Bell Creek Patterns

T*shirt quilt: adding the shadows

2011-03-02T19:21:00.009-06:00

This is how I add the shadows on LindaJ's T*shirt Tutorial. Many thanks to Linda who helped me endlessly and freely when I was first making this type of quilt. you rock, gf! :)

1. I cut 24: 3" x 3" from background/sashing and 12: 3" x wof of shadow fabric

2. Trim the selvages off of the shadow fabric

3. Sew 12: 3 x3 background/sashing fabric to one end of the shadow fabric. you will have 12: 3 x3 b/s squares left for later.

4. Press to darker fabric. You will have 12 of these long looking two color strips.

5. Sew onto the right side of framed t*shirt, making sure that your b/s fabric is on the top right corner.

6. Continue sewing until you come to the end of the framed block. Then I cut with scissors past where the frame ends.

7. I then flip the shadow fabric over and sew a 3x3 b/s fabric to the end of the shadow fabric where the clean cut is~right sides together.

8. I press to the shadow/background fabric on the framed block and to the shadow fabric on the strip.

9. Trim to even.

10. Sew the background/sashing/shadow strip to the bottom of the framed block, making sure that the background/sash fabric is in the lower left corner.

11. Cut the excess again.

12. Toss the excess pieces into your scrap box.

13. Press towards the piece you just added.

14. Trim to even.

15. One completed block.

A Few Ideas for 2.5 inch Strip

2009-04-21T13:57:00.011-05:00

1. Scrappy Rail Fence size approx. 57 x 69

Sew blue, white (cream), red together (I cut my strips in half ~21 inches because it gives more variety in the sewing)

Sub-cut into 6.5 inch units.

Arrange in a pleasing manner. I like colors marching from left to right down the quilt...notice blue and red stairsteps.

1.5 inch cut (1 inch finished) cream inner border.

6.0 inch cut (not real sure here) blue stars outer border. bind with blue stars.

2. Boxed 4 Patches aka Happy Block approx. size 53 x 69

I basically followed this pattern for Happy Blocks construction. Instead of a novelty square I made cream 4 patch blocks then alternated red and blue frames.

I like colors marching across the quilts diagonally.

1.5 inch cut (1 inch finished) inner cream border

6.0 inch cut (not real sure here) outer blue stars border. bind with blue stars

3. Chinese Coins with Friendship Stars approximate size 53 x 72

I followed this basic construction method here except I cut my 'coins' into 6.5 inch units to match the stars. I used approximately 2 yards of red and leftover 'coin' strips from the Boxed 4 Patch quilt.

2.5 inch cut inner red border

6.0 inch cut (not real sure here) outer flag border. bind with flag fabric.

4. Valor from Cozy Quilts approx. size 53 x 73

I had some smart friends from Texas help me figure out the cuts for this quilt. I then felt guilty so I brought the book it is in.

1.5 inch cut inner gold border

6.0 inch cut (not real sure here) outer blue stars border. bind with blue stars.

You can also follow this link and take a look around the Quilt of Valor website.

5. Starry Squares approx. size 60 x 72

I followed Mary's pattern for Boxed Squares to make the inside of this quilt. I then sewn the three borders from the leftover 2.5 inch strips I had. I think the next time I do this border treatment I would cut the first border at 1.5 inches (unfinished) the second at 2.0 inched (unfinished) and the third as is at 2.5 inches (unfinished). Personal preference~I just like the look of borders that are narrower closer to the quilt body.

Grandma Parks' Mystery Muffins

2008-06-11T10:08:00.000-05:00

Grandma Parks made these mystery muffins while visiting last week. YUMMY.

1 package devil's food cake

15 oz. can pumpkin

chopped pecans

chocolate chips (I used mini chips)

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper baking cups. (I used Pam) Mix cake mix with pumpkin, add vanilla. (I used a mixer) Drop into cupcake tin (I used an ice cream scooper) Sprinkle top with chopped nuts and chocolate chips (I skipped the nuts and spooned 1/2 bag of mini chips into the batter...hey we like chocolate here!) Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes then remove from cupcake tin to wire rack.

The ingredients...

...the batter will be thick...

...into the cupcake tin (I had 16)...

...the end result...YUMMY! Tastes like a brownie!

You can't taste the pumpkin in it and pumpkin is loaded with fiber. I googled cake mix muffins and found a few variations on this. One was with spice cake mix and cinnamon chips. Grandma Parks clipped this recipe from a newspaper but didn't remember which paper or when....

The Checkerboard Border Quilt

2008-05-06T14:30:00.000-05:00

The Checkerboard Border Quilt

1. Yardage Requirements (these are generous)

inner panel: 1.5 yards
inner border: 0.25 yards
checkerboard color 1: 0.5 yards
checkerboard color 2: 0.5 yards
border (not pieced): 0.75 yards
binding: 0.5 yards

2. Pick your fabrics. The inner panel can be a panel or a piece of fabric that has a large motif that you don't want to cut. I usually *go for* an obnoxious looking inner panel such as Elvis here. Black is the inner border, blue and pink are the checkerboard colors and the co-ordinating Elvis print will be the non-pieced portion of the border.3. I cut my inner piece at 33.5 inches by 48.5 inches. (Well...I add an inch on each side as wiggle room to square up...if I wish. But I tell you, that after making a few of these, you will notice very rarely is the fabric printed on the straight of grain so it is almost impossible to *square up* the motiff). I fold the fabric one way and make the cut then...

....fold the other way and make the cut. I fold the fabric in half and use the half measure. For example: if I want 50 inches long I measure and cut at the 25 inch mark. Sorry...this picture is the shorter cut :) 4. I put it up on the flannel and take a lookie and *see* how straight. Don't be fooled by the *bad* camera picture. Elvis is off by about .25 inches...I can live with that! :)
5. I cut the inner border at 1.5 inches (finished at 1 inch...notice the *fuzzy* pic this time) and piece and apply inner border in usual manner.

6. I cut my checkerboard strips at 3.0 inches. Four (4) of each color...and sew the strip sets together.7. In this particular set, I pressed to the blue then subcut my units 3.0 inches. I like to line up all the paired units on my big ruler and take them to the machine to sew. When I get ready to cut my subunits, I make sure the seam is down on the bottom strip. This just seems to make the 4 patches go through my machine easier :)

8. Sew the units into 4 patches and press. There are a few extra units that are made here. I simply put the extra away and someday I will have a whole quilt top made with the extra units!

9. Measure your 4 patches and note this measurement.(mine measured at 5.5 inches...yours might be different!) very IMPORTANT step...measuring the 4 patches! Place your corner 4 patches on opposite corners making sure that the colors are in the same placement. For example: blue kiddy corner to the quilt top. Continue placing 4 patches so the color alternates along the top. I usually place 4 or 5 vertically and 3 horizontally
10. Cut the non-pieced portion of the outer border at whatever your 4 patches measured. Mine were 5.5 inches. Cut 4 of these. (Sometimes I *cheat* and use more 4 patches and less yardage :) )
11. Now comes the tricky part...assembly of the outer borders. I piece the vertical (sides) first then the horizontal (top and bottom). I take the 4 patches from the flannel I want to sew and place them at the machine exactly in the order to sew. Since you pressed in one direction, the seams should butt together. If not, twist until they do but make sure your checkerboard is still intact. Sew and press the seams. Now take that little unit and put it where it is going EXACTLY matching the corner. Measure from the last unit to the end of the quilt top. Add .25 inches (seam allowance). This is your measurement for cutting the nonpieced part of the outer border. Cut, sew to little checkerboard unit, press towards nonpieced fabric.

This picture is just to give you an idea of *how* I measure...not the meaurement I used :)

12. When I sew the side borders on...I actually have the border on bottom...quilt top on top at the machine. I do this so that I can match the 4 patch exactly to the top. A little goofy I *know* but it works for me :)13. I make the top and bottom borders in the same way as the side borders. Keep in mind that the length you cut your non-pieced portion of the border is going to change. I cut each border as I make the little checkerboard unit.

14. Sew the top (or bottom) border on...I pin to match the seams in the checkerboard units......oops I missed on this one :)15. and here is the Elvis Checkerboard Border quilt top to a flimsy state!

16. It actually takes me about 3 -4 hours to make this top. I cut and piece the panel and inner border one time. Make the 4 patch units at the next sewing time. Then make the outer border assembly and finish to the flimsy state a third time at the machine.

17. The disclaimer: sew at your own risk! This pattern works for me. I hope it will work for you.

18. The original pattern this quilt is based on appeared in the magazine McCall's Quick Quilts September 2002 issue and is called 'Memories of Childhood' by Marsha Stifel Mellendorf.19. Here are some examples of quilts I have made and gifted using the Checkerboard Pattern.