Threads of Memory ~ February

Mercer County Star

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Month, Threads of Memory.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com

This is how I made my block, it may

differ from the original.

Fabric Requirements:

Fabric A: Red print

4 - 4 1/2''squares

Fabric B: Green

1 - 6'' square 

Fabric C: Large Light Print

2 - 6'' squares - Mark a 

diagonal line on back.

Fabric D: Blue

1 - 6'' square

Fabric E: Small Light Print

4 - 1 1/2'' squares

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

Fabric F: Red

8 - 1 1/2'' squares - Mark a 

diagonal line on back.

Fabric G: Fussy Cut

1 - 2 1/2'' square

Make Small Center Star: 

Make Flying Geese Units:

Place a Fabric F 1 1/2'' square on left

side of a Fabric E rectangles and sew

a thread width below drawn line.  Open

and press to the corner, trim back 2 

layers of fabric to 1/4''.

Repeat process on the right side of 

rectangle.  Make 4 of this unit.

Layout units as shown and sew

together in 3 rows.  Press seams 

in rows 1 and 3 to the outside and

seams in row 2 to the inside.

Sew rows together and square to 4 1/2''.

Make Quarter Square Triangles

(Outer Center Units)

Pair 6'' squares in the following combinations

with right sides together:

1 - B/C    1 - C/D

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

cut on drawn line and press seams to the

Fabrics B and D.  On the Fabric B/C units,

mark a diagonal line on the opposite

diagonal from the seam.

Pair a B/C unit with a C/D unit with

right sides together as shown.  Be 

sure to have seams lock against each 

other.  Sew 1/4'' away from each side 

of drawn line, cut on drawn line and

press seam open to reduce bulk.

Squaring a Quarter Square Triangle is easy 

if you follow the directions!  Place the diagonal

line of the ruler along the seam line as shown.

Since we want a 4 1/2'' square, place the 2 1/4''

intersection at the center of block (as shown

with the arrow), now trim the top and right 

seams.  

Rotate the unit and place the 4 1/2''

lines of the ruler along the left and bottom

edges and trim the remaining untrimmed

edges.  Make 4 of this unit.

Layout units as shown and sew together

in 3 rows.  Press seams in rows 1 and 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 12 1/2''.

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

http://www.flickr.com/groups/threadsofmemory/#

If you like what you see here, please

become a follower of this blog and leave a 

comment, let me know you are out there!

~ Ellen

Threads of Memory ~ January

Portsmouth Star

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Month, Threads of Memory.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com

This is how I made my block. it may

differ from the original.  If you want 

to use a fussy cut in the corner units

this is not the method to use.  It is 

best to use a fabric that will blend 

easily for the Fabric B.

Fabric Requirements:

Fabric A: Fussy Cut

1 - 4 1/2'' square

Fabric B:  Blue

4 - 2 1/2'' squares

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

Fabric C: Green

2 - 3 1/4'' squares - Mark

a diagonal line on back.

1 - 6'' square

Fabric D:  Red Print

2 - 3 1/4'' squares

1 - 6'' square

Fabric E: White Print

2 - 6'' squares - Mark a 

diagonal line on back.

Make Half Square Triangles:

Pair Fabric C and Fabric D 3 1/4'' squares

with right sides together.  Sew 1/4'' away from 

each side of the drawn line, cut on drawn line.

  Press seams to the Fabric C and square to 2 1/2''.

Make Corner Units:

Layout a Half Square Triangle and Fabric B

2 1/2'' square as shown and sew together, 

press seam to the Fabric B square.

Layout above unit and Fabric B rectangle

as shown and sew together, press seam to

the rectangle.  Square to 4 1/2''.

Make 4 of this unit.

Make Quarter Square Triangles:

Pair 6'' squares in the following combinations:

1 - E/D        1 - E/C 

The first step is the same as making a Half

Square Triangle:  sew 1/4'' away from each

side of the drawn line, cut on the drawn line.

  Press seams to the darker fabric.  Mark a 

diagonal line on the opposite diagonal from the 

seam on the Fabric C/E units.

Take care with this step, you want to pair the

E/C and E/D units with right sides together.

You want the 2 seams to butt up against each 

other and lock in place, pin along the seams.

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

line, cut on drawn line.  Press seam open to

reduce bulk.

With Quarter Square Triangles there is a very

specific way to square up.  Place the diagonal line 

on the ruler on the diagonal seam that runs from 

top right to bottom left, also for this size QST, 

place the 2 1/4'' mark on the ruler in the center

of the unit as shown by the arrow.  Now trim the 

top and side.

Rotate the unit and place the 4 1/2'' lines of 

the ruler on the left and bottom edges as shown.

Trim top and right side.

Make 4 of this unit.

Layout units as shown and sew together in

3 rows.  Press the seams in rows 1 and 3 to 

the outside and the seams in row 2 to the

inside.

Sew rows together and press seams open to 

reduce bulk.  Square to 12 1/2''.

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

http://www.flickr.com/groups/threadsofmemory/

A New Project for the New Year

I'll be having fun with my friends from all

around the world this year as we participate 

in Barbara Brackman's Threads of Memory

Block of the Month.  A new block will be posted

on the 3rd Saturday of each month.  Check in

here for a tutorial each month.

Dixie Diary ~ First 2014 Finish!

I have been participating in Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Month, Dixie Diary.  We

did a block a month throughout 2013.  Some months

I got the blocks done promptly and some months it

just didn't happen.  Prepping for Quilt Market and

working on my first book took a lot of my time this

year,  But by December, I was all caught up and I 

designed and pieced the top.

I was so excited to finish the quilt before the end

of the year and with weeks to spare.  In case you 

don't know, our name is Murphy and in typical

Murphy's Law fashion, just as I was free motion

quilting the final block in the quilt and dreaming 

about what movies I would watch while binding

it and what snacks I would reward myself with

for being such a good Block of the Month

 participant ~ poof ~ Crazy Janie, my sewing

machine said Nooooo, I'm done!  She locked up 

completely, the wheel refused to move.  I took

her to the hospital.  My daughter was coming

home from Purdue about this time and I told

her to bring home her Project Runway machine

from the sorority house, thinking I could free

motion quilt with that.  Ahhh, no.  Also no to

quilting on the featherweights ~ let's just say

I spent alot of time with a seam ripper...

Meanwhile Crazy Janie, was still in the hospital.

She needed a part and with 2 major holidays

and wild weather all over the country, there 

were delays.  Mr. Wonderful & I braved the

ice and snow last Saturday and picked her up.

She now purrs like a kitten.

So today, I put aside making samples and 

spent the day finishing the quilting on the 

last block and adding binding and hand sewing

the binding and I'm done!!!!  

Now I'm looking forward to the next project

due to start later in January.

Dixie Diary ~ December

Turning Yankee

 

 

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Month, Dixie Diary.

 

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com

 

Here is my December block and it was finished

in December ~ yeah!!!!  Well, that winds up the

blocks for this year.  No tutorial this time since

I made it as described in the original post.

 

I was so excited to get the quilt pieced, quilted

and finished by Christmas.  While doing the

free-motion quilting on my home machine, I

got to the last block and poof! ~ my machine

just stopped.  MURPHY'S LAW!!!  The machine

is at the hospital and I await the diagnosis...

 

My daughter brought her Project Runway machine

home from the sorority house at Purdue (I love that

she took her sewing machine to college).  I'm going

 to see if I can quilt with it once it is unpacked from

the car.  Wish me luck!



Dixie Diary ~ November

Just Hominy

 

 

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Month, Dixie Diary.

 

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com

 

Still playing catch-up on the Dixie Diary

blocks.  No tutorial this time since I made

mine as described in the original.  My best

advice for this block is to go slowly and be

sure to mark 1/4'' from the edge when doing

the y-seams.  Good Luck!



Dixie Diary ~ October

Shooting Stars

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Month, Dixie Diary.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com

This is how I made my block, it may differ

from the original.

Fabric Requirements:

Fabric A: Light

2 - 3 1/2'' x 6 1/2'' rectangles

4 - 4 1/4'' squares - Mark a 

diagonal line on the back.

Fabric B - Dark

2 - 3 1/2'' x 6 1/2'' rectangles

4 - 4 1/4'' squares

Make Half Square Triangles:

Pair Fabric A and Fabric B squares with 

right sides together,  sew 1/4'' away from 

each side of drawn line, cut on line.  Press

the seams of 2 of the HST's to the light

fabric and the rest of the seams to the

dark fabric.  Square to 3 1/2''.

Make Center Unit:

Layout Half Square Triangle units as shown.

Note the arrows that indicate the direction 

the seams are pressed, this will help in having

precise points.  Sew together in 2 rows.  Press

seams in row 1 to the left and seam in row 2

to the right.

Sew rows together and press this seam

open to reduce bulk.  Square to 6 1/2'' x 6 1/2''.

Sew a dark rectangle to each side 

of the center unit, press the seams

to the outside.

Make Top and Bottom Units:

Layout units as shown and sew together.

press seams to the inside.

Sew units to the top and bottom,

matching seams.  Press final seams 

open to reduce bulk.  Square to 12 1/2''.

I added the sashing and applique as

described in month 1.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/2013/01/dixie-diary-1-her-flag-flying.html

Dixie Diary ~ September

The Hands of Strangers

 

 

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Month, Dixie Diary.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com

 

Today I realized I somehow missed September,

I chalk that up to too much work and some

travel fun thrown in.  I'll post October's

sometime later in the month.

 

 

Fabric Requirements:

 

Fabric A: Red

1 - 7 1/4'' square

 

Fabric B: White, Red & Green Print

1 - 7 1/4'' square

 

Fabric C: Blue

4 - 3 1/2'' x 6 1/2'' rectangles

 

Fabric D: Green & White Print

4 - 3 1/2'' squares

 

 

Make Half Square Triangles:

Mark a diagonal line on the back of the
Fabric B 7 1/4'' square.

Pair the 7 1/4'' squares with right sides

together.  Sew 1/4'' away from each side of

the drawn line. 

 

 

 

Press seams to the dark fabric.  Square to 6 1/2''.

 

Note: you will need only 1 of the half square

triangles, save the other for another project.

 

 

Sew a Fabric C rectangle to each side

of the Half Square Triangle.

Press seams to the Fabric C.

 

 

Sew Fabric D squares to each side of

the remaining Fabric C rectangles.

Press seams to the Fabric C.

 

 

Layout units as shown and sew together.

 

 

Square to 12 1/2''.

 

 

I added the sashing and applique as

described in month 1.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/2013/01/dixie-diary-1-her-flag-flying.html