Monday, March 19, 2012

March BBA Challenge - Pt 1

My Etsy blog team, Blogging Business Artisans, have a challenge every month, to stretch us!  Stretch our thinking, our skills, and our creativity!  When the March challenge was released, I didn't think that I wanted to try it.   I wasn't even sure that I liked the color combo that was suggested.  Here is the challenge:

"Your challenge is to create any item with turquoise and red as the primary colors.  You can incorporate other colors, too, but turquoise and red must key components."

I came across an idea for Easter that involved a technique that I have not tried very often.  Since I am a quilter, I usually sew straight lines, but this idea involved curved lines.  So I decided to try my idea in red and turquoise for the challenge!  Two challenges in one--my own and the BBA challenge!  Today's post is about piecing with curved lines.  Tomorrow I will show the finished challenge item.


For the curved lines, I used a small plate to cut around, then . . . . decided the placing of the pieces . . .


Sewing curved seams can be tricky, since you are easing a concave and a convex curved piece together.  Clipping halfway into the seam allowance of the concave (U-shaped piece) first at about 1/2 inch intervals helps the alignment to the convex (rainbow shaped) piece.    Pinning or basting can help.


Otherwise, your two pieces will look like this and not lie flat.  Then, the final curved patchwork looks like this:


Turquoise and Red EGG!


Part 2 and the finished product tomorrow!

6 comments:

Rose Clearfield said...

It looks great so far! I look forward to seeing part 2.

storybeader said...

it turned out great! You're such a seamstress - thanks for the hints! {:-D

Anonymous said...

So far, so great! This is just what my challenge has been lately- sewing curves. I'm finding it pretty tricky!

Kathleen said...

Wow - you make it look so easy! Thanks for sharing =)

Memories for Life said...

Oh how cute! That does look like a tricky sewing manuever! And the red and turquoise look great on the egg :)

Splendid Little Stars said...

pretty! The sewing sounds a little tricky, however, you explained how to make it work.