Category Archives: Tuckerization

Alaska – Tuckerized

I have just finished a birthday quilt for my sister Mary. I made her Alaska by Edyta Sitar. This pattern uses templates to make the blocks. I “Tuckerized” the pattern by using Studio 180 Design’s Wedge Star tool instead.

Alaska is made using 5 Wedge block variations, 5 Mixed block variations & 3 Wedge Star Variations.

A total of 13 different blocks all cut out with Deb Tucker’s Wedge Star Tool.

Tuckerized Alaska measures 71″ x 71″. Fabrics used were Marcus Fabrics by Pam Buda, Plumberry II. Made with love for my sister Mary.

The Quilt that Screamed to be Tuckerized

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I was looking through my quilt books and saw this quilt that just screamed to be Tuckerized. What does that mean you ask? To Tuckerize a block/quilt is to identify the units that make up the block/quilt and apply Studio 180 Design techniques to the construction, to streamline and make the process more efficient without losing the points, and to have the ability to make it in many sizes. For instance, Deb Tucker’s V Block can be made in 11 sizes.

This is the Bethlehem Star. It can be easily Tuckerized using the V Block tool by Deb Tucker.

The block consists of 2 of each V Blocks units shown above, plus a center rectangle & 4 corner squares.

This entire quilt including the sashing stars can be made with Studio 180 Design V Block Tool. Just follow the directions for the V Block tool. BethIehem Star quilt Measures 69″ x 85″. I created a supply list so you can make it too.

bethlehem-star-supply-list Download

v-block-tool-instructions Download

The original quilt is from the book “TIS Amazing” by Janna Thomas.

Stars Over Tucson, Shining on Lake Havasu

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Life is good! Here I am in Central, NY making a very special cactus quilt for a newly discovered sister. I have a half sister (Mary) whom I have known my entire life. Two years ago Mary wanted to submit our DNA to Ancestry.com to see if we really did have Native American ancestor’s as our mother said. Turns out we don’t.

My mother used to tell me in a hushed voice “you have sisters in Canada”! I always wondered if that story was true. Turns out it is true! I have two sisters on my Father’s side. My sister Marti contacted me and we have been emailing, Facebooking and messaging each other for the last 2 years! And get this, Marti is also a quilter. You can’t make this stuff up! We have not met each other yet. Marti lives in Arizona and as I said, I’m in Central NY. Marti is one determined quilting sister. She has been trying to get a local Arizona quilt guild to schedule a class with me so we can finally meet. She did it! The Havasu Stitcher’s Quilt Guild is bringing me to Lake Havasu, AZ in January 2020 to teach a One Block Wonder Workshop at their event “Quilting at the Lake”! I am beyond excited.

I was looking through my quilt book library and saw this quilt by Jean Biddick from her book “Blended Quilt Backgrounds”, and just had to make it for Marti. I know that this type of cactus only grows near and around Tucson but it is such an iconic cactus that always makes me think of Arizona.

So, of course I opened up my EQ8 to redesign & Tuckerize it. I made a few changes. I decided on 12″ finished blocks,

and of course varying shades of purple from Island Batik!

The star points are made using Studio 180 Design’s Wing Clipper I. Tuckerizing a pattern is one of my favorite things to do, and the Wing Clipper is the best way to make flying geese!

Start by making the small stars that form the center of the large stars. There is a link to a complete supply list at the end of this blog post. Make 21 of these double star blocks.

Once the star blocks were made I started to work on the cactus.

These blocks make up the cactus. (See link below for a complete supply list.)

Marti this quilt is just a simple hug from me to you. Can’t wait to meet you!

This quilt is also Tucker approved! Click here for the Stars Over Tucson Shinning on Lake Havasu Supply List.

Bear Paws – Vintage Reimagined

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The fabrics in this post were given to me by Island Batik.

Island Batik Ambassador assignment for March is “Vintage Reimagined”. Hmmmm, I had several ideas, some just didn’t work out. I started to look through my quilt book library. I picked up Harriet Hargraves’ Heirloom Machine Quilting book. I was intrigued by a small quilt, 35″ x 35″ called Bountiful Vineyard by Joanie Poole. Turns out Joanie Poole teaches heirloom quilting. This is ironic (more on this later).

I chose to use the Snow Berry collection, simple gorgeous. I went to my EQ8 and started drawing.

Once I created the block I could also figure out the quilt layout. I love this block!

First I made the Bear Paw unit. I used Deb Tucker’s “Eight at a Time” Technique Sheet to make fast work of 80 Half Square Triangles.

Then add the side rectangles.

Pop off the corner of the rectangles using the Studio 180 Design Corner Pop tool.

Add replacement triangles according to the tool instructions and trim. Easy peasy, the Corner pop tool trims the corner & leaves the seam allowance so adding the replacement triangle is accurate with plenty to perfectly trim.

Stitch the corner popped rectangles to the bear paw unit. Make 20 – 10″ finished blocks.

I laid it out on my design wall, stitched it together and added the borders.

I usually meander my quilts on my Nolting mid arm, but this time I decided to quilt each quarter diagonally with all seams going toward the center with my domestic Bernina 570. It seemed like a good idea. I have never tried this on a large quilt. Bear Tracks measures 70″ x 70″. I stitched in the ditch down the center vertically and horizontally. Then corner to center diagonally. Then stitch in 1/2″ increments, first to the left of the center diagonal then to right. I did this in each quarter stopping at the inner border. What I didn’t realize was how much this close stitching would shrink the center of the quilt, making the borders very wavy. I loaded Bear Tracks onto my quilt frame and meandered the borders to try and shrink them down. It helped a little but the edges of my beautiful quilt are wavy. Drat!

Bear Tracks is wavy, but oh so cuddly. I love it! I think I need a quilting class from Joanie Poole!

This quilt was pieced and quilted with Aurifil thread and finished with Hobbs batting.

Click here for Bear Tracks Quilt Supply List .

#islandbatik #aurifilthreads #hobbsbatting #studio180design #debtucker #joaniepoole #cornerpoptool #eightatatime

Tuckerization

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Tuckerization, to Tuckerize. V. The process of taking traditional quilt block instructions and applying process improvement techniques with Deb Tucker’s Studio 180 Tools!

I taught a Shaded Four Patch workshop last month and have been slightly obsessed with them ever since. I keep looking for them everywhere. I was at a quilt retreat with some fellow Certified Instructors and one them showed me a book by Sally Schneider called “Scrap Quilts Fit for a Queen, or a King, Twin, or Lap”. There are some beautiful quilts in this book with layouts for King, Queen, Twin or Lap size (hence the title of the book). There are several quilts that contained the Shaded Four Patch Unit. I decided to make “Happy Days”. I love her layouts but there are better ways to construct the units for the blocks.

Can you see the Shaded Four Patch Units in the quilt above?

Above is a deconstructed block using four Shaded Four Patch units. I absolutely love how using the background fabric for the narrow strip and the rectangle give you this pennant effect.

By using Studio 180 Design’s Shaded Four Patch Technique Sheet and the Tucker Trimmer I was able to make oversized units and square them up perfectly.

These little beauties are Combination Units made with my Tucker Trimmer I. When you put 4 units together it makes this great looking pin wheel for the center of the block. These are 2″ finished units. You can make these in 11 sizes with your Tucker Trimmer.

Above is the deconstructed block consisting of the combination units center and 4 Flying Geese made with my Wing Clipper I. You can make flying geese in 10 sizes from 1″ to 10″ with the Wing Clipper

The inner border was made using Quarter Square Triangles, which I made using my Tucker Trimmer. I Tuckerized the heck out of this quilt!

Below are more blocks containing the Shaded Four Unit.

These two blocks are made exactly the same, with the same fabric. The only difference is that the shaded Four Patch units in the corners are turned different ways.

These blocks all contain Shaded Four Patch Units.

The quilt on the cover of “Love of Quilting” for Jan/Feb 2017 contains Shaded Four Patch Units and can be Tuckerized with your Trimmer I and Square/Squared tools. I would say Studio 180 Design Tools give you Quilting Clarity!