Creative articles about quilting

Sugaridoo Quilt Along part 4 – ‘Delta’

20.02.2020 by 48 Comment now!21,003

Time for a new row! Another pointy one this time. We are going to make open triangles with foundation paper piecing. There were some questions about the length of the rows, and the sashing between them. So next week I’ll post an extra blog post over here with some additional information on frequently asked questions. But first, let’s dive in to part 4 of our quilt along!

Row#9 ‘Delta’

In this row we make triangles again. They are bigger than the ones from row #1 and they have a triangle on the inside as well. This shape reminds me of the Greek letter capital delta Δ which we used a lot in calculations during my study Mechanical Engineering. Delta stands for change. It feels like this quilt along also induces change. Small steps, small changes for some and BIG steps for others. New quilters are making huge progress in their quilting adventures, but also experienced quilters are trying and learning new things.

No matter what skill level you are at. There is always room to grow, to improve. Not only on a technical level, but especially on how we experience our quilting. How we deal with challenges, with mistakes, how much time we allow ourselves to practice on something. So here’s to change, to growth, no matter how small.

Check out the video below to see the making of this row!

New here?

If you’re new here, welcome! On the 28th of November we kicked off a super fun quilting project. We started a quilt along, where thousands of quilters from all over the world are making the same quilt. Every four weeks a new part of the pattern, a new row, will be released. After 12 rows you will have a quilt of 70 x 90″.

Even though we started eight weeks ago you can still join us! You will have enough time to catch up. There are also still fabric kits available for this quilt along. You can make the quilt in rainbow colors on silver fabric, in rainbow on white fabric or with blue fabrics. Of course you can also pick your own fabrics or use what you have in your stash.

On this page your can find all the links to previous blog posts about this project. Hop over to this blog post to read all the general information about this quilt project. And also read this one to learn more about the materials we use and the fabric requirements.

Fabric + Material

For this row you will need to print a PDF pattern, you will need some teabag paper (or normal printing paper) and of course you’ll also need fabric.

Did you order a kit for the quilt along? Than you’ll use the darkest green fabric called ‘Fern’ for this row if you are making a rainbow quilt. Or the darkest blue called ‘Emerald’ if you’re making a blue quilt. We will make one of the triangles in accent color, so also get your accent fabric out. And of course your need your background fabric.

For those of you who want to play with the location of the accent color in each row, or add extra accent colors or just want to get a little more insight in the layout of the quilt. Here is a schematic of the rows and the placement of the accent colors. 

And this is what the schematic of the quilt looks like for the blue fabric kit. 

You will need the following to make this row.

  • Main fabric: 14 inch
  • Accent fabric: a small strip
  • Background fabric: 15 inch
  • Teabag paper or normal printing paper
  • Add-a-quarter ruler (it’s super handy to have this ruler, but if you don’t I’ll show you how you can use a normal inch ruler as well)
  • Inch ruler (12 x 6 or 24 x 6 inch both will be fine)
  • Rotary cutter
  • Cutting mat
  • Iron + ironing board
  • Sewing machine
  • Thread (I use thread in the color of my background fabric)

Pattern

Here is the link to the PDF file for the paper piecing pattern. There is a pattern piece A, B, C and D. Make sure to print everything true to size or scale 100%. The height of this row should measure 8 inch (and should turn out 8 1/2″ with seam allowance)

QAL Part 4 – Row #9 ‘On Point’ Pattern

Assemble the pattern pieces for sections B and C on the dotted lines.

Teabag paper or …

For all my foundation paper piecing projects I either use freezer paper or teabag paper. Today I’m going to use teabag paper to show you how to do foundation paper piecing on paper. This is a slightly different technique then the one we used in part 2 of our QAL. But the end results will be the same.

So when should you use which method? Well, they will give you the same result, so basically you can just go with the method you like best. The biggest difference is that you can reuse your freezer paper pattern, but a pattern on teabag paper can only be used once.

When I would only make one block of something, like in the Sugaridoo Sampler, then I would use teabag paper. When I need to make the same block many times, like in the Tree Tree House pattern, then I will transfer the pattern to freezer paper and use that to make multiple blocks. 

So for this row I would normally go for freezer paper. But since it’s fun to try out different methods, I’m going to show you how I work with teabag paper. If you don’t have any teabag paper, you can always just use normal printing paper. Teabag paper can be left behind your fabric when you’re done, but normal paper should be ripped away after finishing your row. 

Transfer pattern

It is possible to print on teabag paper, but since this pattern is bigger than a printing paper size, I’m just going to transfer it with a ruler and pencil. When you print on tea bag paper, please first do a test to see if the ink from your printer bleeds to your fabric.

One method for printing on teabag paper is to tape a piece of teabag paper all around to a sheet of printer paper and then put it through your printer.

The other method that I like to use to print on teabag paper is with basting spray. Spray some basting glue on a sheet of printer paper. Place a second piece of printing paper on top. Press them together with your hands and then pull them apart. Now you have two pieces of sticky paper on which you can place a piece of teabag paper and transfer it through your printer. 

Testing these methods is on your own risk 😉 Some printers really don’t like anything other then normal printing paper and will get a paper jam. 

For this row you will need to make the following pattern pieces: 1 x pattern A, 5 x pattern B, 4 x pattern C and 1 x pattern D.

Templates

When you’re done preparing your pattern pieces you can cut your original pattern into templates. These templates are nice to use to cut your fabrics. The triangles are made out of 1 inch strips. So you can go ahead and cut 6 x 1 1/2″ strips over the WOF (cut them a bit wider if you want to have some wiggle room, I’m cutting them at 1 3/4″)

The pieces B5, and C5 are about 2 inch wide. So you can go ahead and cut 3 x a strip of 2 3/4″ wide for those pieces. 

For this row you will need to cut the following pieces:

  • Main fabric (Fern)
    • 5 x piece B2
    • 4 x piece C2
    • 5 x piece B3
    • 4 x piece C3
    • 5 x piece B4
    • 4 x piece C4
    • 1 x piece A2
    • 1 x piece A3
  • Background fabric (Silver)
    • 1 x piece A1
    • 1 x piece D1
    • 5 x piece B5
    • 4 x piece C5
    • 1 x piece D4
    • 5 x piece B1
    • 4 x piece C1
  • Accent fabric (Titanium)
    • 1 x piece D2
    • 1 x piece D3

In the cutting scheme below you can find how you can fit all the pieces on your fabric. You don’t need to cut your fabric exactly as sketched out here, but it gives you an idea of how the pieces fit on the fabrics from the kit.

The dotted lines represent a seam allowance that is a little bit bigger than 1/4 inch. I always like to cut my pieces for foundation paper piecing a little bit bigger than needed.

Cutting scheme for main fabric Fern

Cutting scheme for background fabric Silver

Cutting scheme for accent fabric Titanium

These cutting schemes can also be downloaded as a PDF: Cutting schemes for QAL part 4 – Row #9 [Rainbow]

Here you can download the cutting scheme for the Blue fabric kit: Cutting Schemes for QAL part 4 – Row #9 [Blues]

Let’s start sewing!

Place your first fabric piece right side down on your table. Place the pattern on top of it (pattern right side up so you can read the numbers).

Place the second fabric piece right side up on your table. To check where you should place it, fold back the pattern over the seam between piece 1 and 2. Fabric piece 2 should fit behind the folded back piece 2 on the pattern. 

You can use a pin to keep things in place if you want to. Fold the pattern open and sew on the line of the pattern, through the paper.

Fold the fabric open and give it a press.

Now prepare for piece 3. Fold back the pattern over the line toward piece 3 (I use a card since the teabag paper is so thin). 

Use an Add-A-Quarter ruler to trim of the fabric to a 1/4″.

Place fabric piece 3 right side up on your table. Again make sure it fits behind the folded back piece 3 on your pattern.

Sew and press.

Continue adding pieces like this until all pieces of your section are added. The fabric should stick out around the pattern at least a 1/4″.

Trimming the sections

Now all the sections are done we will trim the edges off to a 1/4″ seam allowance. 

Assembling the row

Whoohoo, time for the final step, assembling the row. Start on the left side of the row and add the sections in the following order:

Section A – B – C – B – C – B – C – B – C – B – D

Place the two sections you want to join with the right sides together. 

To join two sections I first like to place a pin through both corners. When you’ve place these pins in the corners through both sections you know that those corners will be aligned. (Also check out the video for this part, that might show it better than the photo’s.) I also place a similar pin in the center of the seam to line that up as well. 

Now you will need to place pins to secure the two sections in place to be able to sew them together.  Hold one of the corners with your fingers on both sides of the pin. The pin should stick out perpendicular to the fabric. Then place a pin flat through both sections. Of course remove the perpendicular pin before sewing 😉

Sew the sections together. I like to rip away the paper from the seam to make the seams less bulky. Press the seam open or to one side, just what you prefer. 

Continue adding sections until your row is finished!

When you use tea bag paper you can leave the paper behind your work. But it’s also very easy to rip it away. I think I’ll rip it away in the end since the other rows that we make with different techniques don’t have the paper behind them. 

 

And there is your complete row! Which method do you prefer? Teabag paper or freezer paper for foundation paper piecing?

See you soon!

Irene

 

 

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