Quilting Tutorials....a ton of 'em!

Links to free tutorials...some mine, others from around the web.  Enjoy!

 

 Baby Quilt Tutorial

 

Christmas Tree Skirt Tutorial

Circle Quilt Tutorial

Crazy Nine-Patch Lattice Quilt

Disappearing Nine Patch - (easy and fun block good for Linus)

Flossie Tea Cakes Tutorials

Hexagon Tutorial (using mylar bases)

Modified Bento Box Quilt - (I made it...check out flikr)

PaintBox Quilt Along (I am in the process of making this and it is major fun)

Saturday Market Skirt (Patti Henderson)

Sewing Zippers In Bags (you can do it!)

Stitch and Flip Hexagon Tutorial

Straight Line Quilting from Tallgrass Prarie Studio

String Quilt Block Turorial

Sweet and Simple Nightie (made this from 'guess who's' voile!

Wonky Patchwork Pillow

 

 

Start Small....(for the Holidays)

To the left is a link to a free pattern offered by Quiltmaker Magazine for a set of very easy and quick Holiday placemats.  You will find instructions for there napkins as well.

I am going to put together a few sets of these for hostess gifts.

So get out that holiday fabric, grab a cup of tea and get into the holiday spirit.....slowly....don't panic...start with a small project.  We can handle this!  Right?
Even if we have to put it off until the last minute...it really is do-able.

Canasta Quilts Option 1: Natural Canasta

Elizabeth Hartman is tempting us with this new pattern series called Canasta Quilts.  I have decided to continue my 'square in square' series with this option first, then I will give the wonky a go.  The patterns will be in her etsy shop for download tomorrow.

Here is a blue variation.....Elizabeth's cat, Maeby, gives it the paw of approval.

Also, somewhere in the recent past I made a post about her incredible Paintbox Quilt-along.  My goal now is to start collecting the fabrics in colorways to do the whole quilt.  It may be a lifetime project, but my list is so long already that the end is not in sight.  That is positively positive, I think.

Flikr Photo of the Day

Love this series of quilts and the photos from Ashley over at FilmInTheFridge .

Quilting for Linus....

I missed my day to quilt with my Linus group, so I quilted for Linus at home instead.  I have been making quilts for the teenage boys, but today I looked at the seersucker and flannel and got the warm fuzzies to make a baby quilt.

We all want to make the girlie or newborn quilts, but I could not help myself.  So the flannel started flying and off I went...

These are very simple quilts to make, and are so adorable.  I want to run out and borrow someone's baby and wrap it up. 

After I was almost finished, I got the bright idea to try my hand at a tutorial (my first). 

Bearing in mind I decided to do a tutorial for this quilt after I had almost finished, the pics are a little strange, but here 'tis.

You will probably need:

1/2 yard of each fabric plus a little extra for the border, and 1 yard each of the backing flannel and the batting.  Scraps are great or you can get a charm pack of baby prints and make a bunch of quilts. 

1.  Cut squares (I used 5" squares of each fabric) to make a simple four patch using two fabrics.   I like to use soft cotton or, in this case, seersucker.  

2. Sew them together for the top to make whatever size you like, newborn, baby or floor.

3.  Add a border.

4.  Cut backing of some adorable baby flannel print a couple of inches larger than your quilt top and do the same with your batting.

5. At this point I like to sew the backing to the front of the quilt, right sides together with 1/4" inch seam all round the quilt leaving 6 or so inches open for turning.  Then layer as follows:  batting, backing up and quilt top down.  Sew around remembering to leave that open space.  

6.  Turn the whole thing inside out, pin the opening closed, press and whip stitch closed.  Sew around the outside with a scant 1/4".  

7.  Quilt or tie as you prefer, be sure to put a label on and give to that Mama-to-be.

Always a quilt...

Even in these near 100 degree summer days, there is always a quilt on our bed, every bed.
I have made every quilt and each one has a personality and a memory.  This quilt was made at our mini-group's retreat.  We made one for the Cancer Center's Quilt Auction and one for ourselves.  

We swap fabric.  I can look at this quilt and think "Elly shared this fabric" and "Irene showed me how to square this up" and "Kay helped me pick fabric".........and everyone helped me agonize over block placement!

Missy, gives this quilt (and any other she can curl up on) her approval.  There is something about cats and quilts that go together and bring out the 'ahhhhh' factor in me.

This quilt is "Maggie's" quilt.  It sits on our window seat where she likes to doze.  It doesn't belong anyplace else. 






Here is is unfolded
....all those great Moda fabrics.

The quilt on the left is one of the ones I will have for sale on etsy when I get my act together.  I have three that will be for sale, and I don't know whether to have a separate shop on etsy for them, or to include them with the purses and writstlets.














I have a soft spot for this quilt.  I saw a Feathered Star Quilt at a show in Folsom and fell in love with it.  I knew the only way I would have one would be to make it myself.  What a challenge, but I think it is my best work.

Someday, I will post more about my quilts.  To see more you can go to my Flickr Photostream.  Quilts in my home and some still in progress. The bags and wristlets I make have all been photographed to upload into my shop at etsy. So they are there too.  If you do go...take some time to look at the comments from others and look at their work especially Ann Stewart's page.  Follow the trail from one quilter to another and time just flys by.
See you when you get back!:)

Come on in....

This Pinwheel quilt made with repro fabrics is my favorite of all....I call it my 'nap quilt'. There is a view of the back. I got this idea from one of your blogs of course! Missy definitely approves.

This is by far the largest quilt I have made. It is also the one I love most .It is a Pineapple, and took forever with all the squaring up and trimming. But there it is .... (no, I don't keep on the hammock, but thought it would make a good photo.

Come on in...I want to share my quilting life......This is the wonderful room Garth and I designed when we added on to our home. I can spend a lot of time here.