Tag Archives: Journeys

Journeys Month 12 – Quilt Assembly

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to Stitchin Heaven’s Journey’s BOM – Month 12! This has been a spectacular year. You all have worked so hard. Thank you to Deb Luttrell, Founder of Stitchin Heaven, Deb Tucker, Creative Kingpin of Studio 180 Design, Marie Bostwick New York Times best selling author and Jason Yenter Fabric Designer & President of In the Beginning Fabrics for making this all possible. Now to assemble your quilts!

Note: WOF stands for width of fabric. This month you will assemble your quilt top and add the borders.

Gather the following pieces:

4 Corner Sections from Month 6

Block K from Month 7

4 Middle Edge Sections from Month 9

4 Pieced Border sections from Month 11

Finishing Instructions

Step 1 – Lay out the Corner Sections, Middle Edge Sections, and Block K as shown in the diagram on page 35.

Step 2 – Stitch the sections together into rows, press the seams open. Stitch the rows together to create the quilt center.

Step 3 – Attach the 72½” Print 11 inner border strips. Find the center of the quilt and the center of the 72½” border strip. Match the center points with right sides together, pin. Match both ends of the strip with the ends of the quilt and pin in place. Ease the quilt top to match the border strip and add more pins between the others to hold the border in place as you stitch. Attach the other 72½” border to the opposite side in the same manner and press toward the inner border strip.

Step 4 – Repeat step 3 for the 75½” Print 11 border strips.

Step 5 – Attach the 75½” Print 6 middle border strips. Using two of the border strips, stitch them to the quilt in the same manner as in step 3. Press toward Print 6.

Step 6 – Stitch a Print 4 middle border corner stone to each end of the remining 2”x 75½” Print 6 borders. Press toward the middle border.

Step 7 – Attach the remining two middle border strips to the quilt as described in step 3. Make sure to nest the seams. Press toward the middle border.

Step 8 – Add the pieced borders. Start with the borders that do not have the N Units on the ends. Orient the pieced borders so that the Corner Pops are against the middle border and the points of the V Blocks are pointing away from the quilt center. Refer to the diagram. Find the center of the quilt top and the center of the pieced border. Match the centers and pin. Match each end and pin. Ease the border to match the quilt top and add more pins between the others to hold the border in place as you stitch. Stitch in place. Press toward the middle border.

Step 9 – Repeat step 8 for the other pieced borders with the N Units attached to the ends. After you have matched the centers and the ends, make sure that you nest the Corner Beam seam with the seam attaching the pieced border.

Note: We recommend that you wait to cut your outer borders to length until you can measure your quilt top. To determine your specific border length, measure the longest side of your quilt in three different places. If those measurements are different, add the three measurements together and divide by three. That will be the length that you need to cut your first two borders. Once the first two borders are attached to the quilt repeat the process for the remaining two sides.

Step 10 – Add the outer borders. Find the center of the quilt and the center of the 90½” outer border strip. Match the center points with right sides together, pin, match either end of the strip with the ends of the quilt, and pin in place. Add more pins between the others, about every 4”, to hold the border in place as you stitch. Attach the other 90½” border to the opposite side in the same manner and press toward the outer border strip.

Step 11 – Repeat step 10 for the 102½” outer border strips.

Step 12 – Finish with Batting, Backing, Quilting, and Binding! Layer quilt top with batting and backing. Baste and quilt. Bind and Enjoy!

Journeys

Thank you all so much for joining us on this Journey! Congratulations on a job well done!

Journeys Month 11 – Victory Block: Part 2

Welcome everyone to Stitchin Heavens Journey Month 11 BOM – Victory Block: Part 2. Time fly’s when you are having fun! This month you are learning to use Studio 180 Design Corner Pop tool.

Print 3

You will be popping off the corners of the of 52 Victory blocks from Month 10 and adding Print 3 to the corners.

Piecing Instructions

Step 1 – Position a Unit P from month 10 right side up with the point away from you on the cutting mat. On your Corner Pop® tool, find the 3” Cut Away Corners line. Position the 3” Cut Away lines of the tool over one of the corners that has a seam going into the corner as shown.

Step 2 – Cut away the corner. Repeat on the same corner for all 52 units.

Right Hand Cut
Left Hand Cut
Left Hand Cut

Step 3 – Center one 4¼” Print 3 replacement triangle with its long side on the trimmed corner of each V Block unit. Stitch using an accurate ¼” seam. Press the seam toward the replacement triangle.

Step 3
Stitch (Sarah at Studio 180 Design prefers to press her seams open whenever possible.)

Step 4 – Position the 3” Corner Trim Down line of the tool over the seam. Align the diagonal guideline with the seam and the edges of the unit with the edges of the tool. Trim the Corner. Repeat for all P units.

Right Hand Trim
Left Hand trim

Step 5 – Cut away the second corner of all 52 units. Position the 3” Cut Away lines on the tool over the second corner that has a seam going into the corner as shown.

Step 5 Right Hand Cut
Step 5 Left Hand Cut

Step 6 – Repeat steps 3 & 4 for all units so that you have 52 Victory Blocks. This time around, in step 3, press the seam away from the replacement triangle toward the V Block unit.

Step 7 – Lay out your Victory Block units as shown to make 4 pieced border sections. Each border section has 13 Victory Block units.

Step 8 – Stitch the units together into the 4 pieced border sections needed. Press the seams between the units open.

Step 9 – Set two border sections aside. With the remining two borders, add a Unit N from month 9 to each end of the border section as shown.

Step 10 – Press the seams open. Set the final two borders aside to use next month to finish your quilt top.

Congratulations, you all have done so well in months 1 – 11. Next month is our final post. I can’t wait to see your completed Journey quilts!

Journeys Month 10 – Victory Block: Part 1

Welcome to Stitchin Heaven’s Journeys BOM – Month 10 Victory Block: Part 1. This month you will be using Studio 180 Design V Block tool. Sarah Furrer is my helper this month.

Unit P, V Blocks will be cut from Print 1 & Print 4.

Piecing Instructions

Step 1 – Cut the Center Triangles from Print 4 strips. Lay the strip out and fold over the end of the strip as shown. Position the V Block® tool on the strip so that the Fold Line for Center Triangle is on the fold and the bottom of the strip is lined up with the 6” finished unit line (bottom of the tool).

Step 1

Step 2 – Cut along the slanted edge of the tool. Unfold the piece to reveal a Center Triangle. Flip the strip top to bottom as shown.

Step 2

Step 3 – Line up the Center Triangle Trim Line with the edge of the strip, and cut the next triangle.

Step 4 – Continue to cut triangles. Flip the strip, cut a center triangle, flip, and cut again. Continue until you have 52 center triangles total.

Flip the strip.
Line up the Center Triangle Trim Line with the edge of the strip.
Continue to cut triangles.

Step 5 – Position the Print 1 Side Triangle strips wrong sides or right sides together in order to yield mirror images. Trim the selvages and position the Cut Line for Side Triangles line on your strips, lining up the 6” finished unit line (bottom of the tool) with the bottom raw edge of the strip. Cut along the angled edge.

Step 5

Step 6 – Rotate the V Block® tool and position the Side Triangles Trim #2 line on the edge of the strip you just cut, making sure the angled edge of your strip is lined up along the second trim line. Cut along the edge. Continue cutting until you have 52 pairs of Side Triangles from Print 1.

Step 6

Step 7 – Lay out the center triangles and the side triangle pairs.

Step 7

Step 8 – Align and stitch one side triangle to the center triangle. Use care to make sure you are lining up the correct edges of both the center and side triangles. Stitch and press the seam open. Do this for all center triangles.

Step 8 – this photo shows layering the V Block unit on top of the side triangle
Stitch and press seams open.

Step 9 – Position the remaining side triangles on the other side of the center triangles. Stitch and press the seam open. Repeat for all units

Position remaining side triangles on the other side.
Stitch & press seams open.

Step 10 – Trim the units. Place the V Block unit on the cutting mat right side up with the point of the Center Triangle closest to you. Position the V Block® tool on the unit, aligning the 6” Finished Size measurement with the seam lines. Trim the first two sides of the unit.

Trim up the side and across the top

Step 11 – Rotate the unit 180o and reposition the tool on top, aligning the trimmed edges of the unit with the Cut Size measurement of 6½” and placing the point of the Center Triangle “V” in the “X” at the top of the tool. Trim the remining two sides. Trim all 52 units.

Trim 2 – trim up the side and across the top.
Make 52 Unit P V Blocks

See instructions for left hand cutting. Congratulations, you have learned another new skill and how to use the V Block tool.

Journeys Month 3 – Flying Geese

Welcome to Stitchin Heaven’s Journeys BOM Month 3. This month you will be learning to make flying geese the Deb Tucker way, using your Wing Clipper I. My helper this month is Deb Tucker herself! As always use your best cutting, stitching and pressing skills. We will be using prints 1, 2 & 5. Carefully cut your starter squares and let’s go!

Prints 1, 2 & 5

Piecing Instructions Flying Geese Construction

Step 1 – Mark Squares. Begin with one large Print 1 square and two Print 2 and two Print 5 small squares. On the wrong side of each small square, mark two stitching lines ¼” on either side of the center diagonal. I like to use my Quilter’s Magic Wand™ for this task.

Step 1

Step 2 – Position the two Print 2 small squares in opposite diagonal corners of the large square, right sides together. Nudge the small squares in toward the center a few threads from the edge of the large square and align the drawn lines.

Nudge the small squares toward the center of the large square.
Step 2

Step 3 – Stitch on the two marked lines, then cut between the stitching lines along the center diagonal of the squares. Press your seams toward the small triangles.

Tip: Stitch just inside of the drawn lines. This will give you more to trim later.
Step 3
Step 3 Cont.

Step 4 – Position two Print 5 small squares, one in each corner of your heart shaped units. Nudge these squares a few threads in from the edge of the large triangle.

Step 4

Step 5 – Stitch along the two marked lines.

Step 5

Step 6 – Cut between the stitched lines along the center diagonal of the small squares and press toward the small triangle.

Step 6
Step 6

Step 7 – Position your Wing Clipper® I tool over your unit, aligning the correct diagonal guidelines of the ruler with the seams of your unit and trim two sides. Rotate the unit 180° and align the 3½”x 6½” horizontal and vertical guide lines with the edges of the unit. Align the “X” on the Wing Clipper® I with the seam intersection of your unit and trim again. Repeat for the remaining units. You will end up with 24 geese that have print 2 on the left, label these as Unit E, and 24 geese that have print 2 on the right, label these as Unit F.

First Trim
Second Trim
4 Flying Geese

Congratulations! You have now learned to make flying geese using the Wing Clipper I.

Journeys Month 1 – Uneven Chains

Hi everyone and welcome to Stitchin Heaven’s “Journeys” Block of the Month (BOM).  I will be here to guide you through each month’s process, but not without some help from my friends.  I was asked to participate in this BOM back in May.  I had already tested the pattern design by Deb Tucker.  In June I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  I am so blessed to have friends that are helping me.  They are each taking a month and creating the units and taking photo’s as they go.  They are sending the photo’s to me so I can give you guidance here at “If These Threads Could Talk”.

Remember that there are video tutorials on our website (Studio180Design.net) for each tool.

Label, label, label! We cannot say it enough; you will want to be sure you label your completed units each month so that everything is easily identified.

Be sure to save the fabric left over from each month so that you have it in case you make a mistake.

In your pattern instructions, on the back of “General In formation”, you will find two fabric keys. One will identify the print number above a grayscale swatch. This swatch is what you will see throughout the pattern to identify the fabric when it is being used.

By now you have received your first month of Journeys from Stitchin Heaven. Uneven Chains is a great unit that is easily made using Studio 180 Design’s Four Patch Square Up tool. This month my special helper was Diane Marvin, a good friend and fellow Studio 180 Design Certified Instructor.

For these Uneven Chains units you will be using Print 3 and Print 11. You will be cutting strip sets from each fabric. Following the cutting instructions and organize your strips into sets “A” and “B”.

Piecing Instructions

Step 1 – Stitch your strips together into Strip Sets A and Strip Sets B. Position two strips right sides together and align the long edges. Stitch with your best ¼” seam.

Above is Strip Set A and Strip Set B.

Step 2 – Press your strip sets. In all strip sets, press the seams toward Print 3. A helpful pressing tip: whatever you are pressing toward goes on top.

Step 3 – Sub-cut the strip sets. Make sure to use the correct sub-cut size for the strip set you are working with. Strip Set A is sub-cut at 2¼” increments and Strip Set B is sub-cut at 3½” increments.

Step 4 – Lay out the pieces from Strip Set A and Strip Set B as shown in the diagram. Stitch an A sub-cut to each side of a B sub-cut.

Save time by chain stitching Strip Set A’s to one side of Strip Set B.

Now add the second Strip Set A to the Strip Set B unit.

Remove 2 or 3 threads.

Step 5 – Press the units so that the seams spin. To spin the seams, lay the last sewn seam east to west on the mat, remove the two or three threads in the center on both sides that run north to south, and press so all the seams go in the same direction.

Step 6 – Trim the units to size. Position the unit as shown on your cutting mat and locate the circle for the 3” finished size on your Four Patch Square Up® tool. The finished sizes are located above the words Finished Size Four Patches – Center. Position the circle over the seam intersection between a small square and the large square as shown. Make sure that the dashed lines radiating from the circle align with your seams. Trim the first two sides of the unit.

Step 7 – Rotate the unit 180 . Align the 3” finished size circle over the intersection of the remaining small square and the large square as shown. Make sure that the dashed lines align with your seams. Also align the 6½” clean up lines on the previously trimmed edges. Trim the remaining two sides. Once all the units are made, label them Unit A.

Once you have completed and trimmed 16 Uneven Chain units, label a paper plate “Unit A” Uneven Chains and set aside. Congratulations, month is done and you have learned to use the Four Patch Square Up tool.

And now, a special surprise for those of you who have read all the way through….

This message from Deb Tucker and Studio 180 Design:

Hi, Everyone!

I hope you’re all excited about your journey with Journeys! I’ve had such a thrill designing this pattern for you and working with Marie Bostwick to coordinate the quilt and the novella, and with Jason Yenter on the fabric. And many thanks to Deb Luttrell for coming up with the great idea for all of us to work together!

We are thrilled that Stitchin Heaven chose Jackie O’Brien to help you with your journey. Jackie was part of our first class of Certified Instructors 7 years ago, so we’ve worked together for a while. We wanted to do something extra to thank her for her participation in this and also to thank her for all of her contributions to Studio 180 through the years.

And we wanted to do something for you for your enthusiastic support for our first block of the month.

Here’s what we’re going to do. As many of you know, Studio 180 is all about education and skill development, so we’re going to give each of you the chance to get additional practice with your tools. Each month we will offer special pricing on two downloadable patterns that go with that month’s tool or other tools you have used in the BOM. We will post a link and a code each month in the Journeys FB group that gives you exclusive $9.00 pricing per pattern (over 20% discount). Jackie will receive 100% of the proceeds from your purchases as our thanks for a job well done. This is also a way for you to say thank you to Jackie for her help. We hope you find something in our offerings each month that excites you to use your tool on another project.