The fabrics used to make this quilt were given to me by Northcott Fabrics.
What I love about EQ8 is once you have drawn a block, you can easily rotate it, edit and change the color. Rockets Red Glare came about as I was playing with Studio 180 Design’s BlockBuster 12 Double Trek . This block is made with the Corner Beam , Tucker Trimmer I tools and the Sliver Technique Sheet.
This is the Original BlockBuster 12 Double Trek Block and the quilt layout I first came up with. It seemed there was too much empty space.
I added a Half Square Triangle in two corners of the block.
I think that made a great difference. I downloaded Northcott Essence Fabric into my EQ8 software to see how it would look…very patriotic, hence the name “Rockets Red Glare”.
Northcott fabrics as always represent high quality. The fabrics I chose to complete my quilt are from the Essence line and are absolutely beautiful.
The fabrics shown in this post were given to me by Island BatikDeb Tucker’s Twilight Chic by Island Batik
Well, if you can’t getaway, go to the library for a good book! The Utica, NY Public Library opened in 1904. I love the inside of this Library.
Shaded Chic
The upper floors of the Utica Library are made of thick glass. I used to love coming here as a child.
In every box of fabric we Island Batik Ambassador’s receive, there is a secret bundle of the newly released batiks. I was lucky enough to be assigned Twilight Chic by Deb Tucker for Studio 180 Design. This is my third quilt from the Twilight Chic line.
The products in this post were given to me by Island Batik.
Back in February when I received my Island Batik Ambassador Box 1 it contained a secret bundle that could not be shared until now! Through out the month of August “The great Outdoors Blog Hop” is featuring Island Batik Ambassador’s creations using fabrics that were introduced at the 2018 Spring Market. Go to Island Batik for links to all the Ambassador Blog Sites.
I managed to use 20 different fabrics from this gorgeous line in my quilt as shown above.
I named my quilt “Firefly”. It is my original design, and uses Studio 180 Design Split Rects & Corner Beam tools. It measures 66″ x 78″. It is designed using one 6″ finished block.
Each block contains 1 – 4″ finished Corner Beam unit, 2 mirror image 2″ x 4″ finished Split Rects units & a 2″ finished square.
I chose 7 different fabrics for the Split rects units and 10 more fabrics for the Corner Beam units and squares.
I got one star block by place the corner beam units in the center and a 2nd star block by placing the 2″ squares in the center which created the “Firefly” in the center, how cool is this? I had so much fun making this quilt.
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To celebrate the great out door places in Utica, NY, my sister Mary & I went all over taking pictures of my travelling quilt. We went to the historical Utica Train Station, Forest Hills Cemetery (the tree was up the hill from John Quincy Adams granddaughter’s grave), Rutger Park 1 & 3, Franklin Square, Liberty Bell Corner, Bagg Square & Utica Bread (fabulous bakery) and then upstairs to Jay Groah Realtor Group (his office has the coolest 70″s vibe), we finished up at the Eagle with a beautiful view of Utica.
GIVEAWAY: Please leave a comment about this post and I will choose a winner to receive this Island Batik Spoolin Around Charm Pack! (Giveaway is US Only and ends September 5, 2018. Please leave your email in the comment.)
Not that I have anything against paper piecing, but…if I can get the same results without having to paper piece, I’m all for it! Earlier this year Deb Tucker introduced her new tool “The Large Square Squared” and it is teriffic! It operates like the original Square Squared, but the original was limited to 6 sizes whereas the large Square Squared gives you high precision for 12 different size units from 1″ to 12″. As always it offers minimal waste and right & left handed instructions. With it’s improved guidelines it takes two tools, Part A and Part B to accomplish all this.
But wait, there’s more! Deb has a new pattern about to be released called Peach Melba. It is a Studio 180 Design companion pattern for the Large Square Squared tool that makes a beautiful pineapple block.
I only have one block done so far. But with this great Kaffe Fassett fabric I can’t wait to finish it. This is a 12″ finished block. The Large Square Squared tool made the process easy. I would never have guessed I could make a pineapple quilt so perfect with out paper piecing! The pattern gives you the choice of Lap, Twin or Queen size quilts.
I did finish “Filigree” another Studio 180 Design companion pattern for the Large Square Squared & Corner Beam tool. It was design by fellow Certified Instructor Sarah Furrer. This pattern also gives you the choice of Lap, Twin or Queen size quilts.
Filigree
I made the Lap size, 54″ x 70″. I love this pattern. It is a great way to get to know your new Large Square Squared tool.
There are only two blocks. The first is the Snail Tail that uses the Large Square Squared tool, the second uses the Corner Beam tool.
See why I call it perfectly paperless piecing? What a beautiful back of a block! Both Peach Melba & Filigree are not yet released, so be sure to sign up for the Studio 180 Design Newsletter at www.studio180design.net so you get news first.
Fellow Studio 180 Design Certified Instructor, Michelle Hiatt has also just released a new companion pattern for the Large Square Squared and Diamond Rects tools called Jenn’s Journey!
You can find Jenn’s Journey at many local quilt shops or go to Michelle’s Etsy shop “Sew On the Go“.
I have my fabric picked out and ready to cut for Jenn’s Journey!
Summer Solstice…that would be what Deb Tucker named her pattern:
The bright colors she chose are gorgeous. I chose warm country colors:
Rise & Shine, Summer’s Over!
My light background fabric has chickens on it, hence the name Rise & Shine. This beautiful quilt finishes at 64″ by 80″.
Summer Solstice Block
This is a companion pattern for Studio 180 Design’s Wing Clipper I, V Block & Corner Beam tools. This block has 25 units in it, but Deb’s tools make it a breeze.
Summer Solstice Block
One of 12 finished blocks that make up this great quilt.
Deb Tucker’s Northern Neighbors pattern features intricate maple leaves and flying geese. The pattern makes two sizes: Twin (70″ x 95″) & King (104″ x 104″). I bought the fabric for this quilt over a year ago and had the units cut and ready to sew together into blocks but I became overcome by events! It was my goal to “get her done” before the year end and I did!
Northern Neighbors Maple Leaf
This is my favorite leaf block.
Deconstructed Maple Leaf
The leaf block is made using Studio 180 Design Wing Clipper 1 for flying geese, Corner Beam and Split Rects tools for great leaf point definition.
One Block
I made the twin size, so I made 6 of these blocks.
I’m getting ready for some upcoming trunk shows and decided to make some Studio 180 Design Tool samples. There are 8 Fundamental Tools (not counting Tucker Trimmer 2 & Wing Clipper 2). The Tucker Trimmer 1 makes Half Square Triangles, Quarter Square Triangles & Combination Units in 11 sizes from 1 inch to 6 inches.
Above are Quarter Square Triangles in 11 sizes.
The Wing Clipper 1 makes Flying Geese in 10 sizes from 1 inch to 10 inches.
The Square Squared Tool makes 6 sizes from 1 inch to 6 inches.
The Corner Beam Tool makes 11 sizes from 1 1/2 inches to 6 1/2 inches
The V Block Tool makes 11 sizes from 1 1/2 inches to 6 1/2 inches
The Split Rects Tool makes 8 sizes from 1 inch to 8 inches.
The Diamond Rects Tool makes 5 sizes from 2 1/2 inches wide to 10 1/2 inches wide.
With the Corner Pop Tool you can choose from any of the 22 size options and remove a corner from a base shape such as a square, rectangle, pieced unit or block and leave the necessary 1/4″ seam allowance in tact.
The block above is made from V Block and Corner Beam Units.
I made 4 of the blocks but this time I popped of corners of the V Block & Corner Beam units before I put the blocks together, making this very interesting wall hanging.
Next I need to make samples for the Rapid Fire Hunters Stars and Lemoyne Star Tools. Happy quilting!
“Sew On The Go” that’s what I say about my friend and fellow Studio 180 Design Certified Instructor Michelle Hiatt. Michelle is not only an excellent quilt teacher, she is a very talented quilt designer. Michelle’s designs are featured in Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting Magazine, Quilter’s Newsletter & Modern Quilting Unlimited Magazine. Michelle teaches throughout the northeast, including at American Quilt Society’s Quilt Weeks across the country. Her quilts have been exhibited in several national quilt shows and have received numerous awards. Most recently, Winter Jewels (patterned as Loco for Lemoyne Stars), took two 1st place, a 3rd place and viewer’s choice at national quilt shows.
Winter Jewels by Michelle Hiatt
I’m so excited to share 4 of Michelle’s newest patterns for Modern 180 and Studio 180 Design. Below is “Floral Burst” companion pattern for Studio 180 Design’s Rapid Hunter Star & Corner Pop Tools. It is amazing to see how just popping a corner of the hunter star block and inserting a pop of color adds so much.
Next is “Diamonds in the Sky” companion pattern for the Studio 180 Design’s Corner Beam Tool. I love the Corner Beam tool and this pattern looks like fun.
Below is “Finley’s Fence” companion pattern to Studio 180 Design’s Tucker Trimmer I and Corner Pop tools. This would make a great baby quilt.
Last but not least is “Zig Zag Zany” companion pattern for Studio 180 Design’s Wing Clipper I and Tucker Trimmer I Tools. It is so much fun to see the many different ways to use flying Geese!
I purchased all 4 and can’t wait to make them. Look for these patterns soon at Studio 180 Design and at Michelle’s Etsy Shop Sew On The Go. You can reach Michelle through her website Sew on the Go.
I spent last weekend having a blast at White Eagle Conference Center in Hamilton, NY with Studio 180 Design Certified Instructors. We try to get together at least once a year for a reunion. We share Ideas and help each other. If you are looking for a Studio 180 Design Certified Instructor, go to Studio180Design.net and click on the Certified Instructor tab and you will see there are many of us available to teach. Here are some of us at the reunion.
While at the reunion I worked on my Northern Neighbors quilt. It only take 3 techniques to make this block: Wing Clipper (Flying Geese), Corner Beam & Split Rects. Below is a block:
What do I mean by being a ‘Double Nudger”? When I’m making Corner Beam units I nudge the side triangles down just a nudge and then sew them down as shown below:
Press toward the triangle and add the other side triangle again nudging it down just a bit before sewing it.
It makes all the difference when you learn to nudge!
Did you ever see a picture of quilt that you really wanted to make but couldn’t find the pattern? If you can identify the units that make up the block, you don’t really need the pattern. Last year I blogged about being a “Block Detective”. I saw this quilt in a book By Doreen Speckmann. I loved it and wanted to make it, but not with the paper templates that the author suggested.
So, being a Certified Deb Tucker “Block Detective” I decided to try it out by making a block with 2″ finished units. I loved the bright colors against black & white backgrounds.
Now the search was on for fabric to make a whole quilt this time. I found the outer border fabric first and then pulled the colors for the block from that. I decided to make six 20″ finished blocks containing twenty-five 4″ finished units.
I initially chose yellow, orange, red and green fabric but later added a blue fabric . I also needed 6 different black & white prints for the block background.
The tools required were Studio 180 Design V Block, Squared 2 & Corner Beam Rulers and the Technique Sheet for making Sidekicks and High/Low units and don’t forget your Magic Wand!
Each Block contains 4 V Blocks with black & white side triangles,
and 4 V Blocks with black & white center triangles.
Each Block contains 4 Corner Beam Units with yellow center beams,
and 4 orange and red Corner Beam units.
The center of each block contains 1 Squared 2 unit.
There are 2 High/Low Left & 2 High/Low Right Units in each block.
I cut all my pieces first then laid them out one block at a time. I constructed the corner flowers as shown below.
I press the seams as instructed for each of the units, but when I joined the units into the block I pressed my seams open.
Join the units into rows.
Then join the rows to form the block.
These are some wild colors. This quilt was fun to make. So next time you want to play “Block Detective” get out your graph paper and Studio 180 Design tools and discover what you can do! If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact me.
