Fall into a Quilt Along: Pie
Welcome to block 6 of Fall into a Quilt Along! This block officially marks the halfway point of our quilt along. I hope you've been having as much fun as I have! If you've been watching from the sidelines, it's not too late to join in. All of the block patterns will remain free until the quilt along ends on November 13, 2018. You can find links to all of the past blocks on my quilt along page.
I don't know about you, but my fall wouldn't be complete without some delicious fruit pies. I think this one is cherry. The lovely red filling is bubbling through the cut outs in the top crust. Cherry is actually one flavor of pie I haven't made before because I don't want to pit all of the cherries! Perhaps I'll have to give it a try.
Our lovely pie block was designed by Sherry Shish at Powered by Quilting. It looks just like a picnic is waiting to happen. Head on over to Sherry's blog post to get the pattern.
Piecing Tips
Background Fabric
You may have noticed that my block doesn't have the stripes above the table cloth. That's because I decided I wanted to include my background fabric in every block. If you'd also like to use a single piece of fabric for the top half of your block, cut it at 6 1/2" x 12 1/2".
Seam Test
I always recommend testing your seam allowance before you start. That way you can be sure your block will come out the right size.
To test your seam allowance, cut two 2" squares and sew them together. Press to one side, and measure the resulting rectangle. The rectangle should be 3 1/2" long. If your rectangle is shorter, you need a narrower seam allowance. If your rectangle is longer, you need a wider seam allowance. Adjust your seam and try again. Once the rectangle is exactly 3 1/2" long, you're good to go.
Spinning Seams
I spin seams whenever I get the chance. I love the way everything nests together and lays extra flat. In this block, I spun all of the seams in the table cloth. If you'd like to try spinning seams, I'll show you how.
First, sew the squares into rows, and press all of the seams towards the medium fabric.
Next, sew the rows together. The seams will nest together as you're sewing. Before you press, slip your fingers into the space between the horizontal and vertical seams.
Give it a little tug, and the top few stitches will pop apart.
Now you can press with your iron. I like to start gently from the back to make sure the seams are all spinning the right way, then I give it a firmer press from the front. This is what a spun seam will look like on the back of the block.
Do the same thing to all of the intersections. They will all spin!
From the front, all of the points line up, and the intersections are super flat.
Applique Tips
Check the Scale
Use the 1" Test square on the template page to make sure your pie will be just the right size. When you print, you want to choose "actual size" rather than "fit to page".
Avoid Stiffness
In order to keep my block from getting stiff, prefer not to use any more fusible web than necessary. Since I cut out the centers of large pieces, I could save on fusible by tracing the seeds inside the top of the pie.
Before fusing, I cut out the insides of the pie plate and top, leaving about 1/2" all the way around. Since most of the block doesn't have the glue from the fusible, it stays nice and pliable.
Use a Straightedge
I find that I get the best results if I use a straight edge to trace straight lines. Since I always have a rotary ruler handy, I pulled it out to trace the pie plate.
To keep the straight lines nice and crisp, I also like to trim them with a rotary cutter rather than scissors. Be aware that the paper on the fusible web will dull your blade much faster than fabric. I have an old rotary cutter that I only use when I'm cutting through paper. When I put a new blade in my normal cutter, I put the old one in my paper cutter.
Teflon Pressing Sheet
I recently acquired a teflon pressing sheet, and it really makes this kind of block so much easier. I assembled the pie on the pressing sheet, and fused it to make a single piece. From there, I could easily center the pie on my block and fuse in place.
If you don't have a teflon pressing sheet, parchment paper works the same way. The fusible glue doesn't stick to it, so you can assemble your pie before putting it on the block.
Securing the Pie
Once your pie is fused in place, you'll want to stitch it down to secure it to the block. I like to use a straight stitch just inside the edge of each piece with a coordinating thread. You can also do this with a blanket stitch or zigzag stitch.
And you're done! If you're anything like me, that means it's time to stare proudly at your finished block.
Plenty of Pies
All 7 quilt along hosts have made their very own pie blocks. We each provide our own suggestions to help you make the block, so be sure to check out all of them. You just might learn something new!
Abbie Danahy at Sparkle On
April Adams at JANDA Bend Quilts
Bobbi Bridgeman at Snowy Days Quilting <--- That's me!
Jennifer Fulton at Inquiring Quilter
Karen Thurn at Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats
Sherry Shish at Powered by Quilting
Vanda Chittenden at Quilting with Vanda
Prizes
As always, we have some fabulous prizes this week. Anyone over 18 is eligible to win, including international participants. To be entered in the drawing, simply share your completed pie block by 11:59 pm Eastern time on August 6, 2018. You can share on Instagram with the hashtag #fallintoaqal, in the Partners in Design Facebook group, or in the linky party on Sherry's post.
Our first sponsor for this block is Sherry Shish at Powered by Quilting. She's donating a free pattern of the winner's choice from her store. Be sure to check out all of her great designs!
Our second sponsor is Craftsy. They are providing 4 cuts of Boundless Solids Each cut is 1/2 yard.
At the end of the quilt along, we will have a grand prize drawing for anyone that has made a complete quilt top with all 12 blocks. There's no need to have it quilted for the drawing. To be eligible to win, finished quilt tops must be posted by 11:59 pm Eastern time on November 12, 2018.
Question for You
I have fond memories of my grandma as the pie baker in the family. She brought at least a couple of pies to every event. Whenever we were visiting, I would be right there in the kitchen helping as best I could. We would always make her famous pecan pie and my favorite apple pie. I've expanded my flavors since then, but to this day, hers is the only pie crust recipe I use. And apple is still my favorite.
