Exploring The Garment District - Gotham Quilts, Midtown Manhattan

What's happening in New York City?  Well, there's a new fabric studio in town, and that's something we all love to know about.

Tute: Using A Bloc-Loc To Cut Half-Square Triangle (HST) Squares

17 April 2014:

I've recently learnt how to 'slide' a too large Bloc-Loc along a diagonal seam to cut a smaller square - knowing this technique means if you buy the largest 12.5" Bloc-Loc, then you can use it for any size HST you ever need and don't need to buy lots of different Bloc-Loc sizes.  You can see how it's done here in my HST X Block Tute.

NB: If you're a 'press your seams open' girl, then the Bloc-Loc won't work for you; if you still want to use this great tool, maybe you could consider side pressing just for this part of your quilting?

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I've Been Shopping ...

What's in the bag?

Had to make a trip to my LQS in Manhattan to collect supplies for 2 courses that I've got coming up over the next week and also for more Transparency Quilt fabric - note my use of 'had to' like it's a hardship!

Here's my bag of goodies - bought so much I had a brown paper carrier today instead of the smaller plastic bag and fortunately I had husband, S, with me to carry it all.

 My shopping list:

2 yards Michael Miller Hone-D and 1 yard Kona - Stone for Transparency Quilt

Heirloom Machine Quilting Book by Harriet Hargrave Spiral-bound for Free Motion class (love, love, love, spiral-bound books, they're so much easier to work with that a standard paperback)

Quilter's Dream Request batting - to fit 2 quilts 55 x 55 & 50 x 30

1 yard muslin for Free Motion class

Quilt n Sew ruler

Size 70 & 80 needles - sharps

Basting safety pins - size 1  (you can't have too many basting pins, ever!!!)

12" x 12" Olfa Rotating Cutting Mat

'Sparkle Plenty' quilt pattern by Loft Creations

2 yards main fabric (b&w on pattern) & 2 3/4 yards backing fabric for Sparkle Plenty Quilt

2 x 5" charm packs or 1.5 yards accent fabric for Sparkle Plenty Quilt

aurifil for 'Sparkle Plenty' fabrics and white 2024

Bernina CB Hook bobbins

And here's photos of the best bits - the fabric

Just look at those fabrics working together, I'm very, very excited about making the Sparkle Star Quilt

Kaffe Fassett for Rowan.  Westminster Fibers#GP108 'Rustic Floral'

Philip Jacobs for Rowan.  Westminster Fibers #PWPJ42 'Primula'

Benadictus Victoria and Albert Museum, London for Rowan Westminster Fibers #PWVA02 'Leaves'

Early Birds by Jane Sassaman for Westminster Fibers #PWJS34 'Poka Dot'

These colours just sing together and there were lots of words of admiration from staff and shoppers alike at my LQS which is always so wonderful to hear.

Sparkle Plenty Quilt pattern by Loft Creations and available at
http://www.etsy.com/listing/85808856/sparkle-plenty-quilt-pattern

The florals are for the coloured sections and I'm going to use Poka Dot (and yes it is spelt Poka and not Polka!) for the black sections and the backing.  I might do a scrappy border with the florals on the back to break up the poka dots a bit but I'll think that through a bit more over the next 2 weeks.  Now I have to get on and cut 144 squares by Thursday.  Rotary cutter anyone ... ?