Speedy Christmas Tree Skirt

Leah Douglas again from thebuggspot.blogspot.com here to celebrate Christmas in July. Hope you enjoy this simple little tree skirt pattern!

1 jelly roll Holiday in the Pines by Holly Taylor
1 1/3 yds. Ivory snowflake fabric (6513 11)
1 1/2 yds. Ivory big print boughs (6511 11)
1 1/2 yds. red ribbon
batting
ivory thread
dark green thread

The following instructions always assume a 1/4″ seam.

Step One: Pick 5 of the green strips from your jelly roll and sew them together, side by side. Press seams in the same direction. Then cut at a 45 degree angle to create 8 “trees”, like this:

Using the ivory snowflake material, cut 8 strips measuring 4″ wide. Line up and sew a tree 4″ below the selvage on the ivory material, like so:

Press towards the green and trim the ivory material like this…:

…and like this:

Using the rest of the ivory strip you just cut off, sew onto the other side of the tree:

Press towards the green and trim:

Make 8 trees total in this way.

Step Two: Choose 10 jelly roll strips that are NOT green or ivory for your “presents” beneath the tree. Cut lots of different presents in several sizes. I came up with:

30 2″ squares

32 1 1/2″ squares

18 tall boxes: 1 1/2″ x 2 1/2″

20 wide boxes: 2 1/2″ x 1 1/2″

24 2 1/2″ squares

Using the ivory snowflake fabric, cut complementary background pieces for your presents:

30 1″ x 2″ rectangles

32 1 1/2″ squares

20 1 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ rectangles

Sew your complimentary pieces together and press seams towards the darker fabrics:

Arrange your presents the way you like, in a somewhat random way, and then sew together into one ENORMOUS strip. This strip needs to measure a good 160″ or more. Press seams towards the darker fabrics.

Using more ivory snowflake material, cut 4 strips measuring 1 1/2″ wide:

Sew these 4 strips end to end, press open seams, and then sew this background strip to the tops of your looooong present strip. Press seams towards the presents. This strip should be 3 1/2″ wide.

I failed to take pictures of the next part. =/ I like to blame it on the toddlers in the house. 😉

Cut this enormous strip of presents into 10″ chunks. You will need 16 total.

Take the solid brown strip from the jelly roll and cut it into 8 rectangles measuring 3 1/2″ x 2″.

Sew a 10″ present strip onto either side of this brown tree trunk. Do the same for the remaining 7 trunks.

Step Three: Take one of your 8 trees from step one. Pin the very center of the bottom of each tree:

Pin your tree trunks to the bottom center of each tree:

Sew together, press towards the green, and trim either side like so:

Step Four: Lay out your blocks and sew them all together into one enormous circle:

Step Five: Lay out your backing (ivory large boughs) and batting and quilt that baby all together:

Now cut out a small circle in the very center of your quilt (I traced around one of my fiesta bowls, about 8″ in diameter, then folded my quilt in half and cut out a half circle, which of course was actually a full circle upon unfolding the quilt). Also cut a straight line down the middle between two of your trees from the edge of the quilt to this new center circle:

Using 6 brown strips from the jelly roll, make your binding and bind the quilt, as in the picture above.

Step Six: Using the red ribbon, cut 4 lengths measuring about 11″. You want one end cut perpendicular and the other end at an angle:

Roll the perpendicular side over twice and pin in place:

Measure down and mark 3″ from the inner circle along the back of the tree skirt (on the BACKING, not the front):

Pin the ribbon in place at that mark, rolled side down.

Sew in place (be sure to back stitch at the beginning and the end):

Do the same for the other ribbons (I ended up sewing the ribbons on the outer edge 4″ from the edge instead of 3″):

You’re done!

One Christmas Tree Skirt measuring 47″ point to point

Leah Douglas
{thebuggspot.blogspot.com}

A note from Oda May – If you have trouble or questions about cutting the 45 degree trees, see Leah’s blog post {here}.

Birchbark Lodge Quilt

Nov24

Hello folks, I am Stacey and I blog over at Stacey’s Place. I am super excited, and a little nervous to share with you my second project here for the Bake Shop. I sketched this quilt up a long time ago and was not sure what to do with it for a while. As you can see I finally decided and am ecstatic about it! These pictures really do not do it justice; it’s a new family favorite in my house for sure! The line, Birchbark Lodge by Holly Taylor goes perfectly with our outdoorsy lifestyle (we live in Maine). I have a special place in my heart for traditional quilt blocks. I love the modern blocks too, but quilts like this one sing to me… I hope you enjoy!

1 fat quarter bundle, Birchbark Lodge by Holly Taylor
3 yds solid color for main background
5 yds backing
1/2 yd binding

You need:
52- 4″ x 4″ pinwheels
cut 104 solid 2 7/8″ x 2 7/8″ squares
cut 104 print 2 7/8″ x 2 7/8″ squares

4- 2″ x 2″ pinwheels
cut 8 solid 1 7/8″ x 1 7/8″ squares
cut 8 print 1 7/8″ x 1 7/8″ squares

40- 2″ x 4″ flying geese
cut 40 solid 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ rectangles
cut 80 print 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ rectangles

32- 8″ x 8″ stars
cut 128 solid 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ squares
cut 128 print 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ squares
cut 128 solid 2 7/8″ x 2 7/8″ squares
cut 128 print 2 7/8″ x 2 7/8″ squares

24- 8″ x 8″ strip squares (cut after your other fabric pieces are cut; use the remaining fat quarter fabric)
cut 192 print 1 1/2″ strips
cut 48 solid triangles from diagram A

Flying Geese block:
On your 80 print 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ squares, draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the square. Place the print square right sides together on top of the 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ solid rectangle so that the line is placed like in the picture below. Sew on that diagonal line. Trim off excess, making sure you leave a 1/4″ seam allowance. Press open. Repeat for the remaining 39 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ pieces and the 39 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ print squares.

Repeat for the other side.

This is your flying geese block.

You will have 40 of these fully completed.

Pinwheel block:
Take each of your solid squares and draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the fabric. Sew a 1/4″ seam on both sides of the line.

Cut on that line.

Press open. This yields two half square triangles. Layout your two half square triangles as shown below.

Sew. Repeat from beginning of pinwheel directions again.

You now have two of these units. Layout according to picture below.

Pin together and sew. Press open. Your pinwheel block is complete.

Repeat with remaining blocks until you have 52 finished pinwheel blocks.

Star block:
You need 4 of your solid 2 7/8″ x 2 7/8″ squares and 4 print 2 7/8″ x 2 7/8″ squares. Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the fabric. Place one solid and one print square right sides together.

Sew a 1/4″ seam on each side of the line. Cut on the line.

Press open. You have made your half square triangle. Repeat with the 3 remaining squares of each.

Next you need 2 solid 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ squares, and 2 of your half square triangles you just made. Sew them together as shown. Press your seams to the left. Repeat once more so you have two like this.

Now, you need 2 half square triangles, and 2 print 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ squares. Sew together as shown below. Press seams to the right. Repeat again so you have two of these.

Sew the 4 rows that you just made together as shown below to complete your star block. Press your row seams down.
Repeat with remaining fabric, you need 32 completed star blocks.

Strip block:
You need 8 of the 1 1/2″ strips you cut earlier. Sew them together as shown.

I used my 8 1/2″ Omnigrid ruler, and I lined up my diagonal line on the seam that has 4 strips on each side. Trim off the excess that is past your 8 1/2″ square.

Diagram A:

Attach your cut piece from diagram A to one side. Sew press.

Repeat for the other side.

You will have 24 of these completed blocks.

You now need to sew your pieces according to the quilt layout.

Layer, Quilt, and Bind!

1 super cozy comfy quilt measuring 64″ x 80″.

Stacey Carey
{staceysplace.com}

Charming Rag Quilt

Jul2

Hi everyone! I’m Maria Wallin from Not Only Quilts and I’m super excited to be sharing my second tutorial here on Moda Bakeshop! This time I’ll be showing you how to make my favorite kind of Rag Quilt. It’s made a little bit different from other rag quilt’s and it’s so much quicker to make as this quilt uses brushed cotton or flannel as batting as well as backing. Making it much easier to construct as it eliminates the need to sew precise squares of batting into each little quilt sandwich. It makes for a lovely, heavy, and super cozy type of Rag Quilt with extra full and fluffy raggy seams due to the extra layers of fabric in each seam.

4 Charm Packs (Northern Cardinal by Holly Taylor)
6 yards of coordinating brushed cotton (or flannel)

Step 1 – Cutting
Cut 42 strips 5″ x width of fabric of the brushed cotton.

Sub-cut each strip while still folded into (4) 5″ squares. Each strip will yield (8) 5″ squares. Your cutting mat will get very hairy from cutting this fabric, so every once in while I suggest you run a normal eraser over it to bring up the fibers quite easily and allow the mat to heal for easier cutting.

Step 2 – Making the little quilt sandwiches
Since you will be using the brushed cotton for both batting and backing, you don’t have to worry about cutting batting smaller then the fabric like you normally would. This way of making a rag quilt makes assembling your little quilt sandwich super easy and you just place one square of brushed cotton right side down, one square right side up and place your charm square on top, right side up.

If you want to “kick it up a notch” you can always use a contrasting fabric for your “batting fabric”, this can create some really fun effects as your rag seams then become two colored. If you wish to do that, just buy 3 yards of each color instead of 6 yards of one color for the brushed cotton or flannel you’re using.

Step 3 – Chain quilting your sandwiches
I’ve chosen to quilt my little sandwiches a simple cross. You can quilt as desired.

For my crosses, I chose a neutral light beige thread that blended quite nicely with most of the colors. Then I simply placed my pile of charm squares and pile of brushed cotton squares next to my sewing machine and made my little sandwiches there while sewing. And then I “chain quilt” them all by sewing first one diagonal seam from one corner to the next using a walking foot. No pinning or drawing required. Then clip the thread joining your pieces and chain piece the next diagonal seam for maximum efficiency.

You will end up with 168 of these:

Step 4 – Choosing your design
To help me get a design I was happy with, I choose to do a real layout instead of just randomly sewing blocks together. I piled my squares up in color-coordinated piles and laid out my desired pattern. In the end I went with a 14×12 blocks design, so not the one in the picture.

Step 5 – Sew your rows
To avoid messing up my design and avoid risking sewing my squares right sides together (when you’ve spent a life sewing right sides together, you’ll quickly notice how easily it is to forget oneself and do it here too), I quickly pin together my rows and sew all my rows together. Make sure you’re careful and sew wrong sides together so that your seams are on the front of the quilt. Keep the walking foot on for this work too.

I use a scant ½ inch seam allowance, which I think gives a nice rag feeling without cowering up too much of the squares or making the raggy seams fall to the sides instead of standing up. Use a very short stitch length to prevent the seams from unraveling.

Step 6 – Joining your rows
While a rag quilt is very forgiving when it comes to not matching up your seams perfectly on the front (the shaggy seams will cover it up), you’ll probably want a nice backside too. When joining your rows, you’ll want to nest your seams to avoid pinning. I find this very easy if you first have assembled your rows and just are piecing them together. You do this by carefully placing one seam allowance “up” and one “down” like in the photo below. Wiggle them a little until you feel them lock in place with each other.

This will become second nature very quickly even if you’ve always pressed your seams apart and pinned before. Your seams will lock very nicely and you’ll get a perfect intersection on each seam.

Now you’re probably wondering why I don’t press my seam allowances apart reduce bulk (because yes, it get’s very bulky ^^), it’s because I find that when one does that the raggy seams don’t stand up anywhere near as nice as they do otherwise, but instead lay to the sides. So for me, this kind of seam is the only way to go for the right “raggyness”.

When you’ve joined all your rows and your top is finished, you’ll want to do a final seam around the entire perimeter of the quilt to close it up.

Step 7 – Clipping your seams
Once you’ve finished your quilt top, you have the massive task of clipping each and every seam left. Be careful to not clip into the seam though! I clip somewhere in between every quarter inch/half inch and I leave about 1/8 inch from the seam. I fold my seams before clipping like you see in the photo below to not risk a nip in the squares, so no, that’s not the edge of the quilt but in the middle. This is finger killing job if don’t have spring loaded scissors. I highly recommend getting a set of those; I know I will as soon as I can. =)

Step 8 – Washing and Tumbling
This step is where the magic happens. When I wash my rag quilts the first time, I put them into an old pillow case and close it up with a running stitch because that first wash you’re going to get a lot of lint in your machine otherwise. I always toss in a large number of color catcher sheets (to prevent color runs) too into that pillow case, these sheets are an especially important quilt saver when you use a lot of red colored fabric like I did in this quilt.

When it’s time for the tumble drier, you might want to stop a couple of times during the cycle and clear out your filter because it sheds a LOT during the first few tumblings.

The best thing about Rag Quilts I think is that they just get prettier with each wash, more raggy and lovelier. In the photos it’s only been washed once, it’s so much prettier now after a few more washes.

You get one ~ 50″ x 60″ super snuggly, heavy, but simply Charming Rag Quilt!

Or in other colors and different layout, here using Kate Spain’s 12 Days of Christmas:

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this tutorial as much as I enjoyed making it! If you end up making one of these thanks to this tutorial – I’d love to see it! Please send me an email {maria@idztech.com} with a picture as I’d be so happy to get to feature it on my blog =)

Maria Wallin

{Not Only Quilts}

Prairie Point Christmas

Jun22

Hey everyone! I’m Cara from CaraQuilts and I’m back with an easy Christmas decoration. Yes, I’m already thinking about Christmas. I find it sneaks up on me too many years, so let’s get a head start now!

I love prairie points and it just seemed natural to make a tree out of them.

Like any pattern, please read through it before starting. If you have any questions at all, just e-mail/message me over at my blog and I’d be happy to help! Oh, and make sure to let us know if you like the pattern! 🙂

2 charm packs – Northwoods Botanical
1 Bella solids jelly roll – Snow
1/2 yard outer border – Red 6377 13

1/2 yard inner border and binding – Dark Green 6375 17

Optional buttons for decorations of the tree

Cutting:

From the jelly roll:

Cut 12 jelly roll strips to 24 1/2” long. (Cut a bit bigger if you like to have lots of room to trim nicely)

Cut 4 jelly roll strips to 12 1/2”, using the leftover from the above strips

From a brown charm square:

Cut (2) 2 1/2” x 4” strips

Prairie Points

To make a prairie point, take one 5” charm square (Diagram 1) and fold in half diagonally, wrong sides together.

Press (Diagram 2).

Fold in half again so all of the raw edges are on one end and press (Diagram 3).

If your iron has a steam shot, use it now! From now on I’ll refer to prairie points as pp.

Diagram 1

Diagram 2

Diagram 3

Repeat so that you have 55 prairie points (pp). I removed all of the cream/beige colored squares, but if you like the look of them mixed in, by all means use them. Using them will result in a multicolored scrappy second border, instead of the beige/cream.

Making the “tree”

Fold all of the tree jelly roll strips in half and finger press so you can see a faint line.
Line up one pp with the tip on your centerline.

Stay stitch in place. I used a narrow zigzag to hold in place. Stay stitch all strips with the pp. Make sure that you have caught all raw edge layers of the prairie point. If not, it will fray when washed.

For the second row, line up the 2 pp with the half way mark in the middle empty space between the pp.

For row 3, line up a pp on the half way mark. Add a pp to both sides, lining up the top edge point about half way on the previous pp. Tuck the pp on the right underneath the center one and so on.

Continue making rows going 5 pp, 7 pp, 5 pp, 7 pp, 9 pp, 7 pp, 9 pp. Make sure when you make the larger strips that there is at least 3/4″ on either side of the points on the end for a seam/trimming allowance.

Press well.

Stitch rows together, being careful to not sew the prairie points from the previous row into the seam. I flipped mine up so they were out of the way. Pinning is important here, even if you normally don’t do much pinning.

Press well. The top prairie point is pressed up and the rest are pressed down.

Add one 24 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ strip to the top of the tree.

Let’s make the trunk of the tree. Take the 2 1/2” x 4” strips and stitch a 12 1/2″ strip to either side. Repeat with the second 2 1/2” x 4” strip. Press the trunk strips in opposite directions – one toward the trunk and one away – so that they snap together when you stitch them. Stitch together and then stitch to the bottom strip of the tree. Press well.

Attach one more 24 1/2x 2 1/2″ strip to the bottom of the tree. Press.

Trim up the center section. Make sure there is at least 1/2″ past the points and that the top point is centered. Trim the block to 24 1/2″ x 29″ if necessary.

Borders

Measure your top well and often so that your borders will fit. Pinning is important here because of the weight of the top. A walking foot wouldn’t hurt either, but it isn’t necessary.

Border # 1

Cut (4) 1 1/2” x WOF (Width of Fabric) strips. Attach the long sides first and press away from the center. Attach the short sides. Press well, away from the center.

Border #2
Take all the cream/beige from one charm pack and two from the second, for a total of 14 charm squares. Trim these to 2 1/2” x 5”. Stitch rectangles end to end to create two 6-strip borders for the short side and two 8-strip borders for the long side. All of the strips will be a bit longer then necessary. I trimmed the excess off, but if you want them all exact make your seam a bit larger than 1/4″.
Attach the long sides first. Press towards the center. Attach the short sides and press towards the center.

Border #3
Cut (4) 4 1/2” x WOF strips. Attach strips to the short sides first. Press away from the center. Add the remaining borders and press away from the center.

The top is done!

Now for those words we either love or hate: Baste, Quilt, and Bind!

A word from the “wise”- quilt under the prairie points, making sure not to quilt over them. Also this is a very heavy quilt because of all the prairie points, so if you’re planning on hanging this, make sure you have double stitched your sleeve.

After quilting, I tacked the top prairie point down by lifting the point and catching the top layer of fabric on the underside of the prairie point. I stitched it a couple of times and knotted it off so it would not flop down.