Tutorials

Paneling | An Improvisational Quilt Design Tutorial

November 7, 2017 By Katie 9 Comments

I snapped a few photos of the construction method I refer to in my improvisational workshops as ‘paneling.’ My Skewed Symmetry quilt is just one example of what students can do with the cast off blocks from my strip piecing workshop Psychedelic Baby and finish with paneling.

I’m missing some of the basic photos, but I think you’ll get the idea. When designing improvisationally a design wall is a must (see my tutorial here). If you’re lacking design wall space this one is for you.

1) Complete Blocks & Trim | The first step is sewing together the cast off blocks along their angled edge to create the mitered log cabins. Trim to their largest square or rectangular size.

2) Construct 2 Columns with Blocks | Play with the layout of your blocks by stacking them on the design wall into two columns of blocks. Each of my columns has 4 mitered log cabin blocks.

In the photo above I’ve already sewn some background fabric to the top and side of block in the right upper corner and to the side of the bottom block, but the vertical continuous straight line you see above is where the two columns of blocks come together.

3) Panel Out Blocks | If you have a certain quilt size in mind then create yourself some margins to stay within by taping out the size of the finished quilt on the design wall next. I just used pins for this one.

Now that you have your quilt size marked, choose a background fabric and measure out with a tape measure from the top of the block to the tape/pins marking the top of the quilt. Cut your fabric and sew to the top of the upper block. I usually go a little larger so I can trim down in the end and don’t have to fuss with seams.

Trim the background fabric you’ve added so that it is square with the side of the block. Now we add background fabric to the side of this block and bring it to the width we’ve taped/pinned out. Take a measurement for the background fabric again adding for seams.

Continue adding background fabric to the side of the blocks by measuring out from the block to your quilt’s margins and trim the background fabric square to the blocks. Finish the column by adding background fabric to the bottom of the last block in the column just as you did with the first block.

Now I repeat the paneling on the left with black as my background fabric. Follow the directions above.

I didn’t talk about the little bits of vertical ‘strata’ at the top and bottom, but those are just added to the side of the background fabric prior to adding them to the blocks on the bottom right and top left.

Sew Blocks into Columns | Now that all my blocks have background fabric I sew them together into the two columns and trim a straight edge on both sides as needed.

Sew Columns Together | I usually pin the columns if I want something to match and sew them together. I like to use (2) huge square templates and a 36″ ruler or two to square it to size.

One of my No/Know Quilts is constructed in a very similar manner with the exception of rows AND columns.

I’m currently binding another quilt that is an example of what you can do with the cast off blocks that isn’t improvisational in design. Hope to show you all that one soon.

If you want to learn more about improvisational quilt design we have a whole chapter in Quilting Modern about it! If you’re interested in these blocks I’m teaching it at Quiltcon and there are some spaces left;)

Happy Week Peeps!

:: Fractured Hearts Pillows ::

September 19, 2017 By Katie 6 Comments

I don’t know what it is about these crazy pieced blocks I call Split Personality, but I’ve got to say they’re nothing short of addictive. In talking with a few students in Saturday’s workshop, I’ve realized I’m not alone in this addiction. After learning the technique they’ve created more than a few sets and let them marinate on their design walls until the perfect quilt design idea came to them for their placement.

I had some left over blocks from my Split Crumbs Quilt top, so I placed them into one of my favorite shapes, the heart. I used the improvisational stitch and flip triangle technique we teach in Quilting Modern for the tops of the heart, and a good ole half square triangle for the bottom.

I’ve been wanting to play with a binding/sashing for pillows, but will have to start teaching myself another zipper or closing technique besides an invisible zip.

The variegated thread stitched up a lovely line. I was thinking a grid, but it didn’t need it.

In the Studio’s evening Open Studio for September and October we’ll focus on installing an invisible zipper into a pillow. I know it sounds complicated and scary, but I actually know 12- year olds that do it without calling their mommy and trust me, making pillows is addictive in a good way. You are welcome to bring any project though.

Of course if you don’t need the hand holding, but just a good tutorial for installing your own at home you can check my invisible zipper pillow tutorial out here.

The Seattle Modern Quilt Guild will be hosting me to teach the Split Personality Quilt Block November 4th. They’ll open up the workshop here soon, so save the date! Not sure but there might be some spots left at Quiltcon too.

Happy Week Peeps:)

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Some Stitching

April 25, 2017 By Katie 5 Comments

My Value Heart Quilt has spent more time in the past couple of weeks being shuffled from one corner of the house to the next, than being stitched.

I’m hearting it though and I thought I’d share a little bit of process before yet another week walks away from me.

Last week I did managed to start this post, and sit long enough to turn one corner of the binding. I don’t know about you, but I always love that moment when you can spread it out and admire even just one bound edge.

Saturday, I spent the most lovely day with the Bainbridge Island MQG and managed to finish all but one side while traveling on the ferries. I usually get out of the car deck and head upstairs to the cabin, but the King size kept me warm and car-bound. I also had a pretty sweet viewing spot to watch rainbows over Puget Sound.

Many scraps ago I bought this Sevenberry print, and I had the most wee bit of it left. When I noticed they reprinted it, I got it in my head that it was the one and only binding fabric that would do. Definitely a ‘treat yourself’ moment for someone that could certainly bind a million scrap quilts from her stash.

I have OBD (over basting disorder) and a similar problem with wonder clips. Some tools once discovered are hard to live without. Using its clever risen dots to align all the binding to the same seam measurement is a game changer. You really only need a few, but I like to see it all clipped back like that and you feel so accomplished when you get to start removing them.

Even width binding!

I’m sure Jefe is seriously happy that we’re now going to be sleeping under a scrappy heart quilt, but I love the brightness and cheerfulness it brings to the room.

I’m hoping to finish it up and snap some photos of it next week for a workshop that focuses on how to optimize the use of color value in your quilts, but in case that doesn’t become reality I’ve listed some class dates. Come get your value on and use up some of those lovely prints in your stash;)

I know some of you Monday-Friday peeps tell me you like a holiday of sewing, so I added one for you.

I know you’d miss all the examples I have to show you how value works, but if you can’t make it here you can still make your own with my Value Quilt Tutorial and some scheduled time with your design wall.

Well, since somebody might have had a little accident and there’s no transmission in the car, there is car hunting in the near future. This will also be the last photo of the bedroom with the Pure Periwinkle in my dream weekend. I think I feel some new pillow covers coming on with the paint transformation, plus I’ve got another quilt quilted and ready for some binding, so out I go to visit my stash.

Hope your future is full of something inspirational.

Happy week Peeps!

:: Creative Inspiration for Quilt Backs ::

February 17, 2016 By Katie 31 Comments

Most of the time I can hardly get through a quilt top before I have a million other ideas lining up, so why should constructing a quilt back be any different?

In the past year I’ve been brainstorming ideas to get past this inspiration block. I’d like this step of the creative process to be as enjoyable as the rest, so I created myself a little list of ideas to inspire creative quilt backs. I thought I’d share.

My Go-To Quilt Back Ideas and Inspiration-

*Buy What You Love- Well duh. The most obvious, but not always the most economical is buying fabric you currently fancy. I only stock up on sale fabric if I would have paid full price for it. The longer it sits in stash the more my tastes change, especially in regards to color trends.

*On my bucket list is the technique of flawlessly matching seams so that two panels of the same print appear as one.

*Browse Flickr Quilt Backs Group or Pinterest Quilt Backs Board. This is usually powered with a few cups of tea and time to fall into the worm hole. Pinboards that collect images of Minimalist patterns can be very inspiring for building out your backs.

*Building a Quilt Back Out with Stash: This is a fun visual approach.

-Build On the Design Wall- Before I even take a quilt off the design wall I do a fabric pull from stash. Using the quilt as a template I start pinning the pieces on top of it until covered. I stare and move them around a lot until I have a desirable layout. Then I back into piecing to an extra 3″ per side larger than my quilt top.

–Taping Out- On the design wall or floor I tape out the size I need the back to be, not forgetting a little extra. I essentially do as above and build out with fabric pieces until it meets the tape and sew it all together.

–Magic Numbers– Magic Numbers are perfect for designing quilt backs, pattern free, especially if you’re not quite ready to improvisationally free piece or figure out the math. Magic Numbers is a system of using block sizes that automatically fit together for flexibility in design without alteration. You could go BIG with your block sizes. You can learn more about them here.

*BIG ASS Blocks: This is probably my favorite to use with large prints. I generally border or log the centers of the blocks with a contrasting solid so they show up nicely.

*Leftovers. Using cast-off little bits from the front is a good way to start a back. When I go this route I sometimes like the back better than the front.

*Slice and Insert- This is a great technique if I just need some width or length to my quilt back. I slice yardage vertically or horizontally (so I have two pieces) and insert a width/length of fabric needed.

*Words or Phrases: I generally improv these, but you could easily make your own paper pieced patterns.

Flannel: Flannel is my go-to, I can never go wrong with flannel. It’s perfect for Seattle, all seasons for the most part.

*Improvisational: “Play is the highest form of research.” -Albert Einstein

Often I can get inspired by allowing myself the opportunity to play. That new technique or block I’ve been thinking about? I try it now. Loads of seams mean an opportunity for them to come apart while quilting, so I stay-stitch the perimeter of the quilt back if I choose this option.

*My Solution if I Still Don’t Like It: If I just think it’s boring I slice it either vertically or horizontally (which ever direction I think it needs) and then I switch up the large pieces.

Most of these quilt backs merge two or more of these ideas. Then I’ve got my basting tool kit ready to go and a podcast lined up. Just in time for me to overthink how I’m going to quilt it;)

It’s all a cycle of motion and action Peeps!

Happy Week;)

:: Build a Basting Tool Kit ::

::Warm & Cool Hearts Color Value Quilt::

February 5, 2016 By Katie 20 Comments

I’m not quite sure what happened to January, does anyone know where it went? Apparently time flies faster than I sew.

I spent much of the month happily digging through my stash, cutting and piecing in an attempt to showcase my Warm & Cool Hearts Color Value Quilt LONG before Valentine’s Day and here it is a week and change away.

Lately, I’ve become obsessed with heart shape blocks and appropriately, L-O-V-E best describes my feelings for my new quilt. I haven’t bothered to asked Jefe how he feels about it yet.

Revisiting my Color Value Quilt Tutorial and workshop using the heart shape has been on my bucket list. I’d been asked to place it on the teaching calendar, but adding a new sample to demonstrate how value works in this quilt’s design was necessary to keep teaching the workshop fresh for me.

Certainly the hearts can be a mix of colors (see early morning iPhone photo below), but consolidating them to a single color created a more cohesive and visually appealing shape to my eye. The challenge of finding the perfect tints and tones for each heart slowed the process down, but made it more enjoyable.

It was also a good exercise in ‘seeing’ what color values my stash lacks or is abundant in.

I reached out to quilty friends for an additional here and there square and some light values for the background. I recommend a swap if you find some holes in your stash.

Value is relative, but for the most part I stayed away from what I considered medium values with the exception of the turquoise and mustard blocks.

I spent a great deal of time staring at my design wall and moving things around before piecing them. Keeping the value focused on darks for the hearts and light for the backgrounds was a good exercise in what your mind’s eye thinks works and reality.

This became especially apparent when I stepped away. My view into the studio from the kitchen was an extremely helpful tool for determining whether the value of the background blocks was working for or against my heart blocks. We’ll cover useful tools like this in the workshop.

I didn’t piece the quilt together by rows or columns, but worked by completing each heart block into its background and moved them around for the final layout. I’m not a preplanner or a drawer in general, so this process suited me.

I think the best part of a Color Value Quilt is gazing at all those fabrics I was drawn to for whatever reason in one quilt. Especially those that don’t exist in my stash anymore. I just love print.

Some flannel of course for the back. I’m still trying to stick to my stash when it comes to shopping for backing.

I’ll run this workshop and my Free Motion Fundamentals/Nesting Baskets through March. Reserve your space by simply emailing me at sewkatiedid@gmail.com or calling and I’ll reserve you a spot. (the website is sooooo close to done).

Open Studio dates have also been updated.

The Value Workshop is a great opportunity for cutting into your growing stash and use all those fabrics you love that haven’t found a place in a quilt yet. I’ve dug into my stash and have a load of pre-cut squares for sale to supplement your designs or we can dig through my stash and cut. Keep up on my Instagram and/or Facebook for a major destash of these.

As usual, once finishing a quilt top of a traditional/classic design I’m itching for something improvisational, so look for something of that nature for workshops next month.

Happy week(end) Peeps;)

::Quilt Design Wall Tutorial Revamp::

January 26, 2016 By Katie 21 Comments

In our old digs my design wall was limited to ONE. Now with the studio I have my own padded room;)

I had one wall space left that I was told needed a bumper to protect the wall from ambitious pressers yielding an iron;) I also had two smaller pieces of cut insulation board that together fit the space perfectly.

Here’s a basic tutorial on how I construct my quilt design walls. You can access how I created the quilter’s pressing station here.

SUPPLIES:

(1 and/or 2) 1″ Insulation board (you can pin into this surface and cut to size).
(1) washed and dried flannel sheet (Sheets eliminate seams. Measure your insulation board surface area and compare to sheet dimensions. You’ll need about 3″ extra per side to wrap around the board. I buy my sheets here).
(6) 3″ Screws per board
(6) Finishing Washers per board
(6) Anchors per board (optional)
Roll of Gorilla Tape
Staple Gun with 3/8″ or longer staples

Cut board to size if needed.

I don’t think it really matters which side of the board you cover, but I do tape the boards together on the side that will be against the wall. I secure the boards with horizontal strips of tape and then run a vertical strip down the length.

Cut your flannel to about 3″ larger than board dimensions. Get rid of the hems if you don’t need the extra inches of flannel to cover your board size. Hems might cause you grief when it comes to stapling, especially in the mitered corners. Another option is to go with longer staples.

I alternate sides when stretching and taping flannel. It’s like pin basting a quilt. You do want it very taunt. I believe in lots of tape as you can see.

I just kind of go with what seems to be working when it comes to mitering the corners.

If you need some hand holding on the stapling and mitering steps, Martha and Anna Maria Horner show you how in a video here. Once you’ve over-taped, start stapling into the tape AND flannel.

Tada! Can’t see any of that ugly from the front;)

Take your snips and cut a hole in the location you want your screws to go through.

At this point I go get Jefe because he knows where all the electric is. Someone also suggested the use of heavy duty velcro for attachment.

Drill the holes where you see fit, place the anchors and screw in the screws using the washers for a nice finish.

I’m off to use mine! Happy week Peeps;)

No room for a permanent quilt design wall? Then check out my tutorial on a dual layered roll-up one design wall that can easily be stored under a bed.

:: Quilter’s Pressing Station Tutorial ::

January 5, 2016 By Katie 35 Comments

Happy New Year Peeps!

Instead of the usual New Year’s post showing quilts you’ve already seen, I’d thought I’d go fresh into the New Year and share some of my studio.

Long before the studio’s basics were built I started researching options for the most efficient and functional layout (there’s a Pinboard for that;). I’ve had more than a taste of poorly lit, cluttered or overly decorated teaching spaces and now was my chance to make every square inch matter.

It was time to rethink the ironing/pressing board. Since I’d never be putting it away the space underneath a traditional board was just a waste.

Supply List for DIY Ironing Station:

KALLAX Shelving unit from IKEA
(3) sets KALLAX casters
Sheet Plywood, cut (2) of your selected dimensions (see below)
Batting
Fabric
Thread
Staple Gun

I bought a KALLAX Shelving unit from IKEA.

Also from IKEA, the KALLAX casters have been a worthwhile investment. It is truly unbelievable the amount of fuzz build-up quilting creates and being able to roll this away from the wall to get behind it has been added to the weekly cleaning checklist. I’ve also pulled it away from the wall when pressing large quilt tops.

You’ll need a sheet of 3/4″ thick plywood (4′ x 8ish’). Jefe made (2) identical cuts so I would have a little more height to my station by stacking them.

He cut them 3 inches longer than the top of the KALLAX and 3 inches wider so that I could wrap the cover underneath it. I’d suggest thinking about your space and then cut, you might want it bigger or a little smaller. I didn’t nail or glue them together, they seem to sit just fine on top of the unit.

For the cover’s measurements (batting and fabric) I used my friend Elizabeth’s Pressing Table with Removable Cover tutorial. ***With the exception that I didn’t run any elastic through it, but wrapped it around the boards and stapled it to the back. It really isn’t necessary if you staple to hem it, but I did.

The hardest part was probably choosing the fabric.

I wanted something that would work with my Orla Kiely boxes that I already had and that nest in the shelving.

I store my machines when not in student use here (covers are next), ironing supplies and boxes for projects. When I get sick of the fabric or it wears out I can simply replace it. You can also purchase drawers or doors for this unit.

You could certainly use the same for a cutting table by putting (2) KALLAX together.

I hope to share more of the studio in the next few weeks.

Happy Tuesday Peeps:)

————————————-

New January Open Studios Monday-Friday are listed and I added another date to January’s featured workshop since the first round filled. Hoping for a website finish to ring in 2016 soon.

::DIY Quilter's Ironing/Pressing Station::

January 5, 2016 By Katie 33 Comments

Happy New Year Peeps!

Instead of the usual New Year’s post showing quilts you’ve already seen, I’d thought I’d go fresh into the New Year and share some of my studio.

It was time to rethink the ironing/pressing board. Since I’d never be putting it away the space underneath a traditional board was just a waste.

Supply List for DIY Ironing Station:

KALLAX Shelving unit from IKEA
(3) sets KALLAX casters
Sheet Plywood, cut (2) of your selected dimensions (see below)
Batting
Fabric
Thread
Staple Gun

I bought a KALLAX Shelving unit from IKEA.

You’ll need a sheet of 3/4″ thick plywood (4′ x 8ish’). Jefe made (2) identical cuts so I would have a little more height to my station by stacking them.

The hardest part was probably choosing the fabric.

I wanted something that would work with my Orla Kiely boxes that I already had and that nest in the shelving.

You could certainly use the same for a cutting table by putting (2) KALLAX together.

I hope to share more of the studio in the next few weeks.

Happy Tuesday Peeps:)

————————————-

New January Open Studios Monday-Friday are listed and I added another date to January’s featured workshop since the first round filled. Hoping for a website finish to ring in 2016 soon.

Christmas Flurry Pillows

December 17, 2015 By Katie 57 Comments

It pretty much started with this VANHAKAUPUNKI fabric Jefe bought me last year for Christmas.

I stretched it over the frame covering the other Marimekko for the season.

So what do you do with the leftovers?

Well duh.

And of course you need coordinates.

And as it happens the coordinates match the ones from last year:)

But with the endless rain here all I want to do is sew or sit on my pillows,

so I made some more for the family room too.

I finished up some more dopp kits and napkins that I’ll share next week, but I think that’s it for my #handmadechristmas this year. Here’s the link to my invisible zipper tutorial if you feel in the mood to make some holiday pillows yourself.

::GIVEAWAY::

Oh, and the fabric giveaway as promised are these lovely Christmas fabrics. No annoying follow me here and there stuff, just copy and paste a link to your favorite PATCHWORK or QUILTING handmade gift tutorial in your comment and you could win…

(2) large scraps Heather Ross Flannel
(1) FQ+ out of print Alexander Henry Merry Moderns large print
1/4 yard out of print Alexander Henry Merry Moderns small
(2) large scraps Cotton and Steel Candles
(1) FQ out of print Alexander Henry Birds
(1) FQ Folk lore print in grey

Good Luck!

Cutting Corners Binding Technique

January 20, 2015 By Katie 16 Comments

I posted a photo on my Instagram the other day and a comment was made about how I stitch the corners of my binding. Years ago I noticed my mom used it on a quilt and I just messed with it until it was second nature for me. I’m sure the method has a name. I’ll call it the Cutting Corners binding technique.

I use a ladder stitch to bind my quilts and if you need some direction on that Turning Turning’s blog has a great tutorial.

1) As I approach a corner I fold the corner binding towards the middle of the quilt and bring the binding’s folded edges on the right and left sides together at the inside corner so that they just touch.

Secure where the right and left sides come together with a clip.

The goal is to aim for the right and left fold of the binding to come together at an equal measurement and create 90 angle at the corner. Binding clips on either side of the corner can help even things out.

2) When I approach the corner I take the needle into the quilt back and bring it out through the binding’s corner fold. It might be easier to do the next step before pulling the needle through.

3) Grab with your needle the opposing folded corner of binding and if things are looking even pull your needle through.

These two points where the needle is pictured above is where you will complete some tacking stitches.

4) Once you feel it’s got enough stitches to be secure, take your needle into the right side and through into the quilt backing, coming out into the fold of the binding. Continue with the ladder stitch.

It should look all nice and square from the front. I’ve never had any issues with it coming untucked. Anyone know of the name of this technique?

Let me know if you have any questions.

Poof, Somewhat Circular Hex is another sample for my Hexagons by Machine workshop next week;) Now I need to get a post up on it.

Happy Tuesday. I’m off to get my tax crap together, exciting stuff Deb;)

Baby Cross Quilt

October 12, 2011 By Katie 35 Comments

When I stumbled upon Drygoods Design Online my jaw dropped, what a mix of modern fabrics put together so skillfully! TRUELY I had landed in fabric heaven. Keli had somehow sourced fabrics that I had never laid eyes on and that’s saying a lot considering looking at fabric online is one of my favorite ~~time sucks~~ past times.

Keli, the brainchild behind Drygoods Design Online runs her shop out of Seattle, so I skipped right over to go shop in person. I had my mind set on a simple cross quilt and had to continually refocus due to all the fabric I wanted to play with.

I picked a cross quilt because the design is simple for beginners, they are fun for showcasing favorite fabrics and I’d seen a few that have inspired me in our guild.

They go together quick, making them ideal for a unique baby gift. Simply add more rows or columns if you desire a larger size. Any size square will do, but I went with 4” squares.

I give basic directions for making the quilt, but if you need more detail check out I Heart Patchwork by Rashida Coleman-Hale, she has a similar quilt constructed with squares and rectangles or my friend Meaghan’s online tutorial.

Most important mantra when designing a quilt and choosing fabrics, pay attention to value. Everyone say it together, “Value is important.”

Value, defined as the relative lightness or darkness of a color is what creates contrast, allowing the design to emerge.

The diagram above roughly shows what the values in this quilt are broken down to. When we see a quilt we would like to duplicate it is likely that we won’t find all the fabrics used, so removing color and focusing on value can make choosing replacement fabrics easier.

Pick a mix of light, medium and dark fabrics. Try not to place lights next to lights or darks next to darks, fabrics too close in value or a high percentage of one value will create a less defined or softer design, mucking the definition of each cross.

Large-scale prints often contain more than one value, such as the View Finder fabric I picked as my starter/focus fabric. To maintain contrast try to stick to one, maybe two of these larger scale fabrics with mixed value for a few crosses and surround those crosses with smaller scale prints or solid fabrics of a different value.

To produce a similar quilt with 4” squares you will need about 8 different fabrics.

There are 143 squares total if you wish to use scraps. Each cross uses 5 squares. I bought enough of each fabric to play around with the layout. You can use leftover squares on the backing, but the 4″ square size allows you to use a single selvedge to selvedge piece of fabric for the backing, no piecing required.

Finished size 38.5” x 45.5”

MATERIALS:

Here are the fabrics I used rounding up to the nearest 1/3 or 1/4 yard:

*1/2 yard or 24 squares of Nettie Dot Purple by Hoodie

*1/3 yard or 20 squares of View Finder in Cool by Melody Miller

*1/4 yard or 15 squares of Kona mustard

*1/2 yard or 24 squares of Geometric Mikaela Golden by Jennifer Paganelli

*1/4 yard or 18 squares of Toomuchery Damask Steel

*1/4 yard or 16 squares of Alexander Henry Heath in lavender

*1/4 yard or 11 squares of Heather Ross Far Far Away

*1/4 yard or 14 squares of Smirk Grey Grid by Kayla May

*12” of fabric for 2 1/4” cut binding

*1 2/3 yards of fabric for backing

To cut the squares, align the selvedges of each fabric and cut a four-inch strip, then sub cut the strips into 4” squares.

Follow the diagram or quilt photo to layout your squares.

I worked by piecing in rows, but you could work by piecing a 9-patch block as well.

I free-motion quilted it with the same orange peel design I used on my Mom’s Birthday Quilt last May.

It was a very simple design to execute free-motion because of the built in grid pattern of the squares. I used a hera marker to mark a line through the middle of each row and a vanishing marker to mark the middle of each square.

I took into account the extra 1/4″ not yet taken up by binding at the raw edge of each square when marking the middles of the outer squares. I attempted when quilting to kept the stitches in a 1/4″ from the perimeter so it wouldn’t be covered by binding. It sorted itself out well enough.

I sewed the binding down on our drive to Vancouver last weekend. I love having a binding project on a drive.

Yeah, finished!

Thanks Keli for the fabric inspiration and my friend Rendy at rendytuckerphotography.com for the photos!

::Messing with Magic Numbers::

August 21, 2011 By Katie 38 Comments

My Scrappy Sunshine quilt is about a quarter there. I’m randomly piecing it using ‘magic numbers.’ I often teach in my improvisational classes about using magic numbers for construction. Magic numbers can make improvisational quilt construction that seems impossible a little more within reach.

I had a lot of inquiries so I thought I would do a little explanation of what numbers I used.

The easiest shape to explain are squares. Simply take your desired finished sizes and add a 1/2 inch. Other shapes require different magic numbers and you can find further information with a little google search.

I used 6.5″, 4.5″ and 2.5″ squares for my Scrappy Sunshine Quilt.

I apologize, I messed some of the blocks around constructing this, but you’ll get the picture!

These all nest together once sewn to produce rectangle or square blocks, panels or columns, you just need to think a little ahead to figure out the best method of construction.

I started with a layout for my block and sectioned it in two. First I sew together the smaller squares in each section to match the blocks next to them.

So that would be 2/ 2.5″ blocks for every 4.5″ block and 3/2.5″block for every 6.5″ block, or a 2.5″ and a 4.5″ block for mating with a 6.5″ block.

Keep sewing raw edges together, pinning where needed to match corners.

Now I have two panels the same length.

Sew these two panels together to finish your block. It would be fun to raid the scraps to create a mess of scrappy blocks.

Hope you are all having an amazing weekend. Starting this quilt to produce some of my own sunshine somehow made summer finally come to Seattle.

Tutorials

Paneling | An Improvisational Quilt Design Tutorial

:: Fractured Hearts Pillows ::

Some Stitching

:: Creative Inspiration for Quilt Backs ::

My Go-To Quilt Back Ideas and Inspiration-

::Warm & Cool Hearts Color Value Quilt::

::Quilt Design Wall Tutorial Revamp::

:: Quilter’s Pressing Station Tutorial ::

::DIY Quilter's Ironing/Pressing Station::

Christmas Flurry Pillows

Cutting Corners Binding Technique

Baby Cross Quilt

::Messing with Magic Numbers::

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