Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

I am really running out of cute blog post titles for when I am announcing winners, if you have any cute ones please let me know :)

The winners of the Nifty Notions Cut For The Cure rulers are

Here are your random numbers:

4 5

Timestamp: 2012-02-17 23:19:47 UTC

Congrats to Richard and Lisa! I have emailed you!

Till next time

Go! Ahead & Show Some Love

Have you seen the Go! Ahead and Show Some Love Blog Hop? Paulette from Sweet Pea Quilting and Creations is hosting it in conjunction with the Quilters With Modern Tools group. This months blog hop is all about the color red, Valentine Day and the Accuquilt cutting system. And today it's my turn on the hop!







The project I made for this blog hop is my Dresden Love hot pad. It's kinda big for a mug rug, but kinda small for a table topper, but is the perfect size for a hot pad.

This is a simple dresden fan using a 22.5 degree ruler. For those of you that are new to my blog, I do a monthly series on Nifty Notions rulers and the ruler of the month in January was the 22.5 degree wedge. Check out all the ruler tutorials I have done for you here.

You will need
1 - 2.5" x WOF red fabric
1 - 2.5" x WOF pink fabric
1 - 5" square red fabric
1 - 8" square white fabric for background
Steam-a-Seam
1 - 1.5" x WOF pink fabric for border
2 - 2.25" x WOF red for binding
1 - 12" square red fabric for backing
1 - 12" square batting


To make this hot pad you will first need to figure out what size fan pieces to cut. 


1. Decide on the size of the fan/plate you want. For this project I wanted the fan to measure 7" across the diameter. For those of you who failed HS geometry the diameter is the size of the line drawn thru the center of a circle. 

2. Once you know how big of a fan/plate you want you can figure out what size pieces you will need. It's a pretty easy formula:

Take the diameter and subtract 2 and then divide by 2. So if you want a 7" plate/fan it works this way... 7 - 2 = 5/2 = 2.5. So the strip you cut your wedges from need to be 2.5".

3. Now that we know what size strips to use it's time to cut the strips. If you are using 2 different fabrics for the plate/fan cut your strips the desired size and then lay them out one on top of the other with right sides together. Place the ruler on the strip with the Logo face up (so you can read it). Line up the top edge with the line that corresponds to the size of the strip. Trim the left side and cut along the right side to make your first wedge.

4. Then flip the ruler over so the small edge is at the top. Line the left edge of the ruler with the left edge of the strip and cut along the right side of the ruler.

5. To figure out how many pieces to cut divide 360 by the degree of the ruler. In this case
360 ÷ 22.5 = 16. So you will need to cut 16 pieces or 8 sets of wedges. This formula applies to any wedge you are using.

You will now have 16 cut pieces like this. 

6. Once you have all your wedge pieces cut you will be sewing them to make a point at the top. Here's how:

Fold the wedge in half like so.

7. Then sew using a quarter inch seam along the larger straight line

 8. Then turn the piece right side out to form a point. You can use a stiletto or other pointy object to push the point out. Here's what you will have now

9. Then sew the pieces together. Start at the part closest part to the point and sew using a quarter inch seam to the bottom. Sew them in 2's, making sure the same fabric is always on the top.

10. Continue sewing pieces together, pressing the seams open as you go till you have a full circle (made with 16 wedges).

11. Now it's time to put it all together. You will need the 3" circle die, some double sided web interfacing (I use Steam-a-Seam). Following the directions affix the Steam-a-Seam to the back of the piece of fabric you will be making your circle with. In this case the red fabric.

12. Using your Accuquilt cut a 3" circle out. Also cut a 5" circle out of the Steam-a-Seam alone.

13. Affix the 5" circle to the back of the dresden fan. Then take the paper backing off press the dresden fan onto your background fabric.

14. Peel the paper off the back of the 3" red circle and affix it to the center of the fan.

15. Cut the border fabric into 2 - 1.5" x 8" and 2 - 1.5" x 10" rectangles.

16. Sew the 8" strips to the top and bottom sides of the background fabric and the 10" strips to the sides of the background.

17. Make a quilt sandwich with the backing face down, the batting and the top face up. Pin to keep it together.

18. Using a blanket stitch on your machine sew around the circle to finish the edges. Or you can hand sew a blanket stitch if you prefer.

19. Quilt and bind. I quilted in the ditch between the background and the border until I got to the corners. I marked 1" in from each side and used painters tape to show the line to sew on. This gave it a slightly framed look.

There you go a Dresden Love Hot Pad.

I hope you like this tutorial. Be sure to check out all the other blog hop stops in the Go! Ahead and Show Some Love Blog Hop.

If you are looking for the Accuquilt cutting system and dies they can be found here.

Till Next Time

2 QSTs + 1 HST = Turnstile Block

Do you know what this is called? I didn't until I checked on EQ7 and saw its called a Turnstile Block. I always called it a Double Pinwheel, which it might also be called. If you know of any other names for this block please let me know.

This block uses 2 QSTs and 1 HST and is very simple if you follow all these directions.

1. You need to know what size your finished squares will be. A square in this instance looks like this.

I want to use these squares on the next border on my Swoon quilt. Since it's currently 64.5" x 64.5" I decided that I want the blocks to be 4" once sewed together and onto the quilt. This is your finished square size.

Once you know the size you want to make these squares you can figure out what size strips you need.

For the HST add .5" to the finished size, which is 4.5".
For the QSTs divide the finished square size in half, 4/2 = 2. Then add .5" to that number, which is 2.5" 

So you will need a 4.5" strip of the fabric for the HST (purple) and a 2.5" strip of each of the 2 QST fabric (pink and orange).

Cut the HST's and QSTs by following the tutorials I have already posted. If you missed them you can find them on the Ruler Series Tutorial page here.

2. I find it helpful to layout the pieces so I know what part to sew. 

3. Sew the 2 QST's together along the short sides as shown above. Press open. You have just made a HST out of 2 QSTs.

4. Place the 2 HST's next to each other before you sew to make sure your sewing on the correct line.

5. Sew along the long diagonal line, as you would any HST. Be sure not to pull the fabric or it will come out wonky. Press towards the purple.

6. These can be used to make a Turnstile block or as a border (like I am planning on doing).

There you go another way to make this block without drawing on the back of the fabric or having to square anything up.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for 2 Nifty Notions Rulers. Click here to enter.
Note - you can link anything up, but leaving a comment isn't an entry so please link up.

Till next time,

QST & HST = Flying Geese

How do you make flying geese blocks? I know there are several different techniques out there from drawing on the back of a square to make the wings to having to square up your flying geese blocks after sewing them. But the technique I use is so much easier...no drawing on the back of blocks, no squaring up and virtually no wasted fabric.


Here's how:
1. Figure out what height size finished flying geese blocks you want to make. I wanted my blocks to be 4" high. Add a half inch and that is the size strips you will be working from. In my case the strips needed to be 4.5".
2. Cut a 4.5" strip of the geese fabric and of the sky fabric.
3. With the geese fabric, use the Nifty Notions Quarter Square Triangle (QST) ruler to cut your pieces. Cut 1 per flying geese block you want to make. Here's a tutorial on how to cut the QSTs.
4. With the sky fabric, use the Nifty Notions Half Square Triangle Ruler *HST) to cut the sky pieces. Cut 2 per flying geese block you want to make. Here's a tutorial on how to cut the HSTs.
This is what the pieces will look like.

5. Flip the right side sky piece (orange) over so the diagonals are aligned. This is your sewing line. Sew along the line and press towards the sky.

6. Repeat with the other piece of sky fabric. Press towards the sky.

There you go, a flying geese block that you don't have to draw any lines for or square up and has virtually no waste.

So what do you think? Are you ready to try this technique?


Don't forget to enter the giveaway to win a set of 2 rulers from Brewer Sewing. Just link up anything you have made with fabric. It doesn't have to have triangles in it but if you had a project with triangles I'd love to see it. You can find the link here.


Until next time

Are you ready for some Rulers???
This month there's 2 winners who will each get a Nifty Notion Cut For The Cure 22.5 degree wedge ruler and a 4" x 14" ruler courtesy of Brewer Sewing.

.

Since my Mr. Random is at the gym right now I used the random integer generator at Random.org

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

26 3

Timestamp: 2012-01-21 14:44:53 UTC

Number 26 is Sally and number 3 is Mom2RyandSis!

Congrats ladies, I have sent you both an email!

Remember Valentines Week begins on Monday so make sure you come back!

Terrain Stepping Stones Quilt, My First Finish Of The Year!

If you are looking for the Nifty Notions Ruler giveaway click here. Hurry the giveaway ends today!

This week was very exciting for me, not only did I work on 4 Valentines Day projects but I finished my first quilt on my 2012 Finish-A-Long list! It's my Terrain Stepping stones Quilt.

I finished the quilt top in November before Thanksgiving, so I guess technically it didn't take that long to make since I don't stop piecing until the quilt top is done. That keeps me from being confused. Besides it was a fairly easy pattern. If you want the pattern its available here for FREE!

I knew that I wanted to make a small lap size quilt to put over my legs when I am using the computer. We have hard wood floors and my feet get cold. I also knew I didn't want it to be too heavy and bulky so I decided to just back it in flannel with no batting. And its the perfect weight, its over my lap right now keeping me cozy :)

Like many of my projects this one had lots of HSTs, which you know I am craizee about! I know I am weird, but I like the challenge of matching them all up.

I decided to just quilt in the ditch around the different shapes, big squares, little squares, diagonals and diamonds.

The hardest part for some reason was hand sewing the back of the binding on. It was only 2 thin layers and my needle kept going thru the front so it took forever to hand sew. I think I need to learn to machine sew binding on.

Today is another big quilting day. I need to put the borders on Tyler's quilt and quilt and bind my Valentines quilt.

Speaking of Valentines Day, next week I have decided is V week here at Craizee Corners. I have a bunch of V-day projects to show you and maybe a great giveaway too! If you have a V-day project you would like to share let me know and I would be happy to show it here.

Come back tomorrow to see who the 2 winners of the Nifty Notions rulers are!  

Little Red House

If you are looking for the Nifty Notions Ruler giveaway click here.

I don't know about you but as soon as I made my first Dresden fan point I knew I had to make a Dresden house.

I have been thinking about it all week and today I had some time to make one.

I used 2 - 10" squares or layer cake pieces.

1. Cut 1 - 10" wedge out of the house fabric.

2. Fold the wedge in half along the length and sew a 1/4" seam along the bottom seam.

3. Flip the part you just sewed right side out to make a point. Use something pointy to make sure the point is crisp and press. Use Best Press or Starch .

4. Trim the house to be 6". Measure from the top point 6" and trim the rest off. I used the Nifty Notions 4" x 14" ruler which was perfect for this project.

5. Turn a 1/4" under towards the back to make a smooth edge on both sides and the bottom. Press. I used some Best Press to make the folds crisp.

6. Trace the shape of the house into some double sided fusible web and then cut the shape out 1/4" in from the line. This will make the web a little smaller than the fabric so it doesn't show. (I used Steam-A-Seam). Follow the manufacturers directions to affix the web to the house and then the house to the background.

7. Now either machine or hand applique the house onto the background. There you go...a little red house!

I am going to add some grass, trees and some flowers to finish this off. I used the blanket stitch on my machine to sew on the house and had fun with some other decorative stitches that my machine has.

Remember to enter the giveaway for 2 Nifty Notions rulers! Click here to find out how. 

Tumblers

If you are looking for the Nifty Notions Ruler Giveaway click here.

Have you ever made a tumbler quilt? A tumbler is just another name for a wedge of some kind. The wedge pieces are alternated like pictured below.

Most tumbler patterns use a template, but in my world that's a dirty word. And why would I make more work for myself when I can have tons of these great wedge shapes cut in a matter of minutes.

The tumbler pieces are cut the same way as the other 2 blocks I showed you this week. If you missed the tutorial click here.

You can make these tumbler pieces any size you want. I have to make a few more Valentines mug rugs so I decided to use the tumblers as a frame for some embroidery or applique I plan on doing.

For this mug rug I used 4" tumblers. If you trim a charm square to be 4 x 5 then you can get 2 - 4" tumblers from each charm. I had some leftover charms from a quilt I am working on and used them. Once the tumblers are cut, arrange them in a pleasing manner. Remember to turn every other one upside down or you will end up with a Dresden fan instead of a straight line. 

To sew these together simply put them right sides together with the top points lining up. Sew down the right side diagonal. Then press the seams open.

Continue sewing tumbler pieces until you have enough. I used 7 pieces. Then I trimmed them slightly to even it all up.

Now cut the whole piece in half. I wanted the effect of the tumblers continuing from the top to bottom and visa versa. For the center I used a piece of white cut to 6" x 9". 

Make sure the top part of the tumbler strip is on the top of the center fabric and the other is on the bottom.

Now comes the tricky part...getting the pieces to be even. I was taught to line up the centers when using sashing and this is basically the same thing. Fold the white in half along the 9" part and mark the center. Then fold the 2 tumbler parts and mark them. I find it helpful to make a sharp fold where the center is. Start pinning at the marked center line and go out from there.

Sew the top and bottom on and press towards the center. Then even out the sides using the center piece as a guide. There will be a little overhand on each side.

Now I just have to figure out what to put on the white piece.

So are you sold on this technique yet? I don't know where I would be without these special rulers. I personally will do anything not to have to draw on the back of a square, especially along the bias.

If you are looking for any of these Nifty Notions Cut For The Cure Rulers you can order them directly from Kaye England who is the designer of the rulers or from The Berry Patch (tell them Sharon sent you). 

Don't forget to enter the giveaway to win one of these rulers!