My brother and his wife Morgan got married on July 2nd of this year.  They conceived a child approximately 7 to 10 days later, but that is beside the point (of this post)!  As a quilter, I see milestones such as weddings (and pregnancy announcements/births) as opportunities… for myself!  I can be pretty self-centered [...]]]>

My brother and his wife Morgan got married on July 2nd of this year.  They conceived a child approximately 7 to 10 days later, but that is beside the point (of this post)!  As a quilter, I see milestones such as weddings (and pregnancy announcements/births) as opportunities… for myself!  I can be pretty self-centered – in a giving way? – about life events.  Quilts, quilts, quilts!  In related news, I’m a nerd-bomber.

I remember as a new quilter over six years ago, getting a free “Jacob’s Ladder” quilt pattern, and saving it, thinking it’d be a perfect quilt for when Jacob got married.  He would have been 19 at the time.  I was planning ahead! 

I didn’t forget about the Jacob’s Ladder pattern, I just didn’t think it was special enough for the wedding quilt.  I found a pattern that I did like in an issue of Fons and Porter’s Love of Quilting magazine called China Girl, which is a more modern take on the very traditional Double Wedding Ring quilt (here’s an example).  I followed the basic block directions but I changed the size and layout as far as the border is concerned.  I should have kept better notes, but this quilt finished in the 80ish” square size.  Which, seeing the quilt spread out on my kitchen floor (above), makes me excited because that means in the future I’ll have room to baste an even bigger quilt on my new kitchen floor!  I had to go to my in-laws’ house to baste this quilt because I didn’t have 80 square inches of floor space at the old house.  And hopefully someday I won’t have to worry about that nasty floor-basting business because I’ll have a long-arm quilting machine.  Ahhhh, someday.

Morgie’s sister was very helpful in suggesting colors she thought Morgan would like and that really helped; I started planning the quilt and buying fabric in March.  I started cutting the fabric just before a quilting/crafting retreat.  I spent the entire retreat sewing tiny pieces together and by the end of the weekend retreat, my quilting friends still had no idea what the final quilt would look like, that’s how little progress it appeared that I had made.  But even tiny pieces when sewn together make bigger and bigger pieces until finally blocks were constructed and the quilt top was done.

Then, as I mentioned, I basted the quilt and began the quilting process in the basement of my in-laws’ house.  I would drag all of the kids there and hope that they would play nicely while I could get some quilting done.  It took a lot of those trips to complete the job, but it paid off… the quilt was done before the wedding.  In true “me” style, I was clipping threads and snapping a few quick pictures on the way out the door to the rehearsal dinner.

Here are some close-up pictures I took just recently when I borrowed the quilt to take it to another quilting retreat… this time for show & tell. =)

(back of the quilt)

Hey, kids!  Do you remember this quilt?  To catch up on this project, check out the intro and Block A.

Today we’ll be tackling Block B.  Here she is:

This block consists of three different units:

So, the first black square should be cut at 3 1/2” x 3 1/2”.  That’s the [...]]]>

Hey, kids!  Do you remember this quilt?  To catch up on this project, check out the intro and Block A.

Today we’ll be tackling Block B.  Here she is:

This block consists of three different units:

So, the first black square should be cut at 3 1/2” x 3 1/2”.  That’s the easy one.  There is one black square in every Block B, that means you’ll need 8 since there are 8 of Block B in this quilt.

Now, the black & white half-square triangles (HST) – this will be a repeat from the instructions given for Block A, since they are the exact same unit:

Scrappy look:  (finished unit size) 3 + 7/8” (constant) = 3 7/8”.  I cut 3 7/8” squares of each fabric (in the example above it would be black & white fabrics) and then cut each of the squares in half diagonally from corner to corner.  Then all you would need to do is sew together two triangles (one white and one black) along the diagonal (bias) using a 1/4” seam, press it to the darker fabric and you will end up with a 3 1/2” HST unit.

Two fabrics only: If using only two fabrics, I would have made my HST units according to these directions I posted some time ago: making half-square triangles.  Because this method will crank out 8 HST units at a time, it is faster and more accurate than the “add a 7/8 inch” method.

You will need four black & white HST units for each Block B times 8 blocks in quilt = 32 needed.

Lastly, the green & white unit:

Scrappy look: cut a green rectangle 3 1/2” x 2” and a white rectangle 3 1/2” x 2”.  Sew the two patches of fabric together along the long sides using a 1/4” seam.  Press toward the green fabric.

Two fabrics only: from fabric yardage, cut a 2” strip selvedge to selvedge of each the green and white fabrics.  Along the long edges, sew the strips together right-sides facing using a 1/4” seam.  Open the strip set pressing toward the green fabric.  Sub-cut the strip set into 3 1/2” widths, which will yield 3 1/2” squares. 

There are four of these units needed for each Block B, which means you’ll need a total of 32 for the entire quilt.

Lay out the units to make the block, sew the units into rows, and then sew the rows together to complete the block.  Repeat the process for the other 7 Block B blocks.

Once all Block A blocks and Block B blocks are completed, assemble the quilt top as shown above.  Use this tutorial for help: sewing together a quilt top.

The white fabric is all the same and it has a subtle white-on-white, loop-de-loop print, [...]]]> Here’s the quilt I made recently for our cousins who had a baby earlier this year.  This baby boy, Daniel, has such blue eyes, that I took those baby blues as my inspiration for this quilt.

The white fabric is all the same and it has a subtle white-on-white, loop-de-loop print, which I took as the inspiration for the quilting.  The blues fabrics, well, the blues are just a little bit of everything I had.  Some new fabrics I’d never used, some were left over from other projects.  If it was blue and in my stash, it went into the quilt.  I separated the blues into light and dark and then used the lighter fabrics as the medium and the darker fabric, well, for the darks.  Here’s the layout I came up with in grayscale:

It produces such a graphic look, huh?  Very bold and very blue = very boy.

Today I’m going to explain how to make Block A for the quilt.  But first, let’s have a refresher.  This is the quilt we’re making:

And this is Block A:

The blocks for this quilt all [...]]]> I’ve named the quilt pattern.   It shall be now and forevermore be known as the Color Splash pattern.

Today I’m going to explain how to make Block A for the quilt.  But first, let’s have a refresher.  This is the quilt we’re making:

And this is Block A:

The blocks for this quilt all finish at 9” square.

I’m going to be writing this pattern (and hopefully others in the future) in the manner I go about making my own quilts.  This is a glimpse into my brain, friends.  But, if I’ve learned anything from quilting, it is that there are several ways to go about doing and making essentially the same thing. 

Block A consists of 3 different units.  They are:

I will call these the black square, the green square and the black & white half-square triangle (HST).  Easy right?

These units all have to be 3 1/2” x 3 1/2” before being sewn.  By they way, all sewing is done with a 1/4” seam.

The black and green squares will simply need to be cut at that size: 3 1/2” x 3 1/2”.

If you have fabric yardage, it’s easiest to cut a 3 1/2” wide strip from selvedge to selvedge.  Once you’ve done that, cut the strip into 3 1/2” squares. 

There are 8 Block A blocks in this quilt, and 4 black squares to a block, which makes 32 black 3 1/2” squares total for Block A.  Try saying that 3 times fast!

There is only one green 3 1/2” square needed for Block A, so 8 total for all of the Block A blocks in this quilt.

Now for the black & white HST units…

When I made my version of this quilt in blues, I wanted to use lots of my leftover fabrics that had gone into different projects to make for a very scrappy look.  I used this formula for cutting my HST units:  (finished unit size) 3 + 7/8” (constant) = 3 7/8”.  I cut 3 7/8” squares of each fabric (in the example above it would be black & white fabrics) and then cut each of the squares in half diagonally from corner to corner.  Then all you would need to do is sew together two triangles (one white and one black) along the diagonal (bias) using a 1/4” seam, press it to the darker fabric and you will end up with a 3 1/2” HST unit. 

But, if I didn’t want a scrappy look for the quilt and only wanted to use two fabrics, I would have made my HST units according to these directions I posted some time ago: making half-square triangles.  Why?  Because this method will crank out 8 HST units at a time, faster and more accurately than in the “add a 7/8 inch” method.

I hope that wasn’t confusing.  It depends on the look you are going for.  Using up scraps is sometimes more labor intensive because you’re not using a large quantity of each fabric and can’t apply time-saving techniques as easily.  Think about handling 30 different fabrics for 30 units as opposed to 2 fabrics for the same 30 units.  Get it?  Got it?  Good!

Where were we?  Oh, yes, we’ll need 4 black & white HST units for each Block A block, making 32 total needed for all of the Block A blocks.

Once I have all the units (black squares, green squares and black & white HSTs) ready to go, I lay out the units to make the block and then sew the units into rows, and then sew the rows together to complete the block.  Repeat the process for the other 7 Block A blocks. 

Also, if you make all 8 blocks at the same time, use chain-piecing whenever applicable to speed the process along.  One more thing, placement of the HST units is critical, so pay special attention to which color should be positioned where.  In this block, the white triangle within the HST units should be “pointing” inward toward the green square. 

Next up (probably next week) we’ll tackle Block B.  Hope to see you there!

Today I wanted to share a quilt I recently completed (actual pictures of the finished quilt are coming soon) that was fun, easy to make, and allowed me to use up a lot of different fabrics left over from other projects. 

It seems as though in a down economy [...]]]> Any quilters out there?  Hello?

Today I wanted to share a quilt I recently completed (actual pictures of the finished quilt are coming soon) that was fun, easy to make, and allowed me to use up a lot of different fabrics left over from other projects. 

It seems as though in a down economy like the one we’re experiencing now, the practical, hip, chic thing to do is use what you’ve got rather than buying new.  You could call it repurposing or recycling, for goodness sake.  I just wouldn’t recommend it.  Just kidding!  I highly endorse it. 

It’s easier to show you the plan and fabric placement first in white, grey and black representing light, medium and dark fabrics respectively.

I promise you: this is much cuter with actual fabrics!  Although, if you have lots of black and white fabrics, use ‘em up and add a splash of color!  Like this:

– OR –

Hmmm… do you see the potential there?

I made this quilt for a baby boy and used white fabric as the light patches, lighter blue fabrics for the medium patches and I used darker blue fabrics for my darks.

There are two different blocks in this quilt.  Let’s break it down:

Block A:

Block B:

Both blocks are variations on the traditional Shoo Fly block.

Alternating these two blocks and the color placement of each results is a peppy, vibrant overall look.

As shown in the quilt above, there are 8 of Block A and 8 of Block B.  You could really make the quilt any size your little heart desires, though.  It’s easy peasy!

Tomorrow let’s look at the measurements of each block and cutting instructions.

Are you so excited?!

Here is the quilt I’m currently working on and will be showing you step by step how to make.  I don’t have a name for it yet, but it will be a quilt for a baby boy eventually.

A little background: several months ago before I had my youngest son, I was readying his [...]]]>

Here is the quilt I’m currently working on and will be showing you step by step how to make.  I don’t have a name for it yet, but it will be a quilt for a baby boy eventually.

A little background: several months ago before I had my youngest son, I was readying his nursery room and realized that the baby stuff could not co-exist in the same small room with the sewing stuff.  The baby stuff won out and all of my sewing stuff went into a closet at my in-laws’ house, packed away by my husband.

As I was preparing to test the sewing machine I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I realized that I didn’t have any scrap fabric with which to sew.  I made a mad dash out to my in-laws’ house to retrieve some basic sewing supplies.  I was rushing around because my infant son would need to eat soon… I was on borrowed time.  I opened the closet and saw all my sewing stuff haphazardly placed.  There were storage containers against one of the walls, but in order to reach them I would first need to move a chair, design wall, sewing machine cabinet, and tv out of the way.

I reached the bins of stored fabric and started pulling out various yardages of various fabrics here and there.  I’d forgotten what exactly I had and where it’d been placed, so I just made my way through two of the bins and gave up trying to reach the rest.

The next day I came up with a plan to make a small quilt while checking out the machine.  I wanted the quilt to be very simple to piece, but also to incorporate all the fabrics I quickly threw together.

The quilt pictured is a one-block quilt: a repeated snowball block.  It’s very easy to construct.

First, with the background fabric (light sage green floral print), cut 4 strips 9 1/2” wide.

Sub-cut each of the four 9 1/2” wide strips into four – 9 1/2” squares, yielding 16 total 9 1/2” squares.

Next, cut a total of 8 strips 3 1/2” wide from contrasting fabric yardage.  These will result in the darker colored triangles arranged to form larger diamond shapes across the quilt top.

Sub-cut each full length strip into 3 1/2” squares.  Each strip will yield eight 3 1/2” squares for a grand total of 64 – 3 1/2” squares in various fabrics.

On the back side of each 3 1/2” squares, draw a diagonal line from corner to corner, as shown here:

We’re ready to sew already!

Align a small square (right-sides of the fabrics together) to any corner of the larger 9 1/2” square, making sure outer edges are aligned and that the diagonal line is not positioned into the corner.  Look closely at the above photo to see the diagonal line mark, notice it’s direction.

Next, you will sew on the drawn line, just as shown in the photo above.  Chain piece to do the same to all 16 of the large squares.  Here’s my nice little stack:

Next step: trim the excess fabric.  I positioned my rotary ruler 1/4” from the sewn line on the side of the line closest to the outer edges.

And then cut!

Set the seam by placing the iron on top of the seam.

Open the seam and press it, like this:

Ta-da!  Now start that process over again with another fabric square in another corner.  Basically, you’ll eventually “replace” all of the corners on the large square with a contrasting fabric.

Sew along the drawn line again… then chop off the excess fabric leaving a 1/4” seam allowance.

And press open.

You’re not done, so get going with the other corners… then you can stop.

Once all of your new corners are on, you’ve got your completed snowball block.

I then arranged the 16 blocks of the floor, making sure that none of the same color of contrasting fabric triangles were directly next to each other.

And that’s it!

The blocks shown above are not sewn into a quilt top yet.  It’ll look a little better once it’s all sewn together.  It’ll look even better still when it’s quilted.

Easy enough?  Send a comment if you have a question – I’d love to help!

I gasped because it looked [...]]]> In yesterday’s mail, I received a Connecting Threads catalog.  I love this catalog, although I haven’t ordered anything from it yet.  I just like to look at the quilts, fabrics, books, accessories, etc.  Right before bed I was leafing through the pages, and gasped when I saw this quilt:

I gasped because it looked so similar to a quilt I designed a couple of years ago for my friend Alison.  Here’s that quilt from my design software:

And here’s an actual photo of the quilt, although it doesn’t show the full layout:

There are several small differences between my quilt and the quilt offered as a kit in the Connecting Threads magazine, but that’s just it, the differences are VERY small.

I’m sure it’s only a coincidence.  We quilters try to create new quilts using some of the oldest blocks and patches out there, aren’t we bound to come up with similar layouts from time to time?

A good thing I’m taking from this:  Maybe my quilt designs are on par with the professionals and would be marketable!