Batik Fabric Shopping!

Just a quick post to share some fat quarters I purchased today. These gorgeous colors make me smile :) Berry Patch Fabrics was having a 30% off sale. Still deciding what to make...
-Allyson

Storm at Sea - Pieced Border

Just a quick post to show the border I used for the outside of my Storm at Sea quilt.

There's something satisfying about stacks of fabric.

Been cutting away at fabric all morning! This is going to be one of three borders on the quilt (sandwiched between two plain borders).
I am working from the tutorial posted on Bloomin' Workshop so I won't re-do their awesome tutorial here.

Some of my points from the edge of the quilt are pretty horrendous but for like my third quilt, not too bad I guess. I have waited a long time to put this border on because I was so burned out when the quilt top was complete.

Thanks for reading!

-Allyson

Storm at Sea - Paper piecing basics

I have been working on this quilt on and off for two years or so. I did not paper piece the main body of the quilt as I did not know how EASY paper piecing is. I would try to avoid paper piecing at all costs because it sounded hard. My friend Sharon from quilt guild taught me the basics and it's great! I wish I had done the whole quilt top that way.

Storm at Sea happens to be block of the month at guild right now!

I'm working on a border to make it queen sized and decided to paper piece the corner units on the border. They are very large units and I thought it would make a perfect paper piecing tutorial. If you would like to follow along and make this block you can find templates at quilter's cache for free.

Materials: clear plastic rotary ruler, Add-a-Quarter Ruler, rotary cutter, acid free stick glue, scissors and a seam ripper just in case

Cut your pieces VERY generously. I made my square and white triangles much larger than they needed to be, which was good. The light blue triangles not so much... live and learn. I recommend doing this project with solids or batiks for the first time. No wrong sides to the fabric. With prints it's easy to sew things together backwards. Print as many templates as you will have blocks. Most paper piecing templates will include 1/4" seam allowance, but because I increased the size of the pattern, I have to add it back in at the end on mine.

With a small amount of glue, glue the center square RIGHT SIDE UP on THE BACK of your print out.

Hold it up to a light. Does your triangle overlap by at least 1/4 inch from the line you're about to sew on? It should.

Lay down your first triangle FACE DOWN. (I know it looks face up. Thin white on white fabric. So sorry!) Most paper piecing patterns are numbered and you add the pieces in that order. I like to do opposite sides of the square at the same time to save trips to the ironing board. Either way works fine.

Flip it over and sew on the line end to end. Use a small stitch length (I use 2mm) and on my Bernina I use stitch 1324 (optional). Stitch 1324 secures each end with small stitches.

Flip it back over and it should unfold to reveal two beautiful right sides on top. 

Flip it and hold it to the light. That triangle should cover the printed triangle by at least 1/4". As you can see we have a generous amount extra here.

Add the white triangle to the opposite side of the blue center square.

To get perfect 1/4" seams roll the paper back and press it down, exposing the fabric. Using your Add-a-Quarter ruler, cut off the excess fabric in the seam. Flip and press open.

Add the next two triangles to the other sides of the center blue square, sewing over the triangles that are already attached. You basically repeat the same steps to attach these.
1. Lay triangle down
2. Hold up to light to check seam
3. Sew paper side up
4. Flip triangle back to make sure the area you need covered is adequately covered (with seam allowance)

5. Trim seam with Add-a-Quarter ruler
6. Press open

You should have white triangles surrounding your center square at this point. For this part of the block it is a square in a square in a square so we have four more triangles to add. You do these in the same way.

1. Lay down triangle

2. Hold up to light to check seam

3. Sew paper side up

4. Flip triangle back to make sure the area you
need covered is adequately covered (with seam allowance)

5. Trim seam with Add-a-Quarter ruler

6. Press Open

Then you are basically done. I like to trim my sides with 1/4" seam allowances with my clear rotary ruler.

Just look at that gorgeous point on the square!!!! Perfect every time with paper piecing.

I do not tear the paper off until I have sewn a unit to another part of the quilt. If you used the right stitch length it should tear off fairly easy. Do this very slowly and carefully so you don't ruin all your hard work!

Happy Piecing!

-Allyson

Sewing the Christmas Hexagon Quilt Part 2

Hello all! I actually paper pieced the block of the month for my guild yesterday and forgot to create a paper piecing tutorial! I guess I'll just have to make another paper piecing project! (Try to say that three times fast!)

In the meantime, I have been assembling the rows on my hexie quilt. It's wonderful to have a little Christmas cheer in such a hot Texas month!

Pin it....

Normally when I assemble rows to a quilt, I line up the seams in between the block and pin those. Not the case with this quilt! You just have to pin the rows and hope for the best! Not all of my hexies are PERFECTLY lined up, but none of them are off more than maybe 1/8".  It seemed to help to pin from both ends of the row at the same time and meet in the middle.

Thanks for reading,

Allyson

Gears of Time Quilt- Basic Quilt Binding

I thought I would take a moment to explain how I sew on basic quilt binding to any beginning quilters our there. I am self-taught so I don't know if this is the "right" way but it works for me!

Cut strips for the binding. People swear that you should always cut these on the bias. I don't to conserve fabric *hangs head in shame* but I have never had issues with it in straight lines like the edges of a quilt. The width depends on personal preference and the size of the quilt. Personally, I would not cut them smaller than 2.5" unless you are making a tiny wall quilt. 2.5" strips end up being roughly .5" wide around the perimeter of the quilt. If your quilt is large, you will need to piece the strips together as shown. I did used to sew them together lining them up straight, but that created a big lump in your binding. Sewing them at an angle is essential (and actually is a neat way to sew jelly rolls!) I mark with a Frixion fabric pen and a ruler, I don't eyeball it.

Fold it in half right sides out and press.

Lay it on the front edge of your quilt, all the raw edges should be together. Sew with a generous 1/4" seam allowance if you are using 2.5" wide strips like I did. If you go bigger or smaller with your binding you will need a bigger or smaller seam allowance respectively. You may need to test a small section to see if your seam allowance is adequate. Binding should feel "stuffed" when wrapped around the edge of the quilt.

When you get to the corner, turn the fabric strip as shown below. It should fold in a way that the binding is square in the corner. Start right at the edge and continue sewing down the next side of your quilt.

Once you finish going all the way around the quilt (being sure to overlap the end of your binding with the beginning) bring your quilt to the ironing board and put the edge of it face down. Wrap the binding from the front around to the back and press.

Can I just say I love these little guys?! Clover Binding Clips are awesome!

Clip those bad boys on there as you press!

Alright, now get out the hand sewing needle and thread! This is a great step to do when chilling on the sofa watching TV. I like to double my thread for strength! Make sure your thread color matches or adequately blends in. To start, hide your knot somewhere under the binding. Then catch a couple threads from the backing fabric of the quilt, then a couple threads from the folded edge of the binding. You are trying to get the hand sewing as invisible as possible.

Move over a 1/4". Rinse and Repeat. make sure you are covering the machine sewn line that was created when you  attached the binding to the quilt front.

I hope this helps any beginning quilters out there get started on finishing those quilts! This is honestly one of my least favorite parts of quilting but it is necessary.

Finished Section (back)

Finished Section (Front)

Thanks for reading!

-Allyson

Gears of Time Quilt- Ribbon Stitch Applique

Here's a quilt I made for a challenge at the Fort Worth Modern Quilt Guild back in March or so.

For the challenge, we were each given a paint chip from the hardware store and we were to make a quilt using that color. We were able to add neutrals. Needless to say, I didn't finish in time for the challenge. It sat on the back of my chair for a long time and I decided to pick it back up. I just finished quilting it with my walking foot and decided that the appliques needed more definition. Using the zig-zag stitch on my machine, I am outlining each gear with a ribbon stitch. I set my stitch to 3mm wide and almost 0mm between stitches creating a smooth outline.

I have three done here and the rest are waiting!

 I may put the binding on before finishing this step to stabilize the edges of the quilt.

Looks pretty neat on the back too!

Thanks for reading!
-Allyson