Oops! Quilt-along Block #4 Do-over

Have you ever had one of those days?!

If you ask me, I would bet my last dollar that yesterday was the 13th, Murphy came to visit, I walked under a ladder, rocked an empty chair, and horror of horrors, opened an umbrella in the house! Yep, sure glad it’s today 🙂

I don’t how many of you received an email stating the block #4 post was up and published, but if you did…..I have to apologize. It was up, but NOT supposed to be. Uh, uh…yours truly pushed the wrong button before the post was complete. That’s one thing nice about sewing, if you do something wrong, you grab your trusty old seam ripper and redo. This technology thing is not so private or forgiving. Talk about panic….yi, yi, yi, I thought, what do I do now????? It’s 10:30 at night, Val is visiting Sam the Muffin Man, and I’m totally embarrassed. I attempted to un-publish the post, but ended up deleting it altogether. Alas, nothing to do but ‘rip it out and start over’, so here goes….wish me luck!

1. Begin by arranging 8 solid 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ and 8 print  2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ blocks in an alternating pattern. It should look like this picture. This would be a great time to spritz with spray starch and press.

2. Start with the top/first row of blocks. Notice in the above photo that I’ve designated the blocks with blue arrows.

3. Place one solid block and one print block, right sides together. (If you would like to use a couple of pins to secure your blocks, go right ahead. I don’t usually pin mine if the blocks are this small.) Stitch these two block with a scant 1/4″ seam and press open. Repeat this step with the other two blocks from the top/first row.

4. When you have completed #3, your top/first row will resemble the one in this photo. The next step is to place the two edges (designated with the blue arrows) right sides together and stitch with scant 1/4″ seam and press.

After completing steps #3 and #4 your first/top row will look like this.

5. Next, we’ll begin assembling the four separate rows. Place two rows, right sides together, stitch at scant 1/4″, and press.  (Since this edge is a bit longer, I’m going to place a coupe of pins at the seams to ensure they match up as I sew.) Repeat for rows #3 and #4.

You can see that my pins straddle the seam allowance. This helps me ensure the seams match. Just a reminder…be sure not to sew over your pins…probably not the best thing for your machine or needle 🙂

6. After you have joined rows 1, 2 and 3, 4, they should look similar to this. Next, place these right sides together, pin if you wish, secure the ‘middle’ seam  at 1/4″ and press.

Congratulations! Your first block #4 is complete and should look similar to the above picture. Repeat these steps to complete 5 more of block #4.

I hope you all have a happy, relaxing, and safe Memorial Day weekend! I’d personally like to add a resounding “Thank You” to all past and current military personnel and their families!

See you in a couple of weeks with block #5,

Brenda

Let’s celebrate Mother’s Day by adding block #3

I’d like to take moment to say, “Happy Mother’s Day!”  In addition to the tutorial for block #3, I’m sending you a virtual bouquet in honor of this special day. I need to get into this flower bed to remove the tops of my spring bulbs, but I love purple and this spiderwort is too pretty not to share!

I hope all of your blocks are coming along well….I’ve been lucky enough to see a few finished blocks and they look super great! I really can’t wait to see all of them when we are finished!

Mod Sampler Quilt – Block #3

1.  We’ll begin with two solid  and 2 print squares (4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″) and arrange them in a layout similar to the above picture.

FYI: I’ve already starched and pressed my blocks so they are ready to assemble.

2.  Take one print block and one solid block and place them right sides together. If you feel more comfortable in doing so, go ahead and  add a pin or two for reinforcement. 

3. After confirming that your needle is set for a scant 1/4″… go ahead and stitch your two squares together.  Repeat step 2 and 3 with the remaining two squares.

*Don’t forget to set your stitching by pressing the seam first and then pressing the seam open or to one side (depending on your preference)

Once you have pressed the seams, your two blocks should look similar to these in the above photo.

4.  Next, we’ll put the right sides of the two blocks together…making sure to match the seam lines.

* When I am matching seams, I like to pin across the seam allowance (as in the above picture). I tend to have better luck with this method rather than pinning on both sides.

5. In addition to securing the seam, it might be a good idea to use a couple of more pins close to the beginning and end of the future seam. (I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I have a ‘slight’ (wink, wink) problem with OCD, so if you feel comfortable not pinning, go for it!)

6. Stitch your scant 1/4″ seam, press to set your stitching, and press the seam open.

* This is what the back of my block looks like after I’ve stitched and pressed the seam.

* If the seams are matched properly and ‘propriately’ (that’s for Donna’s grandson…ask her to tell you the story if you’re in need of a smile), they should look similarly to these in the above photo.

Congratulations, you have now completed block #3!!

 

I’m going to leave you with a little something that I think you will enjoy. Have fun and I’ll talk to you in a couple of weeks for block #4…woo hoo.

Pin Pal Point:  For those of you that don’t visit sewing blogs….this is your lucky day!!!! I’m going to share 3 of my favorite blogs…..but, PROCEED WITH CAUTION because they are habit forming! 🙂 Seriously, I’ve learned, and continue to learn, so much about fabrics, notions, and the art of piecing and quilting from these blogs and thought you might like them too. Without further ado…………………………..

http://mamacjt.blogspot.com/

  http://www.freshlemonsquilts.com/

http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

http://traceyjayquilts.blogspot.com/

YOO HOO, are you ready for block #2?

Greetings!

I’m so glad to be back today with the tutorial for block #2 of the Quilt-along! Before you know it, we’ll be meeting face-to-face to ooh and ah about the finished products. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait….I love any excuse to eat, drink, and be merry! But first we’ve got some sewing to do, so let’s get going.

Step 1: For Block #2 you will need to start with 2 print pieces and 2 solid pieces that are 2 12/” x 8 1/2″. Be sure that you alternate the print/solid fabrics as shown in the picture above.

Step 2: Place the right side of one solid block and the right side of one print block together. Be sure to match the edge accurately. If you prefer to use a couple of straight pins to secure this edge, go right ahead and do so.

Step 3: Place the lined up edges of your fabric along your 1/4″ marking on your sewing machine. Stitch a straight line down one long side of blocks.

Pin Pal Point: Although I discussed the various methods for ensuring a 1/4″ seam in the last blog, and Valerie blogged about the built-in 1/4″ stitch on some machines and the 1/4″ quilting foot attachments, I’d like to emphasize the importance of the “scant” 1/4″ seam when quilting. For another great explanation, please go to the following: http://www.stitcherydickorydock.com/2012/02/5-steps-to-more-accurate-piecing.html

Step 4: I decided to stitch the other two (print/solid) blocks together before I moved to the ironing board to press my seams. Remember…..PRESS not IRON 🙂 You should now have two blocks that look like those in the picture below.

Step 5: Next, place the two blocks right sides together (make sure the solid/print sides are opposite of one another). See the picture below.

Step 6: Once you have your edges lined up, place the block at the 1/4″ mark and stitch your seam. Again, if you wish to use a few straight pins to stabilize the edge, go right ahead.

Once you have the seam stitched, remember to press.

(Have you noticed that I was using my quilting foot with the guide in the picture above and now I’m using my machine built in 1/4″ stitch?…. just wanted Valerie to know I learned something from her blog entry!)

Congratulations! Your block #2 is complete and should look similar to the one above.

As usual, I’m having a great time with this Quilt-along and I hope all of you are enjoying yourselves too!

Until next time…..

Your Pin Pal  ‘B’

It’s time to sew….finally!!

Greetings!

We’ve been spending the last few weeks choosing and cutting fabric (quite beautiful fabric, I might add). Today we can finally start sewing it back together. Are you as excited as I am?  Well let’s get going….

Pin Pal Point: You know, I learned to sew back in the day, but I must have been fooling around the day they told us how important it is to have a sharp needle in our machines. This is something that I’ve become aware of very recently and I wanted to share it with all of you. That being said….this would be an awesome time to change your needle! (Wasn’t it nice of Valerie to provide a coupon for needles?????)

I believe I mentioned in my ‘cutting fabric’ post that I like to press and starch my quilt blocks right before I work with them. Therefore, this would be a good time to get your ironing board, iron, and spray starch. My favorite is “Best Press Starch”  –  I have to use ‘unscented’ …  my husband has a VERY sensitive nose:)

I’m only going to show you pictures of the fabric for one of my blocks, but if you are going to assemble all 6 of the Block 1’s, you can starch all of the 4 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ blocks at the same time.

When I starch my fabric, I give it a light spritz and gently set my iron down on the fabric, pick it UP and then place it back down…continuing this until the entire block is starched/dry.  When quilting, it important to PRESS, not iron. In other words, do not slide your iron back and forth as this can stretch the fabric. Yes, this takes a bit longer, but it is well worth the time and effort!

Once your blocks are starched and pressed, we are ready to start sewing…

My Baby Lock is ready to go….I love this machine so much! Not only has it brought countless hours of awesome sewing and embroidering, it opened the ‘door’ to meeting Val and many other new and talented acquaintances. I’ve also reconnected with some individuals I hadn’t seen in several years. Ok, I’ll quit blabbering and get on with it!! lol

As you can see, I have the Qtools sewing edge affixed to my machine. This is one method of ensuring you stitch a scant 1/4 inch seam. It is very important to sew consistent seam widths (scant 1/4) when stitching quilt blocks. Although is doesn’t seem like 1/8″ or 1/16″ would make a big deal, if every seam is off by that amount, it will add up to a “big deal” by the time you are ready to assemble all of the blocks.

In close-up above, you can see that my needle defaults to the left side when I turn on my machine. In order to set it for the scant 1/4″ seam, I adjust my needle’s width setting in order to move it to the right. This width setting can be seen in the photo below. Additionally, I’ve also reset my stitch length to 1.8 which is shorter than the average stitch length. This makes your stitching more secure allowing for wear, tear, and laundering.

Once my machine is reset, I like to take some scrap fabric and sew a “sample seam”… just to be sure I’m set for the scant 1/4” seam. You can see in the picture below that my needle is reset and the fabric is placed right up to the edge of the Qtools strip.

NOTE: When stitching quilt blocks, it is not necessary to backstitch at the beginning and ending of the seam.

After my sample is stitched, I like to measure it and make sure everything is accurate. If not, I may have to adjust the sewing edge or my needle. The photo below shows that my seam width is right on target!

 

****** I know that some of you might have chosen to use the Baby Lock 1/4″ Quilting /Patchwork Foot instead of the Qtools Sewing Edge. If you are using the Baby Lock 1/4″ Quilting Foot, please click the following link to see photos and instructions.

 Baby Lock Foot

Select 1 of your 4 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ print block and the coordinating solid measuring 4 1/2″ x 8 1/2″. Place the right sides together, lining up the long side of the fabric. If you feel more secure placing 2-3 straight pins to hold them in place, feel free to do so.

At this point, go ahead and stitch your blocks together. Remember, it’s not necessary to backstitch at the beginning or the end of the seam. If you look at the picture below, you can see that my fabric is placed right up to the Qtools guide and I tend to use my index finger (laying it over where the fabric meets the guide) to ensure the fabric stays in the proper place.

Pin Pal Point: It’s hard to tell by looking at the picture, but my fingers are only serving as guides (resting very lightly on the fabric)….allowing the machine to feed the fabric.

Just to assure myself that my fabric remains aligned correctly, I’ve stopped sewing in the picture below and flipped my blocks to make sure the edges are still matching. They are correct so I’ll complete the seam.

Voila! The first block is now stitched together.

In order to “set” the stitches, take the quilt block to the ironing board and PRESS the seam while it is lying flat.

Now, it’s time to press the seam open so it will be less bulky and more easily matched to other blocks during assembly. Although it seems to take a lot of time to press and press, you’ll be glad when it’s time to put the blocks together to complete the quilt top.

There are various ‘schools of thought’ about how to press seams. When I began piecing blocks, I pressed my seam allowances to one side (usually toward the darker fabric). Most recently, I’ve started pressing them open and I prefer the look of the finished product using this technique. It’s the technique we’ll use during this quilt-along.

Again…..don’t forget to PRESS, NOT iron!!!

Once you’ve pressed your seam open on the wrong side, flip it over and PRESS the seam from the right side.

Congratulations, your first block is complete!

It’s been a pleasure and don’t forget to upload photos of your finished blocks to Flickr.

Here comes Peter Cottontail, doobee doobee doo……

Greeting to all my quilt-along friends!

Just wanted to check in and see if your fabric is cut? If not, no worries…you still have time before we start off with our first block next weekend. (In all honesty you can join the quilt-along at any time…one of the perks of quilt-alongs.) I’m getting more and more excited to “hit it and get it”, “shake it and bake it”, “dye it and fry it” 🙂 My way of saying, “Come on next Sunday!”

Seriously, last week’s post mentioned checking back in this weekend. Here is your reward….click on the link below to obtain coupons that can be used for additional savings at our very favorite store…Sew Much More!! Also included, another entry blank for the end of the quilt-along drawing. It’s very important to note that the entry blank MUST be submitted in person at Sew Much More, by the end of the day, April 14th.

Coupons April 7

Product discounts:

– 8 1/2″ square grid – we will use this to square up the finished quilt blocks

– glass-head silk pins – talk about quality pins…love, love, love

– Clover seam ripper – just in case 🙂

– Glowline Tape – Hmmmm, what is this you ask?????

Well, the first two people that respond with the correct answer will win a special ‘little’ surprise from your PinPal. C’mon, you know you want to win!!! Don’t forget to submit contact information with your response…you want to be contacted if you win, don’t you?????

I wish you all a wonderful weekend and I hope you find all the easter eggs!!!!

Your PinPal, Brenda

Let’s Cut Some Fabric!–Quilt Along with Brenda #2

I’m so happy that today has finally arrived. It feels as good as it does when Spring arrives after a long, cold winter! What’s that you say? Oh yes, Spring has arrived (if a bit early for this part of the state). While I’ve been cutting fabric and preparing this post, this is what I’ve been looking at from my sewing room window—love, love, love!

Okay, let’s get started on our Mod Sampler Quilt…and for that we need our fabric, rotary cutter, cutting mat, ruler, and quilt instructions.

Pin Pal Point: There seems to be different thoughts on preparing fabrics for quilting. There is the school of thought that endorses pre-washing/drying and the other that feels it is unnecessary. Personally, I’ve done both. However, after working with the quality fabrics from Sew Much More I’ve determined it’s not imperative (personal opinion). There is a lot of information available on quilting blogs/internet that you can read in order to make your decision. A good place to start might be here: 

http://www.stitchedincolor.com/2010/09/colorbrick-prewash-press-fabrics.html and/or here:

http://www.ohfransson.com/oh_fransson/frequently-asked-question.html

Now that your supplies and fabric is ready to go, let’s start cutting!! OH, wait….this might be a good time to determine if you need to change the blade in your rotary cutter. I decided to go ahead to change mine…please be careful when handling the blades. They are VERY sharp!!

Pin Pal Point: It’s not my intention to recreate the wheel, so if  anyone is new to cutting fabric  and would like to refer to a great tutorial, you can find it here:  http://www.stitchedincolor.com/2010/10/colorbrick-rotary-cutting-101.html

Wondering if we’re ever going to get started????? Here we go…….

According to our directions, we start with cutting the fabric for the sashing. It’s very IMPORTANT for you to read the directions for folding the sashing fabric BEFORE cutting! You can find those guidelines here:

http://www.ohfransson.com/files/mod-sampler-2011.pdf

Once your fabric is folded properly, begin by trimming away the selvage to create a straight edge.

Proceed by cutting (16) long sashing strips that measure 2 1/2″ x length of fabric (about 63″).

Set aside 11 of your 16 sashing strips.

Subcut the remaining long sashing strips into (29) short sashing strips measuring 2 1/2″ x 8 1/2″. In the picture below, I am removing the folded edge of the strips and creating a straight edge from which to begin sub-cutting my short sashing strips.

Continue sub-cutting your short strips until you have (29) strips.

Yeah! You are done cutting your sashing and may set the strips aside.

Next, we’ll begin cutting the fabric for the quilt blocks. The following directions and pictures will refer to cutting from quarter-yard pieces of fabric. The Mod Sampler Quilt pattern also includes cutting directions for fat quarters. We don’t have to start with the prints, but it’s important to note that cutting directions are NOT the same for prints and solids.

Pin Pal Point: I find it is beneficial to press my fabric(s) prior to cutting so they lie flatter and they don’t seem to shift as easily. This helps me to make more accurate cuts. Some quilters like to use spray starch while pressing their fabrics. Personally, I prefer to use Best Press Spray Starch on individual blocks during the piecing process.

Okay, grab one of your patterned fabrics and open it up so it is a single thickness. Lay it out on your mat and trim away the selvage to create a straight edge. We will be cutting the blocks along the 9″ length of the fabric.

1.  Cut 1 strip 4 1/2″ wide.

Trim this piece to 4 1/2 x 8 1/2 “. This will be used for Block A.

I’m a bit OCD (or is that CDO) and I’ve decided to label my pieces so they’ll be easier to keep together…especially when we add all of the different fabrics.

Okay, let’s keep going!

2. Cut another strip from your 1/4 yard of fabric that is 4 1/2″ wide.

Subcut into two squares that measure 4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″.  These will be used for Block C.

3. Next, cut 2 strips from your 1/4 yard of fabric that are 2 1/2 ” wide.

Trim these strips to 2 1/2″ x 8 1/2″. These will be used for Block B.

4. Next, cut three strips 2 1/2″ wide and then subcut them into 9 squares that are 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″.  Eight of these will be used for Block D and 1 for Block E.

5. Now, we’ll cut 2 more strips 1 1/2″ wide and trim each to measure 1 1/2″ x 8 1/2″. These will be for Block F.

6. Cut two more strips that are 1 1/2″ wide and trim each to 1 1/2″ x 6 1/2″. These will be used for Block F.

7. Next, let’s cut 2 strips 1 1/2″ wide. Subcut into 2 strips 1 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ and 2 strips 1 1/2″ x 4 1/2″. These will be used for Block F.

8. Cut 2 strips 2″ wide. Trim each of these to 2″ x 8 1/2″. These will be used for Block E.

9. Cut 2 strips 2″ wide. Trim each to measure 2″ x 5 1/2″. These will be used for Block E.

Congratulations, you’ve completed the cutting the first print fabric…..only 5 more to go! Ah, don’t worry, you’ve got two weeks before we start sewing and the more you cut, the easier it gets! This is what mine look like after I’ve arranged the pieces into the appropriate stacks.

Isn’t this so much fun?  We’re cutting up fabric just to put it back together again and enjoying the process 🙂

Ready to get started with the solids?????? Okay, let’s rock and roll! Choose one of your solid fabrics and open it up so it is a single thickness. Lay it out on your mat and trim away the selvage to create a straight edge. We will be cutting the blocks along the 9″ length of the fabric. (I’ve already pressed out the fold marks & wrinkles)

Follow the guidelines as provided in the Mod Sampler Pattern for cutting the SOLID fabrics. You will have a bit more of the 1/4 yard left over as compared to the print fabrics. Not a problem…just add it to the stash basket and you can use it for a scrap quilt when you finish this one!!!!!

This is how mine looked when I finished cutting, sorting, and labeling.

After cutting all 12 pieces of fabric, I wanted to decide what prints would go with which solid. Although I had considered that when purchasing my fabrics, I made a couple of changes. As you know, (if you’ve read through the pattern instructions) once the print and solid are “joined together, they will not be put asunder. We have to speak now or forever,” yada, yada, yada!

Seriously, now is the time to make the final decision about which print will be going with which solid. This choice will remain constant throughout the construction of the quilt. I decided to take some of my scraps and make a key for myself.

Once I finished cutting each of my fabrics and sorting the pieces into their proper order, this is how I decided to keep mine paired. I’m not suggesting that you have to follow my lead. However, I didn’t really get the “organizer cards” thing that the pattern talked about and this is what I came up with.

Pin Pal Point See the smaller red clips in the bottom right corner? These are called Wonder Clips, come in a pkg. of 10, and are available at Sew Much More. They are used for holding laminated fabrics (best not to use pins in laminate) and quilt bindings. I decided they worked really well for this purpose. These stacks are too thick for pinning (I don’t like the way the pins scrunch up the fabric). I didn’t have enough, and Valerie was already closed, so I confiscated some chip clips that were lying around … they work pretty well too.

Oh, I almost forgot…..a little birdie told me you might want to check back  in a week or so to see some special tidbits!

~until next time,

Your Pin Pal, Brenda

Questions?  Ask away; I’ll try to help!

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Quilt Along with Brenda #1

SHOP…..SHOP….SHOP

shop – fabrics – notions –  savings –    OH MY!!!!

Hey all, your fearless quilt-along leader here……

I’m so excited about the interest expressed in the quilt-along. And, since one of the many virtues I haven’t mastered is patience, I want to provide a list of supplies we’ll be using to make our beautiful quilts. You might be ready to start scouting out your fabric choices as a little birdie told me that new fabrics arrived 3 days this week at Sew Much More. This will also give you an opportunity to double-check your collection of common sewing notions.

As stated in the original invitation, this quilt-along will appeal to sewists of all experience levels, but my goal is to present the posts specifically for new quilters. With that in mind, the supply list may appear lengthy, but I’ve included any items that could be used during the construction of the quilt top and back.

~ until next time, B. (your pinpal)

Click here for your supply list!

Click here for money saving coupons!

Follow the Leader

 Yep, uh-uh, spring is right around the corner….

and Valerie has another great idea to mark the occasion!!

She has asked me if I would be interested in ‘being the leader’ for a Block-a-Month sew-along. Now I ask you, “who could resist that opportunity??????”

Val and I want sewists of any skill level to join in the fun, so we’ve decided to use the “Mod Sampler Redux” pattern by Elizabeth Hartman which can be viewed on her blog, “Oh Fransson”.

So, here’s how it works….. we will post tutorials (with pictures and step-by-steps) walking you through the entire quilt top construction process. We’ll even remind you that the tute’s been posted on our Facebook page!  A description/list for all necessary supplies will be posted on March 18th. Via a post on April 1st we will begin cutting our fabric. This should give you plenty of time to browse the awesome fabric selections at Sew Much More and decide what luscious combinations you’re going to use.

Block tutorials will be posted bi-monthly. The first block will be introduced on Sunday, April 15th (don’t forget to file taxes!), and the final block will be posted on Sunday, June 24th. Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to complete 5 more block prior to the next post. (This isn’t a requirement, but it will certainly make for a larger quilt top when we’re all finished. 🙂 AND….since we promised to cover the entire quilt construction process, the final two posts on July 8th and July 22nd will cover sashing/assembly of the quilt top and your quilt back.

To add to the fun, each post will provide a link so we can all post pictures of our blocks on Flickr and also on the specially-created album on Sew Much More’s Facebook page and ooh and ah over the beautiful and stunning works in progress….it goes without saying that you don’t get anything but beautiful and stunning fabrics at our favorite shop, Sew Much More!!!!!

 So what do you think? Do you wanna follow my lead and have a quilt-top ready to be quilted just in time for a fall wedding, an eagerly anticipated visit from the stork, or (shhhhh!) a early Christmas present?

Quilt-Along with Brenda

We have a lovely little store, but “little” is the operative word.  We’re often asked about having beginning quilting classes, and well, we just don’t have room to do it justice, for all of our beginner quilters.  But, perhaps, we’ve come up with a fun and engaging alternative!

Our friend, Brenda, is going to lead us in some beginning quilting, right here online!  That’s right…if you’ve ever wanted to try some beginning quilting, but just didn’t have time to commit to a class, you’ll now have a chance to follow along with Brenda’s tutorials in the privacy & convenience of your own home (in your jammies, if you choose!)  And, nobody will know how many times you’ve had to use that seam ripper, either.   We’re going to use a free quilt pattern and we hope we see lots of new combinations of fabric from Sew Much More in these quilts.  Brenda will post full photo directions for the block you’re making. When you’re done, viola! — a nice throw-sized  sampler quilt!

Brenda’s invitation to join her will come in a couple days, followed by a blog post (along with coupons!!) about materials you’re going to need.  The fun & games will begin shortly and you’ll be on your way to quilting & creating in no time.  A show-off night with prizes and food is also in the works when everybody has their tops done.  And, for our online-only followers who live miles away, we’ll be anxious to see your blocks posted on our Facebook page in the Quilt-Along album.  The beautiful fabric is calling you…