Monday, February 8, 2016

The Trees for the Forest

I've been eyeing the Quick Curve Ruler for a while now. Then, I discovered he Sew Kind of Wonderful company has recently released a mini version. It's a well-know fact that small things are irresistibly adorable, so I had to try it out.
The Sew Kind of Wonderful website has a free Mini Trees pattern. It might not have slipped your notice that the holidays have come and gone. However, I figured that these trees would be just fine out of season. Moreover, they'd be great with my stash of novelty camping prints.
Fabric aside, want to see how the QCR Mini works? It's pretty straight forward. First, cut 5" squares of two fabrics. Use the guideline to lay the ruler like so, and cut in the curve.
Do that as many times as you need. I only wanted green trees, so I put the inverse pieces aside for some other time and project.
Then you place the pieces right sides together with the pizza slice about 1/2" down the skateboarding ramp. Those are the proper terms, right? Sew together using a 1/4" seam. I hold the pizza slice in my left hand as I steer the skateboarding ramp with my right hand. The sewing process goes a bit like...stitch, lift presser foot, reposition the edges together, lower presser foot, stitch, repeat.
Then I pressed toward the darker fabric.
They bred. Actually, it's quick to make oodles of these because you don't have to be fussy about making sure everything looks perfect at this stage.
 A rotating mat would be awesome because, after the pressing, you simply cut 1/8" beyond the pizza slice.
Rotate. Then square it up to 4".
That's it! You have a beautiful, precise Drunkard's Path component ready for whatever curvaceous project suits you.
For me, it was a handful of trees.
Then, I set about making bears from Patchwork Zoo by Sara Nephew. I didn't have enough fabric to make two bears from the fabric I had pulled, so I used some Stonehenge to make two sitting bears.
Then I remembered that I wanted to use light brown to coordinate with my camping fabrics. I resolved myself to accept that one bear would do, so long as he was crawling.
I'm not sure what I'll do with my orphan bear twins.
Anyhow, the super sweet folks at Sew Kind of Wonderful have given me a Mini QCR and a pattern for me to pass along to one of you. Best of luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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32 comments:

  1. Maybe you could make a pillow out of those orphan bears? The link in the rafflecopter to the free patterns page is broken, BTW.

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  2. You made those curves look so easy! I struggle with Drunkard's Path so maybe I do need a tool. Your bear blocks are adorable too. What a fun quilt this will be.

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  3. This tool looks awesome. Thanks for sharing! The brown in the twin bears look like they might just go with your camping fabrics, but if they don't you could use them on the back as the cutest label ever!

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  4. My favourite is the poinsettia pattern!

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  5. I'm tree obsessed and yours are so darn cute! I've been eyeing those rulers for a while; this is just another reason I have to have one! :) Thanks for the chance to win, and for sharing on MCM!

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  6. I love that you made the trunk of the tree in a contrast- looks lovely! Leaning to piece curves is one of my goals for this year-- and I love the Spring Fling and Cupcakes patterns. Thank you!

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  7. The fun poinsettia is my favorite. 24Tangent@gmail.com

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  8. I'm thinking Spring Fling is my favourite free pattern but I do like your trees and theirs as well.

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  9. I love the cupcakes pattern x

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  10. I like chic stars pretty much. Guess that's a nice idea for a quick finish table runner in between kingsize quilts... :D

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  11. Very cute!!! I shy away from curves but this looks easy!

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  12. The mini ruler has been calling my name ... My favorite among the free patterns is Spring Fling ... although I live those trees, too.

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  13. My favorite free pattern from Sew Kind of Wonderful is the Fun Poinsettia. I tried to make a table runner with a similar pattern in December. I had no idea that there were different Drunkard's Path templates and mine came out looking completely different! It was still a pretty table runner, but it sure wasn't poinsettias!

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  14. So hard to pick a favorite pattern! lol Think the Sprimg Flong looks amazing...but looove the Cupcakes too! :) What a coooool template/ruler! Would love to win..thanks for the chance!

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  15. I like the poinsettia pattern.

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  16. The trees are very pretty but I love the Bears.

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  17. The poinsettia pattern is lovely. Your trees and bears turned out really nice. jarvenpa1ne at gmail dot com

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  18. My favorite free pattern is Spring Fling!

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  19. My favorite free pattern is the poinsettia. I do love the larger version of the ruler. It's easy to use.

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  20. Love the Mini Trees and the Spring Fling patterns. Thanks for pointing out the free patterns, haven't seen those before!

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  21. I like the poinsettia pattern, and of course the tree, which I think I already have saved to my computer for a while now. Thanks for the opportunity to win!

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  22. I love and have downloaded the Poinsettia pattern. I haven't made it yet but it is lovely. Thank you for the giveaway.

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  23. Hi! I love your curve trees and bears! That ruler is on my wish list and I would be very happy wo win! Thank you for sharing! x Teje
    nerospost(at)gmail(dot)com

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  24. I would like to make the pattern Cup Cakes!

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  25. Trees are for all seasons and yours look fabulous. The bears are adorable too! Matching pillows with the bear twins? It's going to be such a great quilt :)

    -Soma

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  26. I really like the twisted blossom tutorial. Thanks for the chance to win!

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  27. I would like toe try the cupcakes block. Thanks for the chance to win!

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  28. I love the Chic Stars pattern.
    jen dot barnard at btinternet dot com

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  29. I think your twin bear blocks should go in the quilt: they are so cute! Maybe one on each side of the golden bear?

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    Replies
    1. And to add to my above post: I love the pineapples AND the pumpkins patterns! So cute!!! :-)

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  30. Thanks for sharing....I already have the original ruler and several patterns from Some Kind of Wonderful...my first and long time favourite is the Metro Rings. I have had those trees pinned for some time now but I didn't think to look for them on Pinterest. I am now following them and...you. thanks for sharing this fab giveaway.

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