An April Showers Monday

It’s a dreary day up here in the beautiful Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania.—yesterday was rainy. Despite the damp days, the trees are showing buds and the underbrush is greening up. My daffodils and jonquils are up and beginning to bloom. Next should be the grape hyacynths and wood violets. They’re my favorites.

If you follow @bucklebee_patterns on Instagram, you’re probably aware that I’ve been spending a fair chunk of my time getting my quilting skills dusted off and brushed off. I’m currently working on a miniature Hillside Houses quilt, 15” x 18” finished. The great thing about miniatures is that they’re a real technical challenge, which I enjoy. I won’t say they’re unforgiving, but there’s very little room for error when your patchwork pieces finish out at 1/4” x 5/8”. I won’t say this little quilt is perfect, but it’s pretty stinkin’ good, and I like it.

I’m sharing a tip for working with small pieces, and it’s easy and cheap. Spray starch. Not spray starch alternative, not sizing, not any of the new (and useful!) pressing solutions on the market. I starch my fabrics heavily before cutting. It stabilizes bias edges, keeps points from rolling around at the sewing machine, and makes chain piecing faster. If you starch heavily, later on in the block construction you just need a spritz of water to press your seams. Oh, that’s another thing. I’m learning (reluctantly) to press my seams open instead of to one side. Can’t say I like it. But I’m trying. The photo accompanying this post shows the back side of the Hillside Houses quilt. There’s a lot going on back there.

Have a good week, and sew out loud.