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

Advertisements

Block 2: Nine- Patch- Threadology Quilt Along

Today is Block number two for the Fat Quarter Shop Quilt Along! Are you sewing along? The cute kit is sold out, but Fat Quarter Shop has lots of Smitten fabric in stock if you would like to make one!

All of my pieces are cut out!

I love a classic nine-patch block. It is just squares! And I used my favorite Aurifil thread for my blocks.

FORK PINS!!!

Pay close attention to the pressing directions on the pattern. This will help your seams to nest. My biggest tip is: FORK PINS!!! These are an absolute game changer! I place one pin on one side of the seam, and the other part of the pin on the other seam. And my seams don’t move! Perfectly nested every single time! I would constantly unpick to get my seams just right. And now, I hardly have to unpick. Seriously get some!!!

Block two: Nine-patch

Aren’t these so cute! I love this block! You can find the pattern here or the YouTube video tutorial here. These blocks are a free download but Fat Quarter Shop is asking for a donation to Make a Wish! We have almost raised enough to unlock a new setting for this pattern! Yay!

I hope you are sewing along too! Thanks for stopping by!

Chirp Out!

Jen

Block 1: Ohio Star- Threadology Quilt Along

Welcome to the first week of the Threadology Quilt Along! I am excited to be sewing along with the Fat Quarter Shop for this quilt along.

Threadology Happy Mail!

I got this super cute kit from the Fat Quarter Shop. It has all the supplies you need to make the top, binding and even the pieced blocks for the back! I hear they are sold out, but I linked the Snippets collection by Bonnie and Camille to make your quilt too!

And the inside!

Aren’t these fabrics so cute? This kit came with a little box of aurifil thread to use on the quilt too! I just love it!

All my pieces are cut and ready to go!

The first block is the Ohio Star Block. You can download the pattern or view the YouTube video on how to assemble these blocks. Here are all of my blocks cut out and ready to go! Do you see that super cute box of Aurifil thread? I love it!

Hourglass units all made!

The first part of assembly is the hourglass units. Tip: If you sew one half square triangle one direction and the other half square triangle the opposite direction, you can keep you prints directional when you make them into hourglass units. I wanted to keep that cute tape measure fabric going the right direction!

Ohio Star Blocks

Here are my blocks all done! I had so much fun putting these together. I can’t wait to see this whole quilt!

Thanks for following along with me today. Are you participating in the Threadology Quilt Along? The pattern is free but Fat Quarter Shop is asking for a donation to the Make a Wish Foundation. Its for a good cause and you get a cute quilt in the process. Win, win!

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

My First EPP

Do you have a bucket list quilt?  You know, a quilt that you have been wanting to make forever.  A quilt that when someone posts about, you think, I just have to make that!  That quilt for me is a Grandmother’s Flower Garden.  I love little hexies.  I love watching quilters put them together into flowers.  My hangup–I have never tried EPP (English Paper Piecing).

After I saw that Sizzix has hexagon dies, I knew this was my chance to try it out.  Do you want to EPP too?  Then grab your Sizzix machine and let’s get started!

Supplies you will need:

Sizzix Big Shot Plus

Sizzix Bigz Die Hexagons, 1″ Sides #2

Sizzix Bigz Die Hexagons, 1 1/4″ Sides

Glue

Cardstock

Your favorite mini charm pack (I chose The Good Life by Bonnie and Camille-no surprise there)

First, prep you card stock.  Using the 1″ sided hexagon die, cut out the card stock in as many hexagons as you like.  This die cuts four at a time, so you can really cut out a lot quick!

Second, prep the fabric.  Every tutorial I read, said that I needed to cut the fabric into hexagon shapes with a 1/4″ seam allowance.  What a pain!  I think that is what has prevented me from wanting to try this out.  Sizzix to the rescue!  A mini charm square (2 1/2″) fits perfectly on the 1 1/4″ hexagon die.  This die will cut the hexagons to fit with the 1″ cardstock pieces and still have the 1/4″ seam allowance.  There are four die shapes, so layer your mini charm pieces on the die.  You can cut out EIGHT layers of fabric at a time.  So I can cut out 32 hexies at once!  That is almost the entire charm pack.

Now with my card stock and fabric ready, its time to EPP!  There are two methods of EPP.  One is glue basting.  The other is thread basting.  There are a number of tutorials for both methods on YouTube.  I decided to try glue basting.  It was so easy!  And fast!

I am now addicted to making these little hexies.  I love how portable they are.  I was able to glue baste a bunch of hexies while watching a football game with my family.

Here are some of my hexies all glue basted.  Aren’t they so cute?  I am ready now to make that Grandmother’s Flower Quilt.  And maybe I won’t be a Grandma when I finally get it done!

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