Thursday, January 06, 2011

Process Optimization : cathedral windows

I'm working away at getting the perfect process for making my white cathedral window bases.  Test squares like this one will probably end up as a pincushion, I'm using my favorite fabric bits.

My starting how-to point has been this fabulous tutorial.  Bookmarked at least a year ago, as I'm sure SO many have, the only think I've eliminated all together is her batting step - and the hand sewing of course.
 

I prefer my points to meet square and non-lumpy.  Much work is going into that end.  I'll be sure to share my optimized process once I reach it.  Tacking down those center tips, before turning the edges, seems to help.


The physical making of those fabric origami squares isn't my favorite thing.  I timed it - a sure sign of my hate for it - at 8 minutes per square.  Included in that 8 minutes is quite a bit of steam-burning myself.  So I've changed the corners at the first step and added the Sewline glue pen to my process, things are going better.  It's like an extra set of fingers, that don't hurt if they get steam blasted.

17 comments:

Dolly said...

Yours still looks SO VERY DIFFERENT from the ones in the tutorial and on Flickr. Your color is in a differnt place, and in TWO places on the sample in the earlier post. I can't figure out YOUR method. Just beautiful, though !

Brooke said...

Looks beautiful. I'm crazy enough to make an entire quilt out of these this year instead of just pillows like the three I made last year. 2011 has been dubbed my year of the cathedral windows quilt.

Diane said...

Huge debate at my house over the Ikea fabric in the background. I say they are scandinavian snow bears... since they are from Ikea and used for the backing of my Christmas quilt and my family says the are hipos with a knot in thier tail. What are they at your house?

Diane said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Stephanie said...

So interesting, I too have a cathedral windows tutorial collecting dust in my bookmarks. This will be the year of cathedral windows! Can't wait to hear all of your tips.

Katie B said...

It's definitely worth all of the effort!

leigh said...

I can't wait for your tutorial because I love the orange peel part much better than the other part (curvy diamond?)

Thanks for doing all the research :)

Simply EC said...

There was a vintage one I saw recently and before that I hadn't ever seen a cathedral window quilt. I blogged about it here: http://erincomptondesign.blogspot.com/2010/11/vintage-cathedral-window-quilt.html
How are you getting the colored bits in the petals rather than the diamonds?

Cheri C. said...

You have inspired me!! I want to do a quilt with every piece of fabric in my stash!!! Can't wait for you to figure it out (thanks!!! as it would take me 100 times longer to even think about it).

Susanne said...

I also love the cathedral window block. But I never made it beyond pincushions. Please tell us if you have further tips. I would love to make a bigger quilt with this pattern.
Best wishes
Susanne

Emily said...

I love cathedral windows... but I haven't been able to bring myself to make a small sample one for myself. I made tiny (just less than 3" finished) cathedrals for DQS9 (2 of them I believe) I definately burnt my fingers a lot. The goo from an aloe plant helps.

I put the fabric in the other "windows" and found tacking down those points really helpful too. I just sewed lines strait through each window matching points. But since you're using the other windows that's not as easily done. Good luck; they're looking pretty perfect to me!

Kristine Hanson said...

can't wait to see more, cathedral window's are on my "to do" list for 2011, yours look so nice!

Megan said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Diana said...

Wow! I've never seen a machine sewn cathedral window before. I had fabric all picked out for my cathedral windows, too! But had to abandon the project because there was simply too much hand sewing involved. Your blocks look just as lovely as a hand-sewn version. Would you care to share with us your techniques?

Susanne said...

I have to leave another comment :)
You put a printed fabric square in the inner section, Typically a printed square is put where you have solid white. I found this technique in a patchwork book but can not remember the name (something with "chinese..."). I wonder if you folded the edges inwards. I always wondered how this piece of fabric can be placed there neatly.

BTW: your picture is perfect! Really brilliant quality! :)

I plan to put on both places printed fabric.

Best wishes
Susanne

patchworkdelights said...

I love your cathedral window block (more recent post) but intrigued to read about the glue pen thingy?

Agreed the least favourite part is the origami block, it's v time consuming!

But your final "window" is simply stunning!

Tara said...

I love your take on the cathedral window. Make a tutorial on how to do the one in the picture! I'd love to see it!