Monday, April 29, 2019

Diagonal Set quilts - Corner Triangles and Setting Triangles


Use this simple math to figure out how to cut setting triangles and corner squares for diagonal set quilts.  They are cut differently in order to get straight of grain on the outside edge of the quilt.  I saw this recently on YouTube from The National Quilters Circle, and retrieved the graphics off the internet from Spruce Crafts.

Corner Triangles
These are cut from squares, on the diagonal.  Simple math lets you determine the size of the square.



Use your finished block size and divide this by 1.414.  Add 7/8” and round up to nearest eighth.  Or, you could round up to the nearest ¼, and trim after sewing.

Example:  12” finished block
Size of square = 12” / 1.414 = 8.49”
8.49” + .875” = 9.365”
9.365” rounded up is 9.375” or 9-3/8”
Option to round up to 9-1/2” and trim after sewing



Setting Triangles
These are cut from squares and cut twice on the diagonal.  Use simple math to determine the size of the square.



Your finished block size is multiplied by 1.414.  Add 1-1/4” and round up to the nearest eighth.  Or, you could round up the nearest ¼” and trim after sewing.

Example” 
12” finished block
Size of square = 12” x 1.414 = 16”
16” + 1.25” = 17.25 or 17-1/4”
Option to round up to 17-1/2” and trim after sewing.

I hope this helps the next time you make a diagonal set quilt.

Monday, April 22, 2019

Using old textiles in art pieces

I received a bag of textiles as part of a challenge and one of the things was a 1972 linen calendar.  It was UGLY!  I needed to turn it into something a little more current without totally annihilating what was underneath.  Painting seemed like the right thing to do.  Here is what the wall calendar looked like before:




Here is what I pulled out of my painting supplies:



Here it is in progress with a couple of coats of gesso:



And here is the final painted piece.


I like the way it turned out.  If you look really closely, you can still see some of the original background.  But it turned an ugly piece into something that I can use in my challenge project.

I hope you try to re-purpose textiles instead of tossing them out next time.

Monday, April 15, 2019

New Challenge for the Vagabonds

Since the Vagabonds finished their whisper challenge series, it was time to select the 2019 challenge.  Here we are at a retreat in January.


Several ideas were discussed and the one we landed on was to take a brown paper lunch bag, fill it with scraps of fabric and other fiber, fold it over 1" and staple it shut.  In the February meeting, we put all the bags into a pile and drew names.  The first person chose a bag from the pile, and so on.  (We put our names on the bottom of the bags so that we knew not to pick our own.)

Once we got the bag home, we had to empty it and take a picture of what was in the bag.  Each person had to use a recognizable amount of the all of the contents of the bag on the front of their quilt.   Finished quilts can't be larger than 180" perimeter, and can use any technique.  Painting and over dying are allowed.  Due date is the second Thursday of January 2020, just when we will have our art exhibit and sale at the Second Story Gallery in Camas.  Here's what I got in my bag:



I can't wait to start!

Friday, April 12, 2019

Clark County Quilt Show - Quiltfest Northwest - March 2019

My local quilt guild, Clark County Quilters, held it's annual quilt show at the end of March 2019.  The name of the show was changed to "Quiltfest Northwest", and this is a sure sign that the show is huge, varied, and worth the entry fee!

Here are some of the blue ribbon winners.  Enjoy!

Friends and Mentors by Lynn Czaban





Best of Show Wall size by Judith Phelps


Best of Show Large Quilt by Carol Hattan
















Burgoyne Surrounded by Audrey Prothero

Joanne Roth, Lynn Patterson, Kathy Ericksen  with Colleen's Paisley



Winter Raven by Judith Phelps

Monday, April 8, 2019

Charity quilt from leftovers

I had lots of leftover pieces from the burgundy quilt that I made from strip sets.  Rather than throw these out or toss them into my scrap bin, I decided to make a quilt and donate it to my quilt guild's charity group.

I started with 5" squares of a print fabric and sewed them to the scraps, which were also cut into 5" squares.  I sewed on both sides of the center line so that I would end up with 2 half square triangles.  These were then squared up to 4-1/2" squares. Here's the pile of them on my design wall and ready to put into the quilt.



I sewed these into 8" squares.  The half square triangles are all 4", the solid squares are all 2", and the setting blocks are all white on white 8" squares.  I love bright colors, so I used those fabrics in this quilt to make it fun and young looking.

Here is the finished top.


I hope whomever gets this charity quilt will like it!

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Quiltfest Northwest Video on You Tube

I was recently involved in an interview during the Clark County Quilters annual quilt show, which is now called Quiltfest Northwest.  Here's a picture of Wilma Scott, Sharry Olmstead, me, and Jim Scheurman. 


Have a look at the video, which is also available on YouTube and at The Quilt Show.  Besides our interview, the video shows most of the show and some of the vendors.  Happy viewing!

Quiltfest Northwest Video

Monday, April 1, 2019

Burgundy quilt

I headed to the beach for a retreat in January 2019, and didn't have any projects in the works to take along.  What?  No UFO's?  Great!

However, that meant I had to scramble to put together a couple of ideas for a project.  I decided to get 2 quilts from the charity group that needed binding; and to make a quilt from the leftover fabric from my Nancy Crow class taken 2 years ago.  I had tons of burgundy family fabrics, a lot of black and white and grays, and a few pops of color to go with it all.

Here are the piles that I started with:




I had no idea where I was going with this quilt, and that was part of the fun.   I sewed 5 different strip sets. And, I forgot to take pictures of them.  I hope you can figure out what they were from the picture.  These were cut into varying widths and sewn together with black setting strips.

I decided to quilt it with a heavy variegated thread with a walking foot.  It was fun to make and used up a lot of fabric that has been sitting in my stash.  Two good things!  

Here is the completed quilt.  It is 48" x 64".  



I hope you like it!