Christmas Quilts, Essembly Line Style
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Northeast
Posts: 682
I've done this multiple times when making quilts for family. I did two at a time. Mostly I made two from the same pattern, but in different colors and/or different fabric lines.
It sounds llike you have a good plan.
I kept a tablet for each to keep track of what was what and labeled everything. Make sure you label very well, so you don't look at a piece of fabric and wonder why your wrote a vague number on it and can't figure out what it was for or where it goes. I kept a list of what I labeled things in the notebook with a more detailed note for each label, so I had a second reference to go by.
It sounds llike you have a good plan.
I kept a tablet for each to keep track of what was what and labeled everything. Make sure you label very well, so you don't look at a piece of fabric and wonder why your wrote a vague number on it and can't figure out what it was for or where it goes. I kept a list of what I labeled things in the notebook with a more detailed note for each label, so I had a second reference to go by.
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Davenport, Iowa
Posts: 3,886
I looked at "Fab Farm" by Elizabeth Hartman this morning trying to decide if it was worth it to me for the price. To me $28 for a pattern is very expensive. Even though we live in a rural area I probably would have only done the pony and the sunflowers from the pattern for a child's quilt with some 9 patch blocks thrown in too. Haven't decided if I'm in or out yet!
You sound extremely organized to be able to keep track of all the different patterns and pieces at one time. For that I applaude you. Show us the quilts when you are finished please.
You sound extremely organized to be able to keep track of all the different patterns and pieces at one time. For that I applaude you. Show us the quilts when you are finished please.
Last edited by lindaschipper; 08-18-2023 at 02:14 AM.
#14
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: The Finger Lakes of upstate NY
Posts: 3,572
I recently bought EH's Produce Section pattern. I find myself enjoying quilts that don't have the same block over and over. I've made lots of Bonnie Hunter quilts with hundreds of the same unit; it gets boring and I stall. I've been working on finishing up some of the ones that were left in various stages.
Legendary is SO fun. I have friends who are campers that "need" this quilt, lol. Or Lookout. So many cute choices.
The Berries quilt looks like you should be able to do some strip piecing and sub cutting. Not sure if the pattern is written as such. I'm doing a BOM mystery where every month one of the units is a set of 9-patches that the designer writes as 9 1-1/2" squares. Umm, no. So much easier and more accurate to strip piece them.
My only other tip is to label everything beyond what you think is needed. So not just a quick number, but brief description as well. That might be "left ear" for the puppies quilt, for example, instead of just a number.
You'll definitely be busy with this goal, but if you stay focused, you can do it! I'm looking to seeing them come together.
Legendary is SO fun. I have friends who are campers that "need" this quilt, lol. Or Lookout. So many cute choices.
The Berries quilt looks like you should be able to do some strip piecing and sub cutting. Not sure if the pattern is written as such. I'm doing a BOM mystery where every month one of the units is a set of 9-patches that the designer writes as 9 1-1/2" squares. Umm, no. So much easier and more accurate to strip piece them.
My only other tip is to label everything beyond what you think is needed. So not just a quick number, but brief description as well. That might be "left ear" for the puppies quilt, for example, instead of just a number.
You'll definitely be busy with this goal, but if you stay focused, you can do it! I'm looking to seeing them come together.
#15
Use your scraps? There are sooo many patterns using strips (I like stripping the strips instead of cutting). There is a block swap using the Ladder Block with black strip in middle & scraps on side. I think any pattern with black in it make the colors pop... Quilt Galore has lots of free patterns....
#16
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 5,007
Thanks everyone! I'm doing good, so far. I have about 12 blocks of Puppies and about 8 of Strawberry Season. I've just started on Legendary, which is pretty repetitive, (except for that one block...LOL,) so that should go fast. I've separated them into baggies and plan to separate them even more, by piece, when I start sewing. I've also separated all of the fabrics that I'm using by color and stored them in plastic shoeboxes. I'm not doing any strip piecing, because I'm using scraps mostly. It takes a little longer, but I'll get a movie going and I have a big coffee table to work on, so I'm amused while I'm cutting. It's just been too hot to work upstairs lately. (It was 108 degrees outside on Wednesday.)
I'd love to do some of the more complicated, EH patterns next year. I like them all. We'll see how I feel about it when these are done. BTW...I've found a lot of her patterns on Etsy, where they are a bit cheaper.
I'd love to do some of the more complicated, EH patterns next year. I like them all. We'll see how I feel about it when these are done. BTW...I've found a lot of her patterns on Etsy, where they are a bit cheaper.