#BFTPqal Week 5

Welcome to week 5 of The Blocks From the Past Quilt Along!

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This week we are going to stay right HERE for pages 13 (Carrie Nation), 14 (Duck and Duckings), & 62 (Eagle).

So, I have to admit, I wanted to do the Eagle applique myself because it was so DARN funky! In my opinion, (and the opinion of everyone I know), it is the UGLIEST block in the whole quilt. I NEEDED TO HAVE THE BLOCK FOR MYSELF! Could I make the Eagle cool??  

Nope, and I love it all the more for it's oddness ;D  

I used the template free back basting needle turn applique method.  HERE is an awesome tutorial of the method from Tropical Applique.  HERE is another super slick tutorial by Applique Addict.

First up is the Eagle applique from page 62.

I love to use gold unwaxed quilting thread for my basting stitches.  

I also use a size 8 straw needle.

This was a little trickier to applique than other projects I have done.  I suppose it is because of the small size.

Despite it's strange (and dorky) nature, I am really happy with my Eagle.

Remember this trick when pressing your applique:  Place a soft cotton towel on your ironing board.  (I fold it so it is double thickness.)  Now place your applique right side down on the towel.  Press from the back.  The towel keeps you from ironing the applique flat.  It lets the applique keep a little three dimentional-ness to it ;)

***Also, you may want to use the freezer paper template for your needle turn applique.  These pieces are so small and the freezer paper template makes your curves a lot more smooth.

Now for the Carrie Nation and Duck & Ducking Blocks I followed the directions exactly.

Note- Be sure to use a SCANT quarter inch seam allowance. These measurements do not leave any room for generosity in your seams.

Carrie Nation page 13

I love how the author had us use strip piecing.

Lickety split and shazam!

I love my little chain pieced bunting :)

Pressed open checker boards.

Now to sew them all up :)

Don't mix them up :)

Almost there!

Ta da!  Carrie Nation!

Next up, Duck and Duckings page 14

There was one omission from the cutting instructions.

Under the red and the tan cutting instruction, the last cutting says to "cut one 1-11/16" strip"  That strip needs to be at least 8" long :)

Also, this block ended up 1/4" too small for me :(  I usually do not have a variance this large when I make blocks.  My quarter inch is pretty exact, if I do say so myself ;)  BE SURE TO USE A VERY SCANT 1/4' SEAM ALLOWANCE!

For this block I chose to have a lavender duck and purple ducklings :)

I have not used this method before, but it went 

together better than I thought it would.

I only cut off my dog ears after the seam was sewn. (I hope that makes sense)

I love to chain piece my blocks in rows.

And then sew the rows.

Whoop whoop!  Three blocks sewn!

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