Before you get started...

Hello fellow Block-of-the-Monthers!

First of all, let me thank you for being crazy enough to tackle the Postcard Quilt.
No doubt you have been receiving strange looks when you show people what it is that you are attempting to create. Let me give you some good news: I have been working on this quilt for 2 months now myself and it is very addictive. I guarantee you are going to have a hard time stopping every month and be begging to receive your next set of fabrics early. I created this blog just for you in the hopes that this would be an easier, more fun and more interactive way to give you your instructions and special notes each month. I will post many pictures as the quilts develop and encourage you to post comments and encourage each other with the progress you make!!

We have people who are participating in the Postcard Quilt right here in Maine and people who are participating at all corners of the country. Most notable participants are Susanne Grant who is all the way out in Seattle (Hi Susanne!!! I miss you so!!!) and Liz Stebbins who is receiving her BOTM all the way in Key Largo, Florida (Let me know if I can deliver your fabrics in person, Liz, especially once it gets to be February!!!).

I have a little "pep talk" prepared for you all: Please remember that this quilt is all about the process. If you speed through it and look for shortcuts it will not be as rewarding as if you take your time and enjoy the different piecing techniques. None of the individual sections of this quilt are "difficult" by themselves, but the bigger picture can be overwhelming. That's why this is such a great block of the month project. I encourage each and every one of you to view the project this way.

Once again, thank you all for participating in this very fun endeavor. I have already had such a good time and we haven't even gotten going yet. So, without further adieu, here are your first official words of wisdom:

• Everyone should have a copy of Quilt Road by Kaffe Fassett and refer to the Postcard Quilt directions for your piecing layout. Read the instructions for the quilt and note that they do NOT recommend "Squaring Up" at any time and they advise you to use steam in your iron. Normally these are quilting no-no's. The call is yours, but be warned about their recommendations so you can make an informed decision. if you have the time, read the introductory sections of the book as well. There are some great comments about the Postcard Quilt as well as some different color variations.

• Each month you will be receiving a small amount of extra fabric, in case of boo-boos. If you truly screw up and need to replace your fabrics, please call me and let me know ASAP, as some of these fabrics are no longer being printed. I have some on reserve here at the store, but if you decide you want them it would be prudent to let me know SOONER rather than LATER.

• I highly recommend setting yourself up with a design wall. This will aid immeasurably in keeping your composition organized. For the first few months the wall does not need to be large. You can use a half yard piece of flannel or something similar.

• Please remember that accurate pinning and ironing are just as important (if not MORE so) than accurate cutting. If you hate to pin and iron, this is not the best project for you, because the only way your quilt will be accurate is if you use pinning and ironing to their best advantage. I always "set" my seam with an iron before pressing the seam allowance. "Setting" the seam means ironing the seam while it is still closed (without ironing to one side or the other, exactly the way it comes off of the sewing machine). I don't know why, but this always helps make things "behave." I also recommend pinning any two seams together that are supposed to match up in the quilt top.

• When marking your templates, use clear template plastic (I recommend plain, not gridded, as it shows the fabric design more clearly). Mark the seam allowance onto your template as well, so you can use it to center interesting parts of the design. When marking my fabrics, I used the small end of an identipen (but any preferred marking tool will do) and drew on the WRONG side of my fabric. I also recommend cutting the template shapes for these first few months by HAND with a pair of scissors, as it is much more accurate that using a rotary cutter. Later on down the road there will be a time for rotary cutting.

• The great thing about Kaffe's fabrics is that they change so much depending on which section you see. Use this to your advantage. If you cut a template shape from the purple section of a purple/turquoise/blue fabric, try the same shape in a turquoise section of that same fabric. Play around and have fun. This way it is possible for all of us to use exactly the same fabrics, but still have our quilts come out looking completely different. Having said that, I will show you exactly what I have done with your fabrics each month and you can certainly follow my lead, but I encourage you to branch out and find your own interesting sections of Kaffe's fabrics as well. You know Kaffe would.

• If some months you think I have gone completely off my rocker and chosen fabrics that don't blend in with your "Cool Blues" or "Hot Reds" just keep in mind that I have a master plan and I'm seeing the big picture of what the final quilts are going to look like. I'm going to try and stay 2 months ahead of you BOTM'ers at all times. If you lose all faith in me, just e-mail or call me and I will show you where we are headed and how certain fabrics tie into the final composition of the quilt. Of course, I am expecting that some of you are going to make your own substitutions every once in a while and that's okay, too.


Alright ladies...

That is all for now. My next post will have words of wisdom for Month #1...

Let's do it!!!

XOXO

Rhea