Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Story Times Squares Using 6.5 inch Squares
Quilt measures : approx. 49 x 72
quilt inspiration:
StoryTime Squares by Rae
Needed:
70 : 6.5 inch squares Novelties
sashings : 1 yard (actually use a little less)
(9 strips at 3.5 inches)
binding : 1/2 yard (I used 7 strips cut at 2.5 inches)
Sewing:
Sew center novelties 2 across and 3 down
Add 3.5 inch sashings all around. (2 strips needed here)
Sew 2 sets of 3 novelties for the sides
Sew 2 sets of 4 novelties for top/bottom
Add 3.5 inch sashings all around (4 strips needed here)
Sew 2 sets of 7 novelties for sides
Sew 2 sets of 8 novelties for top/bottom
Add 3.5 inch sashings to top/bottom
(3 strips need here ~ pieced 1 + 1/2 wof)
Sew 2 sets of 8 novelties for top/bottom.
Quilt as desired.
My binding ~ 7 at 2.5 inch.
Friday, June 28, 2013
It's ME!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
T*shirt quilt: adding the shadows
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.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
A Few Ideas for 2.5 inch Strip
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.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Grandma Parks' Mystery Muffins
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
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.
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.