Brackman Block and my process
It was my intention to show you my process for making blocks this week. Turns out this is a bit of an unusual block for this project, but decided to show you anyway.
Note: clicking on the photos will give you a larger view.
Step One: I print out the block as shown on The Civil War Blog by Barbara Brackman. Next, I draw the block in Electric Quilt and print out the block templates on card stock. Yes, I use templates. A word that sends terror into the heart of most modern quilters. Sigh. I don't really understand that. With EQ, it is so fast and so easy and so very accurate to just print out templates. But, to continue with my process...
Step Two: Cut out the template in a window style. That allows marking both the cutting and the seam line. Run it through a Xyron machine. The model shown here was purchased at Wal Mart. It puts glue on the back of the template and prevents it from slipping when placed on the wrong side of the fabric for marking. It will stick a few times and then it has to be run through again or tossed. Since we are doing only one block, this method is fast and easy.
Cut out all the fabric pieces for the block and sew together. I do this by hand, but a sewing machine would work just as well.
Step Three: This is a step unique to this block. I used a Tim Holtz die cutting machine to make an applique template for the star. You see all the star dies I just happened to have. Happily, one of them will work. I used the negative part to find the proper placement on the fabric for the star. Then I ran the die cut star through the Xyron and stuck it to the right side of the fabric. I marked around it on the right side with a black Pigma pen. Then I creased the fabric on the lines by hand and pressed the star with an iron. Now it is ready to applique onto the background.
That is basically how I make quilts. This is the same process I used for the Miniature Mariner's Compass Quilt and lots of others - except for using the die cutting machine, of course.
If you have any questions, let me know. Till next time...
Sheila
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