On The Road Again....

Hello, quilters!

  Are you enjoying the Road Rally? It’s the last day for the Quiltmaker’s 100 BlocksVolume 16 Blog Hop but I know you are still finding fun and interesting stuff on the designer blogs!   

As a child, I used to play with that folded-paper fortune teller with my friends!  Remember those?  It was fun to make up answers (or fortunes), fold the paper origami-style and, finally, get an answer to some silly questions. 

When I finished making my block for Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks, the on-point squares reminded me of a paper fortune teller.  I soon discovered that it’s also called Whirlybird - like a helicopter!  Well, with the movement the triangles create in the block, I had to call it Whirlybird! 

You can use this block in so many ways.  Sew a dozen of these blocks and you can easily make a lap size quilt with three blocks across and four blocks down.  Add a little border to frame it and, voila, you have a really neat quilt with pinwheels everywhere!  Here it is made with fabrics from the Improv Collection by Benartex.

You can add sashing for easier construction and add a neat border print.  Here I’ve used the Surf’s Up collection from Northcott fabrics.  Isn’t that a neat quilt to cuddle with at a beach house?   

Red Pinwheels or Blue Pinwheels???  

One of my favorite design elements is an unusual sashing.  I could not resist creating one to go with this block!  Can you tell what the sashing looks like from this quilt picture? (Sashing picture below!)

(Garden Party fabrics by Michael Miller)

I purposely created this sashing so that none of the seams match any of the block seams!  It makes sewing the quilt go so much easier.   Here's another version:  

Can you figure out the sashing yet?  

Here’s what that sashing looks like:

It is constructed of two 3” finished Square in a Square units, separated by a 1” x 3” finished rectangle with a 2 ½” x 3” finished rectangle on each end.  The main thing really is to make sure the points on those Square in a Square units don’t get cut off when you sew the quilt together.  So, you will need a good 1/4” seam allowance at those points. 

Mark a 2” unfinished square (white in the picture below) on one diagonal.  I typically use a mechanical pencil for this.  It’s pretty accurate as it has a fine point and the line comes out just the right skinny width.  Using a regular No. 2 pencil is tricky because the line usually ends up being too wide.  You will be using this line as a stitch line so it’s really important for the best accuracy that this line isn’t wider than your thread.

Place this square on one corner of a 3 ½” unfinished square (green in the picture).  Match up the raw edges and sew just a tiny hair’s breadth to the left of your marked line.  When you fold back and press the sewn triangle, it should match up the raw edges.  When it does, you can trim the extra layers underneath.   If it doesn’t match, you may want to unstitch and re-sew it again.  

Repeat marking and sewing on all four corners of the green fabric to get a Square in a Square unit. 

If you want a bed quilt, a quick way to do it is to alternate the block with a pretty print square.  Set it on point and you will see this block from a whole different perspective! 

(Washington Depot Collection by Free Spirit Fabrics)

 So, what’s your favorite setting and the colors you would most likely use for Whirlybird?  Leave a comment with your answers and please be sure to include a way for me to contact you (you can’t win if you leave a no-reply comment!).  US only please.  I will be choosing two winners who will both receive a copy of Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks Volume 16, one from me and one from Quiltmaker! 

Click here to get back on the “road” to “rally” on to thenext designer’s blog!  

Just one more...

Happy Trails!

Winners and Rulers

Congratulations to Debbie E. from NJ for winning a copy of the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Vol 11 magazine!

Congratulations also goes out to Donna W. from WI for winning not only a copy of the magazine but also a fat quarter pack of Quilting Treasures Color Blends fabrics.  

Donna shared a tip about using Mr Clean Magic Eraser to clean the bottom of an iron!   Coincidentally, not only do I currently have an iron with a dirty sole, I also had just bought a pack of Mr Clean Magic Eraser!  So, you know one of the things I'll be doing this coming holiday weekend.  

It has been so much fun participating in the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Blog Hop!  Thanks so much for dropping by!

So, I have just received word that "Quilts Made With Rulers" is now out!   This book is all about 4 rulers - 120-Degree Triangle, 45-Degree Diamond, Single Wedding Ring Arc and Flying Geese.  You know, those rulers that end up in your ruler stash after only one project!  Well, time to dig them out and put them to use on the wonderful quilts in this book.  

Photo courtesy of Annie's.

Photo courtesy of Annie's.

My project, Buy Low, Sell High, which uses the 120-Degree Triangle (see above), is featured on the back cover.   It's scrappy and uses both gray and white as background triangles to create a shadow effect for added depth.  

Carole Whaling did a phenomenal job with the machine quilting as usual.   


Check out the book and I hope you like it as much as I do!  

Enjoy your holiday weekend and welcome summer!

ECHO

Welcome to the Quiltmaker 100 Blocks Volume 11 Blog Hop!  

If you're not hopping yet, get thee to Quilty Pleasures right away to find out what's going on.   Don't miss out on giveaways, quilt ideas, fun stuff, giveaways, more fun and more giveaways!

I am so honored and pleased to have my block, ECHO, in Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 11.   It is listed on page 36 as Block 1049.  This is only the second time I've submitted a block and also the second time I've participated in this blog hop!  So exciting!  It's also a bit nerve-wracking to be on the Hop on the very first day!!  But, here we go....

I thought it would be fun to see what this block would look like in different fabrics.  So, the first thing I did is to change the background to dramatic black!  

Those bright colors really become brighter on a black background, don't they?  

Next, I wanted to see it with reproductions.  Here's a black and tan version that looks like it was made in 1890!

Are you loving a particular version yet?  How about a soft modern look?

Did you notice I changed the value placement in the soft modern version?  It makes the diagonals look more prominent.  

Last but not the least, here is a traditional version that's just a touch patriotic. I did several things different about this block.   First, I mixed batiks and regular cottons.  I have been doing that more and more these days.  You can, too!  The quilt police won't come after you for mixing them up.  I promise! Second, the color for the arcs and the circle in contrast to the red/blue really pops those arcs and circle.  Finally, I just love the transparency between the red and the blue in this one.  These 3 fabrics just blend and transition so well!

Making the blocks in different colorways is one thing.  But, really, how would they look in a quilt?  

So, I designed a 30" square wallhanging with a special sashing strip that creates a secondary pattern for a more cohesive look.  Check out the different looks:    

So, which one is your favorite colorway?  Tell me in a comment below and you will be entered in a drawing for a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 11!    This prize will come from Quiltmaker directly.


Even better, in your comment below, include your favorite quilting tip and you will be entered in a drawing for a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Vol 11 AND a fat quarter bundle of yummy fabrics from Quilting Treasures.   These fabrics are from the Color Blends collection with which I designed the Surf and Sand Block of the Month program.    I will be sending this prize bundle out.






You will find a link at the top of this blog (and on the right-hand side column) for quick directions to make the quilt above - especially those sashing strips.  However, these directions are intended for the more experienced quilter who knows how to make flying geese units, hour glass units and make circle appliques.  You can substitute a yo-yo for the circle applique, by the way.

Just one more - here's Echo in a table runner.

Have fun Hopping onto the other blogs!  Back to the Blog Hop...

Are you Blog Touring?

I am so honored and glad to have my block included in Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 6!  This issue will hit the stands on November 13th!  Watch for it or keep reading to see how you can win a copy.

Picture courtesy of Quiltmaker.

My block is #573, Cross Keys, found on page 54.  I so love to play with colors and shading.  So this block features blue in three shades, and a yellow-green accent on a neutral background.

Here is the quilt, as shown on page 16, that I made to showcase this block. I created a pieced sashing strip that coordinates with the block and produces a neat secondary pattern!

Picture courtesy of Quiltmaker.

So many of my friends love reproductions so I had to see what this block would look like in repros.  Then, I just had to see it in pastels and in a very graphic black, white and red!

They all look so different, don't they?  With the repro block having such a strong cheddar background, I wanted to see it in a quilt with the pieced sashing.  I love the transparency the secondary block creates!

 Here are two simpler Table Runner settings - just the blocks sashed with cornerstones:

What colors would you want to see in this block?  Post your answer in a comment below and  be sure to include your email address.  You will be entered to win a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 6 from the publishers!

Also, if you subscribe to this blog AND post a comment, you'll be entered in a separate drawing to win a book from me.  

Winners will be chosen early next week so be sure to post your comment and/or subscribe by Sunday evening, November 11. Please be sure to return to the Quiltmaker blog to keep touring everyday and be entered to win even more goodies!  

Thanks for visiting and if you're in the U.S., don't forget to vote today!