3. Grandmother's Flower Garden:

Grandmother's Flower Garden is just one "pattern" that can be made by this process, but it's a great starter project for beginners.

Working with uniform hexigon shapes allows you to play with colors.

Cutting the shapes from scrap fabric, and sewing them onto the forms, is something I could have done even before I retired. And I would have, if I'd known about them sooner!

Armed with needle, thread, straight-pin, and a handful of precut fabric pieces and forms (all of which fit neatly in a plastic bag in my purse), I can enjoy any waiting time I encounter in my travels.

It's also a great ice-breaker to meet new people. If you're sitting on a bench in the restaurant waiting for your table, dig out your plastic bag and sew another pati or two. You'll usually find at least one person who wants to know what you're making!

The pattern is easy to design and easy to follow by using the "hex graph" paper included in every package of QuiltPatis.

I made several copies of the clean hex-graph paper so I could experiment with different designs before I started sewing. Also because I know I'll use the same package of QuiltPati forms on more than one project after I finish the first one.

Calculating size (the number of grid-cells to use) comes from measuring the shape in two directions.

I have "1-inch per side" forms. Because they are "hex" shaped, not one-inch squares, they are actually 2-inches in one direction and 1-1/2 inches in the other. When they're sewn together the "average" is about 2-inches per cell.

Armed with that estimate, I decided on a grid of 25 x 25 cells. Then we started playing with designs.

In the end we expanded the grid to 25 x 30 cells to keep from chopping the side of my last flower off the page. Sue used highlight markers to fill in the colors enough so the "pattern" would be easier to follow.

So you SHOULD start with an estimated size desired, but be flexible -- allow changes when the artist in your soul needs more (or less) room to make the canvas fit the picture.

Design A Pattern on Grid Paper	Sue's GFG Pattern for me to start

How to get started when you have your package of QuiltPatis, and a design sketched out on your grid paper:

First, make yourself a few extra pattern pieces from paper to use in cutting fabric scraps to the correct shape.

I usually draw out half a dozen pattern pieces on a sheet of paper since I tend to misplace them or wear them out. It spoils the fun when you have to stop in the middle of cutting to make another pattern piece for any reason.

New cutting patterns can be made by tracing around the outside of the QuiltPati, then place another line 1/4" outside fhe first (I make it 3/8" for easier handling). The new line is your "cutting" line. Always cut OUTSIDE the line to avoid snipping your fabric too short.

 

more coming soon ! .

 

Happy Quilting!
LLoni

(to be continued tomorrow)