2016 in Review

Well ... 2016 is winding to a close...

 

About 360 days ago, I was excited to put 2015 behind me as 2016 held a lot of hope, a lot of goals and some very well laid plans...  Well it didn't take long for the year to disappoint.  Doors that were open, closed abruptly and new doors were often disguised as something they weren't.

 

Challenges surfaced on a daily basis - both personally and professionally. 

 

 But that's what life is all about - change.  And how we react, adapt and evolve defines who we are. 

 

But through all the challenges, many good things came from 2016. 

 

I put together a quick 2-minute video recapping 2016 and I was honestly surprised at everything I accomplished during the year.   Lots of new designs for quilters to make.

Three new video classes for DIY-ers to learn from and some super fun Facebook Live broadcasts.

 

One of my goals for 2017 is to increase my presence on You Tube.

I have already uploaded previews for each of my video classes and have more videos in the works.

I would love for you to subscribe to my channel and stay tuned for more :)

 

Here is the link to my 2016 in Review Video. Enjoy!

Preschool Primer

Hi Everyone!

Greetings from Indiana!

I wanted to share with you the latest quilt I have received back from the publisher, Preschool Primer.
The quilt is part of More Quick & Easy Quilts for Kids published by Annie's Quilting.

 

It's always a fun time when quilts come back from the publisher.  Typically it's been over 6 months since I've seen the quilt and while I was making it, I didn't have much time to enjoy it since it was due by a specific deadline.  It's always neat to see how the photo stylists have arranged the quilt for photography in the book. 

 

 

This quilt was designed as a teaching tool for tots to learn their colors and shapes.  The quilt features 6 different colors - red, blue, green, yellow, orange and purple - and 6 different shapes - triangle, square, rectangle, circle, heart and star.  Some of the shapes are pieced and others are appliqued.  Since it is designed as a functional quilt, I chose to use raw edge fusible applique with a machine buttonhole stitch.  The binding is a scrappy mix of the colors in the quilt and it is quilted with a simple meander edge to edge.  Many times the deadlines are tight enough that edge to edge quilting is all I have time to complete. 

 

 

 

As a designer, sometimes I'm my own harshest critic.  If I were to change one thing when I was making this quilt - I would use a fabric other than white for the background so it doesn't show dirt as easily.  I love the contrast and the crispness of the white fabric but it's not super functional if the quilt is going to be used a lot. To give you an idea of what a different background would look like, here is a reimaged version of the quilt using a blue-gray tonal as the background. 

 

 

 

 

So if you have a little one or need a quick quilt as a gift, consider making Preschool Primer.  If you do, be sure to share a picture on the Quilter's World facebook page or on my Masterpiece Quilting facebook page.

 

 



Super Simple 9-Patch Mug Rug

Hi Everyone!

I will be the first to admit that I'm not much of a blogger ... we all have areas of our lives we need to improve and this is an area where I can use a lot of improvement! 

But I do have something special to share with you.  A FREE tutorial for my Super Simple 9-Patch Mug.  The Holidays are quickly approaching but you still have time to make hand-crafted gifts.  This mug rug is quick, easy and a super stash-buster!

Super Simple 9 – Patch Mug Rug

Design by Nancy Scott of Masterpiece Quilting

Even with minimal sewing experience, you can make this

sophisticatedly simple mug rug to use daily or to give as a gift.

 

Skill Level: Beginner

Finished Size: 6-1/2" x 6-1/2"

 Supplies Needed:

9 – 2-1/2" 100% cotton fabric squares

1 – 6-1/2" 100% cotton fabric backing square

1 – 2-1/2" x 40" 100% cotton fabric binding strip

1 – 6-1/2" square of double sided fusible foam

Thread to match fabric

Sewing Machine

Basic sewing tools – pins, scissors, iron, ironing board, Wonder-Clips (optional)

Assembly Instructions

1. Arrange the 2-1/2" squares into 3 rows of 3 squares each.

2. Sew each row of 3 squares together using a ¼" seam allowance.

3. With your iron, press the seam allowances of each row in opposite directions.

4. Sew the three rows together using a ¼" seam allowance matching the seams to complete the mug rug top.

5. Press seam allowances open and trim all threads.

6. Layer backing square with wrong side up, fusible foam and mug rug top with right side up together. Align edges before fusing.  

 7. Using your iron, fuse all three layers together referring to the manufacturer’s instructions.

8. With wrong sides together, press the binding strip in half lengthwise.

9. Using your scissors, cut one end of binding strip at a 45-degree angle, fold and press the end under ¼".

10. With raw edges aligned and the folded edge of the binding towards the middle of the mug rug, position the angled end along one edge on the backside of the fused mug rug and pin to hold.

11. Start stitching at the pin with a ¼" seam down the side of the mug rug. 

12. When you get ¼" from the corner, stop stitching, drop your needle down into the mug rug, lift your presser foot and pivot the mug rug at a 45-degree angle.

13. Lower your presser foot and continue to stitch off the edge at the corner. Cut threads to remove it from the machine. Your corner should look like this.

14. To miter the corner, flip the long end of the binding strip up and away from mug rug, folding it along the stitched angle.

15. Bring the binding strip back down along the next unsewn side of the mug rug. Fold the fabric so it is even with the top of the edge and creates an angled tuck.

16. Start sewing at the top edge of the mug rug through all the thicknesses keeping the raw edges of the binding strip and the mug rug even.  

17. Continue sewing along this side until you reach the bottom corner where you will stop, pivot and sew off the angled edge again to miter the corner.

18. Continue the process of sewing and mitering each corner as you work around the mug rug.

19. When you have folded the binding down on the fourth corner place a pin about 1-inch from the corner to hold the binding strip in place. Unpin the binding at the start point and open up the binding strip.

20. Lay the unstitched binding strip inside the fold and with your scissors, cut the binding strip at an angle so it overlaps about 1 inch.

 

21. Refold the binding strips together and pin in place.

22. Start stitching at the top and continue stitching down the side overlapping the start point by an inch. 

23. Press the folded edge of the binding away from the back

 24. Wrap the binding around to the front of the mug rug, press and clip or pin the binding in place.

25. Fold the corners to create a miter that matches the back.
 

 26. Using the sewing machine, top stitch the binding in place by stitching right next to the folded edge of the binding.  Continue stitching all four sides of the mug rug to complete.

 

Remake 2012 - Progress Report #1

Progress has begun on Remake 2012 - The Churn Dash.  Here is a photo of the quilt that is being copied.

We decided to make a few changes from the original layout (12 x 12 blocks with two borders) and will be using a 13 x 13 block layout to give it more balance and symmetry.  This will put a pieced Churn Dash block in each of the 4 corners.  Also, we will add a 3rd border so the total border width will be approximately 10 inches.  This will give a finished quilt size of  98 x 98 which will fit nicely on a queen size bed.

After all the decisions were made - the cutting and piecing have begun.

Statistically, the 13 x 13 layout will require a total of 169 blocks !  (YIKES !!)

But, only 85 of them are pieced and the other 84 are setting blocks (HUGE SIGH of RELIEF !) 

However, to complete the 85 pieced blocks, we need a total of 340 half-square trianges, 85 strips sets, and 170 burgandy 2.5 inch squares.....   (AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE...)

Wow - what a pile of fabric.... but block by block it will come together. 

I think it always goes faster when the finished blocks go up on one of the design walls at the studio.  At least it gives some visual inspiration on those days when motivation is lacking !!

These blocks are just pinned in place, but it already confirms that we are on the right track for replicating the look of the original quilt. 

I'm so excited... stay tuned for more progress reports on Remake 2012 !

Happy Valentine's Day

I'm typically not someone who decorates for Valentine's Day.  But the last of the Christmas decorations came down the other day; and well, frankly, the house seems a little naked....It didn't seem naked before the Christmas decorations went up, but now it does. 

To remedy this situation, I created a simple little wall hanging to brighten the walls in honor of Saint Valentine.  It is very scrap friendly with few rules. 

First, I went through my stash and started pulling out fabrics.  I went with a chocolate and pink color combination but it can be done in reds and whites or any combination that you like.

Next, I pieced the background with a center pink panel, a chocolate brown inner border and pink outer border in fabric that matched the center panel.  I made the background about two inches larger than I wanted my finished wall hanging to measure to account for shrinkage during quilting and to allow me to square it after quilting.

Next the heart cutouts were fused in place. It was a trip back memory lane to grade school when I made the heart templates - folding the paper in half and drawing all sorts of fun and funky heart shapes. I cut them out of scrap fabrics and fused them in place with a double sided fusible web.

After the hearts were in place, I quilted a dense edge to edge pattern across the entire wall hanging.  This will hold the hearts in place and provide stability to help it hang straight.  After quilting, the binding and hanging sleeve were attached.  

And finally, my favorite part - embellishments !!

I hand sewed buttons in place to give some pizzazz but it still needed more - so out came the "blinger" and the hot fix crystals were added for the final look.

Happy Valentine's Day !! 

Sedona Star - What have I gotten myself into ??

One of my resolutions for 2012 is to take my piecing to new levels...  ya know, as Emeril would say "kick it up a notch or two".

I want to try more paper piecing, I want to sew more curves, work with more angles, basically add more funky stuff into my piecing.   And I found the perfect quilt to expand my piecing horizons.

The "Sedona Star" by Sarah Vedeler - the 2012 Block of the Month on the thequiltshow.com 

It was love at first sight - Wow - what a quilt.  Bright colors, paper piecing, curves, everything I was looking for !!!

So "Merry Christmas" to me - I signed up and downloaded the first month's patterns.  I went through my stash and pulled out some fabrics and then did some shopping to fill in the few fabrics I was missing. 

And I started in .....  I was reading the instructions word for word, I printed my paper templates and started paper piecing.  Now, you must realize, I have NOT been a huge paper piecing fan in the past.... ever since the day I managed to sew fabric to both sides of the paper and the poor instructor just looked at me and shook her head and muttered something about maybe I should stick to just quilting.... 

But this is different.... I'm LIKING it !!! 

So I set up the laptop next to the sewing machine and I followed the instructions and I sewed and I sewed.

and in the end I was pretty darned impressed !! 



 

The center section of my Sedona Star is complete.  Just 11 more months to go.  Stay tuned for updates - February includes 9 applique blocks ...  I can't wait.

Remake 2012

One of my favorite past times is finding a vintage quilt with a really neat look, then figuring out how it was made and making a new quilt using the same pattern. Sometimes this is easier said than done.  Older quilts weren't always cut and pieced accurately and the blocks were often made from the fabrics on hand. Most of the time they are not perfect and that's okay !

Here is a picture of the quilt from my collection that will be the Remake 2012 quilt. 

When I first saw it I went WOW !!  I saw the "X"s in the setting blocks with a cross intersecting it - kinda like a wheel spoke.  It wasn't until closer examination did I realize the block pattern is a churn dash block alternated with a plain setting block.  The background fabric is what really makes the quilt.  The tiny calico blends together from one block to the next to create the illusion I was seeing.

Combining the dark green calico with a white and black pindot fabric, the churn dash blocks disappear into the background and create the subpatterns while the lighter fabric appears to rise off the quilt.

The original is a summer quilt.  The batting appears to be just a thin piece of flannel and the backing fabric is pieced together.  The entire quilt is hand quilted and the quilting pattern isn't consistent from one block to the next.  The pink binding may have been applied later as it is machine sew on.  Regardless of it's imperfections - I still love it !

The next step is recreating this look that I loved.  While the quilt was hanging out on my studio wall last Fall my mother decided she wanted to make it.  She had just finished her 2011 quilt - a remake of another old pattern - and was ready for a new challenge.  So we started selecting colors that would fit her decor. 

The first fabric selections yielded this block.

While the colors go well with her decor the block just didn't seem to have the pizzazz we were looking for, so back to the fabric stash. 

The second try was much better.

The darker burgandy background on the calico gave it the depth needed to really make the lighter fabric pop.  Yep - this is the color combination we want.  When we put the two blocks side by side on the design wall and stepped away from them, the choice was easy.

Now the fun begins.  An overall quilt layout on paper gets created and then it's onto figuring the number of blocks needed, the number of half square triangles to create, the number of strips to cut.  We have already made the decision to make the quilt slightly larger to accomodate a queen size bed. 

Stay tuned for updates on Remake 2012 during the year !