A Charming Maze Quilt

Hi, it is Kristy from HandmadeRetro back with another Moda Bakeshop recipe!

This quilt  has been a long time coming… the fabric was lost in the mail and then the replacement package got caught up with the recent mail delays between the US and Australia. So I have a heap of satisfaction to bring you this postage-stamp-style maze quilt!

2x charm packs of Little Apples by Aneela Hooey (because of the mail mix-up I have a layer cake pictured but two charm packs are all that are required for the recipe)

2 yards of Etchings Slate for maze path and binding

2 yards for border (Little Apples Aqua 18515 13)

5 yards for backing (Little Apples Lollipop 18510 11)

Step One: Cutting the fabric
From the charm squares
Cut each of the charm squares into 4 2.5″ squares
You will also need to cut an extra 11 2.5″ squares from a combination of the backing and border fabric

From the Solid fabric:
Cut 20 2.5″ strips, sub cut these into 2.5″ squares

Cut another 6 2.5″ strips and set these aside for the binding


From the border fabric (Little Apples Aqua)
Cut 4 strips down the length of the fabric 9.5″ wide and 65″ long

Step Two: Construct the maze.
The maze section of the quilt is made up of 9 uneven sections. Each block is constructed in the same manner and diagrams indicate which block goes where in the centre panel.

Construct each of the nine blocks one at a time.
I have gone through the step-by-step construction of a single block below. Each of the nine blocks will be constructed in the same way so I am not going to picture all the steps each time. The process of the block construction is pictured below but remember to refer to the individual block pictures/diagrams for colour placement.


Some tips to keep everything organised.
– Sew a small scrap of fabric to the first seam of each row to mark the block and the row number (this will also orient the left side of the block).
– Work with one block at a time. Sew one square to the right of the last added to build the row, chain piecing. 

1. Layout the 2.5″ squares using the diagram or photo to assist you. If using the diagram, the white squares refer to the solid (maze path) and the blue/grey squares are the print (maze wall).

2. Get ready to start sewing. To keep everything in order I paired the first square in each row by placing square two face down on the top of square one. I then stacked these pairs with the pair for the bottom row on the bottom of the stack. If using the row markers (see below) place these between the pairs.

3. Stack the remaining squares into piles for each row. You can see in this picture I started to stack them by placing the square on the right of the block on the bottom and stacking each square to the left on top. I was left with 10 stacks (11 for blocks 7-9).

4. Chain piece the first pairs of the rows, separating with the markers if you are using them.

5. Leaving the squares joined, take the next square to the right for each row. Stack with the square for row 10 (11) on the bottom and the square for row 1 on the top to get ready to piece. Chain piece these to square 2.

6. Continue until all squares are added, you will have a block that has all the rows sewn together and these joined with threads.

7. Working with two rows at a time, trim the threads between the rows and press all seams in the direction of the arrows. I leave the row markers on at this stage.

8. Nest seams and sew rows together, being careful to keep the row markers free.

9. Repeat with remaining rows, adding pairs of rows to the block as you go.

10. Blocks 1-6 will be 7 squares by 10 squares, blocks 7-9 will be 7 squares by 11 squares.

11. Press row seams to the bottom of the even numbered blocks and to the top of the odd numbered blocks. Trim the row markers off.

Individual Block Layouts

Constructing the Centre Panel

Sew the blocks together in rows, nesting seams again.  Press seams to the right in row 1 and 3 and the left in row 2.

Sew the rows together, matching nested seams. Press seams to the bottom of the panel.

Adding the Borders
Measure the panel vertically through the middle of the quilt. Trim two of the border strips to this measurement.  Find the centre of the border strips and panels by folding in half and marking with pins. Match centres and edges. Pin, sew, press seam towards the border.

Measure the quilt horizontally through the middle of the quilt. Trim the two remaining border strips to this measurement. Find the centre of the border strips and the quilt top by folding in half and marking with pins. Match Centres and edges. Pin, sew, press seam towards the border.

Prepare the Backing
I prepared my backing with a vertical join. I cut the backing fabric in half and removed selvedges and joined. See this useful tutorial here for how to match up prints.


Baste, quilt and bind
I basted in the ‘hedge’ to leave the ‘path’ free for my chosen quilting design.

I quilted my top on my domestic machine 1/4″ inside the ‘path’ with my walking foot. If you start from the beginning or ending square and follow around you will quilt the entire path (except for a small section you will need to do separately using the same technique.

I straight line quilted the border, pacing the lines 3/4″. I marked the corners with a Hera marker to make identifying the spot to turn a little easier.

One 60″x80″ quilt.

Kristy
{HandmadeRetro}

Pretty Little Framed Purses

Hi there! I am Kristie from OCD: obsessive crafting disorder. It is great to be here today to share my recipe for some cute little framed coin purses and clutches, made from none other than charm packs and layer cakes!

Charm pack squares are the perfect size to whip up some sweet little coin purses like these:


And you can use a layer cake for the larger clutch sized version to take out on the town.

So, let’s get started!

Per coin purse:

-4 charms squares ( I used these cute little prints from Little Apples by Aneela Hoey), 2 matching for the lining, and 2 matching for the exterior. Alternatively, for the exterior of the coin purse you can use several charms to cut apart and piece back together to create your own fun design, just be sure that they finish up 5 inches by 5 inches square, OR you can fussy cut 5 by 5 inch squares from a slice of layer cake!

– two 5×5 inch pieces of lightweight fusible interfacing

– OPTIONAL (but suggested): two 5×5 inch pieces of medium weight interfacing (sew in or fusible) OR quilt batting scraps will do, too!

– 3 inch (8 cm) coin purse frame or your choosing (the ones pictured was purchased here)

Per clutch bag:

– 2 slices of layer cake (shown here in the lovely Ruby by Bonnie and Camille), one for the exterior and one for the lining. Again, feel free to use extra slices to make a patchwork that finishes 10 by 10 inches. You may want to use some other bits as embellishments, like the shabby chic flower added to my clutch (see “garnishes” below).

– one 10 x 10 inch piece of lightweight fusible interfacing

– one 10 x 10 inch piece of medium or heavy weight interfacing (sew in or fusible) OR quilt batting

– one 8 inch OR one 6 inch purse frame of your choosing (mine was purchased here)

*For both projects, you will also require some adhesive (mine was purchased here) as well as a long thin object (such as a butter knife) to be used to help insert the purse in the frame. It will get full of glue, so don’t use anything too precious 😉

In addition- the usual suspects: thread, scissors, machine, rotary cutting tools, etc.

Embellishments are a fun addition to your clutch or coin purse. Be creative! You could add hand stitching, buttons, lace, ribbon, ric rac, and so on. Endless possibilities!

1. Prep work
Iron the lightweight fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the 2 outer charm squares (for the coin purses) or the outer layer cake slice (for the clutch). If your medium weight interfacing is also fusible, iron it to the other side of the lightweight interfacing as well.

2. Make a template
You will need to make a customized template to correspond with your purse frame. Easy!

For the coin purse (3 inch frame):
Grab one charm and fold in half vertically. Center your frame at the top of the folded edge, 1/4 inch down from top edge. Draw a line, following the contour of your frame, but 1/4 inch out to be your seam allowance. where the frame ends, extend in a line to the bottom corner. Cut.


In addition, you may wish to round your bottom corners while it is still folded in half so that they are a mirror image.

Use this piece as your template! Now fold the remaining outer, lining, and interfacing pieces in half and cut to match.

For the clutch purse (8 inch frame):
Fold layer cake fabric for outer in half top horizontally, then again vertically to make a 5 inch square.

For 6″ rectangle frame– mark a spot 1.75 inches from outer corners and cut towards bottom folded corner.

For 8″ rectangle frame– mark a spot 3/4 inches from outer corners and cut towards bottom folder corner.

Round corners, etc as described for coin purse and use this piece as your template. However, do NOT round bottom corners of clutch. Fold and cut remaining lining and interfacing pieces to match.

Note- if you want to add interior pocket or labels to your bags, do so at this time.

3. Time to sew the bags!

For both sized purses:
a) Unfold vertical folds (i.e. completely unfold for charms/coin purses, but keep horizontal fold in place for clutch bag). Hold your frame over the top portion of the outer and lining fabrics, and mark a line on the wrong side that corresponds with the bottom edge of the frame hinge.


For coin purse:
Place exterior pieces, right sides together, with interfacing on the outside. Sew, stopping at marked line. For coin purses, you will sew from marking to bottom corner, then across bottom and up again to second marking. The top remains unsewn.

For clutch:
The bottom edge is folded fabric, so you will only need to sew 2 short lines from the bottom corners up to the markings.

Repeat for lining pieces.

For clutch only:
Square off corners by aligning side seam with bottom fold as shown, and making a perpendicular line 3/4 inch from the corner.

Sew along the line, and trim off excess, leaving a 1/4 inch seam.
When you turn it right side out, your corners will be boxed, like this:
Repeat for second corner, and again for both corners of the lining piece.

b) For both bag styles: Invert exterior bag right side out, and slide inside of the lining bag, which remains inside out such that right sides of exterior and lining are facing each other.

Sew around top edges of the bag to join lining and outer, leaving a small opening at one of the top edges.

Use this opening to invert the bag right side out. You may want to use a blunt object, such as a chopstick, to press out the corners and edges. Press edges.

c) Tuck raw edges of opening inward and sew with a small 1/8 inch seam to close.

4. Time to attach the frame!
Apply a thin bead of glue to the inside of one half of the frame. You really don’t need a lot and too much will gush out and stain your fabrics, so be conservative!

Lay the glued side flat on a surface protected with paper. Center one side of the bag below it, then gently push fabric upwards into the channel of the frame. Use edge of butter knife (I am using a Whiltsire- I like to live dangerously!) to tuck fabric into the frame.

Flip the bag over to ensure that both sides are inserted neatly and evenly, and quickly wipe off excess glue on the fabric or metal frame. Work quickly and continue until all edges are concealed in the frame channel.

Take a mini break to let the glue adhere. Check your email. Read my blog 🙂 Have a snack. Maybe some chocolate?

Back at it! Repeat for the other side of the frame.

Let the glue dry for a few hours or overnight.
Your finished bag will look like this:

Want to embellish it?
I added a flower- I cut one 3″ circle, a 2″ circle and a 1.5″ circle and stacked them I put mine through the washer and drier to shabby them up a bit 🙂 Then, I found a pretty little sparkly button and sewed it onto the front of the bag. Easy as that!


Voila! One pretty frame purse just for you!

Keep making your way through that charm pack or layer cake and you will have a stack of them ready in no time! The clutch is a perfect gift for the girlfriends, and the coin purses are much loved by the little ones…especially if you add a few coins in there for them!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! I would love to see what you made, so please be sure to add them to my Flickr group!

Any questions? Shoot me an email at:

obsessivecraftingdisorder {at} yahoo {dot} ca

Kristie Maslow
{ocd-obsessivecraftingdisorder.blogspot.com}

Scrappy Apple Bag

Scrappy Apple Bag
by Vickie Eapen

SpunSugarQuilt Designs

{1} charm pack, jelly roll, layer cake or scraps of Little Apples and Sherbet Pips by Aneela Hoey

… for this project you need {24} 2.5″ x 3/4″-1″ strips

1 Fat quarter background linen or linen colored bella solid

… sub-cut to {1} 9″ X 13″  rectangle and {2} 6 3/4″x 9″ rectangles for the lining

{1} 9″ coordinating zipper

pins or spray basting

thin batting at least 10″ x 15″

Cut the solid linen fat quarter to 9″x 13″.

Layer this on top of a 10″ X 15″ thin batting.

Next arrange your strips of fabric apples or pips.

I arranged them 4 rows of 6 strips.

I pin basted my pieces.

*note* this is NOT a quilt sandwich, but rather a top and batting.

Starting in the center and working to the outer edges, stitch 1/8″ around the edge of each strip.

Here’s a close up of the ‘quilted top’ stitching.

Trim the ‘quilt top’ to 9″ x 13″.

Next Add the Zipper and Lining
 take a 6 3/4″ x 9″ lining rectangle

and layer it with the ‘quilted top’ and zipper.

This is the most complicated step of making the bag.

Layer the 9″ side of  “quilted top” right side up, the zipper edge right side down

and the 9″ side of the lining right side down.

 Stitch all 3 layers together.

Be careful to stop before the zipper tab, close the zipper about 2 inches and then continue stitching.

This is the result: one side of the zipper will be enveloped between the ‘quilted top’ and the lining.
Fold the ‘quilted top’ and lining right side out and then

Top stitch this ‘sandwich’ as close to the edge as possible.

For the opposite side, layer the opposite 9″ long side of the ‘quilted top’ right side up, with the opposite side of the zipper right side down along the edge as shown, and finally the lining on top of the zipper right side down.

*note* I pinned the zipper on the end to help hold it while I layered and pinned the lining.

This is how the project will look at this point.

Due to the zipper teeth, I pinned the lining lengthwise and removed the pins carefully as I sewed.

This step also requires that you start to sew to the zipper tab, stop, move the tab and continue to sew to the end.

You have encased the ‘quilt top’ with the linings and zipper.

Again turn this right side out and top stitch as close to the zipper as possible.

Turn your project so that the lining is wrong side out.

**note**

Your zipper MUST remain at least 1/2 open for the rest of construction.

Next pull the lining fabrics to the left as shown, zipper in the middle and the ‘quilted top’ to the right.

Pin around the outside edge.

This is how the bag should look at this point.

Be careful sewing over the zipper ends as this area is very thick.

Leave  about a 2″ opening at the bottom edge of the lining for turning.

Sew the perimeter of the project.

Here is the opening in the lining for turning.

Before turning right side out, take the lining and slightly pinch the corner to separate the layers as shown.

Flatten the fabric to a point and mark 11/2″ from the point (this yields a 3″ base)

(if you would like a “thinner” bag only measure 1″ from the point)

Sew on the line.
Trim to 1/4″ seam allowance.

Repeat for all four corners of the bag.

It will look like this before trimming the ‘ears’ off.

This shows the trimming of the points/ears.

Next, using the lining opening, turn your bag right side out.

See that the zipper is left open.

Before stuffing the lining into the bag, slip stitch the opening closed and reposition inside the bag.

Scrap Apple Bag

8 1/2″ X 5″ X 3″

This bag could easily be made larger or smaller and with ANY fabric that you choose.

I am curious to see what combinations you come up with!

Visit my blog for more tutorials and fabric ideas,

{spunsugarquilt.com}

Vickie Eapen

{spunsugarquilt.com}

Apple Crate Quilt

Hey again!  I am Angela from Fussy Cut, and I’m back with a second Moda Bakeshop tutorial.  I had a blast with my first and I just couldn’t stay away for long. 🙂

Back in January of this year, I made my first quilt in this pattern. Since then I’ve received countless emails requesting a tutorial  for it.  Once I saw my friend Aneela’s latest line for Moda, I knew it was just the right fabric to recreate my quilt.  So here you go… Apple Crate! 

 – 1 fat quarter set of Little Apples by Aneela Hoey or 2 jelly rolls (I chose to use this set rather than the jelly rolls so that I could fussy cut her wonderful illustrations)
– 3.5 yards of Moda Bella White 9900-97
– 5.5 yards of Little Apples 18514-15 (clothing on gray) for backing
– 1 yard of Little Apples 18512-51 (green leaves) for binding

This quilt consists of two blocks- A and B.  They are the same exact layout and size (14″ x 16″ finished), but the prints and solids are reversed.  I’ll break down each block for you.

NOTE:  All seam allowances are 1/4″.  Press seams toward printed fabrics.

 

Cutting instructions for Block A:

from WHITE SOLID:
– cut 1 strip: 2.5″ wide x WOF (width of fabric)
– from that, subcut {2} 10.5″ strips, {2} 8.5″ strips, and {1} 4.5″ strip

from the fat quarter PRINT:
– cut 4 strips: 2.5″ x width of fat quarter (approximately 22″)
– from 2 of those, subcut {2} 14.5″ strips and {2} 6.5″ strips (one of each length listed from each strip)
– from the other 2, subcut {2} 12.5″ strips and {2} 4.5″ (one of each length listed from each strip)

To begin the block, grab {1} 2.5″ x 4.5″ solid strip for the center, {2} 2.5″ x 4.5″ print strips for the sides, and {2} 2.5″ x 6.5″ print strips for the top and bottom.

Sew the side print strips to the center solid.  Press seams.

Sew the top and bottom print strips.  Press seams.

For the next round, you need {2} 2.5″ x 8.5″ solid strips for the sides and {2} 2.5″ x 10.5″ solid strips for the top and bottom.  Sew the sides onto the block, press.  Sew the top and bottom.  Press.

For the last round of this block, you will need {2} 2.5″ x 12.5″ print fabric strips for the sides and {2} 2.5″ x 14.5″ print fabric strips for the top and bottom.  Sew sides on first, then the top and bottom.

You now have a completed Block A!  At this point it should measure 14.5″ x 16.5″.  You need to make 15 of these.  If you are making your quilt the same as mine, you will need 4 green, 3 red, 3 aqua, 3 white, and 2 gray blocks.

Time to tackle Block B!  Here are your fabric cutting instructions:

from fat quarter PRINT:
– cut 2 strips: 2.5″ wide x width of fat quarter (approximately 22″)
– from the first strip, subcut {2} 10.5″ strips
– from the second strip, subcut {2} 8.5″ strips, and {1} 4.5″ strip (if your FQ is a little short, simply cut the 4.5″ x 2.5″ strip from the remaining print fabric)

from the SOLID:
– cut 2 strips: 2.5″ x WOF
– from 1 of those strips, subcut {2} 14.5″ strips and {2} 6.5″ strips
– from the other, subcut {2} 12.5″ strips and {2} 4.5″

To begin the block, grab {1} 2.5″ x 4.5″ print strip for the center, {2} 2.5″ x 4.5″ solid strips for the sides, and {2} 2.5″ x 6.5″ solid strips for the top and bottom. 

Sew the two side strips onto the center print.  Press.  Sew the top and bottom strips.  Press.

For the next round, you need {2} 2.5″ x 8.5″ print strips for the sides and {2} 2.5″ x 10.5″ print strips for the top and bottom.  Sew the sides onto the block, press.  Sew the top and bottom.  Press.

For the last round of this block, you will need {2} 2.5″ x 12.5″ solid strips for the sides and {2} 2.5″ x 14.5″ solid strips for the top and bottom.  Sew sides on first, then the top and bottom.  You should know the drill by now! 😉

There you go, Block B!  Like Block A, it should measure 14.5″ x 16.5″ unfinished, and you need to make 15 of these.  If you are making your quilt just like mine, you need 4 gray, 3 red, 3 aqua, 3 white, and 2 green blocks.

Finishing:
Now it is time to assemble your quilt top!  There will be five blocks in each row with a total of six rows.  Alternate your A and B blocks.  If you’d like, please refer to the first pictures in this post for my specific layout.  Sew together each row, and then combine the rows to make your quilt top.

To make your quilt backing, simply cut your gray clothing yardage in half then sew together lengthwise.  Give it a good press, and then you are ready to layer, baste, quilt.  I chose to free motion quilt in a meandering pattern.  I love the round quilting curves with these blocks, they really soften up the straight lines.  Using your green leaf fabric, bind in your preferred method.  That is it; you’re finished!

One charming quilt!

It is a slightly oversized twin measuring approximately 70″ x 96″.

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial, I had so much fun writing it for you!  If you make this quilt, please let me know.  I’d really love to see it.  Happy quilting!

With love,

Angela
{Fussy Cut}