I'm a bit of a sucker for drunkard path units of late. I've made a couple of quilt tops using them now. I have the help of my trusty Ellison die cut machine which is not so fancy as the Accuquilt but having had it over 10 years now I can tell you its very reliable.
My dining room today!
I use steel dies just like the Accuquilt but I have to pull a lever rather than wind a roller. Now the slightly disturbing thing is that I have worn one of my dies out. My poor 4.5" drunkard path die has near enough given up the ghost and its edges are a trifle dull now. It still cuts accurately but not as easily and I now have biceps 1" bigger than a decade ago (ok it was worth a shot blaming a piece of equipment instead of the cake tin!) Fortunately it played nicely for the thousands of pieces I have recently cut.
Each little packet has 8 sets of L's and Pies
(anyone know the official name for DP parts?)
I am teaching at the Quilters Guild of Ireland Conference in Dublin next month with a slightly different class offering. Yes it's a Drunkards Path class using prepared die-cut pieces!
Colours galore
It seems this great idea of mine (said tongue in cheek) has proved very popular and I had a sell out class vey quickly. At the moment I have 15 students with a couple on the waiting list. I'm delighted of course but it did mean someone was going to have to cut the pieces!
Packing the shipping box
Well you'd think with 4 kids knocking around one of them would have leapt at the chance to earn a few bob but NO the miserable bunch had better things to do like sit GCSE's and A'levels for 2 of them. The little-one was too busy donning a jacket and dickie-bow to play Dr Who (again) and the other has been too busy teaching his son to crawl (7 months old and crawling - amazing - what a proud Nanny I am)
So it was down to me.
So with over 5000 pieces cut, stacked and bagged I started packing them to post to Ireland. I can honestly tell you my love affair with the little beauties is wearing thin but not so thin that I didn't start another version on Tuesday last week ....but this time I have hand cut some 7" versions using the BackPorch Acrylic Templates.
5000 pieces, you must look like a body builder.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first visit to your place! I am in awe of your recent cutting achievement!!!!! I have been in love with DP for a very long time and have done only one small lap quilt and several table runners in that pattern. Will be looking forward to seeing some pictures of your students' work! Doreen
ReplyDeleteYou sure have done a lot of cuting. Good luck with your class.
ReplyDeleteElisabeth
That is a LOT of pieces. I hope you'll take pics of the class in action and the blocks the students make.
ReplyDeleteOMG You are nuts!!! Always suspected it but now you have just confirmed it. Let's hope you have a good class and it was all worth it!
ReplyDeleteLOL I think Emma summed it all up! Good luck with the class, and yes, we want to see pictures of students and blocks :)
ReplyDeleteApparently you can sharpen blunt dies by stamping through several layers of tinfoil (aluminum foil). It might be worth a try before binning the DP die
ReplyDeleteI love the fabric! Violet Blossom is my favourite, all gorgeous though! Thanks for a brilliant class on Friday, I really enjoyed it, see you soon!
ReplyDelete