Saturday 18 August 2012

1st Chester County Criswell Block

I've finished the 1st block - yay! I wanted to get this finished before I return to work next week. The red fabric is Colonies Reserve (#29408) by Windham and the background is white homespun. I am aiming for a fresh look and I am thinking of using blue or blue/green for the leaves etc.


Chester County Criswell quilt

I thought I would trawl around blogland to help brush up on my needle turn before I started and this is how I prepared the block....
I finger pressed the background in half, and half again and then tacked along these lines.


I then folded a piece of freezer paper in 4 and traced over the pattern...


Then cut it out like a primary school snowflake...


Then ironed onto the right side of the fabric...

Chester County Criswell quilt

I then traced around the freezer paper template with a silver Hybrid Gel Grip marker (this washes out, but please test for yourself). I like using this pen as the silver glint catches the light and it is easy to see on all colours. I put a rubber mat underneath (made in Japan) to stabilise the fabric...


After tracing I remove the freezer paper and tack the fabric to the background. I try to tack around the shapes to assist with the cutting away which I do just a few centimetres in advance as I 'm going along. I use Daruma silk thread and a Clover self threading needle.


I would like to thank the following for their on-line tutorials:

If anyone would like my freezer paper template for this block and a silver gel marker (unused!) let me know in a comment or email  - 'first in best dressed'. 

I'm looking forward to seeing photos of Jane Wilson's block from other people on Sharon's Chester County Criswell blog.

nb see post below for a Christmas give-away closing midnight tonight. 

Cheers




7 comments:

  1. What a beautiful block and a lovely photo tutorial on the basics of how you accomplished such as nice applique! Thanks for sharing! I use the same technique and enjoy it so much - the applique is then "mindless" needle turn - so enjoyable!!! I can't wait to see the next one!

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  2. Hi Carole - this is gorgeous - beautiful applique - and I love your previous post on the 12 days of Chrsitmas - looking forward to seeing more of both of these quilts.

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  3. A beautiful block Carole. I love the fabric you have chosen.
    Great information on how you prepared your block.

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  4. That's a gorgeous block and your applique looks great. I love the freshness of the red on white.

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  5. Love the fabric...might have to hunt that fabric down :)

    Just a tip to make sure the design is in the middle of your background square..this is what I do..see how you folded the freezer paper in halves and you see the line on the paper...I then draw around my design and in my seam allowance I mark those lines with a pigma pen..... so then when I stick the design down I can then line them up with the lines on the background fabric.

    Still waiting on my background fabric

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  6. Thanks for the block pattern cutting information. I have been making 4 copies on my printer and trying to tape them together. I seem to have to reverse two of them to get the lines to match up. I Will try your method.
    I am on try #11 of the prove you are not a robot. Please consider turning it off.

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    1. Sorry Nancy about the name identity, I think I've switched it off now. I'm still a blog newbie. Thanks for persevering long enough to leave a comment!

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