Button painting tutorial

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5/12/2013

Block Tip (my opinion only)

 When I am making a block I ALWAYS (always-always-always) leave a border of at least 1 1/2" around the image area. ie. If  I want a 6" image area I make a 9" block.  If I  want an  11" image area I make a 14" block. My beginning students get a pattern for a 9" block and in the 1st class I have them baste around a 6" area... I can only tell them you may want this extra space later and I know they think WHY???

Now I have a good example to show them... This image area is basted in black and after I had the idea of a lace cart I wanted more space lower right...The cottage is firmly placed at this point.  And since I'm making this up as I go along I quite often want to adjust the perimeter of my block even up to the very last...  So having this extra space allows me to do that.



So since I have such a generous allowance of fabric it is no problem to lower the image space 1/2" and to the right 1/2".  So you can see the difference that 1/2" makes.  Now I have a lot more room to play with my cart... It doesn't really take any more time or material to make the block large enough to have that generous margin and I highly recommend doing so!!!! (my opinion only)



Quite often I receive blocks in RRs which only have a 1/4" allowance.  With shrinkage or distortion during stitching that narrow allowance is limiting.  You probably will end up with a 5 1/2" block..  All the extra margin makes blocking and finishing much easier.. Now I have these photos to add to my slide show on block construction....

4 comments:

  1. gocrazywithmeMay 12, 2013 at 9:41 AM

    For some reason I especially love the frame of crochet lace and gimp around this cottage. And the lace cart will be fantastic.

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  2. margaretMay 12, 2013 at 10:50 PM

    such good advice, you can always cut the block down after but you cannot make it bigger, will bare this in mind. or is it bear?

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  3. MarilynMay 13, 2013 at 4:10 AM

    Maybe Google will let me post today - it wouldn't yesterday. I always make my block quite a bit bigger than what I want for the finished size. I usually do encrusted blocks so they shrink significantly. T, too, like the frame around the cottage and of course, the cart....it is just perfect.

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  4. SuztatsMay 13, 2013 at 6:30 AM

    That's sage advice. Thank you.

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