QT Black and White Quilt #13

Today I am going to show you different ways of piecing your blocks together. I plan on doing something like this first one, but each of us gets to choose for our self what we want. I have drawn these up in EQ. You can really get a different look just by what colors we use and where we place them.










This is going to by my backing. Very simple, just four pieces of my black and white fabric with a large green flower that I am going to applique in one of the corners.


Please enjoy and if you are making or plan on making this quilt have fun with it and enjoy the process.

Please come back in about 1 month and I will show you how my quilt turned out.

QT Black & White Quilt #12

Today's Black and White Quilt lesson #12 will finish up the rest of the quilt blocks we need for this quilt. So the lesson is for you to think out the next 5 blocks and see if you can tell how to piece them together.

Aunt Addie's Album
page 36
501 Rotary-Cut Quilt Blocks by Judy Hopkins

Double X #3
Page 95
501 Rotary-Cut Quilt Blocks by Judy Hopkins

Double Square
Page 54
Around the Block by Judy Hopkins

Crockett Cabin
Page 47
Around the Block by Judy Hopkins

Centennial
Page 63
501 Rotary-Cut Quilt Blocks by Judy Hopkins

Borders:
After you have sewn the quilt center together you need to measure the quilt in at least 3 different places through the quilt and decide what is the best measurement to go by. Here the top 2 measurements are 85.5 inch and the bottom one is 85.25 inches, so I am going to use the 85.5 and stretch the bottom part to fit the top. In doing this the quilt will lay flatter and neater after it is finish. Sew the borders on the top and bottom of your quilt and repeat the other direction for the side borders. This will square up the quilt for you.
Let say that you have pieced a border for your quilt and it does not fit the center of the quilt and you need to adjust another border to make it fit. Here is the formal that works every time.
Take the measurement of the top and bottom pieced borders (Let say it's 70 inches)
Subtract the width of the quilt top (say it's 65 inches)
Divide by 2 (= 2.5 inches)
Add 1/2 inch for the seam allowances (1/2 inch plus 2.5 inches equals 3 inches) This is the width of the inner-side-border strip.
Sometimes the side border and the top borders are not the same, but that is OK. You can have different size borders.
Take the length of the side pieced borders (Let say it's 80 inches)
Subtract the length of the quilt top (say it's 77 inches)
Divide it by 2 (=1.5 inches)
Add 1/2 inch for seam allowances ( 1/2 inch plus 1.5 inches equals 2 inches ) This is the width of the top and bottom inner-border strips

We are not done yet.... Check back is a few weeks and see ideas on how to piece this quilt together and how to sew a great backing.
Enjoy....

QT Black & White Quilt #11

Black & White Quilt #11 is finally here: We have 3 blocks for you today.

Around the Corner
501 Rotary-Cut Quilt Blocks by Judy Hopkins
page 33

Connecticut
501 Rotary-Cut Quilt Blocks by Judy Hopkins
page 71

Windmill Square
Around the Block by Judy Hopkins
page 126

Now a How To for Piecing the blocks together into the quilt. #1 -- Layout all of the quilt blocks and put them where you want them. In this sample we are using just blocks but the quilt we are making here has sashing in it, so treat the sashing as a block.



#2 -- I am using Dritz Quilting Row Marking Safety Pins, but you can just use small pieces of paper and write on them 1 - 2 - 3 -4 etc. or a -b -c -d etc. You just need enough for the amount of rows you are going to have. Pin them to the top of the blocks. If your blocks are bigger than mine on, pin it to the right corner or left corner top for the first row.


#3 -- Now stack the rows from the top to the bottom, leaving the tag on the top block.



#4 -- Sew all (a-1) piles and all (b-2) piles together and then sew all (c-3) piles to the (b-2) piles until all of the rows are sewn together. Chain stitch between the rows so they are all joined together from the top. Because my thread is white you can't see but there is stitching between the rows, so if I was to hold up the top row all of the rest of the rows would hang below the top row.

#5 -- Press every other row one way and the opposite rows the other way for easy of sewing.
Now you can sew the rows together and your center blocks for your quilt are all sewn together and they are just how you laid them out.


This works really well if you have to keep moving your quilt project while you are working on it or taking it with you. The rows will always be kept in order and you don't have to worry about getting the rows all mixed up after you have spend the time to lay them out the way you wanted it.

Next time we will have the last 5 quilt blocks, and then it will be time to sew them all together.

QT Black & White Quilt #10

We are here today with lesson #10 on the Black & White Quilt, so without anymore....here are the blocks:

Friendship Chain
Page 120
501 Rotary-Cut Quilt Blocks by Judy Hopkins

Layout for Friendship Chain:

Coxey's Camp
Page 78
501 Rotary-Cut Quilt Blocks by Judy Hopkins

Layout for Coxey's Camp

Broken Star
page 55
501 Rotary-Cut Quilt Blocks by Judy Hopkins

Layout for Broken Star:

Year's Favorite
page 128
Around the Block by Judy Hopkins

Layout for Year's Favorite

The lesson is short and simple...When sewing triangles the sewing machine likes to eat up the points. Some tips and tricks for working with them is to sew off with other fabric or other quilt blocks you are working on. Sometimes it doesn't work that way, so I always lift my presser foot and start sewing right where the 2 pieces of fabric met (at the cross) and sew off the end. Then I press and cut of the tails so my block will look nice and I don't have any extra fabric than I need. The pictures following are samples of different triangles and how they are sewn, pressed and clipped. This first triangle you are starting with a point and ending with a point.


These have a flat end and a point end. It is always easier to turn your piecing and start with the flat end, which put you relaying out your block to make sure you are piecing it right.


I like to chain piece, but sometimes when you are just making 1 block that's hard to do. I will sew in sections too, so if there are multiple sections that are the same, I will sew them at the same time. I like having a little iron and ironing board next to my machine just for these time. Anytime you can save time or trouble with piecing, the more fun the project is. Please enjoy.

Don't forget you can leave a comment , ask a question, or add a picture of your quilt block here...

QT Black & White Quilt #9

We are back with another lesson on the Black & White Quilt. We have 4 more blocks today and the first one is:

Rising Star
page 102
Around the Block

Piecing layout:

The second block is:
Square on Square
page 112
Around the Block
piecing layout:

You just need to remember to sew opposite sides on and then the other 2 side until you have all of the triangles sewn on.
Finished block:

Number 3 is:
Star & Pinwheels
page 238
501 Blocks
piecing layout:

Finished block:

and the 4th block is
Equinox
page 102
501 Blocks
piecing layout:

And the finished block:

Now we are back to more math and numbers. We just can't get away from the math, but it is easier if we write these numbers down and have them where we need them, when we want them:

Corner and Side Triangles
This is for setting blocks on point:

Enjoy the piecing, we are getting closer to the finished quilt... Don't forget to leave comments or ask questions with the comments and pictures of your quilt block with Mr. Linky. Enjoy....

QT Black & White Quilt #8

We are back again with the Black and White Quilt lesson number 8 and this time I have 4 blocks for you. The first one is:

Sarah's Choice
page 106
Around the Block with Judy Hopkins

piecing layout:

The Second block is:
School Girl's Puzzle
page 107
Around the Block book

piecing layout:

The 3rd block is:
Grandmother's Favorite
page 129
501 Rotary-Cut Quilt Blocks by Judy Hopkins:

Piecing layout:

And the 4th block is:
Basket II
page 41
501 Rotary-Cut book

piecing layout #2

piecing layout #1

While we wait for a computer program to work, I want to share Common Bed Sizes with you:

Crib 23" X46"
Youth 32" X 66"
Twin 39" X 75"
Double 54" X 75"
Queen 60" X 80"
King 78" X 80"
California King 72" X 84"

And Decimal to Inch Converions:

.125 = 1/8"
.25 = 1/4"
.375 = 3/8"
.50 = 1/2"
.625 = 5/8"
.75 = 3/4"
.875 = 7/8"
1.00 = 1"

We can't get away from the math, but if we print it out, write it down and put it with our quilting supplies, it will be easy to work with. We still have a lot more ahead of us but this is going to be it for this time. I will have my scanner up and running for next time.
Be sure to write any comments or question you mite have with the comment bar and share with us any blocks you have made, using Mr. Link.

Thank you for looking and have a GREAT DAY QUILTING!