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Monday, February 03, 2014

Perkiomen Hangover?

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Something went AWRY.

AWFULLY AWRY!

I was happily sewing my Split 9-Patch blocks into what is traditionally known as a “Perkiomen Valley 9-Patch” Layout….This type of center medallion quilt made entirely of small squares and triangles is typical of the Perkiomen Valley of Pennsylvania.

Things were going well!  I called my mom, I called my dad..I watched Downton Abbey, two back to back episodes, and I sewed.

The quilt was completely laid out on the floor upstairs, I was sewing downstairs in the newly lit sewing nook..and in an effort to NOT get it out of whack, I would chain one row down the quilt, go up and get the next row, bringing it back down to sew on and being very careful!

I even took pics of how I get started with the “Webbing of the top” here:

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Do you see how column #2 is right sides together against column #1?

Nothing whacky going on with the layout here?

To start the webbing process, place column 2 against column 1 with right sides together.  Go to the top of the quilt and pick up the pairs in order.  Your seam will be down the RIGHT SIDE of the pairs…all the way down.  Then go pick up column 3 from top to bottom, sewing the LEFT SIDE of these blocks to the two columns you have already joined.  And it was going on swimmingly until…

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UHOH!!?!?!?!??

Something Zigged UP when it should have zagged DOWN…HOW did my patches get so out of order when I had laid them out correctly?  This is why I thought of calling this quilt Perkiomen Hangover, but let me assure you that I was *NOT* under the influence of anything but fabric and thread!

There must be cabin gremlins about or something – I couldn't blame it on anyone, I was there alone!

I spent much time with the seam ripper this morning, removing that partial column and making sure that things were laid out right before I started webbing the rest of the top together.

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Here the top is completely webbed…and all blocks are turned correctly.  HOORAY!

The rows are held to each other by the chaining threads left between them as I assembled the rows.  I can clip these now, or I can leave them.  They won’t hurt anything to just stay in there.  All that is left is to fold the rows right sides together and stitch.  I am not a seam opener when I press, I prefer to nest and press to one side.  But let me tell you something on this quilt ---there is NO WAY to have things nest all the time.  You don’t know when making these blocks which way they are going to turn in the quilt, or who they will end up next to, so sometimes it’s a crap shoot!  I nest where I can, pin to match where I can’t, and press bulky spots with a vengeance!

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This was the picture perfect view as I headed down the mountain, wishing I could stay.

But I had a lunch date planned with Lisa, at a place I’d never been…SILO at Reynolda Village in Winston Salem, and off I went…

Never leave me alone in a bathroom with a camera.

Never leave me alone in a bathroom in a restaurant that leave mustaches on sticks by the bathroom mirror for patron’s self portraits!  I came out giggling!

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Well, I dare say!!

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It’s been a great day!!

((Even if bad for hair!))

((And what’s with the empty photo frame in the background? Was I supposed to play with that TOO!?

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I’m home.  And thinking of spending time tonight sewing these rows together….

However you spend YOUR evening, I hope you leave some time for something quilty!

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31 comments:

  1. The Mustache and picture frame in the bathroom- how fun! Our Friends had these at their wedding for the guests to pose. uh OH, you are kind to share the OPPS. That quilt looks like it's going to be HUGE! Glad it is all webbed and that your ripping went well. Some days are like that, I know.

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  2. love the mustaches....at present going through your archive of quilt cams while sewing some blocks for a swap...only trouble is I keep stopping sewing to watch what you are doing...so much for getting sewing done ...but love to watch and here you at work

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  3. Wish I understood better you "webbing" technique. Do you have a tutorial on it?

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  4. I saw the webbing technique on a very small quilt at the local meeting of Quilts for Kids. Easy to keep everything going in one direction. I will admit, I wouldn't have ripped out those blocks. I would have crawled around on the floor until I found where they fit as sewn and just go back to the beginning, fitting in those mismatched blocks as I came to them. Wouldn't have done that nifty webbing thing, though. The mustaches made me laugh out loud, you caught me quite by surprise.

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  5. Anonymous8:40 PM EST

    I don't know what webbing is ..

    lesleystaples@bellsouth.net

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  6. Love webbing! I know what it is just never called it that

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  7. I love the props left in the bathroom to encourage laughing, it makes for a very good day!!

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  8. With all your posts the last couple of days about this quilt, you have inspired me to start one! Its already beautiful and I only have about 17 blocks done. I am taking a break from my Tobacco Rd quilt, putting the rows together on that one is driving me a bit crazy!

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  9. Anonymous9:21 PM EST

    The black handlebar moustache definitely.. What a fun idea for a restaurant. Love the quilt.

    Susie
    sususie52@att.net

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  10. I really like the layout of your quilt top.

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  11. I really like this quilt, what a wonderful way to use scraps, I take it you cut scraps as you are sewing other quilts, sounds like a great idea

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  12. Anonymous9:52 PM EST

    the black mustache is definately you.
    glad the.quilt boo boo was an "easy" fix.

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  13. Wow u did it. Comgrats
    In the first picture of this post Pirkiomen......is there white sqare between. Two sqares red and brown in the dark side of the block ?
    First picture at the right
    Thank u

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  14. I just love this layout. You have convinced me that I need to do this -- someday.....

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  15. You could always call it the "Perkiomen Valley Whackadoodle Split 9-Patch"!

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  16. Connie:
    Hey just wanted to say that when you do get it all sewn together it will be a beautiful top. Those mistakes happen to the best of us. happens to me in crochet all the time,as well as sewing.

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  17. Nettie sebastian5:22 AM EST

    You are so funny , loved your sew- mistake makes you more human , still a super women . I spend so much time unsewing. lol

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  18. Wow Bonnie. That quilt top pattern looks amazing. Worth all the hard work I would think. Cheers, Tracy

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  19. Cut you give us the pattern from this Layout?? It is wonderful! I would love doing this!

    Greeting Guilitta

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  20. Anonymous8:25 AM EST

    Bonnie, I do the grid thing too but after I lay out the quit I start from the right side and stack the blocks from top to bottom. I label the left stack1, the next two and so on until all the stacks have a number. If you place a piece of paper with that number on top of the stack, you can stack all the stacks in order with the left one on top. Take them all to your sewing machine and take the left one and the next and sew them all together. Then sew the 3rd stack to the 2nd. I learned this with one of my first quilts (12" square) and have used it ever since. It is great if you don't have time to do the whole thing. Grace

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  21. A friend and I have considered using painters tape to keep the rows in order when webbing. We haven't tried it yet but we thought once the blocks were laid out, a strip of tape would be adhered to both rows being joined, keeping them in the correct order on their way to the sewing machine. Once the blocks are sewn the tape could be used over again several times. Worth a try and better than unsewing. Ugh

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  22. It looks beautiful Bonnie! Sometimes the seam ripper is our best hated friend!

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  23. It's amazing how quilt blocks can jump and twist between the design wall and the sewing maching -- despite webbing or labeling or other best efforts to keep them in order!

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  24. I love this quilt! And I think it's cool that it originates from Perkiomen Valley. I lived in the Perkiomen Valley many many moons ago. I had to move up there for my electrical apprenticeship and my first appartment was in a little town right next to the Perkiomen River. Good old windy route 29. Ah, the good old days.
    Funny mustache pictures!

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  25. Stuff Happens - No matter how careful we try to be. I found a turned Bird in the Air unit in my CS as I was quilting the last corner of the center section. ACK! The seam ripper got to come out & play again. It must like my CS, as I had turned a 9 block section wonky when piecing the top.

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  26. Sorry it happened but it does make you look more human (vs the super quilter we all know you are!)

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  27. NOW I get it... I was having trouble wrapping my head around this webbing the top thing... Got it! Got it! Got it!

    was so hoping for Quilt Cam tonight... will probably be home tomorrow with the ice storm.. I'll catch the next one in re-runs LOL I always get so much done with re-runs

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  28. At least you caught the mistake early in the process. :)

    I had this happen once and didn't find the error until I had quilted half of the quilt on my longarm machine! Once I saw the mistake, I couldn't leave it, so I took the quilt off the machine and re-sewed the offending row, and then finished the quilting. Fun times!

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  29. Boy, Bonnie I hate it when the gremlins get in your sewing room and mess things up!!!! I love your quilt design. Your quilt is stunning, just like all your quilts! Just when I think I have a favorite you come out with something new and I love the new design!!! My bucket list is growing!! Using up my scraps is such a thrill. Thank you again for everything you do for us.

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  30. I was wondering what the deal was with the mustache. Guess I needed to read your blog.

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  31. Just wanted to say "You brighten my day". Thanks,Bobbie (I don't know if my name & email show up so I'll just put it here)
    rjc2cam@gmail.com

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