Christa’s Quilt Along 5.9 – Hugs ‘n Kisses FMQ Double Flowers

April 24, 2013May 7, 201327 Comments

This week’s lesson is probably the most fun part of making this quilt! Today I will focus solely on quilting decorative flowers in the center of the O’s (or in my case the space in between the x’s). Because of this, I’ve added on an extra week of quilting to this quilt along.

When I took Angela Walters‘ Quilting Negative Space class at QuiltCon, she showed us a quick sketch of how to make these adorable flowers. I was immediately struck and knew I wanted to use them in a future quilt along and asked her about that. She was cool with it. So here is my version of her “double flowers” and how I stitched them out.

First, start quilting a little spiral in the center of the block. This does not have to be exact.

Next, start “bouncing” off the spiral to create a few smooth petal shapes. You may or may not touch the center spiral and that is ok.

For the second row of petals, try to echo the first row and stitch all the way to the space in between each petal.

For the 3rd row, bounce around the petals again, but do not echo them exactly. You will have more petal “bumps” this time around.

Echo the 4th row (and every even row), and connect your stitches in between each petal.

On row 5 (and every odd row), bounce around again, creating more petals that do not connect to the centers.

Finish up by echoing row 6 and then going straight into a background design to fill the rest of the space (or add more rows of petals if desired). I quilted a close series of vertical lines all the way around each flower.

Secure your threads and then move onto the next block. It took about 8 minutes to stitch out each flower, or a total of about 8.5 hours to quilt all of the centers. Do not rush it!

For the borders, I marked the rest of the block outline, then stitched the same flower in the negative space. This took an additional 5 hours for all of the border flowers.

Here is a simpler quilting design I stitched on my original Hugs and Kisses Quilt. I used stencils to mark motifs in the middle of the O blocks plus the surrounding fabric. A fun fill such as pebbles or stippling would look great too!

Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt Kits are available for purchase while supplies last. If you have any questions about this week’s homework, please be sure to join my flickr discussion, leave a comment, or email me directly at christa@christaquilts.com.

Quilt Along Schedule – Links will go to each active post when published.

Hugs ‘N Kisses 48″ x 64″

5.1 – 2/27/13 Supply List
5.2 – 3/6/13 Choosing Fabrics and Layouts
5.3 – 3/13/13 Cutting and Sewing the Bow Ties
5.4 – 3/20/13 Sewing the X and O Blocks
5.5 – 3/27/13 Finishing the Top and Borders
5.6 – 4/3/13 Piecing the Backing
5.7 – 4/10/13 Pin Basting
5.8 – 4/17/13 Stitching in the Ditch
5.9 – 4/24/13 Decorative FMQ
5.10 – 5/1/13 Additional Quilting
5.11 – 5/8/13 Binding – It’s Finished!

Grab my Quilt Along button!

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Christa’s Quilt Along 5.8 – Hugs ‘n Kisses Stitching in the Ditch

April 17, 2013May 7, 20133 Comments

Although machine quilting is my absolute favorite part of making a quilt, stitching in the ditch is my least favorite part of the quilting process. Stitching in the ditch means quilting right in the middle of the seam lines, usually outlining a block or part of the quilt. Think of stitching in the ditch as the anchor that holds the quilt together and provides stability so you can have fun quilting more exciting motifs later (as in next week)!

Step 1 – Gather the Needed Supplies

My Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt is basted and ready to go so now it’s time to give a little thought to quilting supplies and thread selection. Below are my absolute favorite supplies for machine quilting: a Supreme Slider, quilting gloves, a free-motion foot and a walking foot.

The Supreme Slider enables me to slide the quilt around easily during free-motion quilting. It sits on the bed of the machine and covers the feed dogs so I don’t even have to drop them if I don’t want to (some machines perform better when the feed dogs are still engaged). However, one word of caution – remember to remove it when doing any walking foot quilting or you’ll stitch right through it!

I wear a pair of quilting gloves the entire time while quilting (both with the walking foot and the free motion foot). They allow me to grip the quilt, smoosh it around and push it through with ease. If you can only buy one tool for quilting, this is my number one recommendation. They are machine washable, too.

My favorite needles to use are titanium topstitch needles from Superior Threads. They have a longer eye so the thread can easily glide through the hole. I use them for all sewing from piecing to quilting. I use a size 70 or 80 needle for thinner polyester threads (50-60 weight) and a size 90 needle for thicker (30-40 weight) cotton or polyester threads, or specialty threads.

Whenever possible, I like to choose a stitch in the ditch thread that blends with most of the colors of my quilt top. In this case a light pink thread will work well for this quilt. A 50 weight cotton or 50-60 weight polyester are good choices for stitching in the ditch. I use the same color thread in top and bobbin.

Step 2 – Stitch in the Ditch to Anchor the Quilt (4.5 Hours)

First, decide which “ditches” you want to stitch. If you are quilting the X and O configuration it’s very easy to stitch between each row of blocks. Start in the middle of the quilt and stitch all of the horizontal rows from one end of the row to the other. Move over one row, and quilt all of the rows on that side. Then finish the other side, turn the quilt 90 degrees and stitch through all of the vertical rows. I’ve also included a closeup of my original Hug’s N Kisses where I was able to stitch through all of the ditches in white thread.

Stitching in between the X and O blocks and should take a lot less time. Because I made my quilt with all X’s, getting in between the ditches took a lot longer.

For the all X configuration, I had to constantly turn and pivot to outline all of the blocks. In some cases, I back-stitched through previous lines of stitching. Here are some in process photos below:

Always thread your machine with the needle in the “up” position. This ensures proper threading of the top thread in between the tension discs.

When starting a line of stitching, pull your bobbin thread up to the top. Remember this phrase, “needle down, foot down – needle up, foot up” to grab your bobbin thread. You can either tie off your thread ends, or start and stop each line of stitching with a few tiny stitches to secure your threads.

You can pull your bobbin thread up to the top at the end of a line of stitching by yanking on the top thread until a little loop of bobbin thread comes to the surface. Then pull it through with a needle or small pin.

Using an open-toe walking foot really helps so you can see where you are stitching! Try to stay as close to the ditch as possible and slow down if needed so your stitches are straight and consistent. I only removed pins as they got in my way. I left the rest of the pins in for stability as I stitched.

About halfway through quilting, I decided to see if I could stitch in the ditch using my free-motion foot. This is a little more advanced technique which requires a lot of control over the movement of the foot. I found that if I slowed down enough I could stitch in the ditch with my free motion foot. The upside is that I didn’t have to pivot the quilt so much. I could just move the foot where I needed to go to get around all of the ditches.

Whenever I’m quilting, my hands act as a hoop constantly surrounding the needle, giving me more control over the quilting process.

Step 3 – Quilting the Border Outlines (30 Minutes)

Some of the inner border will have already been quilted from outlining the blocks. I quilted the rest of the inner border seams and the outer border seam. This will stabilize the borders for now so I can add more decorative quilting later.

You can see that I’ve left in most of my basting pins. I will remove them as I need to next week when doing the decorative free-motion work.

All of my ditches have been stitched! I know it doesn’t look like much but you can sort of see the “poof” left by the quilting. The quilt is nice and flat and stable and I’m ready to move onto the “exciting” quilting next week!

Quilt Along Schedule – Links will go to each active post when published.

Hugs ‘N Kisses 48″ x 64″

5.1 – 2/27/13 Supply List
5.2 – 3/6/13 Choosing Fabrics and Layouts
5.3 – 3/13/13 Cutting and Sewing the Bow Ties
5.4 – 3/20/13 Sewing the X and O Blocks
5.5 – 3/27/13 Finishing the Top and Borders
5.6 – 4/3/13 Piecing the Backing
5.7 – 4/10/13 Pin Basting
5.8 – 4/17/13 Stitching in the Ditch
5.9 – 4/24/13 Decorative FMQ
5.10 – 5/1/13 Additional Quilting
5.11 – 5/8/13 Binding – It’s Finished!

Grab my Quilt Along button!

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2013 Finish Along Quarter 2

April 15, 201310 Comments

I’m participating in the 2013 2nd Quarter Finish Along hosted by Leanne at She Can Quilt.

I first met Leanne when her mini quilt Shattered was entered into QuiltCon (and won a ribbon I might add). I saw it on her blog weeks before and knew it was something special!

I am actually wearing two hats for the FAL – that of sponsor and participant. I’m sponsoring one of the giveaway prizes because that’s just what I do, LOL!!

Also, I’m linking up my UFO’s as motivation to get them finished on time. So without further ado, here are the quilts I hope to finish this quarter (keeping it simple and manageable):

Baby Bricks in Pink and Green

#1 Pink Baby Bricks – this quilt was one of my early quilt alongs and is technically finished. However, it’s just begging for more quilting to be added in the “bricks” so that’s just what I intend to do.

French Rose Buds Baby Quilt

#2 Baby French Roses is my version of Heather French’s fantastic French Rose Buds pattern. I tweaked the design a bit and made it slightly bigger. I basted it last week so now all I have to do is quilt it and bind it. Easy peasy, right? It’s going to my sister’s brand new baby when I visit next month so now I have double motivation to finish!

Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt Top

#3 Hugs ‘n Kisses – an updated version of a quilt I designed and made over 10 years ago. This quilt serves double duty – It’s my current quilt along project and I plan on using it for some intense FMQ practice. Also, my daughter has claimed it so it’s going straight on her bed when done. It will definitely be out of my sewing room then!

Christa’s Quilt Along 5.7 – Hugs ‘n Kisses Safety Pin Basting

April 10, 2013May 7, 20135 Comments

For today’s Quilt Along lesson, we will tackle basting which is usually the least fun part of making a quilt. However, I’m giving you a whole week to do it and it only took me 2 hours including ironing and lots of pinning!

Step 1 – Give your top and backing a final pressing (30 Minutes)

This is the first time I have used starch on a quilt throughout the entire process and I loved it! Not only did I press all of my seams open, I starched the completed top and back.

Before Final Pressing

This really made the top lie flat and made it easier to baste. When starching the top for the final pressing, I only starched the back side, waited a few minutes to let the starch soak in, and went over every seam with my iron. Just take a look at the before and after pics to see what a difference pressing with starch makes.

After Final Pressing

Step 2 – Lay Out The Quilt Sandwich (15 Minutes)

Use a large flat surface to lay out your quilt. I have 2 long banquet tables that I purchased from an office supply store. I leave them up in my sewing loft all the time and use them as my cutting area, too. Before I got these tables I used to baste on my wooden kitchen table.

I use binder clips to secure two edges of the table and painter’s tape to secure the other two edges. You want the backing to be secure but not overly tight. If you have just one table to work with, secure the middle of the quilt, baste it, and then move on to the rest of the quilt, pinning one section at a time.

Next, add your layer of batting and smooth it out and look for any stray threads. Then add your quilt top. I don’t secure either of these two layers – just the backing.

Step 3 – Pin Basting (1 Hour, 15 Minutes)

I have learned that the key to good basting is using lots of pins! I start out by sprinkling a few safety pins on one side of the quilt. I leave them open after removing them from my previous quilt so they are already open, ready to be pinned.

I divide the quilt into 4 areas and completely baste one section at a time. I put all of the pins into the quilt sandwich first, then go back and close them all. A band-aid really comes in handy on my index finger to protect it and help close the pins.

I used a variety of pins – some large, some small, some straight, some bent – whatever I had on hand. I pinned every other square.

After pinning the entire quilt, I trimmed off the excess batting and backing fabric so there’s only an inch or two around all sides. The less fabric under the machine, the better!

Basted and Ready to Quilt!

Quilt Along Schedule – Links will go to each active post when published.

Hugs ‘N Kisses 48″ x 64″

5.1 – 2/27/13 Supply List
5.2 – 3/6/13 Choosing Fabrics and Layouts
5.3 – 3/13/13 Cutting and Sewing the Bow Ties
5.4 – 3/20/13 Sewing the X and O Blocks
5.5 – 3/27/13 Finishing the Top and Borders
5.6 – 4/3/13 Piecing the Backing
5.7 – 4/10/13 Pin Basting
5.8 – 4/17/13 Stitching in the Ditch
5.9 – 4/24/13 Decorative FMQ
5.10 – 5/1/13 Additional Quilting
5.11 – 5/8/13 Binding – It’s Finished!

Grab my Quilt Along button!

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Christa’s Quilt Along 5.6 – Hugs ‘n Kisses Pieced Backing

April 3, 2013May 7, 201310 Comments

I just love creative quilt backs, don’t you? For today’s Quilt Along lesson, I will show how I made my pieced scrappy backing for Hugs ‘n Kisses using fabric from my stash. It took me 4 hours to complete my pieced backing.

Step 1 – Choose Your Backing Fabric (30 Minutes)

To get started, comb through your stash for any fabrics you want to use up that “go” with your Hugs ‘n Kisses quilt top. Don’t worry about pulling too many or too few, you can finalize it a bit later.

I wanted to use up a few pinks and greens and I tried to pull fabrics that were light (or the backside was very light) so that they would not shadow (show through) the quilt top.

Step 2 – Estimate the Yardage (30 Minutes)

Next, lay out your quilt top so you can see how much area you need to cover. I laid mine out wrong side up so I could see where the darker and lighter blocks were. I wanted to mimic a little bit of the light and dark areas on the back of the quilt.

Now start covering up the quilt! It’s kind of like a puzzle. I played around with several different arrangements until the top was covered and I liked the way it looked. Don’t forget to stack your pieces so that there are a few extra inches of fabric hanging off all four sides.

Step 3 – Figuring Out Exact Measurements (1 Hour)

I drew a sketch of my layout in EQ7 so I could figure out the measurements. You can also do this on graph paper. Start with the finished size of your quilt top which should be around 48″ x 64″. Then add 6 inches to both directions to figure out how large your backing needs to be. This brings me to a total backing size of 54″ x 70″.

I drew rectangles of each fabric piece in place on my diagram based on the finished size. When I cut the pieces I will include 1/2″ for seam allowances. If you would like to skip figuring it out for yourself, you can use my exact cutting measurements below.

Step 4 – Cutting the Backing Pieces (1 Hour)

I recommend pre-washing and starching your backing fabrics. I have listed two charts below. The first one is how much fabric you would need as yardage (with some leftover). The second chart is how big to cut each piece, including seam allowances.

4.5 Yards Total Scraps

5/8 Yard
1/2 Yard
1/3 Yard
1/3 Yard
Fat Quarter
1/3 Yard
1/4 Yard
1 Yard
5/8 Yard
Fat Quarter

Cutting Measurements

20.5″ x 20.5″
34.5″ x 12.5″
34.5″ x 8.5″
40.5″ x 8.5″
14.5″ x 8.5″
30.5″ x 8.5″
6.5″ x 42.5″
30.5″ x 34.5″
18.5″ x 30.5″
18.5″ x 12.5″

You may need use a bigger backing if you are sending it out to be quilted, but no one here is going to do that, right?? We are all going to quilt our own quilts and have fun doing it!

Step 5 – Piecing the Backing (1 Hour)

Use 1/4″ seam allowances and press all seams open. Follow the diagram above:

Sew piece 2 and 3 together; add to piece 1.
Join pieces 4 and 5.
Add 6 to the top of piece 8; then add piece 7 to the side.
Join pieces 9 and 10
Add unit 1-2-3 to unit 4-5
Add unit 6-7-8 to unit 9-10
So both larger units together to complete the backing and give it a final pressing.

Optional Non-Scrappy Backing

If you would like to sew your backing using all one fabric, you will need a total of 3 yards.

Cut it into 2 equal pieces and trim off the selvedges. Then join the pieces together parallel to the selvedge.

You will have now a large piece measuring approximately 54″ x 80″.

Cut off about 10″ of excess length so that you have a piece measuring approximately 54″ x 70″.

Quilt Along Schedule – Links will go to each active post when published.

Hugs ‘N Kisses 48″ x 64″

5.1 – 2/27/13 Supply List
5.2 – 3/6/13 Choosing Fabrics and Layouts
5.3 – 3/13/13 Cutting and Sewing the Bow Ties
5.4 – 3/20/13 Sewing the X and O Blocks
5.5 – 3/27/13 Finishing the Top and Borders
5.6 – 4/3/13 Piecing the Backing
5.7 – 4/10/13 Pin Basting
5.8 – 4/17/13 Stitching in the Ditch
5.9 – 4/24/13 Decorative FMQ
5.10 – 5/1/13 Additional Quilting
5.11 – 5/8/13 Binding – It’s Finished!

Christa’s Quilt Along 5.5 – Hugs and Kisses Top and Pieced Borders

March 27, 2013May 7, 201315 Comments

Hugs ‘N Kisses 48″ x 64″

Welcome to part 5 of my Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt Along!

For anyone just joining me, Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt Kits are available for purchase while supplies last.

Be sure to work at your own pace and please share pictures of your progress on flickr.

Scroll to the end of the post for the quilt along schedule.

It took me a total of 6 hours to follow the steps below and complete my Hugs ‘n Kisses quilt top.

Step 1 – Arranging The Blocks (30 Minutes)

I decided to go with all X blocks for my layout. You will notice that my blog header shows part of a Hugs ‘n Kisses quilt I made several years ago in reds and oranges. I decided to try something different this time around and I encourage you to make it your own. 🙂

Using a design wall or other large surface, play around with your blocks until they are in a pleasing arrangement. I tried to create a radiating effect by grouping all of the lighter blocks together in one corner and gradually darkening them across the quilt.

Step 2 Sewing the Blocks into Rows (1 Hour, 30 Minutes)

Lay out your design forming 5 blocks across by 7 rows down. To keep track of my rows, I took a picture with my camera phone. Then I was able to refer back to it for proper block placement. I pinned at the intersections and pressed all of my seams open.

Sew each set of blocks into a row. For easier joining, press rows 1, 3, 5 one way and press rows 2, 4, 6 the opposite way. Or press all seams open like I did.

Step 3 – Joining the rows (1 Hour, 15 Minutes)

Join two sets of rows into one piece. Repeat for 3 pairs of rows with one left over. When pressing my seams open, I open them with a wooden seam roller, then press with an iron.

Join rows 1-2 and 3-4. Then join rows 5-6 with row 7. Then sew the two pieces together.

Step 4 – Adding the Inner Borders (45 Minutes)

Measure the width of your quilt top. An easy way to do this is the fold it in half and measure using a cutting mat. My folded measurement is 20.5 inches which means my quilt measures 41 inches. (Mathematically it should measure exactly 40.5 inches so mine grew slightly.)

Trim two 2.5 inch background strips to this measurement. Attach carefully with pins and sew one strip each to the top and bottom. Usually I sew side borders first. However, since I wanted to avoid piecing the top/bottom borders I sewed them first. 🙂

Next, measure the length of your quilt including the added strips. Use the same folding trick as above. Mine was 61 inches (mathematically it should have been 60.5 inches). You will need to join multiple background strips together for length. Trim two pieced strips so that they measure this length exactly. Add rows to either side.

Step 5 – Adding the Pieced Outer Border (2 Hours)

Each pieced border is composed of bricks that you cut out previously. You need a total of 54 bricks that measure 2.5″ x 4.5″ each. Sew them together into segments until you have 4 pieced segments (you can make them random or gradated):

2 Top/Bottom Borders – 12 Bricks Each
2 Side Borders – 15 Bricks Each

Top & Bottom: 12 segments sewn end-to-end (Make 2)
Sides: 15 segments sewn end-to-end (Make 2)

Add the pieced side borders to your top first. If they are too short, you may need to go back and re-sew a few segments with slightly narrower seam allowances. Or you can insert a piece as needed.

If the rows are too long, you may need to go back and increase the width of a few of your seam allowance segments to shorten it up. Or just trim off the excess.

Add the top and bottom borders on in the same way. Voila! A finished quilt top!

If you have any questions about this week’s homework, please be sure to join my flickr discussion or email me directly at christa@christaquilts.com.

Quilt Along Schedule – Links will go to each active post when published.

5.1 – 2/27/13 Supply List
5.2 – 3/6/13 Choosing Fabrics and Alternate Layouts
5.3 – 3/13/13 Cutting and Sewing the Bow Tie Blocks
5.4 – 3/20/13 Sewing the X and O Blocks (or alternates)
5.5 – 3/27/13 Finishing the Quilt Top and Pieced Borders
5.6 – 4/3/13 Piecing the Backing
5.7 – 4/10/13 Pin Basting
5.8 – 4/17/13 Stitching in the Ditch
5.9 – 4/24/13 Decorative FMQ
5.10 – 5/1/13 Additional Quilting
5.11 – 5/8/13 Binding – It’s Finished!

Christa’s Quilt Along 5.4 – Hugs ‘n Kisses X and O Blocks

March 20, 2013May 7, 20133 Comments

Hugs ‘N Kisses 48″ x 64″

Welcome to part 4 of my Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt Along!

For anyone just joining me, Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt Kits are available for purchase while supplies last.

Thanks to all of you who have shared your quilt along pictures on my flickr group so far. It’s been “sew” fun to see your progress!

Scroll to the end of the post for the quilt along schedule.

It took me a total of 2 hours to sew all my blocks.

Did you finish your bow ties from last week? If not, that’s ok. I added an extra week to my schedule to give everyone a chance to catch up. That means less homework this week!

140 Bow Ties is a lot!

Step 1 – Sewing the Half-Blocks (1 Hour)

It takes 4 bow tie units to complete one X or O block. Sew two bow ties together to complete half of the block. Repeat for the other half of the block.

At this point you can decide whether you want it to be an X or an O. Chain piece all of your pairs of bowties until you have a total of 70 “half-units”.

For an X block, join the halves with the print squares in the middle forming an X. For an O block, join the halves with the background squares touching to form an O. I pressed all of my seams open so that it did not matter which way I rotated the units.

Step 2 – Completing the X and O Blocks (1 Hour)

Sew a total of 18 X blocks and 17 O blocks. You should have a total of 35 blocks.

For a fun design aesthetic you could try to make the X blocks from mostly medium/dark fabrics and the O blocks from mostly light/medium fabrics. It’s up to you!

I am making my quilt from all X’s so I have sewn a total of 35 X blocks

Alternate Block Design

If you would like to go with an alternate layout such as waves, mix up your bow ties so that each one is different and sew all block units like this:

Play around with your bow ties and see what other designs you can come up with!
On the left is a sketch of what my quilt will look like. On the right is an alternate layout.

All X’s

Random Waves

If you have any questions about this week’s homework, please be sure to join my flickr discussion or email me directly at christa@christaquilts.com.

Quilt Along Schedule – Links will go to each active post when published.

5.1 – 2/27/13 Supply List
5.2 – 3/6/13 Choosing Fabrics and Alternate Layouts
5.3 – 3/13/13 Cutting and Sewing the Bow Tie Blocks
5.4 – 3/20/13 Sewing the X and O Blocks (or alternates)
5.5 – 3/27/13 Finishing the Quilt Top and Pieced Borders
5.6 – 4/3/13 Piecing the Backing
5.7 – 4/10/13 Pin Basting
5.8 – 4/17/13 Stitching in the Ditch
5.9 – 4/24/13 Decorative FMQ
5.10 – 5/1/13 Additional Quilting
5.11 – 5/8/13 Binding – It’s Finished!

Christa’s Quilt Along 5.3 – Hugs and Kisses Bow Tie Blocks

March 13, 2013May 7, 201315 Comments

Hugs ‘N Kisses 48″ x 64″

Welcome to part 3 of my Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt Along!

This week we will cut our strips into pieces and sew the bow tie units that make up the hugs and kisses blocks. Today’s post is pretty lengthy but I want to remind you to work at your own pace. Making this quilt is not a race; rather it is about enjoying the process.

I timed each step as I completed it to give you an idea of how long it will take to sew (total of 9 hours). Rather than try to hurry and finish it all at once, I completed 1-2 steps per day so I never felt rushed.

Before cutting into segments, I starched my strips.

I also replaced a few jelly roll strips with a couple from my stash. (That’s because I borrowed them to make a previous Valentine’s Table Runner last month, LOL!!)

Kissing Booth Jelly Roll Plus Stash Strips

Optional Step 1 – Starching the Strips (1 Hour, 15 Minutes)

I sprayed a light mist on the backside, let it soak in, then gently pressed from the front. Take care not to stretch your skinny strips out of alignment. It’s not mandatory, but I do get better results by starching. You can read my previous post about using starch here.

If you decide to starch your background strips, take care that you don’t scorch them. I would suggest testing on a piece of white fabric first to make sure you don’t get any yellowing or flaking of the starch. Here’s a hint – cut some of your starched strips into units while you are waiting for other starched strips to dry in between pressing.

If you select any one of the layouts from last week’s post you can cut all of your fabrics according to the chart below. But feel free to modify your design further if it pleases you.

Step 2 – Cutting the Print Strips into Segments (2 Hours)

From each of 35 print jelly roll strips (2 .5″ x 42″), cut:

8 – 2.5″ squares (2o inches so far)
8 – 1.5″ squares (32 inches so far)
1 – 2.5″ x 4.5″ brick (37 inches total)

Cut Squares

Be sure to cut off the selvedges first and stack up to 4 layers of strips for cutting efficiency. Just remember – measure twice, cut once! I found it easiest to cut the 2.5″ squares, then the brick, then trim the rest of the strip down to 1.5″ before cutting the smaller squares.

You should have one stack of squares (8 large, 8 small) for every complete X or O block.

From 3 print jelly roll strips, cut:

a total of 19 more 2.5″ x 4.5″ bricks

Border Brick Units

You should have a total of 54 bricks that measure 2.5″ x 4.5″. Stack all of your bricks together and set aside for now. Keep your squares above sorted by color.

Step 3 – Cutting the Solid Background Strips (30 Minutes)

From 18 solid background strips (2 .5″ x 42″):

Cut a total of 280 – 2.5″ squares. Yes, this is a lot of background squares.
You need 8 squares per large block and will be making 35 blocks total.
You can get 16 – 2.5″ squares per strip.

Cut 4 stacks of squares per background strip.

280 Background Squares

Here’s a hint: fold one of your background strips into 4 layers so that it is at least 10 inches wide.

Cut one background strip at a time into 4 stacks of 4 squares each.

Continue cutting until you have a total of 280 squares. You will use a total 17.5 strips exactly for the squares.

Set aside 6 extra full strips for borders = 24 background strips total.

Step 4 – Sew and Trim the Bow Tie Corners (1 Hour, 15 Minutes)

Layer one smaller print square in the corner of one larger background square.
Sew diagonally from corner to corner on the print square.
Trim off the corner, leaving 1/4″ seam allowance.
Press the print corner down to complete the square.

Bow Tie Corners

Chain Piecing

Practice making one bow tie corner unit so you get the hang of it.

I didn’t worry about marking my sewing line since it was such a small square.

Assembly line sew all of your squares until you have a total of 280 pieced corners (8 of each fabric).

This is also called chain piecing. Sew all of the squares before cutting in between each one.

Step 5 – Press All the Pieced Squares (45 Minutes)

Taking care not to scorch your fabrics, press all 280 pieced squares with the fabric towards the dark side. At this point, they can all face the same direction.

Bow Tie Corners

Step 6 – Sewing the Bow Tie Blocks (3 Hours, 15 Minutes)

It takes 2 print squares and two pieced background squares per bow tie unit. For efficiency, you can turn the pieces all the same way and join them together assembly line style. Be sure to sew one test unit first so you know you are putting it together correctly.

Bow Tie Squares

Bow Tie Piecing

Sew two half units together to complete one bow tie unit.

Bow Tie Units

Pressing tips: I like to “finger” press each half of the bow tie unit with a wooden seam roller. Then, after sewing the halves to complete the bow tie, I will press open with an iron.

Seam Roller Press

Press Seams Open

Sew a total of 140 bow tie units, 4 of each color. You may have 8 bow ties of some colors if you have duplicate strips. Next week we will sew them into blocks.

If you have any questions about this week’s homework, please be sure to join my flickr discussion or email me directly at christa@christaquilts.com.

Quilt Along Schedule – Links will go to each active post when published.

5.1 – 2/27/13 Supply List
5.2 – 3/6/13 Choosing Fabrics and Alternate Layouts
5.3 – 3/13/13 Cutting and Sewing the Bow Tie Blocks
5.4 – 3/20/13 Sewing the X and O Blocks (or alternates)
5.5 – 3/27/13 Finishing the Quilt Top and Pieced Borders
5.6 – 4/3/13 Piecing the Backing
5.7 – 4/10/13 Pin Basting
5.8 – 4/17/13 Stitching in the Ditch
5.9 – 4/24/13 Decorative FMQ
5.10 – 5/1/13 Additional Quilting
5.11 – 5/8/13 Binding – It’s Finished!

Christa’s Quilt Along 5.2 – Hugs ‘n Kisses Fabric Layout

March 6, 2013May 7, 201325 Comments

Hugs ‘N Kisses 48″ x 64″

Welcome to part 2 of my Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt Along! Today I will be discussing fabric selection and layout.

Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt Kits are available if you’d rather not worry about fabric selection.

For a successful design, this quilt relies on contrast between the print fabrics and the solid background.

You could choose one of your favorite themed fabrics like solids, batiks, or a favorite color range, and pair them with either a totally light solid or a totally dark fabric for contrast.

That being said, what if we play around a little? You will notice my original version has a few light colored strips. What if you wanted a modern, low-volume quilt? Just blur the contrast between the prints and background to achieve this sort of look in the pink design below.

Low Volume Hugs ‘n Kisses

Juvenile Hugs ‘n Kisses

And if you want to make a more playful, juvenile quilt, you can choose a bright background solid that matches one of your print fabrics. You could also use several different background fabrics if you want to make it a bit more “scrappy.”

If you are working with a kit where all of the fabrics are already chosen, you can make it your own by changing the setting of the squares, also known as block layout.

Hugs ‘n Kisses Bowties

Hugs ‘n Kisses Waves

The basic unit we will be constructing next week is the bow-tie block. You could lay out your entire quilt with the bow ties all going the same way to achieve a totally different look. Or how about zig-zags, all kisses, or all hugs? It’s up to you!

Hugs ‘n Kisses all X’s

Hugs ‘n Kisses All O’s

I even dare you to play around with the borders if you are so inclined. What if you swapped the border fabric for the binding fabric, i.e., a solid border and a scrappy binding instead? If you want to make a larger quilt, who is stopping you from cutting a few extra strips from your stash and mixing them in with the other blocks? You can always “borrow” the inner border strips to cut up into more block backgrounds, and replace them with something else.

I want you to look at the kits as a starting point and explore your creativity (but only if you want to – there are no hard and fast rules here)! Who knows, I might even change up my own quilt a bit when I get to that point. 🙂

Here is this week’s “homework” for those of you cutting your own strips:

Cut out 36 assorted 2.5″ print strips for your blocks and pieced borders
Cut 23 – 2.5″ solid strips for your background and inner borders
Set aside 1/2 yard of coordinating solid for the binding and be sure to prewash it.

If you have any questions about this week’s homework, please be sure to join my flickr discussion or email me directly at christa@christaquilts.com.

Quilt Along Schedule – Links will go to each active post when published.

5.1 – 2/27/13 Supply List
5.2 – 3/6/13 Choosing Fabrics and Alternate Layouts
5.3 – 3/13/13 Cutting and Sewing the Bow Tie Blocks
5.4 – 3/20/13 Sewing the X and O Blocks (or alternates)
5.5 – 3/27/13 Finishing the Quilt Top and Pieced Borders
5.6 – 4/3/13 Piecing the Backing
5.7 – 4/10/13 Pin Basting
5.8 – 4/17/13 Stitching in the Ditch
5.9 – 4/24/13 Decorative FMQ
5.10 – 5/1/13 Additional Quilting
5.11 – 5/8/13 Binding – It’s Finished!

Christa’s Quilt Along 5.1 – Hugs ‘n Kisses Supply List

February 27, 2013August 13, 201543 Comments

Free Quilt Pattern

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Time for another fun quilt-along! My Hugs ‘n Kisses design is based on a quilt I made several years ago. If you look closely, it’s similar to the quilt shown on my blog’s header. Over the years I’ve had several requests for this quilt pattern, so I finally decided to make one!

Hugs ‘n Kisses

About This Quilt – Finished Size 48″ x 64″

I designed this quilt using EQ7 so that it will work with Jelly Rolls or precut strips. Although I am making this quilt in the size stated above, you can easily double the yardage requirements, purchase additional kits, or add borders to make it bigger.

Kissing Booth Jelly Roll

Kona Snow Roll Up

Kona Solids Brick

Fabric Requirements (Hugs and Kisses Quilt Kits are available for a limited time.)

1 Jelly Roll of print fabric. You may use any jelly roll or set of precut strips you like as long as you have at least 38 – 2.5″ strips.
2/3 Jelly Roll of solid or background fabric, or 24 – 2.5″ strips. If you prefer to purchase yardage and cut the strips yourself, you will need 1.75 yards.
1/2 yard fabric for the binding in a coordinating color – I prefer to use solid 2.25″ strips. Purchase a little more if you like wider strips.
At least 52″ x 68″ piece of batting; my favorites are high quality cotton or wool.
3 yards of non-directional fabric the backing, or scraps and fat quarters to total about 3.5 yards if you prefer to make it scrappy like I do.

Machingers Gloves

Supreme Slider

Superior Needles

Supplies Needed

Sewing machine with walking foot (darning foot for optional free-motion quilting)
Brand new sewing machine needles
Rotary cutting equipment (rotary cutter, cutting mat, acrylic rulers)
Basic sewing supplies (pins, scissors, seam ripper, etc.)
Machingers quilting gloves
Basting pins
Thread to match your fabrics
Optional – bobbin washers for smoother thread delivery
Optional – Supreme Slider for FMQ