Sunday, January 13, 2013

Slowly Finishing Easy Street

Easy Street is starting to come together!  Of course, I always have to look for the longest and the hardest way to get to the end, and this time is no different.  I got behind on the clues and so I have been making my quilt block by block instead making all of the blocks and putting them together.  Doing this has shown me several things about the construction of the block that may be of help to the folks who were waiting to make the quilt later or have not finished yet.

Construction tips for Easy Street.
1.  For the obsessive among us (yes, me too.) the seams will nest better if you make a few of the gray and white foursies twist the other way.  You will need 4 of the reverse twist four patch blocks for each B block and 2 for each setting triangle.  It will be obvious where they are to go when you lay out the block.  I had kept a few of the four patches back to use as leaders and enders so I was able to make a few of the blocks with the reverse twist.

2.  When pressing and during construction, press toward the green.  This will allow the seams to nest better and will give you crisper corners.  I used Bonnie's color scheme, so if you have changed the colors just substitute your colors.   Be aware that you may have to un-twist some of the four patches and make the seam lay all the same way in order to get the proper fit.

3.  I pressed the seams on the A blocks up and the B blocks down and they fit together nicely.

4.  Watch the direction of the four patch blocks closely!  I think that I wasted more thread un-sewing than I saved by chain piecing.  :-(     Oh well, that is part of the process.

The quilt went traveling as well.  I had a week off and spent part of it with my son, daughter-in-law, grandson and daughter during the first part of the week and the last part of the week with my other daughter.  And I did get some sewing done!

Here are some pictures of the still not completely completed quilt top.  I still have not picked out a border fabric, but I have the backing ready to prepare.  I picked it up on sale and it is the apple green color!

I just want to thank Bonnie for all of the fun with the mystery and tell everyone how much fun it has been seeing every one's progress on their quilts.  There are a lot of very talented people out there in the blogosphere  that quilt!  Keep up the good work!


One corner is done! (natural light)


More of the quilt is done. ( Incandescent light)



It is hard to get much sewing done when there is a baby to play with!
  It's a tough job, but Grandma's got to do it, right?

2 comments:

~Deb Lindley said...

WoW, don't know which is more gorgeous - the quilt top or the baby! I'll go safe and say BOTH ;-)

Lucky 'grammy', can hardly wait to see your quilt top finished...

~Deb

Debra said...

Your Easy Street looks great (and baby too). I think my pressing on my blocks is a bit random, would have liked to be able to get all my seams to nest but now I just want it finished.