We have a winner for the Happy Little Things Month 3 giveaway! I asked readers to leave a comment telling me how long you’ve been quilting. Out of 163 comments, #97 was randomly chosen. That belongs to Phyllis B. who commented, “I started quilting in 1976, 43 years ago, making a blue and white quilt. Ten years later I finally finished it and entered it the county fair and won best in county.”
I really enjoyed reading all of the comments in response to the question, How long have you been quilting? The range was from 6 months to 60 years and everything in between! Some of you had short answers and there were also a few stories of how and when it all began. Thank you all for participating in the BOM giveaways. It’s a nice way for me to get to know you!
I have been sewing since 7th grade – 45 years! I started quilting 22 years ago at the “nudging” of my older sister who promised that I would love quilting. She was right, as usual!
Me and my sister, Cindy
Tomorrow (Thursday) I will be attending the Pacific International Quilt Festival (PIQF) in Santa Clara, California. It’s 20 minutes away from my house, so I go almost every year. The quilts on display are always so inspiring and then there are the vendors who tempt us all.
We are well into the month of October and it’s high time I announced the October UFO & WIP Challenge prize. For more details about the challenge in general, check out the 2019 UFO & WIP Challenge FAQ’s.
October prize
This month I have a prize package that includes a fat quarter bundle of lovely Calico Crow from Penny Rose Fabrics, and some great notions for your sewing room. These include a package of Steady Betty Ruler Betty’s, a Sew Standard Seam Guide and a package of John James Pebbles needles. These are all from my own “collection” and the total value is $35.
My October project(s)
My first project for this month is to create a pattern for the quilt block I made in August. I’ve had several people ask about it, so I’d really like to get this checked off my list. Note: There’s no need for you to announce your project for the month. I’m just doing this because it makes me accountable, and I’ll more likely get it done if I put it out there!
I love this block and I think it will make a striking quilt. The block measures 14″ square, so that means fewer squares to make for a larger quilt.
My second project that I need to finish is a sample for a kit that I’m making for The Granary Quilt Shop. I mentioned this in a previous blog post, but it’s one of those things that I would love to complete so I can focus on other projects. The pattern is Cardinals by The Pattern Basket. I have eight cardinals finished and 22 more to go!
It’s such a cute pattern! I love everything that Margot designs for her pattern company. The red, white and tan colors will make pretty birds for the holidays.
I also wanted to mention that the winner of last month’s challenge is Hannah W. She just emailed me with her name and now I can give her proper credit. She made this beautiful pillow below from a kit she purchased at Sew Lux Fabric.
Christmas In July pillow made by Hannah W.
I hope you’re feeling inspired to finish those UFO’s and WIP’s. I have my parents visiting for the weekend, so I don’t think I’ll get to spend too much time in my sewing room. But I’m glad they’re still able to make the drive for a visit and I love having them. Happy quilting and have a wonderful weekend!
Hello everyone! I have an easy Quilt As You Go Mug Rug Tutorial to share with you today. Mug rugs are so fun and quick to make and they’re a great opportunity to try out a new skill. If you’ve never attempted a “quilt as you go” project, you’re in for a treat!
Are you wondering what quilt as you go means? That’s a legit question, so let me explain. For my technique (there are several ways to do this), you start by layering and basting the backing fabric and batting together. As you sew the strips of a quilt top together, you sew them onto the basted foundation. So, as you’re sewing the top, you’re also quilting through all the layers. When you’re done, all you have to do is trim the quilt sandwich and add the binding!
I’ve added applique to my mug rugs, but that’s optional. If you want to keep it simple, you could use novelty fabrics, gradated colors for an ombre affect, or seasonal colors. It’s a great way to use your leftover scraps!
Supplies
Mug Rug size: 6″ x 9″
Scraps of 7 different fabrics (at least 1 3/4″ wide)
Backing fabric, 6 1/2″ x 9 1/2″
Binding fabric, (1) strip of desired width
Batting, 6 1/2″ x 9 1/2″ (I used Pellon Thermolam Plus, but any type of leftover batting is fine)
Optional: Paper-backed fusible web product for applique (I love Heat ‘n Bond Lite)
Optional: Print out templates (below) for applique
Cutting Instructions
Backing and batting are both 6 1/2″ x 9 1/2″ rectangles
Fabric scraps: (7) 1 3/4″ x 6 1/2″ rectangles
Quilt As You Go Technique
Baste the backing and batting together. For this small project, you can use pins or a small amount of water-soluble glue or basting spray.
Make sure your bobbin thread matches the backing fabric. The top thread can be a neutral color.
We are going to work from the center out to the sides. Place the first 1 3/4″ x 6 1/2″ rectangle right side up along the center of the quilt sandwich. Make sure it’s straight and parallel to the sides.
Place the second 1 3/4″ x 6 1/2″ rectangle right side down, on top of the first rectangle, matching the raw edges.
Stitch through all layers with a 1/4″ seam. Use a walking foot if needed. I’m using the integrated dual feed on my Bernina 770.
Finger-press the seam open or use a seam roller.
Take the next strip and repeat the process, working to the right of the quilt sandwich. When you get to the edge, there may be a little batting and backing that remains uncovered. It will get trimmed away later.
Turn the quilt sandwich and add the remaining fabric strips to the other half in the same manner.
Trim the quilt sandwich to a 6″ x 9″ rectangle.
Baste around the edges, within 1/4″ of the raw edge, using a walking foot and long stitch length.
Applique
If desired, add applique to the mug rug. Fusible, raw-edge applique works great for this. If you need specific instructions for that, I have a separate blog post that you can refer to here.
For the applique templates, I included all of the shapes you see on this blog post, plus I added a cute pair of elephants. The link to the applique PDF is in the supplies section above. Print out the applique templates at actual size. Once printed, it will look like the ones below.
Once the applique shape is fused to the quilt, you will stitch the raw edges down with your favorite stitch. I used a zig zag stitch. This will also add to the quilting since it will go through all layers and show up on the back!
For the leaves, I added a little stem at the end of each applique shape. I switched to a semi-decorative stitch (#1348 on my Bernina 770), but you could also use a reinforced straight stitch or narrow zig zag.
Binding
You can add binding to the mug rug just as you would any quilt. I suggest a 2 1/4″ wide binding strip. If you want, you can try out single-fold binding. It will result in a flatter binding edge which is nice for this project.
I have a tutorial for single-fold binding and more at Mug Rug Binding Tips. For this technique, the binding strip is 1 1/4″ wide. I took photos of the process for this while making the black cat mug rug. You can get the general idea below:
I usually machine stitch the binding down on the second side, but for these mug rugs I did it by hand. I still love doing a little handwork when I can! And don’t forget to add a label if you have one. I ordered mine through Dutch Label Shop.
You may already know this about me, but I LOVE making mug rugs! This heart mug rug started with a request from my granddaughter, Amelia. She was using her Mom’s mug rug and needed one of her own. Of course I dropped everything and went to work on this sweet heart version. I think she likes it!
I hope you enjoy making these as much as I did. I should warn you that they can be addictive! It only takes about 4-6 hours to make one (which is a blink of the eye in the quilting time clock).
This quilt as you go mug rug is just in time for the holidays, and they make great gifts! If you need to clarify what a mug rug is for your recipient, check out this mug rug poem printable. Have fun creating!
Hi everyone! We had 27 beautiful entries into the September UFO & WIP Challenge and I have randomly chosen one winner. That goes to #16, which is this sweet Christmas in July pillow. I have emailed the winner and I’m waiting for her reply so that I can tell you her name! Congratulations to the winner and thanks to everyone who participated!
September UFO & WIP Challenge Winner
She (or he) will be receiving a prize package of products from Heather at Purple Hobbies. Also, Heather has offered free shipping for all of my readers with the coupon code craftyquilter (that’s one word).
It’s a busy week here at The Crafty Quilter studio. I am finishing up my Quilt As You Go Mug Rug Tutorial which I had planned on publishing last week. I apologize for the lateness, but other priorities got in the way. It will be worth waiting for, though!
Quilt as You Go Tutorial coming soon!
Next I will be announcing this month’s UFO & WIP Challenge prize and my project for October. On top of that, I am working on a kit sample for The Granary Quilt Shop using the pattern, Cardinals, by The Pattern Basket. This is going to be so pretty and perfect for the holidays!
It’s time for the Happy Little Things BOM Block 3 hosted by Jacquelynne Steves, AND there’s another terrific giveaway! You can still sign up for this free block of the month here, and you can get the latest information from Jacquelynne about today’s block here.
Happy Little Things Block 3
This month’s block is super cute and it’s a little different than the previous two blocks. You’ll be making half-rectangle triangles (HRT’s) for the star points and there is only one border around the block instead of two.
Just a reminder in case you’re just joining me, I’m making all of my blocks miniature sized, so they’ll measure 6″ square (finished). I’m providing modified cutting instructions for each block (keep reading below); you’ll need to sign up for the BOM to get the rest of the instructions from Jacquelynne. My final layout is also slightly different and it includes the words “Winter Friends” appliqued in the border. This wall hanging will measure 23″ x 31″.
Making half-rectangle triangle units is not hard, but it’s very different than making half-square triangles. Jacquelynne has included a great tutorial and video in her instructions, and it’s really important that you read/watch it first. Even though I’ve made these before, I forgot that you need a mirror image of each HRT unit to make a star point. I had to re-make half of them so that the diagonal line was going the other way.
Pretty star points made with half-rectangle triangles.
I love seeing all three of my blocks together. They are such a cute little flock!
Mini Version Cutting Instructions
The mini version of this block will finish at 6″ square. All of the assembly instructions are exactly the same as the original. Remember, you still need to sign up for Jacquelynne Steves’ block of the month to get the complete directions.
You can download the cutting instructions for the mini version of block #3 here:
Giveaway
This month’s giveaway is sponsored by Martingale and they’re giving away a copy of Sunday Best Quilts by Sherri L. McConnell and Corey Yoder. This book is full of beautiful quilts from two of my favorite designers!
To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment telling me how many years you’ve been quilting. For me, the answer is 22 years! I started quilting as soon as my youngest child started preschool. I finally had some time to splurge on a new hobby!
NOTE: To leave a comment, make sure to scroll down to the bottom of this blog post (not from my home page), and look for the rectangle that says “Enter your comment here”. On October 14, I’ll randomly pick one winner!
Here are the giveaway rules:
To enter, leave a comment telling me how many years you’ve been quilting.
You must comment by 11:59 pm PST on October 13, 2019.
There is ONE prize per person per month (in other words, the same person cannot win two prizes within the same month.)
Giveaway is open to ALL. A print copy of the book will be given to US residents, a digital copy to international residents
Winner will be chosen at random.
Due to the high volume of comments, I won’t be able to reply to you (unless there is a direct question), but I will read each and every one. Thank you in advance for your participation and for leaving a comment.
Participating Bloggers
Make sure to visit all of the participating bloggers to see their version of Happy Little Things! You can also enter the giveaway on each respective blog so you have more chances to win.
