Apple Core Tips

I wasn't thinking when I posted this quilt top yesterday to share some tricks and tips I found online and discovered along the way through trial and error.

Some information I found at Missouri Star Quilt Company.   Jenny has a tutorial on the apple core both the small 4" and the larger 9 3/4" that I used for this quilt.  She is very clear, and it was very easy to follow her instructions.   I used this method to match my points.  But it wasn't as easy as matching points on squares.

One tip for this quilt when laying out your blocks.  Take pictures as you go.  I moved these blocks around many times before I found the one I wanted.  Then I changed my mind and moved them again.  Ultimately I changed it back, and I had the picture to know exactly where the blocks were.

This quilt is 7 blocks across and 9 blocks down.  I stitched the 9 blocks together first to lessen the amount of rows I had to sew together.  So my 9 blocks went together first then the rows.  I clipped the center of each block on all 4 sides.  It made matching the blocks and the rows so much easier.  Before I picked up any of my blocks I put labels on the rows and numbered them.  I also noted my top piece, so I knew the top of my row and wouldn't get them confused or backwards.  I kept those labels pinned until the very end.

When I was stitching the blocks together, I started with 5 pins each, then when I was comfortable I went to 3, then I managed only one pin in the center after I became more comfortable.  When I stitched the rows together, I used one at each point and one at each center that I marked earlier.  I tried using a chalk marker for the centers, but they kept getting erased with the pressing and moving.

Pressing the seams is very, very important.  I kept my blocks going in different directions, but it really doesn't matter when you put the rows together.  Just press them well!

I hope this helps.  Please feel free to email questions or leave comments below.

Angela

Apple Core Quilt Top

This is my finished apple core quilt top.  I used the 9 3/4" apple core template that I bought from Missouri Star Quilt Company.  I also bought the 4" but haven't used it yet.  I thought the larger template would be easier to work with for my first curved quilt.  It was a breeze to use!  This one measured roughly 4x5.5 before I stitched it together.  It will make a great lap quilt I think.

This is the vintage fabric my MIL gave me a few months back.  Her favorite color is blue, so I picked out all the blues and whites.  I will leave the edges as is and bind it with another blue.

I still need work on my points. :(  I have a few that are off.

I will take it to the quilt shop for some help on that and on exactly what type of quilting it needs.  I haven't decided that yet.

Thanks for stopping by.
Angela

Vintage Fabrics

My mother-in-law gave me a trash bag full of vintage fabrics sometime last year.  I hadn't figured out what to do with them until now.  I thought they would make a beautiful lap quilt for said mother-in-law - the apple core variety.  I probably chose one of the hardest quilts to do with all those curves.

While rummaging around in the bag, I came across these two beauties.  This is a completed block.  Part of it had been hand stitched and part machine stitched.  The points aren't perfect, and I haven't quite decided if I will leave it as is and try to work it into my quilt or take it apart and square it up and try to work it into my quilt.  In fact, I don't know if I will be able to work it in at all.

This is my favorite piece in the entire bag of fabrics.  I so wish I had a larger piece of this.  My 9" apple core would be big enough to encompass one of the pictures, but I will lose others.  The pictures won't even come close on my 4" apple core.  I may just have to cut these apart and incorporate them some other way.  I just want to salvage as much as possible.  It's just precious to me.

I have to get this done before Christmas, and I've gotten a very late start this year.  I have 4 gifts completed, but my list is long and isn't even dented!  This is the biggest of all the gifts, so I need to get it started.  I dug out all the fabrics and just need to choose which I want to use in the quilt.  Her favorite color is blue, and I have lots of blue pieces including this one.  Say some prayers that I figure it out soon.

Thanks for stopping by.
Angela