SLICED Tutorial: Quilt Story Apron

Hello!! I’m back sharing another tutorial from a project I made for the Moda Sliced Competition!  You can also check out my Pea Pod Pincushion tutorial from the competition.  I hope you enjoy making this sweet apron.  Make sure to come and say hi at Quilt Story too! 🙂



2-3 fat quarters for bodice and pockets
Six 1/4 yard cuts for skirt and ruffles
1/4 for scallops
1/4 yard for neck straps
Fat quarter for center waistband
1/3 yard for waistband ties

Pattern Pieces {included in the Printer Friendly Version}:
Main Bodice
Side Bodice
Top Band
Scallop & Pocket

Four 1 yard cuts of ric rac, lace, pom poms, etc.
1 yard medium weight interfacing for bodice and pockets
Tape measure for flower pin
1 yard thin ribbon

*** Use half inch seams for construction of this apron unless otherwise noted.
***The bodice for this pattern is a women’s size 5.

Part 1: Bodice Construction

Use a medium-weight interfacing and sew bodice sides to main bodice piece, then add the top band. Main bodice pattern, side bodice pattern, and top band pattern are included in the Printer Friendly Version.  Repeat and create an identical lining piece, no interfacing needed.

Add iPod pocket to inside of lining.  Cut two pieces, 5″ x 6″ and interface one piece.  Sew right sides together along each side and top, leave the bottom open.  Turn right side out and press.  When pressing, turn in the edges of the unfinished bottom by 1/4″ and press.  Add a trim along the finished top if you’d like.  Pin the pocket in place and sew around sides and bottom.  Reinforce the tops of each side.

Next, top stitch a ribbon across the seam of top band and bodice. Create a bow and tack into the middle of  ribbon bodice.

Create neck straps by cutting 2 strips of fabric, 4″ x 38″. Fold in half lengthwise and sew down entire strip with an angle at the end. Turn right side out and press.

Next is the bodice ruffle trim. Fold in  half lengthwise RST (right sides together) a piece of fabric measuring 2.5″ x 20″. Sew short edges together. Turn right side out and press. Run a narrow gathering stitch along raw edge. Gather to a ruffle to match the top of the bodice. Add the ruffle with a narrow top stitch to front apron bodice piece, along the top band piece. *Minding the half inch edges on each side of bodice. 

Put bodice and lining RST and pin neck straps in between and to the sides of bodice.  However you will leave a little more than a half inch on edges so they don’t get sewn into the seam.  Stitch together sides and top, turn inside out and press. 

Bodice complete.

Part 2: Skirt Construction

Cut 5 strips for the skirt.  From top to bottom my measurements are 5.5″, 6″, 4.5″, 5.5″ and 3.5″ inches long, all by 25″ inches wide.  Sew together in that order.

Using the trims, and coordinating threads, sew trims cross all the seams (as pictured).  Serge or turn side edges in 1/4″ and 1/4″ again and stitch to finish sides of apron. 

Make a wide gathering stitch across top of apron as shown.

Create your bottom ruffle by cutting a piece of fabric 2″ x 40″, turn bottom edge 1/4″ in, and 1/4″ in again press and stitch. Do this to the two sides as well.  Make a wide gathering stitch 1/4″ from raw edge. Gather evenly to match apron width. Set aside.

Cut scallop fabric in half widthwise, to have two pieces 4.5″ x WOF.  Using the scallop pattern {in the Printer Friendly Version}, trace onto the wrong side of your fabric and create four full scallops.  Take the wrong sides of the scallop fabrics and pin together.  Sew along tracing and trim 1/4″ around.  Turn right side out and press.

Take your ruffle and scallop and with RST pin to the apron along the bottom edge. Serge or stitch 1/4″. Open and press. Do a very narrow top stitch on the bottom apron edge.

Create your pocket using pattern piece {found in the Printer Friendly Version}. Embellish as you would like with trim, different fabrics, embroidery etc. Using same pattern piece create a lining piece out of white or coordinating fabric.  Interface one side of the pocket.  Using 1/4″ seams, stitch around the sides and rounded bottom of pocket, leaving the top open. Turn right side out and press. Turn top edges in about a 1/4″, press really nicely and top stitch closed.  Pin pocket in place on apron and use a narrow top stitch to stitch in place. Be sure to reinforce each side at the top.

Gather top of skirt to match finished apron top. With RST pin and sew or serge together.

Part 3: Finishing

Using the fat quarter piece for the center waistband cut a piece 7″ x 13″.  RST sew together lengthwise.  Press with the seam in the center.  Also press the short ends 1/4″ in for a finished look, but do not stitch yet.  Set aside.  Cut two waistband ties 6″ x 34″.  RST sew together lengthwise and on one end of each finish at an angle.  Turn right side out and press. 

Place the waistband ties into the unfinished edges of the center waistband piece.  Center the waistband piece over top of the bodice and skirt seam.  Pin in place and sew a narrow top stitch around the entire center waistband, closing the sides as you go. 

Part 4: Tape Measure Flower Pin, optional

Clip metal ends of measuring tape off. Using hot glue, create a circle center roughly the size of a finger. Create petals by softly folding measuring tape and gluing to center. Alternate sides of flower while rolling and rotating softly.  Start with smaller folds and get larger as you get to the end of the flower.  Try first without glue to get a feel for the process.

Once you’ve finished the tape measure flower you can add some fabric petals or leaves.  Fold a 2″ piece of fabric in half and in half again. Trim raw edge sides into a curve. Add hot glue and place little fabric petals within the measuring tape flower.  Create larger petals using the same method and 3″ pieces of fabric. Put 3-4 of these at the base of the measuring tape flower.  Hot glue a pin clasp thing (that’s what they are called right) 🙂  to the back of the flower, and pin where you would like.

One darling apron!

Thank you so much for all of you who left comments during the competition, it was so much fun and we had a blast!  Thanks to Moda too!! 🙂  I’ll be posting a tutorial for my portable file folders soon!

Be sure to visit our blog, Quilt Story.  We’d love to have you!

Quilt Story

{Quilt Story}

Emerson Street Table Topper

Hello!  We’ve got an exciting table topper to share today. I call this the Emerson Street Table Topper. My sister Heather and I (Megan) grew-up on Emerson Street on Colorado.  That house for me is my childhood home and I have a lot of fond memories of my family there.  I even picked out a house to represent it in the table topper. It’s gray just like the one on Emerson Street!

We are very happy to be posting our second tutorial here on the Moda Bake Shop!!  Heather and I are sisters and we love all things crafty.  We work together on our blog QuiltStory and sell patterns by the same name.  We would love for you to stop by Quilt Story and submit for us to feature one of your quilts! We also have a really great weekly linky party for all things fabric called Fabric Tuesday, we’d love for you to join!

**All seams are 1/4″
**Please read all instructions before beginning

1 Charm Pack- Ruby by Bonnie and Camille

1 Layer Cake- Ruby by Bonnie and Camille

1/8 yard for sashing

2/3 yard for backing
1/2 yard for binding

House Block Construction:

Cut the following:

• 44 pieces 2.5″ x 2.5″ (I used blue so it looked like the sky)
• 22 pieces 2.5″ x 4.5″
• 22 pieces 4.5″ x 5″

Take 1 piece 2.5″ x 4.5″ and 2 pieces 2.5″ x 2.5″ to create a flying geese unit aka the roof of the house block.  Draw a line from corner to corner on the 2.5″ x 2.5″ piece.  

1. Right sides together, place the 2.5″ x 2.5″ in the corner of the 2.5″ x 4.5″ piece.  Sew down the line and trim off the outer pieces.
2. Repeat on the other side.
3. Press.  Repeat and create 22 flying geese units.

Sew the 4.5″ x 5″ pieces to the bottom of the flying geese unit to create 22 house blocks.

Pinwheel Block Construction:

Using two different prints, cut 8 squares 4.25″ x 4.25″ from each print. 16 total.

Draw a line from corner to corner on all of the squares from one print.  Place two 4.25″ x 4.25″ squares right sides together, one of each print.

1. Sew 1/4″ on both sides of the line.
2. Cut down the line.
3. Press each Half-Square Triangle.  Repeat until there are 16 total HSTs.

Sew together the HST’s blocks according to the image below to create a pinwheel block.  Create 4.  Each pinwheel block should measure 7″ x 7″.

Center Strip Construction:

Cut 17 strips 2.5″ x 7.5″.  Sew side to side.

From sashing fabric, cut 3 strips 1.5″ x WOF. Sub-cut to 2 strips 1.5″ x 36.5″ and two strips 2.5″ x 7.5″

Taking the strips sewn together in the previous step, sew the sashing strips to that piece.  First on the ends sew the 1.5″ x 6.5″ sashing to the 2.5″ x 6.5″ piece. Press.  Next sew the 1.5″ x 36.5″ sashing strips to the top and bottom. Press.  Refer to full table topper image.  (By the way, love my Havel’s rotary cutter…it’s awesome if you need a new one.)

Table Topper Construction:

Piece together 9 house blocks side to side.  Repeat.

Piece together 2 house blocks side to side.  Repeat

Taking the pieces with 2 house blocks sew a pinwheel block on each side.  Now piece together the whole table topper, first sewing the 9 house block strips to the top and bottom of the Center Strips.  Then sew the strips with house blocks and pinwheels on the sides.  Refer to full table topper images.  

Press. Quilt. Bind!  

Finished Size: 21.5″ x 42.5″

A sweet table topper!  When I quilted it I added some cute little doors, I think you could do a lot with the house blocks depending on how adventurous you are!  I really love seeing those houses all in a row, makes me smile and hopefully you too!  This can be used as a table topper or even a wall hanging.

Thanks so much, hope you love the tutorial.  Please make sure to stop by and see us at QuiltStory!

Megan and Heather

{QuiltStory}

Ruby’s Party Bag

I’m very excited  to be posting over here at the Moda Bake Shop, it’s been awhile.  I’m so in love with this fabric by Bonnie and Camille, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.  Come visit me over at my blog for a chance to win some of this super cute fabric for yourself!  Our Cozy Nest

3 Fat Eighths  (or 3 –  9″ x 22″ pieces of coordinating fabric)
1/2 yard of fast to fuse fusible interfacing or a similar stiff interfacing
Pattern Pieces – included in Printer Friendly Version at bottom of post.

Step One:  Pick three of your favorite coordinating pieces from your fat eighth bundle. Not easy to do since they are all so dang cute!

Step two:  Decide which piece of fabric you want to use for the body of your bag.  Iron it onto the fusible interfacing.

Step three:  Cut out pattern pieces, trace onto fabric, and cut out. You will need to cut two purse pieces.   The pattern for the sides and bottom of the purse will need to be traced and then flipped over and traced again on the other side since the fabric will be too stiff to fold.

Here is what you should have:

Step 4 – Do the same thing in step three for the lining of the bag.  Note – Be sure and layout your pattern pieces so you have that extra fabric on the right side.  This piece of fabric will be used for the “binding” at the top of the purse.  You will need to make sure there is 1 1/4″ of extra fabric on the right side.

Step 5 – Lay one of the purse pattern pieces down with print side up.  Lay your piece for the sides and bottom on top of it with the print side down (like in picture below).  Starting on the right side, begin sewing the two together, making sure to back stitch at the beginning and end.  Note:  Use 1/4″ seam allowance on the entire project unless noted otherwise.  I’m not much of a pinner and honestly this fabric is going to be so stiff, I’m not sure you could pin it.

I just sew a little at a time, sort of curving the sidepiece to the fabric piece as you go.  I kept my needle down when I lifted up the presser foot to move the fabric.

Step 6 – Now sew the other side of the purse on starting on the right side again.  Don’t worry too much about having to bend and move the fabric, I just used an iron when I was finished to smooth it out.

When you’re done sewing the body of the bag together, trim the edges of the bag down to about 1/8″.  
Follow steps 5 and 6 for the lining of the bag.  Turn your bag (not the lining) right side out and place the lining inside so that wrong sides are together.  Stitch the two together by sewing around the top of your bag using a 1/4″ (or a little less) seam allowance. It’s embarrassing that it took me a while to figure this out, but it’s much easier to do this if you remove the extension table from your machine (that blue plate you see on mine).

Step 7 – Make the ruffle for the top of the purse.  Out of you third coordinating piece of fabric, cut a strip of fabric that measures 2 1/2″ wide by 22″ long.  Iron the fabric in half with the print on the outside. If the raw edges on the end of the ruffle bother you, just fold it over 1/4″ before ironing it in half lengthwise and stitch. To make the ruffle I just sew along the length  of the fabric (raw edges on the inside) and about every  3/4″ make a pleat by folding the fabric up about 1/4″ inch and then back down again.  The picture below shows it much better than I can explain it.  When you are done making the ruffle, sew it to the top of your bag. Finished off the edges by overlapping the two ends about 1/2″.

Step 8 – Making the bag handle.  Cut a piece of fabric that is approximately 2″ x 11″ out of the same fabric as your ruffle.  Iron the strip of fabric in half, unfold and then iron the outside edges into the center like pictured below.  Iron back in half (should be 1/2″ wide) and stitch 1/8″ in on both sides.

Step 9 – Pin handle to purse like pictured below and tack into place.

Step 10 – Binding around top of bag.  I apologize for this very poor picture, I couldn’t get my flash to work. I did this the same way I would bind a quilt.  This is where you will use that little 1 1/4″ wide piece of fabric that you saved from the lining.  You will need to sew the two pieces together end to end, it should be about 16″ inches long although you wont need nearly that much. Iron fabric in half lengthwise and then unfold and iron one side into the center (just like you did for the handle, but only one side).

Sew onto the top of your bag by placing the side of the binding that is not folded onto the top of your bag with print side down.  Fold the very edge of the binding over about 1/4″ to give the edge a finished look.  Sew around entire opening of bag and when you get to the end,  overlap the pieces 1/2″ to 1″ folding the very end over 1/4″ before stitching down.  Now the fun part (at least to me).  Fold binding over onto the inside of bag an hand stitch down.  If your bag is wrinkly when you’re done, take a hand towel and wrap it around your hand.  Put your wrapped hand inside of the bag and apply a warm iron to outside of bag until you are happy with how it looks.
 

One super cute party bag, for your little princess!

Nicole Willmore

{ourcozynest.blogspot.com}

Cathedral Window Baby Playmat

Hi!  I’m Amy Gibson of Stitchery Dickory Dock and I’m so excited to share a recipe with you today!

If you’re like me, you’re probably always on the lookout for cute, memorable baby shower gift ideas (I feel like I get an invite to one every time I check the mail!).  Perhaps you’d like to gift something a little more “wow” than the usual onesies and burp cloths?  Look no further!  This darling cathedral window baby playmat is like no other. It is constructed using a unique method that requires no basting, no traditional quilting, and no binding. Plus, it’s nice and thick- super cooshie for that sweet little tooshie!

-1 Layer Cake (40 10″ squares to be exact- you’ll have 2 leftover to use for something else)
-Crib Size Batting (at least 40″ X 50″)
-Cardboard backing from your layer cake package (or a cereal box) for templates

Rotary Circle Cutter- this affordable little tool is worth it’s weight in gold!  Pick one up here, or you can just use an 18 or 28mm traditional rotary cutter to get the job done instead (the smaller, the better).

1.  Fold your layer cake square in fourths, and press the folded corner.

2. Open it up and mark the center point with a water-soluble fabric pen.

3. To prepare the fabric for easier circle-cutting, give your square a healthy shot of Faultless Heavy Starch and press.  I find that the stiffer the fabric is, the less it wants to wrinkle up and get funky when you cut.  Now mark and press all 40 of your squares.

4. Time to cut!  If you have an Olfa circle cutter, you know why I’m sounding a bit excited right now.  This little baby is a wonder- sliced my cutting time in half and gave me near perfect accuracy.  Shockingly, they are priced the same or cheaper than a standard rotary cutter. I think it is worth every penny.  BUT, if you can’t get one, your smaller blade standard rotary cutter will work too!  

Circle Cutters– position the sharp point on the center mark of your square, and loosen the screw to adjust the distance of the blade- aim for close to 1/4″ from the edge if possible, but it honestly doesn’t matter what your exact diameter is- as long as you maintain the exact same distance for all of your cutting.  

**Note: these circle cutters are fantastic, but if you haven’t used one before, I suggest practicing on some scrap fabric to give you a feel for it before you start cutting your Layer Cake.  I found that quick, overlapping back and forth motions, rather than a single fluid pass, resulted in less fabric movement.

Standard Rotary Cutters: you will need to create a circle template.  Find a bowl that’s the right size (about 9.5″ in diameter), trace around it on the cardboard from the back of your Layer Cake, and cut it out with scissors.

5. Batting!  Cut 20 circles the exact same way you did with your fabric.

6.  Sort your fabric into 20 contrasting pairs (ie- dark with a light, large print with a small print, etc). 

Now layout your pairs and decide on 1 circle per pair that will be on top (ie- in the center of your cathedral windows)- mark an X on the wrong of that circle with a water-soluble marker.  

7. Layer a pair of fabric circles, right sides together, on top of a batting circle.  Make sure that the circle with the marked X is on top.

8. Pin around the edge.

9. Using your walking foot, stitch 1/4″ seam around the entire edge, being sure to back-tack at the end of the seam.

10.  Now set down your stitched circle, X marked side facing up, and mark a 2″ line, centered, 1″ in from your seam.  

11.  Pick up your circle and carefully pull the 2 layers of fabric apart, pinching the line you just drew in half between your fingers.  Double check to make certain you are only pinching 1 layer of fabric.  Cut along the line.

12.  Using the small hold you just cut, turn circles right side out.  (This step goes much faster if you can coerce your husband into doing it while he’s watching football!)

13.  Press, poking the edges out as necessary to give a nice smooth curve.

13.  Now, take your cardboard (if you used it to make the circle template, you can either cut into it again, or get another piece), then mark and cut a square that just barely touches the edges of the circle at the corners.  Mine was 5.5″, but I advise you to wait to cut until you measure, as your circle size could vary slightly from mine.  Again, this is ok– what’s most important is that they are all the same, and your square template fits your circles perfectly.

14.  Go ahead and layout your circles in 5 rows of 4, to get an idea of which prints you want on top.  Be sure to peak under the edges to make sure you like the layout of the underside colors as well.  Also, make sure that all of the little slits you cut are facing up, and are positioned outside of this square (not on the corner).  This way they’ll be totally hidden when you stitch the flaps down!

15.  With your water-soluble fabric pen, mark around the square on  the top side of all 20 circles.

  

16.  To begin piecing the first row, take 2 circles, right (or “top”) sides out, match up 2 corners of the marked squares, pin, and stitch along the line, back-taking at the beginning and end of the seam.  Hopefully a child doesn’t tug on your leg just as you’re finishing, so you’re able to keep it reasonably on the line (unlike me!).  

17.  Open and behold the wonder!  Things are starting to take shape!  Continue pinning and stitching these seams, until you have all 5 rows of 4 constructed.

18.  Now take 2 rows, right sides out, match up the seams and pin, just as you have been doing, only this time you’ll sew one continuous seam along the entire row.

19.  Stitch along the line, taking care that the flaps on top and beneath are open and flat.  Move continuously from one circle to the next, back-tacking only at the beginning and end of the row.

**Take care not to sew over the folded flaps, but just below them.  This is crucial, even if you have to stray from your marked line a tad to stay below the folds, as it could hinder your mat from lying flat.

20.  Once you’ve finished sewing all of the rows together, press all of the flaps down.  It’s ok if you have a bit of extra fabric in the middle of the circles (wrinkles)- you can easily tuck it beneath the petals when you stitch them down.

21.  Now, with your walking foot still on, stitch the petals down an 1/8″ from the edge.  The quickest way to do this is to stitch them by rows, staying on the same side of the petals all the way down the row, then turning and coming back the other way on the opposite side of the petals (rather than sewing around each petal individually).  

Finish it off by top stitching am 1/8″ seam around the entire outside edge of the mat.

And there you have it!  Your mat is good to go- no additional quilting or binding needed!  Now run it through the wash and give it one last steamy press, before gifting it a lucky mom-to-be and wowing everyone at the shower with your mad skills!!!

1 dreamy Cathedral Window Baby Playmat- 24″ X 29″

Thanks so much for taking a peak at my Bake Shop recipe!  I’m so glad to be here!  If you have any questions about this project, feel free to hop on over to my blog and give me a holler.  If you make this project, email me a pic- I’d looooove to see it!

Cheers!

Amy Gibson
{Stitchery Dickory Dock}

All Framed Up Baby Quilt

  

Melissa Corry here from Happy Quilting.  I would like to introduce you to Jocelyn; she is the latest addition to our little Corry Clan.  Of course, with each new baby comes a new quilt. And Ruby is so perfect for a little baby girl quilt!!! I just love the colors and the beautiful prints!!  So here it is… All Framed Up!!  I hope you have as much fun making yours as I did making mine 🙂

If you have a special little one who needs a baby quilt of her own, you can click on over to Burgundy Buttons where you can get an All Framed Up Quilt Kit with everything you need to make this quilt at a stellar Burgundy Buttons price 🙂

If you have any questions about this tutorial, please email me at happyquiltingmelissa (at) gmail (dot) com.  I will answer them ASAP.  When you are finished, feel free to add a picture of your All Framed Up Baby Quilt to my Flickr Group.  I love to see and parade everyone’s individual completions 🙂

To make this quilt you will need :

2 Ruby Charm Packs
1 Yard of Moda Bella Solid White
1 1/4 of Backing Fabric – I used 55035 14
1/3 Yard of Binding Fabric – I used 55032 21
Several 5 x 5 squares of Heat -N – Bond

STEP 1 – CUTTING


There is not too much cutting of your charm packs needed.
   
Select 36 charm squares that will not be cut.  Pull out 6 charms and set them aside (I choose to pull out the polka-dot prints because I wanted my all of my applique to match 🙂

From the second charm pack, cut 32 charms down to 3 3/4″ x 3 3/4″ squares (once again, the 10 charms I pulled aside were all the polka-dot prints).

From the 16 charms you pulled aside, cut out (16) 1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ squares.  (I cut out 2 squares from each of the 8 polka dot prints).

Set your remaining charms and larger pieces of charms aside to use for the applique 🙂  This is what you should have:

Let’s move to your Moda Bella Solid White yardage. Start by ironing your yardage and then cutting a nice straight edge.  From your yardage, cut the following strips: a 3″ x WOF Strip, a 7 1/2″ X WOF Strip, a 8 1/2″ x WOF Strip, and a 12 1/2″ x WOF Strip.  Trim the selvage edges off the top of all 4 strips.

Use the following 4 guides below to sub-cut your strips.  If you have trouble viewing the guide, click on the picture to make it larger.

    

For your 3″ x WOF Strip cut as follows:

 
For your 7 1/2″ x WOF Strip cut as follows:

 
For your 8 1/2″ x WOF Strip cut as follows:

 
For your 12 1/2″ x WOF Strip cut as follows:

You should have cut the following pieces…  

This is it for the cutting. Now you are ready to start putting your top together!!

STEP 2 – MAKING THE BLOCK BORDERS

Start by grabbing your pile of 5 x 5 charms and 1″ x 5″ white rectangles.  You will be adding a sashing strip to the side of each charm.  Lay a white rectangle along the side of your charm with right sides together (any side will do).  I don’t pin a lot in this project, but if you prefer to pin, please do 🙂  Sew 1/4″ along the edge.

You don’t want to cut after each one, that takes too much time. Chain stitch instead (when you are finished sewing the first, feed the second pair through and keep feeding through pairs until you have sewn a sashing on all 36 charms).

Clip the threads between each set and press the seam toward the charm square.

Repeat the process on the opposite side.  Lay a white rectangle along the opposite side of your charm square with right sides together. Chain stitch a 1/4″ seam along the side of all 36 charm sets, clip your threads, and press toward the charm square.

Now they are pressed and ready to be sub-cut.  Each charm needs to be sub-cut in half both ways.  From side-to-side, measure in 3″ and cut. From top to bottom, measure in 2 1/2″ and cut.  You should now have 144 little 2 1/2″ x 3″ squares that are sashed on 1 side.

Start sewing them together. Align 2 squares with the sashings on the same sides. Lay your first square on top of your second with right sides together.  (You did this right if the sashing is on top of the print.) Sew a 1/4″ seam along the edge.  Don’t pin, just align as you go.  Continue to chain stitch sets of 2 until you have used all of your squares.  Clip your threads and press.  You should now have 72 sets of 2.

We are going to turn those sets of 2 into sets of 4.  Same exact process.  Align two sets with right sides together, chain stitch a 1/4″ seam along the edge of all your sets, clip your threads, and press.  You should now have 36 sets of 4.

And now we do it again one last time to turn sets of 4 into sets of 8. Align two sets with right sides together, chain stitch a 1/4″ seam along the edge of all your sets, clip your threads and press.  You should now have 18 sets of 8.

There is one last step to finish your borders.  You need to unpick one seam.  (I know it seems silly to unpick, but trust me, it is way faster to sew them this way and unpick 18 seams then to do them without chain stitching 🙂  So unpick along the outer sashing of the 3 square (see the arrow).

You should now have 18 rows of 3 that have sashings on both ends and 18 rows of 5 that do not have sashing on either end.  You can set your borders aside for a minute.  Way to go!!!

STEP 3 – MAKING THE BLOCK CENTERS

For each block center you will need (4) 3 3/4″ x 3 3/4″ charm squares, (2) 1″ x 3 3/4″ white rectangles, (3) 1″ x 7 1/2″ rectangles, and (2) 1″ x 8 1/2″ rectangles.  Lay them out as follows.  (the 8 1/2″ strips are along the top and bottom 🙂

Start by sewing your small center sashings to your top 2 charm squares.  Lay the sashings along the bottom of the charm squares with right sides together.  Once again, it isn’t necessary to pin.  Sew a 1/4″ seam along the edge of the two squares, clip your threads, and press.

Now you can sew your top sashed charms to your bottom charms. Lay the top charm square onto your bottom with right sides together.  Sew a 1/4″ seam along the edges, clip your threads, and press.

Now that your charm columns are done, you can sew the sashings to the sides of them.  Lay your sashings onto your charm columns as follows.  Sew a 1/4″ seam along the three edges, clip your threads, and press.

Now you can sew the 2 charm columns together.  This time it is important to pin so that you can make sure you align your center seam.  Once it is pinned, sew a 1/4″ seam along the pinned edge and then clip your threads and press.

Lastly, you just have to add the top and the bottom sashings.  Lay the sashings along the top and bottom of the block with right sides together.  Sew a 1/4″ seam along the edge of the top and bottom, clip your threads and press.

Now your block center is done.  Repeat this step to make another 7 block centers. You will have 8 block centers total 🙂

STEP 4 – FINISHING YOUR BLOCKS 

You are ready to use your block centers and borders to finish the blocks.  Start with a block center, 2 short borders, and 2 long borders.  Lay them out as follows. 

We’ll start by sewing on the top and the bottom borders.  Lay the top and bottom border with right sides together along the top and bottom edge of the block center.  Make sure to pin and align your seams where the 4 arrows designate.  Sew a 1/4″ seam along the pinned edge, clip your threads, and press.

And now… you guessed it, we are going to do the sides.  Lay your side borders with right sides together along the sides of the block center.  Once again, make sure to align your seams where the arrows indicate.  Sew a 1/4″ seam along the pinned edge, clip your threads and press.

Now your block is completed!!!  Yippee Skippee!!  Repeat this process with the other 7 block centers so you have a total of 8 completed blocks.

Grab your 8 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ white square and use your remaining 4 borders to finish the block in the same manner.  You will use the exact same process of adding the top and bottom first, followed by the sides.

STEP 5 – ADDING APPLIQUE TO THE CENTER BLOCK


To give this quilt a super adorable and personalized look, I added applique to the center block.  This is optional.  Grab your leftover (mine are polka-dot) charm squares that you set aside at the beginning. Fuse your pre-cut squares of heat-n-bond to the wrong side of your charm square.  Now trace your letters onto the paper side of the heat-n-bond.  Remember, to do your letters backwards!!!!  (You can make your own letter templates by printing the name you’d like in any word program and then cutting out the letters.) Cut out your letters and wha-la!!  You have applique letters.  You can add flowers and such if you’d prefer.

Once you have your entire applique cut out, you are ready to add it to your block.  Play with the arrangement in the center block until you get something that is pleasing to you.  (I find it best to do this on your ironing board so you don’t have to move it once you get it where you like.)  Once you have it set, go ahead and fuse your Heat-N-Bonded appliques to your center square.

Lastly, secure your applique by stitching around it.  You can do any type of secure stitch you like.  I chose to do a blanket stitch in white 🙂

STEP 6 – PIECING THE QUILT TOP

Now that you have all of your blocks done, you are ready to piece the quilt top together.  Grab your 9 blocks, the (16) 1 1/2″ squares and and the (24) 1 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ rectangles and lay them out as follows.  Go ahead and play around with your layout until you get a nice even mix of colors and it is pleasing to the eye. A great way to see this is to take a picture of it and then look at it on the computer screen, it really helps to give you a good overall look.

Start sewing your top together.  I like to do this one row at a time; it makes it easier not to change my layout on accident.  I start with the sashing rows.  Using a 1/4″ seam, sew the squares onto the edges of your first piece of sashing in your first row.  Continue to add on to the row.  Add another sashing followed by another square etc. until you have sewn the entire row together.  Once the row is all sewn together, go ahead and press it.  Repeat for all 4 of your sashing rows.

Now that your sashing rows are sewn together, you can move onto your block rows.  This is done with the same process.  Start by sewing a sashing onto each side of your first block.  Then add a block, followed by a sashing, followed by a block etc. until you have sewn together the entire row.  Press it and repeat the process for the other 2 block rows.

Your quilt top should look like this.  You with me?  Almost done!!!

We are going to sew the sashings rows onto the block rows.  Same process, just on a larger scale. Lay your sashing row onto the top of your block row with right sides together.  Make sure to pin your seams to match where the arrows indicate.  Your bottom row will have a sashing pinned along the top and the bottom. Sew a 1/4″ seam along your pinned edges, clip your threads and press.

Sew the 3 rows together.  Start by laying your bottom row onto your center row with right sides together.  Make sure to match your seams along those same points.  Pin your entire edge, sew a 1/4″ seam along the pinned edge, clip your threads, and press.  Now just repeat the same process laying your top row onto your now sewn together center and bottom row.  Pin, Sew, Clip, and Press!!

And your top is complete!!!  Don’t you just love it!!!  It is so adorable!!!

STEP 7 – FINISHING UP

Quilt and bind.  I know, I make it sound so easy.  But it is a great size to start on if you are doing free motion quilting for the first time.   I choose to quilt mine in an all-over free motion daisy and leaves design.  There are tons and tons of tutorials out there on free motion quilting.  Just Google it and practice 🙂 . 

Cut your binding fabric into four 2 1/2″ x WOF strips to make your binding roll.  If you have never done a binding before there is a great tutorial here on how to bind {modabakeshop.com/2010/08/binding-with-jelly-roll.html}  

One adorable All Framed Up Quilt measuring approx. 40″ x 40″.

Perfectly Personalized for your little Precious one!!!

Melissa Corry

{happyquiltingmelissa.blogspot.com}

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}

Ruby, Pearl, and Opal Quilt

Hey all!  I am so excited to be sharing another Bake Shop Quilt with you all!  It’s me, Corey, from Little Miss Shabby.  As soon as I saw Bonnie and Camille’s Ruby line of fabric, I knew that some of it had to make its way to my house.  Not only is the fabric beautiful– it also shares its name with my husband’s Great Aunt Ruby.  Incidentally, my husband’s Grandmother’s name was Opal, sister to his Great Aunt Ruby. Let’s not forget their other sister, Pearl.  No Joke, how cute is that?!? –So, of course we have the Ruby, Pearl, and Opal Quilt. =)

I have also included instructions for a pieced backing using your leftover fabric.  I do love a great pieced backing. You will have very little fabric leftover if you opt for the pieced backing. 

Without further ado… “Ruby, Pearl, and Opal”.



1 Ruby Layer Cake
3 yd. Cream Solid {9900-97}
2 1/4 yd. Backing Print {55030-13}
1/2 yd. Binding Print {55037-11}

Layer Cake Cutting Instructions:

Divide the layer cake into 2 piles of 20 pieces.  Make sure to distribute the colors evenly between the 2 piles.

From Pile #1 cut the following (shown above in the aqua fabrics):

~ {1} 2.5″ strip, subcut into 3″ and 5″ (pieces F and G)
~ {1} 5.5″ strip, subcut into 3.5″ and 4.5″ (pieces E and D)
*save the leftover piece from cutting this strip–it will be used for piece C*
~ Save the 2″ x 10″ leftover piece for the pieced backing

From Pile #2 cut the following (shown above in the green fabrics):

~ {1} 3.5″ strip, subcut into 3.5″ and 4.5″ (pieces A and B)
*save the leftover piece from cutting this strip–it will be used for piece C*
~ {1} 3.5″ x 8.5″ strip (piece H)
~ Save the 3″ x 10″ leftover piece for the pieced backing

~Label the cut layer cake pieces as you go.~

White Fabric Cutting Instructions:

For the Blocks cut:
–{22}strips 1.5″ x WOF (width of fabric), set aside 2, from each of  the remaining 20 strips subcut as follows: {1} 12.5″, {2} 8.5″, {1} 5.5″, {2} 3.5″

From the 2 set aside strips subcut {20} 2.5″ strips

For the Sashing cut:
–{5} 1.5″ x WOF strips, subcut into {15} 12.5″ strips
–{5}1.5″ x WOF strips, sew end to end and cut {4} long strips 1.5″ x 51.5″

For the Borders cut:
–{6} 4.5″ x WOF Strips, sew end to end and cut {2} long strips 4.5″ x 59.5″ and {2} long strips 4.5″ x 64.5″

For the Pieced Backing cut:
— {4} 7.5″ x WOF strips, sew 2 pairs together to make {2} long strips 7.5″ x 88″, trim to 7.5″ x 81″

Backing Fabric Cutting Instructions:

Cut backing fabric into {2} pieces, one 12″ x 81″ and one 32″ x 81″

Binding Fabric Cutting Instructions:

Cut {7} strips 2.25″ x WOF

Piecing Instructions:
{All seams allowances = scant 1/4″}

Use the set aside pieces leftover from cutting the layer cake ( 2″ x 5.5″ and 2″ x 3.5″).  Make sure not to use the pieces set aside for the pieced backing. 

With right sides together, sew together {2} 2″ x 3.5″ pieces, press seams open.  Repeat until all pairs are sew together.  You will have 10 units.  Repeat for the 2″ x 5.5″ strips.

Trim all 20 of the strip sets to 3.5″ x 3.5″ blocks.  These units will be piece C.

This is the block layout.

Begin by sewing the A/B/C strip section section together with the 1.5″ x 3.5″ white strips.  Piece 1/2 of the C blocks with the seam running horizontally as pictured and 1/2 with the seam running vertically as pictured.  Press all seams away from the white strips.  The completed strip sets will measure 3.5″ x 12.5″ and will be referred to as A/B/C strip set.

Sew together pieces D and E along with the 1.5″ x 5.5″ white strip.  Press seams away from the white.  These strip sets will be 5.5″ x 8.5″ and will be referred to as D/E strip set. 

Sew together pieces F and G with the 1.5″ x 2.5″ white strip.  Press seams away from the white strip.  The strip unit will measure 2.5″ x 8.5″ and will be referred to as F/G strip set.

Sew together a D/E strip set, an F/G strip set, piece H, and the two 1.5″ x 8.5″ white strips.  Press all seams away from the white strips.  These strips sets will measure 8.5″ x 12.5″.

Now sew together the strip set you just completed, the A/B/C strip set, and the 1.5″ x 12.5″ white strip.  Press away from the white.  These will be your completed blocks and will measure 12.5″ square.

Arrange the quilt blocks 4 blocks by 5 blocks, orienting the blocks randomly as you go.

Sew together the top row using 4 blocks and 3 sashing strips 1.5″ x 12.5″.  Press seams away from the white fabric.  Continue with the remaining rows. 

Sew together the completed rows using the 1.5″ x 51.5″ long sashing.  Press away from the white fabric.  Add borders–Left and Right sides first, Top and Bottom second.  Your quilt top is now finished and we are ready to piece the backing.

Pieced Backing:
Sew together all the 2″ x 10″ and 3″ x 10″ extra layer cake strips into a long strip approx. 10″ x 81″.  Sew a white backing strip onto the left and right of the pieced section.  And finally, sew a backing print piece to the right and left of the white pieces.  Trim up the backing if needed.

You are now ready to sandwich your quilt top/batting/backing, baste, quilt and bind.  I opted to straight-line machine quilt my quilt.

You now have one fabulous 59″ x 72″ quilt with an equally snazzy pieced backing.

I hope that you have a great time making this quilt!  And I’d love to see you over at my blog. =)

Corey Yoder
{Little Miss Shabby}



Castle Stairs Quilt

Hi!  I’m Kelly from kelbysews and today I’m going to share my TWO projects from one jelly roll!  When I was experimenting with this design, my four year old said it looked like castle stairs.  Since I couldn’t come up with anything better, I used his description in my title!  🙂  This project is a hexagon-shaped log cabin and is easy peasy!  Ready? Set? Sew!!!

* 1 Ruby Jelly Roll
* 1/2 yard 55037-11 for binding:  this can be optional if you do not want to make the pillow. You may use the leftover jelly roll strips to bind the quilt.
* 4 yards 55030-13F for backing:  this is flannel Ruby fabric and it’s fantastic!
* Hexagon template included in Printer Friendly Version

* Embroidery thread
* Pearl Cotton
* Scrap of Moda Bella Solid in white–or you can use a little of your backing fabric instead.
* mini Post-It notes

Gather your supplies!  You don’t have to embroider anything in the center hexagon.  Feel free to use a corner of your backing fabric to fill this area, you’ll have plenty to spare.  I think this center hexagon would be perfect to embroider a child’s name or new baby’s birthdate, weight, etc, or even use it as your quilt label!  You can really get creative with the center!

Trace hexagon (included in Printer Friendly version) and desired design with a removable ink pen.  I traced my design on paper with black marker so I didn’t even have to use a light box to see it through the white fabric.  If you’re using a darker fabric, simply tape the design to a window then tape the fabric over it.  If you’re only using the hexagon as a template, you can cut it out and trace it onto your hexagon fabric.

Embroider to your heart’s content then cut out your hexagon!  I later decided the center French knots were too much and removed them, so you’ll notice their absence in later pictures.

Choose 6 jelly roll strips to set aside.  This will be the outer 6 sides of the hexagon.  DO NOT USE THESE UNTIL THE END!  I went for a variety of color and patterns here. I would avoid choosing a strip that is the same as your binding fabric since these will be the edges of your quilt.

From the remaining 34 strips, select one and match the edges with one side of the hexagon.  Try and line up the corner of the hexagon with the first usable bit of the strip.  You will be using the left over pieces of the strips for the pillow so you want as much as possible to work with.

Are we noticing the pins?  Do NOT under ANY circumstance think you can do this project without pinning every single time!  Want proof?  Here is my first attempt at this project (when I was stupid and didn’t pin):

Yeah, this is my quilt top lying FLAT–or as close as I could get it to flat!  Don’t let this happen to you!  Now this lovely Verna quilt is keeping my Labrador’s crate nice and comfy.  Pin people!  

After setting the seam, press away from the center hexagon.

Trim the excess by lining your ruler up with the edge of the hexagon sides.

The piece remaining should measure 2.25″ if your 1/4″ seam allowance is correct.  It is very important to maintain an accurate seam allowance throughout this project since later on you will be using the width of sewn strips to determine your cutting angle for newly added strips.  You’ll see what I mean soon!

Another important step!  Label each strip as you use it with a number.  You can do this any way that’s convenient for you, I chose to use baby Post-It notes.

Line up your next strip, working clockwise around the hexagon.  Please keep in mind that it is more important that the new strip is laying flat than to have the edges of the hexagon and the new strip line up perfectly.  If you bend the new strip to fit the edges of the hexagon exactly, your final product may not lay flat.  Match the edges as close as you can while making sure the entire project is flat.  

Again, trim the excess.

Now can you see why accurate seam allowances are necessary?  Line up the edge of your ruler with the edge of the 1st piece.  The 2.25″ mark should be straight along the seam line where the first piece attaches to the hexagon.  Trim your second piece.

Label every single strip!  You can “fly by the seat of your pants” with this, but if you want to ensure your quilt is as large as my sample, you’ll need to label.

After adding six strips, your hexagon should look like this.  I added a pin through my first strip to keep track of where I started.  Don’t laugh at this step!  I didn’t follow my own advice throughout the making of this quilt and, as a result, I accidentally added an extra strip!  Luckily, it didn’t throw me off too much in the dimensions!  If you count the number of strips on each side, there should be 12, but one of my sides has 13.  I’m human, what can say?  It’s my humility piece!

Start your next round of six strips on the side to the right (or clockwise) from where your first strip started.  This will give you the staggered, castle steps look.

This is what it should look like after your next 6 strips.

Another 6 down!  Keep going like this.  Once you hit strip 34, you will begin to repeat strips.  There is some wiggle room in the order you repeat the strips, but you must keep in mind that you do not want to wait too long to use higher number strips.  The higher numbers are not as long and if you wait until the end to use them again, they may not be long enough to fit the side.  You may omit two strips from being repeated.  I omitted 21 and 22.  I chose to omit strips that had duplicates–meaning there were two jelly roll strips of the same print.  

This is a sample order:

Round A: 1-6

Round B: 7-12

Round C: 13-18

Round D: 19-24

Round E: 25-30

Round F: 31-34, 13, 24

Round G: 34, 25, 28, 15, 23, 30

Round H: 26, 33, 17, 31, 27, 19

Round I: 32, 29, 18, 16, 20, 14

Round J: 11, 7, 12, 8, 9, 10

Round K: 1, 2, 6, 5, 3, 4

Round L: 6 strips you set aside at the beginning

Now it’s time to pull out the six strips we set aside in the beginning!  These will be the outer most edges of the quilt.  In total, you will have 12 rings around the hexagon. 

I pre-washed my backing fabric since it’s flannel and has a tendency to shrink a bit more than quilting cotton.  I don’t usually prewash, but I thought it was necessary this time.  I cut my backing fabric into two 2-yard pieces (approximately, since it had been washed).  Then I sewed them along the 72″ side.  I laid out the quilt slightly to one side so I would have a long rectangular strip of backing fabric leftover.  You will need this to complete the pillow project.

I basted the heck out of this thing!  Because it’s an unusual shape, I wanted to be sure it wouldn’t get distorted in the quilting process.  Cut (8) 2.25″ strips for binding.  You will only need 5 for the quilt, but you will need extra for the pillow and it’s more expedient to make it all at once.  I was a bit worried when I sat down to bind this since the angles aren’t 90 degrees, but I simply folded back at the corners using the quilt as my guide for the correct angle, and it worked the same as binding a square quilt.  

***Note, if you prefer to use 2.5″ binding, you should still have enough for both projects, but barely.

After quilting and binding, this is the result!  Isn’t it cute?!?!?  Sweet and fun on the front, snugly warm on the back!  What kiddo wouldn’t love it?  If you’re feeling adventurous, you could cut from one corner to the middle, bind the cut edges and have a Christmas tree skirt!!!!  Or you could stop adding strips a bit sooner and have an adorable table topper!

Now we aren’t going to waste all those leftover jelly roll pieces!  Pair each left over strip with another piece of about the same length and sew them together.

Next, stack them and cut as many 2.5″ squares as you can.  You should be able to get more than enough to make a 20″ pillow.  The pillow takes 100 2.5″ squares (or 50 pairs of two) and I had over 120 squares (60 pairs of two) when I finished cutting the remaining strips.

Randomly sew those little pairs of squares together until you get a 20″ square pillow front.

Next, cut a slightly larger than 20″x20″ piece of the leftover flannel backing and place the pillow top on it, wrong sides together.  Baste and quilt.  The flannel acts like batting here.  I’m doing my best to use up your extra backing fabric!    

All quilted up!  Trim off the excess backing fabric leaving you with a 20.5″ unfinished patchwork pillow front.

Now, to make the back of the pillow, cut (2) 13.5″ x 20.5″ pieces from your leftover backing.  You should have plenty of backing to do this so long as you laid your quilt out like I pictured above.  

Now pull out the leftover binding from your quilt and cut (2) pieces 21″ in length. 

Fold the ends toward the middle, original crease line.

Press in half again along the original crease line.

Tuck the 20.5″ edge into the tape you created.

Pin like crazy.

Sew 1/4″ from the top edge, securing the tape to the edge of the pillow back.

Ta-da!  Now repeat these steps for the other 13.5″ x 20.5″ piece.  Trim off any excess tape.

Lay the pieces out in the following order:

1.  Quilted pillow top, right side face down

2.  One piece of the pillow back with the edge closer to the bottom, right side face up

3.  The second piece of the pillow back with the edge closer to the top of the pillow, right side up.

Basically, lay everything out how you want it to look when it’s finished.  We won’t be turning this inside out so what you see is what you get.  It’s a lot less confusing that way! 

Pin heavily around the entire pillow!

Baste 1/8″ from the edge of the pillow using your longest stitch length.  The basting holds everything together so you don’t have to worry about layers shifting around on you when you attach the binding.  Now bind as usual, using the left over binding from your quilt! 

A hexagon quilt measuring approximately 30.5″ on each side (60″ from corner to opposite corner, 52″ from the middle of one side to the opposite side) and one 20″ pillow!

The snugly, warm back of the quilt and pillow.

My original example of the project was in solids.  It gives you a totally different look!

I eventually made it into a 12″x16″ pillow with some adventurous quilting–though really, for me, anything that isn’t free motion is adventurous! Ha ha!

Hope you all enjoyed my second MBS project!  

Kelly Bowser

{kelbysews}

Eli’s Wheels Quilt

Photo courtesy of Chris Oliver

Hey everyone!  It’s good to be here on the Bake Shop again.  In the past I have shared tutorials for my favorite vintage quilts, but today I am debuting my first original design here.  I hope you like it!

1 Ruby Jelly Roll

1/2 yard binding fabric

2.5 yards background fabric cut into:

• 16 1.5″xWOF strips
• 1 10.75″xWOF strip (which is subcut into 6 6.5″x10.75″ rectangles)
• 8 5.5″ rows (which are subcut into a minimum of 78 5.5″ unfinished equilateral triangles)   

3 3/4 yards backing fabric

1 Equilateral Triangle Template (5″ finished size)

This jelly roll contains 40 strips.  I chose to use one of the prints from the line as a background fabric, so I discarded that strip.   I also set aside another strip since we are sewing the strips into strip sets by pairs and need an even number of strips. Each jelly roll strip set should yield 2 full hexagons.  To give you a little wiggle room, we are going to use 16 strip sets.  If you make a mistake, simply use some of the other jelly roll strips to create more blocks.  If you don’t make a mistake, just add another row of blocks or make a fun pillow to go with your new quilt.

 

Cut 16 1.5″ strips from your background fabric.

Take your remaining 32 jelly roll strips and match them up into coordinating pairs.  Take 16 of your strips and sew a 1.5″ strip RST alongside the jelly roll strip.  Make sure you stagger this background  1″ from the beginning of your jelly roll.  This is important!  It will help you get an extra cut from your jelly roll and give you two blocks vs. one block for the same amount of work. 

Place each strip set background side down.  Press over the seam to set it (this will keep your lines crisp and keep your seam line from being wavy).  Now open your pair and press toward the jelly roll.

Now Stagger your second jelly roll strip 1″ down from your background strip  and attach it RSF to the background strip.   When finished sewing, press your strips open with the seams facing the Jelly Roll.

Your strip sets will be staggered on the edge like this to help maximize your fabric.

This is how your cut triangle will look.  From the apex of the triangle, Your background fabric will hit the 2″ finished and 3″ finished hash marks.  I used a sharpie when I was cutting to make a little dot on those lines…it is so easy to get confused!

Continue cutting until you have 12 triangles cut from each strip set.  Just flip the triangle all the way from one end to the other.  Be careful not to contort or twist your wrist when cutting triangles. I set up my mat on the edge of a desk/table and walk around the mat to make cuts instead of straining my wrists.  I got a lot of wrist pain once using a quarter square triangle ruler and I don’t want to repeat that. If you have an Olfa brand cutter, you will notice a set of ridges on your cutter.  These are registration points indicating where to put your thumb or forefinger (your preference) for the least stress on your wrist tendons.  Cool, huh?

Arrange your triangles into 2 hexagons like so.

We will sew our hexagons into 2 halves then join the halves at the center.  Join the first 2 triangles edge to edge then you will need to offset the third triangle in the half hexagon by 1/4″.  You can use your dog ears to line up your offset :

I really recommend setting your seams to give you nice, crisp seams.  With all those bias edges, this step is very helpful.  Setting seams means pressing your sewn line before opening up your block and pressing the block.  If you are nervous working with bias edges, you can do the following things:

• starch your fabric (not necessary)
• piece with a walking foot (not necessary, but can help especially in longer bias edge seams)
• touch the fabric as little as possible…absolutely crucial.
• set your seams (I find this very helpful, I love a crisp seam line).
• if you are unsure of how much to offset your blocks to get the seams to match, sew the first few triangles with a basting stitch (longest stitch length).  If you’re happy with your pieces,  go over your seams with a regular stitch length.  If you mess up, it is much easier to take out long basting stitches and it will be less tugging with a seam ripper…tugging distorts your blocks.  After a block, I felt comfortable to just dive in with a regular stitch.  I also pieced with my regular 1/4″ foot. 

Now you have your half-hexagons.  Before you sew your hexes together into whole hexagons, here is an alternate layout I chose not to use for these particular fabrics (half hexes would be sewn together like a tumbler quilt):

Instead of this, we’re going to proceed with sewing the half hexes into complete hexagons:

You will notice there are dog ears in the center where your half hexagons will meet.  You can trim these before you begin or use them to line up your hexagons and trim them afterward.

Now cut 8 5.5″xWOF strips of your background fabric.  Sub-cut each strip into equilateral triangles (5.5″ unfinished, 5″ finished…remember these triangles are measured by their height, not the length of the sides).

Here is how it looks under the ruler.  Use the guidelines on your ruler to measure, not just the edges.

Now attach 2 equilateral triangles of your background fabric to opposite sides of your hexagon.  This makes a rhombus shape.  Set the seams and press open.

Here is your rhombus shape. I am calling this an Eli’s Wheel block.  It reminds me of a ferris wheel which in turn reminds of me 5 minutes of pure terror (or hilarity, depending on whom you ask) spent with my son on a giant ferris wheel overlooking one of the Great Lakes.  You should have 32 blocks.  Your quilt will have 7 rows laid out like so:

Row 1: 5 rhombus blocks
Row 2: 4 rhombus blocks
Row 3: 5 rhombus blocks
Row 4: 4 rhombus blocks
Row 5: 5 rhombus blocks
Row 6: 4 rhombus blocks
Row 7: 5 rhombus blocks

Now we will sew our blocks into rows.  Do not sew your rows together just yet: we will need to add setting pieces to the side.

Joining our rhombi will also involve us offsetting our pieces by 1/4″.  You can also use those dog ears along the edge to help you line up your blocks. 

You see I’ve lined up my dog ears.  You can also see the bottom block peeking out.   When you correctly line up your 2 blocks to sew, it kind of looks like a tent with the “pretty side” of the fabric lining the tent.  Sew along the top of the “tent.”

Set your seam and open up…Voila!

Press.  Continue joining your blocks into rows.

The beginning and end of each row will need another 5.5″ setting triangle.  Attach the setting triangle to the hexagon on the beginning and end row. 

 Sew your seam and then press open.

Now cut off the excess.  You will leave 1/4″excess past the point on your hexagon.  On the rows that have 5 blocks, this is all you have to do.  On the rows with 4 blocks, we will add an additional setting piece, a 6.5″ x 10.75″ rectangle.  Cut a 10.75″xWOF strip of your background fabric.  Sub-cut that into 6 rectangles that measure 6.5″x10.75″. 

According to my MATH, the pieces should be 6.5″x10.5″, but that just was a little shy (maybe due to the bias edges) I’d rather be conservative and cut a little extra.  You can always trim down from 10.75″ if you find this piece is too tall.

Attach the rectangle to each end of the three 4-block rows.

Now sew your 7 rows together to form a lovely 60×70 quilt top.

Backing

Approximate fabric requirements for backing: 3 3/4 yards.

Construct 2 strips the width of the fabric and length at least 66.5″  Sew Strips together to form backing. 

Baste backing, batting, and quilt top to form quilt sandwich.  Quilt as desired.

Binding

Fabric required: 1/2 yard.  Cut 7 strips of width 2.5″ or 2.5″ (your preference).  Sew into a continous binding strip.  Attach to the front of your quilt with machine and turn over and finish by hand using a ladder stitch or whipstitch.

60″x70″ lap quilt (with extra fabric to make coordinating pillows or a slightly larger quilt)

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial.  If you make one I’d love to see it!  You can see my other tutorials and projects on my blog. 

Mary Lane Brown

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