Tag Archives: quilting

One Block Wonder Fabric Selections

What fabric makes a good Hexagon Quilt? Some say a 24″ repeat is key, but I do not necessarily agree. I made a hexagon quilt from a fabric that had a 24″ repeat, but the print was not that large. Although it was still a pretty quilt, I thought the colors were a little muddy (Natures Chorus). So I say get as big a print as you can find with colors that you like. Keep in mind that once the repeats are layered you will be cutting them into 3 3/4″ strips. If your print is flowers that are only 3″ across, you will not be taking them apart very much and your blocks will end up looking a lot like the original fabric. Whereas if the print is 6″ you will have a better chance of your blocks looking nothing like the original fabric.

I ignore the print itself and go for something large with colors I like, then I know I will have fun. When I made “Inside the Twister” from the Wizard of Oz fabric in sepia tones, it was only a 12″ repeat. I could have cut 6 repeats of a fabric 12″ each, but because the print was big enough, I chose a design element that was easily identifiable and when it came up again at 12″ – I skipped it and went to the next one. Now I had a 24″ repeat. When you do this you may have blocks that repeat themselves, but remember you have 3 design choices with each block.

To make a good lap-size, twin, or full size quilt, 4 1/4 yards for your blocks. 6 repeats of fabric at 24” each, is exactly 4 yards (24 x 6 = 144; 144/36 = 4). I ALWAYS BUY at least 6 Yards so I have the option of a 9 OR 10 inch outer border with the original fabric.) It is fun to see a slice of the original fabric along with the quilt. DO NOT PRE-WASH THE FABRIC!!!!

Below are some of my hexagon quilts waiting to be born. I still have another 20 or so 6 yard pieces I didn’t show you.

Just Lion Around by Alexander Henry

New York City at Night

Red Sunflowers

Route 66

Ocean Fish

UPS Men

Construction Hunks (I love cutting up people)

New York, New York

Under the Rainbow, I used this fabric for “Inside the Twister” it had a 12″ repeat

Over the Rainbow

Paris Pin Ups

Frida’s Garden

Georgia O’Keefe

Large Leaves by Alexander Henry

Parrots in the Jungle

Kaffe Fasset same fabric 3 color ways

English country Side by Sue Beevers

Chevron Quilt – More fun with Half Square Triangles

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After having fun making the Big Square Quilt with Layer Cakes I wanted to make a Chevron quilt with Layer Cakes or 10″ squares. It looks even better with all blues and whites or reds and whites, but I was working with what I had in my stash. My goal was to provide a decent lesson plan for a beginner quilter. As with the Big Star Quilt, the Chevron quilt can also be made with charm squares.

Everytime I look at this quilt it reminds me of the poem about the “Crooked Little Man” (see the label at the end).

I cut 30 solid color 10” squares to pair with my 30 printed layer cakes.

With right sides together sew ¼” seam around all 4 sides of your layer cakes.

First Cut diagonally

Second Cut diagonally

You now have 4 half square triangles. Press open toward the dark fabric

Square up your blocks to 6.5” I love my Tucker Trimmer I for squaring up. Note: I found that my layer cakes were not always square nor a consistent 10” square. So, I felt it was well worth the time it took to square up these blocks. It made the top go together nicely.

Time to go to the design wall. When laying out your blocks remember to match solid to solid and print to print. I initially had 42 Layer cakes and 42 solid 10” squares. Which meant I had 168 – 6.5” half square triangles (HST) for a 12 by 14 layout. I could not fit them all on my design wall, so I decided to make mine 10 across and 12 down. When the HST were sewn together it measured 62” by 74” before the borders were added.

Once you get it all laid out, number your rows with row 1 on the left side, so when you join your rows the top gets bigger moving out from the inside of your sewing machine.

Sew your blocks into rows using a ¼” seam allowance. I alternate direction when pressing the seam of the sewn blocks. Row 1 I pressed going down. Row 2 I pressed going up so that when I joined the rows the seams nest nicely. I chose 2.5 strips for my inner border. I like to rip one piece outer borders. So I added 10” wide outer borders. You can always change it up for your quilt, making your borders larger or smaller.

Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star – Quick & Dirty

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I am a self-proclaimed Deb Tucker Groupie! I love the Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star Ruler – NO “Y” SEAMS. This post is not meant to replace Deb Tuckers instructions. It is meant to encourage you try her ruler. The instructions that come with the ruler are very detailed and easy to follow, and also include instructions for Left handed people. You can purchase Deb Tucker products from their web page at
http://www.studio180design.net

Each block requires two background strips and two star point strips. I cut two background strips the width of fabric and mark one “A” and One “B” at the top.

Cut two star point strips. Place a star strip on Strip “A” right sides together down the same distance as the background strip is wide. Do the same with Strip “B” as shown below. Sew both with 1/4″ seam allowance. Notice you are sewing strip “A” on the right side and strip “B” on the left side of the strip.

Press star strip “A” toward the background strip. Press star strip “B” toward the star strip.

Place strip “A” & “B” right sides together with strip “B” on the bottom, nesting the long seams.

Line the Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star Ruler edge along the stitching line and bumping another ruler against the angled edge. This will give you your 45 degree angle. Cut off the staggered end and discard.

Continue making cuts the same width as your Star Point Strips. In this picture my star point strips are 3 1/4″ wide, so I continue to cut 3 1/4″ wide units.

Continue to cut your units.

Second cuts. Position the ruler edge at the tip of the star strip and trim straight up.

This shows the parts placement to 1/4 quarter of your block. With right side together center the triangle you just cut off on the side of the unit and sew together.

Place the two units in front of you with the star points facing toward you. “A” is on the right and “B” is on the left. Press “A” toward the star point and press “B” toward the background.

Place the unit right side up pointing the diamond toward 2:00 (for ease in cutting both directions). As you can see in this picture I did not position it correctly. Align the desired block size lines with the sewn seam lines. Trim along both sides of the ruler.

Place two units together nesting the seam and starting at the star point and sew together.

Press seam open.

Join the quarters together and sew, then sew the halfs together. Press seams open.

Square up using the Tucker Trimmer III

Lemoyne Star Class at TQG Spring Fling

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I just got home from teaching a Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star class at my local quilt guild; the Tidewater Quilters Guild in Virginia. Every year we host a Spring Fling by the guild members for the guild members. It is an all day celebration of classes, food and prizes. We had a blast. I taught the Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star to 17 lovely ladies and 1 brave gentleman. I wore a shirt I made incorporating strips that would be used to make a Lemoyne Star on the front and embroidered directions above each strip: “Strip A, press toward the background, Strip B, press toward the star point. I had a finished lemoyne star on the back. It was a really fun day, with great students who learned a new technique.

Big Star Block

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I was on YouTube looking at quilting tutorials and I saw one being demonstrated by “The Missouri Quilt Company called the Big Star Quilt. I thought it would be a great quilt for beginners to expand their skills. The block is 24″ finished and is made from Layer cakes or 10″ squares. So, I went to my stash. I don’t have a lot of layer cakes so I decided to use some of my Wizard of Oz stash (I only have about 6 tubs of Wizard of Oz fabric stashed away)!

I love their method for half square triangles. Place two layer cakes right side together and sew a 1/4 inch seam around all 4 sides of the square. Then cut diagonally, twice. You now have 4 half square triangles. I am in the process of making a lesson plan for this quilt. I’m making twelve – 24″ blocks with sashing. This quilt will measure about 94″ x 120”. Each block requires 6 layer cakes, 2 light, 2 dark and 2 background, plus four 5″ squares for the snowballs. The only part I hate is squaring up the half square triangles. I had 144 half square triangles, it only took an hour and a half. The quilt will be so much happier because I took the time to square up, and of course using the Tucker Trimmer makes it easier. This quilt can be made in miniature also by using charm square packs.

Soho Sunflowers, Number 51

Eeeeek! An Obituary Quilt?

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Every time I mention I’m making an Obituary quilt people shiver. I love my family and my family’s history. Finding obituaries is finding a treasure trove of information. I get really excited when I find information that tells me what they and their lives were like. This is how I remember them, how my children and grandchildren will get to know them.

Remember Me! This was truly a labor of love and a learning experience! I have a tendency to jump into projects feet first and figure out the details along the way. My sister and I had collected so many wonderful obituaries that one day I said “I know, I will make them into a quilt”. I started entering the information into my lettering software and began embroidering them. Some took over 3 hours to embroider. Then I had to figure out how to connect them into a cohesive top. I’m not sure if I was successful or not. I just started playing with them on the design wall, measured the negative space and figured out how to join them. The star blocks are Rapid Fire Lemoyne Stars (my favorite). I know it looks a little weird, but I kind of like the randomness of the top. I had real trouble with the borders. The embroidery shrank up the fabric, so I had to rip out what I could and add fabric to try to square it up. I got one end of the top square but not the other. I couldn’t take off the whole border as part of the embroidery went into the seam. I did not want to start over so I just went with it.

These obituaries start in 1900. That’s amazing, 113 years ago!!!

More Tales of Hexagon Quilts

Teeny Tiny Hexagon Quilt

Did You Say Obituary Quilt?

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Why yes, I did! I started working on this idea 2 years ago but was overtaken by events. My goal this year is to finish the Obituary and Cemetery quilts. My grandmother Bessie was very into family history and geneology. Of course I and my sister took it for granted. When Bessie passed in 1987 all her family knowledge went with her. In the past 3 or 4 years my sister and myself have worked hard to find the secrets of our past. Our hard work has been rewarded. We have many great obituaries, some over 100 years old. So, that is how the idea began. I have typed the obituaries into my lettering software and machine embroidered them. I have 2 more to get done but I ran out of the fabric and black thread today.

In my head I envision the blocks randomly arranged on my design wall. When I get a pleasing design I will measure the negative space and make blocks to fill in and join the obituaries. I’m thinking I will choose one simple block and either enlarge it or reduce it to fit, and stick to a simple color scheme of blue and brown. I’ll keep you informed!