Monday, May 30, 2016
What I am working on Today?
Today is the 3rd and final day of my first weekend off in a month. We got bombarded at work. So, I have been spending time this weekend trying to get some things out of the way and get my sewing room cleaned up. I finally finished quilting this tardis quilt that I made for my son in law. The story about how it all came about and was quilted is coming soon. I may try to get this bound today so that I can gift it.
I am also trying to get this cute little quilt quilted. I pattern tested this for a designer and I can't wait to get it quilted.I will be posting later about this quilt as well. I love the colors I used for the balloons. Now, I just need to decide how to quilt it. It is almost loaded on my frame.
Today, I am linking up with Monday Making over at lovelaughquilt.blogspot.com Later today I have a family dutch oven dinner planned. Hope you all have a great day.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
bricks and Blocks quilt along week 4
This week, we will just be sandwiching our quilt. We have a long weekend, and I am sure we want to spend time with our families. I know I do, as I have been on major overtime with my day job.
First off we need to prepare our backing. If you are using 45" fabric, you will need to piece it. First, measure the length of the quilt and cut 2 pieces that are 8" longer than the quilt. Measure the width of the quilt and add 9 inches. We will use the extra inch for our seam. Cut the selvages off the backing fabric. The selvages are woven tighter and can make it hard to quilt through. Sew your two pieces together with a 1/2 inch seam, and press open. Not sure why I use a 1/2 inch seam, that is just how I was taught.
I am going to share 2 ways to sandwich your quilt.
The first way is the way I have always done it. First make sure your backing is well pressed. I like to starch mine a bit. Lay it on the floor with the right side against the floor. Smooth it out. If laying on a hard floor it may help to tape it. When I do mine on carpet I use the T-pins that are used for blocking doilies. Then use a spray adhesive made for quilts and spray your backing. Do this in a well ventilated area and hold the can away from your quilt. Make sure the backing is smooth. Then lay your batting on top and spray that. Make sure the batting is smooth. You can even let it dry a bit if you need to. Now, lay your quilt top on top of that and make sure it is smooth. I like to get the quilters safety pins, and pin a hand width apart. This just helps me to make it more secure. Work from the center out.
If you are doing a larger quilt and using the 45" wide fabric, you will follow the above, but when you cut your fabric pieces for the back you will make sure the widths are equal sizes. Just because I prefer not to piece my backing, I use the 108" wide backing. Yes, I may have extra, but it always gets put to good use.
The second way to sandwich your quilt is from my friend Christa at www.christaquilts.com. Her directions can be found here: http://weallsew.com/super-simple-strips-quilt-along-part-3/. I have not tried this way yet, just because of the way my sewing room is, I currently don't have a wall big enough. Also because I usually quilt on my machine quilting frames.
Next week we will start quilting our quilts. I hope you have a great Memorial day weekend, and are able to spend some fun time with your family.
First off we need to prepare our backing. If you are using 45" fabric, you will need to piece it. First, measure the length of the quilt and cut 2 pieces that are 8" longer than the quilt. Measure the width of the quilt and add 9 inches. We will use the extra inch for our seam. Cut the selvages off the backing fabric. The selvages are woven tighter and can make it hard to quilt through. Sew your two pieces together with a 1/2 inch seam, and press open. Not sure why I use a 1/2 inch seam, that is just how I was taught.
I am going to share 2 ways to sandwich your quilt.
The first way is the way I have always done it. First make sure your backing is well pressed. I like to starch mine a bit. Lay it on the floor with the right side against the floor. Smooth it out. If laying on a hard floor it may help to tape it. When I do mine on carpet I use the T-pins that are used for blocking doilies. Then use a spray adhesive made for quilts and spray your backing. Do this in a well ventilated area and hold the can away from your quilt. Make sure the backing is smooth. Then lay your batting on top and spray that. Make sure the batting is smooth. You can even let it dry a bit if you need to. Now, lay your quilt top on top of that and make sure it is smooth. I like to get the quilters safety pins, and pin a hand width apart. This just helps me to make it more secure. Work from the center out.
If you are doing a larger quilt and using the 45" wide fabric, you will follow the above, but when you cut your fabric pieces for the back you will make sure the widths are equal sizes. Just because I prefer not to piece my backing, I use the 108" wide backing. Yes, I may have extra, but it always gets put to good use.
The second way to sandwich your quilt is from my friend Christa at www.christaquilts.com. Her directions can be found here: http://weallsew.com/super-simple-strips-quilt-along-part-3/. I have not tried this way yet, just because of the way my sewing room is, I currently don't have a wall big enough. Also because I usually quilt on my machine quilting frames.
Next week we will start quilting our quilts. I hope you have a great Memorial day weekend, and are able to spend some fun time with your family.
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Bricks and Blocks quilt along week 3 - let's put it all togther
Hi friends,
Hope you are enjoying this quilt along. This week we are going to put it all together. Take your blocks and sort them into piles based on color. Because we have only 3 colors, putting it together won't be too hard. I usually alternate the colors. You will put them into rows. For the crib/lap size you will put them in a row of 5 and will have 6 rows going down. For the twin you will have 7 blocks across and 9 down. For the queen you will have 9 across and 9 down.
When I do this part, I like to lay them all out, and then take a picture that I can refer to. I will also number my rows and blocks. So for row 1, I would put on a piece of paper row 1 block 1, row 1 block 2, row 1 block 3 and continue all the way across the first row, then do each succeeding row. Use a 1/4" seam to put the rows together.
Hope you are enjoying this quilt along. This week we are going to put it all together. Take your blocks and sort them into piles based on color. Because we have only 3 colors, putting it together won't be too hard. I usually alternate the colors. You will put them into rows. For the crib/lap size you will put them in a row of 5 and will have 6 rows going down. For the twin you will have 7 blocks across and 9 down. For the queen you will have 9 across and 9 down.
When I do this part, I like to lay them all out, and then take a picture that I can refer to. I will also number my rows and blocks. So for row 1, I would put on a piece of paper row 1 block 1, row 1 block 2, row 1 block 3 and continue all the way across the first row, then do each succeeding row. Use a 1/4" seam to put the rows together.
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Quilt along week 2: let's sew
Hi friends,
Welcome to week 2 of our quilt along. Today we are going to sew and we are going to learn a technique called chain sewing. I like to use this whenever I can, because it goes faster.
Some general information first. Use a 1/4 inch seam. I usually use a 1/4 inch piecing foot for my machine. However, one of my machines doesn't have this foot, so I do a test sample and make sure I know where a 1/4 inch is, when I am using that machine.
Divide your squares into piles of 10 for the crib/lap quilt, 21 for the twin and 27 for the queen. Keep all your rectangles separated by size and color. Now, take the first pile of squares and half the first color of short rectangles and start stitching. Because we are doing chain piecing we won't be back stitching so shorten your stitch length just a bit. Sew your first half of your first color of short rectangles to the right side of your first pile of squares.
Take your second pile of squares and second color of rectangles and do the same. Then repeat with the third pile. Take a break, get a drink and take a walk. Clip all of your squares apart and press am the seams. Press towards the center square or your darkest fabric.
You will now take the squares you just pressed and sort them so that you have all the same color rectangles with your squares. Take your long rectangles and sew to the top, just the same way you did the short rectangles. Chain piece all squares. After the top side is done, then turn and do the bottom side. Just make sure your rectangles on each square are the same color, because if you don't, you have to make friends with the seam ripper and that really is not fun. Next week we will put it all together and sandwich the quilt. Yay!!!!!
Remember to share your progress by going to instagram and tagging me @kathyskwiltsandmore and using the hash tag #bricksandblocksquiltalong
Welcome to week 2 of our quilt along. Today we are going to sew and we are going to learn a technique called chain sewing. I like to use this whenever I can, because it goes faster.
Some general information first. Use a 1/4 inch seam. I usually use a 1/4 inch piecing foot for my machine. However, one of my machines doesn't have this foot, so I do a test sample and make sure I know where a 1/4 inch is, when I am using that machine.
You will now take the squares you just pressed and sort them so that you have all the same color rectangles with your squares. Take your long rectangles and sew to the top, just the same way you did the short rectangles. Chain piece all squares. After the top side is done, then turn and do the bottom side. Just make sure your rectangles on each square are the same color, because if you don't, you have to make friends with the seam ripper and that really is not fun. Next week we will put it all together and sandwich the quilt. Yay!!!!!
Remember to share your progress by going to instagram and tagging me @kathyskwiltsandmore and using the hash tag #bricksandblocksquiltalong
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Quilt Along part 1A- BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!
Do I have you attention yet? We are doing a surprise giveaway . Let us know that you are following along in the quilt along by posting pictures of your progress in the comments or on instagram. Use hashtag #bricksandblocksquiltalong and tag Kathy @kathyskwiltsandmore.
Good luck and Happy Sewing!
Do I have you attention yet? We are doing a surprise giveaway . Let us know that you are following along in the quilt along by posting pictures of your progress in the comments or on instagram. Use hashtag #bricksandblocksquiltalong and tag Kathy @kathyskwiltsandmore.
Good luck and Happy Sewing!
Cutting Directions for quilt along
Cutting Instructions for Crib size:
Focus Fabric. These are your center squares. You will cut 5 width of fabric strips at 6 1/2”. Then cut into 30 6 1/2” squares.
Solid fabrics. Cut 9 width of fabric 2 1/2” wide strips out of each of your 3 fabrics. Take 4 strips of each fabric and cut into 6 1⁄2” segments (you need 20 2 1/2” x 6 1/2” rectangles of each of the three colors.) Take the remaining, which should be 5 of each color and cut into 10 1/2” segments (you need 20 2 1/2” x 10 1/2” rectangles of each of the three colors). After cutting organize into piles of color and size. If you put 2 small rectangles and 2 large rectangles with each square, you should have 10 squares of each of the three colors.
Cutting instructions for the Twin Size:
Focus Fabric. These are your center squares. You will cut 11 width of fabric strips at 6 1/2”. Then cut into 63 6 1/2” squares.
Solid fabrics. Cut 18 width of fabric 2 1/2” wide strips out of each of your 3 fabrics. Take 7 strips of each fabric and cut into 6 1⁄2” segments (you need 42 2 1/2” x 6 1/2” rectangles of each of the three colors.) Take the remaining, which should be 11 of each color and cut into 10 1/2” segments (you need 42 2 1/2” x 10 1/2” rectangles of each of the three colors). After cutting organize into piles of
color and size. you should have 21 squares with 2 small rectangles and 2 large rectangles of each color.
Cutting instructions for the Queen size:
Focus Fabric. These are your center squares. You will cut 14 width of fabric strips at 6 1/2”. Then cut into 81 6 1/2” squares.
Solid fabrics. Cut 27 width of fabric 2 1/2” wide strips out of each of your 3 fabrics. Take 9 strips of each fabric and cut into 6 1⁄2” segments (you need 54 2 1/2” x 6 1/2” rectangles of each of the three colors.) Take the remaining, which should be 18 of each color and cut into 10 1/2” segments (you need 54 2 1/2” x 10 1/2” rectangles of each of the three colors). After cutting organize into piles of
color and size. You should have 27 squares with 2 small rectangles and 2 large rectangles of each color.
There you have it. I hope you come back next week to find out how to assemble the squares. Happy Cutting!