This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase that item through my link, I may receive a small commission from your purchase at no cost to you. I only recommend products that I know and love!
Hello and welcome back!
It is the 4th and final week of the Upscale Plaid Quilt Along! By this week, you should have all of your Quadrant rows assembled...now we are going to sew those Rows together to create our Quadrants, then sew the Quadrants together to create our Quilt Top! Looking at the pattern, we are completing Steps 3 and 4 under "Quilt Top Assembly". Before we get started, here are some helpful links that you might find handy:
Here's our Week 4 video with some tips for this process.
Once you have your Quadrants sewn together, you now have a completed Upscale Plaid quilt top! YAY!
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The winner of FREE edge-to-edge quilting on their Upscale Plaid quilt by Stitch Lab Quilting is @iamhollyb . Congratulations! Send us an email (hello@loandbeholdstitchery.com) and we'll get connected with Sara. :)
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Our prize this week is a FREE seat in one of our online quilting courses. (Click through to get on the waitlists! It's the best way to make sure you don't miss enrollment.) Doors to Beginner Quilting Academy, Triangle School and Curve College open this April (2024) and we're so excited to host another round of these comprehensive online classes!
Note: Many of you have taken all three of the courses - yay! This prize can also be transferred as a shop credit.
To enter:
You have until midnight PST on March 1st to enter. The winner will be announced in the March 2nd newsletter!
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Sara of Stitch Lab Quilting is offering 20% off quilting for Upscale Plaid quilts through June 30th, 2024! I mentioned this last week, but Sara does a lot of longarm quilting for me and she does an amazing job!
That's all for now! Thanks for joining the Upscale Plaid Quilt Along. I hope you've had fun with it...I know I have. I'll see you next time!
]]>Hello and welcome back!
It's Week 3 (of 4) of the Upscale Plaid Quilt Along. By this week, you should have all of your strip piecing out of the way and Blocks A, B, C and D created. Now it's time to start to assemble our quilt top! Before we get started, here are some helpful links that you might find handy:
This week, we're completing Steps 1 and 2 under Quilt Top Assembly. By the end of this week, you'll have all of your quadrant rows completed. If you're making the Coaster, Placemat or Pillow sizes, you'll only have one set of rows to create. Here's our Week 3 video with some tips for this process.
By the end of this week, you should have (4) of each of your rows created, which is Steps 1 and 2 under Quilt Top assembly. Next week, we'll complete Steps 3 and 4 of Quilt Top Assembly. Wahoo!! We're almost there!
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The winner of my "Heirloom" fat quarter bundle and thread collection is @sewtotallyobsessed . Congratulations! Send us an email (hello@loandbeholdstitchery.com) and we'll get your fabric and thread sent right over. :)
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This week, our prize from Sara of Stitch Lab Quilting. Sara has quilted quite a few of my quilts, including two of my Upscale Plaid sample quilts and she does an amazing job! If you're looking to have your quilt professionally basted, quilted and I think she even does binding...I cannot recommend Sara enough!
This "Winter Blush" Upscale Plaid quilt was long-arm quilted by Sara. You can read more about the quilt, find more photos and quilt kits here.
This week, one lucky winner will get FREE edge-to-edge quilting by Stitch Lab on their Upscale Plaid quilt!
To enter:
The winner will be shared in the following week's blog post!
That's all for now! Thanks for joining along. I'll see you next week for Week 3. :)
]]>It's Week 2 (of 4) of the Upscale Plaid Quilt Along. By this week, you should have all of your fabrics cut and ready to go. Now it's time to start sewing! Before we get started, here are some helpful links that you might find handy:
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This week, we'll be strip piecing to create our blocks. There are 4 different blocks: A, B, C and D. By the end of this week, you should have all of your blocks created, which will lead us to Quilt Top Assembly next week in Week 3.
If you've never done "strip piecing" or "strip sewing" before, you'll definitely want to check out the Week 2 video. In a nutshell, it involves sewing longs strips of fabric together, then cutting it all up to create smaller pieces. It's quick, efficient and a lot of fun. :)
Again, be sure to check out the video above. Here are some tips for this process:
The winner of both the full AND mini size Oliso irons is Sara @choose_joy_quilt_co ! Congratulations! Send us an email and we'll coordinate from there. :)
This week, our prize is my next curated fat quarter bundle with Robert Kaufman, "Heirloom" AND my new matching thread collection with Aurifil! One lucky winner will receive both of these prizes. Note that the FQ bundle is currently for "Preorder" in our shop and is expecting to ship in April 2024. You can find the thread and FQ bundle here.
To enter:
The winner will be shared in the following week's blog post!
That's all for now! Thanks for joining along. I'll see you next week for Week 3. :)
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This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase that item through my link, I may receive a small commission from your purchase at no cost to you. I only recommend products that I know and love!
]]>Hello there and welcome to the Upscale Plaid Quilt Along!
I'm so glad that you found our little corner of the internet and I'm SO excited to make this quilt with you!
Be sure you have a copy of the Upscale Plaid quilt pattern (either a Paper copy or PDF) and let's get started!
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If you're new to this Quilt Along and you haven't read through our Quilt Along Details page, be sure to do that first. There, you'll find information about choosing fabrics, available quilt kits, information about other Upscale Plaid samples that I've made and more.
We'll be creating an Upscale Plaid quilt top together over the next 4 weeks. Here's a look at our schedule:
Let's do this!
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If we haven't "met", I'm Brittany...the quilter, pattern designer and online educator behind Lo & Behold Stitchery. I started quilting in my grandmother's memory and it's turned into an enormous passion of mine! I love connecting with fellow quilters via the internet via quilt patterns, tutorials and online courses. You can read more about Lo & Behold Stitchery here.
Ready to dive in?
This quilt along will live under the "Quilt Alongs" section of our website. Information will be both in a blog post form as well as a video form. You'll find the videos on our You-Tube channel, which will also be linked within the blog posts. I recommend watching the video AND reading the blog post, as there will be helpful information in both. So with that said, here we go!
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Here's what I cover in the video:
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Video Minutes 01:58- 07:42
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Video Minutes 07:43 - 16:02
Most fabric manufacturers use starch and stabilizers on their fabrics to keep the fibers stiff while they're on the bolt. When you wash your fabric, either before it's in the quilt or after, you wash away that starch. Personally, I like the added stiffness, as it makes for cutting and sewing to be easier. But if you choose to prewash you may decide that you want to add some starch back to the fabric to make it easier to work with.
Some quilters also choose to pre-wash so that they "pre-shrink" their fabric. This makes a difference if you are using various fabric types within your quilt. For example, linen shrinks at a different rate than cotton does. If you use both types of fabric within your quilt, once they shrink they could cause areas of pulling on your seams. If you go ahead and pre-wash/pre-shrink everything, then the fabrics in your quilt will all behave similarly, which will in turn give you a more stable quilt. That being said, I can probably count on one hand the amount of times that I've pre-washed my fabric.
How to Prewash:
Wash fabrics in cool water with a mild detergent. Feel free to use a mesh bag to prevent fabric from stretching or twisting. Dry on low heat and remove the fabrics from the dryer immediately once it's dry. For yardage, re-align selvedges and press the fabric to create a new fold. Most people do not pre-wash pre-cuts (nor fat quarters) because if the fabric frays too much, you might not have the designated amount that you need for your project. Some people also “stay-stitch” about 1/8" away from the perimeter of the edges to help prevent the fabric from unraveling too much.
Again, pre-washing is one of those a highly debated topic in the quilting world, so don't feel like there's a right or wrong answer. Follow your heart. :)
Video Minutes 16:03 - 18:52
Video Minutes 18:53 - 27:07
This means that you will:
This means that you will:
You will have a seam within that cut piece, but this is in effort to save fabric and decrease waste. This is especially handy with the King size where the pieces are SO large, it really makes a huge difference in how you are able to use your fabric.
Also of note: if you do not want to sew remnant pieces together, you might have enough overage with your yardage that you can cut what you need without needing to sew remnant pieces together.
Additionally, if your WOF is larger than 42", you might not need to sew remnant pieces together. I ran into this using Kona solids with the Throw size. I was able to get all of my pieces from my WOF strips without following the Diamond instructions. Just FYI!
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Video Minutes 27:08 - 34:12
Video Minutes 34:50 - 38:21
There are prizes for each week of the Quilt Along! This week, we have teamed up with Oliso (affiliate link) to give away a full size Smart iron AND a mini M3 Pro iron to one lucky winner!
To enter:
The winner will be shared in the following week's blog post!
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If you participated in sharing the "I'm In" graphic prior to the QAL starting, it's time to pick a winner for the $75 gift card to our shop! And the winner is......
@mmd62 ! Congrats! Please send us a DM on Instagram and we'll get you the details!
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That's all for this week. I'll see you next week for Week 2!
- Brittany
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This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase that item through my link, I may receive a small commission from your purchase at no cost to you. I only recommend products that I know and love!
Here's a look at the Quilt Along blog posts that are currently published:
Upscale Plaid Quilt Along details:
Looking for more information about the Upscale Plaid Quilt pattern? Check out the blog post about the Cover quilt here, and also this blog post about the Mediterraneo version.
We have a very laid back schedule for this QAL. While you can easily get this quilt top made in a weekend, we have all of the steps spread out over 4 weeks. Notice that we are jumping right into Cutting our Fabrics for Week 1, so you'll want to have everything ready to go on January 27th!
Upscale Plaid uses color to create the illusion that the stripes blend where they intersect and color choices are key in creating this effect. Find helpful tips for choosing colors along with fabric requirements here.
Want to take the guess work out of selecting fabrics? We just added 3 new Upscale Plaid kits to choose from in our shop!
Here's a look at other shops carrying quilt kits. Click through to see all of the beautiful options!
If you are a quilt shop with Upscale Plaid kits, send us an email and we'll add you to our list!
We will have prizes up for grabs during the Quilt Along. There will be more details to come, but first, we're kicking things off by giving away a $75 gift card to our shop!
To enter:
A winner will be randomly selected. Giveaway is open worldwide.
You can find PDF coloring pages here. Upscale Plaid is also on Prequilt (free digital coloring pages)!
Let us know if you have any questions about the Quilt Along. We're excited to get started! :)
LINKS:
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This is the final step of the process; quilting and binding! Generally speaking, you'll do this like you would any other quilt, but there are a few important tips to call out.
We'll be referring to Minute 42:54 of the Scrappy Windows video tutorial, seen below.
I am a die-hard pin baster. When I first started quilting, I spray basted but I started having issues so I switched to pins and never looked back. So naturally with this quilt, I'm going to recommend pin basting, but feel free to use whatever method you prefer! I do wonder with the weight of the quilt top and the bulkiness of the seams, if spray basting would be as effective as pin basting. I'm not sure! If you try it and have great results (or bad ones) reach out and let me know and I'll be sure to share!
I also found that basting this quilt on my table was a HUGE help. I started doing this about a year ago and I haven't basted a quilt on the floor ever since. To do this, you'll need the biggest table you have, extra wide painter's tape and medium curved safety pins. That's it! I would recommend putting one pin in each of the background sections just to give you an idea of how many pins you need.
If you don't have a large table, consider using a picnic table at a local park or even check with your library to see if they have a table that you can borrow.
I've also had lots of questions about protecting the table from the pins. First and foremost you can put a large cutting mat or cutting mats under the area that you are basting. If you want to bypass that step, I just make sure that I don't insert the pin too forcefully. Once the pin goes through the quilt, I lift up pretty quickly before it has time to reach the table. Also make sure that you are gliding the pin in by keeping it close to the edge of the quilt while you are inserting it. If you angle the pin at a 90 degree angle while you are inserting it, you'll be more likely to "jab" your table.
I hand-tied "x's" at each Window intersection on my first quilt and I LOVED both the process and how it turned out. If you've been wanting to try hand quilting but you're overwhelmed by the process, I think this is a really great happy medium. I would watch the video above for exact details. Using 12 or 8 weight thread is perfect!
I plan to do something a little different for my current quilt. I'm going to machine stitch diagonal lines in the Background portion of the quilt. My lines will intersect where my hand ties were. Then I think I'll go back in and do hand ties as well. They won't be structurally necessary, but I really do love the handmade touch that they add.
You DEFINITELY want a 90/14 quilting needle for this process. You may even choose to quilt with 40 weight thread. (I'm going to be using 50 weight.)
I'll update everyone with how this turns out, so stay tuned!
Binding Tips:
You'll bind this quilt like you would any other quilt. Here are a couple of tips:
You'll probably want to use a walking foot for this process, if that's something that you don't already do.
Then I did a hand stitched detail on the back of my quilt, which I'll probably do again for my current version. I don't think machine stitching the back of the binding down would turn out well on the front of the quilt. Alternatively, If you want to machine bind, I would sew the raw edges of your binding onto the back of the quilt first, then machine stitch the fold on the front of your quilt. This way the bobbin stitches would show on the backing.
WEEK 7
By the end of this week you will have a finished quilt! YOU DID IT!
I cannot wait to see everyone's finished Scrappy Windows quilts! Please share a photo on Instagram and tag me (@loandbeholdstitchery) so that I can see! Don't forget to use the hashtags:
Thanks for joining in for this Quilt Along! I hope you had as much fun as I did. :)
There are a couple of ways that you can proceed with making this quilt, but I decided to structure the quilt along similar to how I created my first Scrappy Windows quilt. Depending on what size you are making, creating the quilt top in sections REALLY helps with managing the bulk of these fabrics.
We'll be referring to Minute 39:25 of the Scrappy Windows video tutorial, seen below.
By this point, you know the gist of how this quilt goes together. Where it gets a little tricky is how to manage the quilt during this final phase.
As for sewing the sections together, you'll be doing the same process as before. Here are a couple of things I do when I'm creating a large piece of work:
This is probably the trickiest part of the entire process, especially if you're making a larger quilt. I made my first Scrappy Windows quilt on a Janome M7, so I have (I think 13"?) to the right of my needle, which is incredible! But even with that much throat space, it can still present a challenge.
I found that rolling my quilt parallel to the Row first, then rolling the quilt perpendicular to the Row was the best way to "package" the quilt top for the machine.
WEEK 6
By the end of this week you will have a finished quilt top! Next week is a catch up week so feel free to take your time with this step!
In case you were wondering, I still only have one section created for my second Scrappy Windows quilt. I got a little behind with the launch of our online quilting courses this week, but I hope to get caught up in a few weeks!
I cannot wait to see everyone's finished quilt tops!!!
Don't forget to tag me on Instagram (@loandbeholdstitchery) and use the hashtags:
Happy sewing!
There are a couple of ways that you can proceed with making this quilt, but I decided to structure the quilt along similar to how I created my first Scrappy Windows quilt. Depending on what size you are making, you might decide to follow this schedule as well, or if you are making a smaller size, you can create all of your pockets this week, sew them together next week and add windows the following week.
I'm going to stick to the schedule, since I'm anxious to see this quilt top come together but feel free to proceed however you wish!
So for the next 3 weeks, we're creating sections for our quilt. Here is our Scrappy Windows Video Tutorial that we'll be referring to with minute marks listed below.
There are four main steps to create a "section" for this quilt:
First and foremost, you'll need to decide how many sections you are creating. My first quilt was the Large Throw, so 20 pockets across and 22 pockets down. Since this was my first time making this quilt, I experimented with sections that were between 4-5 rows down. The size of your sections will really depend on your machine, sewing comfort level and what size you are making. You might even decide to create sections vertically as well (quadrants) if you are making a larger size. Don't forget that you'll eventually have to add the Windows between sections, so keep that in mind as you are splitting it up. (Another quick thought: looking ahead, you can always stitch those final Window sections by hand!)
Referring to minute 7:11 of the video we'll start by creating pockets. A couple of highlights to note:
Create all of your pockets for each of the rows that you are creating in your sections.
Referring to Minute 9:19 of the video, then you'll create your rows for the section. It's important to note that there was a small pattern correction early on when we released the pattern. It is very important that you arrange your pocket units so that they create a "zig zag" pattern and that the pattern alternates from row to row. Watch the video closely to see what I mean.
Here's an example using the Pillow size of the pattern. You'll see that the square on the left side of Row 1 has the Frame folds rotated so that they're from the bottom left to top right. The square to the right of it has the Frame folds rotated so that they're from the top left to bottom right. Then in Row 2, it's the opposite (or it should be, this is where the pattern correction came in.) We sent an updated copy of the pattern on August 7th, so if you signed up for the pattern after that then you have the latest copy.
When you sew these square together to create rows, you'll use a standard 1/4" seam allowance. This will hide your 1/8" basting seam allowance.
Here's a look at what the rows will look like once they're sewn together.
If you have a specific layout to your quilt, you'll want to make sure you keep your pieces in order from row to row. For me, this meant keeping the row labels tucked in with each row.
In the video, I demonstrate how I like to chain piece pockets. You can even take that a step further and chain piece your rows. I have a blog post about that, found here, if you want to give that a try.
BACKSTITCHING
You can backstitch at the beginning and end of your seams as you sew pockets together. I only really found this necessary for the rows that are on the outside of my section or quilt top. So I'll definitely backstitch the beginning of the pocket seams for Row 1. If I'm creating a section that has 4 rows, I'll also backstitch the ending seams for my pockets in Row 4.
PRESSING POCKET SEAMS
Remember that we're pressing all pocket seams to one side. So for Row 1, press all pocket seams to the right; for Row 2 press all pocket seams to the left. Alternate from row to row to create nesting seams. These seams are bulky, so you might find that steam helps.
QUILTING NEEDLES
Speaking of bulky seams, this is when you might notice that you're really sewing through lots of layers! If you find that your stitches are skipping or your machine is having a hard time sewing through the layers, I recommend using quilting needles.
Referring to minute 12:28 of the video, now let's create a section. Here are a couple of tips for this step:
Notice the orientation of my Frame folds? You'll see "diamonds" appear as you sew rows together, which is where your Window pieces will go. :)
Now it's time for the fun part! Refer to Minute 15:20 of the video for this step. It's time to add our Window pieces!
This step is probably best explained by watching the video. Know that you can sew your Window Frames using two different methods: One at a Time and Continuous Line. I definitely recommend trying both (seen in the video) to see which one you prefer.
A couple of tips for this step:
By the end of this week you should have your first section complete. If you aren't working in sections, then you'll want to have all of your pocket units created by the end of the week.
For the next 3 weeks, we'll be repeating these steps until we have all of our sections created. You won't hear from me again until September 23rd when we go to assemble our entire quilt top. But if you have any questions pop up, feel free to reach out!
In the meantime, we're opening enrollment for all three of our online courses on September 16th! This includes Beginner Quilting Academy, Triangle School and our brand new course, Curve College! I pour so much into these comprehensive online programs...I hope you'll check them out. :)
I cannot wait to see everyone's progress!
Don't forget to tag me on Instagram (@loandbeholdstitchery) and use the hashtags #scrappywindowsQAL , #scrappywindowsquilt, #loisquiltcollection and #loandbeholdpatterns !
Happy sewing!
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This week, we are planning, organizing and pressing frames. If you are creating a quilt that has a very specific layout (especially if it's larger), this week is very important!
By this point, you've probably given your layout some thought. Or maybe you haven't...that's okay too! Regardless, let's talk about that for a moment.
Similar to the Ombre Puff Quilt, I designed this quilt with ombre in mind. It feels modern, organized, aesthetically pleasing and I just love how they it can add interest and variety to any design. That said, I do also love a random, more "patchwork" feel that is unplanned and maybe a bit more traditional.
Randomized Approach
If you are going this route and creating a more random feel, then you're in luck. The planning phase will be super easy for you! This is actually true for me with the new Scrappy Windows quilt that I'm making for this quilt along. I have low-volume fabrics for the Window and Background fabrics and a solid contrasting fabric for the frames. I actually don't plan to lay out any squares or organize any rows before I start sewing my pockets. I will simply move forward next week with sewing my Pocket units without a care in the world about which fabric goes where. It'll be nice. :)
Ombre Layout
If you are creating a layout that has an ombre fade or a specific design, then you'll want to lay out all of your squares at this point. This is when things start to get real!
You'll first want to lay out your Background Squares. If you're making the larger sizes, you'll probably need to do this on a bed or the floor. These squares might all be solid, or they might be multi-color. Decide where you want each one to go, keeping in mind that they're the "orange peel" shape within the quilt. They aren't quite as prominent as the Window piece.
Then, as messy or disorganized as it may feel, it's time to take it a step further and plan your Window squares. This means putting those squares diagonally throughout the quilt. It seems a little awkward and chaotic at first but trust the process. You want to figure this out before next week!
When it comes to ombre quilts, I've been asked why I tend to create a gradient along the diagonal of the quilt. I never really noticed that I did this until someone pointed it out! I have several designs that use color gradients but I will say that the diagonal gradient is my favorite. I think it's because I feel like I have more room to randomize things and potentially introduce new colors. This isn't always necessarily the case, but it's generally how my brain works.
I borrowed this graphic from a blog post that I wrote a 2 years ago during our Ombre Puff Quilt Along. All of the same principles apply to this quilt if you want to take a look!
Tips for Creating an Ombre Quilt Blog Post
If ombre isn't your thing, that's okay too! There are a few designs in the pattern that are unique and make a statement without being necessarily ombre.
Organizing
Once you have all of your fabrics planned and you know exactly where you want each piece to appear within your quilt, then you'll want to label all of your Window rows and all of your Background rows. Again, if you're doing a randomized layout, you're off the hook for this step!
It's really important to stack these pieces the same exact way from row to row. So the pieces that are on top are from the far right edge of my quilt. The pieces that are on the bottom of the stack are on the far left edge of my quilt.
Now let's press all of our Frames in half diagonally. You'll want to fold the Frame squares so that they're wrong sides together. If you're using a print or a fabric that has a right side, it'll be on the outside of the Frame pieces.
We're completing minutes 4:32-7:06 in the Scrappy Windows video tutorial.
By the end of this week (Friday, Sept. 1) you should have your pieces all organized by rows (if applicable) and all of your Frame squares press in half diagonally.
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Next week, we'll start sewing! I'll see you then!
If you're looking for the original Scrappy Windows blog post, you can find that here. You can find the FREE Scrappy Windows pattern here.
I'm so glad that you found our little corner of the internet and I'm SO excited to make this quilt with you!
If we haven't "met", I'd like to introduce myself! I'm Brittany...the quilter, pattern designer and online educator behind Lo & Behold Stitchery. I started quilting in my grandmother's memory and it's turned into an enormous passion of mine! I love connecting with fellow quilters via the internet via quilt patterns, tutorials and online courses. You can read more about Lo & Behold Stitchery here.
Scrappy Windows was inspired by a sampler quilt that my granny made many many years ago. My favorite block in the quilt is a cathedral window quilt block, so this is my take on what she created. This quilt is a part of a series called the Lois Quilt Collection, which is a group of quilts that I am creating based off of the quilts that she created. You can see her original quilt below. Read more about the Lois Quilt Collection here.
Here's a look at our schedule these next several weeks. Don't worry if you fall behind or want to work ahead. As long as you're having fun, that's all that matters!
This week, we are cutting our fabrics. Refer to page 3 and 4 of the Scrappy Windows quilt pattern.
If you still need to download the FREE pattern, CLICK HERE!
Before we jump into cutting tips, let's talk about choosing our fabrics and fabric prep.
If you haven't already picked your fabrics yet for this quilt, be sure to check out the pattern or this blog post for some mock-ups! Since the Frames, Background and Window portions of the quilt are all split up in the Fabric Requirements, you really can customize this quilt in so many ways!
If you are looking to use fabrics from your stash, check out this blog post about how to create an ombre quilt. Here, you'll find my top tips for choosing fabrics for ombre color palettes. I have a few different approaches that I like to use, so if you're feeling stuck, start here!
But don't let the word "ombre" scare you! You can do a completely random layout, if that's more your speed. You can also do a 3 or 4 color quilt as well.
Personally, I think this really makes a great scrap-buster project or even just a great way to show off your favorite prints. The Window pieces are a "picture frame" so to speak, just remember that the squares that you cut for the Windows will be at a 45 degree angle.
We have several new quilt kits in the shop!
Scrappy Windows is now on PreQuilt! Digitally plan this quilt and a few other Lo & Behold designs (we're working on getting more uploaded!) with the click of a button. They have a really great free option that allows you to use different brands of solids; or you can upgrade your plan to use prints, save your designs and more! Use the code LOANDBEHOLD for 20% off your annual subscription (either Basic or Market)!
Another great ideas for this quilt is to create a memory quilt using clothing. I'm always asked if I have any advice for a memory quilt and while I've only made a few, I know that they can be really tricky. But I think this quilt would be a really great option!
I would leave the Background and Frame squares as regular quilting cotton, maybe in a solid/neutral color. The the Windows can be pieces of clothing. You could even do a knit or jersey fabric without any issues, since the Frames and Backgrounds are what "stabilize" the quilt. The top-stitching on the Windows is just the icing on the cake.
I really think I'm going to try this with some of my granny's blouses. I've been holding onto many of them for quite some time, fearful that I'll ruin them by using them for just any ole' project. I think this will be the right fit!
You'll need all the traditional quilting supplies for this quilt. A few supplies to note for this week:
Everyone has different opinion about pre-washing. Pre-washing simply means to wash your fabric before you cut into them and start sewing. The benefit of pre-washing is that you will wash away excess dye to reduce possible color bleeding. Reds, blues and purple fabrics are notorious for bleeding, so I sometimes pre-wash when I have high contrast colors such as red and white. While I acknowledge that not pre-washing these fabrics is a "risk," often times, I skip pre-washing and use Shout Color Catchers when I wash my quilt for the first time. Typically, these Color Catchers do the trick, but if I ever find bleeding in my quilt after the first wash, I would rather deal with the aftermath than take the time to prewash. This comes down to personal preference and how much you want to be adventurous with it (or not).
Most fabric manufacturers use starch and stabilizers on their fabrics to keep the fibers stiff while they're on the bolt. When you wash your fabric, either before it's in the quilt or after, you wash away that starch. Personally, I like the added stiffness, as it makes for cutting and sewing to be easier. But if you choose to prewash you may decide that you want to add some starch back to the fabric to make it easier to work with.
Some quilters also choose to pre-wash so that they "pre-shrink" their fabric. This makes a difference if you are using various fabric types within your quilt. For example, linen shrinks at a different rate than cotton does. If you use both types of fabric within your quilt, once they shrink they could cause areas of pulling on your seams. If you go ahead and pre-wash/pre-shrink everything, then the fabrics in your quilt will all behave similarly, which will in turn give you a more stable quilt. That being said, I can probably count on one hand the amount of times that I've pre-washed my fabric. I did not prewash my original Ombre Puff quilt fabrics and I do not plan to pre-wash fabrics for this quilt either.
How to Prewash:
Wash fabrics in cool water with a mild detergent. Feel free to use a mesh bag to prevent fabric from stretching or twisting. Dry on low heat and remove the fabrics from the dryer immediately once it's dry. For yardage, re-align selvedges and press the fabric to create a new fold. Most people do not pre-wash pre-cuts (nor fat quarters) because if the fabric frays too much, you might not have the designated amount that you need for your project. Some people also “stay-stitch” about 1/8" away from the perimeter of the edges to help prevent the fabric from unraveling too much.
Again, pre-washing is one of those a highly debated topic in the quilting world, so don't feel like there's a right or wrong answer. Follow your heart. :)
To be honest, I don't really use starch that much. However, I've found that if I am working with smaller pieces or bias edges, it really does help with accuracy. Starch makes your fabric more stiff, which makes it easier to sew and work with. That said, with the Frame portion of this quilt, we want those pieces to able to bend around the curve, so I don't necessarily find starching beneficial for this particular quilt.
If you do decide to starch, you'll want to starch your fabric before you cut them. For yardage, assess how your WOF is folded. You'll want the two selvedge ends to be right on top of each other. This may mean ironing a new crease in your fabric. When I starch, I spray the entire piece of fabric to get it pretty saturated, then use my iron to press out any wrinkles or creases. This is the starch that I use.
If you're using yardage for any portion of your quilt, then be sure to check out this "How to Cut WOF Strips" blog post. Personally, I used yardage for the Frames of my first quilt and also again for the Frames of my new quilt. This blog post has great tips for future projects as well!
Here are a few things to keep in mind for this week:
Now let's talk about time saving techniques! Normally when I'm making the same cuts over and over, I'll either batch cut, as seen below or cut multiple layers at once (seen in the video linked below).
One of my favorite things to do, especially if I'm doing a lot of the same cuts over and over again, is batch cutting.
Any time I'm cutting many pieces that are the same size, I'll batch-cut those pieces. A sharp rotary blade is key for this process. To do this:
If you're a newer quilter, feel free to cut your pieces one at a time. There's no rush. :) But maybe give this a try if you have a few quilts under your belt and you're looking to save a little bit of time and energy. Note that the photo below shows me cutting 10.5" pieces, you'll be cutting 3.5" pieces. :)
I've gotten adventurous with this quilt and I'm now addicted to cutting multiple fabrics at once. This involves pressing your fabrics first, then laying them on your cutting mat, using a vertical line to roughly align the selvedges. I normally don't cut any more than 4-6 layers at once. Again a sharp rotary blade is key!
The Scrappy Windows Video Tutorial demonstrates this method at minute mark 3:15.
Speaking of video....hello new You-Tube video! :)
The 48 minute Scrappy Windows tutorial is now on You-Tube! You're welcome to watch the entire thing, but know that we will be referring to specific minute marks over the next few weeks. This week you don't need to watch past minute 4:30. It might be tempting to skip ahead, but try not to, as I'll also be sharing key tips with the Weekly Blog posts as well!
Whew! We've covered a lot, haven't we?
This week, we are only focusing on cutting, so once you have cut ALL of your 3.5" squares cut (Windows, Frames, Background), then you're ready for next week!
If you're a little ahead and looking for some "extra credit" feel free to go ahead and fold and press your Frame square in half diagonally. This is technically slated for next week, but if you have time to kill, then you can work a little bit ahead with those. :)
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I'm making the Baby size, using some low-volumes for my Background and Windows and AGF Magnetism for my Frames. It'll kind of be the inverse of my first quilt, so I'm excited to see how it turns out!
Don't forget to share your Week 1 progress over on social media! Use the hashtags #ScrappyWindowsQAL , #ScrappyWindowsQuilt , #LoAndBeholdPatterns & #LoisQuiltCollection . If your account is "public" be sure to tag me (@LoAndBeholdStitchery) so that I can see your post!
Next week, we'll plan and organize our quilts. I'll see you then!
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Here's a recap of all that we've covered so far:
If you haven't already read through our information page, you can find logistics and what-not here. You can also access the posts under the "Quilt Along" section of our site.
This week, we are creating our edges and corners and then assembling our quilt tops!
Let's start with the first step. This quilt uses a "minimal waste" diagonal row construction method. So instead of using whole blocks on the edges, then trimming away excess, we are preemptively trimming blocks in half and using both halves of those blocks. This saves time, energy and fabric, but it isn't the "traditional" way to create a quilt that has diagonal rows. I always weigh the pros and cons of that with all of my diagonal row patterns, and the amount of fabric that this no-waste method saves is a game changer! Plus this doesn't affect the overall design of the quilt, so it's a win-win all around!
Refer to the "Creating Half Blocks" section of the pattern. Here are a few things to keep in mind before you get started.
Take note that the Block 2 half blocks are labeled with either a star or a heart, just to help clarify which one goes where in the next step.
Once you have your Edges and Corners cut it's time to assemble our quilt tops!
Plan for Nesting Seams
First and foremost, go ahead and read page 7 of the pattern then flip to page 8, 9 or 10 based on which layout you are creating. Regardless if you are making the City, Mountain or Beach Trip versions, you'll want to lay out all of your blocks before you get started. This gives you an opportunity to double check and make sure that you have everything oriented correctly; but most importantly, it allows you to plan your nesting seams.
Block 1s are all stationary in the quilt. So I find it helpful to lay those blocks out first to give you a starting point.
Then place adjacent Block 2s where they need to go and rotate them so that the seams are opposite of the Block 1 seams. The beauty of these Block 2s is that the strip appearance is the exact same when you rotate the block 180 degrees.
You can also work in quadrants, as seen below.
Even though all of the corner pieces are the same, remember to swap those around based on their seam directions.
Creating these nesting seams will really help you keep your strips lined up so be sure not to skip this step!
I use this Fons and Porter design wall. It's pretty easy so I would recommend it if you're looking for one. You can also lay out these blocks on the floor or a bed.
Once you have your blocks laid out, double check the Figure C diagram and make sure that it's all correct.
There are 8 rows in this quilt. I like to start with Row 2, then I'll sew the Row 1 corner to that. Let's take a closer look.
When you place the half block right sides together with the full block, align the edges, as seen below. They should align perfectly with no 1/4" overlap (remember that the blocks were the same size before you cut them).
Sew your first seam, then add the other half block. Press these two seams in one direction, according to the arrow in the pattern.
Once you have created this row, sew the corner onto the Block 1 piece.
Since my seams are pressed to one side, the corner block will overlap that bottom corner by 1/4" (since that seam is tucked underneath). This is indicated by the red circle in the above photo. The other corner of that piece will also overlap by 1/4", but it'll look a little differently. It should be aligned with the little dog ear from the previous row, as indicated by the yellow circle. Depending on the direction that your block seams are pressed from row to row, will determine how this step will look when you go to sew rows together. Bottom line, just make sure that the corner block is centered the middle block and you're good to go. :)
Also don't forget about the nesting seams! I like to find each one and place a pin in them.
Here's a closer look at what the seam will look like.
Press all row seams open.
Here's a closeup of how that seam will look.
Then construct the 3rd row in the same exact manner. I like to chain piece, so I'll sew the first two pieces together, followed by the second two pieces. I'll snip my thread and sew the first set of two blocks to the next set of two blocks. Snip those threads and sew the final block. The process becomes more beneficial with the longer rows, but you could definitely just sew one seam at a time if you'd like. :)
Before you sew rows to other rows, be sure that you have the blocks aligned properly. Look for those nesting seams to help make sure that you are sewing things in the right place. When you put rows right sides together, it will look like the photos below, depending on how you pressed your seams in the previous row. Pins are your friend!
It'll look a little funny when you place rows right sides together, but align your blocks and nesting seams and trust the process!
Once I've added rows together past a certain point, I like to start on the other half of the quilt. I'm not sure why I switched from the design wall to the floor then back to the design wall, but here we are, hah. :)
I have a few quilting ideas saved on my Quilting Ideas Pinterest Board. This includes a mix of walking foot quilting and long arm pantographs. Since this design is on-point, my go-to idea is to stitch lines that are parallel to the diagonal seams. You can find my straight line quilting tutorial here. This creates such a nice texture, and if you want to kick it up a notch, you can add extra vertical and horizontal lines as seen in my reel from a year or two ago. Here are some examples of quilting on previous Getaway quilts; click where you see the underline to find more photos!
Don't forget to use up those scraps! Page 15 of the pattern has instructions for how to use up your scraps. A couple of ideas include a pillow, tote bag, wall hanging, mini quilt, coasters, mug rug, table runner....the possibilities are endless! Here's an example of my scrap pillow made from my Speckled Getaway. :)
Share a weekly progress photo for each of the 4 weeks of the QAL and you'll be automatically entered to win our GRAND PRIZE BUNDLE (valued at over $300!) Here's what's in the bundle:
Here's how to enter:
Thanks so much for joining me for this Quilt Along. I hope that you've had fun and maybe picked up on a few tips along the way. :)
Happy Sewing!
LINKS:
]]>Hey there and welcome back to the Getaway QAL! If you're just now joining us, Here's a look at what we've done so far during our time together:
If you haven't already read through our information page, you can find logistics and what-not here. You can access the posts under the "Quilt Along" section of our site.
This week, we are creating our Block 1s. It's a little out of order within the pattern, since we created our Block 2s last week, but I wanted you to start with a more simple block before you jumped into these log-cabin blocks. Last week, we also talked about our seam allowances, so if you haven't gone through the Week 2 blog post, be sure to do that before proceeding!
Looking at the Getaway quilt pattern, Block 1a and 1b are the same exact blocks with the light and dark fabrics reversed. Again, refer to the "Block Configuration" chart on page 4 for the block quantities and block sizes for your specific quilt size.
If you've never made a "log cabin" style block before, you're in for a treat! These blocks are super fun, easy and so versatile in the quilting world. Here are a couple of tips before you get started:
TROUBLESHOOTING
What do you do if you have a one-off piece that has a little bit of an overlap?
Like I mentioned above, make sure your seam allowance is dialed in! This will really set you up for success with this pattern. Again, refer to the "How to Check Your Seam Allowance" blog post if needed.
But let's be real, we're human and sometimes we end up with slight imperfections. Does that necessarily mean you should seam rip everything over and over again until it's perfect? Well, that's for you to decide. We all have different levels of perfectionism. :)
Generally speaking, if I have a one-off incongruent piece, if it's ~1/8" or 1/16", I'll sometimes let it ride. What I mean by that is if I split the difference and center the piece so that there is equal amounts of overlapping on both sides, then the overlap is minimal. Now, instead of having an overlap of 1/8", it's now 1/16" on the left and right edge of the new piece, seen below.
Again, this goes back to how much of a perfectionist you are, so feel free to do something like this if you need to. I wouldn't recommend doing this for large inconsistencies, but for small, one-off mishaps, it's okay to "fudge" things if needed. :)
Go ahead and create all of your Block 1s. Once you are finished, at this point, you should have ALL of your Block 1s AND Block 2s complete! YAY! Easy peasy, right?
Share a weekly progress photo for each of the 4 weeks of the QAL and you'll be automatically entered to win our GRAND PRIZE BUNDLE (valued at over $300!) Here's what's in the bundle:
Here's how to enter:
That's all for this week, my friends! I cannot wait to see everyone's progress!
Next week is the fourth and final week of the Getaway Quilt Along...and it's a big one! We'll cover tips for creating half blocks and diagonal row construction.
Let us know if you have any questions, otherwise, I'll see you next week for Week 4!
Happy Sewing!
LINKS:
]]>Hey there and welcome back to the Getaway QAL! If you're just now joining us, you can find our Week 1 Blog Post, which covers cutting our fabrics here. If you haven't already read through our information page, you can find logistics and what-not here.
Check back every Saturday for the next few weeks for our weekly information. You can access the posts under the "Quilt Along" section of our site.
Let's start sewing! This week, we'll be making our Block 2s. Keep scrolling for tips!
Here are some links to my favorite sewing supplies:
First and foremost, before we get started with creating out blocks, I want you to test your seam allowance. Even if you have several quilts under your belt it's always really helpful to double check everything before you get started.
To do this, I recommend using some scrap fabric to cut 5 of the small squares of whatever size you are making. So if you're making the crib size, cut (5) 2.5" squares and sew them all together to create one line of squares. Press the seams to one side, since that's what we'll be doing in the pattern. Measure this unit to gauge if your seam allowance is too small, too large or just right.
Once these squares are sewn together, they should measure whatever your block size should be for the size quilt you are making. Again, this can be found in the "Block Configuration" chart on page 4.
You can find an in-depth tutorial for "How to Test your Seam Allowance" here, so if this is something you're struggling with, be sure to checkout this post!
We're working out of order in the pattern and we're starting with Block 2 instead of Block 1. Block 2 is a little more straight-forward and I wanted us to start out with that so that we can test our seam allowance with some simple strips.
You'll notice that both Block 2a and 2b are the same with the exception of the number of light and dark strips in the block. Refer to the "Block Configuration" chart on page 4 for the number of each block that you'll need.
After you've tested your seam allowance, this is a really great pattern for chain piecing. If you haven't chain pieced before, it's a very simple way to batch like-tasks together to save time, energy and thread.
Essentially once you stitch off of your first pieces, you'll stitch onto the next pieces, leaving just a few stitches or "chain stitches" in between. Continue to do this for all of your pieces. Once you're done, go back through and snip the connection threads and proceed with pressing or sewing more strips.
Again, make sure you have your seam allowance dialed in before you get started!
Chain piecing can be done in a variety of different ways. You can sew the first two strips of all Block 2s at once. Then go back and add the third strip to all Block 2s and so on. Or you can sew the first two strips together and the third and fourth strips together. Then sew those two units together followed by adding the 5th strip. I always find it fun to experiment with various different shortcut combinations. :)
Remember that pins can help with any shifting that might happen with your strips as you are sewing.
We're creating nesting seams with these blocks, so we're pressing almost all of our seams within this quilt to one side. For these blocks, remember to press all seams within each block in one direction. To do this, I place my piece on my wool pressing mat, use my fingers to press the seam to one side, then gently insert the nose of my iron into the seam to press it flat. You can also "set" the seam by pressing the seam flat first, then pressing it to one side.
Repeat this process as you continue to create your blocks.
I really love using my wool pressing mat and tailor's clapper for extra flat seams. I explain both of these tools a little more in this blog post.
Another thing that I'll typically do once I'm done piecing blocks is place my large square ruler on the blocks with something heavy on top. I'll leave this overnight or longer for extra extra flat seams. :)
Using this formula in this post, double check your seam allowance as you add strips. Even if you've only sewn 3-4 strips together, you don't have to wait until your block is finished to re-check your seam allowance.
Share a weekly progress photo for each of the 4 weeks of the QAL and you'll be automatically entered to win our GRAND PRIZE BUNDLE (valued at over $300!) Here's what's in the bundle:
Here's how to enter:
That's all for this week, my friends! I cannot wait to see everyone's progress!
Let us know if you have any questions, otherwise, I'll see you next week for Week 3!
Happy Sewing!
LINKS:
]]>Hello there and welcome to the Getaway Quilt Along (QAL)! I'm so excited that you're here. If you haven't already read through our information page, you can find logistics and what-not here. This is a super casual quilt along in which I'm going to be sharing some tips and tricks for the Getaway Quilt pattern.
Check back every Saturday for the next 4 weeks for our weekly information. You can access the posts under the "Quilt Along" section of our site.
Let's get started. :)
First and foremost, if you haven't already purchased the Getaway quilt pattern, you'll need to grab a copy in our shop. We have PDF (instant download) copies and also printed copies. Please note our current shipping pause from June 6-23, so if you need the copy right away, I recommend getting a digital copy!
If you haven't read this blog post about the quilt pattern details, be sure to take a look for some helpful information.
If you're looking for inspiration or a starting point for choosing your fabrics, refer to this blog post. You'll find tips for choosing fabrics, using prints, etc. You can also find Getaway on PreQuilt - a free digital coloring page app that allows you to try out different fabrics prior to making a final decision. They also have a paid version of the program if you'd like to use prints in your mock-ups.
While you're in PreQuilt, play around with switching up the Light and Dark fabric. Within the pattern, I was really intentional with which fabric is light and which is dark. Note how the design slightly changes when you swap the two.
There are three different versions of the Getaway quilt pattern. The fabric requirements and cutting instructions are the same for each version. So the biggest decision that you need to make this week is what size quilt you are making and your fabrics.
Quick note about the sizes: the Crib size can also double as a lap quilt or small throw. It's a generous smaller size! Take a look at the pattern and note that all 5 of the sizes require the same number of blocks, but your blocks will be larger or smaller based on which size you are making. You can make any size quilt for this quilt along.
I do want to point out that if you plan to use any sort of print, the City Trip version has less seams to line up, which means you'll have less "breaks" in your fabric. That said, for a smaller scale, more scattered and random print, like my Speckled version seen here, the seams really disappear once it's all sewn together.
We have quilt kits in our shop but note that we currently have a shipping pause until June 23rd. Here are other shops that are carrying kits, each have four kits to choose from:
Pre-washing is a matter of personal preference. I very rarely prewash my fabrics. I could probably count the amount of times that I've pre-washed my fabrics on one hand. The reasons that I don't like it? For one, it takes a lot of effort and I can be impatient when I'm ready to start a project (hah). Secondly, I like the "crisp-ness" of fabric that is unwashed...it seems to hold it's shape better and be easier to work with.
What are the reasons for prewashing? You might want to prewash if you are using lots of red or navy, as these are colors that tend to bleed more easily. That being said, once my quilt is assembled, I am very generous with the Shout Color Catchers. These are little sheets that you put in the washing machine with your quilts first wash and they help prevent bleeding. They're relatively cheap, so I usually use a generous amount.
Another reason for prewashing is if you are using a few different substrates in your quilt (linen, cotton, flannel, etc.). Prewashing also "preshrinks" the fabrics so that they all behave similarly. These different substrates all have different rates of shrinking, so doing that upfront could help eliminate problems later on once they're all sewn together.
This is my personal preference. If it would make you feel better to prewash your fabrics, go for it! :) I've found that the quilting community is split pretty evenly on this topic. Just keep in mind: You will need the full WOF for certain parts of this pattern. I know some fabric manufacturers (Ruby Star Society is one of them) that have smaller width of fabric measurements and larger selvedges. If you choose to prewash your fabric just be aware that if your fabric shrinks to be less than 42" wide, you may need additional fabric depending on the size quilt you are making. This is something to keep in mind for all quilt patterns as you decide whether or not you want to prewash.
To be honest, I don't really use starch that much. However, I've found that if I am working with smaller pieces or bias edges, it really does help with accuracy. Starch makes your fabric more stiff, which makes it easier to sew and work with. Some fabrics have a stiffer "hand" than other, so you may or may not find this necessary with what you're working with.
Remember that you'll want to starch your fabric before you cut them. So you'll do so as you're ironing your fabric. This is the starch that I use.
I've put together a tutorial for how to cut your Width of Fabric strips so that they're nice and straight. You can find that tutorial here.
I usually like to go through and cut all of my WOF strips before I make any subcuts. Once your WOF strips are cut:
Any time I'm cutting many pieces that are the same size, I'll batch-cut those pieces. A sharp rotary blade is key for this process. To do this:
If you're a newer quilter, feel free to cut your pieces one at a time. There's no rush. :) But maybe give this a try if you have a few quilts under your belt and you're looking to save a little bit of time and energy. I only do this with the first bullet point of each fabric in the Cutting Instructions table.
For this Quilt Along, I'm making the Crib size and I having decided on the version yet. I'm leaning Mountain, but I may go Beach. :)
My "dark" fabric is Sketchbook Kiss from Alexia Abegg for Ruby Star Society and my "light" fabric is Always Together by Elizabeth Chappell for Art Gallery Fabrics. My backing is AGF Bougainvillea and my binding is Wings in Dark Fuchsia by Fableism.
Share a weekly progress photo for each of the 4 weeks of the QAL and you'll be automatically entered to win our GRAND PRIZE BUNDLE (valued at over $300!) Here's what's in the bundle:
Here's how to enter:
That's all for this week, my friends! I cannot wait to see everyone's progress!
Let us know if you have any questions, otherwise, I'll see you next week for Week 2!
Happy Sewing!
LINKS:
]]>Getaway Quilt Along details:
We have 6 different Getaway kits to choose from in our shop!
You can find PDF coloring pages here. Getaway is also on Prequilt (free digital coloring pages)!
Hello hello and welcome back! It's the fourth and final week of the Summer Pop Quilt Along, which means we are piecing our quilt tops! By the end of this week, you should have a finished Summer Pop quilt top! Here's a look at our schedule. If you are just now joining us, click where you see an underline to catch up on the previous week!
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This week is straight forward, especially if you've ever made a block-based quilt. First and foremost, you'll want to lay out your blocks to determine where you want them to appear within the quilt. I try to space everything out so that there is an even mixture of color throughout the quilt. The pattern has the columns of popsicles flipping directions every other row....but I've seen shop quilt tops on Instagram with the popsicles all facing the same direction. Either way works! Play around with it and see what you like.
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Once I like my layout, I like to create a stack of blocks from each row, then I bring the entire stack to my machine for chain piecing. I'll sew the first block to the second block, the third block to the fourth block, and the fifth block to the sixth block.
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Then I'll trim my threads and sew the first two blocks to the second two blocks, and the third two blocks to the last block in the row. Then I'll snip my thread and sew those final two units together. THEN I'll bring the entire row to my ironing board to press seams.
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An alternative is to chain piece your entire rows, which I demonstrate here. I used this method for three of my rows. Honestly, I much prefer using this technique with smaller blocks or individual components of blocks. I've found that I get a little overwhelmed when I do this with larger blocks.
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Then once you create an entire row or column, press all of those seams in one direction. This is how I press my seams to one side:
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Then when you go to create your next row, you'll press those seams to the opposite side, which will create nesting seams from row to row...as seen below:
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Once your rows are created, sew them together and press those seams open. Remember to pat your iron in an up and down motion, don't slide! It helps to use your fingers to open the seam and press from the wrong side. Then flip it over and press from the right side.
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OTHER TIPS:
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If you've been participating in the entire Quilt Along, be sure to share a photo of your finished quilt top! If you've been sharing photos for all 4 weeks of the QAL, you'll be automatically entered to win our GRAND PRIZE BUNDLE (valued at over $500!) Here's what's in the bundle:
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Remember that your account must be public for us to see your entry. Use the hashtags #summerpopQAL, #summerpopquilt & #loandbeholdpatterns and you'll be entered to win! You have until Wednesday July 6th to get your entry in. The winner will be announced via newsletter on the 7th!
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Don't forget about the Sip & Sew happening over on the String & Story's IG page (@stringandstory) Monday night at 7PM EST. HollyAnn and Darcy will be working on their Summer Pop quilts live and I invite you to join them for more Summer Pop tips, community and general entertainment. :)
I'll see ya'll next week with a Grand Prize winner!
Brittany
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Hey there and welcome back! It's Week 3 of the Summer Pop Quilt Along, which means we are finishing up our blocks! wahoo! By the end of this week, you should have all of the blocks made for your Summer Pop quilt top! Here's a look at our schedule. If you are just now joining us, click where you see an underline to catch up on the previous week!
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I don't have anything new to share this week! Just keep chugging along at your blocks, my friend! If you missed the tips from last week, be sure to check those out!
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Share a weekly progress photo for each of the 4 weeks of the QAL and you'll be automatically entered to win our GRAND PRIZE BUNDLE (valued at over $500!) Here's what's in the bundle:
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Enter to win by sharing your weekly progress photo to your public Instagram account (note that if your account is private, we will not see your entry). Use the hashtags #summerpopQAL, #summerpopquilt & #loandbeholdpatterns and you'll be entered to win!
One lucky winner will be chosen at random at the end of the QAL. This giveaway is not sponsored by IG.
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Next week, we'll sew all of our blocks together to create our quilt top!
See you then!
Brittany
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Hello and welcome back! It's Week 2 of the Summer Pop Quilt Along, which means we are starting to sew! Yay! Here's a look at our schedule. If you are just now joining us, click where you see an underline to catch up on the previous week!
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First and foremost, I highly recommend creating a test block before you get started. It's always better to fine-tune and make adjustments before you start working with your precious fabrics rather than after. First, let's take a look at Step 1 under the Block Assembly instructions on page 4.
MARKING
There are a few different ways to "draw" a line on the back of your Background squares. Here are some of my go-to methods:
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Diagonal Seam Tape alternative: masking tape
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CHAIN PIECING
Once I have everything organized and laid out, then I sew my Background square to my Ice Cream pieces. Instead of doing once piece at a time, I always like to chain piece like-tasks. So I'll chain piece all Background squares to the left side of each Ice Cream piece. Then I'll repeat this on the opposite side. This simply means that you stitch all of your seams as one continuous "chain" piece to save time, energy and thread. Once you are finished, snip the connecting stitches and move on to trimming!
I do this for every step of making this block!
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TRIMMING
Once both of the Background squares are sewn to each Ice Cream piece, you'll trim away the excess fabric to create your 1/4" seam. I like to trim these pieces while leaving my ruler in place for both seams, as seen below:
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PRESSING SEAMS
I've found that pressing seams open for this step give the best results. To do that, use your fingers to open up the seam and press the wrong side with your iron. Try not to slide the iron around, but rather use an "up and down" motion. Then flip the block over and press the right side. If you plan to use a tailor's clapper, I usually wait to do that until the final step.
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STEP 2
Step 2 under the Block Assembly instructions is to sew strips to the Ice Cream portion of your block. Any time you sew longer strips of fabric, there is a natural tendency for those strips to stretch as you sew. Pinning really helps decrease that risk and keep everything lined up and in place.
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Note that everything should fit together nicely; you shouldn't need to do any trimming. If you go to sew the longer strips on the left and right edges of your block and they're longer than the block, then your seam allowance in the previous step was too large. If you go to sew the left and right pieces to the block and they're shorter than the block, then your seam allowance in the previous step was too small.
Recheck your seam allowance to make sure that it's accurate before moving forward!
Worst case, if you do want to trim as you go, you're welcome too, just make sure all of your blocks are the same size.
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STRIP PIECING
The Stick portion of the block is "strip pieced" meaning instead of cutting up all of your pieces *then* sewing them together, you'll sew longer pieces together *then* cut it all apart. I always like to strip piece with a smaller stitch length so that my units don't unravel once I cut them apart. 1.8mm - 2.0mm should be good!
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KEEPING PIECES SQUARE
I highly recommend using pins to keep things aligned and square. Also, take note of the edges that will be perpendicular to your seam. You'll want those to align, as well.
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TIPS FOR FLAT SEAMS
If you have a tailor's clapper, this is a good place to use it. I normally press with my iron for a few seconds, then immediately follow up with pressing with the clapper for a few seconds. This helps keep the seams nice and flat.
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An alternative (or an addition) to the clapper is to stack your blocks and place a ruler with something heavy on top. I usually let these sit overnight and it helps keep those seams super flat as well.
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OTHER TIPS
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Share a weekly progress photo for each of the 4 weeks of the QAL and you'll be automatically entered to win our GRAND PRIZE BUNDLE (valued at over $500!) Here's what's in the bundle:
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Enter to win by sharing your weekly progress photo to your public Instagram account (note that if your account is private, we will not see your entry). Use the hashtags #summerpopQAL, #summerpopquilt & #loandbeholdpatterns and you'll be entered to win!
Please refrain from sharing photos of the *inside* of the pattern! This is copyrighted information for your eyes only. If you want to share a photo of part of the pattern, use the cover. :)
One lucky winner will be chosen at random at the end of the QAL. This giveaway is not sponsored by IG.
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Last, but not least! I wanted to share about a "Sip & Sew" happening over on String & Story's IG page (@stringandstory) every Monday night at 7PM EST. HollyAnn and Darcy will be working on their Summer Pop quilts live and I invite you to join them for more Summer Pop tips, community and general entertainment. :)
Next week, we'll create the remainder of our blocks!
See you then!
Brittany
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Hello and welcome to the Summer Pop Quilt Along! I am so excited that you are here!
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If we haven't "met", I'd like to introduce myself! I'm Brittany...the quilter and designer behind Lo & Behold Stitchery. I started quilting in my grandmother's memory and it's turned into an enormous passion of mine! You can read more about me and my story here!
Otherwise, let's jump in!
Here's a look at our schedule these next 4 weeks.
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If you don't already have the pattern, be sure to grab that in my shop! You can purchase a PDF Digital Download here or a Printed Paper copy here. (Note that starting on Tuesday, June 7th, we will be "out of the office" until July 1st, so if you want to order a paper pattern and have it ship immediately, I recommend ordering from String & Story!)
You'll need basic quilting supplies like a rotary cutter and cutting mat. You can find a complete list of my favorite beginner quilting supplies here. Here are a few extra items that are nice to have....
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INSPIRATION & QUILT KITS
If you already own the Summer Pop PDF, these mock-ups are all listed within the pattern. The Paper version of Summer Pop has most of these listed, but not all. And if you don't already own the pattern yet, you'll be seeing these for the first time! :) Let's take a look!
First up, we have fabrics from Carolyn Friedlander for Robert Kaufman. It's a little hard to envision Summer Pop with prints but I've found that abstract motifs, or designs like strips, dots, or some sort of small repeating theme....work really well! Exhibit A:
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Next up is the "Holiday" pop that would be so cute for a July 4th celebration! The solids are Kona by Robert Kaufman.
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This next one is one of my favorites....for obvious reasons. It uses fabrics from my Palette Picks bundle with Robert Kaufman! You can read about that bundle in this blog post. If the Caramel background isn't your speed, I recommend something like Kona Snow or if you want to go dark...Gotham Grey.
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If you're looking for a super fun and bright Summer Pop quilt, this one using Rashida Coleman Hale's Speckled fabrics is SO pretty. I'm calling it "Tropical Pop" because it gives me all the tropical, fruity vibes.
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If you're looking to make a Bed size quilt you can grab the Fisherman's Bend Coordinates FQ bundle by Violet Craft for Robert Kaufman. It makes the most beautiful muted rainbow quilt!
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Summer Pop includes two different "BONUS" sections and the first explains how to create a multi-color Background. To do this, you'll replace the Background yardage with fat quarters. You need 6 FQs for the Crib size, 10 for the Throw and 19 for the Bed size. For this method, you need the entire 18" x 21" of your FQ. If you would like more wiggle room then you'll need a few more fat quarters. Take a peak at page 7 of the pattern and you'll see more instructions for this method! This is actually what I'll be making for the QAL! We have kits available in our shop! (Note that we are currently out of the office and kits will not ship until the very end of June). All fabrics are Kona solids by Robert Kaufman.
There's also a bonus section that explains how to create layered popsicles like this "Firecracker" pop. :)
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And here is a look at some online shops that are carrying Summer Pop Kits:
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The following two kits are for the Throw size. The photo represents one sample of the blocks.
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And here is a look at the Fabric Requirements:
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This week, we are jumping right in and cutting our fabrics! There are three main sections to this quilt top: Ice Cream, Stick and Background.
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Here is a video tutorial for how to cut the Ice Cream portions from 1/4 yards and Fat Quarters...and also how to cut a Fat Quarter according to the Bonus instructions on page 7. Be sure to take a look if you are newer to quilting! If you're confident with your cutting, feel free to move right along...you got this. :)
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When you go to trim your selvedges, make sure you aren't trimming too much. You'll need the entire 42" of selvedge for some of these cuts, so be sure you are leaving yourself with at least that. If you accidentally trim off too much or if your WOF is less than 42", you should have a little bit of leftover fabric at the end to cut those remaining pieces.
You'll use the same cutting techniques that I mention in the above video (align selvedges to make sure the fold is square, cover your desired measurement with your ruler, etc.). I also recommend folding your fabric accordion style. This is to help manage the bulk of your fabric as you are cutting. You can also press/ realign selvedges as needed in this same fashion. It can be a lot of steps back and forth from your cutting table & ironing board, but I really prefer doing it in chunks rather than all at once.
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If you are using yardage for the Background portion, check out this video from the Deco Quilt Along last year. Obviously it's a different pattern but there are a lot of similarities. Topics covered in this video are how to cut "on-grain", how to square up fabric, batch-cutting, how to interpret "sub-cuts" and more!
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If you are creating a multi-color Background, according to page 7 of the pattern, refer to the Summer Pop video at minute mark 09:22 for a demonstration of how to cut one fat quarter. It's a little tight to squeeze 3 Background portions from each fat quarter, but if you cut carefully and accurately, you should be fine! Be sure to measure your FQs before you start. If you want to play it safe and only get 2 Background portions from each FQ, then you'll need, (8, 15, 28) FQs for the Background.
Once all of my pieces were cut from each FQ, I kept them in a pile like this:
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I've gotten a lot of questions about pre-washing and it's simply a matter of personal preference. I very rarely prewash my fabrics. I could probably count the amount of times that I've pre-washed my fabrics on one hand. The reasons that I don't like it? For one, it takes a lot of effort. Once you take the fabric out of the dryer, you then have to refold and iron it. If it's a large cut of fabric, this can be a bit of a daunting task. Secondly, I like the "crisp-ness" of fabric that is unwashed...it seems to hold it's shape better and be easier to work with.
That being said, once my quilt is assembled, I am very generous with the Shout Color Catchers. I know some people only use 1 or 2....at minimum, I use 5, depending on the size of the quilt. They're relatively cheap, so there's no harm in using a liberal amount. Feel free to use Color Catchers for the first few washes, or just once.
Alternatively, you might want to prewash if you are using lots of red or navy, as these are colors that tend to bleed more easily. Also, if you are using a few different substrates in your quilt (linen, cotton, flannel, etc.) prewashing also "preshrinks" the fabrics so that they all behave similarly. These different substrates all have different rates of shrinking, so doing that upfront could help eliminate problems later on once they're all sewn together.
Again, this is just MY personal preference. If it would make you feel better to prewash your fabrics, be my guest! I've found that the quilting community is split pretty evenly on this topic. Just keep in mind: You will need the full WOF for certain parts of this pattern. I know some fabric manufacturers (Ruby Star Society is one of them) that have smaller width of fabric measurements and larger selvedges. If you choose to prewash your fabric just be aware that if your fabric shrinks to be less than 42" wide, you may need additional fabric. Just be aware of this if you're on the fence about pre-washing. :)
I also want to point out that most people choose not to prewash pre-cuts. If you are using a FQ, you can choose to "stay-stitch" or zig-zag stitch around the perimeter of your FQ to prevent it from fraying too much. I would not prewash Precut 10" squares.
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To be honest, I don't really use starch that much. However, I've found that if I am working with smaller pieces (like this pattern) or bias edges, it really does help with accuracy. Starch makes your fabric more stiff, which makes it easier to sew and work with. I also tend to starch fabrics that are thinner/more "silky". Two brands that come to mind are Ruby Star and Art Gallery. I LOVE love love their fabrics; they're high quality, super soft and quilt up very nicely... but I've noticed that I'm more likely to use starch when I sew with these two fabric brands. I don't think I've ever starched Kona, just because it already has a naturally stiff hand.
Remember that you'll want to starch your fabric before you cut them, so if you decide to use it, I recommend going ahead and doing that before you cut. For yardage, assess how your WOF is folded. You'll want the two selvedge ends to be right on top of each other. This may mean ironing a new crease in your fabric. When I starch, I spray the entire piece of fabric to get it pretty saturated, then use my iron to press out any wrinkles or creases. This is the starch that I use.
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If you have any burning questions, or if you're just looking for community and support, join the Lo & Behold Patterns Facebook group! It is not required- all of the information for the QAL will be delivered via email/blog. That being said, if you are looking for advice with fabrics or anything else, the FB group is a great place to look!
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I am making the Berries & Cream Summer Pop, seen on page 7. I'm so excited to see how this will turn out!
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Share a weekly progress photo for each of the 4 weeks of the QAL and you'll be automatically entered to win our GRAND PRIZE BUNDLE (valued at over $500!) Here's what's in the bundle:
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Enter to win by sharing your weekly progress photo to your public Instagram account (note that if your account is private, we will not see your entry). Use the hashtags #summerpopQAL, #summerpopquilt & #loandbeholdpatterns and you'll be entered to win!
Please refrain from sharing photos of the *inside* of the pattern! This is copyrighted information for your eyes only. If you want to share a photo of part of the pattern, use the cover. :)
One lucky winner will be chosen at random at the end of the QAL. This giveaway is not sponsored by IG.
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Last, but not least! I wanted to share about a "Sip & Sew" happening over on String & Story's IG page (@stringandstory) every Monday night at 7PM EST. HollyAnn and Darcy will be working on their Summer Pop quilts live and I invite you to join them for more Summer Pop tips, community and general entertainment. :)
I cannot wait to see everyone's progress! Next week, we'll start sewing. See you then!
Brittany
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The Summer Pop Quilt Along has ended, but you can still access all of the information! Click below where you see an underline!
This pattern is labeled as "Confident Beginner" and would make a great first or second quilt. The pattern does assume that you have a basic knowledge of sewing, seam allowances, etc....but with the help of the Quilt Along, you shouldn't have any trouble with these blocks. Here's a closer look at some of the details:
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If you are a a shop that is carrying kits, please email me and I'll add you to the list. :)
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It's the final week of the Heirloom Hearts QAL!
If you are just now joining us, here's a look at our schedule. If you need to go back to any of the weeks, click on where you see the underline.
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This week, we are assembling our quilt tops! Take a look at the Quilt Top Assembly instructions in your pattern and let's get started!
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I like to sew my rows together to create two halves, then I'll sew those halves together.
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We have one giant Grand Prize bundle! Enter to win the bundle by sharing a weekly photo of your progress. Use the hashtags #heirloomheartsQAL, #heirloomheartsquilt and #loandbeholdpatterns and you'll be automatically entered to win! Just make sure your account is public so that we can see your post. :)
We have ONE more prize to enter into our bundle. Remember that one winner will win everything in the bundle!! And that prize is......
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A $100 gift card to one of my favorite long-arm quilters, Ashley of Henhouse Quilting!!
She is also offering 20% off edge-to-edge quilting; Heirloom Hearts quilt top must be received by August 15th, 2022.
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So in summary, one lucky winner will win:
All you have to do to enter to win is share a photo of your finished Heirloom Hearts quilt top. Remember to use the hashtags so that we can see and there you have it! You have until Wednesday, Feb. 16th at 8pm EST to get your entry in. The winner will be announced via the QAL newsletter the next morning.
Thank you so much for participating, everyone! This has been so fun! :)
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Until next time,
Brittany
]]>Alright, my friends....we are moving right along! It is the fourth week of the Quilt Along, meaning we are assembling our Forty-Nine Patch Blocks! After this week, we will be ready to assemble our quilt tops! Let's finish strong and get these Heirloom Hearts finished by Valentines Day. :)
If you are just now joining us, here's a look at our schedule. If you need to go back to any of the weeks, click on where you see the underline.
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If you successfully completed last week, then this week should be a breeze! Refer to Step 4 under the "Forty Nine Patch Blocks" (FNP) sewing instructions in your pattern. You are simply creating 3 rows, then sewing those rows together. Here are some tips for this week:
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Remember that as you create these blocks, the Chain portion that is along the edges will look a little longer than the Chain pieces on the inside of the block. Once you sew this block to the next block, the seam allowance will make them look like a square. You want these blocks to be exactly the same size as the Heart blocks, as indicated in the pattern.
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We have one giant Grand Prize bundle! Enter to win the bundle by sharing a weekly photo of your progress. Use the hashtags #heirloomheartsQAL, #heirloomheartsquilt and #loandbeholdpatterns and you'll be automatically entered to win! Just make sure your account is public so that we can see your post. :)
Each week, I'll reveal one portion of the prize bundle. Remember that one winner will win everything in the bundle!!
This week, we are adding a gorgeous 24 piece FQ "Revive" Bundle by Then Came June!
Here's what our Grand Prize bundle looks like so far:
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Alright! The hard part is behind you!! Next week, we will assemble both our Heart and Forty-Nine Patch blocks and then we'll be done!
See you then :)
Brittany
]]>Last week was fun, right?? I just love seeing those heart blocks come together. This week is Week 3 of the Quilt Along, which means that we are making our Nine Patch blocks. Here's a look at our schedule. Click where you see an underline if you need to go back!
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This week is pretty straight forward. We are completing Steps 1-3 under the "Forty-Nine Patch Blocks" instructions. This means we are only creating those Nine Patch blocks. There is a LOT of sewing this week. To help break things down, here's a suggested sewing schedule to help you stay on track:
Here are some tips for this week:
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PRESSING
These blocks have very specific pressing instructions to create nesting seams. This just means that you'll press the seams in Row A a certain direction, then you'll press the seams in Row B in the opposite direction. Remember that you are pressing towards the darker fabric. When you go to sew Row A and Row B together, the seams will lay nice and flat. Plus it'll be easier to keep things aligned!
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When pressing long strip sets, you'll want to be careful that your strip set doesn't distort or stretch as you are pressing. I like to press the seam first like this:
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Then gently, using the nose of my iron, press the fabric open, with the seam towards the darker side.
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CHAIN PIECING
For Step 1, I like to chain piece the first two strips for Row A. So I'll chain piece 5 sets of a Background and a Chain strip together. Then I'll press those seams. Then I'll sew the final Background strip to each of the previous Strip Sets. Press those seams. Then cut all of my Row A pieces. Then I'll repeat this process for Row B.
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Just be sure you are sewing the strips in the correct order. ;)
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CUTTING
Once you have your strip sets created, you'll cut them up to create Row A and Row B. Remember to cover the measurement with the ruler, then cut. I really prefer to do this versus using the lines on my cutting mat!
You should get 28 Row units per strip set. For the Throw size, you'll use every single unit, so there isn't really any wiggle room. Keep them in mind when you go to trim off the selvedge ends...you don't want to trim off too much.
If you have a Stripology Ruler (by Creative Grids), this is a good time to bring that out! What I really love about this ruler is that you don't have to lift it up and move it in between each cut. You just line up the horizontal lines on the ruler with the edge fo the fabric, cut on the "zero" then cut on the stars (which indicate 1.5"). Here is an IG Reel of the Stripology ruler in action.
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Of course, you do not *need* this ruler. Refer back to the Cutting tips from Week 1 if you need to!
I also want to point out that I like to cut my Strip Set while it's folded in half. This means that I am cutting 2 pieces at a time. It also means that if the fold of my fabric was a little bit wonky when I started, I don't have to use that portion of my strip set.
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SEWING ROWS A & B
This is Step 3 under the "Forty-Nine Patch Blocks" section.
Once all of your Rows are created (it's a lot, I know!) then you'll sew them together to create the Nine Patches. My biggest tip for these is to align those nesting seams and make sure your seam is square. It can sometimes be easy to start and stop seams a little on the skinny side, so you really want to make sure that they aren't crooked. Again, you'll need just a standard 1/4" seam for this but as always, measure a test block before you start chain piecing. I like to chain piece all of my Row A and B pieces, press those seams open to reduce bulk. Then chain piece the final Row B piece to the previous unit and press those seams.
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We have one giant Grand Prize bundle for end of the Quilt Along! Enter to win the bundle by sharing a weekly photo of your progress. Use the hashtags #heirloomheartsQAL, #heirloomheartsquilt and #loandbeholdpatterns and you'll be automatically entered to win! Just make sure your account is public so that we can see your post. :)
Each week, I'll reveal one portion of the prize bundle. Remember that one winner will win everything in the bundle!!
This week, we are adding a 14" x 14" wool pressing mat from Project Wool Mats! This is where I got my wool mat from a few years ago and I absolutely love it!
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Here's what our Grand Prize bundle looks like so far:
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COUPON CODE
Want to go ahead and purchase a wool pressing mat? Project Wool mats is offering us 10% off their 14" x 14" mat using the code loandbehold10 ! Click here for the mat! She's also about to open up Preorders for the larger mat size too...which I will most definitely be purchasing!
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I think that's all for now! Next week we will finish up our Forty-Nine Patch Blocks! I'll see you then. :)
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Brittany
]]>Hello and welcome back! It's Week 2 of the Heirloom Hearts Quilt Along! By this point, you should have all of your fabrics cut. Yay! Now let's move on and start sewing! Here's a look at our schedule:
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First and foremost.....please do not share photos of the *inside* of the pattern. This is copyrighted information for your eyes only. If you would like to include a photo of part of the pattern with your fabric, please use the cover. :)
This week, we are constructing all of our Heart Blocks. First and foremost, I strongly recommend making a test block before you get started....especially if you are a beginner or if it's your first time doing a "stitch and flip" technique.
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If you are wondering why the Background strip on top of the block is larger than the Background strip on the bottom of the block, let me show you why! When I was initially designing this pattern and creating digital mock-ups, I had the hearts dead center in the negative space. However, With the majority of the Heart fabric towards the top of the block, it gives the optical illusion that the block is higher in the negative space than it really is. Take a look at the photo below. The one on the left uses a larger strip on top. The one on the right has equal size strips on the top and bottom. Focus your eyes on the bottom point of the heart and you'll see what I mean!
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MARKING
There are a few different ways to "draw" a line on the back of your Background squares. Here are some of my go-to methods:
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Diagonal Seam Tape alternative: masking tape
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FABRIC ORIENTATION
Once all of your squares are marked (I like to go ahead and mark everything to set me up for chain piecing), separate your heart pieces into two piles, a "Left" pile and a "Right" pile. If there are directional fabrics, be sure they are oriented correctly. For example, the fabric seen below is directional, so I want to pay attention to how I have it rotated so that it's not upside down in my quilt.
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CHAIN PIECING
Once I have everything organized and laid out, then I sew my Background square to my heart pieces. Instead of doing once piece at a time, I always like to chain piece like-tasks. So I'll chain piece all of my Left Side pieces, then all of my Right Side pieces. This simply means that you stitch all of your seams as one continuous "chain" piece to save time, energy and thread. Once you are finished, simply snip the connecting stitches and move on to trimming!
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TRIMMING
Once all 3 of the Background squares are sewn to each Heart piece, you'll trim away the excess fabric to create your 1/4" seam. I like to cut my two top squares as seen below....this way I only have to place my ruler once for those cuts.
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For the larger seam, you can either trim those one at a time.....
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Or stack them on a line on your cutting mat and trim multiple at once. If I do this, I always give myself a smidge more than 1/4", just in case.
Again, you can see with some of those bottom pieces that I'm giving myself a seam allowance that's larger than 1/4". I would rather give myself too much than too little. As long as the seams are at least 1/4" then you're good to go!
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PRESSING SEAMS
I've found that pressing seams open for this step give the best results. To do that, use your fingers to open up the seam and press the wrong side. Then flip the block over and press the right side. If you plan to use a tailor's clapper, I usually wait to do that until the final step.
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SEWING STRIPS
Any time you sew long strips of fabric, there is a natural tendency for those strips to stretch as you sew. Pinning really helps decrease that risk and keep everything lined up and in place.
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When you go to sew the bottom strip, consider pinning it in place and sewing with it on the bottom of the block so that you can visualize that 1/4" overlap. You want your needle to hit right where you see the "v".
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If you like to press your seams open, you can press the seams from Step 3 open instead of to one side. It's really whatever you prefer! Personally, I really love the flat look, but it is much more speedy to press to one side. Try out both ways and see what you think!
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If you have a tailor's clapper, this is a good place to use it. I normally press with my iron for a few seconds, then immediately follow up with pressing with the clapper for a few seconds. This helps keep the seams nice and flat.
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An alternative (or an addition) to the clapper is to stack your blocks and place a ruler with something heaving on top. I usually let these sit overnight and it helps keep those seams super flat as well.
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OTHER TIPS
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We will have one giant Grand Prize bundle at the end of the Quilt Along! Enter to win the bundle by sharing a weekly photo of your progress. Use the hashtags #heirloomheartsQAL, #heirloomheartsquilt and #loandbeholdpatterns and you'll be automatically entered to win! Just make sure your account is public so that we can see your post. :)
Each week, I'll reveal one portion of the prize bundle. Remember that one winner will win everything in the bundle!!
This week, we are adding a $50 gift card to Saltwater fabrics!
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Here's what our Grand Prize bundle looks like so far:
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I think that's all for now! Next week we will create our Nine Patch Blocks! I'll see you then. :)
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Brittany
Hello and welcome to the Heirloom Hearts Quilt Along (QAL)! I'm so excited that you are here!
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If we haven't "met", I'd like to introduce myself! I'm Brittany...the quilter and designer behind Lo & Behold Stitchery. I started quilting in my grandmother's memory and it's turned into an enormous passion of mine! You can read more about me and my story here!
Otherwise, let's jump in!
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You can download a printable QAL schedule here. Here's what the next 5 weeks will look like:
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You'll need basic quilting supplies like a rotary cutter and cutting mat. You can find a complete list of my favorite beginner quilting supplies here. Here are a few extra items that are nice to have....but they aren't required.
If you don't already have the pattern, be sure to grab that in my shop! You can purchase a PDF Digital Download here or a Printed Paper copy here.
This week, we are jumping right in and cutting our fabrics! Note: if you haven't picked out your fabrics yet, feel free to take a look at my Heirloom Hearts inspiration blog post. This post contains quilt kits, mock-ups and pattern tester quilts.
If you are new to cutting yardage, (or even fabric in general) check out this video from the Deco Quilt Along last year! Obviously it's a different pattern but there are a lot of similarities. Topics covered in this video are how to cut "on-grain", how to square up fabric, batch-cutting, how to interpret "sub-cuts" and more!
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There are 3 main sections that we will focus on for this QAL: Hearts, Chain and Background fabrics. Let's take a closer look at each of these groups individually.
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HEARTS
Taking a look at your pattern, you'll see that you can use Precut, 10" squares, fat eighths, fat quarters, quarter yards or yardage for the Heart portion of your quilt. Feel free to use solids or prints...both look great! If you are using directional fabrics for your hearts (think some sort of image like a tree or stripes), then you'll want to think about how that fabric will appear in your quilt before you cut it. The short ends of the rectangles will be the top and bottom portion of your heart. If you are using non-directional prints (i.e. polka dots) then feel free to cut your fabrics using either of the cutting diagrams. Here's how I cut my fabric for this part...note that there are many ways to do this. If you have a method that works for you, keep doing that!
1. The first thing that you'll need to do is square up your fabric. If you are using precut 10" squares, you might be able to skip this step. I take my longest ruler and align it with my selvedge and cut that off for my first cut.
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2. Then I straighten up the edge that is perpendicular to the selvedge to create a 90 degree angle. You can either rotate the entire piece of fabric or physically rotate your cutting mat. Once I have my 90 degree angle, I create all of my rectangles starting from that point. Some people go ahead and create 90 degree angles on all four corners, but I just start with one corner and go from there.
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3. Once I have my 90 degree corner, I cut my rectangles. Align the left vertical edge of your fabric with the desired measurement on your ruler. Make sure the the bottom edge is aligned with the horizontal lines on your ruler. I've found that using the lines on my ruler gives me a WAY more accurate cut than using the lines on my cutting mat. I'm right handed, so that looks like this:
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4. Once I've made the first cut, I rotate the fabric around to make my next cut. Remember where your 90 degree angle is because you want to be sure that's included in your rectangle...not the other end! And don't forget to use those horizontal lines to make sure your cut is square!
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There you have it!
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CHAIN
The chain portion of this pattern is made up of the nine patch blocks. We will strip piece, cut and assemble those later on, but for this week, just focus on cutting your WOF strips. If you are starting out with precut 1.5" strips, then you're good to go for this section! Here are the steps for cutting WOF strips:
1. Align selvedges so that they are perfectly on top of each other. This might mean that you need to push up the excess fabric to create a new fold. If this is the case, consider using your iron to press a new crease.
2. Align a horizontal line on your ruler with the fold of your fabric. Trim to create a fresh edge.
3. Turn your mat around so that you can cover your desired measurement with your non-dominate hand and cut with your dominate hand. Align the 1.5" line with the fresh edge of fabric, then cut the amount of strips that you need.
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BACKGROUND
Last but not least....we have the Background fabric! Keep in mind, my cutting instructions are to help you get the best use of your fabric with minimal waste. Refer to the bottom of the cutting chart for a checklist of the Background pieces that you'll end up with. Double check this count once you are finished cutting.
Word to the wise: when you go to trim your selvedges, make sure you aren't trimming too much. You'll need the entire 42" of selvedge for some of these cuts, so be sure you are leaving yourself with at least that. If you accidentally trim off too much or if your WOF is less than 42", you should have a little bit of leftover fabric at the end to cut those remaining pieces.
You'll use the same cutting techniques that I mention above (align selvedges to make sure the fold is square, cover your desired measurement with your ruler, etc.) again, the video has lots of great tips! I also recommend folding your fabric accordion style. This is to help manage the bulk of your fabric as you are cutting. You can also press/ realign selvedges as needed in this same fashion. It can be a lot of steps back and forth from your cutting table & ironing board, but I really prefer doing it in chunks rather than all at once.
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I also want to take a moment to further explain the subcutting. Take note of the text above the Cutting Instructions table (in the Digital pattern, it's above the cutting diagrams). Be sure to carefully read these instructions. Here is an example of what I'm referring to:
This means that from this bullet point, you'll have (60) 3.5" squares. So the word "each" refers to each WOF strip in that bullet point. Essentially, you'll cut each WOF strip in that bullet point the exact same way. If you are confused by this, look ahead to the bottom of the chart to see how many pieces you'll need when you are finished. If you multiply the number of WOF strips by the subcut quantities, you'll get the right amount of pieces.
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Which brings me to my next tip: Since we are cutting so many WOF strips the exact same way, I like to "batch cut". This simply means that you cut multiple strips at once. There's a demo of this in the video at minute mark 7:08.
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There are coloring pages provided within the pattern, but if you are looking for more, you can find them here. Note that if you are looking for coloring pages that show the seam lines, we can get those to you upon showing proof of purchase...just email us!
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I've gotten a lot of questions about pre-washing and it's simply a matter of personal preference. I very rarely prewash my fabrics. I could probably count the amount of times that I've pre-washed my fabrics on one hand. The reasons that I don't like it? For one, it takes a lot of effort. Once you take the fabric out of the dryer, you then have to refold and iron it. If it's a large cut of fabric, this can be a bit of a daunting task. Secondly, I like the "crisp-ness" of fabric that is unwashed...it seems to hold it's shape better and be easier to work with.
That being said, once my quilt is assembled, I am very generous with the Shout Color Catchers. I know some people only use 1 or 2....at minimum, I use 5, depending on the size of the quilt. They're relatively cheap, so there's no harm in using a liberal amount. Feel free to use Color Catchers for the first few washes, or just once.
Again, this is just MY personal preference. If it would make you feel better to prewash your fabrics, be my guest! I've found that the quilting community is split pretty evenly on this topic. Just keep in mind: You will need the full WOF for this pattern. I know some fabric manufacturers (Ruby Star Society is one of them) that have smaller width of fabric measurements and larger selvedges. If you choose to prewash your fabric just be aware that if your fabric shrinks to be less than 42" wide, you may need additional fabric. Just be aware of this if you're on the fence about pre-washing. :)
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To be honest, I don't really use starch that much. However, I've found that if I am working with smaller pieces (like this pattern) or bias edges, it really does help with accuracy. Starch makes your fabric more stiff, which makes it easier to sew and work with. I also tend to starch fabrics that are thinner/more "silky". Two brands that come to mind are Ruby Star and Art Gallery. I LOVE love love their fabrics; they're high quality, super soft and quilt up very nicely... but I've noticed that I'm more likely to use starch when I sew with these two fabric brands. I don't think I've ever starched Kona, just because it already has a naturally stiff hand.
Remember that you'll want to starch your fabric before you cut them, so if you decide to use it, I recommend going ahead and doing that this week. For yardage, assess how your WOF is folded. You'll want the two selvedge ends to be right on top of each other. This may mean ironing a new crease in your fabric. When I starch, I spray the entire piece of fabric to get it pretty saturated, then use my iron to press out any wrinkles or creases. This is the starch that I use.
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If you have any burning questions, or if you're just looking for community and support, join the Lo & Behold Patterns Facebook group! It is not required- all of the information for the QAL will be delivered via email/blog. That being said, if you are looking for advice with fabrics or anything else, the FB group is a great place to look!
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I will be making a Throw size Heirloom Hearts using the "Shine On" collection by Sharon Holland. I'm using AGF Northern Waters as the Background fabric and Snow as the Chain. :) We have "Shine On" FQ bundles in our shop....you would just need to supply your own Background and Chain fabric. Here is a mock-up:
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We will have one giant Grand Prize bundle at the end of the Quilt Along! Enter to win the bundle by sharing a weekly photo of your progress. Use the hashtags #heirloomheartsQAL, #heirloomheartsquilt and #loandbeholdpatterns and you'll be automatically entered to win! Just make sure your account is public so that we can see your post. :)
Each week, I'll reveal one portion of the prize bundle. Remember that one winner will win everything in the bundle!!
The first item in the Grand Prize bundle is:
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I think that's all for now! Next week we will create our Heart Blocks! I'll see you then. :)
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Brittany
]]>Here's our schedule...click where you see an underline to take you that week's information!
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Looking for inspiration? Check out this blog post! We also have quilt kits found here.
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Hello and welcome back to the Deco QAL!
Here's a look at our schedule. If you are just now joining us, click where you see an underline!
This week, we are creating our edges and corners and then assembling our quilt tops!
Let's start with the first step. If you remember back to Week 1, we talked about how the edges are created for this quilt. Instead of using whole blocks on the edges, then trimming away excess, we are preemptively trimming blocks in half and using both halves of those blocks. This saves time, energy and fabric, but some quilters don't like this method because you loose 1/4" of the block points around the perimeter of the quilt top. If this is you, you'll need to make more blocks.
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Refer to the "Edges & Corners" section of the pattern. Note that there are different instructions for each size.
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Once you have your Edges and Corners cut with the edges secure, it's time to assemble our quilt tops!
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First and foremost, be sure to read Steps 1-3 in this section of the pattern before you continue.
For this step, it can be helpful to lay out all of your blocks so that you can see what your end goal is. This gives you an opportunity to double check and make sure that you have everything oriented correctly. I've made this quilt so many times that I skipped laying everything out and just had all blocks organized in piles.
You'll see in the Throw diagram that there are 12 rows. When I create an on-point quilt, I like to start with Row 2, then sew the Row 1 corner on. Let's take a closer look.
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Side note: Really pay attention to those Block 2s. There are 4 identical Block 2 pieces along the top and bottom of the quilt, so be sure you are grabbing the right one. It helps to refer at the shape of the Color 2 piece. Same goes for the Block 3A halves. Be sure you are grabbing the right one!
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When you place the Block 2 piece right sides together with Block 1, align the edges, as seen below. They should align perfectly with no 1/4" overlap (remember that the blocks were the same size before you cut them).
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Sew your first seam, then add the Block 3B piece. Press these two seams in one direction. Take note of that direction because for the next row, you'll want to press your seams in the opposite direction to create nesting seams. You can mark arrows in the pattern to help you remember.
Once you have created this row, sew the corner onto the Block 1 piece. If you do this step out of order, it won't matter, but for some reason, this is how my brain operates.
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Since I pressed my seams towards Block 2, the corner block will overlap that bottom right corner by 1/4" (since that seam is tucked underneath Block 1). This is indicated by the red circle, seen below. The other corner of that piece will also overlap by 1/4", but it'll look a little differently. It should be aligned with the little dog ear from the previous row, as indicated by the white line. Depending on the direction that your block seams are pressed from row to row, will determine how this step will look when you go to sew rows together. Bottom line, just make sure that the corner block is centered on Block 1 and you're good to go. :)
Here's a closer look at what I mean about the white line. Note that I'm using a different row here.
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And here's what the other end will look like. Both have a 1/4" overlap, they just look a little differently based on the previous row's seams.
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Press all row seams open.
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This is what it will look like:
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Then construct the 3rd row in the same exact manner.
Before you sew rows to other rows, be sure that you have the blocks aligned properly. Look for those nesting seams to help make sure that you are sewing things in the right place. When you put rows right sides together, it will look like the photos below, depending on how you pressed your seams in the previous row.
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Once I've added rows together past a certain point, I like to start on the other half of the quilt. As the rows get longer and longer, you might find that using pins is really essential for you.
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I have a few quilting ideas saved on my Quilting Ideas Pinterest Board. This includes a mix of walking foot quilting and long arm pantographs. Since this design is on-point, my go-to idea is to stitch lines that are parallel to the diagonal seams. You can find my straight line quilting tutorial here. This creates such a nice texture, and if you want to kick it up a notch, you can add extra vertical and horizontal lines as seen in my reel from a few months ago. Here's how I quilted my previous Deco quilts:
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If you're still looking for inspiration, head to Instagram and check out the #decoquilt hashtag to see what others are doing/have done.
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The winner of the $50 gift card to Saltwater Fabrics is.....
Congratulations!!! Please reach out to me and I'll pass your information along! :)
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This is the final week of the Quilt Along, meaning that our last prize is the Grand Prize! This includes a bundle of 3 separate prizes and one lucky winner will win all 3!
The first is a Lo & Behold Stitchery Quilt Pattern bundle. Choose 3 quilt patterns of your choice (paper or digital). This can be used for patterns that are not yet released.
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The second is a $50 gift card to one of my new favorite online quilt shops, Pasadena Quilt Co!
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The third is free long arm quilting, batting, and return domestic shipping on your Deco Quilt from Trace Creek Quilting! In addition to that, she is also offering a 25% discount to QAL participants through the end of January. Fun fact, Lilo is actually quilting my Deco quilt as we speak!
Hello and welcome back to the Deco QAL!
Here's a look at our schedule. If you are just now joining us, click where you see an underline!
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This week, we are making Blocks 3A and 3B. There is a lot of sewing in this step....I timed myself and it took me about 6 or 7 hours with a few small breaks. Rest assured that next week is a catch-up week, so if you get behind, don't stress!
Read the pattern thoroughly for this section so that you understand what makes these two blocks slightly different. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the table on page 6 of the PDF or page 5 of the printed pattern. Let's walk through the table step by step so that you can understand how to read it.
Remember to measure the height of the strip set BEFORE you subcut your pieces.
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Once you've created all of your Rows A, B and C, lay them out so that they are oriented correctly as seen in the pattern. Then sew all three rows together starting with Row A and B.
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Pay attention to the intersections. This is a good place to use pins!
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Also make sure that you are keeping those 90 degree angles as your add strips. Sometimes seams can start and stop a little on the skinny side, so be sure that doesn't happen and that you don't unintentionally stretch the top strip as you sew.
If you are looking for tips to try to keep pieces square, here are a few things that I've found:
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Chain piece to speed things up.
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Press all row seams open.
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Then add Row C.
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You'll end up with units that look like this.
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Take half of them and rotate them around to create the lower half of the blocks. Then sew these two halves together.
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Take note of what the finished size of the block should measure, then move forward with Steps 3-5 in this section.
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Double check your final measurement, then you're done!!
Once all of your Blocks 3A & 3B are created, snap a photo and share your progress to social media! Keep scrolling for the Week 5 prize!
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The winner of the FREE batting and long arm quilting from Quilty Lab Creations is.....
@deq321 !!!!
Congratulations!! Please send me an email and I'll get your information passed along to Quilty Lab Creations. :)
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This week, our prize is a $50 gift card to Saltwater Fabrics! I always love scrolling through their IG account and seeing what pretty combinations they come up with!
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Enter to win the the gift card by sharing a photo of your Week 5 progress. Use the hashtags #decoquilt, #decoQAL and #loandbeholdpatterns. Remember that your account must be public in order for us to see your entry! A winner will be chosen at random by 8am EST at the start of next week.
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Please remember as you are photographing your progress this week to NOT include any parts of the inside of the pattern. This includes any part of the inside of the pattern. That is all copyrighted information that is for your eyes only. :) If you want to include any portion of the pattern in your photo, use the cover.
That's all for this week. I'll see you next Monday for the start of Week 6! Remember that Week 6 is a catch-up week, so if you need extra time to finish up all of your blocks, be our guest. If your blocks are all finished up, then take the week off and we will see you on November 29th to assemble our quilt tops! Don't worry about creating your edge and corner blocks just yet, we'll talk about on the 29th too.
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Happy sewing! :)
Brittany
]]>Here's a look at our schedule. If you are just now joining us, click where you see an underline!
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This week, we are creating all of our Block 2s. There are a few different components to this block, so lets take a closer look at each step.
Step 1 is to "snowball" two of the corners of the corners of the Color 2 squares. This is also sometimes referred to as the "stitch and flip" method. To do this, you'll either need to draw a line on the back of the Background squares OR you can use Diagonal Seam Tape. If you choose to draw your lines, you can use something like a fabric pen or pencil to create a mark on the fabric. To be honest, I get nervous at the thought of using any kind of ink on my quilt, even if it's marketed as "temporary." Chalk pens are typically seen as a safe option. I normally use a Hera Marker to create a crease on my fabric. Pro tip: if you don't have a Hera Marker or if you misplace it frequently like I do, use the back side of a butter knife. :)
In the last year or so, I've started using Diagonal Seam Tape and this is SUPER helpful for sewing techniques where you have to draw lines (think snowballing, half square triangles and flying geese!). Using this tape is perfect for these blocks because you skip the drawing step and go straight to sewing. Here is a video for how to apply the tape to your machine. (Tip: you could also make a similar concept with masking tape if you do not want to buy any!)
Essentially, the red line on the tape is aligned with your needle. Then, when you align the first corner with your needle and the second corner with the red line, that creates your "diagonal line" that you need to sew across.
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As you are sewing, keep that bottom corner aligned with the red line.
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Again, I chain piece every chance I can get. I recommend creating a test block before you chain piece everything and make sure that your block ends up measuring what the pattern says. Sometimes the "stitch and flip" method can be a little tricky because your thread will take up a tiny bit of real estate, so you may need stitch just a tiny bit to the right of that diagonal line. Again, play around with it and see where you're at.
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Once you do this on both sides, trim away the excess fabric.
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Then press those seams open.
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Step 2 is pretty straight forward.
Then for Step 3, you'll be doing some strip piecing to create the units in Figure B. For this step:
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Steps 4-6 are similar to the log cabin instructions from Block 1. I recommend working ahead for one block to make sure that your seam allowance is accurate. Measure along the way to make sure that you are on track. Then once you are confident with your seam allowance go ahead and chain piece everything to save time. Remember that if your block measures larger than what the pattern says, your seam allowance was too narrow. If your block is smaller than what the seam allowance says, your seam allowance was too big.
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Use pins to line up fabrics.
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Once you've created all 10 of your Block 2s, you're done for this week! Be sure to snap a photo to share your progress on social media! Keep reading for the Week 4 prize!
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The winner of the Janome thread tin and the 50% off discount to Jordan and Joy Co. is:
@garbengen!!!
Congratulations! Please send me an email we will get you your prize!
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Please remember as you are photographing your progress this week to NOT include any parts of the inside of the pattern. This includes any part of the inside of the pattern. That is all copyrighted information that is for your eyes only. :) If you want to include any portion of the pattern in your photo, use the cover.
That's all for this week. I'll see you next Monday for the start of Week 5!
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Happy sewing! :)
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Brittany
]]>Hello and welcome back to the Deco QAL!
Here's a look at our schedule. If you are just now joining us, click where you see an underline!
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This quilt is composed of 3 different quilt blocks. I've split up the sewing over the next 3 weeks so that we are creating one quilt block per week. This week, we are creating all 20 of our Block 1s. YAY!
This block is super straight forward....just a traditional log-cabin style block. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
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Once you've created all 20 of your Block 1s, you're done for this week! Be sure to snap a photo to share your progress on social media! Keep reading for the Week 3 prize!
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The winner of the Countdown Box from Global Fiber is:
Congratulations! Please send me an email we will get you your prize!
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This week, we have two prizes! The first is a collector's tin from Janome filled with 30 spools of thread (15 spools of 600yd Polyester thread and 15 spools of 250 yd Cotton thread)!
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The second prize is a 50% discount to Jordan & Joy Co.! Jordan is one of my fearless pattern testers and she curates the most beautiful fabric combinations!
Enter to win the thread tin and the discount by sharing a photo of your Week 3 progress. Use the hashtags #decoquilt, #decoQAL and #loandbeholdpatterns. Remember that your account must be public in order for us to see your entry! A winner will be chosen at random by 8am EST at the start of next week.
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Please remember as you are photographing your progress this week to NOT include any parts of the inside of the pattern. This includes any part of the inside of the pattern. That is all copyrighted information that is for your eyes only. :) If you want to include any portion of the pattern in your photo, use the cover.
That's all for this week. I'll see you next Monday for the start of Week 4!
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Happy sewing! :)
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Brittany
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