Chaining Blocks Together

America is not like a blanket: one piece of unbroken cloth, the same color, the same texture, the same size. America is more like a quilt: many patches, many pieces, many colors, many sizes, all woven and held together by a common thread. 

Jesse Jackson

Want to see more green?  I should have shared these back in August but as I said in my last post I was distracted by other things happening in my life.  So here are some of my green blocks.

I can't say that 30s prints are my favorites but they do make me smile!  I have learned over all the years of quilting that I have under my belt that with blocks that have directional triangles that it is best to chain piece the blocks together after the smaller units are done.  If you do this the chances of getting the triangles turned wrong are much smaller.

Here is what I do:

First make all the smaller units

Next sew the first two units in each row of the block together.

If you look closely you can see the threads connecting the block rows.

(They would have gone through the machine sideways to what is pictured.)

Next add the last row still leaving the threads uncut.  The last thing to do is to sew the last two seams going across the block.  I made 48 blocks for this quilt and only twice did any of the triangles get turned in the wrong direction. I don't think any of the 4 patches did.   I usually work on a group of about 6 blocks at a time chaining through the same step on each of them.  When I work is small groups of blocks I always get a few finished blocks done even when I don't have a lot of time at the machine.  Nothing like a little immediate gratification!

Of course not all blocks are nine patches.  This method can be used no matter how many rows or pieces are needed.  I also use the same method for joining blocks into rows to complete the quilt top.

I hope this simple tip will save you some time and keep you from having to pick out things that get turned the wrong way.  If you have any hints that save you time leave them in the comments below.

Linking with: Anything Goes Mondays

Storage Ideas

Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes shine to the stars. Enthusiasm is the sparkle in your eyes, the swing in your gait. The grip of your hand, the irresistible surge of will and energy to execute your ideas. 

Henry Ford

Vicki Welsh has been having a Real Studio Tour this month.  This week's feature was on storage ideas.  I am jumping in on the last day of the link up because I've had a few other things to blog about this week. I have a large studio, my entire unfinished basement that has no ceiling and half of it has a bare concrete floor.  I have a whole lot of stuff to store since I am a longarm quilter and once owned a quilt shop.  Storage solutions for me is a big issue.  I have recently been rearranging my largest storage closet and the sewing studio.  I'm not done yet because I had to stop and focus on some Christmas projects for a while.  I thought I would share a few storage solutions I have found useful.

I found this great wire basket on a trip and
I've been using it to hold some of my magazines.

This 3 gallon glass jar has a handle and
I use it for ribbon. Keeps the dust away.

Notebooks on a Magazine Rack

I use notebooks to hold projects from magazines and the internet. I also use them for design ideas and to keep directions for quilts I've made. I have a few full of quilting designs too.  Their numbers have outgrown my bookcase storage and some have found a home in this magazine rack.

Batting storage is always a problem for longarm quilters.

 When the local JoAnn was closing their old store earlier this year I was able to pick up 3 large rolling storage bins for just $10 each.  I've also added a few different kinds of batting to my collection.  One reason for rearranging my closet was to make room for one of the bins.

This one is in the longarm studio.

This one is full of pillowforms and packaged battings.

Moses basket full of larger cuts of batting.

One of the things I've done this year is to label all the larger cuts of leftover batting that I have.  I pin the size to the batting and hold the roll together with a large rubber band. I've entered the sizes and type on a clipboard so I can quickly tell if I have a piece that is large enough for smaller projects.  This is working out great since I can quickly see if I have something the right size.

Back in the closet there are:

Large bins of fabric sorted by type.

More bins and a basket of fleece.

In the sewing studio you can find this:

These need to go back into the closet.

Pegboard Wall holds stencils and templates

 In the middle is my shortarm quilting machine which I need to sell since I don't use it anymore.  It is used as a long landing area for fabric and projects that need to be put away.

Back in the closet I have a lot of zippers hanging along with a lot of thread.  You can see some of it HERE.

Zippers are sorted on shower curtain rings

Bags hold crochet hooks and knitting needles

One shelf still needs some work 

More bins and fabric being sorted

This 3 drawer unit is for 2 1/2" squares

I recycle meat trays to hold projects

Since we moved here in 2000 we've gone through 2 refrigerators.  I saved the bins.  The one above holds practice squares for free motion quilting.  The one below hold scraps.

I know I am blessed with a lot of space in my studio now.  I have done with a lot less in my lifetime.  The closet that is full of bins in larger than most people have for their studios and much larger than what I had to use at times.  My husband has never minded me having space for sewing.  I made clothes for myself and my children for many years.  It is NOT all neat and tidy.  Never is, I usually have multiple projects underway and more in the planning or finishing stages.  There are always some personal projects, blog projects and charity projects going.  It keeps me from getting bored ; -)

There is more to my studio.  There will be another post in this series in the next week.  I also have some other posts on my studio HERE and HERE.

Real Good Ideas

Never hesitate to steal a good idea. 

Al Neuharth

I have been trying to find the time to get this post done.  I had got a little behind in keeping up with things in blogland during Thanksgiving and last week so I was caught off guard with a few things.  There was a couple of things I really wanted to do like the Giveaway in my last post (check it out if you missed it) and joining up with Vicki Welsh over at Field Trips in Fiber for her Real Studio Tour.  It has several parts.

This week we were asked to share something in our sewing room that we use that is NOT a regular sewing item, a non-traditional tool.  I didn't have to look far to find a few that fit the description and came up with a few to share.  

Paper Towel and Book Rack

I have this paper towel and book rack hanging in my longarm studio. I am always in need of paper towels to wipe up extra oil from the bobbins or to clean up the longarm tracks.  I use the top book section to hold stencils and design books and other things that I like to have in arm's reach.  I recently added on in my sewing studio too.

Now is the perfect time of year to accumulate a few of the following items too.  If you have a large collection of cutting templates or patterns and books that come with specific tools to use with them sometimes it can be a challenge to keep them all together.  I have been using the vinyl zippered bags that sheets, pillowcases and other items come in to hold them together for years.  Since most of you will be doing some shopping for gifts in the next few weeks take some time to consider the packaging you see things in.  You can buy someone a nice gift, remove it from the package and wrap it nicely.  You then will get to use the package for holding your tools.  Stickers will usually come off with a little Goo Gone.

Pillowcase and Sheet Packaging

One really nice thing about these bags is that they are clear and you can see what is inside them easily.  I don't bother to label them because of this.

New Pattern and Templates with Sharp Corners

Templates are usually sold in Zip Lock types of bags.  The problem is that even the heavier gauge bags will get holes poked in them by the sharp corners of some templates.  If you carry them around much or they get shoved around with other things the bags will get holes in them.  Some of them don't close well or easily either.

Three sets of templates and patterns
stored neatly together.

Sometimes you can find a really nice package that has a handle like this one.  My sweet husband gave me a nice pair of slippers in this one a few years ago.  Since it is so well made I use it to hold my entire collection of Strips and Curves Rulers and I can hang it without fear of the weight tearing through the bag.

This one I really like too because the zipper opens it out flat.  I use it to keep my Quilting Fabric Calculator and the Instruction Manual together.  I have to refer to it when I want to do some figuring on quilts so I don't get mixed up.

Of course you can make your own bags if you want to, just buy heavy gauge vinyl and a zipper.  My question is why go to the bother when they can be had for 'free'?  You can also add a hanging strap if you wish to the 'free' ones.  Just use some grograin ribbon and reinforce the stitching.  Adding a scrap of ribbon or fabric on the inside where you will do the stitching is a good idea to keep it from tearing through the vinyl.  Lengthen you stitch length a bit too.  Too many small tight stitches will just tear the vinyl.

So that's some of my non-traditional tools in my sewing room that help me stay a little better organized.  What do you think?

My Christmas in July

Christmas isn't a season.  It's a feeling.  

Edna Ferber

Ah, at last it's my turn to share.  Thanks to Julie at The Crafty Quilter for putting this great hop together.  I knew what I wanted to make just as soon as heard about it.  My idea was to make a Christmas Tree Skirt.  As it turned out this could be a Christmas Tablecloth if you don't need a Tree Skirt.  I had a hard time deciding which way to go with it so there may be another one created soon.
If you haven't been to my blog before WELCOME!!!  I hope you will take a few minutes to explore it.  You can get to know a little more about me by checking out some of the links in my sidebar.
Now, everyone so far in this hop has made a small project.  This could be a small Tree Skirt if that's what you need.  You can adjust the measurements to make it any size you want.  I seldom do really small quilts and this one got really big.  There is a reason however.  My son complained that the 54" Tree Skirt I gave him a few years ago wasn't big enough.  He always gets a live tree and his tree stand holds several gallons of water and is huge.  By the time a tree skirt covers the bulk of it there is very little left to reach the floor.  I think this one will do the trick!
Hexies are all the rage in the Quilting World these days.  When I was deciding what shape to use it was a simple choice.
First Make a Pattern:
I used freezer paper for this which is 18" wide.  If you have some wider paper, wrapping paper for example, use it.  You also need a 24" ruler that has 60 degree markings on it.

This makes a pattern that is 21" from top to bottom.  If your fabric is not that wide from the top of the selvage to the fold make adjustments in where the line is drawn.  For example: for a 20" width the line would be drawn 2" away from the edge of the freezer paper.

Pin your pattern to the fabric with the small edge at the fold.  Place ruler along the drawn line and cut along the angled edges.   

Remove pattern and for the second cut place it on the fabric with the long straight edge along the fold this time and the angle lining up with the previous cut.  Pin in place and cut 2 more wedges.  Repeat with the pattern in the original position and cut again so you have a total of SIX WEDGES.
If you want a plain tree skirt that measure about 44" across you just need to sew these wedges together.  
Want it a little bigger?  Let's see what borders will do.

To keep this post from being so long the tutorial for the pieced border is in the next post.  You Can See It HERE.

After the pieced border unit is made attach it to the wedge matching centers.  Place the 60 degree line along one of the straight seams and trim the angle through the borders.

You could stop and finish it at this point if you like the size.  I added one more 4 1/2" border of the center fabric.  Then all that was left was to sew the wedges together matching seams at the borders.  Leave one side open for a Tree Skirt or stitch them all shut for a tablecloth. 

Tip:  You may find quilting easier if you stitch all the wedges together, quilt it then split one seam open.  It is easier to baste and handle that way.

Quilt as desired and bind.  Make ties or use Velcro squares for closures along the open edge.

Simple stippling around the squares make them pop.  I did a larger meandering on the center print since it was so busy nothing fancier would show up anyway. 

Final size is about 70" across and 80" point to point.  I know that sounds huge but I have seen many live and artificial trees that it would barely be showing out from under the branches.  A tall tree stand takes a lot of it up vertically.

To use this as a Tablecloth seam up the last two wedges and applique a circle or hexagon in the center.  

Fabric Yardage
Main Print:  2 yards for the Center and 1 yard for the Outer Border Green Print:  1 1/4 yards for Accent Borders and Pieced Border Red Print:  1 yard for Pieced Border and Binding White Print:  1 1/2 yards for Pieced Border Background  
Let me know if you think a large Tree Skirt like this would work for anyone you know.  I'm planning a Christmas Linky Party in December featuring Tree Skirts.  I'd love to have you link up then.  You have a few months to get one made if you haven't made one before.  This really was a fast piecing project.  I hope you will try it!
Linking with:  Crazy Mom Quilts and My Quilt Infatuation and Richard and Tanya Quilts

Simple Patchwork Border

Anyone who works on a quilt, who devotes her time, energy, creativity, and passion to that art, learns to value the work of her hands.  And as any quilter will tell you, a quilter's quilting friends are some of the dearest, most generous, and most supportive people she knows.  

Jennifer Chiaverini

Adding a pieced border to any quilting project always sets it off and shows that you put more effort and thought into your project.  This is a simple but stunning way to make a pieced border.  There are a number of ways to create one like this. You can make them with quarter square triangles on the outer edges so that they will be on grain, but for this project I just went with simple strip construction.  The only down side to doing it this way is that you end up with bias along the edge of the border but I will give a few hints on how to deal with that.  

Note:  These instructions were written for the Hexagonal Tree Skirt in my Christmas in July Post.  This border could be added to any quilt project but you probably would be working with 4 sides not 6 so adjust the number of strips accordingly.

I decided that I wanted the squares on point and that I didn't want them to touch the edges of the strips or wedges.  That way the squares would not be chopped up when the wedges were joined together and the squares would be floating on the background in each section.

Here is what I used for the pieced border unit:

2 - 2 1/2" strips of green

2 - 2 1/2" strips of red

4 - 3 1/2" strips of white

6 - 8 1/2" squares cut diagonally for 12 half square triangles

12 - 2 1/2" strips of green for the edges of the pieced border unit

You can change any of these measurements just keep the background strips 1" larger if you want the squares to float.  If you want the points of the squares to touch the edging strips the background strip only has to be 1/2" larger than the strip for the center squares.

The size of the squares for the half square triangle is determined by the width of the strip set when it is sewn together.  2" + 3 1/4" + 3 1/4" = 8 1/2"  This makes the triangles over-sized for the ends which is what you want to be able to cut the angle of the wedge easily.

Construction is easy.

Tip:  It's a good idea to spray starch these sets while pressing them.  

This will help keep the bias from stretching.

Time Saving Tip:  Layer the units and cut all four at once.  This is a big time saver and works great!  Just lay the strip sets down along one of the horizontal lines on the cutting mat.  Each one is layered a little lower than the one under it so the seams don't overlap.

You don't have to alternate two colors like I did.  You can use more colors or all one color.  Sew units together off-setting the center squares.

How many to sew together?  Depends on how you want it to look.  You can lay it out below the center wedge as you sew it and see if it is as big as you need.  You can do the math.  Multiply the finished size of the square by 1.41.  Mine were 2" finished so 2 x 1.41 = 2.82

Now add the large triangles to each end of the unit.  Attach them with the bias edge of the triangle being the one sewn on.  Since they are slightly over sized sew them on so that you are getting the maximum width possible if you will be cutting an angle like I did for this project. 

To stabilize the bias edge you will have decide where you want to trim the edge.  I left an inch of background on each side.  Using a marking pencil draw a faint line where you will be cutting.

Tip:  I measured from the tip of the squares.  You could also measure from the center line of the squares where they touch tips.  That way you could cut the width of the border unit to be an even 1/4" or 1/2" measurement.  Mine turned out about 4 5/8".  In this project it didn't matter but on a quilt border the math for additional borders would be easier without figuring in 1/8" inches.  ;-)

Tip:  When marking lines for reference in piecing or quilting only make the marks as dark as you need to see them.  The lighter they are the easier they are to get rid of.  In this case they are in the seam allowance and should not be a problem.

Stitch about 1/16" or 1/8" inside this line with a long stitch (4.0) or 6 stitches per inch.  Use a walking foot if your machine wants to gather up the fabric while doing this.  The fabric should remain flat or easily press flat after stitching.

Note:  If you want to add this in the middle of a quilt border and need longer ends just cut a background strip the same width as the pieced unit.  Trim the pieced section as shown below first.  Cut a 45 degree angle at the end of the background strip where you will join it making sure it points in the right direction and attach.  Measure the total length needed for your project and trim ends to size.

Press unit flat and trim to size along the line drawn previously.  Attach the plain strips to each side of the pieced unit before adding it to your project.  Match the centers and pin in place.  Sew with the bias edge of the pieced unit down against the feed dogs.  Do not trim until after it is attached to the wedge, then trim at the 60 degree angle as shown in the previous post.

That's all you need to do for the pieced border.  Do you think you will add one to something you will make?  I'd love to see it if you do.

Linking with: Freemotion by the River and Sew Many Ways