Welcome to the VERY FIRST BLOCK of our Block of the Month Club! I am so very excited to get started.
This month we’ll be creating a simple block to get things started off easy (and to give you time to gather fabric and supplies if you need it!). We’re going to do a little bit of traditional piecing and trying our hand at Bias Tape Appliqué. Ready to go?!
Get Ready…
If you haven’t already, make sure you check out these two posts to get you set for the year:
- Tips and tricks for BOM Success: Ways that you can prepare and organize for the year ahead.
- Getting Started. This is just a little bit of prep work to save you lots of time (and fabric) this year! It coordinates with the Getting Started page of your pattern. You won’t be needing any of these fabrics for Month 1, so if you just want to get sewing, then start with Block 1 and come back to this once it’s out of your system.
Get Set…
Supplies for the month
If you’re curious about the supply list for this month, I’ve got everything listed for you below. We’ll be using all of these supplies throughout the year, so now is a good time to get them!
- 1/2″ Bias Tape Maker
- Starch
- Elmers Disappearing Purple Glue Stick AND Heat-n-Bond Tape (we’ll be trying our hand at both this year!)
- Erasable Fabric Marker
- Tear Away Stabilizer
- Monofilament Thread
- 8/60 Microtex Needle
- Iron
Go!
There’s just so much to unpack to make sure you don’t miss this a single moment of fun this year…NOW, let’s get started on the first block!
Cutting
Like we talked about in the Getting Started post, the cutting in this BOM is a little different than what you’re used to. Why are we doing it this way? I tried to make this as efficient as possible for you! We all want to get every last thread out of that fabric. Here’s some tips to get you acclimated:
- Make sure that you use the cutting diagram in conjunction with the cutting instructions. This will make everything make a lot more sense.
- Notice that you’re unfolding your fabric completely and cutting across the LENGTH of fabric…completely opposite of what you’re used to doing.
Intro To Bias Tape
Today is the day! We are going to dip our pinky toes into the Bias Tape Appliqué pool…I’m SO excited. It’s going to unlock a whole world you didn’t even know about! I’ve got a few cool things for you to check out before you get started.
First is a quick intro to how Bias Tape Appliqué works – check it out below:
Next, we have a word from my dear friend Jennifer, of Slightly Biased Quilts. She got her start in creating bias tape for her small business. She’s now a full blown pattern designer and you should totally check her out after you check out her video on this nifty Bias Tape Maker! This is a great tool if you see a lot of bias tape in your future…
Invisible Machine Appliqué
Now, you’ll notice in the pattern that you can use any appliqué stitch that you’d like, but I prefer the Invisible Machine Stitch. You can check out my blog post about it here!
Need some help?
If you’re feeling a little intimidated by all of this, why not join the virtual class?
In my virtual class, we’ll cover each and every step. I’ll talk you through new skills, explain why and how we are doing things, and make it a little less scary! I’ve also included printable cheat sheets for techniques that might be new to you…great resources for down the road!
Now that you’ve got the know-how it’s time to sew! I’d love to see your progress in the Facebook group or on Instagram!