Seams, tips, and cuts

I really just wanted to share today. I have been working on my quilt. I have a few helpful tips. When cutting the 1 3/4 pieces, lay the ruler down to cut at 3 1/2 and cut with the rotary cutter. Do not move anything but the ruler and cut at 1 3/4.This is a much faster way of cutting. If you can get a 1/4 inch foot, I would highly suggest it. I do not have one for my machine and getting the seam correct is really getting on my nerves. I have the setting now. I have used painters tape to mark my guide. Somehow, all the seams foot my stars are just lovely. The one that is getting me is the pretty chain. There are more seams there. I guess, the diagonal seam isn't a problem on the star. Also, if you are going to cut the strip sets more than one at a time. Stagger the second set. This will make cutting easier. Another useful tip, on the strip sets, use the seam across the strip to line up and make the cuts. That's all I got for today.

No Binding Pot Holder

This was pretty simple. It took  about an hour. I took a paper plate shaved down a bit on the sides. I have seen the oval pot holders in Target. I wanted something along those lines.
I did get material from target. It was a dish towel. The orange is just cotton.
You will need:
1/4 yard of decorative fabric and complimentary fabric. Cut two pieces for the front and back of the oval and 2 pieces for the front and back of pocket. 1 piece of heat resistant batting each piece. 3” by 1/4” piece of binding.

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I just cut out the outer circular piece using paper plate as template.  Tip: salad plate may work. 

Once the outer circle was cut, I took a piece of paper and cut off about a 1/4” for the outer pocket. I used pins around the outer edge to make sure that my hand would fit and feel comfortable.



This is just showing me cutting both of the back coordinating fabric.


This is the 3rd part, cutting the heat resistant batting.

Now the layers go like this, heat resistant batting,back and front with right sides together.

You will sew a quarter inch seam around the outside leaving a gap for turning. the picture also shows that along the curve edge I have cut in slits to make fabric curve easier.

On the pocket, there will be two points on each side. Cut those corners off. This will make for less bulk once it is turned.

Here is the gap we left for turning.

I hand sewed the open gap. You can also sew it down right on that edge.

I decided on a simple quilting pattern. Just a few spirals. I used the foot as my guide.

This is piece that was cut for loop.

Fold in in half. The angle piece at the bottom will be towards the outer edge of circle.

Pin this down.

Sew the two pieces together where the  loop is meeting the edge of the circle.That way I could back stitch and give it more security.

This the back, and it turned out really well.
There are always things that you can use as a template. Paper, newspaper, or a plate about the right size. The shape can be as complex as a heart,apple, or cupcake. Just be creative. You can always start with something simple and work your way to something bigger. You could just jump in as well. I did get a new camera and will be working on lighting. It seems that the dining area doesn’t have enough natural light. There aren’t any windows. I also wanted to suggest that if you are cutting on your kitchen table, like me, you may want to get bed lifters for it. My husband does wood working. So, I will get him to cut 4 blocks for me. Thanks for visiting. I hope you enjoyed.

Sweet Chain Block

I didn’t have enough of the fabric for all the sawtooth stars for my queen quilt. Wouldn’t you know, they didn’t have any of that fabric left. I checked everywhere. I saw this online at Joann’s. It’s a coordinating fabric. I thought the pattern was smaller, but this is what I got in the mail. This will make a pretty secondary design. Finally, I can get this finished.
Chain 10'’ block. These are the cuts:
Dark Fabric
1 (5½"-wide) strip of fabric.  From strip, cut 4
(5½" x 3") rectangles.
1 (3'’ –wide)strip  
3 (1¾"-wide)strips for strip sets.
Light Fabric
1 (3"-wide) strip for strip sets
3 (1¾"-wide) strips for strip sets
*all fabric strips were cut from 44'’ width fabric.


I cut my width of fabric 5 1/2” and cut my strips down to 3”.

This is the 3 strips cut at  1 3/4”. On the right is the 3” strip.

This is my 1 3/4” strip to be cut.

It’s basically the same for both colors. Except the dark has the 5 1/2 inch strip. Then, cut that into 5  1/2 inch by 3” pieces.

Take one of each 1 3/4 inch strips. Put right sides together. Shown here above and sew a quarter inch seam all the way down the length on one side.

then press open.

Then cut 1 3/4 pieces off of the strip.

Turn on around so it looks like this

Then, fold one over onto the other and sew 1/4 inch seam.

This is what it will look like pressed open with the iron.

Next, take 3 inch light strip pattern side up. Next, place a 1 3/4 inch strip right sides together on either side. You can sew this one side at a time, but I just pinned both down and sew one side and then the other. Once I sewed this strip set, I cut the white selvage. It didn’t interfere with the sewing. I am sure the picture would’ve been better if I trimmed first.

I will look like this. That the fabric to iron.

Press open. Then, you will cut 1  3 inch segment from the strip.

This one is put together the same as previous one. Then, cut 2 1  3/4 inch pieces.

I laid them out together.
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Turn your outside pieces to the inside. Do the top row, the same. Then, sew them together at each end.

Lay the row right above middle.

Then, put the row right below on the bottom of middle piece.

Now lay each of the left and right pieces on the middle.


Once all three rows are complete, you will sew the top and bottom to the middle piece. Make sure that you line your seams up well.

The blocks will be alternating on the quilt. Pattern found on http://www.heyquilty.com. The important thing about this block is the X in the middle. I have sewn them together and the points were the wrong way. It gets frustrating.  This time I learned that  I WILL  buy all the fabrics I need  at one time. Several times, I have gone back for more and found that it wasn’t there anymore.  Even, overestimating is good. I had to rearrange the design on this one. This is when I have to really be creative. I am going do 60”x80”. This is the length and width of mattress top and add a border or two for the sides.  Hope you enjoyed. Happy sewing.