BlockLotto - 3-Patch - June 2011

Directions:
http://blocklotto.blogspot.com/2011/06/easiest-lotto-block-ever.html

http://blocklotto.blogspot.com/2011/05/three-patch-rectangles.html

Reminders about fabric:
http://blocklotto.blogspot.com/2011/06/reminder-about-june-fabric-guidelines.html

Examples:
http://blocklotto.blogspot.com/search/label/June%202011%20photos

Binding Tip

http://patspattering.blogspot.com/2011/05/folding-backing-to-front-for-binding.html

Wonky Squares

Clare (France, Aquitaine) - http://dordognequilter.blogspot.com/ and http://quilts4leukaemia.blogspot.com/ found an interesting tutorial on wonky squares.

I'm linking to it here so I can easily refer back to it.

http://piecefulkwilter.blogspot.com/2009/07/wonky-squares-tutorial.html

Mug Rugs: To Practice Binding

I decided in May that I wanted to make a mug rug to go along with some tea and jam I had gotten my son's friend for her birthday. He saw her earlier than I expected so I wasn't able to do the mug rug until he was with her actually.

I auditioned some too cute to cut up apple fabric but then I decided to make my own top using fabric that would go with a mug his friend had made recently:

(After doing this I did a side trip to explore how to work with curved seams.)

Click the photos to see the larger views....







Then I used a different striped material to make the binding.  After I had it put together I realized that I needed to sew the initial seam so it wasn't as close to the edge. Or if I'm going to sew make the binding be so narrow on the top I need to start with narrower strip of fabric (I used 2 inch strip).  The free motion quilting that I did made puffs appear toward the center, so I hope the mug will not topple over!

I waited a few days then decided to test the Missouri Star way of making HST, and I made another mug rug.  This time I just did stitch in the ditch quilting and using 2 inch fabric I sewed the first seam 1/4 inch in so the back was the same size.  I need help with learning what to do with the corners though - I had to reinforce with extra stitching on two of the corners.  This mug rug will go to a friend who has a home office.....

How Curved Seams Work

 I drew some lines on fabric so I could see how adding curved seams would effect the fabric and the size of a block.

 Here I cut the initial seam.

 Sew that seam together.

 Flatten it out.

 After pressing it I put on the ruler to show the size.

 I turned the fabric and cut another curve.

 Sew it.

 Flatten and show the changed size.

 Cut another curve.

 Sew.

 Flatten to show it.

 Trim it up

Same block on other corner of the ruler.

You can see how the lines shifted and disappeared - and how much smaller the square is after the three seams are sewn!

It was easier to do when I started the curve cut after a bit - so the first 1/4 inch or so is sort of straight.

Here are some links to nice tutorials on curves:

Sewing Easy Curves for Quilts

http://www.straw.com/equilters/library/techniques/sewing_curves.html (my sample)

Wonky Wavy Seams (uses lots of pins)

http://www.sewhappy.me/tutorials/wonky-wavy-seams/

Reeds Block

http://blocksnswaps.blogspot.com/2010/04/reeds-free-pieced-quilt-block.html  (my sample)

Leaf Block

http://www.15minutesplay.com/2011/05/june-scrap-bee-block-from-glen.html  (my sample)

Added July 28 2011 or after:

Link Shared by Lib-Quilter Clare  http://dordognequilter.blogspot.com/
http://threadbender.blogspot.com/2007/12/how-to-squiggle.html

Link Shared by Lib-Quilter Sylvia Arman

Video on curved seams

http://www.roserushbrooke.com/video-alicia-merrett.html

Post by Lib-Quilter Michele Bilyeu
http://www.with-heart-and-hands.com/2011/04/my-color-and-design-class-with-jean.html

Tall Tales AKA Blue/Cranberry Quilt

What fun another technique video - Tall Tales AKA Blue/Cranberry Quilt

A nifty pattern where you cut a collection of fabrics into the same sized strips, sew them together, cut to make triangle shape then resew together to make strips. Add sashing, borders and quilt!

In the videos though she adds her thoughts on different decision points.

Joanne from Stashbusters shared the link.

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4


Part 5


Part 6


Part 7


Part 8 - Almost Finished

Billie Lauder's Ultimate Scrappy 4-Patch Technique

Hold on to your hats!

Sue from CA has shared a new-to-me technique for making 4-patches.  I found a link to a video here:
http://mypassionforquilting.blogspot.com/2011/03/quick-4-patch-video-by-billie-lauder.html
(Look at the side bar of mypassionforquilting.blogspot.com for links to more blogs with free patterns or tutorials.)

Now the question is how to size the pinwheel and the 4-patch so they end up being the same size.

The pinwheels lose 1 inch to seams so seems to me if you started with 6 7/8 fabric and do the 4-patch method described here the blocks would be the same as the pinwheels.

Have to think a bit to do the math so the pinwheels would end up the same as the 4-patches....

Missouri Star Quilt: HST Pinwheels and a Leaf and a 3-Patch Rectangle

I was traveling around the web yesterday - looking at triangles as that is the next row for the Liberated Round Robin....

I came across a blog entry called "My First Pinwheel" she had a picture indeed of her first pinwheel - it wasn't the entire quilt or a stack of blocks.  My kind of person, someone who celebrates the little steps.

She used this tutorial from Missouri Star Quilts...


What a wonderful way to think of HST! I know it's not liberated stitching as all the triangles will turn out perfectly - but the thinking behind coming up with the technique is very liberated!

I want to sew up a lot of these!  I have a stack of assorted fabrics that I cut up in charm squares with the acucutter and a stack of smaller squares that I received in the WW Swap.  But it will have to wait until next week as I'm away from the sewing machine for the long WPI Reunion weekend.....  I do need to develop some skill in a hand craft so I can create something while on these trips....

Added:  I started with 5.5 charm squares and my sewing wasn't perfect so my squares ended up being between 3 and 3.25 inches.  I'll verify when I return from this trip.

I did get some sewing done - back to little blocks, but it's still satisfying:

• Friday's Block Party - Week 22: Liberated Leaf
• Block Lotto - June 2011 - Block 3-Patch Rectangle