Pineapples and Easter

Pineapples have been a symbol of friendship for centuries, so it’s no wonder that quilters would create quilt blocks that represent the pineapple.

For those who celebrate Easter, have a wonderful Easter Sunday – with family, friends, watching children enjoying an Easter Egg Hunt.

And even if you don’t celebrate Easter, here’s a video showing how to sew the Pineapple Plant quilt block, and a free pattern – my gift of friendship to you:

http://how-to-quilt.com/articles/1362-pineapple-plant-quiltblock.php

Pineapple Plant quilt block

 

Tidbit of American Quilting History and January Patterns

The project last weekend was moving. And after I got everything to Arcadia, I realized that I’m not as young as I used to be!

In this week’s news, you’ll learn a little bit about various styles of American quilts, and how designs evolved.

Of course, you’ll find the January free quilt block patterns, too:

http://how-to-quilt.com/newsletter/americanquilting.php

 

Appreciate a Dragon Day

This seems to be a week of celebrations!

And today is a wonderful day to celebrate – and appreciate – dragons.

Now, you might think that appreciating a dragon or two is a rather unusual thing to do.

And, before I really thought about it, I did, too.

But, really, there is magic in dragons.

Just think about the movie “Pete’s Dragon.”

My kids learned lots about people and attitudes watching that movie and talking about the various characters in it.

And more recently, “How to Train Your Dragon” was equally enlightening – and, just think – YOUR dragon, not just any dragon.

With all that in mind, it wasn’t too surprising that when quilting daughter, Stephanie, found a batik panel with a dragon, she immediately bought it.

What was interesting was how she turned it into a wall hanging.

Enjoy Appreciating a Dragon (or a dragon quilt) today:

http://www.how-to-quilt.com/articles/1473-dragon-quilt.php

Dragon Wall Hanging using Batik Panel

 

Memory Quilts with Comments

Memory quilts come in many different forms.

As we have learned in other emails, one popular form is with pictures printed onto fabric and then sewn into blocks in a quilt.

A different form of making memories is by creating quilts with spaces so that family and friends can write messages or sign the quilt.

You’ll see some possibilities when you visit:

http://how-to-quilt.com/articles/1408-memory-quilt-with-comments.php

Double Irish Chain memory quilt

 

8 Pointed Stars with Diamonds

Is it the 8 points or the diamonds that makes these beauties difficult to sew?

Once you have sewn one, the answer to that question is simple – it’s the diamonds.

I still haven’t figured out why that is, though.

You are still just sewing seams together.

But, before I knew this special technique, every time I sewed an 8 pointed star, something went wrong.

Either the center would lie flat or some of the sides were wavy.

One day, though, I ran across some instructions that completely solved the problem.

Of course, you still need to take care as you sew:

http://how-to-quilt.com/articles/2206-sewing-8pointed-stars.php

Blazing Star Quilt Block – an 8 pointed star with diamonds

 

Butterfly Dance Quilt Pattern

Don’t you love a quilt that has movement?  In today’s article, we are making a small 36″ x 54″ quilt that resembles dancing butterflies. Rose Smith has made it up entirely of half square triangles.

The two different blocks are laid out to resemble a group of butterflies in flight.

Have fun with this pattern today at:

http://how-to-quilt.com/articles/7581-butterfly-dance.php

 

Using Large Prints

Quilts have traditionally been made with calicoes, solids, and small prints.  There wasn’t much to worry about when it came to patterns or layout.

Today, quilters are using large prints to give their quilts a new, more interesting dimensional look.

In today’s how-to-quilt.com’s article, we are discussing the use of large prints in quilts.  Four types of large prints are discussed, how to use them, and how to avoid mistakes that can arise from using large prints.

Even thought it doesn’t always make sense to cut up large prints into smaller pieces, thus losing the integrity of the print, the reassembled quilt can turn out quite dramatic.  If you stack the fabric so the prints are on top of each other, you can cut them into identical pieces that can then be made into a kaleidoscope quilt.

The best way to decide the colors in the print is to back away from the fabric and look at what colors you see.  A bold, high contrast print will not work as well in a quilt as one with an overall color scheme where the colors all blend.  A reducing glass is useful in this case when trying to determine the colors that will result when the fabric is cut up.

Using large prints is a great way to give your quilts interest and make them more dynamic.  Continue reading about large prints at:

http://www.how-to-quilt.com/articles/6525-using-large-prints.php

 

Pleasure Paths Quilt Block and Baby Quilt

Sometimes the simplest quilt blocks can make the most stunning quilts.  This particular block, the Pleasure Paths quilt block is made almost entirely from squares and rectangles and yet several of them together create a really pretty quilt.  I’ve made it up in shades of pink but of course it would look just as good in any other colours.

The original Pleasure Paths block came from a magazine called the Farm Journal and Farmer’s Wife, which used to publish quilt block patterns in the 1920’s.  It was a square but my version is 18” by 14”.

The fabric requirements are:

Light fabric:  four rectangles 4.1/2” by 2.1/2”, four rectangles 6.1/2” by 2.1/2”, ten 2.1/2” squares and two 2.7/8” squares.
Dark fabric:  thirteen rectangles 4.1/2” by 2.1/2”, three 2.1/2” squares and two 2.7/8” squares.

It is simplest to cut 2.1/2” strips of both fabrics and cut the squares and rectangles from the strips.

The half square triangles are made by placing a light and dark 2.7/8” square with right sides together and marking a line along the diagonal.  Sew a ¼” seam either side of the line and cut along the line to produce two half square triangle units.  You will need four of these for each quilt block.

Lay the patchwork squares out as shown in seven rows of nine squares each.  Isn’t it lovely how that looks like a circle in the middle even through it is formed with straight lines!

Sew the pieces together across each row and then sew the rows together.  Sewing the rows together is easier than in some blocks because the seams from one row very often don’t match the seams in the next row because of the brick like formation.  This means that you don’t have the problem of checking that the seam allowances face in different directions.

Make four of these Pleasure Paths quilt blocks, sew them together in pairs and then sew the pairs of blocks together to make a delightful baby quilt.  I added a quilt border using squares on point and pinwheels for cornerstones, but you could just as easily add a simple strip of fabric for a border or even bind the baby quilt without a border.

For instructions and more photos, please go to:

http://www.how-to-quilt.com/articles/1158-pleasure-paths.php

 

Quilts for Valentines Day and How to Quilt Weekly News

Happy Valentine’s Day tomorrow!

If you are anything like I am, and you’ve waited until the last minute to do something to celebrate, you’ll find a couple of last minute ideas below.

It’s easy to create a one block wall hanging, and with some quick and easy machine quilting, your Valentine will be pleased and you may even be able to pull it off as a surprise!

I’m not above cutting the fabric out and presenting the box of pieces with a picture of the quilt or wall hanging as a gift.
That way, they have something to open – and you can work on the quilt without having to hide the fact that it is a gift. Heck, you may even get some help with it.

If you have any kind of business – or are considering starting a business, mark your calendar for next Monday when we will host a live webinar with “Grassroots Marketing” expert, Jeff Slutsky.

This is a FREE event and you will be able to hear Jeff’s low cost ideas for generating customers for your business – - – and you will be able to ask him questions.

You’ll find more information and free quilt block patterns when you visit:

http://how-to-quilt.com/newsletter/valentinequiltblocks.php

Jeff Slutsky grassroots marketing expert

 

Quilts with Curves

What is it about sewing curved patches for quilts that makes most quilters cringe?

Maybe it’s because the pieces we are going to sew together aren’t at all the same shape and just don’t look like they will fit together.

Possibly it’s because the raw edges on both pieces are cut on the bias, causing them to stretch – and we all know that if patches get stretched too much, the finished block can be too big, too small, or completely out of shape.

Or maybe it’s because we have seen the quilts with curves that other quilters have made that are all pucker-y.

Whatever the reason – I’m with you, quilts with curves are more difficult to sew than quilts with simple straight edges.

But not impossible!

And, truthfully, it can be easy to sew curved patches for your quilts.

It wasn’t always that way for me.

When I first began quilting, I avoided curved patches like the plague.

Oh, I did make some heart baby quilts – but the hearts were machine appliquéd and I didn’t have to match any raw edges.

That was hard enough. Why would I want to try to sew two curved patches together?

But, one day, quilting daughter, Stephanie, chose a heart quilt pattern she wanted me to make for her Sunday School teacher.

It was a beautiful quilt, but I was terrified!

Weeks passed until I stumbled across a book that had tips for sewing curved patches.

Once I tried the techniques described in the book, I realized that those curves weren’t that difficult to sew at all.

The heart quilt was finished in no time – and ready to present to the beloved teacher.

You’ll have the keys to sewing curved patches in your quilts with this resource in your quilting toolbox:

http://www.how-to-quilt.com/quiltswithcurves.php

Illinois Rose Quilt - with curves