1 week until our quilt along begins

I am so excited for our quilt along. It starts next wednesday, May 4th. There are just a few housekeeping things I want to mention. First, make sure your sewing machine is in good working order. There is nothing more frustrating than getting started on a project and having your sewing machine not work properly. We have 2 weeks until we need them.
Just so it is all together,  and easy to find, here are the fabric requirements (and as George Strait says"Write this down")

Crib Size (40x50):
      Focus Fabric: 1 yard
      Color 1: 3/4 yard
      Color 2: 3/4 yard
      Color 3: 3/4 yard

Twin Size (70x90):
      Focus Fabric: 2 1/2 yard   
      Color 1: 1 1/2 yard
      Color 2: 1 1/2 yard
      Color 3: 1 1/2 yard

Queen Size (90x90):
      Focus Fabric: 3 yard   
      Color 1: 2 yard
      Color 2: 2 yard
      Color 3: 2 yard

Get some good quality thread. I like the coats and clarks, the essentials from connecting threads (www.connectingthreads.com).

Fabric: I gave you some room in case of mistakes, so you would have extra. I am going to suggest if this is one of your first quilts to buy a little extra. I always buy a bit more, just in case I cut something wrong.

Batting: I usually use the warm and natural batting. If my fabric is a light color then I go warm and white. You want your batting a minimum of 4" bigger on all sides than your quilt.
Backing: we have a couple of options for the backing. We can do 45" wide fabric or 108"wide fabric. The benefit with going the wide fabric is you don't need to buy as much and you don't have to have a seam down the middle of the quilt. You do have some left overs, but hey, that is great, because you will add it to your stash. I will do a post in the next few days of why Quilter's have stashes.

Back to the backing. If you are using the 45" fabric you wI'll need the following:
Crib/lap size: 4 yards
Twin: 5 1/2 yds.
Queen: 9 yds.

If you use the wide backing you need:
Crib/lap: 2 yards
Twin: 3 yd.
Queen: 3 1/3 yd.

So, if you haven't yet, you need to go fabric shopping.

I just thought I would share with you the fabric I will be using. This fabric was found at a store that is having a moving sale.

Book review: The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting

Periodically, I would like to share things with my readers. Today, I want to share with you a great book by 2 fabulous authors who are great at machine quilting. Christa Watson from Christa Quilts (christaquilts.com) uses a bernina sit down machine. Angela Walters of quilting is my therapy,( quiltingismytherapy.com) uses a long arm machine.

In their collaboration on this book, both authors share different techniques that can actually be interchangeable, no matter whether you use a domestic machine or a long arm machine. As I have read this book, I have tried some of the different techniques.  It has been fun to try these. One of the best things I like about this book is the fact that they go through and explain about the different fabrics and battings that you can use. I also like that they use a minimum amount of tools. You don't have to have the most expensive things or a ton of things to be successful at machine quilting. They included patterns and quilting instructions for several projects. This book gives so many tips for beginner or even advanced quilters. It makes me want to go through and do each sample on both my domestic machine and my frames.  I highly recommend this book, if you are at all interested in learning machine quilting or want to improve your skills in machine quilting.

Bricks and Blocks quilt along

I am so excited, I have written my first quilt pattern, and I am ready to share it with you. To do so, I am going to do a quilt along. This pattern is written for the beginner in mind, and when we are done with the quilt along, you will have a quilt ready for use. The first post will be on Wednesday, May 4th and we will spend 6 weeks on this quilt. Some of the steps won't take very long, but as we are all busy, I want to give you some time.

This will be the schedule:
May 4th, cutting
May 11th, sew block units together
May 18th, assemble the quilt top
May 25th quilt
June 1st quilt
June 8th bind.

There are 3 sizes you can choose from:
Crib, twin and queen.

In addition to the fabric you will need: an acrylic ruler (6"x24"), 45mm rotary cutter, rotary cutting mat, sewing machine, and thread.

Fabric requirements are:

Crib Size (40x50):
      Focus Fabric: 1 yard
      Color 1: 3/4 yard
      Color 2: 3/4 yard
      Color 3: 3/4 yard

Twin Size (70x90):
      Focus Fabric: 2 1/2 yard   
      Color 1: 1 1/2 yard
      Color 2: 1 1/2 yard
      Color 3: 1 1/2 yard

Queen Size:
      Focus Fabric: 3 yard   
      Color 1: 2 yard
      Color 2: 2 yard
      Color 3: 2 yard

New quilt pattern continued

As promised I have a peek at the way this quilt is going to be done.

As I mentioned this quilt is easy and really is a great beginner quilt. My granddaughter is almost 6 and has been working on this quilt. Her mom has not printed the pattern, so she just reads to her what to do.

All of the stitching is just easy straight lines. We have not decided exactly how we will sell this pattern, but we are thinking etsy and craftsy and from us.we do know that it will be a pdf file. Keep watching for a release date. We will let you know. We just want to make sure everything is right on the pattern.

New quilt pattern

Are you a beginning quilter or know someone who is? I have been creating a pattern that will be great for beginning quilters or for those who want an easy to do quilt pattern. This idea has been in my head for a while, since 2013 to be exact. I made some quilts for a lady and designed this pattern. I wish I had pictures of the finished product, but what i did have seems to have been deleted. I do have a couple of pictures though, which gives you an idea of how fun you can make this quilt. Recently, some quilt designer friends ran a blog on how to write patterns, after reading through the blog several times I decided I could do this. So, I went for it. Right now, the pattern is going through final revisions so that I can make sure everything is accurate. As I said, this pattern is written for a beginner. It will be great for those who have been quilting for a while as a quick and simple pattern. Keep watching the blog and I will let you know when it is ready.

Technique: 4 patch block

Today I want to share with you how a 4 patch block is made. They are really very simple. We are working with 3 1/2 inch blocks today. The first thing you want to do is accurately cut 4 squares at 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches. They can all be different colors or 2 different colors.

Stitch 2 squares, right sides together, on one side with 1/4" seam. Then do the same with the remaining 2 squares. You will notice I am stitching in black, that is so you can see it better. Normally I piece in white or natural.

Press your seams to the darkest fabric. The next step is to look at your blocks, and put them together. If you used 2 colors, you want them in opposite corners of each other, as you see in the photo. If you used 4 different colors, then it doesn't matter.

Line up your seams. The way they were pressed helps them nest against each other. Stick a pin in the seam. Stitch together with a 1/4 inch seam. Press your seams.

You should now have a square that should measure about 6 1/2 inches.

You now have some options. You can finish it like we did with the hot pad tutorial, you can make more, and I will do a tutorial on 4 patch quilts, or you can set it aside and ad I do more techniques you can combine them to make a small quilt, wallhanging or some pillows. Let me know if you like the techniques and tutorials. I would love to see photos of your blocks.

Basic hot pad tutorial

Today I want to teach you how to make a basic hot pad.  For your hot pads you want to make sure that everything you use is 100% cotton.  The reason for this is that cotton burns and polyester melts. Also, make sure your thread is 100% cotton

Materials list
1 - 6 1/2 inch square of fabric for the front
2  - 1 1/2" x 8 1/2" rectangles of a contrasting fabric
2 - 1 1/2" x 6 1/2" rectangles
1 - 10 inch square for the backing
2 - 10 inch squares batting

You will take your 6 1/2" square of fabric and your 1 1/2" x 6 1/2" rectangles and on two opposite sides you will sew the rectangles.  Use a 1/4" seam allowance.  Once you have sewn the two short rectangles on, then press the seams towards the darkest fabric.

 You will now take the 1 1/2" x 8 1/2" rectangles and do the same thing.  Press towards the dark side of the fabric.

Now you have the beginnings of a hot pad.  Good for you.

Now, comes the fun part.  Layer and quilting the hot pad.  Sometimes I will free motion quilt them, but for this one I decided to just do a simple crosshatch with 2" squares.  So, take the top of the hot pad and mark 2" segments across the top and bottom.  Unless your fabric is directional it does not matter which side is the top.  Then turn the fabric 1/4 turn and mark again.  Now layer the top piece with the right side up, 2 layers of batting, and then your bottom fabric with the right side down.  (You have just made a quilt sandwich,  Good for you).  Now you will start at one of your markings and go all the way down.  Do on one side first, then 1/4 turn and do the same.  You will have some cute little squares on your hot pad.

In this photo you can see that one side has been 

done, and now I am doing the other direction

You are almost done with your first hot pad.  Good for you.  Trim all sides of the hot pad so front and back are even. Should be approximately 8 1/2". Now comes the binding  To do the binding, cut  2 strips of your fabric for the binding at 2 1/4" x 8 1/2" and then cut 2 at 2 1/4" x 9 1/2".  Take the 2 8 1/2" long pieces and fold in half lengthwise and press.  Stitch using a 1/4" seam to opposite sides of the hot pad on the front side..  Now, take the 2 remaining pieces and fold down a 1/4" on each of the short edges and press.  Fold in half lengthwise and stitch with a 1/4" seam to the two sides that don't have binding on.  Now you can do the next step by hand or machine.  It may get a little tough with the machine, so I suggest trying it first, if it is hard, then do this by hand.  You are going to fold the binding to the back and stitch it down.  

Now, your hot pads should look like this.  Yay!!!! great job.  

Be watching for more fun tutorials and tips and hints for learning to quilt.

I am asking you to please not share this pattern with others.  If you have someone who you think would like to do these, then have them visit my blog.  

If you don't sew or don't want to make your own, I would love to make some for you.  just send me a message to kathyskwiltsandgifts@gmail.com in the subject line, put hot pads.

Please let me see yours.  If you have an instagram, post it on there with #basichotpads . My instagram is @kathyskwiltsandmore