It's that time again!

It's the first of May, which means it's time to share the plan for my next do.Good Stitches quilt.  I'm embarrassed to say that I have not yet quilted the last quilt I made for the group, but I intend to remedy that situation this month.  Must get that quilt finished before the May blocks start rolling in!

If you've read my blog (or have seen my Flickr or Instagram stream), you'll know that I'm drawn to vintage things.  Whilst perusing pictures of vintage and antique quilts on the web, I came across this lovely quilt.   A search for "rising sun quilt block" turned up similar blocks, but not the exact one used in this quilt.

After a little digging, I found that the block itself goes by a few names- Delectable Mountains, Sawtooth and Kansas Troubles (and each of these blocks have other incarnations).  Sawtooth sounds a little sharp-ish, and I’m hesitant to use the word “troubles” in a gift destined for a child via the Wrap Them in Love Foundation.  Delectable Mountains is whimsical and pleasing to the ear.  Perfect for a child's quilt! 

Below is the palette I've chosen  for this quilt: bright orange, blue (ocean, sky, navy) and white/off white.  The blues are a departure from the green-tinged blues I normally use.   

Below, I’m sharing the method I used to construct this block.  To my Love Circle friends, please make three blocks- one orange, one blue, and the third block in your choice of either orange or blue. 

Delectable Mountains Tutorial

 

Materials needed:

Rotary Cutter

Quilter's Ruler

Cutting Mat
Pencil
Pins

Fabric:

Main color (in this case blue)

(1)    6 ⅞” square, cut corner-to-corner to make two triangles (you will only need one)

(5)    2 ½” squares- please feel free to use a mix of prints for variety!

Background color (in this case white/off-white solids or subtle prints with a white or off-white bkgd)

(1)    9 ⅞” square, cut corner-to corner to make two triangles (you will only need one)

(4)    2 ½” squares- again, varied white/off-white fabrics are welcome!

(1)    2” square

All seams are  ¼”

Make the half square triangles

Pair up the four light 2 ½” squares with four of the blue 2 ½” squares (you will have one extra lue square to be used later).  With right sides facing, pin them together and lightly mark a line down the center from corner to corner on the back of the light colored fabric.  Alternatively, you could draw two sewing lines ¼” from either side of an imaginary corner-to-corner line. 

If you marked a corner-to-corner line down the center, sew a line 1/4" to the left and to the right of the line using your presser foot as a guide.  

If you marked the two sewing lines, sew your seams on top of these lines. 

Cut the squares down the center between the two seam lines using your ruler and rotary cutter.  Repeat step for all 2 ½” squares (I speed cut mine by stacking and cutting multiple squares at once).  You should have eight hst's. 

Press the newly sewn hst's open and trim the dog-ears. eta- the hst's should be trimmed to 2" square.  (Thanks for the feedback Ara Jane!)

Lay four hst's in a row with the blues on the bottom left (see photo on the left).  Lay the remaining four hst's in a row, this time with the blues on the bottom right.  With rights sides facing, pin the hst's in pairs, (see photo on the right).  Sew the pairs together, then press open.

  

Repeat the previous steps with the newly made hst units above so that you have two strips of hst's.

Cut the remaining 2 ½” blue square from corner to corner, making two triangles (below left).  Lay them next to the two hst strips as shown below (right).  Pin the blue triangles to the hst strips, right sides facing and aligned at the top.  Sew together, then press and trim.

Place the first hst strip (blue prints on bottom right) along the left side of the large blue triangle.  Pin together with right sides facing.  

Pin the light colored 2" square to the left side of the remaining hst strip (blue prints on the bottom left), right sides facing.

Sew these units together, press and trim.

  
Pin the long edge of this newly sewn unit to the long edge of the large light colored triangle, right sides facing.

Sew, press and trim to 9 ½” square.  You’re done!

I hope this tutorial was clear and easy to follow.  Go forth and make Delectable Mountains! 

Improv Stripped Geese tutorial

November is my month to host the Love Circle of do. Good Stitches.  I've really enjoyed being a part of this lovely and talented group of quilters.  Many of the quilts we've made together are unique and original.  The quilts made in this bee are sent to the  Wrap Them in Love Foundation, which then sends the quilts to children in need around the world.

Inspired by the color palette of this quilt, the design of this quilt, and a love of flying geese blocks, I've chosen a design that mixes all of these things in one quilt.  Here's the method I used to construct the blocks.

Improv Stripped Geese

What you will need:
rotary cutter
ruler
cutting mat
8" strips of fabric, varying widths (I cut mine between 2.5" to 4")
one 4" square piece of fabric
one strip of fabric 4"x9.5"

All seams are 1/4."  Please press seams to the right unless otherwise noted.  Block measures 6.5"x12.5" unfinished. 

To make the improv geese unit:
Start with the 4" square.  With your rotary cutter and ruler, cut an improv triangle. 

Lay your triangle over the 4" x 9.5" strip, ensuring there is at least 1/2" clearance of the background fabric at the top of the triangle (to allow for seams).

Place your ruler over the right edge of the triangle and cut the background fabric with your rotary cutter.  Do the same on the left edge of the triangle. 

Flip the triangle over the right-side background piece, centering on the angled edge. 

Sew together and press seam towards the background fabric.  Trim the dog-ear at the top.

Place the newly sewn unit right sides together over the angled edge of the left-side piece.

Sew together and press seam towards the background.

Trim the top and bottom edges.  Set the flying geese block aside.

To assemble the improv strips: 
Take one of the strips and, with your rotary cutter and a ruler, cut the right edge at a slight angle.

Take another strip, align on the angled edge right sides together.

Sew together.  Press seam to the right.

With your rotary cutter and ruler, cut the right edge of the newly sewn unit at a slight angle opposite to the first angled cut. 

Take a third strip, align on the angled edge, right sides together.

Sew together.  Press seam to the right.

Repeat these steps, working in the improv geese unit somewhere in the block.  Stop when the block reaches 13" or so in width.  Trim block to 6.5" x 12.5."

Congrats- you've successfully completed a Stripped Geese block!  I hope you found this tutorial clear and helpful.

eta: To my Love Circle friends... please feel free to add more than one flying geese unit in each of your blocks!

Have a great week!

A finish and a fail

Of all the charity quilts I've made, this Sorry! inspired Goose Creek quilt is by far my favorite.  It's hard to part with, but knowing that a child in need will find some comfort in it lessens the sting. 

 

The ladies of the Love Circle (of do. Good Stitches) did an amazing job making these blocks, and I adore the end result.  I always thought I liked modern quilts, but this one feels very vintage-y and I'm completely charmed by it.  In fact, after I wrap up a couple of other projects, I think I may make another to keep.

After finishing Goose Creek earlier this week, I intended to piece the backing for Kieran's brick quilt.  An error in calculations held this process up last month, a fact I conveniently forgot.  Since working on K'S quilt calls for a fabric purchase, I decided to move on to "41."  The back was carefully cut and methodically pieced last night.  After pressing the new backing, I laid it down over the quilt top and... something's rotten in the state of Denmark. 

The backing is a full 17 inches too narrow.  I ask you... 17 inches???  Not to mention the major puckering in the middle of the quilt top (see how lumpy it is under the backing?).  Will it quilt out?  I don't even know.  I have a horrible feeling that when I make the quilt sandwich, no amount of smoothing will make it lie flat.  There is most probably some painstaking un-sewing in my future.   

Midsummer Sewing

It feels like forever since I've sat in front of my sewing machine, but in actuality it's only been a week.  I took a short hiatus to run "camp" (which was pretty much a week of playdates at home) for my children and two dear girls of close family friends.

The plan this week was to baste and quilt Kieran's brick quilt, but the last of the blocks from the Love Circle rolled in this week, and I feel compelled to finish the do.Good Stitches quilt first.  Especially since I have two completed d.GS quilts waiting to be sent off to Wrap Them in Love.  Horrible, horrible... but they really will go out as soon as I finish this latest one.

And so, that is the only WIP on the books this week.  Here's a parting shot of the Sorry!-inspired Goose Creek quilt top:

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

Goose Creek Block Tutorial

It's June!  The school year is winding down, summer trips and activities are being planned, spring plantings will bear vegetables soon (hopefully), and it's my month to coordinate the next quilt for the Love Circle of do. Good Stitches.

I recently attempted to teach my three-year old one of my favorite parlor games.  Those were the most maddening 15 minutes of my life, but the silver lining is I found my color palette for the d.GS quilt:

 As I was scouring the web for a block design, Goose Creek (found at Quilter's Cache) caught my eye.  The block is made up of four units- two Nine Patches and two Square in a Square blocks.  The instructions assume a certain level of quilting experience, so I thought I'd offer up a tutorial that's a little more fleshed out for anyone who may need it.

Goose Creek Block

All seams are a scant 1/4".  Block measures 12.5" unfinished.

For each block you will need:

• (2) 43/4" squares- cream solid or low volume prints
• (4) 37/8" squares- two squares each of two different color prints (errata: pic below shows four different prints rather than two)
• (10) 21/2" squares- various color prints
• (8) 21/2" squares- either solid cream or low volume prints with a cream background

Nine Patch
Lay 21/2" squares out so that the color prints are in a plus pattern, and the low volume prints are at the four outer corners:

Lay the squares from the middle column of each block right sides together over the squares of the first column, stitch together, then press open:

I'm a press to the side kind of quilter, because that's how I learned.  If you also press to the side, be sure to press the top and bottom pairs to the same side and the middle pair to the opposite side (this will allow you to "nest the seams" between the rows).

Lay the remaining squares of each block right sides together over the squares from the middle column.  Stitch together, then press open.  The seams of each row should be pressed in the same direction, but the seams between the rows should be pressed opposite of each other:

 
Sew rows together, making sure to nest seams, as below:

Press seams, trim blocks to 61/2".

Square in a Square
Cut the four 3 7/8" squares from corner to corner.  As noted above, the photo shows four different prints, but you should actually have two different prints (see below).  After cutting, you will have eight triangles, four of each print.

Place the long edges of two matching triangles right sides together on opposite sides of a 43/4" low volume square.  Note: An easy way to center them perfectly- fold the square in half and finger press along the crease.  Do the same for the triangle (on the long edge).  Match up the center creases.

Since the triangles are cut on the bias and are prone to stretching, I like to pin along the edges.  Sew together, then press towards the triangles.

Repeat the step above with the remaining triangles.  Trim blocks to 61/2".

You're almost there!  The next step is to sew the Nine Patches and Square in a Square blocks together in the following layout:

Again, if you press the seam of the top row in the opposite direction of the bottom row (as below), you can nest the the seams when you sew the rows together for a neater finish.

Trim block to 121/2".  You're done!