Autumn Love Sew Along - Bee Prepared!!!

Hello Autumn Lovers!!

Today is the "Bee Prepared" 

post before the 

sew along begins next Monday:)

Yippee!!

If you haven't done so yet...

CLICK HERE

to download your free copy of the

 Autumn Love Sew Along Guide.

I talked a little about it last week.

If you missed that post...

CLICK HERE

to read it:)

By now hopefully you have 

your fabric kit and are

 ready to start cutting!

I have found through experience 

that if you cut your kit 

right from the start 

it makes the sew along even more fun!

 Play your favorite tunes or

 watch your latest Netflix binge and cut:)

It's all about enjoying each step 

of our sew along journey.

Working your way through the guide 

is easy ...just go in the order 

that I have outlined for you 

and check off each cut as it's completed.

I love to check things off 

my to do list...don't you?

I have detailed the cutting

 so that you can cut 

every piece of fabric AND also 

know which block that it belongs to:)

Before I began cutting...

I decided to use my 

DYMO Label Maker and 

print out the name of each block.

You can just use a sharpie and

 label plastic bags with

 each block name and add all of the 

pieces as you cut them...

or you can simply add all of the

 pieces to each block on a 

separate design board and 

stack them up after cutting.

*Just a note about cutting strips 

for the bias tape makers.

Some of them need to be 

cut on the bias (meaning diagonal)

 because those strips will need to curve.

The others I just cut what I call

 "Straight Bias"... 

because these strips still 

need to be run through the

 bias tape makers...

 but do not need to curve

 so I do not cut them on the diagonal.

It really would not matter if you did cut them diagonally for other projects

 but it does take more fabric...

 so for my sew along quilts

 with fabric kits I just cut them straight 

if they do NOT need to curve.

The photo above details one of the

 prints that includes both bias cuts and "Straight Bias" cuts.

We will be using those bias strips

 for different blocks here and there throughout the quilt:)

I put my guide in a binder like this.

I like to use the kind that 

you can slip the 

first page on the cover...

And also if it has a pocket inside 

it could come in handy for 

holding the Sew Simple Shapes.

I have also listed how many 

of each shape

 that you will need to

 trace for the quilt...

EASY PEASY!

I designed and included 

this page for notes.

You can print as many of

 this page as you would like:)

I am a list maker and a note taker 

and so I thought y'all might be as well:)

You may want to take a few notes 

about each block as I do the tutorials 

so you have them with you in the binder if you are taking it to a sew day with friends!

Besides the fabric requirements

 for the quilt...

there is a list of 

all supplies needed.

Here are photos of each 

in order that they 

are listed in the guide:

Autumn Love

Sew Simple Shapes

4 1/2" and 10 1/2" Trim-It Rulers

1/4" - 3/8" - 1/2" - 1"

Bias Tape Makers

Clover Point to Point Turner

Bee in my Bonnet 

Sew-In Interfacing

This is a special weave and thickness/thinness that I developed especially to use with my 

Sew Simple Shapes

Bee Happy Aurifil 45 set

 has all of my happy colors to use

 when appliquéing your shapes.

You will of course need matching

thread for each shape.

There is 50 wt thread for 

machine applique and 

80 wt for hand applique.

The Bee Basics 20 set of Aurifloss

 is for embroidery only.

It matches all of 

my fabric colors as well:)

I have used all three of my 

Cute Little Button 

jars here and there 

throughout the quilt.

This is my absolute favorite glue 

to use for basting.

It's by Sue Daley and I

 affectionately call it my "SUE GLUE!"

Sorry that this picture is 

not good but it's super hard 

to photograph rulers:)

These are my Cute Cuts 

rectangle and square rulers 

that I use to cut all of my

 fabric and interfacing:)

I also use my Cute Cuts mats

 for rotary cutting 

and my mini mat when tracing the 

shapes onto the interfacing.

It has just the right amount of 

"non-slip" surface and

 it's smooth for tracing 

and not bumpy like 

fine sandpaper can be.

I use Bee in my Bonnet Design Boards

 for literally every project

 that I cut and sew.

Yes...I know I have a lot

 but I use every one of them!

I always have more than 

one project going at a time:)

I love to cut my blocks and

 place them individually 

on a small design board...

and then stack them up 

where they stay safe and sound 

until I'm ready to sew them.

Pictured is my stack of 10" size 

which I have the most of.

However!...

 I do use several larger size 

for this quilt as well...

for laying out the blocks

 and more importantly...

for pin and glue basting.

I use my Nifty Needles for 

all of my hand sewing needs.

My applique needles are 

very long and very thin which I love.

This is how I get 

nice tiny applique stitches.

If you have a hard time 

threading and using long thin needles

 you may want to use the

 binding or sewing needles instead.

The choice is up to you!

There are plenty of sizes 

in the set to choose from so choose the one best to suit your needs.

For instance...

 the embroidery needles are 

thicker and have a bigger eye and  

are shaped to allow the 

6 strands of Aurifloss to 

glide through fabric smoothly.

I use all of my 

Pretty Pins 

and I use the ones labeled 

"APPLIQUE" 

when I glue baste my shapes.

I am using this print from my 

108" wide 

Bee Backing and Borders Collection

 for the back of my quilt.

I just wanted to show you my 

Seams Sew Easy seam guide 

in case you have not used it.

It comes in handy when 

sewing both the 4" Stars 

and the Harvest Star blocks.

I use my Easy Trace Light Box 

for all of the embroidery patterns.

I love how bright the LED light is 

and how lightweight and thin it is:)

It's a great size too!

Most of the quilt shops that purchase

 my fabric to cut the kits...

also stock these supplies needed 

which makes it very handy to

 purchase in one place!

Please check with them to

 purchase these needed supplies.

If you cannot get them there 

I do have most of them in my 

Busy Bee Etsy Shop

Okay then cute people!!

Now that we have gone over 

everything...

you can Bee Prepared and 

I'm sew excited for next week:)

Join me right here 

first thing Monday morning!

xx

Lori