Well, since I have the Juki I felt I needed to get some Signature quilting thread. It is the one I like, even though it is linty. It is 100% cotton and the purist in me likes that....So I ordered the thread chart/fan deck from Kingsmen Quilting. I used to have all the colors (when I was a longarmer)...but then I gave them away with the machine. Now I only want to order the ones I need, as I need them. ;-)...Yeah, right!! These are the actual threads wrapped around the cards! Yes, I am a thread junkie as well. They are all so pretty....I want one of each!! No....no .....no......maybe next week! Also, the Goodwill had 50% off all clothing today. I'll post pics later of my finds! I am now going to sew the final seam on the fall leaf quilt and cut some small border strips to bring it to 60" wide. More pics later (isn't that why we like blogs???)....Happy Saturday! Oh yeah, another great find at Wal-Mart...Hard Candy lip gloss--smells like cotton candy!
Well, I did convince Alli that she would like to sew all the sandwiches for the pink baby rag quilt. Alli started sewing about a year ago, when she was 8 years old. I started her on my featherweight...she pieced a Christmas quilt out of charm packs. And she learned how to "frog" (rip out) her mistakes. So now she is more accurate, and appropriately critical, of her sewing. She learned that if you are off a little here and there, the whole thing won't come together! OK, here she is at the beginning...notice all the unfinished pieces to the right. And though she is smiling, she thought it would take forever. But she moved up to my machine... By the next evening she was loving the sewing and had all the sandwiches finished. See them all to the left? Next, she arranged all of them on the floor for pinning. I meant to get a pic of that but while I was taking a shower, Buddy decided to get Rebecca's attention by running and playing on all the squares! So when I came out 10 minutes later, the pieces were all a bit wonky. Hmmm..... I thought I'd post up about my featherweight as well. I bought it on Ebay...it is an AE model manufactured in 1937. It was in great shape and runs beautifully. I started Alli on that machine because I have the guide set to 1/4" and it was easier for her to align the fabric to the guide to get the right seam allowance. It has the scroll plate and I made a nifty little bed cover for when it is in the box. Now the box is extra special...I read online that under the black cover was an actual wood box! So I figured I'd strip off the black paper and see what I found. This proved to be a week long nightmare. But in the end, I took off all the paper, outside and inside and refinished the box. The interior panels, on the top and bottom, were remade and covered with brown corduroy. When you open the box, it smells like a garage in the 1930's...it is the best thing about it! Anyhow, it is super cool and well worth the time it took to make it mine....So, today I have to finish the cutest little booty bag for Alli, and piece together the pink rag quilt, and finish up some other assorted stuff. By the way, it was 93 degrees when I walked the dog at 6:00 am ....We have been in the 110+ degree range for weeks now! Ack....
Today I am happy to share with you a tutorial for the Zany ZebraZ quilt block! It is my hope that you will enjoy the use of this free tuto...
July 18, 2010 If you are feeling like you want to cut loose and do a few wonky blocks, maybe this will help you to get started. ;-D The number of pieces of fabric you start with in your stack is equal to the number of blocks you will end with after sewing....I'm using 3 fabrics for the tutorial, but I've used up to 6 or 8 at a time for my own quilts. The chain piecing will make the sewing go faster... You could use this method using any size starter blocks--I used 10" layer cake squares. But you could just as easily use charm squares, or something larger, like fat quarters. First, stack a few squares on your cutting mat. Try to vary the prints in your stack...these prints will end up next to each other in your blocks. Cut a wonky strip from the right and left sides of your stack. Try not to let the narrower end of the strip go below 1" (usually make my narrow end about 1 1/4" wide...and my larger end about 2" to 2 1/2" wide--but anything goes!). Pull them off to each side, keeping them oriented correctly. Now, rotate your cutting mat (or your body) and cut a wonky strip from the top and bottom of your stack (which will now be your left and right). Pull them off to the top and bottom, keeping them oriented correctly. Go back to your original position and cut another wonky strip from the right and left sides of your stack. Pull them off to the sides.... Rotate your cutting mat and cut a wonky strip from the top and bottom of your stack (which will be your left and right again). You should be left with a wonky center piece (an awkward looking quadrilateral). This is just perfect. Push all of your pieces back into the original stack shape. Now we are going to shuffle....Leave the outside four strips as they are. Next, take the top strips from the four middle strips and shuffle them to the bottom. Finally, take top two center pieces and shuffle them to the bottom. You stack of pieces should now look like this.... I place pins into the two horizontal top strips so that during sewing (and ironing) I can remember the proper orientation of the blocks. When I sew, and subsequently iron, I am very careful to note where the pin is to I know where the top of my stack is. You must keep the stack in order or you will end up with some real problems later on when your pieces don't match each other....just guess how I know? LOL.... I chain piece the top and bottom middle pieces to the center piece, using a 1/4" seam.... ** Notice that I offset the two pieces by 1/4" so the edges would line up correctly when ironed...** Now, off to the ironing board--yes, you have to press these before moving on to the next step. I press with the seams going toward the outside of the block, but I doubt it matters. Just be consistent. Take your block back to the cutting table and trim the sides of the block so they align with the center square. They might not be that far off, depending on your piecing, but you want a straight edge to sew your side pieces onto.... Next, attach the left and right middle sides. Watch the orientation of the blocks....trust me. I've sewed things on upside down and ended up spending the evening with Jack, the Seam Ripper.... Go to the iron an press the seams. Return to your cutting mat and trim off the excess at the top and bottom. Don't be alarmed about wasting fabric...it is just a bit. You will now add the top and bottom outside pieces to your wonky blocks. Go to the iron and press again. And back to the cutting board to trim the right and left sides. Don't panic! Finally, sew on the left and right outside pieces. And go back to the ironing board...and press! And trim...see that waste? It is the grand total of all the scraps from all three blocks, all the stages of trimming!! Not as much as you might expect.... There you have it...a wonky block. You would now need to square up your blocks to some standard size (maybe 7 1/2" by 7 1/2") and you could assemble your quilt top. Or you could NOT square up the blocks and add some solid strips around the edges of the block and then square up with a wonky solid border going around. I did something similar to this with my Dream On quilt...I added TWO 2 1/2" strips of white to the sides of each block, and ONE 3 1/2" strip to the top of the block...then squared up my blocks to 10 1/2" (finished size of 10"). White border on only three sides of the block.... When I arranged the blocks on my design floor, I made sure that there was a white strip along all of the edges of the quilt (not a colored block part)....and that no two colored parts touched each other. The blocks appeared to be floating around randomly....but each square is really the same size--but a bit wonky! Cool, huh? Anyhow, I've adapted this with charm squares...only cutting once for the each side and once for the top and bottom. I made little 4 1/2" blocks. You could also just cut perpendicular to the edges of your quilt and get varying width of straighter strips. Very modern and cool. Just do what you want and enjoy it! *** Note: the more cuts you make from the center to the edge, the more fabric you will have to trim off in each round around. Still, don't be alarmed...it is a nominal amount of waste--and worth the effort for the effect! Have fun!
Well, I did convince Alli that she would like to sew all the sandwiches for the pink baby rag quilt. Alli started sewing about a year ago, ...
Who doesn't love pincushions? Essentially every little pincushion has a functional role to play in the sewing room. It valiantly holds onto those sharp finger pricking pins, pin heads, decorative or otherwise pointing upwards so that they are easy to grab hold of when you next need to hold your...
A lot of zaftig ladies rant that they (we) can’t wear pattern because it does not flatter. Well, if you are of that mindset, I hope to prove you wrong with this post. It’s really all about how you rock patterns and (of course) about how you carry yourself. I tend to wear patterns...
July 18, 2010 If you are feeling like you want to cut loose and do a few wonky blocks, maybe this will help you to get started. ;-D The number of pieces of fabric you start with in your stack is equal to the number of blocks you will end with after sewing....I'm using 3 fabrics for the tutorial, but I've used up to 6 or 8 at a time for my own quilts. The chain piecing will make the sewing go faster... You could use this method using any size starter blocks--I used 10" layer cake squares. But you could just as easily use charm squares, or something larger, like fat quarters. First, stack a few squares on your cutting mat. Try to vary the prints in your stack...these prints will end up next to each other in your blocks. Cut a wonky strip from the right and left sides of your stack. Try not to let the narrower end of the strip go below 1" (usually make my narrow end about 1 1/4" wide...and my larger end about 2" to 2 1/2" wide--but anything goes!). Pull them off to each side, keeping them oriented correctly. Now, rotate your cutting mat (or your body) and cut a wonky strip from the top and bottom of your stack (which will now be your left and right). Pull them off to the top and bottom, keeping them oriented correctly. Go back to your original position and cut another wonky strip from the right and left sides of your stack. Pull them off to the sides.... Rotate your cutting mat and cut a wonky strip from the top and bottom of your stack (which will be your left and right again). You should be left with a wonky center piece (an awkward looking quadrilateral). This is just perfect. Push all of your pieces back into the original stack shape. Now we are going to shuffle....Leave the outside four strips as they are. Next, take the top strips from the four middle strips and shuffle them to the bottom. Finally, take top two center pieces and shuffle them to the bottom. You stack of pieces should now look like this.... I place pins into the two horizontal top strips so that during sewing (and ironing) I can remember the proper orientation of the blocks. When I sew, and subsequently iron, I am very careful to note where the pin is to I know where the top of my stack is. You must keep the stack in order or you will end up with some real problems later on when your pieces don't match each other....just guess how I know? LOL.... I chain piece the top and bottom middle pieces to the center piece, using a 1/4" seam.... ** Notice that I offset the two pieces by 1/4" so the edges would line up correctly when ironed...** Now, off to the ironing board--yes, you have to press these before moving on to the next step. I press with the seams going toward the outside of the block, but I doubt it matters. Just be consistent. Take your block back to the cutting table and trim the sides of the block so they align with the center square. They might not be that far off, depending on your piecing, but you want a straight edge to sew your side pieces onto.... Next, attach the left and right middle sides. Watch the orientation of the blocks....trust me. I've sewed things on upside down and ended up spending the evening with Jack, the Seam Ripper.... Go to the iron an press the seams. Return to your cutting mat and trim off the excess at the top and bottom. Don't be alarmed about wasting fabric...it is just a bit. You will now add the top and bottom outside pieces to your wonky blocks. Go to the iron and press again. And back to the cutting board to trim the right and left sides. Don't panic! Finally, sew on the left and right outside pieces. And go back to the ironing board...and press! And trim...see that waste? It is the grand total of all the scraps from all three blocks, all the stages of trimming!! Not as much as you might expect.... There you have it...a wonky block. You would now need to square up your blocks to some standard size (maybe 7 1/2" by 7 1/2") and you could assemble your quilt top. Or you could NOT square up the blocks and add some solid strips around the edges of the block and then square up with a wonky solid border going around. I did something similar to this with my Dream On quilt...I added TWO 2 1/2" strips of white to the sides of each block, and ONE 3 1/2" strip to the top of the block...then squared up my blocks to 10 1/2" (finished size of 10"). White border on only three sides of the block.... When I arranged the blocks on my design floor, I made sure that there was a white strip along all of the edges of the quilt (not a colored block part)....and that no two colored parts touched each other. The blocks appeared to be floating around randomly....but each square is really the same size--but a bit wonky! Cool, huh? Anyhow, I've adapted this with charm squares...only cutting once for the each side and once for the top and bottom. I made little 4 1/2" blocks. You could also just cut perpendicular to the edges of your quilt and get varying width of straighter strips. Very modern and cool. Just do what you want and enjoy it! *** Note: the more cuts you make from the center to the edge, the more fabric you will have to trim off in each round around. Still, don't be alarmed...it is a nominal amount of waste--and worth the effort for the effect! Have fun!
So this EPP is quite distracting. I'll be going on vacation for a week and I'm not taking my Juki--just my EPP. I bought the new book Quilting on the Go and I love it! Apparently there is a blog tour about it....the author's blog is called Life Under Quilts. Check it out if you have a moment... My plan is to make a big star quilt out of my coveted Kaffe fabrics. Of course I didn't have enough, so I bought 25 half yard cuts from Hancock's of Paducah to round out my stash. They haven't arrived yet, but soon....I decided that I had to make some sort of tessellating unit and this is what I came up with ....One star unit with three background diamonds. This unit will fit together with the other units nicely. I need to make 100 of these units! See how they will fit together? If anyone has a better plan, please let me know. I'm just winging it.... I'm working on making the 100 star units before assembling them. I'll show you a pic of my plan later this week....awesome! Anyhow, I need to go pack and get ready for vacation. Happy quilting!
You might have seen some of the cool Zentangle designs on Flickr....or other quilter's blogs (check out this blog....mamacjt). Well, I thought Zentangling might help me pass the time during boring meetings, so I bought a couple of pens and some paper with the intention of getting my "Zen" on....That didn't happen yet. But I figured....Why not make a quilt that looks like a Zentangle design? I searched the internet and found quilters quilting Zentangle designs on the quilts, but not any that actually made a Zentangle quilt. So I've been working on this all week.... Presenting my Zentangle mini-quilt/wall hanging....;-D I've never written a quilt tutorial before, but this basically how I did it. First, I cut a length of freezer paper approximately 25" long and drew the base of the Zentangle design--the outline rectangle and the "strings" inside. I used a medium point felt pen. The approximate dimensions of my design are 15" x 21". Next, I taped the freezer paper design to the table and cut a piece of white fabric the same size and taped the fabric on top of the freezer paper. Using a pencil, I lightly sketched some of the strings from the paper onto the fabric. I didn't trace the whole design (though I guess I could have)....I just made light marks where the pieces would intersect and come together, and some basic guides for when I needed to glue down my pieces later. At this point I made notes on the freezer paper regarding what sort of fabric I wanted for each piece (light, medium or dark). Then I cut out a few pieces from the paper and ironed them onto the appropriate fabric (using a dry iron). Be sure you are accurate when you cut....precision is important!! After they had cooled, I cut out the pieces and began applying them to the white fabric, in their correct positions. I used a spray adhesive on the back of the pieces so that they would be semi-permanently mounted on the white fabric. Do NOT discard the freezer paper templates until you are completely done with the project--you may decided to change some fabric somewhere in your quilt and you will wish for that template again!! Don't ask how I know this....LOL. I continued this process until I had all the pieces adhered to the background fabric. Then I looked at it for two days, made a few changes, and got it ready for the quilting. I "squared up the top" so that there was about 1.5"-2" of white around my Zentangle design. Then I cut a piece of backing fabric and batting (I used white flannel because I didn't want it to be too thick) slightly larger than my quilt top and used a spray adhesive to "baste" it all together. Just a light spray of adhesive to the flannel and my top and backing were stuck in place. I practiced a few different widths of satin stitching until I found the one I was most happy with and began stitching along the original "string" lines on the inside of the Zentangle design (using black thread). Once these were done, I widened the stitch length and stitched around the perimeter of the design. Then I did a little quilting with white thread in the border and applied my binding and a hanging sleeve. I applied small black buttons in the corners to show the dots where normal pen/paper Zentangle designs begin. This was a fun and easy project....I can see where it can be adapted to use more colorful fabrics with the black and whites. Maybe that will be my next project!!!
July 18, 2010 If you are feeling like you want to cut loose and do a few wonky blocks, maybe this will help you to get started. ;-D The number of pieces of fabric you start with in your stack is equal to the number of blocks you will end with after sewing....I'm using 3 fabrics for the tutorial, but I've used up to 6 or 8 at a time for my own quilts. The chain piecing will make the sewing go faster... You could use this method using any size starter blocks--I used 10" layer cake squares. But you could just as easily use charm squares, or something larger, like fat quarters. First, stack a few squares on your cutting mat. Try to vary the prints in your stack...these prints will end up next to each other in your blocks. Cut a wonky strip from the right and left sides of your stack. Try not to let the narrower end of the strip go below 1" (usually make my narrow end about 1 1/4" wide...and my larger end about 2" to 2 1/2" wide--but anything goes!). Pull them off to each side, keeping them oriented correctly. Now, rotate your cutting mat (or your body) and cut a wonky strip from the top and bottom of your stack (which will now be your left and right). Pull them off to the top and bottom, keeping them oriented correctly. Go back to your original position and cut another wonky strip from the right and left sides of your stack. Pull them off to the sides.... Rotate your cutting mat and cut a wonky strip from the top and bottom of your stack (which will be your left and right again). You should be left with a wonky center piece (an awkward looking quadrilateral). This is just perfect. Push all of your pieces back into the original stack shape. Now we are going to shuffle....Leave the outside four strips as they are. Next, take the top strips from the four middle strips and shuffle them to the bottom. Finally, take top two center pieces and shuffle them to the bottom. You stack of pieces should now look like this.... I place pins into the two horizontal top strips so that during sewing (and ironing) I can remember the proper orientation of the blocks. When I sew, and subsequently iron, I am very careful to note where the pin is to I know where the top of my stack is. You must keep the stack in order or you will end up with some real problems later on when your pieces don't match each other....just guess how I know? LOL.... I chain piece the top and bottom middle pieces to the center piece, using a 1/4" seam.... ** Notice that I offset the two pieces by 1/4" so the edges would line up correctly when ironed...** Now, off to the ironing board--yes, you have to press these before moving on to the next step. I press with the seams going toward the outside of the block, but I doubt it matters. Just be consistent. Take your block back to the cutting table and trim the sides of the block so they align with the center square. They might not be that far off, depending on your piecing, but you want a straight edge to sew your side pieces onto.... Next, attach the left and right middle sides. Watch the orientation of the blocks....trust me. I've sewed things on upside down and ended up spending the evening with Jack, the Seam Ripper.... Go to the iron an press the seams. Return to your cutting mat and trim off the excess at the top and bottom. Don't be alarmed about wasting fabric...it is just a bit. You will now add the top and bottom outside pieces to your wonky blocks. Go to the iron and press again. And back to the cutting board to trim the right and left sides. Don't panic! Finally, sew on the left and right outside pieces. And go back to the ironing board...and press! And trim...see that waste? It is the grand total of all the scraps from all three blocks, all the stages of trimming!! Not as much as you might expect.... There you have it...a wonky block. You would now need to square up your blocks to some standard size (maybe 7 1/2" by 7 1/2") and you could assemble your quilt top. Or you could NOT square up the blocks and add some solid strips around the edges of the block and then square up with a wonky solid border going around. I did something similar to this with my Dream On quilt...I added TWO 2 1/2" strips of white to the sides of each block, and ONE 3 1/2" strip to the top of the block...then squared up my blocks to 10 1/2" (finished size of 10"). White border on only three sides of the block.... When I arranged the blocks on my design floor, I made sure that there was a white strip along all of the edges of the quilt (not a colored block part)....and that no two colored parts touched each other. The blocks appeared to be floating around randomly....but each square is really the same size--but a bit wonky! Cool, huh? Anyhow, I've adapted this with charm squares...only cutting once for the each side and once for the top and bottom. I made little 4 1/2" blocks. You could also just cut perpendicular to the edges of your quilt and get varying width of straighter strips. Very modern and cool. Just do what you want and enjoy it! *** Note: the more cuts you make from the center to the edge, the more fabric you will have to trim off in each round around. Still, don't be alarmed...it is a nominal amount of waste--and worth the effort for the effect! Have fun!
July 18, 2010 If you are feeling like you want to cut loose and do a few wonky blocks, maybe this will help you to get started. ;-D The number of pieces of fabric you start with in your stack is equal to the number of blocks you will end with after sewing....I'm using 3 fabrics for the tutorial, but I've used up to 6 or 8 at a time for my own quilts. The chain piecing will make the sewing go faster... You could use this method using any size starter blocks--I used 10" layer cake squares. But you could just as easily use charm squares, or something larger, like fat quarters. First, stack a few squares on your cutting mat. Try to vary the prints in your stack...these prints will end up next to each other in your blocks. Cut a wonky strip from the right and left sides of your stack. Try not to let the narrower end of the strip go below 1" (usually make my narrow end about 1 1/4" wide...and my larger end about 2" to 2 1/2" wide--but anything goes!). Pull them off to each side, keeping them oriented correctly. Now, rotate your cutting mat (or your body) and cut a wonky strip from the top and bottom of your stack (which will now be your left and right). Pull them off to the top and bottom, keeping them oriented correctly. Go back to your original position and cut another wonky strip from the right and left sides of your stack. Pull them off to the sides.... Rotate your cutting mat and cut a wonky strip from the top and bottom of your stack (which will be your left and right again). You should be left with a wonky center piece (an awkward looking quadrilateral). This is just perfect. Push all of your pieces back into the original stack shape. Now we are going to shuffle....Leave the outside four strips as they are. Next, take the top strips from the four middle strips and shuffle them to the bottom. Finally, take top two center pieces and shuffle them to the bottom. You stack of pieces should now look like this.... I place pins into the two horizontal top strips so that during sewing (and ironing) I can remember the proper orientation of the blocks. When I sew, and subsequently iron, I am very careful to note where the pin is to I know where the top of my stack is. You must keep the stack in order or you will end up with some real problems later on when your pieces don't match each other....just guess how I know? LOL.... I chain piece the top and bottom middle pieces to the center piece, using a 1/4" seam.... ** Notice that I offset the two pieces by 1/4" so the edges would line up correctly when ironed...** Now, off to the ironing board--yes, you have to press these before moving on to the next step. I press with the seams going toward the outside of the block, but I doubt it matters. Just be consistent. Take your block back to the cutting table and trim the sides of the block so they align with the center square. They might not be that far off, depending on your piecing, but you want a straight edge to sew your side pieces onto.... Next, attach the left and right middle sides. Watch the orientation of the blocks....trust me. I've sewed things on upside down and ended up spending the evening with Jack, the Seam Ripper.... Go to the iron an press the seams. Return to your cutting mat and trim off the excess at the top and bottom. Don't be alarmed about wasting fabric...it is just a bit. You will now add the top and bottom outside pieces to your wonky blocks. Go to the iron and press again. And back to the cutting board to trim the right and left sides. Don't panic! Finally, sew on the left and right outside pieces. And go back to the ironing board...and press! And trim...see that waste? It is the grand total of all the scraps from all three blocks, all the stages of trimming!! Not as much as you might expect.... There you have it...a wonky block. You would now need to square up your blocks to some standard size (maybe 7 1/2" by 7 1/2") and you could assemble your quilt top. Or you could NOT square up the blocks and add some solid strips around the edges of the block and then square up with a wonky solid border going around. I did something similar to this with my Dream On quilt...I added TWO 2 1/2" strips of white to the sides of each block, and ONE 3 1/2" strip to the top of the block...then squared up my blocks to 10 1/2" (finished size of 10"). White border on only three sides of the block.... When I arranged the blocks on my design floor, I made sure that there was a white strip along all of the edges of the quilt (not a colored block part)....and that no two colored parts touched each other. The blocks appeared to be floating around randomly....but each square is really the same size--but a bit wonky! Cool, huh? Anyhow, I've adapted this with charm squares...only cutting once for the each side and once for the top and bottom. I made little 4 1/2" blocks. You could also just cut perpendicular to the edges of your quilt and get varying width of straighter strips. Very modern and cool. Just do what you want and enjoy it! *** Note: the more cuts you make from the center to the edge, the more fabric you will have to trim off in each round around. Still, don't be alarmed...it is a nominal amount of waste--and worth the effort for the effect! Have fun!
Jo Gatenby expresses her sense of humour in this zany bibs. They're so quick to stitch. Instructions on how to sew the different bibs are included with diagrams - if you wanted to sew your own. Designed by Jo Gatenby [email protected]
I have certain pieces in my wardrobe that I come back to again and again–because I like to be comfy AND look cute–I know–what a revelation. Now that I’m 5 months pregnant, most of these pieces are still my favorites and most still fit because of the ever-handy elastic waists. For each of the items...
These easy sewing projects are great for beginners and experienced crafters alike. Get easy sewing ideas for tote bags, window treatments, decor, and more.
You might have seen some of the cool Zentangle designs on Flickr....or other quilter's blogs (check out this blog....mamacjt). Well, I thoug...
July 18, 2010 If you are feeling like you want to cut loose and do a few wonky blocks, maybe this will help you to get started. ;-D The n...
At times when I’m getting dressed the in morning I start with a really simple outfit (like jeans and a t-shirt) and then I just keep on piling things on top until I achieve a look that’s wild enough for my mood. I started here with jeans and a T–then I added a vintage Hmong...
July 18, 2010 If you are feeling like you want to cut loose and do a few wonky blocks, maybe this will help you to get started. ;-D The number of pieces of fabric you start with in your stack is equal to the number of blocks you will end with after sewing....I'm using 3 fabrics for the tutorial, but I've used up to 6 or 8 at a time for my own quilts. The chain piecing will make the sewing go faster... You could use this method using any size starter blocks--I used 10" layer cake squares. But you could just as easily use charm squares, or something larger, like fat quarters. First, stack a few squares on your cutting mat. Try to vary the prints in your stack...these prints will end up next to each other in your blocks. Cut a wonky strip from the right and left sides of your stack. Try not to let the narrower end of the strip go below 1" (usually make my narrow end about 1 1/4" wide...and my larger end about 2" to 2 1/2" wide--but anything goes!). Pull them off to each side, keeping them oriented correctly. Now, rotate your cutting mat (or your body) and cut a wonky strip from the top and bottom of your stack (which will now be your left and right). Pull them off to the top and bottom, keeping them oriented correctly. Go back to your original position and cut another wonky strip from the right and left sides of your stack. Pull them off to the sides.... Rotate your cutting mat and cut a wonky strip from the top and bottom of your stack (which will be your left and right again). You should be left with a wonky center piece (an awkward looking quadrilateral). This is just perfect. Push all of your pieces back into the original stack shape. Now we are going to shuffle....Leave the outside four strips as they are. Next, take the top strips from the four middle strips and shuffle them to the bottom. Finally, take top two center pieces and shuffle them to the bottom. You stack of pieces should now look like this.... I place pins into the two horizontal top strips so that during sewing (and ironing) I can remember the proper orientation of the blocks. When I sew, and subsequently iron, I am very careful to note where the pin is to I know where the top of my stack is. You must keep the stack in order or you will end up with some real problems later on when your pieces don't match each other....just guess how I know? LOL.... I chain piece the top and bottom middle pieces to the center piece, using a 1/4" seam.... ** Notice that I offset the two pieces by 1/4" so the edges would line up correctly when ironed...** Now, off to the ironing board--yes, you have to press these before moving on to the next step. I press with the seams going toward the outside of the block, but I doubt it matters. Just be consistent. Take your block back to the cutting table and trim the sides of the block so they align with the center square. They might not be that far off, depending on your piecing, but you want a straight edge to sew your side pieces onto.... Next, attach the left and right middle sides. Watch the orientation of the blocks....trust me. I've sewed things on upside down and ended up spending the evening with Jack, the Seam Ripper.... Go to the iron an press the seams. Return to your cutting mat and trim off the excess at the top and bottom. Don't be alarmed about wasting fabric...it is just a bit. You will now add the top and bottom outside pieces to your wonky blocks. Go to the iron and press again. And back to the cutting board to trim the right and left sides. Don't panic! Finally, sew on the left and right outside pieces. And go back to the ironing board...and press! And trim...see that waste? It is the grand total of all the scraps from all three blocks, all the stages of trimming!! Not as much as you might expect.... There you have it...a wonky block. You would now need to square up your blocks to some standard size (maybe 7 1/2" by 7 1/2") and you could assemble your quilt top. Or you could NOT square up the blocks and add some solid strips around the edges of the block and then square up with a wonky solid border going around. I did something similar to this with my Dream On quilt...I added TWO 2 1/2" strips of white to the sides of each block, and ONE 3 1/2" strip to the top of the block...then squared up my blocks to 10 1/2" (finished size of 10"). White border on only three sides of the block.... When I arranged the blocks on my design floor, I made sure that there was a white strip along all of the edges of the quilt (not a colored block part)....and that no two colored parts touched each other. The blocks appeared to be floating around randomly....but each square is really the same size--but a bit wonky! Cool, huh? Anyhow, I've adapted this with charm squares...only cutting once for the each side and once for the top and bottom. I made little 4 1/2" blocks. You could also just cut perpendicular to the edges of your quilt and get varying width of straighter strips. Very modern and cool. Just do what you want and enjoy it! *** Note: the more cuts you make from the center to the edge, the more fabric you will have to trim off in each round around. Still, don't be alarmed...it is a nominal amount of waste--and worth the effort for the effect! Have fun!
July 18, 2010 If you are feeling like you want to cut loose and do a few wonky blocks, maybe this will help you to get started. ;-D The n...
showslow: “krismaryloves - David Bowie by Sister Twisty ”
how gorgeous is this? its the *welcome toran* from jean moss’ new book *great little gifts to knit.* she is such a sweet and zany person and im so happy that she asked me to be a part of her …
So I finally finished piecing the rainbow stars and text print quilt top. Actually, it was done at Christmas but I didn't have a chance to photo it....it measures 48" x 54". It will be a wall hanging in my classroom as soon as I quilt it... And an up-close shot...The text prints were purchased mostly from my LQS Quiltique and some from online shops--Etsy, most likely. The diamonds and hexagons are all 2"--purchased from PaperPieces.com And the next one, an in-progress quilt top...all 2" diamonds and Kaffe fabrics.... I really need to figure out a good way to take pics in the backyard. Or maybe I need to go to the park down the street?? The reality of this shoot was a clothesline strung between a ladder and a palm tree. LOL....I've never even seen a live clothesline before!! It sags....?? Darn it, still working on the photography.... Happy Quilting!
Inspiration and resources for participants in the Solids-Only Tote Challenge. Solid Applique Magic:Fresh and stylish examples... [source] Simple and pretty designs in solid colors of felt. I love that thistle! [source] OMG! So cute, right? Check out Sukan's etsy store for lots more applique inspiration. [source] Another pillow from Sukan's etsy store. It looks a bit like hard boiled eggs to me, but I love the yellow and grey combo. [source] Check out the stitching in the tree trunk and branches. The tutorial shows you how to translate a pencil sketch into applique. Hmmm. . . this looks familiar! [source] From Bric's Margherita collection. I love the color combo and stitching. [source] Jaisalmer Tote This would look good in solids. [source] Sweet and understated. [source] Bold text makes a statement. [source] Oh Fransson is an awesome mega-source of quilting and applique information. Be sure to check it out! [source] designedbyjane etsy shop is full of gorgeous felt applique. With simple french knots and long stitches you can add interest and details to your solids. Keren's applique squares tutorial. Keren's applique circles tutorial. Keren's tips on reverse applique. Rikka's reverse applique tutorial. Rikka's reverse applique gallery. Solid Patchwork Magic: Are you ready to be inspired? From The Purl Bee tutorial included [source] Not done in solids, but the addition of piping and lace trims, not to mention the doilies, really adds interest to a relatively simple design. [source] Fossil Quinn Patchwork foldover clutch. Patchwork stripes are very cool. [source] Diane von Furstenberg Patchwork Haircalf Tote Wicked chevrons, eh? [source] Quilt by Denyse Schmidt Reminds me of a Chuck Close painting. [source] The color pallet and the quilting make this a real eye-catcher. [source] Rectangles can be just as cool as squares. [source] Balenciaga Handbag in Vintage Patchwork Lambskin Monochromatic with zig-zag top-stitching. [source] Amber Gay Original Wonky patches trimmed in black. [source] Linda Suzann Designs Hand-quilted bag. Simple and lovely. [source] Linda Suzann Designs A simple square grid is "amped up" with strategically placed accent squares. [source] 7 For All Mankind Edgemont Tote This herringbone pattern rocks! [source] This would look great in solids as well. [source] The colors, the shape, the design, the cuteness.... Free Tote Patterns and Tutorials: More patterns than you can shake a stick at! The Angela Shoulder bag Tutorial Tote tutorial and reverse applique lesson all-in-one! SOHO Slouch Tote tutorial Skip to my Lou has complied 10 free tote patterns. I love this free pattern from Warehouse Fabrics Inc. Spring Tote Tutorial The Library Tote tutorial Tipnut has compiled 16 free tote patterns. Pam, current challenge participant, Has a great tote tutorial. Keren has compiled her own bag tutorial lists in this post and this post. Not Your Average Totes: Thinking outside the box... [source] Melie Bianco Ethnic Applique Vegan Tote Bag [source] DrikaB Grass Jute Basic Tote [source] Miss Sassy's Tote [source] Unique, eh? [source] Anuk Harvey Tote Not for the faint of heart! [source] Kate Spade Tropical Jezibel Tote [source] Down Home Tote Pattern $7.50 Note the knots in the handles. Cute! [source] lovely shape. [source] Tote by Modalu Tote+Ruffles=Cuteness! [source] Cool handles!
Patty gave me this to quilt two months ago and I'm just getting around to getting it quilted. It was an intimidating quilt because it looked like it took a while and I didn't want to screw it up. Anyhow, I quilted it with the panto Vertigo...It measures about 84" x 84"... UPDATE: this is the pattern info from Patty... The pattern is from the QUILT magazine April/May 2012 issue. The five blocks that make the "X" are easy, the four blocks that make the "+" minus the center are confusing if you do not follow the pattern to the T. The quilt is really amazing in person, I wish I could have gotten a pic of the whole thing...Here is an up-close pic... Anyhow, I hope she likes it! I'm loading a baby quilt tonight to quilt tomorrow, hopefully! Happy quilting to you all...and Happy New Year!
I’ve taught at Empty Spools Seminars at Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California since 2009. That’s ten years of students—and many years I’ve taught two sessions. …
I finally finished the proofing of my new Buttercup pattern! Yeah...here is the cover... And an up close shot...It takes the equivalent of one fat quarter per block so it super easy to buy your fabr
These easy sewing projects are great for beginners and experienced crafters alike. Get easy sewing ideas for tote bags, window treatments, decor, and more.
A lot of zaftig ladies rant that they (we) can’t wear pattern because it does not flatter. Well, if you are of that mindset, I hope to prove you wrong with this post. It’s really all about how you rock patterns and (of course) about how you carry yourself. I tend to wear patterns...
July 18, 2010 If you are feeling like you want to cut loose and do a few wonky blocks, maybe this will help you to get started. ;-D The n...
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July 18, 2010 If you are feeling like you want to cut loose and do a few wonky blocks, maybe this will help you to get started. ;-D The number of pieces of fabric you start with in your stack is equal to the number of blocks you will end with after sewing....I'm using 3 fabrics for the tutorial, but I've used up to 6 or 8 at a time for my own quilts. The chain piecing will make the sewing go faster... You could use this method using any size starter blocks--I used 10" layer cake squares. But you could just as easily use charm squares, or something larger, like fat quarters. First, stack a few squares on your cutting mat. Try to vary the prints in your stack...these prints will end up next to each other in your blocks. Cut a wonky strip from the right and left sides of your stack. Try not to let the narrower end of the strip go below 1" (usually make my narrow end about 1 1/4" wide...and my larger end about 2" to 2 1/2" wide--but anything goes!). Pull them off to each side, keeping them oriented correctly. Now, rotate your cutting mat (or your body) and cut a wonky strip from the top and bottom of your stack (which will now be your left and right). Pull them off to the top and bottom, keeping them oriented correctly. Go back to your original position and cut another wonky strip from the right and left sides of your stack. Pull them off to the sides.... Rotate your cutting mat and cut a wonky strip from the top and bottom of your stack (which will be your left and right again). You should be left with a wonky center piece (an awkward looking quadrilateral). This is just perfect. Push all of your pieces back into the original stack shape. Now we are going to shuffle....Leave the outside four strips as they are. Next, take the top strips from the four middle strips and shuffle them to the bottom. Finally, take top two center pieces and shuffle them to the bottom. You stack of pieces should now look like this.... I place pins into the two horizontal top strips so that during sewing (and ironing) I can remember the proper orientation of the blocks. When I sew, and subsequently iron, I am very careful to note where the pin is to I know where the top of my stack is. You must keep the stack in order or you will end up with some real problems later on when your pieces don't match each other....just guess how I know? LOL.... I chain piece the top and bottom middle pieces to the center piece, using a 1/4" seam.... ** Notice that I offset the two pieces by 1/4" so the edges would line up correctly when ironed...** Now, off to the ironing board--yes, you have to press these before moving on to the next step. I press with the seams going toward the outside of the block, but I doubt it matters. Just be consistent. Take your block back to the cutting table and trim the sides of the block so they align with the center square. They might not be that far off, depending on your piecing, but you want a straight edge to sew your side pieces onto.... Next, attach the left and right middle sides. Watch the orientation of the blocks....trust me. I've sewed things on upside down and ended up spending the evening with Jack, the Seam Ripper.... Go to the iron an press the seams. Return to your cutting mat and trim off the excess at the top and bottom. Don't be alarmed about wasting fabric...it is just a bit. You will now add the top and bottom outside pieces to your wonky blocks. Go to the iron and press again. And back to the cutting board to trim the right and left sides. Don't panic! Finally, sew on the left and right outside pieces. And go back to the ironing board...and press! And trim...see that waste? It is the grand total of all the scraps from all three blocks, all the stages of trimming!! Not as much as you might expect.... There you have it...a wonky block. You would now need to square up your blocks to some standard size (maybe 7 1/2" by 7 1/2") and you could assemble your quilt top. Or you could NOT square up the blocks and add some solid strips around the edges of the block and then square up with a wonky solid border going around. I did something similar to this with my Dream On quilt...I added TWO 2 1/2" strips of white to the sides of each block, and ONE 3 1/2" strip to the top of the block...then squared up my blocks to 10 1/2" (finished size of 10"). White border on only three sides of the block.... When I arranged the blocks on my design floor, I made sure that there was a white strip along all of the edges of the quilt (not a colored block part)....and that no two colored parts touched each other. The blocks appeared to be floating around randomly....but each square is really the same size--but a bit wonky! Cool, huh? Anyhow, I've adapted this with charm squares...only cutting once for the each side and once for the top and bottom. I made little 4 1/2" blocks. You could also just cut perpendicular to the edges of your quilt and get varying width of straighter strips. Very modern and cool. Just do what you want and enjoy it! *** Note: the more cuts you make from the center to the edge, the more fabric you will have to trim off in each round around. Still, don't be alarmed...it is a nominal amount of waste--and worth the effort for the effect! Have fun!
July 18, 2010 If you are feeling like you want to cut loose and do a few wonky blocks, maybe this will help you to get started. ;-D The number of pieces of fabric you start with in your stack is equal to the number of blocks you will end with after sewing....I'm using 3 fabrics for the tutorial, but I've used up to 6 or 8 at a time for my own quilts. The chain piecing will make the sewing go faster... You could use this method using any size starter blocks--I used 10" layer cake squares. But you could just as easily use charm squares, or something larger, like fat quarters. First, stack a few squares on your cutting mat. Try to vary the prints in your stack...these prints will end up next to each other in your blocks. Cut a wonky strip from the right and left sides of your stack. Try not to let the narrower end of the strip go below 1" (usually make my narrow end about 1 1/4" wide...and my larger end about 2" to 2 1/2" wide--but anything goes!). Pull them off to each side, keeping them oriented correctly. Now, rotate your cutting mat (or your body) and cut a wonky strip from the top and bottom of your stack (which will now be your left and right). Pull them off to the top and bottom, keeping them oriented correctly. Go back to your original position and cut another wonky strip from the right and left sides of your stack. Pull them off to the sides.... Rotate your cutting mat and cut a wonky strip from the top and bottom of your stack (which will be your left and right again). You should be left with a wonky center piece (an awkward looking quadrilateral). This is just perfect. Push all of your pieces back into the original stack shape. Now we are going to shuffle....Leave the outside four strips as they are. Next, take the top strips from the four middle strips and shuffle them to the bottom. Finally, take top two center pieces and shuffle them to the bottom. You stack of pieces should now look like this.... I place pins into the two horizontal top strips so that during sewing (and ironing) I can remember the proper orientation of the blocks. When I sew, and subsequently iron, I am very careful to note where the pin is to I know where the top of my stack is. You must keep the stack in order or you will end up with some real problems later on when your pieces don't match each other....just guess how I know? LOL.... I chain piece the top and bottom middle pieces to the center piece, using a 1/4" seam.... ** Notice that I offset the two pieces by 1/4" so the edges would line up correctly when ironed...** Now, off to the ironing board--yes, you have to press these before moving on to the next step. I press with the seams going toward the outside of the block, but I doubt it matters. Just be consistent. Take your block back to the cutting table and trim the sides of the block so they align with the center square. They might not be that far off, depending on your piecing, but you want a straight edge to sew your side pieces onto.... Next, attach the left and right middle sides. Watch the orientation of the blocks....trust me. I've sewed things on upside down and ended up spending the evening with Jack, the Seam Ripper.... Go to the iron an press the seams. Return to your cutting mat and trim off the excess at the top and bottom. Don't be alarmed about wasting fabric...it is just a bit. You will now add the top and bottom outside pieces to your wonky blocks. Go to the iron and press again. And back to the cutting board to trim the right and left sides. Don't panic! Finally, sew on the left and right outside pieces. And go back to the ironing board...and press! And trim...see that waste? It is the grand total of all the scraps from all three blocks, all the stages of trimming!! Not as much as you might expect.... There you have it...a wonky block. You would now need to square up your blocks to some standard size (maybe 7 1/2" by 7 1/2") and you could assemble your quilt top. Or you could NOT square up the blocks and add some solid strips around the edges of the block and then square up with a wonky solid border going around. I did something similar to this with my Dream On quilt...I added TWO 2 1/2" strips of white to the sides of each block, and ONE 3 1/2" strip to the top of the block...then squared up my blocks to 10 1/2" (finished size of 10"). White border on only three sides of the block.... When I arranged the blocks on my design floor, I made sure that there was a white strip along all of the edges of the quilt (not a colored block part)....and that no two colored parts touched each other. The blocks appeared to be floating around randomly....but each square is really the same size--but a bit wonky! Cool, huh? Anyhow, I've adapted this with charm squares...only cutting once for the each side and once for the top and bottom. I made little 4 1/2" blocks. You could also just cut perpendicular to the edges of your quilt and get varying width of straighter strips. Very modern and cool. Just do what you want and enjoy it! *** Note: the more cuts you make from the center to the edge, the more fabric you will have to trim off in each round around. Still, don't be alarmed...it is a nominal amount of waste--and worth the effort for the effect! Have fun!
Advanced sewers take their time on sewing projects. They choose 15 minutes of careful prepping over hours of seam ripping, and they are wiser for it.
Hello everyone! I’ve got a new pattern I’ve recently added to my shop!After my last massive pattern update I wanted to tackle something a little simpler. An isopod has a lot of votes on…
Follow along step by step instructions to make a practical zippered pouch. Easy to personalize for great gifts. Free pattern.
Follow along step by step instructions to make a practical zippered pouch. Easy to personalize for great gifts. Free pattern.
Okay, my card doesn’t have eggs or ham but, I have to tell you the story of how this card developed. I took some cards over to sell at the Creative Gals Craft and Sew Emporium in Buffalo Minn…
