With our weather being in the triple digits this week I am glad for the opportunity to sit inside and make this week’s block. The last couple of weeks we have been making four patches, half square triangles, pinwheels and flying geese blocks. Today we are adding to our sewing skills and we are making quarter square triangle bocks. While these triangles can be pretty easy to put together, I have been known to use my seam ripper because I have switched the triangles around when sewing and ended up with the colors in the wrong spot. So this is your reminder to double check which way you are sewing before you actually start piecing.
Quick reminder is that this weekend is our Holiday Open House. Visit both of our locations to see what is new for the fall and winter in fabric, kits, embroidery, classes, etc. Each store will have different items on display.
Next week along with the next block I will show two different setting options using the sampler blocks.
This week we are back to making half square triangles but we are incorporating a pinwheel design. The most challenging part about this block is making sure that the half square triangles are laid out in the correct order to get the secondary pinwheel design. This block is fun in the 8” size but would also look lovely as a bigger or smaller version. There are lots of design possibilities.
We are about half way through our Summer Sampler series. We will be debuting two finishing options for our sampler at our Holiday Open House, August 5 & 6. Finishing kits will be available and we will also show other options and ideas in Week 13. If you can’t make it to see in person don’t worry, I will be showing the two finishing options during Week #8.
Next week we will be learning how to make quarter square triangles.
This week we are taking a break from half square triangles, and instead learning how to make flying geese blocks! We will be turning eight flying geese blocks into our larger block and with our color placement we are creating a pinwheel design. Flying geese are a great building block for many quilt blocks and some people even make complete quilts with just the flying geese block.
Next week’s block will also be featuring a pinwheel design.
As we continue to build our skills, this week we are taking the half square triangle unit from the week before and making a smaller version of the triangle unit. We will still be making four patch units and also combining the small half square triangle blocks in to make other half square triangles.
Be sure to checkout both shops this week because we are having some great fabric discounts on select bolts of fabric, remnant specials, and special fat quarter savings!
Mark your calendars for our Holiday Open House, August 5 & 6th. More information coming the next couple of weeks!
A couple of months ago, I was in a sewing funk and just needed something that would be quick and easy and finish-able. While I like to make quilts, according to my family, I have lots of quilt tops and do I really need another quilt? (for me the answer is always yes but not everyone does). In this project, I was able to make a quick and easy quilt top and turned it into a fun summer beach towel using Terry cloth for a backing.
I used the Florida Beach Towel pattern from Ruby Star Society and modified it to use a strip bundle instead of fat eighth bundle. I love using Tula Pink fabric because it makes me happy and her collection, Daydreamer, seemed like the perfect beach towel fabric. The great thing about this project is that is was strips and the hardest part was me figuring out the order I wanted to put them in.
One Strip Set
You make two strip sets and then sew them together. Your quilt top is finished.
Finished Quilt Top
If you wanted to turn this into a quilt you could but I wanted to do something different. At our Boise store, we have this fantastic feeling Terry cloth and that is what I put for the back. The Terry cloth was wide enough that I didn’t have to piece it. I suppose you could use an already made towel just be sure that the hem from the towel doesn’t get in your way.
I quilted my top to the Terry cloth using a fun overall design that I had been wanting to try out. There is no batting in-between because it is a towel. I used So Fine thread in my bobbin and Isacord thread on top. I did not have to make any adjustments to my tension (you might have to so just check before you quilt the whole thing). After quilting, I trimmed it and machine bound it. I did machine binding because as a towel it is going to get washed.
I now have a unique towel that I can easily spot at the pool, beach or lake! The ease of using Terry cloth and simple but effective way of using a strip bundle makes me want to make more! (Several pictures of the finished project- take your pick, do a couple, and be sure to include one that showed of the Terry cloth on the back).
