Charm Square Quilt - another UFO!

I started this quilt many years ago as teaching aid to teach beginner quilters a new simple block. This block is called Half Square triangle or HST for short!

Plus you can create many different layouts quilt designs using a HSTs.

Simple quilting with parallel lines in white cotton thread on the white fabric. Just needs binding.

Block Three

I do not usually work with brown colour fabrics.  These brown tones are too 'vomit sick' colour for me.  But these brown fabrics are part of the fat quarter bundle so I feel that if I do not use I will never use them. 

I will make some more block using these brown fabric to see if I can begin to like them.  I think the brown fabrics are needed to be incorporated in the quilt to enhance the overall design.

Anyway that all folks until next time.

Friendship Star Block

Friendship Star

This tutorial will make a 6" Friendship Star Block.  I used only two fabrics.  A cream tone on tone fabric for the background and a pattern blue fabric for the star block.

Background  

Cut two 3 1/2 inch squares

Cut four 2 1/2 inch squares

Star 

Cut two 3 1/2 inch squares

Cut one 2 1/2 inch square

Layer one background and one star 3 1/2 inch square right side facing and pin.  Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner.  Then draw a line quarter inch either side of diagonal line.

Sew on the outer lines.  I like to use an open toe foot on my sewing machine for sewing when using this method.  I like to be able to see the line where I am sewing.  If you wish you could hand stitch the lines.

The cut on the centre line. Repeat with the other pair 3 1/2 squares.

Press towards the darkest fabric.  PRESS, please do not iron, and treat with care as this is a bias seam.    Now trim the half square triangle squares to 2 1/2 inches.  Remembering to place the 45 degree line on your ruler along the stitched seam.

Arrange your squares as shown above.  Watch out for the correct placement of your half square triangle squares.

Sew into three rows using a quarter inch seam allowance.  Press the top and bottom seams away for the centre square.  Press the middle seams towards the centre square.  This will make it easy to stitch the three rows together.  Please remember to match up all your seams.

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Now give your finished block a press.  The block should now measure 6 1/2 inches.  Once sewn into a project or quilt it will a 'finished' 6 inch square

Friendship Star

This tutorial will make a 6" Friendship Star Block.  I used only two fabrics.  A cream tone on tone fabric for the background and a pattern blue fabric for the star block.

Background  

Cut two 3 1/2 inch squares

Cut four 2 1/2 inch squares

Star 

Cut two 3 1/2 inch squares

Cut one 2 1/2 inch square

Layer one background and one star 3 1/2 inch square right side facing and pin.  Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner.  Then draw a line quarter inch either side of diagonal line.

Sew on the outer lines.  I like to use an open toe foot on my sewing machine for sewing when using this method.  I like to be able to see the line where I am sewing.  If you wish you could hand stitch the lines.

The cut on the centre line. Repeat with the other pair 3 1/2 squares.

Press towards the darkest fabric.  PRESS, please do not iron, and treat with care as this is a bias seam.    Now trim the half square triangle squares to 2 1/2 inches.  Remembering to place the 45 degree line on your ruler along the stitched seam.

Arrange your squares as shown above.  Watch out for the correct placement of your half square triangle squares.

Sew into three rows using a quarter inch seam allowance.  Press the top and bottom seams away for the centre square.  Press the middle seams towards the centre square.  This will make it easy to stitch the three rows together.  Please remember to match up all your seams.

Now give your finished block a press.  The block should now measure 6 1/2 inches.  Once sewn into a project or quilt it will a 'finished' 6 inch square.

Christmas Tree Sampler Workshop

I have spent some time this autumn working on a Christmas tree sampler cushion.

I am going to do a tutorial 'Block of the Month'.  Starting in January 2018.  There are eight blocks in this sampler. 

I have used a Moda charm pack for some of pieced blocks, plus a white on white fabric for the appliqué blocks and fat quarters for the borders.

There is a Facebook group called Daisychain Quilter.  If you need any help with the blocks, why not join the group.  

Post Card Blocks

I call this my postcard block but I am sure it has another name.

Recipe

A) Two 2 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch White on White/Cream on Cream

B) One  4 /12 x 8 1/2 Bright/Kids print

Sew the White on White to either side of the Bright/Kids print.

It should be a 8 1/2 inch block.

Make at least twelve to give you a small size quilt.

I added a 2 1/2 border in the same colour.

Notice how if the thinner strips are a different colour it can change the appearance of the finished quilt.

Disappearing Four Patch

I first posted this on my sister blog and then again here in April 2104.  I am reposting again today to make it easier for my students to find this blog post.

Recipe 

You will need the following to make one block:

A)  One 5 x 5 inch blue plain/tone on tone.

B)  One 5 x 5 inch red plain/tone on tone.

C)  Two 5 x 5 inch white on white.

 Sew together as above to form a four patch block.  Press the seams open.

Cut 1 1/2 inches from the centre seam.  With each cut turn the board not the fabric, this will help to keep the fabric from moving.  Do not be tempted to move the pieces after each cut.  Once you have cut four times then check to make sure you have cut properly.

 Leave the four corners and centre blocks and turn the four outer middle blocks to form a new nine patch block.

 Once you are happy with the new block sew the block back together.  Pay extra attention to matching all the seams.

Next time you could vary the width of the cut from the centre seams.  It will give a different feel to the block.
Well done.

Another Charm Square Quilt

Charm packs could be used for this quilt or you could cut your own squares.  If you cut your own squares, then you can chose the size of your squares.  As I have a six inch width ruler, I usually cut my squares to the width of my ruler.

In this quilt photo I have used 24 different squares, but if you would a large quilt use more squares. I have used this method with 30 plus squares.   Arrange the squares so that no two colours are next to each other.  When you like your arrangement, sew them together.

After sewing my squares together, the finished square size is 5 1/2 inches.  So cutting down the middle of the square should measure  2 3/4 inches from the sewn seam.    

 

Rearrange the strips, making sure that no two same fabric rectangles are place next to each other. Then sew the strips together.

In this photo, one quilt top is made with 6 inch squares and the other with 5 inch squares.Then add borders, quilt and bind.

Then add borders, quilt and bind.  This is a quick project that can be made in a couple of hours.   

Charming Summer Throw

I am still recovering from my trip to London.  So it was a lazy day sewing samples for tomorrow class.  This quilt pattern is from Cotton Cocktails.  It is an easy pattern and very quick to sew.

I used nickle squares and strip roll from Creative Quilting.  I used one strip roll and three sets of nickel squares. My quilt top is slightly bigger than pattern and I have not added the final borders yet.  I have not decided what fabric to use for the outer border.  I still have five paler strips left for my strip roll which I could use.  The other choice could be a cream on cream fabric.  Or maybe both.

I think I will leave it pinned to be design wall for a few days and wait for my 'light bulb' moment to strike.  Then it will be time to wait for another IBM for the quilting!