Monday 15 July 2013

triangles triangles everywhere!




Last week I mentioned I had recently got the new quilting dies and was hoping to have a play with the new chevron die this week. Well, as is quite usual for me, I got distracted by plans for a quilt using the chevron die and I've ordered fabrics to make that quilt so I haven't had a chance to play with it just yet as I'm waiting for the fabrics to arrive.

While I'm waiting I thought I'd pull out my Big Shot Pro (literally - it lives under my work table) and start playing with one of the other new dies, the isosceles triangle that finishes at 6 1/2" square (there is a smaller version that fits the big shot too - it ends up at 4 1/2" square)


I've never made a quilt using this block before, the thought of cutting out all of the triangles and then all of the background pieces using templates has put me off, but with the die it's fast and easy - and the 'dog ears' are already cut off so you can match up your points nice and easily too (which is a huge bonus!)

In no time at all I had cut and pieced 30 triangle blocks - literally in about an hour, so all I need to do now is have a think about layout and how big I want to go.  I think it's going to be a really pretty quilt and  so easy to piece together. I've had to set the blocks aside until I have finished some other bits and pieces, but I have the next batch cut and ready to piece next to my sewing machine so I can work on them in between other things. They'd make a really good scrap project too.

I cut from 2 fabrics at a time - one fabric for the triangle's sides (I cut 4 layers - folded so I would have the mirror images needed for the 2 sides of the triangle), and 2 layers of a second for the triangles to give me 2 identical blocks at a time. If you've ever been tempted by triangles like this but, like me, the templates idea put you off - then give this die a whirl. I bet you'd love it too!

finally cut into my Anna Maria Horner Bohemian


4 comments:

  1. These units make great triangle points. (Think wonky star only they will have "perfect" points.)

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  2. Love triangles! What a great way to speed up a triangle quilt!

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  3. the bigshot seems a great way to cut the fabrics, did have a go at Sewing for Pleasure in march and thought yes I would like one of these, maybe one day!! It is rather expensive to start with but I suppose the dies are really no more expensive that the specialist templates we buy and never seem to use!

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  4. I'm looking forward to seeing this quilt as I love triangles. There are so many possible layouts, I'm sure it's going to look great.

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