Today on QUILTsocial Christine Baker finishes off her curved pieced Northcott Stonehenge Elements quilt by binding it with a flanged binding.
No more nice Miss! It's the next instalment of the Mystery Quilt and this time I am increasing your workload!! If you go to my Mystery QAL ...
[Updated on February 3, 2020.] Many of you loved my quilt pattern “Victorian Fans“. I made this curved paper piecing tutorial with step-by-step photos to show you how to put together those beautiful blocks. You can feature your favorite prints on the bottom of the fans, then use a contrasting, darker fabric for the tips. …
The wings of my budgie make an excellent temperature quilt with divisions for the top and bottom matching the day's high and low
I recently made a bed size Sparrows quilt (Finished size is 80 3/4" x 82") and wanted to share how I figured out the math for it! DISCLAIMER: The following information is not a replacement for the Sparrows quilt pattern. I will share the amounts needed for each piece, but the pattern is still required for assembly instructions. You can purchase the Sparrows Quilt pattern HERE! Alright, let's break this down! I'm sharing how I quickly figured out the math for this in case it's helpful for anyone else trying to enlarge another quilt pattern! The Sparrows throw size quilt consists of 24 blocks. To add an extra column and row to the throw size, you will need an additional 11 blocks. 11 is almost half of 24 (Do you see where this is going?) so I simply took the total amount of pieces needed for each letter, divided it in half, and added that amount to the total. So, for example, (6) A pieces are needed for the throw size. Half of 6 is 3 so for the bed size you will need (9) A pieces. (The extra row and column that is added to the throw size is highlighted in red above.) And you might be wondering, does this mean I'll be making 36 blocks instead of required 35? So, yes, going this route means you'll have one leftover Sparrows block. I personally was fine with cutting for an extra block because that meant I would have extra pieces in case there were any mistakes along the way. And guess what? Those extra pieces did in fact came in handy later 😅 Still confused? Not great with math? 😆 Don't worry, a printable sharing the amounts needed for each piece is at the end of this post! FABRIC REQUIREMENTS: For the bed size Sparrows quilt I bought... 5 1/4 yards for the background3/4 yard for each Bird's Body print3/4 yard for the Beak & Tail print3/4 yard for the HST's1/8 yard for the Bird's Eye print Because I had a few people ask what fabrics I used in my quilt top, I've linked to them below! Cotton Couture in Cadet for the background Essex Speckled Yard Dyed in Cream for the bird's body Kona in Shale for the bird's body Woven in Dust for the bird's body Crawford Gingham in Navy for the bird's body Add it Up in Earth Unbleached for the beak and tail Kona in Bone for the HST's Select the link below to download the bed size instructions: DOWNLOAD THE BED SIZE INSTRUCTIONS (I'll update this post with full shots of the quilt once it's finished!) Thanks for reading! Have a question? You can email me at [email protected]
Introducing the brand new Hush Hush collection of designer low-volume prints from Riley Blake Designs and free Blue Bird quilt block pattern.
Before I show you the next thing I'm working on, I thought I'd answer some questions and comments I've received since I started the birds quilt. First, the scale. Here is my hand next to a typical bird block. These are not small. For my readers outside the US, the ruler above marks the size of the block in centimeters. Here you can see the size in inches. I'll make the bird bigger, if I want to accommodate a particular print. The birds aren't my creation. I don't know where they came from. I saw a photo somewhere in 2009 or so, and figured out how to make them on my own. I have a tutorial for them here. It's pretty basic, but you should be able to work it out on your own. In this photo you can several of the triangles I used to make the bird wings. I always find fabric that looks "wingy." The tutorial gives you a way to look for "wingy" stuff. I don't mind hard work, but I hate doing "busy" work, or what I call "stupid work." So when I know I'm going to make a lot of birds, I make a big strip of "legs" and then just cut off what I want. And if you think I cut a strip of fabric 3/4" wide for a 1/4" finished leg, you are crazy. I sew a wide piece to the white, then trim some off, as you can see in the photo above. It makes for a much cleaner edge, and it's a lot easier to iron. No burnt fingers! I don't make the beaks all the same size. (That would be boring and predictable, which isn't very interesting to look at.) Sometimes I want them small, and sometimes I want them bigger. I always "audition" different fabrics, and then test where I want them to go. I never use plain white as a background for my quilts. (In fact, I don't use solids at all.) I always use a variety of White on White (WOW) fabrics. You can see them in the Black and White Crayons quilt, above. This quilt, by the way, will be in AQS shows in Daytona Beach FL, Phoenix AZ, and Lancaster PA later this year. This quilt also has six black and white birds, which just goes to show you how flexible they really are. Pat, years ago I bought a very large cutting mat, 48" x 96", but I cut it down to fit on my worktable and had this long piece left over. It's useful for cutting long things. It's the green underneath the panel above. The long ruler came from one of the "big box" hardware stores (Cees: that means it's a GIANT store.) Sometimes the best tools don't come from a fabric store. And the great big 45-45-90 triangle right next to the ruler on the lower right came from an art supply store. Because I "fussy cut" fabric for my wings (to get them to look just the way I want), people always ask if I cut a piece right out of the middle of a piece of fabric. Well, yes! I find it amusing when I see bloggers show off how many empty spools of thread they used in one year. I sew ALL my quilts using medium-gray thread. I buy a giant spool of it at the quilt shop, and it lasts about a year. I keep a little container near my sewing machine with 20 bobbins pre-wound with this gray thread. It's not fun to have to stop in the middle of a seam and wind a bobbin. Before I forget, the finished flimsy measures 62" x 78" (or 157 x 198 cm). I should probably also mention that I do not use any patterns or templates when I make my birds or letters, and they are NOT paper-pieced. It should go without saying that all my quilts are completely original and designed by me, and no, there won't be any patterns for my quilts. Ever. However I have absolutely no problem sharing any and all information about how I make what I make, and why I make the choices I do. And you could never get all that in a pattern. Besides, I think you should make your own quilts and not anybody else's. You all get yourselves dressed in the morning without help, you can make your own quilts too. It's not rocket science. If I missed anything, leave a comment or email me. I'm always happy to hear from readers. You all help and inspire me more than you know.
The idea hit like a bug splat on the windshield . . . Why not use the birds as the focal squarefor a series of half-a-log (or quarter log) cabin blocksand surround them with the tiny HSTs leftoverfro
A wedding quilt. This is the label made from leftover quilt bits and the corner of a vintage handkerchief. Blogged here ... heatheracton.blogspot.ca/2012/09/hugs-kisses-my-first-big...
Here is a helpful technique from Beth Ann Doing for self-binding a quilt. Binding a quilt is something quilters either love or hate. Personally, I like it because it means my piece is almost done…
All twelve blocks are piecedand pinned on the design wall. (each block will finish at 15") I'm "over the moon" with the way this plan is coming together! And over on the ironing tablethere are hund
Using knots in quilting is a great alternative to machine-quilting or hand-quilting your quilt. Learn how to quilt by tying knots with these great tips.
P & J keep chickens in their barn in Colorado. I knew I wanted to make chickens for their quilt. They have a couple of black chickens, a...
Hello Friends! I hope you are doing well. I survived a working weekend, and am feeling chipper today because the sun came out! Today’s post is a quick public announcement. Since I am a lit…
This morning I am so excited to share with you a new finish. I am calling it Cutie Pie and wouldn't it just the most adorable quilt to wrap...
The idea hit like a bug splat on the windshield . . . Why not use the birds as the focal squarefor a series of half-a-log (or quarter log) cabin blocksand surround them with the tiny HSTs leftoverfro
Somewhere in western Vermont, on Route 7, lives this pink barn. My Mom and I drove by (we had been pointing out barns to each other for the whole trip) and I drove past, and then pulled over, did a U turn and went back. A pink barn surely needed to have its picture taken. Obviously it's been neglected, with all the ivy (or is it kudzu) climbing up the walls, and I don't know what it was, or what color it might have been before it faded, but it is just the prettiest barn I had ever seen, and I am definitely going to reproduce this barn in fabric.
Hi Everyone, One of my favorite authors is Diana Gabaldon. She is getting lots of attention as her first novel, Outlander, is being filmed and shown on Starz. If you are a fan, we are all excitedly waiting for Saturday night when Claire and Jamie are getting married. If you aren't a fan, you should try reading the books--they really are great. Anyway, I mention Diana, not just to chat about Outlander, but because the woman is such a great writer that I would read her grocery list if she published it! A few years back, she published "The Outlandish Companion" as a supplement to her books, and I think it was in that book that I first read her descriptions of character development. She said that the characters that she creates for her books fit into three major characters: One is the Hard Nut: characters that are necessary, but that are difficult to "see." Another is the Onion--a character who continues to develop over the course of the story--revealing themselves in layers, like an onion. And finally there is the Mushroom: characters that just pop up, fully developed, seemingly overnight. I love these categories so much because I think they can also apply to quilts, and I've been doing that ever since I read Diana's thoughts. We all have Tough Nut projects--they are the ones all the way in the back of our UFO shelf! The Onion is that quilt that you aren't too sure about in the beginning, but just keeps getting better, and/or otherwise changes as you work on it. (This is my favorite kind of project) and then there are Mushrooms. These are quilts that I had no intention (or plan) to make, and yet suddenly there they are!" The quilt I'm sharing today is just such a project. I was at the weekly "Sit and Sew" a couple weeks ago at my LQS, working on my applique and visiting with the ladies. One of them was cutting and folding panels that had arrived in the shop. I was sitting in such a position that she (and the panels) were in front of the shelves of fabric. As I looked at her, my eyes would drift behind her to the fabric, and it seemed like there was just the perfect fabric for the panel right there! I had no intention of making a quilt like that, though. It's not that I didn't like the panel--it was quite pretty, actually, but I just have other things to do. But I kept looking at that bolt of fabric. Finally, when she completed her task and went to do something else, she left one of the panels behind. So I got up and took it over to that fabric that caught my eye, and yes, it was perfect! Was there any more? Before I knew it, I had a whole collection of fabrics piled up that went beautifully with it! Before I knew it, I was taking home three of them and a panel. I got home and the next day I began. I cut the panel apart and made patchwork. I had the entire top done in an afternoon. The panel is made so that you could cut the rectangles apart and sew them together to form an entire, complete scene of a tree full of birds, but I wanted to keep the rectangles separate, framed with patchwork, so I did a nine-patch detail. Here is the finished top taped to my living room wall. I was really pleased with how it came out! The border fabric was a bit of a risk, yet in my opinion, it really works. The next week, I took it in to show, and now it is living at the shop. I "unintentionally" created a shop sample! It's pretty exciting! How about you? Have you ever done a "mushroom" quilt? (By the way, if you are an Outlander fan, and you've never heard Diana's character description before, you can find it online here.) Have a great day! JoAnne
Learn the importance of repetition with designs and dominance in certain areas in this instructional video about quilting techniques.
A Simple Technique for a Charming Finish! Prairie points are a delightful touch wherever they are used in a quilt. They add a bit of dimension and a lot of charm, as well as being an interesting design element to break up the surface of a quilt. They’re not hard to make (see two methods …
This little bird quilt started out as a panel with a pane for each of the bird species making them all sitting in a tree. I decided they need to be in a window as I had seen it done where I bought the panel. I also knew it was going to my sister Kim […]
A little over a year ago, I got an email from my friend Pat Sloan. The gist of the note: Both she and another quilty friend Jane Davidson were creating a year-long sew along and would I like to join by creating a block to share? The concept sounded outrageously fun. Each of the 80 or so designers was asked tell a story in the space of a 6” square quilt block—the story of how sewing brings happiness to our lives—in 100 personalized tales, one per block designed. I couldn’t say ‘no.’ I’ve always felt that quilting, really isn’t about the quilt as much as it is about a community of quilters and our shared experiences. So this is my story: I’m a bird girl. I love birds! I also love the change in the seasons. Even so, I’m usually happy to see the cold, long winter end, naturally leading to splendid springtime. When I see the first robin, my heart sings! It means winter is over, days are getting longer, and warmer weather is within reach. Soon, I can stitch outside under a shady tree once again; my favorite, favorite quilty thing to do! And so my block is a pieced interpretation of an American Robin, or in Latin Turdus migratorious. The quintessential symbol of the end of winter and the change in seasons - at least here in North America. Right about now, you may be looking at the pattern and the long list of tiny pieces to cut, and you might be thinking this person (me) is off her ever-loving bird-brained rocker! I’m okay, really! Yes, this block has a lot of pieces, and some of them are really small, and weird sizes that involve accurate cutting along 1/8" ruler markings. However, the block is almost entirely made from stitch-and-flip units. Easy, like making a snowball block—drawing 45-degree lines on the back of one fabric (usually a square, but not always). . . placing fabrics right sides together so corners align,. . . sewing on the line, . . . . . . trimming excess fabric to reduce bulk,. . . . . . . and pressing in one direction or the other. As you cut the long list of pieces, notice that this block is constructed in units. Make a little ‘kit’ from the fabrics required for each of the seven units, plus the final background pieces and arrange the little kit-stacks in place on your work table following the unit diagram on page 1 of the pattern. Build each unit one at a time, paying close attention to the fabric alignment instructions, the direction of the drawn line seams, and the pressing suggestions. Sew deliberately and as accurately as possible. Be extra careful with unit 7 as the narrow legs don’t leave a lot of wiggle room for fabric placed or sewn out of alignment. . . . . . . Then replace each unit back into the block arrangement. Then sew the units into rows. And sew the rows together. Well, we all know that every early bird is searching for the worm, but he (or she) also needs to find a mate! The Early Bird and The Reversed Robin were combined into a wall-hanging for the blocks December 2016 release date. By the way, my label, courtesy of an embroidery pattern from Urban Threads, shows the natural progression that occurs when nature brings two birdies together. . . . Many, many thanks to Pat and Jane for including me and my early birdie block on this most splendid journey. Thanks also to you for following along and for all of your encouraging words along the way. Happy Stitching! Joan Ford
When Stitch This! launched just over a year ago, one of our goals was to pack posts with interesting, fun, and helpful quilting tutorials. Recently we took an inventory of those quilting tutorials and were giddy to find that we’d amassed 52 so far—that’s about one tute a week! Today we’ve classified, categorized, and compartmentalized …
I taught a Birds class yesterday at Quilted Threads. It was a fun day of birdmaking, and the students made a lot of terrific looking birds. Here is a sampling: I don't do pastels or soft colors, but DAMN, this bird is stunning! Donnie and Laura drove from New York State to take the class and stayed in the local B&B the night before. Before they left they asked for a picture of me with the Flight of Fancy quilt. Well, sure! A good time was had by all, and the students were thrilled to receive the new bird tutorial, Lynne's Liberated Birds, to take home. You can purchase it here.
Last month I attended a New Hampshire Modern Quilt Guild meeting at Twill in Nashua NH (the next meeting is Tuesday May 13th. We play...
I love using paper foundation piecing for flying geese blocks. The blocks make up so quickly, and they always finish with perfect points. When a pattern shows other techniques that don't work quite as well for me, I always sketch out my own paper foundation pieced block patterns, and photocopy them. You can draw your own paper pieced flying geese blocks, too - in any size you need. It's easy, and there's very, very little math involved. Most flying geese blocks are twice as tall as they are wide, so you basically need to multiply the width of your block by 2 to get the height. Start with a rectangle. Make it twice as tall as it is wide. The most commonly used flying geese block sizes for quilts are: 1" x 2" 1 1/2" x 3" 2" x 4" 2 1/2" x 5" 3" x 6" Size doesn't make any difference in the process for making the blocks. My examples are for making 2" x 4" blocks. This is a great size for practice, but you can adjust when you are making other sizes you might need for your quilts. Now, get a ruler, a sharp pencil, and some graph paper. And, away we go! Make a single block Step 1: Draw a rectangle twice as tall as it is wide on your graph paper. Mine is 2" x 4", but the same formula works for all sizes. Measure halfway down the right hand side of the rectangle and make a mark. This is the same measurement as is the width of your rectangle. Draw lines from the mark you just made to either corner on the left hand side of the paper. The lines you have drawn are the lines that you will sew on when sewing the block and assembling the quilt. Step 2: Add 1/4" seam allowance all around. This outer line will be the line you cut on when you trim the block down for sewing into your quilt. Write in numbers to show the order of adding fabrics. The large triangle, usually made with a darker color of fabric, is number 1. The smaller triangles made with background fabrics will be numbers 2 and 3. It makes no difference which of the smaller pieces is attached first. But what if you want to put two blocks into a set so you can sew two at the same time? Make a set of two blocks Step 1: Draw a single block just like you did before. Now attach another block right next to it. Each block will be twice as tall as it is wide. Step 2: Add 1/4" seam allowance all around. Once again, the outer line will be the line you cut on when you trim the set of blocks down for sewing into your quilt, and the inner lines are the lines you stitch on. Write in numbers. The larger triangles for each block are always added first, the smaller triangles next. Number the first block with numbers 1, 2, and 3, and the second block with numbers 4, 5, and 6. Longer Sets Sets of three or more blocks Follow the same procedure that you used to draw two blocks to make sets of three blocks, 6 blocks, or as many as you can fit on your graph paper. Start with side by side blocks, then add 1/4" seam allowance around the entire set. Write numbers in sequential order, block by block. Make sure that the large triangle is always given the first number in its block. That's it! Photocopy as many copies as you need and begin sewing! How to measure the fabric pieces for your block sections. There is always some unavoidable waste with paper foundation piecing, but if the fabric pieces are cut relatively close to the finished size and shape, the waste can be minimal. Whether sides are cut on the bias or not is relatively unimportant with paper foundation piecing. I've tried to make the measuring for fabric pieces as easy as possible by cutting the large triangles as quarter square triangles and the background triangles as half square triangles. Photo A: half square triangles for small background segments Photo B: Quarter square triangles for larger segments of the block The Formula Yes, there is a formula, but it's pretty easy to follow. For the smaller triangles (photo A above) : Begin with a square 1 1/4" longer than the width of the block. For a 2" x 4" block, you would add 1 1/4" to 2", the shorter measurement of the block. 1 1/4" + 2" = 3 1/4" The square should be cut 3 1/4" on either side. Cut in half once diagonally. You will have two triangles, enough for one block. For the larger triangles (photo B above) : Begin with a square 1 5/8" larger than the height of the block. For a 2" x 4" flying geese block, add 1 5/8" to 4", the longer measurement of the block. 1 5/8" + 4" = 5 5/8" The square should be cut 5 5/8" on either side. Cut in half diagonally, and then cut in half diagonally again. You will have four triangles, enough for four blocks. I've made a chart to simplify it even more. Chart for cutting common size triangles for paper foundation pieced flying geese blocks. Size of Block Cut square for Cut square for two, small, half four, large, quarter square triangles: square triangles: 1 ½” x 3” 2 ¾” x 2 ¾” 4 5/8” x 4 5/8” 2” x 4” 3 ¼” x 3 ¼” 5 5/8” x 5 5/8” 2 ½” x 5” 3 ¾” x 3 ¾” 6 5/8” x 6 5/8” 3” x 6” 4 ¼” x 4 ¼” 7 5/8” x 7 5/8” 4” x 8” 5 ¼ x 5 ¼” 9 5/8” x 9 5/8” And that's everything you need to know! Make all the paper foundation pieced flying geese blocks you like, in any size you like.
Anyone else old enough to remember that old television show? I thought I would show how I did the border on the quilt in the previous post...
The idea hit like a bug splat on the windshield . . . Why not use the birds as the focal squarefor a series of half-a-log (or quarter log) cabin blocksand surround them with the tiny HSTs leftoverfro
When the quilting’s done and the binding is all that remains, the finish line is in sight. What an awesome feeling! Before you head down the home stretch, take some time to “square up” the quilt and your quilt will look even more spectacular.
