Block 8: Cross With a Cross- Threadology Quilt Along

Hi! Can you believe this is the last Threadology block? This has been such a fun quilt to put together with the Fat Quarter Shop! The free pattern can be found here. Or you can watch Kimberly assemble the block on YouTube here. She has a lot of great pointers!

All of my pieces cut out!

I used my Alphabitties to keep all of my pieces organized. If you stopped by here before, you may know that I have a slight obsession with directional prints…and keeping them directional. TIP: I cut some of the rectangles horizontal and some vertical to keep the prints going the same direction, especially those tape measures! I used my favorite Olfa Splash rotary cutter and my Aurifil Thread to stitch these up!

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s Threadology!

I had a lot of fun putting these blocks together. When I laid out the first part of the blocks, my little boy thought they were airplanes! Haha. He seemed pretty excited. I guess this means an airplane quilt is in my future!

FORK PINS!!!!

TIP: As I assembled the next part of the blocks, my FORK PINS helped so much. If you have stopped by here before, you may have seen these pop up in my quilting. I love them! They hold both sides of the nested seams. I haven’t used my seam ripper as much because of these awesome fork pins. Give them a try!

TIP: Since these pieces don’t match up perfectly, I matched the pieces on the center. Finger press your rectangle to find the center. Then match up the centers. I also did this when I attached the last triangle sections to the block. It keeps everything lined up! I used a similar method with the Economy block I posted a couple weeks ago.

Cross with a Cross Blocks

These blocks are sew cute! I had never made a block like this before. I loved stitching these up and seeing them take shape.

This year’s charity quilt along is benefiting the Make a Wish Foundation Central and South Texas. If you would like to make a donation you can follow this link.

Thanks for stopping by!

Chirp Out!

Jen

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Block 7: Economy- Threadology Quilt Along

Welcome to Block 7 of the Threadology Quilt Along with the Fat Quarter Shop! I love the Economy block. It is fast and shows off some of your favorite prints. Do you see those big squares in the pic?!? Those make the cutest centers for this block. I am using the Quilt Kit (which is sold out) but you can use the same Little Snippets fabric by Bonnie and Camille with the fabric requirements here.

All of my pieces cut out!

You can get the FREE pattern here or the video tutorial here. The Fat Quarter Shop is asking for a $5 donation to the Make a Wish Foundation Central and South Texas. They have almost reached the goal of $20,000!

Tip: Finger press and Fork Pins!

Sewing the triangles to the square can be a bit tricky!

TIP: Fold the triangle in half and finger press it, marking the center. Then fold the square in half and finger press it, marking the center. Now match the centers! And hold them in place using my favorite FORK PINS! Sew them into place with my favorite Aurifil thread and press. Then do the same thing on the other side.

Trimming, trimming, trimming!

Aren’t these center squares so cute?!? You need to trim them down based on the pattern measurements. I used my new pink OLFA rotary cutter. It’s my new favorite rotary cutter.

Then to attach the outer triangles, I used the same method that I described above. Works like a charm!

All done!

These blocks are so fun to make! I am so excited to see this quilt come together. We have one more block to go! Thanks for following along today!

Chirp Out!

Jen

Rainbow Hearts Mini Quilt

Go check out the Thermoweb Blog for this FREE pattern I designed. Then you can make a Rainbow Heart Mini quilt too!

Rainbow Hearts Mini Quilt

Jolly Bar Bon Bons Quilt

Have you used a Jolly Bar on a project before? Jolly Bars are a Fat Quarter Shop exclusive precut. They are 5″x 10″ rectangle precuts. Today I get to share a new pattern from the Fat Quarter Shop using a Jolly Bar. Its called the Jolly Bar Bon Bons Quilt. Yum! You can find the free pattern here. Or the YouTube tutorial here.

Making Half Square Triangles

I typically will use a white background when making quilts. I decided to try the opposite! I used one of my favorite floral prints from the fabric collection Smitten by Bonnie and Camille for Moda for the background. I used a Bella Solid White 97 for the Jolly Bar. (P.S. Its on sale this month!) This is my ‘go-to’ white. It matches all Bonnie and Camille prints perfectly!

Directional Fabric

I might have a little bit of OCD and I like my fabrics to all be facing the same direction. These kind of prints are called directional. So when you have a directional print like my background fabric, it can prove to be challenging. Here are a few things that I do to help me keep my fabric going all the same direction. First, you need to find the ‘correct’ direction. Sometimes I just decide on my own if I like the fabric one way verses the other direction. Other times I will look at a photo from the manufactures like the above pic.

Next I pick the flower (or other design element) I’m going to follow. I have circled the above flower that I picked. Now every time I cut out or sew together blocks, I check first to see where this flower is and make sure the navy portion is facing down.

Cutting can be a bit tricky when you are trying to keep your fabrics directional. I had to cut my background fabric two different ways. For example, one of the background pieces is 3 1/2″ x 7 1/2″. I cut a number of strips 3 1/2″ and then subcut them into 7 1/2″ pieces. The other half, I cut 7 1/2″ strips and subcut 3 1/2″ pieces. Does that make sense? Keep the piles separate and always look for ‘your flower’ before you sew them together. And guess what? My entire background is going the same direction! Whew!

Fork Pins!

If you have stopped by here before, you have seen me post about Fork Pins! They are amazing! If I am trying to match seams, I always use these. I have had to use my seam ripper less because these are so accurate. They hold both side of the seam so there is no sliding as I sew. If you don’t have some, you seriously NEED these!!!

Jolly Bar Bon Bons Quilt

I just love the way this turned out! You can really see the cute Bon Bons pop against the floral background. And if you look close, ALL of my background is the same direction!

Quilt Swish

A quilt swish is one of my favorite ways to show off a new quilt. And look at that cool pattern!

Thanks for following along today! If you haven’t given directional fabric a try, you should! I love the way a quilt looks when all the fabrics are going the same direction. Do you keep your prints directional when you sew? I’d love to hear!

Chirp Out!

Jen

Layer Cake Custard Quilt

What kind of pre-cut do you collect?  Honestly, I would love a fat quarter bundle, but usually that is not in the budget.  So I collect layer cakes.  They are a good amount of fabric with lots of possibilities.  I then have a hard time deciding which pattern to make.  I was excited to participate in the Fat Quarter Shop Quilt Along and make this super cute Layer Cake Custard Quilt.

You can find the YouTube tutorial here.

I chose to use Frost by Cotton and Steel.  I absolutely fell in love with this line when I saw it.  Those cardinals are my favorite!  But I was having a hard time cutting up this fabric.  That is the number one reason why I chose this layer cake for this pattern.  The Layer Cake Custard quilt shows off your favorite prints!

This quilt has so many fun prints!  Skiers, penguins, mice, snowflakes and my favorite cardinals.  I also like that this fabric line isn’t just Christmas-y prints.  I am planning on leaving this quilt out all through the blah January month.  Once I get it quilted that is.  Any tips on how to quilt this?  I really can only do straight line quilting.  Any ideas?

I love a good quilt swish!  I chose to use a white background.  I kept imagining snow while I was stitching this up.  This quilt was definitely getting me into the holiday spirit!

Here is the whole quilt!  I love all of the different prints!  And I am happy that I didn’t have to chop them up!  I also love the addition of pink to a winter quilt.  I have four girls so I love using pink in my quilts.

Thanks for following along!  Do you have a layer cake that is hard to cut up?  You should try out this pattern!  It is super fast and fun and keeps those precious prints front and center.

Chirp Out!

Jen

Churn Dash Block

Today I am sharing another Sizzix back to the basics block with you.  If you missed my flying geese post, you can find it here.  The back to basic block I’m sharing today is the churn dash block.  This is one of my favorite traditional blocks.  I have plans to make a whole quilt using this block.

A churn dash block is made up of four half-square triangles.  Most methods of creating half-square triangles require trimming.  But with Sizzix, there is NO trimming!  Would you like to make a churn dash block with me?

Supplies you will need:

Sizzix Big Shot Plus

Sizzix Bigz Die- Half-Square Triangles, 4 1/2″ assembled square

Sizzix Bigz Die- Rectangle, 2″ x 4″ finished (2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ unfinished)

Fabric (1 print for the half-square triangles, 1 print for the rectangles and background fabric)

Sewing machine

Thread

Let’s get started!

Start by cutting out your half-square triangles.  You will need four print and four background pieces cut.  Using a 1/4″ seam, sew a background to the print.  Press towards the dark side.  And you are done!  NO TRIMMING!!!  Isn’t that amazing?!?

I am using Moda’s Fig Tree Coney Island for this block.  It is one of my favorites!

Next you need to cut out your rectangles.  You will need four print and four of the background fabric.  Tip:  Place the die on a bit of an angle as it goes through the machine.  The die will cut better when its not hitting on the straight lines.  After the pieces are cut out, stitch one print and one background piece together using a 1/4″ seam.  Press toward the dark side.

You will also need a 5″ square of background for the center of this block.

Now to assemble the block.  You will need two half-square triangles for the top and two for the bottom.  Sew them to either side of one of the rectangle blocks.  Press the seams to the right.  Then sew the remaining rectangle blocks to either side of the 5″ background square.  Press the seams to the left.

Assemble the block.  The seams should ‘nest’ as you stitch them together.  Stitch the rows together.  Press the block.  And you are done!

Now I’m off to work on more church dash blocks!

Chirp Out!

Jen

Flying Geese

Today I am going back to the basics.  I am sharing how to make a flying geese block with Sizzix’s dies.  Spoiler alert: There is NO trimming!

There are lots of methods out there for making flying geese.  Most of the ways I have found involve a lot of trimming.  Trimming happens to be my least favorite part.  I would rather be sewing!

I was thrilled to find this way of making flying geese.  I don’t have to trim anything!  Do you want to make some of these with me?

Supplies you will need:

Sizzix Big Shot Plus

Sizzix Bigz Die- Half-Square Triangles, 3 1/2″ Assembled Square

Sizzix Bigz Plus Q Die- Triangles, 3 1/2″ H x 6 1/2″ W

Fabric (two contrasting colors- I chose green gingham and white)

Sewing machine

Thread

Let’s get started!  First start by making you Sizzix sandwich- cutting mat, die, fabric, cutting mat.  The great thing about both of these dies is that they work great for a 10″ piece of fabric or a layer cake.

To make the half square triangle, fold a 10″ layer cake square into fourths.  Then make your Sizzix sandwich.  Remember, the Sizzix Big Shot can cut up to 8 layers of fabric!

After you have cut out your pieces, you will end up with 4 of the main print and 8 of the background half-square triangles.

Now for the fun part- sewing!  Using a 1/4″ seam, sew one white half-square triangle to the larger green triangle.  Then press it open.  Your pieces will look the pic below.

Then sew the remaining white half-square triangles to the other side of the larger green triangle.  Press them open.

Then you are done with your flying geese!  And NO trimming!  These finished at 3 1/2″ x 6 1/2″.  If you need other sizes of flying geese blocks, there are a lot of Sizzix dies to chose from.

You can get 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ flying geese unit with this triangle die and this half-square triangle die.  Or if you want a 1 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ flying geese you unit, you can use this triangle die and this half-square triangle die.

The possibilities are endless!  And no trimming!  Have fun making your flying geese!

Chirp Out!

Jen

 

Blog Remix- Pretty Pincushion

Do you need a quick project?  Or a fast gift for a quilty friend?  These pretty pincushions are the answer!  They are fast and super cute!  And who doesn’t need more pincushions in their lives?

This pincushion is part of the Fat Quarter Shop blog remix.  You can check out this YouTube video with Sherri McConnell and Kimberly from the Fat Quarter
Shop.  They walk you through the pincushion tutorial with lots of tricks and tips along the way.

The first step is to create a little patchwork.  I dug through my scrap bin and used up some of my favorite (and most hoarded) Bonnie and Camille fabric.  Some of these pieces I have been holding onto forever, like that original Ruby!

Most quilters stuff their pincushions with crushed walnuts shells.  But I am allergic to walnuts.  So I needed to find something else that was nut free.  I used poly pellets which worked great!  They added a weight to the pincushion so it won’t move on my work table.

Now I have a pretty pincushion to use while I work!  It really is cute as a button!  The Fat Quarter shop sells the cutest twill ribbon with fun sayings to use on your pincushion.  I also used my matching Bonnie and Camille Aurifil Thread to stitch this up!

So what are you waiting for?!?  Grab your favorite scraps or a mini charm pack and you can make one of these too!

Thanks for stopping by!

Chirp Out!

Jen

The Friendship Quilt Along- Enduring

Today I get to share my Enduring block for the Friendship Quilt Along by Amanda Herring.  To make this quilt, you will need the templates and this quilt kit.  Or you can use different fabric.  But this quilt kit is so cute!

The key to this block is the buttons! But I can’t sew on the buttons until the quilt is quilted. So I have the block cut out, marked and waiting for the quilt construction.  I decided to make a needle book to showcase this cute block.

I have had a needle book on my make list for awhile.  I was excited for the excuse to finally make it.

The best part of making this block was picking out the buttons.  My grandma gave me a bunch of vintage buttons.  She bought them for $1 a box!  I can’t believe it!  I’m pretty sure I will never have to buy buttons again.

To make this needle book, I followed Amy Sinibaldi’s tutorial.  I made the book a bit bigger to accommodate the size of the block.  I had some leftover half-square triangles from my Hello Brooklyn quilt that I turned into a pinwheel block for the back.  I then added a book binding between the blocks.  I did a simple cross-hatch quilting design on the book.  After it was quilted, I used the template to mark the block.

I used my button foot to sew the buttons on.  I have a Bernina Record 830.  I had to search Ebay for a button foot (#152).  I am so glad I found one.  It is so helpful.  The button foot holds the button in place while you sew.

The best part of making a needle book is embellishing the pages.  I made these letter pins a few years ago and needed a place for them.  This needle book was perfect!  And I love the gingham ribbon!

I also used some pom poms!

And I used some rick-rack and a tag!

And last of all, the back!  I love pinwheel blocks!  I had sew much fun making this needle book!  Now I need to make more!

Chirp Out!

Jen

*This post contains affiliate links.

 

 

Pineapple Quilt

Do you participate in quilt block swaps?  I have participated in a few over the years.  I signed up for a pineapple block swap hosted by the lovely Jackie Padesky.  She also wrote this cute pattern.

I made these 18 blocks, kept 2, and sent 16 to her!  My blocks are made up of V and Co’s Simply Colorful fabric line for Moda.

I wanted a super scrappy quilt.  But I have NO yellow!  I don’t really care for the color so I don’t buy it or sew with it.  That’s one of the benefits of a swap.  I got lots of cute pineapples in return.  And they were scrappy!

I quilted straight(ish) lines in a cross-hatch pattern on this quilt.  I love the cross-hatch pattern and want to quilt it on every quilt! And don’t you just love a quilt swish?

I was so excited when I found this backing fabric!  Most pineapple fabric is a bit girly looking with lots of pink.  I wanted to give this quilt to my pineapple loving husband for his bday.  So navy pineapples=WIN!  (And that is another close up of my block!)

One more benefit of swaps is getting to meet so many amazing quilters from around the world!  I love getting to know people who love quilting as much as I do!  Have you done a swap?  If not, you should try it out!

Chirp Out!

Jen