Indigo and Lace Progress

I have been working on the Indigo and Lace quilt.  It is going together so easily.  All the measurements are almost all perfect!  My quarter-inch seams are getting more and more exact.  Thanks to my painter's tape!  I just have the borders to do now.  Here's how it looks so far:

Panels, cut and arranged

Sashings, Corners and Center added

This quilt will be my largest yet, the finishing measurements will be 104 x 104, unless I shorten up the last border with  I think is 8 inches.  I might make it 6", then it would be 100 x 100.  Not sure.  I don't have a floor space big enough for it.  I had this problem with the MoonGlow.  I'll have to think about this one!

I also thought I would share with you my 4 favorite sewing tools.  In no particular order, the first is my 4 inch ruler/needle guide for quarter inch seams.

I use this ruler every day, multiple times.  It's a short ruler, and lots of times that's all you need.  It also has a tiny hole that you drop your sewing machine needle down into, drop the pressure foot on top of it, and the edge shows a scant quarter inch.  I mark that edge on my sewing machine with my second favorite tool!  The painters' tape.

A roll of painters tape is cheap, and it doesn't leave sticky residue on your sewing machine.  I cut a little strip across the width of the tape and mark my quarter inch seam line.  I guide the fabric along this line and this has improved my accuracy 100%.  I HIGHLY recommend this method.  Used with the little ruler above, it's foolproof!

My third favorite tool is my CORDLESS iron.

I LOVE this iron!  There is no cord to get in the way or tangle up in the fabrics.  It stays hot, steams well, and it's pretty besides!  It does have an auto off time of only 10 minutes, which is probably the only thing I don't like about it.  I'd like it to be longer, maybe @ half hour.  But it only take 30 seconds or more to heat up, so I can't complain too much.  Panasonic makes it, and it cost about $65.  Well worth it to me!

My fourth and last favorite too is not one I use often, but when I do, I'm always thrilled I have it.  It's a strip cutter. 

The strip cutter is a 12 x 12 inch cutting guide that has slits every half inch.  You lay it over your fabric, insert your rotary cutter in a slot at the bottom, and zip!  You cut upward in one stroke.  Then move your cutter to the next slot, and zip off your next strip.  It cuts strips so accurately and quickly.  My indigo and lace needed 65 or so one-inch strips, WOF.  This strip cutter was a jewel and the job was done in a flash.   I can cut 4 layers of fabric at a time, so one WOF in a single stroke.  No measuring, no slipping,  I love this tool!

So, there you go, a few of my favorite things!