2023 Community Quilt Block Tips
We heard you! The community quilt blocks are trickier than expected. Try these tips and let us know if you’re still struggling. You can do it!
I’ve heard from a handful of people that the blocks are really challenging their sewing skills. The other volunteers and I would never choose something we weren’t confident that the members could handle. That’s why we did the piecing of the strip sets for you. So, while we covered the instructions we created and the details Lo & Behold gave us, I want to review some information that I found useful in making Blocks 1 and 3A. (Block 3B is virtually identical to 3A. Block 2 is referred to below.) If you find that, after giving it a go, these blocks just are NOT working for you - bring the block (in whatever condition it is) to the Sew Day and we can troubleshoot from there.
Measure, Measure, Measure!
Before you do anything with sewing the pieces, press them. Then measure them against what you are supposed to have in your kit. We (the volunteers) are only human and may have made an error. My own purple square for Block 2 was .25” short on one side! Replacement pieces can be provided, though, so just reach out in the comments below and let us know.
If you haven’t worked with them before, strips are tricky, They have to be cut precisely, or the partial threads in the grain will cause them to be loosey-goosey as you sew the full length. We had these cut by Accuquilt to get as close to perfect as possible, That means they won’t have alot of give and you can’t fudge the seam allowance with pressing. The other thing to remember is the width. At 1.5” wide, these are NARROW. As you sew and then press, I encourage you to measure everything. When joining 2 strips, ensure each is now 1.25” wide. When joining with a third strip, ensure that the now-middle strip is exactly 1” wide.
After you join each section, measure them against the expected dimensions. Try to course-correct as you go instead of waiting until the end and then finding out you have an issue.
Precision:
Because of the width of the strips, the margin for error is tiny. Like, a matter of threads. Not only do you need to be concerned about the scant seam allowance, you need to be really careful in other areas. Pin like your life depends on it if you feel you need to. When laying the RS of the fabric together and placing under the pressure foot, pay attention to whether both fabrics are edge to edge or if you have one even a few threads past the other.
See that mint green sticking out by a smidge? You absolutely don’t want that.
Scant Seam Allowance:
Lo & Behold Scant Seam Alliance Tutorial
Okay. Here’s the thing. You can only sew and rip out so many times with the community fabric before it’s going to get chewed up. Take some scrap strips and sew them together to get comfortable with how scant you feel your seam allowance should be. I personally found between the “scant” and “too scant” was where I did the best. You have to find what works for you. I can assure you, it won’t be 1/8” and it won’t be a full 1/4”…
You can see here, it is literally a matter of a few threads.
So you measured everything, you pressed correctly, you feel like your seam allowance is solid…and your block isn’t the right dimensions. First, take a deep breath. Get up and walk away for a moment. Whatever. If you are “too scant”, your block will be too big. If you measure again, you will probably see how you are over a thread or two somewhere, and that makes all the difference. MY Block 3A was 6.5”x6.75”. I had 5 seams to fix and a 1/4” to somehow use up.
On the right is my original seam allowance. On the left is the seam I stitched right next to it. I did this on all 5 seams. I pressed, prayed ;) and remeasured the block. I was at 6.5” square.
If your block is too small, you’ll need to go back and identify where the seam allowance is too big. Check the entire length of the strip, just in case you wobbled as you sewed. Hopefully it is a single seam or two and you can adjust it surgically without taking everything apart. If you cannot, and you have to restitch every seam, take note of the holes in the fabric from the previous seam and stitch to the RIGHT of the holes. If you are successful, when you re-press your block, you will see the holes now exposed. Don’t forget to remeasure as you go, too.
____________________________________________________________
Things we want you to remember! We are using a stitch length of 1.8 to sew the blocks. Please use a light beige thread, no heavier than 50 wt. Do not aggressively press the strips open from the front. Press, don’t iron. You may distort a perfectly good seam allowance. We suggest not starching or misting because someone reported that their strips shrunk. These are Moda Bella Solids, for what it’s worth.
Cheralee plus Connie, Rose, Patti, Peggy and Kathy
PS- If you have any tips or tricks, please share them below in the comments so we can keep all of the info in one place. Good luck!
July 2023 Recap
July was all about Color Theory, transitioning between quarterly challenges and reports from the Treasurer & Social Media.
If you tuned in to the meeting via Zoom, we know how painful it was to keep having it drop. We are taking steps to improve the signal for August. Hopefully, no matter when or how you joined us in July, this meeting recap is beneficial.
Programs:
The Q2 challenge of using pre-cuts was a success! All entries can be found on the Challenges page here. They were not included in the Show & Tell carousel below.
The theme for this month is Color Theory. You can access the Meeting Slides in the Member-Only area of the website. Follow this path: Members-Only>Archive>Programs>Meeting Slides>July. There you’ll find the links to the resources that Erin shared and the slides with various definitions and inspirations for choosing colors.
Future programs: August - Skill Builders and Framing Quilt Blocks, September - Sew Day and assembling the charity quilt, October - fabric weaving, November - temperature quilt
Quarterly challenges: Q3 - Limited color palette/due October. Using 3-5 colors, make and finish a quilt of any size. Use the hashtag #pghmqgltdcolor
Sara Goer workshop coming in October - Building An Improv Toolbox… You can now register for the workshop in the Members-Only area: Members-Only>Workshop Registration. You can find more information on the workshop here.
Membership:
The membership year was over as of June 30, 2023. Renewals were due by then. You can now pay by cash or check, and you can also mail your payment to the Treasurer at the following address:
Pittsburgh Modern Quilt Guild
PO Box 105
Wexford, PA 15090
At this point, if you haven’t renewed your membership you will be removed from our social media groups and our roster. You are still a member of the MQG “mother ship” until the end of 2023.
President:
The 2024 QC charity quilt programs has some changes, but we are aiming to be completed in time for entry. The winning design was a yellow version of the Deco quilt by Lo & Behold Stitchery. The volunteers are coordinating the fabric purchase and will have kits to take at the August meeting. A photo of the mockup can be found in the slides.
We are always happy to share news of other workshops, lectures, etc. However, we would ask that members with this information create their own social media post that we can share. We will highlight that information on our platforms, including any posts you might create to sell your sewing items.
Please consider stepping up to lead next year! Several offices will have met their term limits and an organization is only as good as its volunteers.
Social Media:
Progress updates on the website and social media refresh were shared. The new site is active and feedback is positive. All of the old site’s links still need to be updated to the new site. No decision was made regarding a public versus private presence on Facebook. Streamlining the accounts to match emails for continuity and media sharing will take place and the group vs page question will be revisited in the future.
A general overview of Instagram terms and functions was quickly covered. In the meeting slides, a link to an instructional article is provided.
Treasurer:
Jen provided a financial statement for the 2022-2023 year, with details regarding our balance. This information is also in the meeting slides. A budget for the 2023-2024 year is in the works and will be presented at the August meeting.
_____________________________________________________________
Things we want you to remember! In the Members-Only area, you can now submit Show & Tell, register for the workshop and submit a member bio! As functionality grows, we will make more announcements. Thanks for the support of the new website!
Building An Improv Toolbox With Sarah Goer
Building an Improv Toolbox (6-hour workshop)
In this fast-paced workshop, Sarah will teach a wide variety of improvisational piecing techniques. Discover how fun and easy it is to create these improv elements for use in your existing quilt projects, or as the start of a new project. Each prompt will be introduced and demonstrated; then time will be allowed for making one or more units with each technique. The workshop is packed full of tips and tricks and Sarah will discuss creating a composition with your finished blocks.
Details:
Who: PghMQG members can register for one of the 20 spots until September 1, 2023. At that point, we will open registration to non-members if any openings remain.
What: This 2-day Zoom workshop will teach you how to add to your improv skills.
When: This workshop is October 21, 2023 from 1-4pm EST and again on October 22, 2023 from 1-4pm
Where: Sarah will provide a Zoom link.
Why: This is our fall skill-building workshop!
How: A supply list will be emailed out to registrants.
Members can access the RSVP form through the members-only page. Click on the button labelled “Workshop Registration” to reserve a spot. Submitting your information commits you to payment. Registrations are non-refundable.
Bio
Sarah Goer is a former middle school math teacher turned quilt teacher who is primarily inspired by geometry and architecture and loves bold, vibrant, saturated color. Much of Sarah’s work is created from a perspective of “planned improv,” working from a set of rules she creates for herself. In workshops, Sarah guides students to learn a set of parameters for their quilt design and decide when to follow or break their rules. All Sarah’s classes are taught from a perspective of creativity and curiosity, encouraging students to take what she’s taught and feel free to put their own spin on it. You can find Sarah's work on her website at www.sarahgoerquilts.com.