Libster

Kass, your Citrus quilt is a show-stopper already. You have such a knack for making the blocks shine. Way to go!

I have rulers of every size up to 15 1/2" square plus my 6" x 24". The squares I use most are my 6 1/2", 9 1/2", 12 1/2" and the 15 1/2". I think what has helped me most is to remember to use the same brand ruler consistently for a project. I found out the hard way, all rulers do NOT measure the same. I didn't think you could wear rulers out, but you can. I just bought a new 12 1/2" square at Joann's with my 60% off coupon. A little over $12, I love it!

sewbizgirl

Oh gosh, yes! HOW could you ever do boom blocks without a 12.5" ruler? Love JoAnn's coupons for things like that!

sewbizgirl

It's so easy to knock the corners off of them. I've learned to lay my blade against the ruler edge an inch or so in from the corner, and then back it up to the corner and then go forward. Protects those corners a lot longer!

Craftsy is having a sale on classes right now, so I bought the one I'd been wanting for so long (but didn't want to spend $40 on)... "Machine Quilting in Sections, Strategies for Any Quilt", by Marti Michell. It's QAYG all different ways! Can't wait to watch it. It's $19.99 on sale.

terriamn

Besides my square rulers my lock block rulers are my most used. Great for flying geese and half square triangles can't even begin to say how much I use and love them

Janice McC

Kass, your citrus quilt is grand! Love both the front AND the back. You've put so much work into it. Wonderful!

I'm very intrigued by your QAYG method. I tried something similar with my blue/green blocks from boom 14 but definitely struggled with the borders. Separation of the batting where the pieces met in a few places was the key problem. Am wondering how you secure them together before adding the top border and quilting them? I whipstitched to hold the batting pieces together but it proved insufficient. Probably too loose. Am curious how you keep yours together if you don't mind sharing. Thanks!

mjpEncinitas

Love the citrus quilt Kass. You have a real flair for the borders and Sashing. Janice I'm glad to hear you make things a little bigger and then cut them down. I have to do that with all my blocks. I just can't piece and rely on the blocks being right yet. My appliqué blocks are easy to get the right size. My biggest challenge is making sure the raw edge appliqué is secured. Sometimes I sew around each one four times. Maybe that's why I'm so slow.

I cant believe all the bonus blocks! I'm still trying to get embroidery done on Terriamn's block.

i took an Ann Peterson class that showed how to put together quilt as you go blocks. It used 1/2" sashing to hold the blocks together and didn't involve sewing the batting together in the method I tried. When I do sew batting together I use a zig zag stitch on my machine. It took some practice to get it to not be bunched on one side. I have to sew slowly and very carefully. Then I make sure I quilt across the border. I do not cut the batting into gentle curves unless I have to due to the quilting pattern. It is much easier to seam straight lines.

Experienced boomers what do you do with blocks that are too small?

Kassaundra

I have never had any problems w/ batting staying put while I quilt. I usually do just one piece but when I have to join two I use a little elmer's stick glue.

mjpEncinitas

Can you leave the elmers glue in the quilt? Many times the art quilts I make don't get washed afterwards. Elmers glue would be easier than sewing the pieces together.

Kassaundra

I don't know about leaving it in , but don't see how it would hurt. I use elmer's glue for lots of things while quilting but mine gets washed out eventually (when the quilt if finished which could be longer then a year.)

sewbizgirl

Sometimes unsecured pieced batting looks fine when the quilt is finished, but after a wash it pulls apart and you are left with no batting at the place it joined. Not talking about QAYG, where it's sewn down, but just piecing batting in general.... I got a table topper in a swap that was done that way-- apparently the batting was pieced and the pieces just laid together-- and after washing it developed flat spots where the batting didn't come together anymore. Bummer.