NOTE: If you are just now hearing about the Spring on Bleecker Street Sew-Along, and would like to find out more, click HERE.
Hello Friends, with your fabrics and supplies ready, get set, GO! This is what I was able to accomplished for the Part 1 of Spring on Bleecker Street Sew-Along!
This block took me 2 hours to make. But then, it might not take you as long because I am an extremely slow piecer!
A few things that helped me in making this block. Please note that what I am in no way dogmatic about what I am sharing below. Please feel free to use your tried and true tricks! :)
#1. Starch — I am the starchy type when it comes to piecing. I always stabilize my fabrics by press-starching them, especially when I know I will be cutting small pieces. I actually don’t have a favorite brand. So I am curious to know what brand of starch you use if you press-starch your fabrics.
#2. In making the roof unit, I finger pressed my sew-and-flip piece first before trimming… and all that BEFORE I pressed my seam open with a hot iron. Since I press-starch my fabric, I don’t use steam when I press.
When matching the roof units, I made sure the diagonal seams on both units are right on top of each other. Then I place a pin diagonally matching the diagonal seams, before sewing the units together.
By doing that, I ended up with a nice looking eaves.
#3. Since there’s not butting of seams, and due to the fact that the window unit being made with small pieces, I pressed open my seams for the window and door units. That way I don’t lose any “fabric real estate” which happens when I press my seams to one side.
#4. I was a little more careful than usual when sewing the 1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ ground fabric square onto the green rectangles for the tree unit. I pinned my square as shown so that it was kept nicely in place when I fed the pieces through the machine.
#5. So, you are supposed to sew (2) 1 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ ground rectangles in step 9 on page 5 of the instructions. The ground rectangles should be (2) 1″ x 8 1/2″. The dimensions are correct in the cutting directions.
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And after 2 hours or so, you should have a nicely flat block! :) Your block should measure approximately 12 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ raw edge to raw edge.
For those who are sewing along, you will have till March 13 to finish your block, and I do hope you will send me a picture of your block!
It was SO good to sew something for me and doesn’t really have a deadline. But it’s time for me to go back to work on work-related things. :)
Feel free to share tips and tricks and thoughts you have on the block on this post. Have FUN!
