This is my gift for father’s day. He asked for some patchwork… He loves Sushi and since Japan has been in our thoughts these days… this is what I made.

Todos nuestros pensamientos están con Japón estos días…. Les deseamos todo lo mejor
http://las1000grullas.wordpress.com/about/

Por si de verdad te vuelve loca hacer rosetas

KING Matrimonio grande

250×295 cm (98″ x 116″)

238 rosettes in the center and 44 in the Border

Same measurements… but with a central panel…”only” 222 rosettes in the centre

Mismas medidas…. pero con un panel central… “solo” 222 rosetas centrales

TWIN Individual

250×160 cm (98″ x 62″)

112 rosettes in the center and 32 in the Border

LAP or CRIB Mantita o Cuna

115x115cm (45″ x 45″)

25 rosettes in the center and 16 in the Border

I’m really thinking about doind a wholecloth Lap Quilt with only the border pieced. Just 16 different rosettes around a quilted center

Yo estoy pensando en hacer un quilt de regazo con solo el borde en patchwork. Solo 16 rosetas diferentes alrededor de un centro acolchado.

The moduled border can be adapted to any size you choose

El borde modulo puede ser adaptado a cualquier tamaño que hagas

Block 4

And since we are in March here is the pattern for Block 4
Y como ya estamos en Marzo, aqui está el patrón para el Bloque 4

Para alguien tan diminuto… que aun no ha nacido

Ayer fui a un monográfico de New York Beauty en Quilt’ys. Fue fantástico, mereció la pena el viaje de una hora para llegar allí. El lugar, los profesores, el alumnado… todo fue perfecto.

The New York Beauty was handsewn and the New York Compass was machine stiched. I’m still thinking about redoing some points of the compass, I was hurrying to get it done before the class ended .

El New York Beauty está cosido a mano y el New York Compass esta cosido a maquina. Estoy pensando en rehacer algunas puntas del Compass. Lo hice corriendo para intentar acabarlo antes de que terminara la clase

Hace un par de semanas tuvimos un tiempo estupendo y mis bulbos de muscari decidieron que era tiempo de florecer, pero me temo que la Primavera no ha llegado aun.

We have a couple of inches of snow yesterday here in the mountains near Madrid and I just wanted to show you my slow progress on the twirling star lapquilt.

Ayer tuvimos unos 10cm de nieve en la sierra de Madrid y solo quería enseñaros mi lento avance en el quilt de la estrella “twirling”

Inspired by the pics in Cabbage Quilts I decide to do some see-throuugh pictures of my quilt in progress. You can see the innacuracies easily!

Inspirada por las fotos de Cabbage Quilts decidi hacer unas cuantas fotos a contraluz de mi quilt sin terminar. ¡Se pueden ver los fallos facilmente!

The pattern for the stars is available here.

El patrón de las estrellas esta aqui.

If you are interested in seeing other peoples blocks (from the King George SAL) on the right column is a little showcase of them.

Si estás interesados en ver otros bloques ( del SAL del Rey Jorge) en la columna de la derecha hay una pequeña galeria.

 Sew them in a checker pattern.

Trim them to make a circle

For the background of the block
Mark the center of a 13cm (5″) square by bending it.

Cut the background pattern . Cut the inner circle too. Draw the background outer line, the one that is grey. The bended lines would help you position it.

Cut the paper ring from the center pattern. Baste it to the background piece. Sew as close to the seam as you can.
Cut the center of the background piece leaving 1/8″ aprox.

Position your center under the background piece, both fabrics facing up. Be very careful with this, my center is a tiny bit off but the block is so small that you can easily see it.

Now needle turn the seam allowance and with a hidden stich attach both pieces. I try to turn 1/2″ before mi needle, in order to have more accuracy when I’m actually sewing it. Don’t work too fast here or your circle will turn faceted.

Cut the outer line of the background ( In the picture you see the melon that we will be building next)

For the melons
You can either choose to applique the two central triangles before or after you sew the melon to the background. In my mini tutorial for the melons ( posted in spanish) I sew them before, so I’ll start explaing that method.

To make the central triangles choose any applique method you will, but I’d like to share with you this method that is easy and requires no specialized equipment, only use paper, cardboard, a little water, fabric and thread .
Cut one of the triangles printed on paper, cut in the inside of the printed line and stick to a card.  The base of the triangle is not important in this model, so leave a little more of cardboard, this make it easier to me.

Cut a triangle of fabric with a scant seam allowance, especially at the tips.

Moisten the seam and bend it onto the cardboard. If necessary slightly reduce margins in the end.  Retire cardboard and compare my triangle to the  cardboard block, adjuste a bit if necessary and let dry under weight, if you  are in a hurry over a radiator.


Once dry, wet the tip and fold it into the first seam and then fold into the other. I wait till it has dry under weight. If I find it hard to fold it  I let it dry between folds.

 This triangle is ready for applique

To do the applique I place by heart the crown pattern in  the center of a  7cm (3″) square of white cloth.  I put a pin to hold the piece of applique in place and begin to sew the triangle to the background.

You can sew it with a blind stitch, but I do it with a running stitch just below the fold of the triangle.

When I get to the point I take care to sew only the upper layer of  fabric  of the triangle to the triangle.

 
For me it is faster and easier, and in pieces like these the result is quite good even if you are not too careful.

 Repeat with the next triangle.


Once the two triangles are sewn, on the back of the fabric draw each side of the crown, using the paper template that we cut earlier.

Cut two rectangles of fabric measuring 7x5cm (3×2″) and pin.

 Sew the two side seams and open the piece.

Now carefully place the block of the seam allowance, using the markings on it to position it properly.

Draw  both the exterior and the interior and trim the exterior  following the line.


If you want you can stop here but I cut out the back white cloth.

After you have completed the melon I pin center to center and one end to one end. I add a pin or two in the middle curving the pieces as I do so. I leave the other side unpinned.

Starting from the center and working to the side I start sewing, being extra careful of matching my curves. Now repeat for the other side and remember to work from center to end. Open seam and iron or press seam with your nail.

You don’t have to applique the triangles first. Cut a 7cm square (or a 3″) of your white fabric and mark seams lines for your crown.

Right side together pin one 7x5cm rectangle of your chosen fabric ( or a 3×2″) to each end of the crown. Sew each piece and open the piece when you are done.

Draw the melon using the marks for placing it. Draw the outer an inner line. Cut the outer line…

Now you have a melon that you can attach to your background in the same way as written before.

Once you have attached the melon place the central triangles and applique them using the paper crown to place them.

And now  you are done.

You can trim excess of fabric from the back as well as the seam allowances. I work with an smaller sewing allowance in my background and a bigger one in the melon and inlaid center. That way I don’t need to clip curves as my background bends well enough, yet I don’t have to fight with tiny seams as I’m always sewing to a generous seamed fabric piece ( the melon or the center). Once sewn and pressed you can trim all the seam allowances

Now I’m asking you to give it a try!

Show me your little rosettes, either here or at flickr.
List of blocks and links to patterns are here.

The quilt has only 16 different rosettes altough it looks like there are hundreds of them. I think that it’s due to the large amount of different fabrics as well as the fact that rosettes are not aligned. This is the original layout of the quilt. For this SAL I will only be drafting the pieced rosettes, releasing at least one pattern a month and a couple of options for the layout. I’m providing patterns for the original size (around 10cm) but also at a more confortable 15cm, wich is the size I’m using here.
For Block 1 use any foundation methorod or english paper piecing if you are quite new at piecework. Altough more labor intensive it’s almost imposible to go wrong with english paper piecing  and it would boost your confidence. I cut each piece in freezer paper and them sew them together. Tutorial here. And Bettina used the method depicted here with freezer paper as a foundation.
If you join the fun feel free to grab the button for the SAL and use this pattern for any crafty use. Please do not redistribute. All drafts are my copyright.