Quilting Life Block of the Month

 

One block each month is a pleasure!

July

All the blocks so far;  Depending on how big I want this quilt to be, I may need to make extra blocks.

Linking up with: From Bolt to Beauty; Patchwork and Quilts; Wendy's Quilts;

Fabric Basket and Gift Ideas

Whether Birthday, holiday or special occasion or just because you care, it's sometimes so hard to figure out just the right gift for someone special

A fabric basket is very special, but you could also get some other container, like a bucket or plastic or woven basket. 

Cardmaking was my favorite craft prior to quilting.  It's still fun to make a special card and dabble with colors in inks and papers rather than fabrics.  But if you have time, why not both??!!

As quilters and sewers, we can make a gift a bit more special with a handmade basket.   You can choose fabric in favorite colors, theme (bumble bee, lady bug, birthday balloons, etc) and fill with some sweet gifts.

This little basket is just the right size for so many things.  I've made this basket many times with this tutorial by Ayumi.  

Yesterday, I was thinking about making a birthday gift for a friend and I came across this paper 

I'd made some notes to have handy so I didn't need to look up the tutorial and inspired I got to work on the above shown basket.  (For some reason I needed 7 x 2 two inch squares this time)

  Ideas to put in your basket:  Pen and notebook; movie tickets; lotions and body care items, skin, or hair care; scissors, glue and craft items; seed packets in a small plant pot and garden gloves; for a child bubbles and dollar store animal figures; homemade cookies.  The possibilities are endless, when you get to thinking!

I would love for you to give other suggestions of thoughtful gifts if anyone wants to share!!!  I'm going to include this post in my Birthday Boutique Page for handy reference.  

Linking up with Alycia Quilts; From Bolt to Beauty; Patchwork and Quilts; Wendy's Quilts;

Wildflower Baby Quilt for Eleanor

This wildflower quilt is for our niece's new baby

Some nursery decor

Before Washing

Almost ready to quilt

Figuring out bindings and backing

I was so excited to lay out the first blocks

And as always, don't forget to label!

Linking up with Alycia Quilts; From Bolt to Beauty; and Wendy's Quilts

Getting Caught Up on Quilt Alongs

 The Quilting Life Block of the Month.  Finished up the May and June blocks

It’s so nice to only have a one block commitment each month.  Easy to catch up and continue if you get behind. 

Using Mary Engelbreit and coordinating fabrics.  Only SIX to go.

Next I'm going to work on catching up on my Moda Blockheads 4 blocks

This Moda "block-berry"block is so cute!  I'm really motivated to get going on it.

Here are a few of the other blocks with some possible fabric choices for the berry block

My Design Wall.  When my friend, Trish walked in, she said it looks like the 4th of July exploded in here, lol!

This is the pillow Trish completed from our Land that I Love pillow class (see tutorial here)

  Linking up with My Quilt Infatuation; Alycia Quilts; 

Gallantly Streaming Quilted Flag Table Runner with Flag Block Tutorial

I'm in love my new Gallantly Streaming Flag Runner

I later added more quilting since it was sort of puffy with just this many wavy lines and I wanted it to lay flat.

SCRAPPY FLAG BLOCK TUTORIAL

The unfinished flag block is 15 1/2 wide x 11 1/2" tall

Start by making a 6 1/2" unfinished sawtooth star

    FOR EACH STAR BLOCK, CUT:

Cut:

One square 4 1/4”(blue) 

Three squares 3 1/2” (white)

Four 2" squares (blue)  

Make two diagonal cuts in two of the 3 1/2" white squares and also the blue 4 1/4" square as shown. 

LAY OUT AS SHOWN

MAKE THE FLYING GEESE BY SEWING THE WHITE TRIANGLES ON AS LAID OUT

TRIM THE FLYING GEESE UNITS TO 3 1/2" x 2" as shown,  (I love this no waste method)

Sew the sections together

SEWING THE STRIPES

The shorter stripes are 9 1/2 x 1 1/2".  The longer stripes are 15 1/2" x 1 1/2". 

For each flag block, cut:

Three red 15 1/2 x 1 1/2" strips

Two white 15 1/2 x 1 1/2" strips

Three red 9 1/2 x 1 1/2" strips

Three white  9 1/2 x 1 1/2"strips

 Sew the short strip sets together as shown and then sew to the star block.  Sew the long strips together as shown and then sew to the star/stripe unit.  Trim to 15 1/2 x 11 1/2"

BORDERS AND SASHING

For my runner I added 1 1/2" x 11 1/2" sashing and side strips and the top and bottom borders are 2 1/4" by length of my runner.

DON'T FORGET YOUR LABEL 

I love to see my labels on the backs of my projects as I take them out for each holiday.  It's fun to see the date and remember back to the construction!

Linking up with Quilting is More Fun than Housework; My Quilt Infatuation; Anja Quilts

Land that I Love Pillow with Tutorial

My sewing group is going to make a patriotic pillow tomorrow.

I designed this pillow and made some kits and will include a tutorial for all of us to follow and hope you will join in too!

You will need about one yard total of red, white, and blue fabrics. Scraps, remnants, or precuts will work or get some fat quarters.  You will also need six buttons and a piece of muslin or scrap fabric and a piece of batting  18 1/2" square to make the quilt sandwich

  

Cutting instructions for the Heart Block:

Heart colors:  Cut seventeen 2 inch squares in your choice of fabrics for the heart.  Cut two 2 1/2" squares and cut diagonally once.

Background:  Cut one 5" and one 2 1/2" and one 2" square of background fabric and then cut those squares in half diagonally once.  (note you will only use one of the small white triangles from the 2 1/2" square)

Cutting instructions for the borders

Cutting instructions for the pillow back.

For the Pillow back, cut one piece 10 1/2 x 18 1/2" and one piece 9 3/4 x 18 1/2".  Also cut an accent piece 3 x 18 1/2"

Assembling the Heart Block:

Lay out your pieces into the heart shape.  I started by sewing TWELVE of the two of the 2" squares together, two at a time and laying out again.  Sew FOUR of the 2 inch squares to the colored triangles as shown.  Keep laying out so you can see how they should be sewn together.

I kept sewing them together.  Note:  Be sure to square up each time you sew a seam so it will come out the correct size at the end.  Two squares by two squares will square up to be 3 1/2" square.  Two by 3 squares will be 3 1/2 x 5" rectangle.  Nine squares sewn together will be a 5" square.  Note:  Of course where there is a rectangle, it won't be a whole square.

 

After sewing all the 2" squares, the setting and corner square triangles together, sew on the lower triangles to create the block.  Square up the block to be 8" tall by 8 3/4" wide.

Here I am showing that when you square up your block, to try and make sure the bottom point of the block is centered along the same line as the "V" at the top.  In my case the heart is 8 3/4" wide, so the center is 4 3/8".  See red arrows.

Adding borders:

I free motion embroidered some patriotic words onto the border pieces (put a piece of muslin behind) before attaching to the heart block but now I think I would have preferred to wait and just do the words as part of the free motion quilting after the top was all assembled.  After these first borders are added, square up to 12 1/2 x 12 1/2"

Adding the Final Borders:

Sew two sets of four 3 1/2" blocks together and sew to opposite sides of the block, then sew two sets of six 3 1/2" blocks together and sew to the final sides.  Block should measure 18 1/2".  

Make a Quilt sandwich using the muslin and batting, if you would like to freemotion quilt it.  Sew on accent buttons
 
Assembling the Back (note using different fabric from what I showed in the cutting instructions)

Fold the 3 x 18 1/2" accent piece in half and press, then sew to the 10 1/2 x 18 1/2" piece along the 18 1/2" lengths.  Press and top stitch.  For the 9 3/4 x 18 1/2" rectangle, fold down 1 1/2" down and stitch a hem.  Make button holes in the accent piece 5" from the sides.  (Note in the picture I'm showing 4 1/2" but 5" will be better.)  Lay the piece with accent over the hemmed edge and baste overlapping edges together.  It should be 18 1/2" square.  Make a little dot on the hemmed edge inside the button hole and sew on the button.

Place front and back, right sides together and sew around the perimeter.

  Turn to right side through the buttoned opening and place an 18" pillow inside.

I love the United States of America and am thinking and honoring all those who have perished while serving in the United States Military, as well as those friends and loved ones who have passed on.  I hope you enjoy this wonderful holiday of thoughtfulness and gratitude.

Linking up with My Quilt Infatuation; Alycia Quilts; Oh Scrap; and Kathy's Quilts

Quilt Alongs

 I finally joined in some Quilt Alongs.  One is the Moda Block Heads 4 and the other is the 2022 Quilting Life Quilt Along

These blocks are made using the Moda Block Heads 4 Quilt Along.  The Block Heads is one new block per week.  I am behind by two weeks and there are also alternate blocks you can choose, should you prefer one of them.

I had a piece of whimsical fabric with garden sayings so am fussy cutting some focal squares.  This block is called Spinner by Anne Sutton for Bunny Hill Designs

I love this block with the garden hat and gloves in the center.  It is called Kouign Amann by Laurie Simpson of Minick & Simpson

This one is called  Two of Five by Barbara Groves of Me & My Sister Designs

This one is called Cooee by Jenelle Kent of Pieces To Treasure.  

These blocks are made using the Quilting Life quilt along.  This BOM is just one block per month so still easy to catch up on.   I am using some left over Mary Engelbreit fabrics with some coordinating background fabrics.

 

This is the January block with a little Scottie dog

February block  I actually had and loved these darling mixing bowls, but always put them in the dishwasher which was a big mistake as the coating eventually failed and wrecked them.

This is the March block with two little Scotties

This April block is all about tea pots

I love joining in with Quilt Alongs if I have time!  Linking with Life in the Scrapatch; Beauty Pageant; and Wendy's Quilts