Easy Corner Triangles and a Quilting with my iPhone Tutorial...

Good morning happy people!

A big thank you (with a cherry on top) for all of your kind comments and emails regarding

my recent tutorials...

Yes...I will continue to do them whenever

 I sew a block that I think you might

like to see how I did it.

Today is a traditional Maple Leaf block:)

I have always loved this block and have made several quilts with it in the past.

I have used the method for the

half square triangles

that I have shown you in

this previous tutorial

but I thought you might be interested to see how I use easy square triangles

to sew the stem segment.

As you can see above, I also cut a solid brown square for the stem in the same size of the half square triangle squares....

and then cut 2 squares out of the background fabric "1/4" smaller" than the brown square. 

This will give me a stem that is 1/2" wide. 

I laid out my squares on my design board the way that I wanted to sew them together...

and then took a couple of quick pictures with my trusty iPhone so that I would be able to use them as a reference for later.

I do this all the time with my sewing...especially when I have laid out quilt blocks in rows on my livingroom floor

to sew together.

No need for labeling the blocks!

I simply snap a pic with my iPhone or iPad instead and I have it to look at as a reference while sewing segments,

blocks, or rows together...

(whatever the case may be)...

and when I'm finished...

I just delete the picture....easy peasy!

Of course this works with any kind of phone:)

I lay one of the 1/4" smaller squares  on top of the brown stem square with right sides together, making sure they are lined up squarely on both sides... 

and stitch from corner to corner of the background square...

After  pressing and trimming

toward the triangle...

I lay the remaining background square

on the opposite side with RST...

 and once again stitch from corner to corner of the background square.

I then press and trim as usual. 

It looks like this...a stem!

I then made the half square triangles

just as I have shown you in 

this tutorial 

and laid it all out again on my

mini design board so that all of

the points were pointing the right way...

...and then I did a quick check on my iPhone to make sure that the colors were

where I wanted them to be before

sewing the block together.

I sewed them into rows...

And then completed the block.

Making the stem like this is a very easy method to use in any block with a stem 

and I have used it throughout

the years in many of my quilt patterns.

I hope you liked the iPhone/iPad tip also...it's a real time saver for me!

Tomorrow I will show you how I made another 

easy peasy block...

so if you're interested...

stay tuned!

xx

Lori

My Current Bonus Quilt!...

I love to multi-task...don't you?

Yesterday I told you about my

love of vintage sheets
and about the quilts that I'm in the

process of making with them.

Like you...I always have

several projects going on...

and one way I accomplish getting them 

sewn is by using my

"bonus quilt"  method.

This is how I'm making my currant 
"bonus quilt"
using vintage sheets:)

Basically what that means is that when

I am sewing blocks ...

Like for instance this block above…

when I am doing clothesline stitching on the segments there is alot of starting and stopping and trimming of threads.

To avoid this...I simply start by sewing

2 vintage sheet squares together...

 and when I get to the end...

I leave them under the presser foot

with the needle down...

And start to feed my block segments

under the foot without trimmming thread

or lifting the foot up.

When I finish with the clothesline stitching...I leave them under the

presser foot with the needle down

and begin to feed 2 more vintage sheet squares under the foot for sewing.

Like this.

I continue sewing this way...

alternating between vintage sheet squares

 and FW block segments...

Never lifting up the presser foot.

Look mom!...

I'm sewing 2 quilts at a time!

And when my block is complete...

Or when  have finished sewing for the day...I just leave the last set of vintage sheet squares under the presser foot with the needle down...waiting for my next sewing time:)

You would be suprised how much I get accomplished this way….

and how many bonus quilts I've made.

I'm sure most of you have heard about

this or are already using this method...

it's sew fun..isn't it?

I've taught this to many 

students over the years...

I've always called them my 

bonus projects:)

Because I have been doing it for years

I have made many scrappy happy quilts this way using my leftovers:)

Many quilters have used and

 taught this little trick!

Recently Bonnie Hunter published a book using this tried and true method and she calls it "leaders and enders"

 a great name that describes it perfectly:)

It's such a great time saver that our grandma's would be proud of:)

Another "bonus" besides saving time

 and having a new quilt

 when using my "bonus quilt" method

is the no wasting of

precious expensive thread!

I dug this out of the little trash bin

that I keep by my machine just to show

 you how much I wasted this week during my easy corner triangle tutorials.

(I didn't want my vintage sheet squares in the tutorial photos...so that you wouldn't wonder what the heck they were..lol)

Wasting thread...not a pretty picture:)

Have a wonderful weekend my friends...

I hope you get a little time to do everything your heart desires:)

xx

Lori

I Heart Vintage Sheets!...

Summertime is vintage sheet season.

I have sewn with and collected

vintage sheets for a long time now...

I know alot of you out there

in bloggy land do too:)

There's just something so wonderfully sentimental about them...

The colors are sweet and the fabrics are so vintagey and comforting:)

I pick them up for a song at thrift shops... and I have also purchased some vintage sheet fat quarters online for a

good variety in my projects.

And I love it when I find pillow cases that are in excellent condition...

I  bring them home and give them a good washing and a hanging out on the line...

I put them on a big fluffy pillow to enduce sweet dreams of days gone by:)

This summer I am making what I call a

Quee-ing size quilt out of

vintage sheets for my bed...

so that I can be sure to have

sweet vintagey dreams.

(a quee-ing size is in between 

a queen & king...lol)

I found two of these same vintage

flat sheets in a double size...

I will use them for the back of my quilt and still have enough leftover to cut some squares to use in the flimsy. 

I just love the gorgeous vintage floral...

And these 3 are my favorite.

I have several flat sheets in these

prints to use for quilt backing also.

And I'll need them because Kassidy wants to make one for her bed too...and we both thought we would like to make one for Sophie Belle.

Speaking of Sophie...this is her...

(and Kassidy holding her up there)

on the carousal in the park 

for the 4th of July celebration.

I havn't showed you a picture

of her lately and I wanted you to see

 how big she is getting!

Luckily I have plenty of sheets...and plenty of sheets = plenty of squares for a quilt top for Sophie as well.

I want my quilts to be simple to show off the large florals in most of the sheets...

 so I am cutting 8 1/2" squares to piece together for the tops.

After I cut the squares from my vintage sheet fat quarters...

I cut the remaining fabric into strips for another project that I have in mind:)

BTW...in case you didn't know there is a vintage sheet blog that showcases

projects that are made out of vintage sheets.

It's a beautiful blog that is

run by Jen.

Go check it out HERE!

There really are alot of fun projects to inspire a trip to the thrift shop...

I'm just sayin!

How about you?...

Do you heart vintage sheets?

Have a quilty kind of day my friends:)

xx

Lori

UPDATE:

I thought I would add this photo of one of the quilts that I made with vintage sheets.

I made one with all yellows pinks and oranges and I love it!

Then I made one with all blues and greens (folded on the end of the bed)

and of course I love it too:)

Then I made one with all colors put together.

It's the one hanging over the back of the chair and you can see that one just a little:)