Glory

Here's a Memorial Day quilt in honor of those heroes who gave their lives for our freedom.

This off-center star is made up of parallelograms in red, blue, white and cream small print scraps. 

Starting with an eight pointed star, I fine tuned the layout on my design wall, using color value to emphasize the star shapes. 

Simple straight stitch quilting with a walking foot and white thread was done in four sections, following seam lines. Glory is 50” square.

Accuquilt dies used:
55809 Parallelogram (10” Qube)
55017 Strip 2½”

Improv

Improv, Useful Remnants 2023

Yep, I've been experimenting again. My favorite combination of white with brightly colored remnants always makes a fun modern quilt.

This time I combined two dies to create large unequal nine-patch blocks. I mixed the skinny signature die with elements of the churn dash BOB die for a lattice-like block. It is also similar to the 1920/1930's linoleum block. I did all piecing with Laney, my Singer 301.

Quilting is simple straight stitch with white thread along seam lines, plus diagonal serpentine stitching across the signatures. Improv finished at 61” square, and features orange and white dotted backing/binding.

Puzzling out new ways to combine dies is a creative way to keep my brain active, and I am rarely bored. I could sew all day every day and never be finished.

Accuquilt dies used:
55356 Signature 4½” finished
55339 Churn Dash BOB 12” finished block
55017 Strip 2½”

Margarita Monday

Crisp white and fresh green swirl around on this cute little quilt, with a few pops of color in the prints and centers. The glorified nine patch blocks are placed on point.

Quilting makes a statement when you use a bright green thread with a decorative stitch. I followed the curved seams and continued them onto the white setting triangles to make an allover pattern. I added a straight stitch across the centers of the blocks.

It's cool, contemporary, and bright. Margarita Monday is 43” square. I love this old block and have made several quilts with it using both traditional and modern fabric.  This one's definitely scrappy and modern; even the binding is leftover strips. 

Dies used:
Blue Wren
6562 Glorious Nine Patch

Accuquilt
55553 Setting Triangles 10”
55017 Strip 2½”

 

Blackberry Winter

Blackberry Winter, 2023 Useful Remnants

We had a little cold snap last week, light frost when the wild blackberries bloomed. My granny always called it Blackberry Winter, so I decided to name this rich purple quilt the same.

These fabrics match so well that you'd think they were a collection, but I bought three of them in 2018, 2019, and 2020 from different companies. The fourth was an estate sale find this year. Neutral gray pin dots from Marshall's Dry Goods made the perfect background sashing and binding.

The block is Jackaroo Star, a Blue Wren die. Since I had scraps left after cutting, I added an extra border, cutting the small triangles from Hattie's Choice die.  It was definitely worth the additional work! All piecing was done on Laney, our sweet painted Singer 301.

For quilting, I kept it simple, straight stitching with light gray thread in a 2” allover grid. I used my Janome walking foot and ruler as a guide. Blackberry Winter is 49” square.

Purple is one of my favorite colors and this quilt turned out gorgeous. I believe I will keep it for myself!

Dies used:
Blue Wren
6369 Jackaroo Star 12” block

Accuquilt
55220 Hattie's Choice 8” block (small triangles)
55017 Strip 2½” for sashing & binding

 Never let a fabric scrap go to waste! 

Jumping Jacks

What a fun block to make for a baby quilt! Old fashioned calico prints of red, blue, and yellow with a touch of green, alternate with natural muslin. I used tiny red gingham for the center circles, outer border and backing.

The die, Endless Chain from Blue Wren, makes cutting the blades and circles so easy. Sewing went quickly to make the hexagons. More time was needed for adding the circles, then stitching the rows together. Those Y-seams get easier the more you do, just don't get in a rush. I recommend keeping precise 1/4” seam allowances, also begin and end seams 1/4" away from edge, using lock stitches.  

I tried a new trick for the circles. I cut twice as many as I needed and sewed two with right sides together. Slash a small opening in the center of one side, turn it right side out, smooth and press. You could also use lightweight interfacing or thin cotton for the back circle. Pin onto the hexagon and stitch down, either by hand or machine.

I filled out the sides by adding muslin half rectangle triangles. I did have to trim them to fit but it worked out just fine. I squared up the sides before adding the borders.

For quilting, I used cream thread to sew across the muslin blades in a serpentine stitch. Jumping Jacks is 45” x 51” size.

This sweet design reminds me of 1930's and 1940's quilts, and I plan a scrappy one, then may try a modern version with bright colors. This die can also be used to make Dresden plate and simple fan blocks.

Dies used:
Blue Wren 6979 Endless Chain 5” sides

Accuquilt 55411 Half Rectangle Triangle 3” x 6”
55017 Strip 2½” for border / binding