Tag Archives: Quilts

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.

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.

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!!!

Spilling the Beans a Little Early

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My wonderful daughter-in-law Pam is having a birthday next week. I’m spilling the beans a littler early. I made her this King size quilt to celebrate her birthday, she loves red! It measures 100 inches by 120 inches, phew, that was work! I always make a gift bag for the quilts I make, but this one is too big to fit in the bag. I love Pam, she makes my son very happy! Now they have a lot to be happy about, they are expecting a daughter in August. I’m so happy for them (& I’m happy for myself, a new grandchild to play with and love)! Happy Birthday Pam! I’ll see you next week!

Telling Stories with Machine Embroidery

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I made this quilt for my sister in 2010. While we were searching for family graves and information we found a story on the Town of Vienna, NY’s website. it was full of information about our ancestors. It contained great stories and Civil War information. It was a treasure trove of information, so of course I put it into a quilt called “Yankees in Tara”.

Playing Catch Up before Hurricane Sandy Gets here

Inside the Twister

Inside the Twister Locked and Loaded

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I’m still trying to catch up from teaching all last weekend, but in between embroidering quilt labels, etc. I loaded Inside the Twister on the quilt frame. So I would quilt a row, then run to the embroidery room and check on the embroidery machine. Status: Inside the twister is quilted, waiting for binding, 3 quilt labels are done and half way through a job for my friend Jennifer.

Tomorrow I’m off to teach the Lemoyne star class at Sew E-Z in Portsmouth.

If These Threads Could Talk

Studio 180 Design Certified Instructor

Tag Archives: Quilts

One Block Wonder Fabric Selections

Chevron Quilt – More fun with Half Square Triangles

Lemoyne Star Class at TQG Spring Fling

Big Star Block

Eeeeek! An Obituary Quilt?

Spilling the Beans a Little Early

Telling Stories with Machine Embroidery

Playing Catch Up before Hurricane Sandy Gets here

Inside the Twister

Inside the Twister Locked and Loaded

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