American Homestead: Honoring Women's Rights

http://www.americanhomesteaddesign.com/Feltworks.html

I like to use felt for applique. I design

feltwork patterns ~

and thought this would be a good chance to try

a design that was 8 1/2''.

So here is a little free feltwork tutorial

for this week!

I start by determining the size I would

like the piece to be and marking that

measure along the fold of a folded piece

of construction paper. I then sketch the

design and cut it out and when you open

the folded paper...

... you have your designs. I used a circle

template for the 1 1/4'' circle and for the

flower shape, this pattern was just slightly

larger than a piece from my

Serendipity pattern so I made it larger.

It is a good idea to lay it all out prior

to cutting your pieces to be sure it all

fits well.

Here are my pattern pieces, just enlarge

the white area until it measures 8 1/2''

across. At this point I transfer the designs

to poster board and cut them out since this

makes tracing more stable but if you are

only making one, you could trace the

construction paper shapes if you are careful.

Trace onto the dull side of freezer paper.

( If I have scraps left over from bigger

projects I save them and use them for

small pieces like this project.)

Press the shapes onto good quality felt.

I use a 20% wool/80% rayon felt from

National Nonwovens that is excellent

quality and the colors are fabulous.

This is nothing like the 5/$1 craft felt.

Cut out the pieces and pin to your 8 1/2''

background piece.

I whip stitched all the pieces in place using

a matching embroidery floss. I then added

some additional stitching to the center using

very simple embroidery stitches such as, the

French Knot and the Lazy Daisy stitch.

I'll be hanging this piece somewhere in

my house. I hope you will give felt applique

a chance, it is fast, easy & fun.

Checkout everyone's work on Dustin's Flickr site:

http://www.facebook.com/americanhomesteaddesign/

American Homestead

is now on Facebook.

Please "like" my page!

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Honoring Women's Rights ~ Week 45

Aunt Mary's Favorite

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Week, Grandmother's Choice.

This is how I made my block. It may

differ from the original instructions.

Fabric Requirements:

Fabric A: Fussy Cut

1 - 4 1/2'' square

Fabric B: Blue

4 - 2 1/2'' squares - Mark

a diagonal line on back.

Fabric C: White Print

4 - 2 1/2'' squares

Fabric D: Red

3 - 2 1/2'' x 4 1/2'' rectangles

Make Center Unit:

Place a Fabric B square on opposite

sides of Fabric A square as shown and

sew on drawn line. Press to the corner,

then trim seam to 1/4''.

Repeat to opposite corners and square

to 4 1/2''.

Sew a Fabric D rectangle to each side of

center unit and press seams to the Fabric D.

Sew a Fabric C square to each side of

a Fabric D rectangle as shown. Make 2.

Sew long rectangle units to top and

bottom of center unit as shown.

Square to 8 1/2''.

Check out everyone's work on Dustin's Flickr site:

American Homestead is

now on Facebook. Please

"like" my page.

http://chock-a-blockquiltblocks.blogspot.com

Please "follow" this blog and check

out my other blog:

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Honoring Women's Rights ~ Week 44

A bit of "Taking Care of Business"

On July 1 Google Reader will cease to

exist, so if you follow this blog on Google

Reader we will no longer be connected.

I took the advice of other bloggers and

went to www.bloglovin.com and just clicked

a button to switch to that site and I get to

keep all the blogs I follow very easily.

Then I added Bloglovin to my favorites

list so I can easily access them. I hope you

will do the same or something similar so

we can easily stay connected. Thanks ~ Ellen

Star of Hope

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Week, Grandmother's Choice.

This is how I made my block, it

may differ from the original.

Fabric Requirements:

Fabric A: Red

4 - 3 3/16'' squares

Fabric B: White print

2 - 4 1/4'' squares - Mark a

diagonal line on back.

Fabric C: Blue

1 - 4 1/4'' square

Fabric D: Green

1 - 4 1/4'' square

Fabric E: Fussy Cut

1 - 3 3/16'' square

Make Half Square Triangles:

Pair 4 1/4'' squares with right sides

together in the following combinations:

1 - B/C 1 - B/D

Sew 1/4'' away from each side of drawn

line, cut on drawn line. Press seam to

the darker fabric. Use for Quarter Square

Triangles.

Make Quarter Square Triangles:

Mark a diagonal line on the back of the

B/D Half Square Triangle unit going from

the opposite corners from the seam.

Place a B/C and B/D Half Square Triangle

together with right sides together. When you

pull back the corner along the seam it should

look like the photo above. Sew 1/4'' away from

each side of the new drawn line, cut on drawn

line and press seam open to reduce bulk.

Now we must square this unit to 3 3/16''.
(To halve 3 3/16'' would just be going too
small so we are using a generous 1 9/16'')

This is a bit tricky since we now will have to

deal with small measurements. I have marked

my ruler with tape to show the intersection of

the 1 9/16'' lines . Place the point where these
2 lines intersect on the middle of the Quarter
Square Triangle (where all the fabrics meet in
the middle). Make sure the diagonal line of the
ruler is on the diagonal seam line.
Trim the top and right side.

Now rotate the block so the untrimmed

edges are on the top and right sides.

Square up the block to 3 3/16.

Make 4 of these units.

Layout units as shown and sew together

in 3 rows. Press seams in rows 1 & 3 to

the outside and seams in row 2 to the inside.

Sew rows together and press the final seams

open to reduce bulk. Square to 8 1/2''.

Check out everyone's work on Dustin's Flickr site:

American Homestead is now

on Facebook. Please "like"

my page.

http://chock-a-blockquiltblocks.blogspot.com

Please "follow" this blog and check out

my other blog:

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Honoring Women's Rights ~ Week 43

A bit of "Taking Care of Business"

On July 1 Google Reader will cease to

exist, so if you follow this blog on Google

Reader we will no longer be connected.

I took the advice of other bloggers and

went to www.bloglovin.com and just clicked

a button to switch to that site and I get to

keep all the blogs I follow very easily.

Then I added Bloglovin to my favorites

list so I can easily access them. I hope you

will do the same or something similar so

we can easily stay connected. Thanks ~ Ellen

Gentleman's Fancy

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Week, Grandmother's Choice.

This week I made the block according to the

given directions even though I am triangularly

challenged. I could have made this with half

square triangles but you would not have been

able to fussy cut. My block is wibbly-wobbly

but it is finished!!! Did you hear my screams

all the way in Australia?

Sew a Fabric A small square to opposite sides

of the Fabric D fussy cut square. Press seams

to the outside.

Sew Fabric A small triangles to the remaining

sides of the Fabric D fussy cut square, press

seams to the outside. Square to 4 1/8''.

Sew a Fabric B small triangle to each side

of a Fabric C large triangle as shown, press

seams to the outside. Trim dog ears.

Make 4.

Sew a Fabric A large triangle to the top of the

unit we just made as shown. Press seam to the

Fabric A triangle. Do this to all 4 units.

Sew 2 small Fabric A triangles to the above

unit as shown, press seams to the outside.

Trim dog ears. Make 2 of this unit.

Sew 2 of the above units to the center diamond

in a square unit. Press seams to the outside.

This is the center diagonal unit.

Sew the 2 remaining triangle units to each side

of the center diagonal unit, matching seams.

Press to within an inch of its life ~ with starch!

Square to 8 1/2''.

Check out everyone's work on Dustin's Flickr site:

American Homestead is

now on Facebook. Please

"like" my page!

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Honoring Women's Rights ~ Week 42

Cats and Mice

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Week, Grandmother's Choice.

This is how I made my block. It may

differ from the original instructions.

Fabric Requirements:

Fabric A; Yellow

1 - 3 1/2'' square

4 - 2 3/8'' squares

Fabric B: Blue

2 - 3 1/2'' squares - Mark a

diagonal line on the back.

Fabric C: Green

1 - 3 1/2'' square

Fabric D: White

1 - 6 9/16'' square - cut on

the diagonal twice.

Fabric E: Red

1 - 2 3/8'' square

2 - 2 3/16'' squares - cut

one on the diagonal

Make Half Square Triangles:

Pair 3 1/2'' squares with right sides

together in the following combinations:

1 - A/B 1 - B/C

Sew 1/4'' away from each side of drawn

line, cut on drawn line. Press seam to

the Fabric B. Use for Quarter Square

Triangles.

Make Quarter Square Triangles:

Mark a diagonal line on the back of the

A/B Half Square Triangle unit going from

the opposite corners from the seam.

Place an A/B and B/C Half Square Triangle

together with right sides together. When you

pull back the corner along the seam it should

look like the photo above. Sew 1/4'' away from

each side of the new drawn line, cut on drawn

line and press seam to the Fabric B.

Now we must square this unit to 2 3/8''.

This is a bit tricky since we now will have to

deal with small measurements. I have marked

my ruler with tape to show the intersection of

the 1 3/16'' lines which is half of 2 3/8''. Place

the point where these 2 lines intersect on the

middle of the Quarter Square Triangle (where

all the fabrics meet in the middle). Make sure

the diagonal line of the ruler is on the diagonal

seam line. Trim the top and right side.

Now rotate the block so the untrimmed

edges are on the top and right sides.

Square up the block to 2 3/8''.

Make 4 of these units.

Layout units as shown and sew together.

Press seams toward the pointed end.

Make 4 of these units.

Layout above unit and 2 large

triangles as shown and sew together.

Press seams toward the triangles.

Make 2 of these units.

Layout 2 remaining pointy units and

Fabric E 2 3/8'' square as shown and

sew together. Make 1 of this unit.

Sew triangle units to the center diagonal

unit and press seams to the triangle units.

Square to 8 1/2''.

Check out everyone's work on Dustin's Flickr site:

American Homestead is now

on Facebook. Please "like"

my page.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Honoring Women's Rights ~ Week 41

Contrary Wife

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Week, Grandmother's Choice.

This is how I made my block. The directions

may differ from the original.

Fabric Requirements:

Fabric A: Red

3 - 3 3/16'' squares

Fabric B: Green

2 - 4'' squares

Fabric C: White

2 - 4'' squares - Mark a

diagonal line on back.

Fabric D: Blue

2 - 3 3/16'' squares

Make Half Square Triangles:

Pair Fabric B and Fabric C 3 3/16''

squares, with right sides together.

Sew 1/4'' away from each side of the

drawn line. Press seam to the Fabric B.

Square to 3 3/16''.

Layout units as shown and sew together

in 3 rows. Press seams in rows 1 & 3 to

the outside and seams in row 2 to the inside.

Sew rows together and press final seams

open to reduce bulk. Square to 8 1/2''.

Check out everyone's work on Dustin's Flickr site: