PIECING A WORD

 Here is how I'm going to piece a word for an upcoming project.  There are lots of ways to go about this.  You may have a way that suits you better.  This is only one method.

My instructions are to piece the word into an 18" square.  I started with freezer paper, mine is only 17-3/4" wide.  I cut an 18" length and drew a red line on one side of the short side to remind myself to add a quarter inch.

My word is 5 letters so I divided 18 by 5 to get the width of each letter - 3.6".  I then divided the paper up with pencil lines and drew each letter within it's area.

I cut the G from the square and then drew blue lines where there would be seams.  I hope you can see them.

I realized later I probably should have shaded the parts that would be the letter.

Then I went about making each section.  The width of each line could vary or they could all be the same, dealer's choice.  I started with the top of the G which contains two curves.  I tried several methods to make those, then decided to just make staight lines to indicate the curves instead.  I start with fabric pieces a lot bigger than I need.  I made a tracing paper template from my original drawing.  I cut out how the yellow fabric should be shaped and cut away the angle of the 'curve' and sewed black into it's place.

I added the black to the right.

I added the upper part.

I measured the next piece on the pattern and added a quarter inch to each side.

I made the next little section on the pattern and added seam allowance and sewed it all together.

For the next section I measured each piece from the pattern, cut out the pieces with seam allowances, first the yellow needed the corners to be black, I used the flip and sew method.  I cut two black squares, lined them up on the bottom corners of the yellow, and sewed diagonally down each, flipped the corner over to make triangles.  Then I added the side black section and the bottom black section.

Once I had the whole section together I added a long strip of black to the left side of the whole G.  I made that piece a bit wider than it needed to be, just in case.  It's always easier to trim it away than to add to it later if needed.

But I still had to make the bottom of the G have curved corners.

Then the same at the top, to give the G a rounded top.

I drew chalk lines where the 18" top should be and how I wanted the corner angles to be.

Using an oversized piece of yellow I set it on the corner.

Then I folded it over to match the angle line (somewhat) and finger pressed it.  Then took it to the machine and sewed down the pressed line.  Once it's sewn I cut away the undersides, leaving a quarter inch seam allowance and then cut away any excess on the top part.

And it's a G!  As you can see, there is a bit of extra at the top and bottom, and the left side.

I have four more letters to make and then I will sew them all together and make sure when that is done that they come out to an 18" square.

CAT PAGE FOR STITCH BOOK

 I made a cat page for my 100 day project Stitch Book with Ann Wood.

And this is our cat Coco, (she likes to sleep amongst the flowers).

APRIL BOM MADE

 I got the this month's instructions for the SeaMQGBom2026 and made the blocks from strip sets we made in a previous month.

Here is my interpretation of the two big blocks:

DENIM BAG FINISHED

 I got the black web strapping for the denim bag I started last Friday and was able to finish it.

The denim was much more difficult to finish because of the density of the fabrics when everything come together.  I even broke a needle.  But I got it done.  I was thinking I'd make more from old denim, but now I'm reconsidering that!

I had made a simple little flower to sew onto the front flap.  

This will also be donated to Sew Powerful.

Did you know you can also donate fabric to Sew Powerful?

A SECOND BAG

 It was so satisfying to make the bag for Sew Powerful yesterday, I made another today.  I used the same type of fabrics, this time in different colorways.  The outside is pink and orange and the inside liner was made from a batik fabric with sunflowers in yellow, orange and burgandy.  I made a pocket for the outside of the front because the pink plaid had a small discoloration there.

A BAG FOR THE GIRLS

 I started making a bag from old denim yesterday for Sew Powerful, who send reusable hygiene products to young girls in Africa.  They are asking volunteers to make bags to include with the pads.  I didn't have the webbing for the bag's strap, so I set it aside until I could get some.

Today I made another one, this time making the strap from fabric.  I used some orange woven plaid fabric for the outside and a blue fabric for the inside.

FINISH #8 FOR THE YEAR

 Here's another little quilt I made from a charm pack called "Once Upon a Time".

I quilted a pantograph on it, made some binding and sewed it on and now it's finished.

Finish #8 Once Upon a Time, 32" by 40" with a white flannel backing.

MAKING TRIVETS

 I started weaving the flat cotton cord into the warp threads I strung the other day on the hoop for the trivet.  It was fiddly, trying to keep the cord flat as I strung that long 'thread' through the spokes of the warp.

This little bit took me over an hour and a half.  So it stopped for the day.