Starting a new course in machine piecing

I was so excited to start the machine piecing course today run by Sue from Busy Bees Patchwork It was great to see many of the people who had attended the initial hand sewing course.
The basis of the class is to make a medallion sampler and started today with basics such as rotary cutting and safety aspects as well as checking our machines could sew an accurate ¼" seam.

I had chosen the fabric at the end of last year. Since taking up quilting no trip away is complete without a fabric shopping session and so when my husband decided that we should go to Devon for my 60th birthday in October 2013 I decided that we should also go to visit the Cowslip Workshops in Launceston, Cornwall. We used a satnav (big mistake) and ended up down a rutted single track lane on the wrong side of Newhouse Farm where the shop and cafe are situated. After a phone call we backtracked and eventually found the right entrance to the farm. It was worth it. There is a wonderful fabric shop and studio for courses and a cafe with delicious food. A range of fabrics by Lynette Anderson called Wildflower Wood caught my eye.

Initial fabric selection

The photo is a bit dark as we had such low light levels this morning.
The very dark purple fabric at the bottom of the pile is the backing fabric, Marys Blender no.32034 by Mary Kovas for Windham.  I chose Kona Solid Snow again as the background fabric.



Once I cut the first block though I could not put my finger on why I was not happy with it. I tried various layouts then decided to try a pale grey, Spectrum Plain Slate patchwork fabric, instead of the Kona snow.
I think it works well now as all the prints have some grey in and it provides more of a contrast to the pale cream background of the small prints.

The fabrics with Kona Solid Snow top right

Spectrum Plain slate top right. Decision made and more fabric ordered!












I think I'm going to have to think about a photography course soon. It's so difficult to get the lighting right for the photos at this time of year and I'm a bit of a point and shoot girl really at heart.

Do other people dither about fabric choice like this? I ordered 3 different fabrics for the backing of my first quilt until I was satisfied. Making mistakes with fabric choice and ordering is an expensive business. Will it get easier?? please say Yes!


Catherine.

Update: Final, final fabric choice and layout for first block:

I decided to add in some Oakshott in Monza (the shimmery purple at the top). I think it provides a better contrast.

My first completed machine pieced block

The house is full of the most delicious smell of my marmalade simmering on the stove and the kitchen is steaming up. It's so cold outside today. We've had such a wet but mild winter so far.

I finished my (Polar) Bear Paw block last night for the Classic Meets Modern QAL and I am really pleased with it. It is a complete contrast to my sampler quilt both in colour and I hope in style. Its as modern as I can make it at the moment. I've looked at a few blogs and the possibilities seem endless but I'm going to leave doing improv etc until I have more experience with the actual machine piecing.

I'm hoping the block can be counted as modern because it features mainly solids with a sprinkling of a large modern print and the colour palette is cool and looks modern to me.

My very first machine pieced block

Even though I tried to cut accurately and sewed very slowly it came up nearer to 12" than 12.5". This was the reason I had to email Erin to check that the seam allowance was included. I'll have to see how the next blocks shape up. If they all come out a 12" I don't think there will be a problem but I may need to sew it again if all the rest are more accurate. That all said, I LOVE, love, love it!

So, wherever you are, keep warm, keep dry and have a good day.

Catherine