Sunday, February 28, 2010

Modify Tradition Quilt Along

Okay like usual I am always behind but I so wanted to take part in the Modify Tradition Quilt Along-  I was skeptical if I even had enough fabric to coordinate and that was modern but some of you who know me - I have piles and piles of fabric- so you scoff at me for even pondering the idea.  I digress.  So I scoured my fabric bins and put together a collection of fabrics that I have now totally fell in love with and here to present to you is a collection of my twelve block sampler.  I have actually already put the quilt top together but have yet to take a photo so I must get on it.. Still contemplating the back.  I haven't even started part two yet because I have started the pinwheel quilt along (post about that later).  I like samplers-  your always doing a new block- it helps with the tediousness of the same block over and over again.



Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Fresh Comfort Quilting Bee- February

These blocks are for Hilary - light, pretty and fun log cabins.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Whirligig Block Tutorial

The whirligig block is lots of fun a goes togeher rather quickly. You don't need a lot of fabric just enough to make 2 5 inch light colored block and 2 5 inch dark colored blocks. It's a fun way to use up scraps.
Step 1:

  • Cut a piece of template plastic or thin cardboard into a five inch square.
  • Draw a line down the middle of the template.
  • mark a 1/4 of an inch on opposite sides of the the line and the template (look at the photo)
  • Draw a line from the 1/4 inch mark diagonal across the square.

Step 2:
  • Cut the template on the line- there now you have your template for your whirligig.
  • Mark the right side so you always cut your fabric the right way!

Step 3:
  • Now pick your two fabrics - a light and a dark one to make your whirligig.
  • cut 2 light and 2 dark into 5 inch squares.


step 4:
  • Stack fabric blocks (right side up)
  • place template on block and draw diagonal line.
  • Tip: always place your template the same way- to ensure your blocks spin the same direction.


Step 5:

  • Cut the blocks on the line- keep them organized because now we have to put them together.


Step 6

  • Line up the white with the opposite blue- see picture


Step 7:

  • line up diagonal edge of fabric like in the picture and get ready to sew.



Step 8:

  • Sew your blocks together with a scant 1/4 inch on the diagonal sides.


Step 9:

  • Press to the dark fabric


Step 10:

  • Now it's time to square up your blocks because right now they should be rectangular.
  • the short end should measure 4 1/2 inches so square the block to 4 1/2 inches (refer to the photo)




  • See your nice squared up squares.





Step 11:
  • Now you need to place your squares out to make a whirligig- the easiest way to do this is to refer to the photo

Step 12:
  • Place 2 of your blocks right sides together in row one and do the same for row two.
  • sew them together with a scant 1/4 inch seam.

Step 13:
  • press each row the opposite way so you can nest the seams and reduce bulk when you sew your rows to gether

  • nesting the seams- refer to the photo


Step 14:
  • sew your rows together with your scant 1/4 inch seam

  • press your rows open.

There you go a beautiful and whimsical whirligig- now make a whole bunch and put them together to make a whirly fun quilt!

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Modern Traditon Bee Month 2

Okay- i'm just a turbo blogger- i can't keep up with it every day but now and then I can get lots of posts all at once. This is for Leanne of the modern Tradition Bee- she wanted the simple and ever popular log cabin with fun and funky fabrics- this quilt will be so awesome. I feel so accomplished hopefully I can keep up this pace for the rest of the year.





Fresh Comfort Bee Month1

So this is the second bee I have joined- it's called Fresh Comfort. We don't have a specific theme it's just whatever suits your fancy. Katie wanted trees and she sent us tons of great fabric and she let us have creative freedom. I love trees so I could have made lots of these blocks because it was so much fun to create and let the juices flow. Like my bitty bird.
















Modern Traditon Bee Month 1

So this was the first virtual quilting bee I joined this year! So far it has been a lot of fun because I only have to make 1 to 2 blocks and someone else picked out the fabric and the block they want so no fuss. It will be a lot of fun to see how all the quilts turn out. I have been having such a fabulous time but I have no idea what i am going to send out when my month comes up. This block is for Melissa- for the modern Tradition bee- the idea is to take a traditional quilt block and use modern fabrics. I'm actually loving this idea and if you want a little inspiration go over to the blog modify tradition because they do a quilt -a- long and have tutorials for making traditonal blocks with modern fabric .