quilt – Page 16

AT-AT Star Wars Mini Quilt

May 4, 2016 by Amanda 1 Comment

I recently participated in a May The 4th Mini Quilt Swap on Instagram. This is the quilt I made for my swap partner. I really wanted to bring out the feel of this scene in The Empire Strikes back. I am totally in love with it!

To make this quilt you need to gather every shade of gray fabric you own, beginning with white and ending with black. This quilt is made up of 4 rows, 3 are pieced and one is machine appliqued. Each row from the bottom moving up gets darker.

Since there were so many half square triangles (HST) in this quilt I pulled out my HST Sizzix Die. This extra long die has 14 HST on the die AND you can cut up to 6 layers – that’s 84 at once! And they all are totally perfect and it makes 2 1/2″ square when constructed.

This die is a little bit trickier when using it around cats. I had to have one hand on the wheel and the other hand blocking his paw so it wouldn’t get hurt 🙂

It’s best to cut out more triangles than you need for this project so you have plenty to choose from. For each row you need 16 light and 16 dark HST.

See how each triangle is perfect! No measuring! For each row, match up 16 pairs of light and dark triangles. Sew using 1/4″ seam. Press toward the dark side…..heehee!

Tip: To get a nice ombre effect, begin with white and light gray. For the next row, use the light gray from the first row as the background and add in a darker gray. For the next row use that same darker gray for the background and add in black.

If you want to make this quilt but don’t have a Sizzix machine, you will just need to sew HSTs that measure 2.5″.

Cut out 16 background squares 2.5″ each. Cut a(4) center 2.5″ squares the same color as the points on the star. Lay out the block as pictured above. Sew together like you would a 9-patch. Make 4 for each row. I pressed the seams open.

Continue this process so you have (4) star blocks for each of the 3 rows.

They are coming together! I love how it looks – very subtle. Just like the Hoth System!

For the applique strip, cut a light colored fabric 6 1/2″ x 24 1/2″. Download the images by clicking HERE. You can print them directly on to Heat n Bond Lite EZ Print sheets, or trace them onto Heat n Bond Lite. Press the Heat n Bond to the wrong side of the black fabric. Let cool. Cut out along the pattern line. Peel off the backing paper and position it on the applique strip. Heat set into place. Top stitch with matching thread.

Sew the strips together, pinning at each intersection and watching out for each of the points. Press seams open. Baste, Quilt, Bind.

May the Force Be With You!

Filed Under: FEATURED, quilt, sizzix, star wars, Therm O Web

Baby Clothes Memory Quilt

April 28, 2016 by Amanda Leave a Comment

My friend and her daughter recently came to visit all the way from Washington, DC. She brought with her a huge bag of baby clothes that she had saved from her 5 babies and I helped her make this keepsake quilt. This is such a great idea! How many of us have boxes of baby clothes we can’t stand to part with but lets face it no one will ever where again. This quilt keeps the memory of those sweet clothes alive but is now functional and way more attractive then a pile of wrinkled and stained clothes 🙂

We used my Sizzix Bog Shot machine and even the kids could help on this project.

It was helpful to cut off snaps, arms and legs of the fabric. We used the Sizzix 4 1/2″ square die. This project would have been difficult to cut on the rotary mat. To cut with the Sizzix simply lay the piece on the die, double or single layer, wrap the rest of the clothing around the back of the die and then crank it through! Again, I love getting kids involved in the process and this is such a great tool to do so.

We used every type of clothing and it all worked great: knit, cotton, sweater, valuer, waffle, denim, polyester. Just make sure that all fabrics can be ironed.

Since each fabric has a different degree of stretch, it is necessary to back each square that stretches with Heat n Bond fusible stabilizer, light or medium weight is fine.

I cut the staibilizer in 4 1/2″ squares. Fuse each stabilizer square to the wrong side of the fabric squares.

Lay out the quilt as desired and then sew the squares together in rows and the rows together. Make sure to press the top of the fabric and NOT the side where the stabilizer is. I was still able to use 1/4″ seams because the stabilizer kept everything from shifting.

I basted and quilted this just like a regular quilt. I quilted a little slower just to account for the varying degrees of thickness. I was able to put a sweatshirt piece next to a thin polyester pj fabric and it totally worked!

We cut a few pieces of trim and top stitched them onto the blocks.

My favorite is the ACDC t-shirt!

Best of all my friend loved how it turned out because each piece has such a special meaning!

Filed Under: quilt, sizzix, Therm O Web, Uncategorized

Classic Heirloom Quilts – Fat Quarter Shop Sew Along

April 7, 2016 by Amanda Leave a Comment

I love the classic style of Heirloom quilts, don’t you! I have inherited several quilts from my Great-Great Grandmother, Veda. These quilts are such treasures to me. When I look at these quilts with their hand cutting, hand piecing and hand quilting, I marvel at the the time and love that went into their construction. Veda was a poor farmer’s wife with 3 daughters living in Kansas. I hope my attempts at quilting make her proud.

This is one of Veda’s red and white quilts – all those triangles!! I love this book, Classic & Heirloom Quilts inspired from the 1800’s. There is even a video you can watch!! I choose to make a small quilt with Riley Blake Designs Strawberry Biscuit fabric. I love this pattern because it uses 2.5″ cuts and it’s a perfect scrap-buster as well. This book shows how to make each of the 8 patterns in a mini, throw, or queen size quilt.

Mufasa was very helpful in messing up all my rows I had lined up!

Then he redeemed himself by taking a very smart photo next to the finished quilt 🙂

In piecing this quilt I used my favorite method of “grab and go” which means I didn’t lay any blocks out – it’s totally random. Some “like” prints ended up next to each other and I’m totally ok with that, it makes it unique!

Filed Under: fat quarter shop, FEATURED, quilt, Riley Blake

Vintage Kitchen Blog Hop and Quilt Tutorial

March 23, 2016 by Amanda Leave a Comment

I am so thrilled to be part of the Vintage Kitchen Blog Tour! Andrea from Jolijou has designed this amazing vintage inspired kitchen theme fabric!! You can see all the wonderful prints here on the Riley Blake Designs Website.

It is the perfect colors of vintage Pyrex dishes.

I created this quilt called “Cat in the Kitchen”. It is made up of hourglass blocks and 9-patch blocks. What could be more fun!! Each of the 9-patch blocks has a kitty in the center – just like in my kitchen….with Mufasa constantly in the center of it all.

I have created a few little instruction guides to help you put this quilt together.

Supplies:

Assortment of Vintage Kitchen fabrics 1/3 yard each (4 blues, 2 pinks, 3 low volume, 2 yellow, cats, and others to mix in)

Solid White 1 1/3 yard

3 yards backing

1/2 yard binding

Begin by creating the hourglass blocks and 9-patch blocks. All seams are 1/4″.

9 Patch Block – pinks & yellows with cats in the center.

The edges of the quilt are finished with flying geese blocks and rectangles. Lay out the quilt as suggested below:

Assemble the quilt together in rows, pinning at each intersection and pressing. Make sure your cat walks all over it for inspection before you quilt it!!!

I am so happy with how this quilt came together! The fabrics were so much fun to sew with! My mind is just racing with more ideas of fun things to sew with this fabric!!!

Check out all the other amazing projects that my friends are making as part of this blog hop!!

3/7/2016	Julia – Riley Blake Designs	www.rileyblakedesigns.com/blog
3/7/2016	Andrea – Jolijou	www.jolijou.com
3/8/2016	Nina – Hedi	www.hedinaeht.blogspot.de
3/8/2016	Anja – Nähkitz	www.naehkitz.de
3/9/2016	Swafing Fabrics	www.blog.swafing.de
3/9/2016	Carrie Beri Bee Designs	www.beribeedesigns.com
3/10/2016	Herzenssachen	www.linababedierste.blogspot.de
3/10/2016	Andrea – anlukaa	www.anlukaa.blogspot.com
3/11/2016	Emma – Frühstück bei Emma	www.fruehstueckbeiemma.blogspot.com
3/11/2016	einchen – doppelnaht	doppelnaht.blogspot.com
3/14/2016	Anorina – Samelias Mum	www.sameliasmum.com
3/14/2016	Bev – Flamingo Toes	www.flamingotoes.com
3/15/2016	Amy – Diary of a Quilter	www.diaryofaquilter.com
3/15/2016	Julia – lillesol & pelle	www.lillesolundpelle.com
3/16/2016	Andy – A Bright Corner	www.abrightcorner.com
3/16/2016	Sabine – farbenmix	www.farbenmix.de/inspiration
3/17/2016	Simone – KaeptnStupsnase	www.kaeptnstupsnase.com
3/17/2016	Sarah – Mädchenkram	www.mein-maedchenkram.de
3/18/2016	Melissa Corry	www.happyquiltingmelissa.com
3/21/2016	Jessica Stewart	www.snickerdoodlestew.com
3/21/2016	Bine Guellich	www.waseigenes.com
3/22/2016	Lindsay Wilkes	www.thecottagemama.com
3/22/2016	Sandra – Flaupa	www.flaupa.blogspot.com
3/23/2016	Amanda Niederhauser	www.jedicraftgirl.com
3/23/2016	Ina – pattydoo	www.pattydoo.de
3/24/2016	Ruth Sodl-Warter	www.rogeruethsgarden.com
3/24/2016	Marissa – Rae Gun Ramblings	www.raegunramblings.com

Filed Under: #kittyquilter, FEATURED, patterns, quilt, Riley Blake

Bunny Mini Quilt and Pillow Featuring EZ Print Sheets

March 17, 2016 by Amanda 2 Comments

I am so in love with bunnies and springtime! My whole house is starting to look like a rabbit hutch! (hahaha!!) I am sharing this pattern over on the Therm O Web blog today! You can choose to make a mini quilt or a pillow! The fabrics are from Penny Rose Fabrics designed by Elea Lutz called Milk, Sugar, Flower.

The pillow is made just like you would a quilt, only you add a zippered pillow back before you sew the binding!

See the zipper? It’s hiding under an accent strip of cute fabric!

I’m keeping the pillow for myself and giving this mini quilt to a sweet friend!

Both the quilt and the pillow are 20″ square.

Hop over to the Therm o Web blog and you can download the applique pieces and print them directly onto Heat n Bond Lite EZ Print sheets!

Filed Under: appliqué, FEATURED, Penny Rose Fabrics, pillow, quilt, Therm O Web

Bunny Bricks Quilt Update

March 1, 2016 by Amanda 2 Comments

My friend Tina from One Little Pooh has just finished the cutest version of my Bunny Bricks Quilt! You can read all about it and the cute fabrics she used here.

Look how cute the Sizzix Bunny looks in these fabrics! This is my favorite Sizzix die ever! And now I’m thinking I need to make some more projects with these cut rabbits since it’s finally March!

Here is the link to the Quilt Pattern. It sews up really fast and it’s a fun way to show off your favorite spring fabrics.

Hoppy Sewing!

Filed Under: easter, FEATURED, quilt, sizzix

Hope Chest Bowtie Quilt

February 11, 2016 by Amanda 4 Comments

I love all things vintage so of course I love 30’s reproduction fabrics! This line is called Hope Chest II from Penny Rose Fabrics. I love the vintage vibe of these fabrics. I am happy to live in the modern age where we can use rotary cutters & sewing machines! You can totally make this quilt in a day!!

The idea for this quilt comes from this old quilt I have. It is pieced and quilted totally by hand. Me and Mufasa love it!! The blocks are much smaller but it is a traditional bowtie quilt pattern.

All you need to make this throw size quilt is a 10″ stacker, 2 yards black swiss dot, 1/2 yard for the triangles, plus backing, batting, and binding.

Finished quilt 54″ x 72″. Finished bowtie block 9″. 48 total blocks. All seams 1/4″.

Hop over to the Penny Rose Blog to find all the instructions!!

I love how it turned out! It’s the perfect quilt for a picnic!!

Filed Under: FEATURED, Penny Rose Fabrics, quilt

Mid Century Mix Up Quilt Featuring Folk Medley

February 6, 2016 by Amanda 5 Comments

I feel like I may have been born in the wrong era. I was raised with parents who were teenagers in the 60’s. My dad plays the guitar and banjo and there was never a lack of freedom folk songs in our home. I grew up watching movies and tv from the 60s and have passed this on to my children. Instead of watching what ever kids and teens watch these days my kids top shows are: Gilligan’s Island, Brady Bunch, I Dream of Jeanie, McHale’s Navy, and the Carroll Burnett Show. My kids listen to 60’s music stations on Pandora. I’m doing my best to preserve the past!! Sooooo when I came across this fabric line from Blend Fabrics called Folk Medley I new it was for me! I love the retro images, the records, the music notes, and the colors of these fabrics! I wanted to create a quilt that felt more mid century modern than quilty. I am so in love with the finished quilt! It’s exactly how I wanted it!

My goal was to make the quilt using only 1 block but to have a totally random result. I love how there are shapes within the quilt that were created at random. Just by looking at it you can’t really pick out the block pattern which I LOVE.

The quilting has a retro feel as well and it was so fun to do although very tiring!

Here is the block pattern. Yep, that’s all there is to it! Below are the CUTTING measurements for each piece of the block.

Gather your fabrics, I used 10 prints and 1 solid. All seams 1/4 inch. Finished block 9″ Finished Quilt 54″ x 72″

1/3 yard of the prints

2/3 yard solid (off white)

1/2 yard binding

3 1/2 yards backing

Cut each of the patterned fabrics into strips (3) 3.5″ x WOF.

For the 5″ x 3.5″ rectangles

Using (2) 3.5″ x WOF strips sub cut them into 5″ unitis.

For the 9.5″ x 3.5″ rectangles

Using (1) 3.5″ x WOF strips subcut into 9.5″ segments.

Cut the same increments for the off white solid and then add in additional to your liking.

Sew the 5″ rectangles together first. Just grab and go – don’t lay out and don’t plan! Press the seams. Then sew the 5″ rectangle units on both sides of the 9.5″ rectangle. Again, totally random. These are only a few of the block combinations I came up with. Notice how some like fabrics are right next to each other? This is good!!

I laid my blocks out so I could take a picture. But I reccomend NOT laying them out. Just grab and go! It’s so liberating!!! You will need 6 rows by 8 rows for a total of 48 blocks. (You can totally make this smaller or larger). Sew the blocks together in rows, press and sew the rows together.

I put flannel on the back of the quilt so it would be super cuddly and soft! (Always prewash flannels if you use them in quilting!)

Make sure your cat approves 🙂

This pattern is great for larger prints because the strips are a good size. It also sews together FAST! This throw size quilt can be made in 1 day!! I can’t wait to make another one using different fabrics!!

Do you have favorite 60’s folk singers? I love the New Christy Minstrels!! They are epic! Every year I try and learn the guitar, this quilt is inspiring me to pick it up yet again!!!

I hope you love making this quilt as much as I did! Tag your pictures on Instagram with #midcenturymixupquilt

Filed Under: Blend Fabrics, FEATURED, quilt

Come Sail Away With Me Nautical Quilt

February 2, 2016 by Amanda Leave a Comment

I LOVE this quilt! I had the quilt top finished AND quilted and it has been waiting for binding for a long time. This weekend was cold and rainy and it was the perfect time to finish up a little work in progress. Today the sun came out and I was able to take a few pictures of the final quilt! I am so ready for spring and MORE nautical quilts!!!

I love the fabrics in this quilt: Day Sail by Moda. They have such a fun feminine-nautical feel. The pattern is available HERE with a bonus wall hanging pattern as well.

Since I don’t own a sail boat (which this quilt would be perfect for) it will be a great size for the beach or a picnic or maybe I will just hang it on the wall so it doesn’t get dirty 🙂

I have the best quilt “modelers”. So cute and helpful!!!

Let me know if you get a chance to make this by tagging me on Instagram!Come Sail Away With Me!!!

Filed Under: FEATURED, Heat n Bond, nautical, quilt

Surf Report Quilt Featuring Off Shore by Riley Blake Designs

January 29, 2016 by Amanda 4 Comments

I grew up in a family that listened to the Beach boys every day. I grew up in a family whose parents were from Southern California and surfed at beaches such as Doheny, San Onofre, and Rincon. I grew up with a dad who made surfboards in the garage and my favorite smell was the smell of hot surfboard resin. I grew up with a stack of surfer magazines in my room and pictures of cute surfer boys plastered all over my walls. I grew up spending weeks at Newport Beach with my cousins in the summer. I grew up admiring surfers like Kelly Slater, Mark Occhilupo, and Tom Carroll and watching The Endless Summer on the weekends. I grew up in California.

This fabric that Dena Rutter created for Riley Blake Designs called Off Shore, embodies all the classic iconic surf culture that I remember as a kid: The lazy days at the beach, riding your bike down the boardwalk, and just hanging out at the beach house. This quilt that I designed is called Surf Report because it has five blocks on the top and the bottom for the five-day surf report forecast. From looking at the fabric, it looks like sunny skies, offshore winds and chest high surf. FYI here is today’s surf report:

WNW swell will continue to show a little better through the day as the period comes down some and the peak energy trends a little more west. Improving conditions through the afternoon as the tide drops, before draining most spots on approach to a 0.6′ low at 5:49pm. Winds are light onshore.

I love the block in this quilt because it reminds me of a iconic tribal surf image and it’s very masculine. I am so excited to be giving this quilt to my dad for his birthday. In fact, the whole family is taking him to a Beach Boys concert to celebrate. I think he will love this quilt! You can download this pattern for FREE by clicking here. Tag me on Instagram when you make yours!!