P.Q. 13.4 QAYG -mining for diamonds

February 18, 2022

51 x 51 approx.

This weeks challenge from Project Quilting 13.4 is Mining for Diamonds.

You can click on link to take you to see all the interpretations. Mine came from my stash and a need to empty out some bags of chunks of fabrics I have stashed and also my sister gave me a bag of her cut offs of batting.

I have wanted to do another QAYG (quilt as you go) project. I love them. Here are a couple from my past go at them:

Under the rug

and

Scrappy strings

This time I decided to see if there were any other methods to use. I pulled out the fabrics I had stashed and saw that I could use the coordinates pretty easily.

With the bigger pieces I thought I could do more. I found a tutorial and free pattern with some videos by Monica Poole. This to me looked pretty simple and accurate so I decided to give it a go.

I liked that I was able to use my big bias tape maker which was sitting in a drawer. (one of my goals this year is to use rulers, patterns etc that I own) This pattern is not actual bias but you need a wide tape to cover the seams in the back on this pattern.

The blocks on the back.

Truthfully I found this wide strip and blind sewing from the front very difficult.

I ended up glue basting it to the back then trying to stitch from the front. Even so I had some difficulty. First I want to mention I splurged on the Rachel basting glue with metal tips. I have a dritz version I misplaced natch! I don't know what the formula is in the Rachels basting glue but it was too thick for the nozzle. It plugged about ever 2 dots. So.............elmer to the rescue.

This was my first attempt following pattern to straight stich blind from front. Um...no! It was so hard and thick to get it straight and even. I decided to rip it out, change color of thread and do a decorative stitch..my favorite the serpentine.

With the glue basted back and this on the front it was much easier to catch the strip on the back. Plus the color was better too. There still were some pitfalls. The thread of unknown make had a tendency to skip every so often. No changing needles or feet or pressure would fix it. I thought it was because it was hitting dried glue but I really think it was the thread. I liked this color so I kept at it.

The only solution I could glean was to go really fast over the thick parts. I know.....walking feet are meant to walk not run but hey ...whatever works!