Thursday, February 8, 2024

Winter Mix and SnowMan Quilt

I started this Snow man Quilt many years ago and finally finished it up in January.  Maybe I can get this post published before the blazing sun warms us up for summer, lol.  

 

It was so frozen out that day that even the weeds took on a delightful shimmering sparkle!  Not quite as enchanting through the screen though.

Snowmen and 4 patch blocks   I found this many blocks but luckily had some of the light blue snowflake fabric and just a little of the dark blue snowflake fabric left to make the remaining blocks.  I laid on some buttons and noses to see how cute they'd be

I made the rest of the blocks but not quite enough of the dark blue for the final corner blocks so innovated with the two corner star blocks which turned out to be a special touch 


I was up hiking my favorite route when I saw these two.  The big guy was over 7 feet tall and his baby had fallen against him but still so cute!


Quilted with giant snowflakes




Getting ready to sew on eyes

I put this snowflake fleece on the back with batting inside too, so it's extra cozy!  I have some notes jotted down somewhere with the dimensions for the blocks so will update the post when I come across them.


Winter painting 

I'll work on this more next year

I put some winter art on the White board at work for the patients to enjoy in the recovery room. 


I made this winter topper a few years ago and finally put the binding on in January too!  My friend, Donna, sent me the darling tray and winter decorations!  It was rewarding and less depressing to have something pretty to put out after the Christmas decorations were all taken down.

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

ACORN PILLOW

  I’ve been enjoying the leaves turning yellow and red and sewing up some fun  fall decorations. I made these acorns last year, so it’s nice to utilize them and make something pretty to give away.



Another pillow for Fall 

Size of the pillow cover is 12 1/2 x 21 1/2” (the pillow is about 12 x 21“ so slightly snug, if you make your own pillow, make it 11 1/2 x 20 1/2)

And a pumpkin pot holder 
Linking to Put Your Foot Down, Peacock PartyWhoop Whoop Party, Off the Wall FridayBeauty Pageant; Two Chicks and a Mom

Friday, September 29, 2023

Scrappy Cats for Fall

From a pattern called Cat Nap for free on All People Quilt.  



I changed it a little by making their bodies 1 inch longer, so if you do that, you have to make the background square by their heads 3 1/2 x 4 1/2"

I made the "quilt" they are laying on with 2 7/8" squares

  
You can see the pillow back laying on the pillow that I made for this project. The pillow is made with a piece of fabric 22 1/2 x 24”. Finished pillow is 11 x 23 1/2”

I'm going to sew some tiny buttons on for eyes and buy some bells to sew on their collars

Happy Fall!

Linking to Needle & Thread ThursdayPut Your Foot Down, Peacock PartyWhoop Whoop Party, Finished or Not  FridayOff the Wall FridayBeauty Pageant; Two Chicks and a Mom
 

Friday, September 15, 2023

Pumpkin Painting and Starting a new Sunflower medallion quilt

I was painting and actually completed a Pumpkin Painting.  The turtle one has been in progress for a few years now.


I hung it up in the breakfast nook and realized I really need a fall topper for that table.
   


I found this 12 1/2" sunflower block I made last year and wondered if it could be a medallion quilt kind of like the 4th of July one.  Sure enough you can just use 3 1/2" and 3 1/2 x 6 1/2" blocks to go around it.

I tried 3 1/2" maple leaf blocks but my friend pointed out they were competing with the sunflower block and so decided to use them for some other project.

I devised a 6 1/2" sunflower block which I like a lot but now wondering if the original sunflower block still works?  Maybe I'm overthinking it.  I'll be back later (hopefully soon) with the finished product.


Linking to Needle & Thread ThursdayPut Your Foot Down, Peacock PartyWhoop Whoop PartyFinished or Not  FridayOff the Wall FridayBeauty Pageant; Two Chicks and a Mom






 

Sunday, August 13, 2023

Let Freedom Ring

Since I'm going to wait and complete the binding next year, I'm sharing some cutting instructions for this patriotic medallion quilt before putting everything away.  Actually, it would be pretty in any holiday colors!
I love how it turned out!


Also sharing this little topper.  The centers of these two quilts were made a few years ago when I was making other toppers and they ended up being orphan blocks (original post here).  The free Firework block pattern is still available on the Fort Worth Fabric Studio Site, called the Star Spectacular Table Runner Quilt Pattern.

Here are some cutting Instructions for the large topper I made:  Note:  The center medallion block needs to be 13 1/4" unfinished, which will then be put on point.  So you can make the block above but just cut the outside pieces 1/2" bigger when cutting.  Another option is to make your own design, by making a 9 patch, with each block 4 3/4" and then when all sewn together it will be 13 1/4" unfinished.

Once you have your center on point block, you will make it square by adding the following as shown in the picture:  The dark blue star triangles are 3 7/8" squares cut once diagonally (or you could cut a 5 1/2" square twice diagonally to get four triangles at once) You will need a total of 12 dark blue triangles.  The red bigger squares are 3 1/2" squares (you need six).  See below for the instructions for the outside corner squares.

These are all the other blocks you might want to make or design your own!
Other than the center, all blocks are 3 1/2" unfinished except the stars which are 6 1/2" unfinished and some blocks which are 3 1/2 x 6 1/2".
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 DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS BLOCK IS CALLED?
1. For the large dark triangle you can cut a 5 1/2" square twice diagonally or a 3 7/8" square once.
2.  The white triangles are 2 3/8" squares cut once diagonally or 3 3/8" square cut twice diagonally
3.  The red square is 2 inches

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FLYING GEESE BLOCKS (3 1/2 x 6 1/2" unfinished) you may use your favorite method or follow mine



For the geese (center triangle) cut 7 1/4" and cut diagonally twice as shown in the picture on the right or you can use a 5 1/8" square and cut diagonally once.  For the sky (the outer smaller triangles) cut 3 7/8" square cut once diagonally or make 4 at a time by cutting a 5 1/2' square twice diagonally

For this one, the"goose" is the same as above and the "sky" is constructed in the same way as those other blocks, with a 2" square and the little white triangles (see dimensions above)  OR you could just use two of those blocks

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You could use two four patches instead of these blocks but I like this better with less seams

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FOUR PATCH
The four patches are just two inch squares sewn together as shown

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   SQUARE IN A SQUARE
   Cut a 2 5/8" square for each center.  For the outside corners cut a 3 3/8" square and cut diagonally twice (or if you are using small scraps, could cut (2) 2 3/8" square cut once)

To help the block come out square, make the folds as shown and then line up the folds before sewing together.  Makes  3 1/2" (unfinished).  You will need sixteen Square in a Square blocks if yours will be like mine.

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HALF SQUARE TRIANGLE BLOCKS (3 1/2" unfinished)
Use your favorite method to make Half Square Triangles.  My favorite is a 4 at once method by sewing two 5 1/2" squares together, sewing around the perimeter and cutting diagonally twice.  OR cut 3 7/8" squares and cut diagonally once and sew the right sides together, press and square up.  

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SOLID BLOCKS ARE 3 1/2" X 6 1/2" OR THE SMALLER SQUARES ARE 3 1/2" SQUARES

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SAWTOOTH STAR BLOCK 6 1/2" UNFINISHED
Cut and assemble according to the directions.  I have a better tutorial with more pictures if you need it here
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After constructing the blocks you will sew together into sections being careful with the large star sections 

I added some borders as shown.  I used my 3 1/2" star block tutorial here to make the 8 smaller stars.  The stripes are 2" by the length of the sections between the stars.


SINGLE THICKNESS BINDING TUTORIAL
I made a tutorial for a single thickness binding.  Also see the Temecula Quilt Company for her instructions.  Make the binding 1 1/2" by about 3 more inches than the perimeter of your project.  Press in on one side 1/4 inch.

If making a seam in more than one length be sure to cut it and seam it diagonally as shown.  I like to line the non pressed edge of the binding up with the border on the back.  I usually start a few inches before a corner and leave 8 or 10"

Here is a video to show what to do when you come to a corner
Having trouble getting the video to load.  I'm working on it.


Once you sew all around, leaving some tails to connect, here is the next step

the tail pieces need to overlap by the width, which in this case is 1 1/2 inches


Once you've trimmed so they are just 1 1/2" bigger then you line them up perpendicularly as shown.  I always put a pin in as shown and double check to see if after sewing, it will be correct.  You sew from the right corner to the spot where the left corner is below the top piece.  If it's correct you can trim leaving a 1/4" seam allowance.  Finish up by sewing down and then top stitching on the right side.














St. Paddy’s Day Hats with some Cutting Instructions

I finished a few gifts with my leprechan hat pattern I created.  This could also be a pilgrim hat for Thanksgiving and could probably alter ...