Robin's Egg..

Quilt.

I've started on a new quilting project.  I was inspired by this blog entry by Krista Withers.  I love, love the white background and the circle motifs, the feed sack fabric not so much.  But that is why I love sewing, anything can be re-interpreted.

So I decided I wanted to use the snowball or drunkard's path quilt pattern but interpret it in a modern way.  I found this great tutorial on making your own drunkard's path templates.

I used an empty cereal box to make my templates, and decided on a 5" finished block with circular inserts on two opposing corners.

Inspiration and template

Once I had my design in mind, I went shopping with my own designer Nadim to help me pick fabric.  I tend to get overwhelmed when picking fabric.  I like the cutting and construction - not so much the designing part of making a quilt.  Luckily, my husband has excellent taste.

Fabric selection - simple!

After I washed my fabric, I started cutting.  Instead of cutting all the fabric at one time like I usually do, I decided to break things up.  I cut 12 cream squares, then used my handy dandy template to cut out the curved piece.  I like to use the fine line Crayola Washable Markers for marking.  I've never had a problem with the marker not washing out.  Plus the markers are really, really cheap compared to washable quilting markers.

Cream fabric 5 1/2 inch squares

Then I cut out the robin's egg fabric into a square, traced on the curve using the template and cut it out.  I experimented with both my small rotary cutter and scissors, I preferred cutting with my scissors.

Marking the curve with my template

Cut robin's egg blue piece

Next up was pinning.  You don't have to pin, but I feel much more confident when I do - especially when I'm sewing curved seams.  I pinned while I watched TV :)

Finally time to start some stitching.  I'm using my 1/4" quilting foot on my machine.  I stretched the fabric, lined up the edges and sewed!  I kept tension on my fabric while I was stitching and the seams turned out great!

In the middle of stitching the curved seam

Here is a sewn square.  I am really, really happy with the quality of my curved seams.  I think the pinning really helped distribute the fabric evenly through out the curve.

Finished!  The blocks still need the other corner added.

I sewed up all 12 of my blocks.  I decided not to press any of the seams because I still have the opposite corner piece to add.

Halfway through the stitching

I completed the second corner the same way as noted above and then I pressed the squares.  I swear that ironing does something magical!

Squares complete and pressed

Here is a close up of my curved seam.  As I was stitching I realized that sewing this curve is the same as when a seamstress sets in a shoulder seam.  I've set in plenty of those, I'm not sure why I was worried about how these would come out. 

close up of corner insert

I'm really loving the colors so far.  I'm also enjoying a slower pace of construction.  I always try and race through, I'm not sure why.  This time I'm enjoying the journey and only 108 more to go...