Olive Branch Summer Games Block 20

Congratulations for hanging in there.  Today will be the last official block in the Summer Games quilt.  Tomorrow I will present the layout and the setting instructions.

Then we will go back to a weekly post/newsletter.  And I will have some time to work on some other burning projects.  I am also toying with moving my normal blog posting date to Fridays.  I will play with it for a couple of months and see how it goes.

There will be two alternate sports blocks -- one will be presented this Friday and the next will be on the following Friday.  You can swap out any of the "sports" blocks you aren't in love with these alternate blocks. 

Olive Branch Block

Today  you will actually be doing 8 blocks, all all applique.  I don't expect you to get them all done in 24 hours.

Seriously -- if you are not into applique, these blocks could be replaced by fabric pieces or even a quilting design.

Olive Branch Block by Kari Schell

Olive Branch Reversed Block by Kari Schell

History:  The olive wreath also known as kotinos (Greek: κότινος), was the prize for the winner at the ancient Olympic Games. It was a branch of the wild olive tree that grew at Olympia, intertwined to form a circle or a horse-shoe.

The olive branch is usually a symbol of peace or victory.  This symbol, deriving from the customs of ancient Greece, is strongest in Western culture. However, it has been found in every culture and religion to thrive in the Mediterranean basin.

Block Construction

There are numerous applique techniques.  You can choose the one you prefer to complete these blocks.  

Here is how I completed my blocks:

• Bias tubes for the stems. 
• Fusible webbing for the leaves.   
• Machine blanket stitch to secure the applique pieces.

There are a couple of products I used that you may find useful.  I do not sell these products -- but am just a fan of them.

Dritz Quick Turn Tubes -- I used the skinny one to turn my bias seams.   (If you wish to see how they work, I found this You Tube video that demonstrates). ​

Dritz Quick Turn Tubes

Click on Photo to be directed to the Soft Fuse website.

Soft Fuse Premium Fusible Web for Applique -- I have had a love/hate (primarily hate) relationship with fusible webbing over the years.  I like the fact that it is fast, but have struggled with the stiffness to the quilt when using many of the fusibles and then there are those that frankly don't work.
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​Years ago, I had decided that Steam a Seam II was my fusible of choice.  And then they stopped selling it -- which meant I was back to the drawing board.  They reintroduced the product, but the reviews weren't good.  

So, I did some online searching and decided to try Soft Fuse Premium.  All I can say is WOW.   I am completely sold on this product.  Fusible adheres to the fabric and not to the paper.  I can run it through my ink jet printer (so no need to trace the design).  Patches are soft and flexible (more like hand applique) and and no gumming the needles of my machine.  

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Click here to purchase and download the block pattern.  Please make sure to verify that you are printing actual size (no scaling).  In your printer options you may need to uncheck "print to page".
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Click here to purchase other block patterns in the series.
  

Drafting the Olive Branch Block in Electric Quilt

Olive Branch Block Drafted in Electric Quilt

Select Block>New Block>Patch Draw Block.

Import the above image for tracing in the Tracing Image tab.

Select the Pick tool to engage the Drawing board set-up 

• Block Width/Height:  14.5 x 6  

Add to Sketchbook.

Drawing Board Set-Up for Olive Branch Quilt

Select the Brush tool.  

Set the Minimum Width and Boldness to 1 x 1.

Using your mouse, drag an arc from beginning to end of stem.  Don't worry if it looks bad.

Using the Brush Stroke in Electric Quilt

Select the Shape tool.  Clicking on the recently drawn line, which will engage the handles.  Move nodes (in the diagram below there is just one and the beginning and one at the end) so they are are on the line.  Move the handles to alter the curve between the nodes.

Adjust the Brush Stroke in Electric Quilt

Select the arrow next to the Oval tool.  In the fly-out box, select the fourth shape.

Drawing Leaves in Electric Quilt

Use your mouse and drag an oval shape from the tip of one of the leaves to the other tip.

Drawing Leaves in Electric Quilt

Select the Shape tool and select one of the arcs on the leaf.  This will engage the handles.  Move the handles to adjust the arc.  Repeat for the other arc.

Drawing Leaves in Electric Quilt

Select the Pick tool and select the Leaf shape.

Select Clone.

Cloning and Moving Applique Shapes in Electric Quilt

Select the Ctrl key on your keyboard and the center of the shape.  Arrows should appear around your shape.  Use your mouse to move one of the corner arrows.  This will rotate the patch.  

To move the entire shape, click and hold on the circle in the center of the shape.  Move it to the new location.

Clone, rotate and move all the leaves into place.

Color.

Add to Sketchbook.

Save.

Rotating and Moving Applique Shapes in Electric Quilt

Happy quilting.

Kari

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