Cathedral Windows slideshow link

Yes, this is "our" Julia. Very good slide show! I had no idea how complicated the process is to make a cathedral window.

That's a nice demo to which I say......"No way, Jose!" We had someone in our guild demo cathedral windows a few years back and right then I knew it wasn't something I would ever attempt. I'm glad there are those who do like to do them though. Everyone has different preferences. That block just isn't one of mine.

I saw an interesting method on Simply Quilts once...by a gal who'd written a book on making the cath. windows by machine. It looked so confusing !....But either way I do not think I'll ever make any---even though my mom always wanted me to make one...she loved that style quilt.

I went to a class, once, on doing Cathedral windows by machine. I don't know if this was the same method; but - confusing? Totally. I disliked it, but thought I had better finish it. Went back to it after a couple of weeks and couldn't figure out a thing. 'Fraid that experiment went in the bin. There's another one heading that way, too, as soon as I find it again >g<

Real Cathedral windows I do like. I couldn't do a whole quilt, though. . In message , MB writes

it may have been Shelley Swanland - she did a book and several patterns like that, using a machine technique. I watched her demo it at a show, didn't get a pattern [she had several] but got one later.

Watching the link from the first post, I really liked the music, but it seemed the technique was a lot more than I remember learning 20 yrs ago. Somewhere in my boxes is a CW piece I started that has a Celtic design in the middle, surrounded with a border of CW, done in shades of burgundy. Will have to finish that some day.

G> I saw an interesting method on Simply Quilts once...by a gal who'd written > a book on

That was my feeling too Ginger? I don't remember seaming the divisions? I thought they were just folded and pressed? Maybe there are several methods, though. . In message , Ginger in CA writes

Are most cathedral blocks made four at a time? I think the demo I saw was for just one window.

Yes, Kathyl. You might have seen a demo for Secret Garden? a simplified version of CW; though even that, I think requires multiple 'bases' - the framing parts - just not so much folding. The reason is that you need the bias folds to be coming away from their own block onto the centrepiece, along with three other bias folds from three other directions. You *could* do a similar sort of thing with one of Jennie Rayment's manipulation techniques where you cut five equal squares (four of the same fabric, one different), fold four of them in half along the diagonal; place one folded square on each corner of the fifth square; roll back the folded bias edge for all the corners in sequence, to reveal the fabric of the fifth square. (You need to tack all the free corners of the folded squares to the base square, before you start rolling back).

This doesn't look at all like CW, but the principal of rolled back bias and contrasting fabric is similar. . In message , KJ writes

I've only seen written directions before and couldn't wrap my head around the process. I just got confused by all the folding an flipping that had to be done before sewing. I am a visual person so written directions just weren't enough. Thanks for the link. Debra in VA See my quilts at