Aurora Quilt Sew-Along Week 8

How quickly does time fly when you are having a wonderful time - I can't believe this is the last week of the Aurora Quilt Sew Along.  The past 8 weeks have been filled with so many stunning quilts being made that it has blown me away at how many have joined in and how many are working on finishing an Aurora Quilt.

Week 8 is all about getting everything ready to finish and complete your quilt.  You will need to organize and sort the backing for your quilt.  Choosing Binding is always great fun for that finishing touch and also making the decision on how you are going to quilt it yourself (whether by hand or machine) or even enlisting a Long Arm Quilter to do the quilting - this week is all about decisions.

SEWING ON YOUR BINDING

Once you have quilted your quilt (or have had it quilted for you) you will need to sew on your Binding and then either hand or machine stitch the Binding into place.

Here is a Tutorial that I have made on a tip to help you sew the binding continuously around the corners of your quilt

Continuous Corner Binding Tutorial

I have had a great time also sewing along making this Spectacle fabric inspired version.  With the quilt back from being quilted, I used the Rifle Paper Co's - Amalfi Stripe for binding.  This was the perfect choice to tie all the colours together.  

AURORA QUILT INSPIRATION

Image thanks to @jesslovestosew

Image thanks to @bethannstitches_

Image thanks to @thederpyquilter

Image thanks to @julietapu

This weeks Sponsor is Cassie at Sew Stitching Happy - she has this beautiful Bundle of Fabrics to give away to our last lucky winner.  So to be in the running for the final week make sure to post your pics and progress (no matter which stage you are at) to the #auroraquiltsewalong and #auroraquilt hashtags.  

A BIG THANK YOU

When I first had the idea to run this Sew Along - I had no idea that it would be so well received and that so many people would join and sew along.  It has been so inspiring to see your quilts progress as well as make lots of new sewing friends along the way.  So thank you for coming on this fun ride with me. 

A massive thanks also to all the Sponsors who donated some amazing prizes each week.

Happy Quilting

Jemima x x

Aurora Quilt Sew-Along Week 7

Well we are getting so close to the end of this wonderful #auroraquiltsewalong.  Week 7 is here and for those who have been keeping this up with the schedule then you have a bit of planning to do, for those who need to catch up then you have this week where you can keeping making progress with your Quadrants.

I am so in awe of the Aurora Quilt tops that are being made - truly they are each so amazing and I love how you have made them your own with your fabric and colour choices.  

Planning for Quilting and choosing your Backing and Binding

If you have put together your four Quadrants then it is time to start to think of how you would like to finish your quilt.  Would you like to Machine Quilt it or are you thinking you may like to Hand Quilt your Aurora Quilt.  

Machine Quilting Yourself - if you are planning on Machine Quilting it yourself then here are some things you may find helpful in making decisions on how you might like to Quilt it

Machine Quilting Tips Blog Post

Hand Quilting - if you are thinking you would like to Hand Quilt your Aurora Quilt then here is a blog Post I wrote with some hopefully helpful hints on this technique.

Hand Quilting Tips

Sending it out to be Long Arm Quilted - if your planning on sending your Aurora Quilt out to be Long Arm Quilted by a professional it is always a good idea to chat with them first about if they have any special instructions for how they like the quilt to be delivered to them.  

My Quilter, Carol from The Quilting Cottage asks that the Backing and Batting be at least 4in bigger on all sides than the Quilt top.  The Quilt top, Batting and Backing can be packed up into a bag ready for quilting - it does not need to be pinned or basted.

Backing Fabrics

I don't think of the back of a Quilt as "just the back".  There are lots of ways you can make your back look just a s spectacular as the front.

You might want to head to your Local Quilt store and choose from their selection of Wide Backs.  These are fabrics usually 108in wide which mean they will fit your quilt without having to piece them together.  They come in a wide variety of colours and are usually cost effective.

Another option is to piece together two pieces of fabric 42in wide that may match the fabrics on the front.  

Or maybe you might like to sew together lots of pieces of fabrics to make your backing.  This is called a "Pieced Backing" is a great way to use up leftover fabric or fabrics from your stash that work well with your chosen quilt top fabrics.

Binding Fabrics 

Start to think what you might like to use for the binding once your Quilt has been Machine or Hand Quilted.  You will need 1/2yd or 45cm for the Aurora Quilt.  Choose a fabric that compliments with your chosen fabrics from the Quilt Top.

AURORA QUILT INSPIRATION

Image thanks to @julietapu

Image thanks to @dutchcomfort

Image thanks to @geegeedesign

Image thanks to @rebeccaw.projects

This weeks Sponsor is SewMondo

To be in the running to win these Aurifil 12wt Threads make sure to post your progress to the #auroraquiltsewalong and #auroraquilt hash tags.  Make sure also to tag me @tiedwitharibbon in your post to make sure I see it. 

Happy Quilting 

Jemima x 

Aurora Quilt Sew-Along Week 6

This is it - Week 6 - where your whole quilt will come together.  Its all about getting your last quadrant together and then being able to assemble your quilt top!

All that hard work from prepping and trimming your Half Square Triangles will hopefully be making the construction of your rows so much easier.  

There are so many different versions of the Aurora Quilt starting to be put together and the quilt tops finished.  It is really exciting to see how different fabrics and different patterns can make the same quilt look so different.

For some of you this has been the first quilt you have made and I am floored by how beautiful they are looking, for others some of you are nearly getting so close to finishing, for others they have totally tried to used their stash to make these Aurora Quilts - no matter why or how you have joined in I really hope you have enjoyed making this quilt so far and I cant wait to see so many of these quilt tops being finished over the coming week.

AURORA QUILT INSPIRATION

Image thanks to @mashie_v

Image thanks to @thequiltedarrow

Image thanks to @julietapu

Image thanks to @felicitystylesphotography

This weeks Sponsor is Maker Valley

To be in the Running to win a Voucher for one of Maker Valley's T-shirts along with 3 Pins then make sure you post your progress pics to 

#auroraquiltsewalong and #auroraquilt 

along with tagging me @tiedwitharibbon to make sure I see your post.

Happy Quilting

Jemima x 

Aurora Quilt Sew-Along Week 5

We are now just over halfway in the #auroraquiltsewalong.  I love seeing how all the fabric choices you made have now started to be made in the Quadrants and you can really see now how your Aurora Quilt is going to look.

Week Five is all about making and working on your 3rd Quadrant.  With all your pieces trimmed and ready then you can assemble the next Quadrant for your Quilt.

I have had a few messages through the week for tips on how to get all the Points lined up on your Half Square Triangles when sewing your rows together.  

Here are a few of my best tips for making sure everything is matching up as best as possible. (none of these tools/notions are sponsored - just my personal opinions and preferences for quilting)

Tip 1 - Bloc-loc, Bloc-loc, Bloc-loc

This really is the best piece of equipment I have come across to date on how to get your points just perfect for trimming up your Half Square Triangles (HST's). There are a few other type HST Trimming rulers around - anything that helps you get perfect points are welcome.  If your points on your HST's are great from the start it is unlikely that they will match up no matter how hard you try.  

Here is a link to an article I wrote a while ago on Bloc-Loc rulers.

Tip 2 - Pins

It seems simple but using Fine Patchwork Pins while quilting is very helpful.  Thick pins can be too bulky to use in quilting due to the intersecting seams.  Use Fine Pins that don't move or shift these seams once you have pinned them in place.  I like to use Clover Fine Patchwork Pins.

Tip 3 - Pining your Seams

When pinning the seams I like to pin at each intersection.  With the pattern if you have followed the pressing you will find that having pressed the seams open you will find this distribute the bulk as evenly as possible.

For those who have pressed alternate seams in different directions your seams now should "nest" (which means they but up against each other).  

More importantly I like to match up the points at where the 1/4in seam line will run and then place the pin on the diagonal holding both seams.  This means that you match up the points at the place in which they meet rather than at the top of the raw edge.  This way you will know where the stitched seam line will run and if your points will match.  

Below shows me having pressed the seams to nest (clearly not having read my  own pattern exactly - but still very acceptable to do it this way)

Tip 4 - Walking Foot

When Quilting I always recommend using a Walking Foot - even when piecing.  The Walking Foot is either attached to your machine in the case with Pfaff's and some Bernina's or an added attachment like on a Janome.  It can be a clunky looking contraption depending on your brand of Machine but trust me - using a Walking foot will mean that your fabric on the top is fed through at the same rate as your bottom piece (which has the feed dogs to help it through) and ultimately make a big difference to your quilting.

Tip 5 - Straight Stitch Plate

If your fabric gets "chewed" up by your machine at the beginning of a line of stitching.  Investing in a "Straight Stitch Plate" for your machine will be beneficial.  This is usually an additional plate your can purchase for your machine.  The hole where the needle goes up and down into is considerably smaller and hence there is no where for the fabric to be "eaten" into your machine.  Ask at your Local Quilt store for one to fit your sewing machine.  These are a worthwhile investment and really do make sewing less frustrating.) 

 AURORA QUILT INSPIRATION

Image thanks to @thyme.with.tash

Image thanks to @jackietheaggie

Image thanks to @myfabricology

Image thanks @happygolizzie

This weeks Sponsor is Aurifil

The Prize is this stunning box of Alison Glass Threads

To be in the running to wins this weeks prize make sure you tag me - @tiedwitharibbon and post your progress to the #auroraquiltsewalong and #auroraquilt hashtags.

You can still join in anytime with the Aurora Quilt Sew-Along.

Get the pattern here

Sign up for the Newsletter

Catch up on Week 1 here

Happy Quilting

Jemima x

Aurora Quilt Sew-Along Week 4

Well as we approach the halfway mark it is really so exciting to see the Aurora Quilts you have been making over at the #auroraquiltsewalong and #auroraquilt hash tags.

Remember it not to late at all to join in! 

Get the pattern here

Sign up for the Newsletter here

Catch up on Week 1

This week - Week 4 is all about continuing on with making your second Quadrant.  By now with your first quadrant together it will be a good time to have a look at your colour placement and make sure you are happy with everything where it goes.  

Helpful Tips

A great hack to see what your Aurora Quilt will look like once it is finished (and to help make sure you are 100% happy with your fabric placement choices) is to use a Phone App or Computer Photo Editing Program.

Phone Apps and Photo Editing Programs

There are heaps around - these are just a few of the ones I have used in the past. I only have an i-phone so am only familiar with Apple Apps (and I am not affiliated with any of them)

Phone Apps

Layout

Pic Frame

A Beautiful Mess (there is an Android version for this app available)

Photo Editing Programs

Pic Monkey

Ribbet

How to:

1. Take a photo of your First Quadrant and make sure it is nice and square.
2. You can then use one of the Apps or Programs (listed above) to upload your picture into to make what will look like a full quilt.  
3. Use a 4 Picture Layout  and add the same picture to each quadrant and then rotate your picture to have your centre squares placed in the correct orientation.  (Of course if you have fussy cut or placed fabrics directionally it won't be exactly accurate but it will give you an overall look.
4. Adjust the frame on the pic to be zero so you have no divide between the picture and then your quilt will magically appear like.........

Aurora Quilt Inspiration

Image thanks to @thecatbx

Image thanks to @jesslovestosew

Image thanks to @sew_love_scuba

This week our Sponsor of the Aurora Quilt Sew Along is Cottoneer

Andrea is giving away a complete Aurora Quilt Kit to one lucky winner - just like the same as the one I am making.  So to be in the running - make sure to post your progress to the #auroraquiltsewalong and #auroraquilt hashtags.

Happy Quilting

Jemima x x

Aurora Quilt Sew-Along Week 3

Welcome to Week 3 of the Aurora Quilt Sew-Along.  Now things start to get even more exciting as you will start to see your fabrics take their place and your design begin to form.  

There have been so many beautiful progress shots over at the #auroraquiltsewalong hashtags - be sure to check them all out.

Remember its not to late to join in the fun to make your own Aurora Quilt. You can join in at any point.

Get the Pattern

Sign up for the Newsletter

Catch up on Week 1 here

Making your First Quadrant

It was a big week 2 with lots of sewing and prepping your Half Square Triangles.  I assure you that trimming and making sure your HST's are square before you begin sewing them together will save you lots of grief and unpicking as you now come to sew them together to make your first quadrant.

Following your Pattern you have a Quadrant Layout guide.  This will help you to place your pieces in the correct position.

REMEMBER - if you are using fussy cut or directional fabrics that you may need to change the direction of the block to suit which quadrant you are making - so that you don't have upside down characters or so that your lines work nicely together.

Helpful Tips

I find it really helpful to use Row Markers when making my Quadrants.  There are lots of fancy ones available. But I have made my own - by taking a permanent marker and using some Clover Flower Head pins - I have written numbers on the flower heads and these are ever so handy to help me keep track of the rows.

Not sure of a Colour?

Once you have laid out all your colours you can sometimes see a colour may not work as well as you may have intended.  If this is the case for you - this is now the time to change out any colour you may not be happy with.  It is much quicker and easier to change out a colour fabrics at this point then later after having sewn them together.  

Sewing your First Quadrant

Begin working through the sewing the rows following the directions also for pressing seams - this will help reduce bulk.  

I have been busy making all of my HST's from my Spectacle fabric and have laid them out then shown as below.  

Because of the fabric I chose for the light purple centre squares (as shown in the pattern) rather than cut it into four pieces - I cut it as one 8.5in x 8.5in square so that the characters would be more dominant.  You can do this by cutting a square at the above dimensions and then sewing the first 3 rows together, then sewing rows 4 to 5 in two parts placing the larger centre square between the rows and then completing by sewing rows 6, 7 and 8.  

Aurora Quilt Inspiration

Image thanks to @septembers_delight

Image thanks to @mashie_v

Image thanks to @sewstitchinghappy

This week our Sponsor of the Aurora Quilt Sew-Along is Quilters Candy Box

Elizabeth has this whole prize pack up for grabs for the winner of Week 3 of the Sew-Along.  So to be in the running - make sure to post your progress to the Hashtags - #auroraquiltsewalong and #auroraquilt

Happy Quilting 

Jemima x