** JANUARY Lotto "QIAD HEART" Block ... The "Heart-full" Winners are .......

[TeresaK]

Glad to see you joining Valerie -
The heart color choice is YOURS. Reds, Pinks, Purples, Yellow, Soft Oranges.
When you watch the video she gives you some great choices and shows you how to choose colors to get a great contrast between both sides.

Sorry about the 1/2 circles on the tops. Hmmm How to help make it easier? PM me your email address and I will send you a template.

*** AFTER AFTER you have sewn your seam around the 1/2 circle and have turned it right side out - your circle will measure 8" x 4" BUT ONLY AFTER you have sewn it and flipped it.
That is why she has you cutting your rectangle at 8.5" x 4.5".

[sidesaddles]

I'm in. Will let you know how many blocks later.

Pat in NM

[nur5e]

ive always made one extra block to keep for myself...like a 'journal' of what ive done over the years. just have never put the one of a kind sampler blocks together into anything. im gonna try to make 2 blocks for this lotto! marcia

[WeSignificant]

Teresa can you send me a template for the circle?

[TeresaK]

Will do ... on its way in a few!!! GRIN

[Kittyquilt9292]

I am THINKING about this for at least most of the months this year. I will let you know for sure in a little while. Several years ago I participated in many and actually won one month. Where's the quilt, you ask, (eyes cast down), still in blocks!

I do have a questions maybe someone can answer. I'm posting it here because it is important for this swap. I have trouble ending up with a 12 1/2 in block. I use a scant 1/4 in seam; I've measure the seam, I use QIAD rulers to cut my pieces and most of the time I end up with less than 12 1/2 inches to my block. Anyone have any thoughts of what I might or might not be doing to lose about 1/4 in of my block?

When I am making something for myself, all the blocks come out the same size, so it doesn't matter; but when needing to be exact, I come up short. Thanks for any help. hugs, carol/kittyquilt

[bampish]

Carol, there are a few areas where I lose size, if I am not careful.

1: I used to measure just by ruler, like everyone says. A teacher talked about how cuts can add up any inconsistancies - so the more cuts/seams, the greater the total off amount for the block. When I also use the grid lines on my mat, I have more consistancy.

2: All rulers are different. Be aware of eyeballing your fabric at the beginning, to the outside, or to the middle of the grid lines.

3: Do you use a strip of blue masking tape or moleskin as a jig so that you have a consistant seam? I prefer blue tape - that way once I have it where I want it, I don't have to remove it for other sorts of sewing.

3: I have to be really careful about keeping my cutter straight. Sometimes I look down at my cutter, and I am watching the fabric so closely, the cutter is leaing half to one side. That totally changes the cutting line.

4: When you check your scant 1/4 inch are you jsut measuring from the seam to the edge of your fabric? My friend at guild teaches to sew three 1 1/2 inch strips together. She says you can't really measure your seam unless you measure the amount of fabric between the two seams. The middle strip should have no less than 1 full inch between the seams, after pressing.

Keep doing the BOM's. They and the group are so fun. You get a chance to try just a few of a block, whithout a huge committment of time or money! And, when I am doing them to send to someone else, it is amazing how much my precision improves! I have improved so much over the past year. It is like all the lessons over the past 5 years have started to sink in better.

Don't know if this helps, or is more than what you were looking for.
Pam

[WeSignificant]

When I cut, I do use a ruler with the fabric on the outside of the black line hence, the black line fully on the fabric. My basic rulers are Creative Grid and my specialty rulers are QIAD. I have a lot of problems with the yellow lines on Omni rulers. I also try to sew the seam just a bit short of 1/4 inch and they are usually not too bad off. Then when pressing, make sure your seam is pressed fully open. If I am making a more complicated block, I also measure as I go along.

Forgot to say I use a 1/4 inch foot. But beware, it is easy for the fabric to slip under the 1/4 marker thing or slide up it.

[shelly322002]

ohh nooo!
i've just taken a look at my blocks too...
i think mine are going to be under sized too, and i haven't got the will to make another batch!!
i haven't added the large top bits yet, but doing the maths i'm pretty sure they won't meet the 12.5 requirements... sob!

what to do!!

if most of us are going to be 'under' can we relax the 12.5 requirements??
just a thought...

BTW, i have measured my seams, and they all appear to be 1/4 inch, so why do the blocks measure under???
( are there gremlins in my sewing room casting ugly spells??????)

[bampish]

I have a couple pretty little golden hearts that I get to keep! My next try, I will cut the background WOW's at least 4 3/4 x 8 3/4 (or 12 3/4). I lost 1/4 with the fusable and stitching the half circles down. I tried a little convincing with the iron, but I just couldn't get enough. The 8 1/2" log cabin square was fine, it was the applicae that rtipped me up.

I have some pretty pinks and a green/pink paisley that I want to do, too. DH could't take a shower untill I took them off the curtain rod.
Pam