Monday, September 30, 2013

BAM BOM September - Woven



Block: Woven by Ruth Beeby
Size: 12"x12" finished


You will need

(1) 3.5" x 3.5" square from background fabric
(1) 3.5" x 37" strip from background fabric
(4) 12" assorted strips measuring 2"-3" wide
Cut your assorted strips all different widths, or all the same, it's up to you. In this example I used 2.5" strips from my scrap bag.


From the left-hand side of your assorted strips, cut off a 3"-4" piece. 
Again, each strip can be different. The strips above were cut at 3", 3.25", 3.5" and 3.75".


The orientation of these cut pieces is important. It is helpful to mark the top with a pin or a dot with a disappearing marker.



Sew a strip of background fabric to the top and bottom of each small cut piece.
Strip piece for speed.


You should now have (4) pieced units and (4) strips. Choose a layout for your block by pairing the pieced units with the leftover strips. Pay careful attention to line it up like the above picture for the woven effect.


Sew each pieced unit to a printed strip. Keep the inside edges of each pieced segment even as you sew. Refer to the photo above. Press open.


Starting at the bottom right, sew the background square to the pieced segment. This first seam is a partial seam. Notice that the inside corners of the background square and the pieced segment are even. 
The outside edges can be uneven and that is ok because we will be trimming down the block at the very end.


Here is a closer look at that partial seam. It should be about half the length of your background square. Press open.


Continuing clockwise, sew on the bottom left pieced segment. Notice again that the inside edges are even. Sew together. Press open.


Sew the top left pieced segment on. Press open.


Now sew on the top right pieced segment. One corner of your background square should still be unsewn making it easy to attach now.


From the back of your block, find the partial seam. Line up the last two unsewn edges and start sewing from just before the partial seam, slightly overlapping your stitching. Back tack to lock your beginning stitches.



Trim your block to 12.5"x12.5"
If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments below. We will answer as soon as we can.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

You ready for some improv??

 



I am so excited to announce that our next sew day will be an IMPROV DAY! We are going to be sewing improv baby quilts for boys for the charity team (we have a big imbalance of girl appropriate quilts). We will be sewing on Sunday September 29 12pm-11pm, with noon to 6pm designated for charity projects and 6-11pm set aside for personal projects (if you want).

We will have some guidance available if you need direction, but you are also totally free to go your own way! Scraps that have been donated to the guild will be made available for your use, along with a selection of solids:
 

Of course, you are always welcome to bring fabrics to use, but there should be plenty available.
Please RSVP so that we can get a head count.  The forum is the preferred method if you are a BAM member - our friends in the South & North Bay are also welcome and can RSVP via Facebook. 

Location:
Los Altos Library
13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos, California, 94022
http://g.co/maps/kvpkt
Note: This is not the same location as our regular meetings.

Shout out if you can bring these items to share:
  • Light/non-messy snacks
  • Irons (need 3 total)
  • Ironing Boards (need 3 total)
  • Large Cutting Mats (need 2)
  • Design Walls (need 2)

Plan to bring your own:
  • Extension cord and/or power strip
  • Sewing machine
  • Cutting tools/mats (you might want a personal one)
  • Night-owls may want to bring an iron and cutting mat if an early-bird needs to take theirs home.

We will be in the Community Room of the Los Altos Library. It's the large room on the side of the library nearest San Antonio Rd. There are two sets of double doors on the outside of the library - both lead into a foyer area, and the Community Room door is on the left part of this foyer, the checkout desk is on the right.

If you arrive first, go talk to the librarian at the children's reference desk to check in.

If you arrive late (after 5pm when the library closes), knock on the doors closest to the Community Room, and someone should be able to let you inside.

We will need to set up and take down tables and chairs, which are available at the library. Please plan to help with this. Also please try to keep your floor area clean.
Coffee and other light snacks are available in the foyer of the library.
People often pick up meals from a local restaurant. There are many places nearby, or you can take San Antonio to El Camino and find many restaurants and markets there.

P.S. Our next sew day Saturday October 26 10am-11pm . Again, it will be at Los Altos Library, but it will be a regular sew day.

BAM September meeting reminder

We can't wait to see your smiling face! 


When: Saturday, September 14th at 1:30

Where
Redwood City Library (downtown branch)
Meetings are in the upstairs community room
1044 Middlefield Rd  
Redwood City, CA 94063

NEW MEMBERS
If you’ve never been to a meeting before this will be a great meeting to see a lot of new projects and meet our members. Your first meeting is free and you can read about becoming a member here. We want to see your projects too, so bring them along! If you have any questions, ask any officer. We’re happy to talk with you.



On the fence about attending? Check out our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BayAreaModern or the notes and pictures of the great work our members create.

See you Saturday!


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The rest of the meetings for this year will be held in the Redwood City downtown library. 

The future dates: 
Saturday, 10/12/13
Saturday, 11/9/13
Saturday, 12/14/13