FREE PROJECT : Quilt as You Go

Hello! It's Hump Day. And there is nothing better to get you through Wednesday than a free quilting project! 

I wanted to take the opportunity to show you a technique on how to attach blocks that have already been individually quilted.

Here's what you'll need:

• Ten (10) 9¼" x 9¼" quilted blocks
• One (1) 1¼" x WOF strip of choice of fabric (in this case I used Pure Elements White Linen)
• Four (4) 1¼" x 19½" strip of same fabric chosen
• For Binding: Three (3) 1½" x WOF strips of fabric chosen (for further instructions on Binding, go here)

The first thing, if you have not already done so, is to trim the excess batting that you have after quilting and to square your blocks so that they measure, in this case, 9¼" x 9¼".

Once they are ready to be sewn, display them on the wall to see what arrangement you like best.

Now you can start to construct the rows individually. It is important that you sew them WRONG side to WRONG side with a ¼" seam allowance. Yes, you read correctly! That is the first part of the trick here!

Press seams open after sewing. You will have at least three layers to press, so press carefully.

Now attach the two rows together, WRONG side to WRONG side again. If you you find that the intersections are too bulky and it's creating difficulty with your machine. You can CAREFULLY trim down the batting around those areas with the scissors.

Press the seam open.

Grab all the 1¼" x WOF strips and fold in. Press ¼" on each of the long sides of the each strip.

In this tutorial, what I'm going to show you is a different way to do sashing in "applique" style in order to cover unfinished seams and also bring more design and visual interest to your piece. As far as color for the thread, you can choose to use matching color thread for the top fabric.

First, attach the longer strip right on and center it with the seam that attaches the two rows. Pin as needed and top-stitch 1/16" away from the edge of the strip of both sides. Press.

Once you finish that strip, you can proceed to sew on the strips that go on top of the "vertical" seams, following the same process as the horizontal strip.

After you have finished pressing, use a rotary cutter and ruler to trim the excess sashing.

Now you are ready to bind it! If you have a preferred way of binding your quilt, go for it. In this case, I used the same technique I usually do on my Free Quilt Patterns.

Pretty simple, huh? This is an easy way to make a modern and colorful quilt. The decorative stitches add a nice and different touch to a solid fabric.

Happy Wednesday!
Pat

Using Decorative Stitches in Modern Quilting Pt. 3

Happy Monday my loves! First of all, I would like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all the wonderful comments you made about my Bernina dream coming true! I can truly say that you are all the absolute best and I'm happy I was able to share that special moment in my life with you.

Now, I know it's been a while since I've written. As you can see, I've started my own little color inspirations to add a bit of brightness to your day with love from me. So today, I'm going to continue my four part tutorial on how to use decorative stitches in modern quilting and hide your stitches by hand. We've already explored how to create an intriguing quilt block by using solids and explored the many decorative stitches out there that can give your quilt a different look.

So let's begin...
The Blanket Stitch on this block creates a visual interest that is both daring and modern. Its linear structure appeals to the absolute modernist some quilters have inside.

Taking the last block further, I chose to use the Double Blanket Stitch, but this time I placed it on a completely new palette of Pure Elements to demonstrate how simple alterations to an idea can create a whole different mood on a quilting block.

I call this our Variation Fancy X- Hemstitch. The combination of what is considered a traditional stitch plus the modernity of the colors chosen for this block make it the perfect match between classic and contemporary.

Last but not least, in order to add a sweeter touch for all the hopeless romantics out there, I decided to create a what-other-than pink block with the Blanket X-Cross Stitch. Did you notice how all the X’s symbolize kisses? The combination of the traditional straight stitch with the “x-kisses” carries the modern element while keeping the essence of this quilt close to the heart.

Now that all the blocks are done, I will demonstrate how to hide those loose threads for a crisp finish on your blocks:

For this, you will need a hand-sewing needle:

1. Grab the loose end and thread the hand-sewing needle with it.

2. Pass the threaded needle through the last whole that was created when making the decorative stitch with the machine needle, making sure NOT to go through the batting but rather assuring to hide the thread in between the fabric and the batting. This applies for both the front of the block and the backing.

3. Pull gently to obtain a smooth surface and voila! Trick accomplished.

4. Hopefully you loved this post and I was able to open a little window of love from you toward the sometimes forgotten buttons on your machine. Experimenting with combinations of different fabrics and different stitches can immerse you in a whole new world of quilting, where the rules and styles are created as you go. 

Enjoy and explore!

Love,
Pat

So Pretty

*As I am trying to update this new blog of mine, I'm bringing some content I wrote previously on the Art Gallery Fabrics' blog. This post was written on May 25th, 2011.

Surfing the web I found this picture to be so simple, so pure and sooo beautiful and thought that you may like it as well. The name is "So Pretty". Isn't it?

Make the most of your inspiration!

Love, Pat