Monday, December 16, 2013

The Quilty Fun Sew Along - Week Seven - Cute Cups! ...


Good morning cute people!


Are you ready to make cute cups of cocoa???


Today is week 7...


so grab your copy of 

and let's get sewing:)



This week is hosted by my sweet friend…
who I like to call Miss Pam:)
You need to click here 
to get all of this weeks details and go see her cups…
which are made from her sweet fabric..
including her latest release
YaY!
It's just hot off the printers and sew adorable!


Here's my cups
 (made from my Bake Sale collection)
before they were sewn into the... 


Quilty Fun Sampler 
that we are all making!



I took several photo's 
as I sewed the blocks together...


Because I knew you would want to see a few close ups:)


After the cups we will be taking a break
 for just a few weeks until we get through the holidays…
then we will be back in January with more of the

So load up your cup blocks to the
 to enter this weeks giveaway!

Have a quilty kind of day!
xx
Lori

Monday, December 9, 2013

Quilty Fun Sew Along - Week 6 - Chubby Chevrons! ...


I thought I'd show you a picture of the
while it was in progress.
I made the first part of it
 while on retreat in September of this year.


Now we are into week 6 already!


It's been so much fun to see everyones blocks so far…
the Quilty Fun flickr group is full of adorable photos!


Hosting this week is my friend 
Go visit her to get all of the details for this week…
wait till you see her scrappy happy chubby chevrons…
adorable!!!


Here are mine when they were on the design board in September…
These blocks are easy to do and a great way
 to use up 2 1/2" squares from your scrappy stash.
You can see how an X block is formed
sew very easily by using 4 of my chubs:)

Have a quilty kind of day!!
xx
Lori


Thursday, December 5, 2013

Stuff Your Stocking with Quilty Fun Notions!!!...



Hello cute people!
I have had so many of you email me about
where to buy my favorite notions 
that are featured in my book...


Lessons in Scrappy Patchwork



I asked Kimberly and the girls over at
 Fat Quarter Shop
 if they would make a page 
on their website where 
you can view them all together
for your convenience…
and of course they said YES!!!
(I just love those girls)


So for those of you who have a
 "notion"
 to have even more Quilty Fun with me…
(pun intended:)

Go ahead and send
to all of your friends and family 
who are wondering what
 you want for Christmas!


I hope you wake up on 
Christmas morning to a
Sock-Full-of-Quilty-Fun!!!
xx
Lori











Wednesday, December 4, 2013

My Home Sweet Home Quilt Block Pattern - In Quiltmakers Magazine 100 Blocks!!! ...


I've been building some
 "Home Sweet Home" blocks
 that will become a new quilt 
for my family room.

You may have already seen each 
of these blocks a few weeks ago
as they were in progress
if you happen to follow me on 









So far I have 4 completed and
 5 more cut and ready to go…
just waiting patiently
 for a little free sewing time:)


I designed the block for the latest issue of Quiltmakers 100 Blocks…
 which hit the stores a few weeks ago.

Do you have your copy yet?

My block instructions are on page 66:)



It's the Winter 2013 - Volume 8 Edition...



And my name is on the cover…
YaY!


Here is my block on the mug 
that was sent out to
 all of those 100 designers 
who participated in this issue.


We also got a ginormous badge ...fun!!!


All of the blocks in the magazine have instructions
 and all 100 of them finish at 12" square.
You can even win some of the blocks!

This week there is a giveaway for one person to win all 8 volumes.
That is 800 blocks!!!
The giveaway ends at midnight this friday
All you have to do is leave a comment:)


I will of course be showing 
my progress on the quilt…
I hope you sew my 
"Home Sweet Home"
 blocks along with me!

Have a quilty kind of day!
xx
Lori






Monday, December 2, 2013

The Quilty Fun Sew Along - Week 5 - Flying Geese! ...





Today we are playing with baby flying geese…


Because it's week 5 in the…





This weeks host is my friend Kristyne …
who blogs over at 
Go over and see her lovely geese and her lovely photos too!
She is sew amazing:)


I love making scrappy flying geese:)


I use my favorite method for making several at a time.


I've posted about it a lot:)
to see when I posted 
about them during the row along!


I am loving all of the pictures on the
keep up the good work!
 (or play as I like to call it:)

Have a Quilty Fun kind of day!
xx
Lori


Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Easy 12" Dresden Block Tutorial ...




I've been playing with my 
Bake Sale fabric line again
and cutting thimble shapes for dresden blocks!.
The blocks are machine appliquéd ...
and only have 
12 blades per dresden so that 
they are really fast to make.



I used the small size Bee in my Bonnet
 to cut the blades.

When I designed these rulers a few years back…
I drew them not only to be a thimble shape…
but I also drew them on an specific angle so that 
when 12 of them were sewn together
 they would form a perfect circle!!!

YaY!


I cut the blades for this dresden block 3 1/2" tall…
 so that it would fit onto a 12" background square.

I cut 3 1/2" x WOF strips and simply lined up the
 bottom edge of the ruler with the bottom edge of
of the fabric strip each and every time that I cut.

 I also folded the strip in half so that I cut 2 at a time:)



I flipped the ruler over each time I cut so that 
the only fabric that was wasted 
was just a little on each end of the strip:)

You can cut twelve to fourteen 3 1/2" tall
thimbles from one 3 1/2" x WOF strip.


I also used 7" squares to cut some of the thimbles.
You can get 4 - 3 1/2" tall thimbles from one 7" square.


Just cut the square in half so that you have
 two 3 1/2" x 7" strips...


Layer them for cutting 2 at a time.
And again…
 line the Thimble Ruler bottom edge up with the
 bottom edge of fabric. 
Cut on both sides of the ruler...


Flip the ruler over and cut again…
easy peasy!


After all of your cutting is complete…
Choose 12 thimbles to use for
 the dresden blades for one block.


If you have never sewn a dresden block before you
 will be surprised at how easy they are.
The first step is to fold the blade with 
right sides together and line up
 the top edges like this.


Then sew across the top with a 1/4" seam allowance.
I like to secure this seam with a backstitch or
 two at the beginning and the ending.


I also like to chain piece all 
12 of the dresden blades in the block.


Not only is it speedy...but it saves thread as well:)


I cut them apart and flip the top of each one right side out
 by splitting the seam apart and
 placing my finger at the very end of the seam...


so that it looks like this inside…
making sure that the seam is open.


When you turn it…it automatically forms a point like this!
YaY!
The tip will need a little help to get a nice point...


and so I use the rounded end of a small
 crochet hook to GENTLY push out the point…
making sure the seam remains open.


I give it a good press making sure that
 the seam goes down the center of the blade.


I turn it over and give it a quick press 
on this side too so that it is nice and flat.
*NOTE…remember to PRESS instead of IRON.
there is a difference!!!
 If you move the iron back and forth on the blade…
you can easily distort it:)



Turn and press all 12 blades like this.


Grab a larger design board and lay them out
 in the order that you want them…like this.


Take a quick picture on your cell phone for easy reference
 between sewing and pressing so that you can 
lay them back out in the same order if you forget:)


Sew two blades together starting at the top edge
 and using a 1/4" seam allowance.

I also do a backstitch or two at the 
beginning and ending of this seam to secure it.


Press the seams open so they will lie nice and flat.


Lay them back out…
using your photo if needed:)


Now sew two sets together 3 times like this…


Sew the last 3 seams until you have formed the dresden!


Don't forget to press the seams open at each step.
P.S. Now you can delete the pic on your iPhone:)


Set your dresden aside and grab the
that fits a 7" square.
Cut a 7" square of fabric to use for the center circle of the dresden...


Also cut a 7" square of light to medium weight SEW IN interfacing.
This means NON-FUSIBLE.
I use Pellon brand!
You can find it in any fabric store
 and you can also get a 3 yard package
by clicking here:)

Place the circle ruler in the center of
 the interfacing square and trace around it …
using a mechanical pencil for a thin line:)


Pin it to the right side of your 7" square of fabric
(I used Sew Cherry Red Gingham)


And stitch directly onto your marked lines…
all the way around…
backstitching when you begin and end.


Trim off the excess approximately
 1/4" past your stitching line like this.


Use your seam ripper and carefully cut 
a slit about 3" long 
(in the center of the interfacing only)
 to create an opening.


Turn right side out and 
pinch or "roll" around the edges
 between your fingers like this...


for a nice circle shape. 
Give it a good press on the front so it lies flat 
and has a good crease on the edges.


This is what the back looks like…
a fast and easy circle all ready for some machine appliqué!


I like to fold my circle in half and then in half again…
 and press about a 1" long crease in from the edges.
I use these creases to make sure that my circle is centered
when I pin it onto my dresden.
Set your circle aside for a minute.


Cut your background fabric 12 1/2" square 
 fold exactly in half and press. 
Fold in half again and press.
(I used "snow" from the Riley Blake Shades collection)


Place your dresden onto your background square and
 line up all 4 of the creases with a dresden seam…
(not a point, but a seam)


and pin into place.


Your dresden should be perfectly centered onto
 the background by using the pressed creases as a guide.

YaY!


Now pin the circle exactly in the center…
using the creases as your guide once again.


You are ready to machine appliqué!
I first appliqué my dresden onto the 
background and then the circle onto the center last.


I used white thread for this block
(Aurifil 2024 50wt.100% cotton)
  and a small zig-zag stitch.
I set the stitch width and length 
on my Bernina on about 1.5 or 2.0.

Use a piece of scrap fabric when setting the size 
on your machine and then write down what you did 
so that you can remember for the next block:)


I try to start in the middle of a blade 
where the backstitching 
will be the least noticable.


I keep all of my pins in until the entire block is complete
 to prevent any shifting during the appliqué.


I remove the pins and give it a good press on the back.
I don't find that pressing the front is necessary at this point:)

And there you have it…
a fast and easy dresden block!


I'll need 24 more dresden blocks to complete my quilt.
I'm doing 5 rows of 5 so that it will be a square 
quilt to use on the farm table in my kitchen.

I'll show you when it's pieced…
quilted…
and on the table!
xx
Lori

P.S. I forgot to tell you that my Bake Sale pre cuts
 (as well as my other fabric collections)
are also available in 3 1/2" rolls as well as 7" squares!