Urban Abacus: a baby quilt version

Jenny Pedigo of Sew Kind of Wonderful designs some very interesting quilts. Her quilting is incredibly detailed and dramatic.  I can make her quilts ... don't even attempt her quilting. :-)

Her Urban Abacus really appealed to me and needing to make a quilt for a new baby girl on Mr. Pirate's side of the family gave me the impetus to use that design.

 

Yes, it's curved seams.    The main block is an "abacus bead" and the curved edges are VERY gentle.  A confident beginner should be able to navigate this block successfully.

 

But, just in case you have qualms, I have put in some verbiage and pictures about how I attacked the curved seam aspect.

 

There is a vertical "string" between each bead and when I was on a shop hop with a quilting buddy recently,  I saw the zipper novelty fabric that she had picked out.  I realized that fussy-cutting the zippers would be the PERFECT connector between the beads!  I think it really turned out cute.

 

If you wander on over to the Urban Abacus webpage, you can read about it all and see lots of pictures.

 

 

 

Silicon release sheet substitute

I'm working on a quilt that uses fusible webbing to stick the small, persnickety pieces to the background fabric.  For some of the fusible pieces, I've cut them slightly oversized (on the outer edge) so that I will be assured that even the fabric on the edges will be fused down  (the overhang will eventually be trimmed off).    BUT .. that means some of the fusible webbing will overhang the background fabric and be resting on the ironing board.

 

I have a silicon release sheet that I normally slip under the fabric being fused to, so that any errant fusible webbing won't stick to the ironing board.  Well, I can't find my silicon sheet. I'm sure someone snuck in here one night and stole it. Or ... I am storing it in a "Safe Place". But I'm sure some nefarious person stole it.

 

I'm really feeling annoyed and quite put out.  I need that release sheet.  Right now.  I'm thwarted and am heading towards a minor temper tantrum.  When .. a solution popped into my head!  As a potentially Rube Goldberg work-around, I used a piece of cooking parchment paper instead of my silicon sheet.

 

OMG .. it works perfectly! Who knew?  I'm delighted! Parchment paper is always available, whereas that elusive silicon sheet is *still* MIA.

 

so .... pppphhhhtttt!  *there* you silly silicon sheet!