Bitty Bunting Quilt

Everyone loves a bunting quilt! I was inspired to make this quilt from the trimmings of another quilt. I was using a pattern that calls for dog ear corners from 2½” squares. The resulting triangles looked like pretty bunting flags to me (considering that the fabric was Bonnie and Camille’s Marmalade, any excuse to not throw out even tiny scraps, right?) I kept them in a bin on my cutting table for a few days and the idea of using Moda Candy for tiny bunting flags popped into my head.

Moda Candy are perfect for this quilt since folding them in half allows you to create two-sided flags that look very cute waving about. There are lots of ways to attach the flags – use bias tape like I have or sew them all down first and add ric rac trim. I’ve also made bunting quilts with Perle cotton stitches standing in for the bias tape. Use what you have on hand. There is really no wrong way.

If you want to use a solid background instead of piecing the ombré background, simply start with a 1½ yard cut. I’ve also included a girly color option below.

Bunting:
43 Moda Candy pieces* (equivalent to 1 packages plus 1 more. I used a mix of Lucy’s Crab Shack, PB&J, and Oh Deer!)
4 yd of ¼” double-fold bias tape in coordinating color
Background:
¼ yd dark blue (Royal | Bella Solid 9900-19)
¼ yd cobalt blue (Bright Sky | Bella Solid 9900-115)
¼ yd bright blue (Capri | Bella Solid 9900-225)
¼ yd gray blue (Glacier | Bella Solid 9900-207)
¼ yd light blue (Blue Raspberry | Bella Solid 9900-84)
¼ yd white (White Bleached | Bella Solid 9900-98)

Binding: 3/8 yd preferred print (I used Silver | 9900-183)

Backing: 3¼ yd (I used bits of leftover blues and Lush Uptown | 26047-22)

*NOTE: You may use more or fewer pieces of Moda Candy, depending on how you swag your bunting across the quilt.

1. Piece ¼ yd strips from light to dark to create ombré background. Trim the selvedges before you sew or leave them on and trim all of them at once like I did. Press each seam from light to dark.

2. Layer up with your backing fabric and batting and quilt.

3. Square up quilted background and set aside.

4. Time to sew the bitty bunting! Set your stack of Moda Candy next to your sewing machine. Fold the first Candy square diagonally from corner to corner to create a triangle. Press or pin to make it easier to sew.

Top stitch around the sides of the triangle. You can chain piece but be careful not to stitch your Candy pieces together.

5. Place one bunting triangle between your bias tape with the fold facing away from the triangle point. Top stitch along the opposite edge of the bias tape to close the seam.

6. Pin bitty bunting to quilted background so that it drapes from edge to edge.

7. You can attach your bunting by top stitching long fold of the bias tape OR use an invisible stitch to tack it down (that’s what I did).

8. Trim any loose threads and bind as desired.

A simple, sweet, and modern baby gift! Measures approximately 43″ x 51″.

Lisa Calle
{www.vintagemodernquilts.com}

Ring of Memories

Jan24

Hi! It’s Quilted Works blogging with you today on the Moda Bake Shop. We are excited to be here again to share a unique project created by Rhonda Ferguson, an instructor here at Quilted Works. This super easy “Ring of Memories” is sure to be a project you’re going to want to make. It’s just perfect as a gift for little ones, because we all know kids LOVE to see pictures of themselves. And what a great way to accomplish that…with fabric of course!

Family Pictures
Charm Pack (one square for each picture)
Iron-on Photo Transfer Paper
Hobbs Batting – 3 1/2″ square for every two pictures
1/4″ (6mm) Eyelets and setting tools
2-inch metal book ring (found at office supply stores)

Picture Preparation:

* We realize there are numerous Photo Editing programs and different techniques you can use to edit your photos for print. Please choose whatever you’re comfortable with or follow our simple instructions.

Bring family pictures into a photo editing program and crop pictures to make them square. Make sure you leave enough room on the top left or right hand corner so that the eyelet will not interfere with the faces in your pictures – this should be approximately 1/2″. Save pictures to your desktop.

In Microsoft Word, open up a new document. Go to margins, and adjust them to .25″ on all sides. Go to Insert Picture, and insert a picture from the desktop. With the picture highlighted, click on text wrapping. Click on square (this allows you to move the picture anywhere on the page). In the picture toolbar, adjust the size to 3 1/2 x 3 1/2″. Move the picture to the top left hand corner.

Insert a total of six pictures onto the page using the steps listed above. Pictures will be end to end with the paper having 1/4″ margins. *You can print the photos any size you wish. We did the 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ to maximize the use of our photo transfer paper.

Remove any paper from your printer’s paper tray and insert photo transfer paper (one at a time) into the tray. Using manufacturer’s directions, adjust settings as needed for your printer and print.

Continue to replace pictures in your layout with new pictures and print each new page of pictures.

Cut out pictures to 3 1/2 x 3 1/2″.

Choose a charm square for each picture. Place the picture in the center of the charm square and iron it on, according to manufacturer’s directions.

Sewing Instructions:

To reinforce the picture, sew 1/8″ inside each picture.

Group pictures in sets of two. Remember that you need to leave room for the eyelet so it doesn’t interfere with faces in the picture.

Make a sandwich with a picture square (right side down), then a layer of batting (centered over picture) and last another picture square (right side up).

Pin the square in each corner, lining up the corner of the top picture, the corner of the batting and the corner of the bottom picture. Follow these instructions for each set of pictures.

With coordinating thread, sew 1/8″ away from edge of picture.

Eyelets:

Following directions on eyelet package, place eyelet in top left hand corner of each picture square.

We placed the eyelet on the picture and traced the inside, then cut out that small circle to fit the eyelet piece inside.

Trim edges of fabric square with pinking shears to desired size. I trimmed 1/4″ from each side.

Slide picture squares onto the 2″ metal ring and you’re done!

One darling Photo Book! The perfect gift for baby!!!

Quilted Works
{www.quiltedworks.com}

1 Million Pillowcase Challenge Blog Hop

Sep22

Today the Moda Bake Shop is hosting the 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge blog hop! Oda May whipped up a pillowcase to share with you.
Hello, Moda Bake Shop readers and blog hoppers! I made my pillowcase using All People Quilt’s free pattern for a basic pillowcase + a few modifications to make it Moda Bake Shop ready. Click here for the basic pillowcase pattern.

The steps below tell you how to modify the cuff of the pillowcase. Use a 1/4” seam for piecing. Assembly seams are 1/2″ as indicated in the basic pillowcase pattern.

3/4 yard fabric for pillowcase body {Bella Solids 9900 73 – Clover used}
4 layer cake squares {Oh Deer! by MoMo used}

Cut your solid fabric to 26.5″ x 41″ as indicated in the basic pillowcase pattern. Cut your width of fabric carefully so that you have two 1.25″ strips from each end. This will be used to piece the cuff.

Cut your 1.25″ strips to lengths of 10″. Sew a strip to one side of three of your layer cake squares (remember, a 1/4″ seam). Press seams. Sew all strips together so there is a solid strip between each layer cake:

Proceed with the rest of the basic pillowcase instructions (use a 1/2″ seam for here on out).

A pretty patchwork pillowcase!

Ready to sew up a few pillocases? Don’t forget to Hop on over to the other blogs on the hop for more inspiration:

{And don’t forget to let APQ know that you made and donated a pillowcase to help them reach ONE MILLION.}

1. Welcome from American Patchwork & Quilting {www.allpeoplequilt.com/blogs/apqstaff}
2. Rashida Coleman-Hale {www.iheartlinen.typepad.com}
3. Olivia and Alayna’s Pillowcase Project {www.allpeoplequilt.com/blogs/apqstaff}
4. Morgan’s Smile Factory {www.allpeoplequilt.com/blogs/apqstaff}
5. Pat Sloan {blog.patsloan.com}
6. Northcott {pattispatchwork.com}
7. Betsy Chutchian {betsysbestquiltsandmore.blogspot.com}
8. Vanessa Christenson {www.vanessachristenson.com}
9. Andover Fabrics {blog.andoverfabrics.com}
10. Laurie Simpson {minickandsimpson.blogspot.com}
11. Oak Hill, Ohio {www.allpeoplequilt.com/blogs/apqstaff}
12. Robert Kaufman Fabrics {www.swatchandstitch.com}
13. Pam Buda{www.heartspunquilts.blogspot.com}
14. Indygo Junction {www.indygojunction.com/blog}
15. 4-H {www.allpeoplequilt.com/blogs/apqstaff}
16. Katie Hennagir {baywindowquiltshop.wordpress.com}
17. Anni Downs {hatchedandpatched.typepad.com}
18. FreeSpirit Fabrics {www.freespiritfabric.blogspot.com}
19. American Patchwork & Quilting Staff {www.allpeoplequilt.com/blogs/apqstaff}
20. Patty Young {modkidboutique.blogspot.com}
21. Moda Fabrics {modafabrics.blogspot.com}
22. Monica Solorio-Snow {thehappyzombie.com/blog}
23. Moda Bake Shop {www.modabakeshop.com}
24. Andover Fabrics {blog.andoverfabrics.com}
25. Roseann Kermes from Rosebud’s Cottage {rosebudscottage.typepad.com}
26. Ann Kelle for Shannon Fabrics {www.annkelle.com/category/blog}
27. Therm O Web {blog.thermoweb.com}
28. Edyta Sitar {www.laundrybasketquilts.com/blog}
29. Fabri-Quilt {inspiredbyfabric.blogspot.com}
30. Cherri House {www.cherryhousequilts.com}

Happy sewing!

The Sunbathing Companion

Jul12

Hi Everybody! I’m Stella from The Golden Adventures of a Very Dark Horse and this is my very first time sharing a recipe here at the Moda Bake Shop. Today I am sharing a project I created last Summer (it is midwinter here in New Zealand), for all those lazy days sunbathing down at the beach. I am forever dragging all sorts of ‘essentials’ with me when I set out to sunbathe, which is how and why this project was borne (much easier to carry it all in one go).

I made a few changes from my original design for this tutorial. This time I created an envelope sleeve so that you can slide your pillow out after using the towel, which makes it much easier to wash, and pack away when you’re not using it. I also experimented with the edging just to spice things up. You’ll see!

This is really quite a simple project, and should suit beginner sewers (such as myself). I hope you enjoy making it, and please let me know if you have any questions!

1 Oh Deer by MoMo Layer Cake
2 towels in your desired size (old or new – I repurposed two old towels for this project).
1 pillow
Velcro/snaps/domes/buttons. You may choose whichever of these you prefer.

If using buttons you will need a small amount of braid/ric-rac/cord or something similar to loop around the buttons.

Take your first towel and line it up against your pillow. Trim the towel so that it is the same width but with a small allowance, 1/2″ or so each side (you can trim it further at a later stage, if needed) – as your pillow, and then put that towel to the side.

Take your second towel and wrap it around your pillow, with the wrong side out. Pin it down one side, against the pillow, and trim the other side allowing for a 1/4″ hem. Leave some excess towel along the bottom of the pillow. You’ll use this fabric to attach the two towels later. Remove your pillow and stitch down the side that you have pinned. Hold onto any toweling that you have trimmed off, as you will use these pieces to make the handles for your tote.

Turn your pillow sleeve right side out and place your pillow inside it once again. Pin along the length of your pillow and also leave a pin where your pillow ends and the hem will be.

Pin marks where pillow ends and hem will be (envelope opening).

Remove your pillow again, and sew where you have pinned – up until your marker. With the towel wrong side out once again, fold the edges of your pillow sleeve opening and sew a basic hem. Right side out again, you now have a home for your pillow!

Take both pieces of towel and piece them together, short side to short side. The pillow sleeve piece will have two layers of towel with adequate room for you to attach it to the other towel. It is your choice whether you want to slide the other towel between these two pieces before sewing them together, or just bang them together and sew. The result will look much the same regardless. This time around I was unable to do a tidy hem as my machine couldn’t get through that much towel, so I left the edges raw. It looked fine in the end, which made me wonder why I’d bothered trying to make it look tidy last time!

To make this item nice and strong, I made two seams. One just below where the pillow slides in, with both pieces of Towel 2 backed by Towel 1. I then stitched another seam just above the edge of Towel 2. See below to get a better idea of what I mean. You basically just want both pieces stitched together as strong as possible.

Now for the edging! I used six pieces of Layer Cake from the ‘Oh Deer’ collection by MoMo. I chose polkadots because they were bright and colourful and I was sure that the recipient of this towel tote would love the colours. I stitched all six pieces together with a 1/4″ hem. Easy peasy.

Sewing those lovely pieces of layer cake together.

Then I folded the strip in half, width-wise, and cut it straight down the middle, leaving me with two matching pieces of edging.

I folded these in half again and ironed them this time. I then folded each edge another 1/4″ and ironed those edges down, leaving me with two pieces of binding, perfect!

Depending on the size (length) of your towel, you may need to add another piece (or two) of layer cake, but you should end up with two pieces of binding long enough to add to each side of your towel tote. This time I chose not to add edging to the pillow itself, as I wanted the opening, but the choice is up to you. All you need to do now is pin your binding to each side of your towel tote and topstitch it. Woohoo! Your towel tote is looking fabbity fab now!

So now you slip your pillow in (again! It does get a bit tedious), and roll up your towel tote so that you can decide where want the pockets and handles to go. Mark out those spots with pins, and leave the towel tote where it is. Time to make those pockets and handles!

Choose another two or more (depending on how many pockets you would like) pieces of layer cake, and hem along the top of each piece that you are going to use. Fold (and iron if you desire) the edges in and top stitch the sides and the bottom of each pocket to your tote, in the spaces you have marked with pins.

Now take some of those pieces of towel that you trimmed off the second towel to make the pillow case. The size you make the handles will depend on how much towel you have, and what size you want them. The two pieces I cut to make handles with were 78cm long and 15cm wide. Stitch them together with a 1/4″ allowance, and turn them right side out. Then pin them where you would like them on your tote, and make sure that they are aligned.

Because you are sewing through so much towel at once, you will have to work slowly to attach those handles. You will also want to make sure they are as sturdy as possible. Good luck wrangling with your machine!

Once your handles are on (almost there!) just choose your method for closing your bag. This time I chose buttons, picking two brightly coloured ones from my collection, and a piece of cord that matched my towels to make loops.

Hopefully it looks something like this:

As well as being super handy for personal use, the Sunbathing Companion makes a perfect gift as well. I made this one for my sister-in-law who has hankered for one since I made the original. It would be fun to fill the pockets with sweet sunbathing essentials too (magazines and chocolate? Surely essential!)!