Jingle Bell Pines Block Party - Block 4!
The Jingle Bell Pines Block Party is on with Block 4!! Join Kate Colleran (of Kate Colleran Designs) and I for tips on completing your Jingle Bell Pines Quilt one block at a time for the holidays! We will post tips (and more) every Thursday on Instagram and delve a bit deeper on our blogs.
For more information on getting started (it’s not too late!) – visit my blog post here!
Today’s block is Gifts Galore! It appears twice in the finished quilt, one gift has blue ribbon, and one gift had a red ribbon. It’s a pieced block with some small pieces (emphasis on the some)!
Let’s talk about sewing with small pieces – here are 5 simple strategies that you can use to improve your piecing with little “bits”!
Strategy #1:
Before you cut, treat your fabric with starch. I prefer good old starch, but please use what you prefer. Starch (or starch alternative) adds body to the cut pieces, and when pressing later, it gives a crisper press.
Be sure to use a small amount of starch; more is not necessarily better in this instance! Too much can cause the fabric to flake, and it can also make the fabric difficult to work with.
Strategy #2:
Install a single hole throat plate (aka a straight stitch throat plate). Using this plate will prevent the piecing fabric from shifting and being drawn down into the bobbin area of your machine. In addition, this throat plate will also reduce distortion to give you a nice straight seam!
Strategy #3:
Position your pieces, with the smaller piece on top, the larger on the bottom (think of the bottom piece as the anchor!); pin away from the seam and finally we are ready to stitch!
Strategy #4:
To prevent that little wiggle at the beginning or end of the seam, use leaders and enders. I get it, you know this (wink), but it’s so important with small pieces, as they shift so easily.
Strategy #5:
Press, don’t iron (sweeping that iron back and forth) – which will distort your little pieces! Finger press first to get the correct direction, then press, setting the iron down vertically on the section. And then bonus points for using a tailor’s clapper to help set the seam!
Tool time!
My favorite tool this week is my straight stitch throat plate for the win! See Strategy #2 above!! The final pieced units looks like this:
Kate and I thought it might be fun to show you our blocks with different backgrounds – you can always change it up! So here is the Gifts Galore with a navy and taupe backgrounds – I wonder what's inside?
I can’t wait to keep the Jingle Bell Pines Block party going next week with Block 5 tips and tricks! Be sure to come back – this one applies to loads of quilts! Until next time – have fun sewing block(s) 4 - Gifts Galore!
Hugs! -Kris
