! Unpick the seams that do not match up. It will be worth it in the long run.

And may we have a drum role please . . . . . . . . 

Holiday Star - Block Five in the Transparendo Sewalong - #transparendosalw6

Here are a few examples of quick quilts make with the Holiday Star Quilt block. I would love to see what you come up with.

  

This Week's Tip

Don't be afraid to go out of your comfort zone to grow. We all have fears and insecurities about certain things in life. Allow yourself the room to explore and try new things. Don't be worried that it doesn't suceed on the first try. No one was born perfect. We all have our imperfections. Through repetition, diligence and perserverence we all can achieve greatness.

What does this have to do with sewing? The quilt blocks in this sampler will start to become a little more challenging. Some seams may not line up. You may have have to rip some seams and sew the block again to get the points to match up. Don't worry about that. Work at it as long as you feel comfortable. Allow yourself to make mistakes. 

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 Sandra! 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 or Verena 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!

Please leave a comment below and tell everyone that your are sewing along. Be supportive and comment and contact other participants. We would love to hear your thoughts. Take care of yourself and keep on sewing happy. We look forward to seeing you next week, where we ill be showcasing the Double Nine Patch block!