Quilt Class 101 - the Log Cabin

Hey all! How are you doing? I'm Kaye from Miss Print and I'm here today with a little tutorial for her Quilt Class 101 series. I'm creating a traditional log cabin block - according to Bec I am the queen of log cabins...who knew?! Today we will be creating a 12" log cabin block (12.5" when unfinished) that has three ; I hope you guys all like this tutorial!

What you'll need:
3.5x3.5" piece of fabric for centre square - go ahead and fussy cut something really cute for this!
Scraps of fabric each 2" in width

All seams are 1/4"

Here are your strip measurements - remember each strip is 2" wide:
For inner ring (i.e. right next to the centre square): one 3.5", two 5", one 6.5"
For middle ring: one 6.5", two 8", one 9.5"
For outer ring: one 9.5", two 11", one 12.5"

The Inner Ring:

Starting with your 3.5" strip sew, rights sides together, to the top of the centre square. Press your seams open. I like to press my seams open when sewing log cabins because of the multitude of seams and intersections.

Next sew a 5" strip, right sides together to the right side, of your centre square. Press.

Sew the second 5" strip, right sides together, to the bottom of the centre square. Press.

Sew the 6.5" strips, right sides together, to the left side of the centre square. Press.

The Middle Ring:

Continue adding the strips for your middle ring, as above, working in a clockwise direction beginning with the top strip - this would be a 6.5" strip, then an 8" strip, then the second 8" strip, and finally the 9.5" strip. Remember to press after adding each strip.

The Outer Ring:

Just as with the previous step, continue to add the strips for your outer ring moving in a clockwise fashion beginning with the top strip - this would be the 9.5" strip, then the 11" strip, then the other 11" strip, and finally the 12.5" strip. Remember to press after adding each strip.

Look at that - you're done! If you like continue making more log cabins - 36 blocks sewn together in 6x6 block grid will form a 72x72" quilt which is just perfect for snuggling under!

Thanks so much to Bec for inviting me over today and to all of you for reading along here. I really hope that y'all enjoyed my tutorial and don't be afraid to stop on over to my blog and say hi!

Thanks so much Kaye.. She is the Queen of the log cabin!! I just LOVE her blog and her inspiration!  She has made a couple cute tutorial variations of the log cabin HERE ..

and

for more Quilt Block Tutorials or Tutorials on How To Make A Quilt... You can Find them HERE... 

I hope your enjoying the class!! xx

What am I working on...?

........... Another Quilt Of course!!!

Using up my lovely little bundle of Heather Ross' FFAIII collection.

Quilt Class 101 - Friendship Star Block Tutorial

First of all thanks to Bec for sharing her readers with us today!  We love her creativity and we're excited to be a part of her great Quilt Class 101!!

Let me tell you a little about us.  We are sisters, Heather and Megan, together we design quilt patterns and run our blog!  In our patterns, found HERE, we like to use traditional piecing with modern fabrics and twists!  We've also got a thing for applique :)  We are constantly designing new patterns...we both admit that more nights than not it's how we fall asleep.  Such is the life of fabric lovers, right??
Our blog is Quilt Story.  About three times a week we feature YOU!  That's right, we feature other blogger's finished quilts and the stories behind them.  See HERE to learn more about being featured.  We featured Bec's Sand Castle Quilt a while back :)  Also every Tuesday we have a linky party called Fabric Tuesday, it is tons of fun where you can link your own fabric projects and see what other's are up to.  Not to mention that Megan and I share our own projects on the site too!!!
We've got a block tutorial to share with you today, Friendship Star:

Cutting requirements

see image below

Solid background: two 4.25" x 4.25" squares for HST and four 3.5" x 3.5"

Contrasting pinwheel: two 4.25" x 4.25" squares for HST

Center: one 3.5" x 3.5"

HST (half-square triangle)

Draw a line from corner to corner on both solid background pieces.

Sew 1/4 inch on each side of the pencil line, then cut down the pencil line.

Square the HST's to 3.5"

Piece together in rows first, always using 1/4" seams

Then sew rows together!

Voila!  One 9.5" x 9.5" finished block

Thanks for letting us share with you today!!  Make sure to stop by and see us at Quilt Story.   We've got more block tutorials and quilt tutorials to share!

Thanks so much Girls... I'm envying your fabric choices! I LOVE LOVE LOVE those bikes... and great Dots!! On a side note, Have any of you been following Madame Samm's Extravaganza over at Sew WE Quilt??  She is running a massive Wantobe Quilter Campaign and this Wednesday...(USA time not Aussie Time) I'm being featured! Pop over HERE and check it out... Make sure you enter the giveaways... she has a HUGE list of Amazing Giveaways!! xx

Sewing with Kids

Making a Softie...
I have had this really cute Softie sitting in my cupboard waiting to make. I had told Indi it would be a project that 'she' could make.. so this week when we had a free day, she remembered and said she wanted to do some sewing... How could i say no to that!

As simple as they are... I have never made one before. I watched a Quick how to vid on Saffron's Blog, You can see it HERE... I took photos for you, of our progress so you will know in the future how to make one.. and.... I also like cute photos of Indi's pudgy hands.
Super easy and really fun with kids.

How to make a Softie...?

Cut out your softie panel on the dotted line.

With right sides together... Pin all around the edge.. Make sure they are lined up properly.

Sew on the outline of your softie,  remember to leave an opening. As per Saffron instructions, we left the opening on the neck. Indi sat on my lap as we sewed this part. I did the pedal and she lifted the foot, turned the puppy and put the foot down. Got her hands in place and guided the puppy through..

She did a pretty good job.. Maybe we have a quilter in the family!!
 Clip on the drawn lines around the legs.

Turn your puppy in the right way and stuff!

We added a bell in ours!

Sew up your opening!

All the

way to

the bottom

to

finish it off..

Now... Pose!

     and Your DONE!!

 It was really fun.
 I was surprised how good she did.. I think I've found  her new day job.....  sewing bindings!! I'm not the first to do child labour right??

It probably took us an hour and a half. If you were doing it yourself maybe 20 Mins?  Saffron has some really cute Softies.. Dogs, Cats....

Owls and Koalas!

They are great for pressies or as holiday projects. You can buy them HERE....

Enjoy your Weekend! We're off to a Soccer Party! xx

Quilt Class 101 - Hexies - Part 2....

Are you Ready to get your Hexie on?

1. new bag!!!, 2. Pillow Talk { Swap }...???, 3. a hexagon potholder, 4. hexagon pillow 2, 5. STUD 5 favs for leah (rydersmama)..., 6. Pretty Little Pouch - round 2

To Make a 1" sided Hexagon Flower

There are so many methods of  preparing, cutting and basting EPP shapes. Today I will make a flower using paper templates and a simple basting method.

The 1" sided hexagons are a great starter size. The only require 2.5" strips for the fabric requirement. Great project to use with a Jelly Roll

1. Select the fabric
I have chosen fabrics that have an easy repeat to cut.

2. Cutting the fabric
Position the template over the design you wish to repeat. I have added registration markers on the template so I can position it accuracy for every cut. Remember to make the focal area in the centre of the hexagon. Trace around the inside and outside of the hexagon template and cut each one out.

Make one for the centre and six for the petals.

3. Basting the paper templates
I have laid out my hexies and allocated 7 with pre-cut card templates.

Lay the pre-cut card templates with in the guidelines of the fabric hexagon, fold down the top side and attach clip. Fold down the opposite side and attach another clip. This will hold the paper in place.

We are now ready to baste our hexagon. A tip when threading cotton - always thread the needle when the cotton is still on the spool. This will guarantee that you threaded from the correct end of the thread. if you thread the needle from the spool end you will get piling and breakages.

Fold down the fabric over the paper template to make a mitred corner. Start the basting by making a knot. This will secure your first stitch. Make a little tacking stitch in the first corner.

From the tacking stitch fold down the next corner to form a mitre and then make another tacking stitch. Keep the stitching firm but not too tight or you will distort the shape.
Some people like to go through all layers but I prefer to only sew through the fabric at the back.

Keep folding the corners and making a tacking stitch until the hexagon is complete. I like to tack about 1/8 " down from the edge. Do one more small tacking stitch at the end to secure the thread. It should look like this from the back.

And this from the front.

This is an example of a piece that has been basted through all layers. It's easier through light weight papers but it is a preference rather than a necessity. Basting through one layer will hold your hexagon securely.

Continue basting all 6 petals and single centre hexagon. Lay your flower out and start by taking one petal and the centre. There are many ways you can attach the petals to the centre. I prefer to sew all petals to the centre piece and then sew the petals to each other.

Choose a thread that is quite fine - 50-60wt so the threads are buried and the joins lay flat. Don't make your thread piece too long or it will break and get tangled as you sew.

Place the two hexagons right sides together. Make a knot at one end right where the two corners meet. I like to tie on and tie off ( knot ) each segment so if the cotton wears over the years and breaks, you only have to mend a small section.

Begin making very small stitches by grabbing a few threads from each piece - whipstitch. Continue to the next corner and tie off by making a knot.

Continue to add pieces and sew them to the centre.

Continue sewing all the petals together remembering to always match the corner points and tie on and off.

Now you have a pretty little flower for your garden.

To get one lucky blogger started ...

Jane is giving away one 1" Hexaculture pack.

The pack includes:

• one spool Bottom Line thread
• Three packs of 50wt cotton threads on the bobbins
• A fabulous sample pack from Joanne at PbPatch with freezer paper, card and paper templates
• one fussy cut template from my little shop
• and 2.5" strips of gorgeous fabric from the Innocent Crush collection.

Pop over to Jane's Blog HERE to enter.....

To see more beautiful hexagons flowers visit the Inchy Hexagon Swap blog and Flickr Groups HERE and HERE...

Thank you so much Jane for sharing some Hexie Love.... I'm off to sift through some scraps to make a 'little' project! xx