May 1, 2015

Gravity Quilt Along {Block 2 Constellation}

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Today we're beginning Block 2 in the GRAVITY Quilt Along!  I am excited to have you quilting along with me or watching from the sidelines!  Be sure you check out the links in Block 1 - they're not all identical!

   Cheers  erupt,  confetti  falls,  and  happy  dance  begins!!  




GRAVITY QUILT ALONG SCHEDULE:

March 8, 2015 Announcement!
March 10, 2015  Alternative Fabric Ideas
March 16, 2015 - Schedule and Sponsors
March 17, 2015  Sponsors and Prizes!
March 24, 2015  Template Tips
April 17, 2015  Block 1 Horizon
May 1, 2015  Block 2 Constellation ◄ You are here!
May 15, 2015  Block 3
May 29, 2015  Block 4
June 12, 2015  Block 5
June 26, 2015  Block 6
July 10, 2015  Block 7
July 24, 2015  Block 8
August 7, 2015  Block 9
August 21, 2015  Background Blocks
September 4, 2015  Finished Quilt Tops
September 18, 2015  Finished Quilts
November 20, 2015 Last day to enter the Finished quilt link-up.

 ♥ Block 1 Prize Winners! ♥ 


A special Thank You to the sponsors for today's giveaway!  

The first prize package from our sponsors includes:
The first prize package winner is entry #1 Tricia from My Rainy Day Designs!

The second prize package sponsored by Busy Hands Quilts includes:
  • Layer cake Twister template and instructions
  • The Angler guide for a sewing machine bed
  • Quilt-as-you-go Braid Runner pattern
  • Four kitchen fat quarters
  • Two Riley Blake Vintage Verona charm packs. 
The second prize package winner is entry #3 Melissa Bonilla!

Today's winners were chosen randomly using Random.org.  Since there aren't a huge amount of entries, future drawings will be random but re-drawn if that person has already won in order to spread the prizes around more evenly. Hopefully other quilters will join us and the drawings will revert to being truly random.  The final Grand Prize Drawing of completed quilts will be random, and all previous winners can win that amazing package!

 ♥ Visit the QAL Sponsors to Get Your Supplies! ♥ 







 ♥ Block 2 Constellation Construction ♥ 





Julie of Jaybird Quilts has shared color selection tips for Block 2 Constellation.  This will help you know which colors from the stack to use if you are making your GRAVITY quilt exactly like the original, which I am.

For my tips on creating your GRAVITY Quilt, feel free to review the Template Tips and visit the Block 1 Horizon post.  I won't repost all of my tips here, but here are the main points from Block 1:
  • Starch fabrics with Best Press or similar high-quality starch.
  • Allow fabrics to completely dry before cutting due to potential shrinkage from the starch.
  • Read the instructions carefully several times.
  • Press seams open.  This is new for me but really makes a difference in this quilt.
In the Block 1 post, I mentioned pinning pieces before sewing them, but I forgot to take a picture.  I used to pin only at intersecting seams but was frustrated because nothing I sewed was lining up on the end.  This one little step has made an amazing difference in the accuracy of my piecing.

As shown in the picture below, line up the pieces, place them under the presser foot and sew a few stitches. Then line up the ends facing you and place a pin there.  Apply a small amount of pressure as needed as you finish sewing the seam, being careful to keep the edges of the fabrics lined up.  By putting a pin in this spot, the edges stay even and lined up when sewing.  

This method also works perfectly for chain-piecing.  I raise the presser foot and place the fabrics under the foot rather than just placing them in front of the foot and letting the foot run over them, which can cause the top fabric layer to be pushed back, resulting in uneven fabric edges.

I learned this pinning tip in Camille Roskelley's Precut Piecing Made Simple class, one of my favorite Craftsy online classes!  I am so much happier with the precision of my piecing since adding ONE pin!

You can see I have The Angler 2 on my sewing machine bed.  I love it!  Gotta love painter's tape for holding things in place yet still being easy to remove.  The difference between the first version and The Angler 2 is the diagonal lines.  So far I haven't used them, but I forgot I had the original version when I bought the second one!


When ironing seams open, I open the seam with my fingernail, sliding it along the seam to ensure it is completely open before following with the iron.  If I don't do this, sometimes I turn blocks over and find the seam was not fully open when pressed, and attempting to fix it can easily distort the block.  I learned tips for pressing strips in Nancy Smith's Strip Your Stash online class.  My strip sets are always straight when I apply what I learned in this class.


Here are my finished Block 2's.  I made a mistake when cutting the triangles and had to piece one of the triangles together out of leftover scraps.  It's very difficult to see in the picture and even in person, because it just blends right in.  Your hint - it's purple.  So don't despair if you make a cutting mistake; you may be able to fix it with a little creative piecing!


 ♥ ♥   Prize Package Giveaways!  ♥ ♥ 


The following prizes will be given away on May 15th when Block 3 is posted. There will be two winners selected.  One will receive the prize package from the QAL Sponsors, and the other winner will receive a prize package from me.

Please visit our sponsors and show them some love by purchasing from their shops, bookmarking their storefronts for later shopping, and signing up for their newsletters.  Be sure to tell them you are visiting their shop from the GRAVITY Quilt Along!  Let them know sponsoring Quilt Alongs is advertising that works!

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The Scarlet Thread Quilt Co. is donating a $25 Gift Certificate!  Julie has aqua with gold glitter stained floors and a to-die-for cutting cabinet in her studio! Maybe you'll go find where I learned that!  The Scarlet Thread Quilt Co. is located in Indiana.

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Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts, the designer of the GRAVITY Quilt, is donating one of her newest quilt patterns, Glimmer, which uses the Super Sidekick Ruler.  Jaybird Quilts is located in California.



♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥


Allison of Cluck Cluck Sew is donating 10 PDF patterns! Each prize drawing will include one PDF pattern of the winner's choice. Stop by her shop and take your merry time deliberating over which pattern you'd choose!  Allison has over 40 patterns to choose from, so you're sure to find just what you need.  Cluck Cluck Sew is located in Washington!  Here's a sampling of her patterns.


♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

Busy Hands Quilts is my quilt shop.  I make custom and ready-made quilts in any size and most patterns. I'm located in Bellingham, Washington, which is #47 on the list of Top 100 Best Places to Live in the US.  That's after Fargo, North Dakota, go figure!  I will give away a bundle of fabrics and patterns from my huge stash during every giveaway!

My giveaway bundle includes the pattern book Angles with Ease by Heather Mulder Peterson, her Triangler ruler, seven coordinating fat quarters, and two Riley Blake Vintage Verona charm packs!



 Share Via Flickr, Social Media, & Your Blog! 


Please post your pictures to the Gravity Quilt Along Flickr Group!

Please share about the Gravity Quilt Along on social media!

#GravityQAL and #GravityQuilt

Please share the GRAVITY QAL button in your blog post.




 ♥ ♥   Link-Up Your Block 2's!   ♥ ♥ 


The link-up will be open until the Quilt Along ends.  To qualify for the prize giveaways, you must complete two Block 2's and add your link by Thursday, May 14th, 2015, 11:55 pm Pacific Coast US time.  You can link to a blog post, Flickr, Instagram, or Facebook.  Just make sure to link up before Friday, May 15th to be entered in the prize package giveaways!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Please link to the GRAVITY Quilt Along in your post!



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8 comments :

Tricia said...

Thanks Myra! Some great tips for block number 2. Excited to see my prize package, will send you an email! These blocks are coming together so nicely!

Carie @ Space for the Butterflies said...

Oh wow, what an incredible block!

Anonymous said...

Your block #2 looks great! I look forward to seeing your progress!

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

These do look wonderful! You have picked perfect shades and tints to put together.

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

This is quite striking. I particularly like the blue/purple colour way.

everinprogress said...

I love this quilt more every time I work on it- almost done this set, just need the toddler to cooperate

Anja @ Anja Quilts said...

Thanks for hosting the quilt along. I have to catch up and do Block 1, but Block 2 was fun.