Quilting Feathers in Setting Triangles

Before I get started I wanted to once again mention that there was a typographical error in the measurement of the narrow border in Step 6 of Soupcon. I have corrected the error in the post.

As I was working away quilting the setting triangles on my Mom's Lazy Punk quilt I thought you might be interested in how I do it. I am quilting feathers in each one and I want them to look similar. I don't care if they are identical. I figure if I get the spine of the feather in close to the same position in each block the feathers will "appear" uniform.

To start I don't want the tips of the feathers to be cut off by the binding so I marked a line that is 1/2" away from the edge of the quilt. I won't quilt beyond that mark. To mark the spine I made  paper template. I like making templates from regular paper because it is very inexpensive, I can make a new one whenever I want and when I wear one out I can recycle it. To start I cut a piece of paper that was the shape of my setting triangle. The bottom edge lined up with the 1/2" mark on my quilt. I drew the spine on the paper and then cut out the inside curve. At the right side of the spine I left some of the paper on the bottom edge. My spine will stop at the corner so that I'll have room to fit in a few feathers for the tip that runs between the spine and the edge of the quilt. I marked that point "STOP" on my template so you can see what I mean.

I traced the along the edge of my template. I marked a circle on the photo so you can see the STOP point on my quilt.

I started at the left of the feather and worked the outer curve of the feather until I got to the STOP. I made a few more feathers to get me to the edge of the quilt and then I followed the inner edge of the plumes until I got back to where I started. I then quilted the feathers on the inner curve of the spine. The feathers don't have to be identical and they don't have to be perfect. The eye will see the whole and not individual components. And I can assure you that my feathers are not perfect but I don't sweat it and they do get better with practice! I'm still learning and finding that the faster my machine and the slower my hands the smoother the curves!

Before I set up my machine for quilting I decided to make one more fabric basket. Someone who is near and dear to me commented that she liked the basket that I made for my secret tote bag partner so I made one for her. I had bought a bag of scraps at a quilt store. They were taupes, greys, dark browns and black. There were also some linen scraps in the bag. I was able to make this little basket entirely from those scraps! I might tuck some chocolates and other little treats inside to sweeten it up just a bit! The basket measures 4" tall (excluding the handles), 6" wide and 2" deep. It is made from a free pattern that you will fine at Pink Penguin.

I simply must get back to quilting so until I post again, happy sewing!
Karen H

Setting Triangles for Lazy Punk and the Secret Tote Bag

I'm still hand stitching the half blocks but can get on with sewing the finished blocks into strips. So now it is on to the sashing, cornerstones and setting triangles for Lazy Punk. Unlike the original Steam Punk quilt  I've decided to use cornerstones that are a slightly different colour from the sashing. The setting triangles will be cut from the Alexander Henry skeleton fabric (the recipient of the quilt mentioned that she liked the fabric when she saw it in an earlier post and she wants it in the quilt). The print on the far right will be used for the cornerstones and the solid dishwater white fabric behind is the sashing fabric.

Here are the blocks on the design wall; I've already starting attaching the sashing.

 The setting triangles that will fill in the sides and corners of the quilt are cut from squares that are larger than the finished quilt block. For the side setting triangles each square will yield four side setting triangles because the square is cut on the diagonal twice. The squares that are cut for the corner setting triangles will yield two corners.

There are two simple formulae for cutting setting triangles. The formula for side setting triangles is:

 

Finished size of block x 1.41, round up to the nearest 1/8" and add 1 1/4"

 



The formula for corner setting triangles is:

 

Finished size of block x 1.41 / 2 and add 1/8", then round up to the nearest 1/8"

 





This means I will need 14" squares for the side setting triangles and 9" squares for the corner triangles.

I used to struggle with this formula because it is based on decimal whereas quilt measurements are fractions. So what is an eighth of an inch when expressed as a decimal? The following list provides the measurements in 1/8"s and multiples thereof expressed as a decimal!

1/8" = 0.125

1/4" = 0.250

3/8" = 0.375

1/2" = 0.50

5/8" = 0.625

3/4" = 0.750

7/8" = 0.875

 

 

I keep a little chart pinned to my bulletin board. I include the 1/8" measurements along with a list of finished block sizes and the size of squares required for side & corner setting triangles.



I've finished the bag for my secret tote bag swap partner. Here are a few quick pictures of the finished bag.

Back of the bag with zippered pockets and beaded zipper pulls

Front of the bag

 

Side panel with appliquéd grasshopper and butterfly &

side pocket with appliquéd butterfly

Close-up of grasshopper

 

Other side with appliquéd butterflies on panel and pocket

 

 Inside the bag

 

I sure hope my partner likes her bag. She has left some comments on the Flickr page for this swap that would lead be to believe that she will be happy!

Until I post again, happy sewing!