Thursday, June 16, 2016

A New Farm Girl Friday - Happy Anniversary Farm Girl Vintage and a free Farm Girl Layer Cake Block Tutorial - Farm Girl Layer Cake!!


Good morning cute people! 
Today I'm celebrating Farm Girl Vintage 
along with my amazing publishers 
It's Sew Emma by making a cake!
Go check out 


to see all of the cute participants:)
I'm super excited to show you 
how to make my new block called 
Farm Girl Layer Cake:) 



I designed this block to celebrate the 
one year anniversary of my third book 


It's been so much fun 
seeing stacks of Farm Girl quilts 
from my book being made in sewing rooms 
and quilt shops everywhere...
so I thought it would be fun
 to celebrate by
 making a cake together!


Every celebration needs a cake right?
And what better kind than an old fashioned yummy layer cake
 made with lots of love and sprinkles...
just like grandma used to make...
and of course she put it on a vintage cake stand:)

 to download the free cutting sheet 
and then I'll show you how to make it!

After you have downloaded the recipe...
decide which size cake you will be baking and
cut all of your ingredients. 


Cutting is for a 6" block...


And a 12" block:)

I made both sizes of course...
 but today I'll be showing you 
how I made my 6" block.


I always lay my block out on my design board
 to make sure that I like my fabric choices 
and that I have cut everything:)

*NOTE* - I also cut a green  2 1/2" x Width of Fabric for binding.
1 strip is enough for the 6" block 
but you will need 2 if you are making the 12" block.

Now lets bake a cake!


*Take note when laying out ...
that the bottom rectangles for the cake stand (M) (L) 
are laid out tall and the rectangles for the top of the 
cake stand (N) are laid out wide as pictured:)

**Also take note***  
that piecing instructions 
are exactly the same 
whether you are sewing the
 6" block or the 12" block:)

Lets start with the top layer of the cake.

1. All of the smallest background squares are (G). 
Place one on each side of the heart tops (P) with right sides together.
Also place the bottom pieces of the heart (Q) onto 
the top inside corners of pieces (H) 
and stitch from corner to corner like this.
2. Trim an approximate 1/4" seam allowance and press your seams OPEN.
3. Place back down on your design board for the next step.
4. Yes...I said press your seams open!

You will find that by pressing open...
 (especially when sewing small pieces) 
that your blocks will lie flat be more accurate. 
In a few of these steps its not necessary...
 and I will let you know when we get there!


1. Place a (G) square onto the other side of the heart tops (P)
 and sew the other easy corner triangle.
2. Place them back onto design board.
3. Yes...continue to press seams open:)
4. Sew the two heart tops and
 the two heart bottoms together like this.


1. Sew (E) to the top of the hearts and the 
frosting (K) to the top of the bottom cake layer (I).
2. I pressed the seam towards the (E) rectangle 
and pressed frosting/cake seam open.
3. Sew a (B) on both sides of heart top and press toward (B)
Sew the bottom layer of cake/frosting section
 to the top layer and press open. 
sew the side pieces (D) to 
each side of the cake and press towards (D).
4. Sew these two sections together making sure that
 the center seams in your heart line up. 
Press seams open:)


The top of your cake is out of the oven...frosted and decorated...
and now its time to place it on your cake stand!

***TIP***
Here's another thing that I do to get my blocks to lie as flat as possible.
After pressing each section...
(I use a good hot iron with absolutely no steam)
I lay it out on my design board while its still hot from pressing 
 and smooth it out flat...
the batting on the design board will keep it in place...
 and then...



I quickly put a ruler on top on hold it down firmly until the block cools off.



I do this especially when sewing small blocks or little pieces in a large block.
By pressing open and using a good hot iron and my design board...
my blocks are flat and accurate.

YaY!

Now for the cake stand:)

1. Sew the easy corner triangles onto the (N) pieces of the cake top. 
Use one (G) for the left side of the end piece and the other little squares are (J).
2. Repeat for the right side of the cake stand top pieces.
3. Trim as usual:)
4. Press seams open and lay back out on your design board.


Sew them together like this:)



The back of mine:)

There are a lot of seams in this section but don't worry...
just be sure to use an accurate 1/4" seam allowance 
so that it doesn't end up too long or too short 
for the top piece that you are sewing it to. 

You can see that mine is just a smidge longer.



Whenever this happens...
 I place the longer piece on the bottom when sewing the two together
 because I know that the feed dogs will 
pull the bottom piece through at a little faster rate 
than the top piece so it will ease in nicely....



Like this:)



Make sure to press your seams open and use my 
design board and ruler trick!



Now sew the easy corner triangles (G) onto 
the bottom rectangles (M) (L) of the cake stand like this. 

Sew the side pieces (F) to the cake stand center (O)
Press these seams towards the (O) 


After trimming the easy corner triangles on the bottom...
sew them together and press the seams open.


Before sewing to the cake stand center you will need to 
sew the easy corner triangles (C) onto the top outside corners.



I use my Seams Sew Easy
 so that I don't need to mark any lines 
on my easy corner triangle squares...
and for an accurate 1/4" seam of course!

I also use an open toe foot when piecing 
so that I can see exactly where 
my needle goes into my fabric at all times...
I don't like to assume it's lining up 
if I can't see it under a presser foot:)


Now the bottom of the 
cake stand pedestal is finished...



With seams pressed open of course!



Now sew the two pedestal 
sections together and 
add the side pieces (A).
Press towards the (A).


YaY!

Your block is complete:)



I added the optional borders on mine because
 I'm making a Farm Girl potholder just like on page 
number 120 in the Farm Girl Vintage book:)


One more view of the back of my block:)


I prepared my cakes for quilting 
by layering the blocks with batting and backing fabric.


I prepared a binding for each as well.

to see my machine quilting 
and binding tutorial:)


Here is my 6" Farm Girl block 
fresh from the oven!
(it finishes at 8" with the borders)


And here is my 12" Farm Girl Layer Cake 
completely baked and ready for a celebration!

(it finishes at 14" with the borders)

Thanks so much for joining me for another Farm Girl Friday!


to see other Farm Girl Layer Cakes 
that others have been baking!
xx
Lori





18 comments:

  1. I just love your new cake pattern. I've also found your new Farm Girl Pattern - delicious surprises. Your blocks always bring a big smile to my face. Love sewing them! Thank You, Lori, for all the fun!

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  2. This is cute as can be. Going to make it for our celebrating of birthdays here.
    Thanks so much for the pattern.

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  3. This is so cute! What a wonderful idea to help celebrate family member's birthdays. I think I will make the smaller one to hang on a stand somewhere prominent in the home and the larger one make into a pillow for the birthday "person" to use the week of their birthday. Just so sweet! Thank you for sharing!

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  4. Happy Anniversary. I have so loved the Farm Girl Vintage and all the extra blocks that have come with it, and yes I have gotten most of them. Thanks so much for this cake block and for all you do. Have a wonderful vintage kind of day !!

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  5. This is my most favorite book by you and I bought all the extra's you put out-especially little piggly wiggly as I call her. Please tell us you'll add more, especially that cute tractor hauling the cake-so adorable!

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  6. Lori, thanks for another adorable pattern! I am so glad you have such cute designs. Happy Anniversary to Farm Girl Vintage book. I love my FGV quilt and it is hanging on the wall in my sewing studio. It blends well with the Quilty Fun quilt on the other wall!

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  7. These blocks are all so adorable Lori! Thank you so much for bringing us so many fun ideas and inspiring projects this last year! You are brilliant! The quilting fun continues!

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  8. Dear Lori, I adore you. Thank you so much for sharing this layer cake. What fun. I should make a bunch of these. I love your fabric too.
    Now, here's the thing. I need to go to sewing jail. I am sew busy taking care of my mom and dad. They are 93 and very very cute and silly. They need help though. So, when I get home, well, then maybe my daughter needs help with baby Sarah, she is one. What do I need? Yes, I have a featherweight, but that does not work so well for giving full attention to my old and young peeps. So I dream on, and sew just a little every day. It is people like you that are the angels that keep my happy and enthusiastic because of your sharing.
    Thanks for that.

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  9. This is so adorable!! I love your patterns Lori, thank you so much ;)

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  10. Everything you do is. So. Stinking. CUTE! I just made a couple of honey bee blocks yesterday, and I've already got the notice set up for Fat Quarter Shop to tell me when your new cutting mats and Sew Cherry 2 are in stock.
    When my last child is out of the house and we downsize, I would love to have a cozy little cottage like yours. Might take a bit of convincing for hubby to agree, but I've got time to devise my plan. :-) Thank you for being you and sharing your beauty with the world.

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  11. Thank you for the darling block and Happy Farm Girl Anniversary! I am working on my FGV doing a BOM at my LQS Daydreams Quilt n Sew and enjoying all of it! Love, love, love it!

    Cathy J ♥

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  12. Oh my goodness!! I've printed out the cake instructions and bought the Farm Girl pattern. Now I need a farm boy to go with her!! So adorable! I finished my FGV quilt a few months ago and the book is still sitting out on my table because I love it so much. I need to pick out some blocks to go with my farm girl. <3 :)

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  13. Hi Lori. Congrats on your one year anniversary of Farm Girl. I've followed your blog and been amazed by your talents for years. So happy for all of your success! You are one talented gal - thanks for all of your inspiration!

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  14. Congrats on your anniversary for Farm Girl Vintage. I have never had as much fun sewing quilt blocks as with this book. Thank you for the cake pattern! I am looking forward to see what comes next from you! Have a great weekend!

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  15. Thank you for sharing this wonderful cake pattern and tutorial with all of us. You do the sweetest things so freely for everyone. What a blessing. Congratulations on your one year anniversary! Get out and celebrate!!

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  16. Congratulations! I love your blocks and your books. The cake block pattern is perfect. My head is swimming with ideas how to use it. I am a NW Wisconsin farm wife / mom / grandma. I retired from 43 years of teaching this spring. Your book is calling my name!!

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  17. Lori, Lori, Lori...what have you done to me???? I can't stop making Farm Girl quilt blocks. Don't you know I have a grandson arriving in 6 weeks??? I have quilts to finish for him, but whatever magic you put on that book just won't let me stop. Seriously though, I have fallen in love with this book and will probably make most of them. I have found the companion blocks...yeah, thanks for that too...and am really having fun. I chose to make the 12" blocks as I am (was!) working on the Splendid Sampler and those 6" block is are enough for me. Looking forward to more companion blocks...maybe a dog? Thank you for sharing your amazing creativity with the quilting world!!!...and, we share a name!! LORI R.

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  18. I have machine stitched many quilts but have never appliquéd individual blocks like this before. I am currently working on the Cozy Christmas quilt and although I got a late start, it seems to really bring me such joy to finish a block. I've always loved Christmas and everything about it and I think this will finally be a quilt just for me. Your fabrics and appliqués make me smile. Can't wait to make the cake square!

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