Journey - Clue 2

Welcome to week 2 of our mystery.  How is your Journey going?  Are there days when you feel as though you are going like this:


Or perhaps, more like this:


Well, this week we are going to go down a straight and narrow path.  A direct route to the end of the clue.  No flying --- just driving down the road.  Can you do this?  It's fun and I promise, if I can do it, so can you.  (Psst -- as I went through this step, my grin was bigger with each addition --- so very fun.)



Our clue 2 units look like this ----

Unit 2 - Make 9

Soooooo --- I posted in the group a last month for you to set aside fabric and I reminded again in the first clue.  THIS is where we are going to use it, so now you can make your own decision, but at least you are able to since we came prepared.  For our roads, I just think it would work better if the fabrics were constant.  You are, of course, always able to do whatever makes your heart happy, but at least you have the option.  And with that --- your reminder to PLEASE READ ALL OF THE WORDS before starting the clue.  

Here we go --- the fabrics I chose for my constants are shown below.  We are now going to get cutting.

WOF must be at least 42" usable.  If yours is less, please cut additional strips.

HINT!!!  - I am going to give some "must dos" for this part.  Your choice if you do them, as always.  Take your time and cut straight.  These units WILL be cut later on and if they are not straight, you will be unhappy.

Cutting:
Black - (1) From the piece that was at least 25" WOF - cut 9 - 2 1/2" strips (shown on far right in picture, and (2) From the piece that was at least 15" WOF - cut 9 - 1 1/2" strips (shown on far left in picture)

Neutral - From the piece that was at least 20" WOF - cut 18 - 1" strinps
Red - From the piece that was at least 20" WOF - cut 18 - 1" strips
Gray - From the piece that was at least 30" WOF - cut 18 - 1 1/2" strips

Set the 2 1/2" strips aside for now and let's use the other four stacks that you just cut.

Using a 1/4" STRAIGHT seam, sew one Neutral strip to a black strip.

HINT!!!   SET THE SEAM.  EACH TIME.  Do you know what this means?  Take your iron and press the seam as it is sewn.  This helps to set the stitches and will help keep the piece straight.  THEN, press as directed.  Do this for each addition.

Then we will press the seam one way or the other.  You are making 9 of these strips.  Four will press one direction and 5 will go the other way.  You can decide how.  All up --- All down --- I chose ins and outs which you will see below and which I will share.  For this first one, I pressed to the black and will do so for my first four, the other five will go to the neutral.

At this point - your strip should be 2" wide.

Now, add another neutral strip to the other side of the black.  You will naturally sew the opposite direction from the first seam and this will help to keep your strip straight as well.  Again, I pressed this one to the black and will follow the pattern as above.  You should now measure 2 1/2".

Looks good, right?

A red strip will go next and after it's addition and press to the red (for 4, to the neutral for 5) our measurement should be 3".

The other side receives another red strip as well.

Press in the same manner as the previous red and your measurement is now 3 1/4".  This is making me smile so much.  I LOVE it.

Gray is next --- Add one to the red strip.

It's almost there and we are at 4 1/4".  Press to the gray for the first 4 - to the red for the last 5.

Do you have a 5 1/2" strip now?

Here are my backs, showing to the two different pressing methods.

Continue until you have 9 beautiful WOF strips.  These are so much fun and you are going to LOVE what we do with them, even though it was scary for me.  However, that is enough for this week.  Just put them and the 2 1/2" strips away until next week.  Until then, happy sewing and take a minute to share what you have sewn in our private group.  Here is the LINK.