Thursday, September 11, 2014

How I Blocked It!

Grab your coffee, we could be here awhile!
What I use.
My home made hinged portable design board.
(many styles can be found all over the web).


Portable design wall when open. 
(I made 23 of these for our retreat one year--I know CRAZY!)



I found this little gem of a
 tool while looking for my husbands metal square.
It is a Laser Level & Square.
(OK- Go check his tool box~ I will wait!)

So now his is OURS and it lives in the sewing room and hubby can barrow whenever he wants!

 This can be found in any hardware store!




Painters tape & a tape measure is a must!


Water bottle to spritz!





Allot of 
T~Pin's




























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Onto The Blocking


There are many ways to Block, just look around the web!
I am not claiming that this is the right way.
Its just my way!
This post has most of the steps I use when blocking.


My board is normally a mess well loved so 
I start with a quick vacuum.
Tape sticks much better this way!
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The most important thing is the numbers!
The center of the quilt width and the length.



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Lay your tape out according to those numbers.
I start with the laser square in one corner and
 start with the tape there.

You can see where I laid the tape on the bottom left.
And the tape on the right.
(the quilt is serving no purpose but just laying there)


                 Taped to be the exact measurement numbers. 



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When board is taped on all four sides.
I then take the quilt (not the board) and submerge it in the tub or sink and have a spritz water bottle to help if more water is needed.
If the quilt has allot of bias it can be very uneven as this one is.

The wetter the better!







As you can see this quilt is WAY OFF!


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Start by anchoring a corner and every few inches working your way down the sides. All awhile inserting the T pins as you are lining the edge up with the tape.





As you pin along--you will be putting pins in much closer.
 About every 1/2 to 3/4's inch apart.


~Word for the faint hearted~
You may produce a faint sweat when pulling and tugging but this will not constitute a cardio work! 
Fitness Pal has no calorie count listed anywhere for Blocking!
I LOOKED!!


And rest assure that if you quilt the heck out of things, 
as I do, it will not rip doing this process!
Unless you are too far off!



(Sorry so dark)
I have found, that if the quilts fits on the portable design wall I can lay it on top of my longarm, under the fan, over night 
(could be on chairs too). 
This usually is dried by the morning.




                                

Tips!
If you iron, never ever--ever--ever use steam after it has been blocked unless you 
want to Block it again or just don't care to have a square piece.
(I never block a bed quilt!)

Also that means it can not go in the wash. 
You just have to do the old broom-wack cleaning method!

If you are blocking a quilt that was in a swap, such as this one. 
Remember not all colors are created equal some might run!



Other than that--it is really quit simple and lets people
think you are a Highfalutin Professional!
Cause we all know you are!





All Done!











If you want the full story on this quilt you can
 read yesterdays post
Here!





Also today is another day of
"See You In September" blog hop!
Here is the line-up

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