How I match Points

I'm not a pinner.  If I can get away with not pinning pieces before sewing, I do. Matching points is not one of those times. When I need points to meet, I embrace the pins!

I'll use these two flying geese units to illustrate.  Please note these units are NOT part of the Two-Color Mystery.

Step 1:  Find thin, sharp pins.

Step 2:  Insert a pin right at the point on the top unit.

Step 3: Insert the pin right at the point on the second unit.

Step 4:  Make sure the pin is perpendicular to the fabric.  If it's tipped over at all, it will be pushing the layers sideways relative to each other, offsetting the points instead of stacking them perfectly lined up.

Step 5: Insert two pins, one on each side of the first pin, as close to the first pin as possible.  Make sure the first pin remains perpendicular to the fabric.

Step 6:  Remove the first pin.

Step 7: Sew a 1/4" seam.  I leave the pins in, sewing very slowly as I approach and sew over them so I can watch and remove the pin only if the needle is going to hit the pin.  Leaving the pin in as long as possible helps keep the fabric from shifting and losing the alignment of the points.

Make sure the stitching touches the point as you sew past it.  You can see the point in the previous lines of stitching.

Step 8: Press the seam to one side or open.  Depending on the thickness of the fabric, you may find pressing open gives sharper points.  You can decide what pressing works best for your project.

That's what I do.  

My points are not always perfect, despite my best efforts.  I do the best I can.  I will rip a seam and try again if the alignment is really off, but sometimes the best I can manage isn't quite perfectly lined up.  In an effort to keep enjoying quilting and continue to enjoy its stress-relieving benefits,  have learned to accept "good enough" when "good enough" seems to be what I can manage.  Honestly, once the whole quilt is assembled and quilted, slightly misaligned points is not what most people will notice.  Most people will just enjoy the beauty of the whole piece. Anyone who quibbles can just go make their own quilt!

That said, if you have any point-matching tips to share, I'll be happy to try them out in the quest for perfect points!

Happy quilting,

Joanne

Does Eclipse Sky match the actual eclipse?

In anticipation of the total solar eclipse in August 2017, I designed and made Eclipse Sky.  You may not be surprised to hear that the pattern has been enjoying a surge of popularity leading up to this year's total eclipse on April 8th.  I'm thrilled that it has been so well received.  I'm particularly psyched that Pat Sloan is making one and sharing in her YouTube videos and website.

That said, I need to address the question of whether the design is an accurate representation of a total eclipse.  I've been contacted multiple times by people informing me that I "got the order wrong" and that the panels should be in reverse order.

First, let's agree that this a quilt, not a scientific record.  There's a certain amount of artistic license.  Now let's discuss the design.

The design as I have made it correctly depicts an eclipse viewed with the naked eye (with proper eye protection, of course) in the Northern hemisphere.  The disc of the moon comes in from the right.  The quilt depicts the event from earliest in panel 1 to latest in panel 5. This is what I observed during the 2017 eclipse.

Here's a composite image of the 2017 eclipse seen from Madras, Oregon, found on the NASA website.

Image credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

When viewed or recorded through some devices, depending on the optics in the device, the image may be reversed.  This is the case for many telescopes and projectors.  You are of course free to record it this way on your own quilt if you prefer.

Also note that the angle at which the moon's disc enters and exits the disc of the sun is dependent on the location from which the eclipse is viewed. Yours may differ slightly from what I pictured in my quilt.

This website has a good animation of what to expect: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2024-april-8 .  You can enter your location to see what it would like where you are.

Are you planning to watch the total solar eclipse on April 8th?  If so, make sure you watch safely.  It's never safe for your eyes to look at the sun.  It isn't inherently more dangerous to look at it during an eclipse, it's just that you end up looking a lot longer than you should!  Here's information from NASA about safety precautions to view the eclipse.

After witnessing the total eclipse in August 2017, I'll have to settle for a partial eclipse this time around.  You can read about my 2017 eclipse day here.  If you're watching this year, take an extra peek for me!

Happy quilting,

Joanne

PDF pattern available in my Etsy shop 
or ask for a print copy at your favourite quilt shop

Sweet Freesia for spring?

While the weather outside can't decide whether it's spring or winter, I'm pulling out Sweet Freesia because it makes me think of lilacs blooming in spring.  I know freesia and lilacs aren't the same thing.  Right now, while I'm wishing for spring to settle in and stay, I wish I'd named the pattern Sweet Lilacs, but I didn't and it's out in the world as Sweet Freesia, so...

Sweet Lilacs Freesia by Canuck Quilter Designs
Fabric: Heavy Metal from Island Batik
Photographed in summer 2023

Maybe I'm stuck on the lilacs because lilacs come in these colours.  These are fabrics from Island Batik's Heavy Metal collection.  Take a closer look.  The colors may suggest lilacs, but the prints have a different theme.

It has gears and bicyles and propellers.  It really doesn't scream flowers, but when you cut it all up into smaller pieces the colours take over and the rest is just texture.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  Here it is, all cut up.  I think the colours are prettier in the actual fabrics than in the digital swatches above.

Here's hint about what kind of piecing I used to make the quilt.

Corner Monster and Trimming Monster plotting
 to take over the world - or at least the sewing room

If you guessed some HST and QST oversized to trim to perfection, and some stitch-and-flip sewing, you win a round of applause. I know stitch-and-flip corners can be wasteful, but they open up so many design options, or at least simplify them.  If you're not familiar with this technique or struggle with it, check out this blog post for tips.

I just love these colours and the texture from the prints.  I find it hard to remember back to when I didn't like purples.

I'm thinking of making another version of this quilt in red and green prints for Christmas.  This pattern is fat quarter friendly and I have a bundle of red and green fat quarters that has been sitting on the shelf for far too long.  I just need to find just the right background to pair with the rest.

If you'd like to see this on a darker background, hop over to Connecting Threads to see how they kitted Sweet Freesia.

******

I'm off to prep next week's Two-Colour Mystery quilt along clue.  This week's clue is ready to land in participants' inbox tomorrow at 9 am CT.  Hint below!

Thanks to Katie and her gift of googly eyes, my monsters have clearer vision now.
Should I be worried their takeover plotting might get more effective? 

It's almost time for the big reveal!  This week is your last chance to sign up for free.  After I reveal the block next week, you'll have to buy the pattern if you want to make the quilt.  It's a pretty one, trust me :)

Happy quilting,

Joanne

To make your own Sweet Freesia, buy the PDF pattern in my Etsy shop or ask for a print copy at your favourite quilt shop.  Island Batik's Heavy Metal is in shops now.