I Can Do Anything Now

I feel like I can do anything now after making this block. In some ways it is both my least favorite and my most favorite of all the blocks so far. It's my least favorite because it was a pain to figure out how to make it and it's my most favorite because I managed to figure out a neat way to get it done.

Since I started my DJ journey in May 2008, I've spent many hours studying this block and studying the various techniques used by some of my fellow DJers. Some have chosen to break it down into a paper-piecing pattern (sometimes requiring Y-seams and sometimes not), and others have hand-pieced theirs. I was not looking forward to either method, especially after hearing Angie (our guild's first DJ goddess) say that she spent 6 hours making this block!

So, after staring at the block for the 100th time, I had a light-bulb moment last night and realized that it could be made using the raw-edge machine-buttonhole-stitch method that I've come to like a lot. I printed the block onto freezer paper, then ironed the pattern onto the dark orange fabric and cut it out as one piece, just like in this example shown in this post. You can see what the cut-out piece looks like in my second photo today. If you try this technique, I advise that you use a pair of very, very sharp small scissors. I then very carefully stitched it on by outlining where the individual pieces should be. The stitches are hard to see in the first photo, but click on it and you should be able to see a close-up.

The third photo shows what it looks like on the back. I chose not to piece the background like Jane did. This block was trouble enough as it was. The remaining blocks will be a piece of cake now, right?

This is "L-10, Nan's Naiad", an advanced-level block. Not counting the time I spent studying it and deciding on what fabrics to use, it took me about an hour and a half. If I had had to hand-piece it, it would have taken weeks. My hat is off to those who make many of these blocks by hand!