Sunday, October 25, 2015

How to Hand Piece a Quilt Block

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Let's do some hand piecing of a quilt block 

I hand piece or hand quilt EVERY Monday at my small group quilting group. Really...I'm just to lazy to get my sewing machine up to class, plus then I couldn't walk over. A new member last Monday and she asked LOTS of questions about hand piecing. 

So, I'm re-posting my basic hand piecing class,  first posted in 2010.

I feel all quilter's should at some time do hand piecing, I know you think I'm nuts, but it brings me back to the tradition of what quilters are all about. I try to do one every year or so. Your piece need not be a huge project, but please, try it.

This is my travel quilt box, would you believe it's an old Ethel M Chocolate box from Las Vegas about 25 years ago. It has everything but scissors, you just can't travel with them anymore. I have gotten into the habit of keeping it all together. This box has been on many vacations, fishing trips and even at baseball/football games in many towns, when the boys still lived with us, they are 35 and 33 now ! 


hand piece a quilt

Cut an assortment of fabric, 
For one block you will need
8 - 1 1/2" x 1 1/2"
and
4 - 2 1/2" x 1 1/2"
I just cut a pile of each and put the colors together as I piece.

marking lines to hand make a quilt

Mark a 1/4" seam line on fabric back, I use a ruler and pencil.

hand stitch a quilt

Knot your thread and do a rocking stitch. After a bit you will not need the line, notice my thumb,
 I use it as my measurement guide, some add a mark on their nail, but I don't like mess up my nails, aka manicure !

how to hand piece a quilt block

I use a thread about 18-20 inches long and string piece, knotting at the beginning and end of each block. Finger piece them open.

sewing a quilt by hand
Draw seam line if needed. Place good fabric to good, pin and sew.

how to hand piece a quilt



Open and finger press. Add 2 1/2" x 1 1/2' to side.
how to piece a quilt
Draw sewing line, Pin and sew on line,

hand piece a quilt

Finger press to the outside.



how to hand piece a quilt block

Take 2 1/2" x 1 1/2" and draw sewing line on each end, sew to 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" Do 2 times.
how to hand piece a quilt block
Draw seam line if needed. Place good fabric to good, pin and sew.

how to hand piece a quilt block

This is the back of my hand pieced block.


how to hand piece a quilt

Two finished blocks, each block has a finished size of 4"

Take some time, don't take it all to serious, pick a comfy chair, good light and just have some HAND piecing fun.

Monday, October 19, 2015

Pop COLOR on a Little Quilt

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I noticed these great colors in one of the moving tubes. So yesterday I spent sometime sewing.
Little Blue and Yellow Nine-Patch Quilt


Basic 9 patches, set on ends. I did it in strip piecing, cutting each  3/4" wide.
Little Blue and Yellow Nine-Patch Quilt

The finished quilt is 4 1/2" x 4 1/2".
Little Blue and Yellow Nine-Patch Quilt
I have been doing a lot of little things, I have a huge project to start, I think I'm procrastinating a bit??

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Monday, October 12, 2015

An Old Quilt From Long Ago !

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I'm going through old quilt pictures and this one just makes me smile

Heart quilt with applique flowers

This quilt is from the first quilt book I purchased
"Holiday Happenings" by Christal Carter, published by That Patchwork Place, copyright 1987, it took me a bit of time to find the book on my bookcase it was on the very top, but,  in it's day it was a very popular book. This has to be my second or third quilt made, in the late 80's.

Heart quilt with applique flowers book

The patterns are all done around a log cabin.

Heart quilt with applique flowers

This is the first time I did applique, and I didn't know how to do a blind stitch, so I did a running stitch on top of the pieces. As I look at it now, I see SO, many things that are not right, but I still like it, not perfect and all.


Heart quilt with applique flowers

I machine pieced the quilt, hand applique and hand quilted.


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Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Day out Shopping for Things I Just Like !

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Been doing a bit of shopping ! Again

This picture is from the Women's Exchange in Sarasota, FL

The true title is "The Writing Chair" I googled it and this tag can be found on many framed pieces of this print. 

I only gave 20 dollars for it and I am still very pleased with my purchase. Some on the internet, not so pleased.
old art print of chair


old art print of chair

The linen table cloth, picked up for just a 3 dollars.


Linen stitched table runner

I picked up this little piece, it's about 8 inches tall.
I was at a flea market and  5 dollars.  A very nice day out !


Small wooden hutch

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Wednesday, September 30, 2015

How to Put Quilt Fabric Colors Together

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Question “How do you see quilt fabric colors going together?”

I answered very quickly, “You just see it.” 

But the question has stayed with me.
 So, I have broken down how I do it.


Pick your Quilt Colors by The Quilt Ladies1) Start with one fabric. Take this one fabric and work from it. Is that one fabric, a dark, medium or light color?




This is a Dark







Pick your Quilt Colors by The Quilt Ladies





Add the light and medium. Move and change it until you like it.
Lay them out in front of you.














Pick your Quilt Fabric Colors by The Quilt Ladies






Then add, a dark medium, a light medium, until you have the mix of what you like.








2) Choose colors and patterns you love. An average a twin size quilt will take me about a week to piece together, and if hand quilted another, 3-4 months. If tied or machine quilted 3-4 weeks, you have so much time and cost involved you have to love it.


3) Natural or background colors. These are the corner stone. More often than notPick your Quilt Colors by The Quilt Ladies the background color is your light color. Your background color helps bring the blocks together. It does not always need to be a light either, dark or medium work well to, any color can be used.

4) Color Wheel. I’m not a big fan of the color wheel, I do like when colors pops and on most of my quilts the start fabric is not the most prominent color used it in, it is just a starting point.

5) Make one block. This should always be done, a Quilters practice, cut only fabric for one block and live with it for a few days. Especially, if it’s something you’ve never tried before. Most times you will know right away if you like it or not.

6) Have fun. This is the best way to ensure quilt success, when you enjoy the process, your quilt will be fantastic.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Best Quilt BOOK I've seen in a LONG Time...Only Red and White Quilts

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I shared a few weeks ago, that I had ordered this book  HERE

Mine arrived yesterday in the Mail, you know sometimes when you wait for something.....well... this is GREAT ! I've added the book link for you too.
Red and White Quilts from American Folk Art Museum Book

I had breakfast with it this morning ! 
It is EVERY ONE of the quilts that were in the show. 
Page after page of red and white quilts

Red and White Quilts from American Folk Art Museum

Lunch with it !
No quilt patterns, it doesn't need them. 
It's Wonderful ! 

Red and White Quilts from American Folk Art Museum

Red and White Quilts from American Folk Art Museum Book

Not a paid advertisement, I bought the book ! 


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Tuesday, September 22, 2015

First blog post anniversary - 7 Years Later

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7 Years of doing this Site and a 
Quilt Pattern Sale at The Quilt Ladies Store
Click over and shop - HERE
Only at The Quilt Ladies Store.

bethanndoing.com

eBook Put on some Red Lip Stick and Let's Quilt Pattern by The Quilt Ladies

My first ever blog post was today 9-22-2008, I've come along way, this my first post

WOW, I'm starting the road to get the quilt ladies published. Today the project was this blog. I've been asked by friends to get this started and it (the blog) was very easy to get going.

The books are at the book designer and I hope to get them back in the next month and ready for sell, ASAP after that. The next big project will be the web store page.

The decision to do the book myself has been a hard one, but I have to take the leap and just jump. After selling at craft shows and doing pretty good, I hope everyone loves them as much as I do. I have jpgs, of the covers and I'll try to get them on soon??? I've been told I can do it??

I'm learning so much

I need a bit of help with any idea about getting the word out about what will soon be:

http://www.thequiltladies.com/ not up yet, but I purchased the domain ! ! :)

If you have any ideas, please let me know, thanks, Beth


Side note from today, "I'm just exhausted" 


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