My Moda Stitch Pink quilt finish is from months ago, but I just recently got some good pictures of it to show you. I also have a few pictures from Easter that I thought I’d share. It’s fun to see how my grandkids are growing.
Moda Stitch Pink Quilt Finish
This was one of my favorite quilts to make. I love piecing and applique, and each day for the month of October 2020, I made one block. The patterns are free and available at the Moda Stitch Pink Archive as part of their campaign to increase awareness of breast cancer.
My son helped me with photography by taking the quilt with him on his daily route to work. He pulled over to the side of the road near a beautiful orchard and asked a couple of bike riders to hold up the quilt for him while he took a picture. One of the riders said that his wife was a quilter and that she frequently visited the quilt shop I work at. He was glad to help!
I used Kona solid fabric in navy for the background. The remainder of fabric came from my stash and it’s a mix of very old and kind of new. I started out with a blue and white quilt in mind, and then I was inspired to add the orange/cheddar blocks. I like the pop it adds and it really makes your eye dance around the quilt.
Each one of these blocks so much fun to make. My color palette is very different than Moda’s original quilt design. It was a little tricky at times because I had to reverse my light and dark colors. It was a good challenge for me.
The quilting turned out beautifully and was done by Sarah at Lucky Penny Quilting. She chose the perfect thread color and I love the pattern – it’s called “Rolling Hills Stacked”. It adds such wonderful texture.
I added a cheddar-colored flange to my binding and it turned out really nice! I don’t use this technique often enough. I used the Shortcut Binding Tool which includes instructions for a flange and it makes the entire process easy peasy. It’s also done entirely by machine! If you want more information about how to add a flange to a quilt border, you can check out my blog post, Adding a Flange to Your Quilt.
This quilt is a sampler-style quilt and each block is different. I put the blocks together so that they were balanced in color and composition. I had some large pieces of fabric in my stash and an extra block that I used to piece together the backing. I love an interesting quilt back!
I’m looking forward to this year’s Moda Stitch Pink Quilt Along, 2021 which is called The Together Quilt, designed my Sherri at A Quilting Life. Again, this will take place during the month of October. This one will probably be a red and white quilt for me.
Easter Pictures
We had a quiet Easter this year. We met our daughter and her boyfriend in San Francisco for an early dinner and then walked to Alamo Square Park. It was a clear, cool day in the city with beautiful views. You can see the row of “Painted Ladies” houses behind us. These are iconic historic Victorian homes – symbolic of the newfound wealth from the Gold Rush era.
Row of Painted Ladies Victorian houses in San Francisco, California
We missed the rest of our gang, but we were able to FaceTime together. Our oldest daughter snapped a bunch of pictures of her kids and sent this one to us. Amelia, Clara and Ben are now five, three and one. I can’t wait to see them – the end of this month!
That’s all for now. Next week, I’ll be sharing a new project I’m working on and a new tip for you, too! Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Quilting!
{I love the idea of “paying it forward”. I think the world would be a better place if we could spread some joy and acknowledgement of good deeds done by others. I try to do that once a month for my Sew Thankful Sunday posts. I highlight some great content that I’ve found on other people’s blogs that I hope will inspire you and reward the originator by bringing traffic to their site. If your blog has been mentioned without your consent, please let me know and I will take you off the current list of featured bloggers.}
April is here and so is Spring and today is Easter Sunday! If all that doesn’t put a hop in your step, then today’s list of for Sew Thankful Sunday will. It’s time for some fresh ideas and perhaps some Spring sewing!
Note: If you use Pinterest, please pin from the original source and not this blog post. Remember, you can click on any of the images in this post and it will open up a new tab to the associated link.
Quilters are very generous people and are often looking for ways to contribute their creative gifts to the community. A wonderful opportunity is taking place with the Hands2Help Comfort Quilt Challenge hosted by Sarah at Confessions of A Fabric Addict. This is the eleventh year of the challenge and there are five organizations you can donate a quilt to. This challenge runs through the end of May with a linky party (if you choose to link up) and prizes. Quilts should be mailed to your chosen charity by June 11, 2021. You’ll also find guest bloggers at Confessions of A Fabric Addict who are providing tutorials and tips for quilters specifically for this challenge.
I have a large supply of fabric scraps and I’m always looking for ways to use them. Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs recently shared a great scrap buster project with her Rock and Roll Baby Quilt Tutorial. You could make this any size you want but a baby quilt seems very manageable to me.
Rock and Roll Baby Quilt Tutorial @ Meadow Mist Designs
There are so many ways to apply binding, but sometimes you have to think about the bulk it adds. I saw this excellent Single Fold Binding Tutorial by Dawn at First Light Designs and it eliminates the bulky corners and edges of traditional double-fold binding. It is a perfect technique for smaller projects.
Tote bags seem to be a harbinger of Spring and making them are fun if you know what you’re doing. I just read these Tips for Installing Magnetic Snaps on Bags by Geta at Geta’s Quilting Studio. She has some great ideas to make this process easy and fast.
The possibilities are many with this free Pointed Possibilities Quilt Pattern from Fat Quarter Shop. With half-square triangle units and six different size options, you will be sure to find the right possibility for you! This fun pattern was designed by Gina at Thread Graffiti and it was inspired by a barn quilt. I love barn quilts…
English Paper Piecing has been making a comeback for a long time and I’m always learning something new about it. For example, Auribuzz just featured Choosing Thread Colors for EPP by Kitty at Night Quilter for a little education on the topic. I love Kitty’s photography and she definitely knows her thread!
Whether it’s a little kitchen helper or a young artist, this Free Kids Apron Pattern (in 3 sizes) from Abby at Sew Much Ado will keep the mess off their clothes! You could customize this with your child’s favorite color or theme and maybe let them help you make it.
Tulips are blooming inside and out with this Hello Spring Paper Piecing Pattern from Charise at Charise Creates. I can imagine a row of these potted tulips together for my own indoor window box!
Another cute project from Charise Creates is this sweet Ruffle Purse. This clutch is perfect for Spring with soft Liberty florals, linen fabric, and a lace accent. This would be adorable for my granddaughters too!
Thank you for visiting today’s Sew Thankful Sunday for April. I hope you found some inspiration and ideas for your next project. I wish you a very Happy Easter!
I recently had a wonderful weekend of quilting to share with you plus some new quilting discoveries to tell you about!
Quilting weekend and quilt shops
Last weekend I had the pleasure of teaching a machine quilting class at Sew Katie Jean in Lincoln, California. This was the first in-person class (with masks) I’ve taught in over a year and it made me realize how much I miss it! Sew Katie Jean is a cute little shop located in old-town Lincoln which is north of Sacramento. The best part is that one of the owners is my sister-in-law, and I’m so proud of how successful her shop has become! It keeps growing in inventory and space; they now have a large classroom area in the back as well as longarm services. Plus, their selection of fabric is fabulous!
Blossoms and Bees quilt blocks displayed @ Sew Katie Jean
My parents also live in Lincoln, so I was able to stay with them and visit for the weekend. They are both 88 years old and I don’t get to spend enough time with them, so this was a real bonus.
To start off my wonderful weekend, I spent half a day with my sister visiting other local quilt shops in Sacramento. My sister also happens to work at one of them – Fabric Garden, and it is a real treasure. Seriously you guys, it’s one of the nicest quilt shops I’ve been to (aside from my SIL’s shop) and worth a visit. It’s a large shop and they have a little bit of everything. Their fabric selection is a nice mix of traditional, novelty, batiks, modern and blenders. I’ve been Moda-deprived, so I was in heaven with their Moda collections. They also carry a large selection of embroidery kits, notions, and patterns along with wool. My wallet was much lighter after my visit!
New quilting discoveries
There are so many types of rulers available and many of you (including me) have started “collecting” Quilter’s Select Rulers. These rulers are the best for their non-slip cability. The downside is when you have to position them, you can’t just nudge them into place. You have to lift up the ruler and place it back down which makes nudging difficult. Not any more with the Select Ruler Handle. It’s like magic. You just use the handle to move the ruler and it nudges! It also keeps the ruler stable while you’re cutting. We just got a bunch of these in at The Granary Quilt Shop (where I work and play) for those that are local to the Bay Area.
I picked up a No Math Quilt Charts & Formulas booklet and I highly recommend it! It has everything from mattress/quilt sizes, backing yardage, HST formulas, side/corner setting triangle sizes and so much more. This will come in handy when designing quilt patterns or figuring yardage, etc. I found two cute patterns in the Moda Candy booklet and since I have a so many mini-charm packs, I couldn’t resist!
I just saw that Amber at Gigi’s Thimble and Jessica Dayon are hosting another Quilters’ Spring Cleaning 30-day Challenge. It starts this Thursday, April 1 and goes until the end of April. I had to share this with you because it’s something that I had been wanting to do (on my own). But now there will be motivation and inspiration to help me through the mess that is my sewing room! I hope you’ll join the challenge, too.
That’s all for now! I just wanted to share these in a timely manner (especially the challenge). I hope you’re having a great week. I’ll be back for Sew Thankful Sunday this weekend!
To celebrate Spring and Easter, I have a Spring Bunny Table Runner Tutorial to share with you today! This project is the perfect combination of quilting and home décor. A mix of spring green fabrics and the cutest black and white gingham give this table runner a little country charm with modern style. I love how it turned out!
The size of this table runner is approximately 13″ x 38″. If you’re looking for a quick project to make, this is it! There are only three blocks set on point that measure 9″ finished. The setting triangles are pieced so that it incorporates the look of an extra border without adding any width to the table runner.
Notes on applique before we begin
I think the applique adds to the charm of this table runner. It’s very simple and can be done by hand or machine. If you’re not a fan of applique, you could embroider an outline of the bunny and petals instead. I have plans to create a real pattern that includes an alternate pieced block so you’ll be able to eliminate most of the applique.
For this project, I used the freezer paper and starch method and hand-appliqued the bunny to the background fabric. I didn’t really give this much thought, it was just the first method I turned to. I don’t have a tutorial for this technique, but you can check out this Roundup of Turned Edge Applique Techniques that I posted several years ago.
For the petal applique in the pieced block, I used the same turned edge technique, but I machine stitched the applique down (I was running out of time – as usual). For a detailed tutorial on machine applique, you can check out my Spring Petals Applique Tutorial. It uses the same petal shape and gives several options for machine techniques. There are many methods of applique and I hope you explore a few!
Spring Bunny Table Runner Tutorial
General Information
Table Runner size: 13″ x 38″; block size: 9 1/2″ (unfinished). All seam allowances are scant 1/4″. Applique can be done by hand or machine. There are templates for the bunny and petals that you can download and print (below the supply list). Note that this is a free tutorial. It has not been tested for accuracy, so please keep that in mind. I’ve done my best to assure that everything is correct.
The gingham fabric I used for this table runner is Kitchen Window Wovens by Elizabeth Hartman for Robert Kaufman Fabrics. The color is Espresso. All other fabric came from my scrap stash. It would be easy to find similar colors, or you could choose a color combination that suits you best!
Supplies
Cream fabric (Color A) – 5/8 yard (block and applique background, setting triangles)
Black/white gingham (Color B) – 1/2 yard (blocks, bias binding and bunny applique)
Cream (Color A): Cut (1) 3 1/4” x WOF strip; subcut into (8) 3 1/4” squares, cut in half diagonally Cream (Color A): Cut (1) 9 3/4” x WOF strip; subcut into the following: (1) 9 3/4” square (applique); (2) 8” squares cut in half diagonally (side triangles); (1) 6 1/2” square cut diagonally in both directions (corner triangles). Black/white gingham (Color B): Cut (1) 9” square (applique) and (8) 2 3/4” squares (block corners); use remaining fabric for bias binding (optional) Tan 1 (Color C): Cut (4) 3 3/4″ squares (block 4-patch) Tan 2 (Color D): Cut (4) 3 3/4″ squares (block 4-patch) Green 1 (Color E): Cut (3) 2” x WOF strips; subcut into (4) 2” x 15” rectangles, (4) 2” x 6 1/2” rectangles and (4) 2” x 9” rectangles (pieced setting triangles) Green 2 (Color F): Make 8 petals using the applique template and your favorite applique technique. See “Notes on applique” section for more information.
Block Instructions
1 Make a 4-patch unit from (2) 3 3/4″ Color C squares and (2) 3 3/4″ Color D squares. TRIM to 6 7/8″ square.
2. Sew (2) 3 1/4″ Color A triangles onto adjacent sides of a 2 3/4″ Color B square. Press towards the triangles.
3. Check the right angle (both short sides) of the pieced triangle from above and trim if necessary.
3. Trim the long side of the pieced triangle, making sure there is a 1/4″ seam allowance at the center point. It should measure 5 3/8″ along both short sides. Make 4 pieced triangle units for each block.
4. Arrange the 4-patch and pieced triangles as shown below. Sew each corner triangle to the 4-patch, matching centers. Press seams open to reduce bulk. The block should measure 9 1/2″ square (at this point it is NOT over-sized so no trimming required.) Make TWO blocks.
5. With Green 2 (Color F), make the petal appliques using the template pdf (just below the supply list) and your favorite applique method. See the “Notes on applique” section for more information. You’ll notice that some of the computer diagrams that follow show two different green fabrics for the petals. That was my original intention, but I chose just one instead.
For my sample, I used the freezer paper and starch method to create a turned edge. Then I glue basted the petals in place and machine stitched with a narrow zig zag and matching thread. It gives the look of hand applique. You can scroll through the slideshow below to see some of the steps.
Turned edge applique; glue-basted
Edges stitched using a narrow zig zag
View from the back
EQ version of block with two greens (optional)
Bunny Applique
For the bunny applique, you’ll be using the 9 3/4″ square of Color A (background) and the 9″ square of Color B (gingham) and the bunny template pdf. Use your favorite method to applique the bunny onto the background square. The template has been reversed for fusible applique. See the “Notes on applique” section for more information. Trim to 9 1/2″ square after applique is complete.
Below is a slideshow of some of the steps for my bunny applique using the freezer paper and starch method with hand applique.
Freezer paper template
Turning edges with starch
Prepared with edges turned
Ready to hand applique
Setting Triangles
Sew a 2″ x 15″ Color E rectangle to the long edge of a 8″ Color A triangle. Press towards the green rectangle. Trim excess green fabric even along the short sides. Make 4 side triangles.
Sew a 2″ x 6 1/2″ Color E rectangle to one short side of a 6 1/4″ Color A triangle. Press towards the green rectangle.
Sew a 2″ x 9″ Color E rectangle to the remaining short side of the 6 1/4″ Color A triangle from above. Press towards the green rectangle. Trim excess green fabric even along the long side. Make 4 corner triangles.
Table runner layout & assembly
Lay out the blocks, side triangles and corner triangles as shown below. Sew the pieces in each section together to form rows and press following the pressing arrows. The corner triangles will be sewn on last.
Sew the rows together and press seams to either side (or open). Sew the corner triangles on and press toward the corners.
Trim the edges evenly all the way around. I left a generous 1/4″ seam allowance at the block points to accommodate the binding.
Finishing
Layer the backing, batting and top. Baste layers together. Quilt using a walking foot or free motion quilting or both. I chose to do both. First, I stitched in the ditch with my walking foot around the blocks as well as some of the interior block seams. I also stitched in the ditch around the green “border”.
After all of the straight line quilting was done, I moved onto free motion quilting. I stitched about 1/4″ inside the bunny and then stitched his outline. Then I filled in the background with swirls. I quilted some large feathers (they look like fans to me) in the side triangles.
For the blocks, I made a large swirl in the petal appliques and surrounded the petals with pebbles. I did the feather/fan shape in the small triangles.
I used a stencil for the green border and echoed it so that it filled the space a little better. On small projects like this, I like to try out different things. Sometimes I’m happy with my choices and sometimes I’m not, but I always learn something along the way! It took me about 10 hours to finish the quilting (I wasn’t actually counting so that’s a really rough estimate).
For the binding, I used the gingham fabric and cut it on the bias. It’s just so cute that way! I rarely do bias binding, but it was worth it for this one. I found this adorable bunny (below) at my local Hallmark store. Honestly, it was such a coincidence because I had already started on this project before seeing it! I had to take him home with me.
Now that I’ve made my Spring Bunny Table Runner, I have some decorating to do. But I’m off to a good start!
Thanks for stopping by today; maybe I should say “hopping” by today! I hope you enjoyed this Spring Bunny Table Runner tutorial and hopefully make one for yourself. Happy Spring!
One of my favorite colors is green. I love its versatility and how beautifully it shows up in nature. It also shows up in my fabric stash – alot! And here we are in March where green is everywhere (thank you St. Paddy) and Spring is just around the corner. It’s so easy to be inspired by the color green!
Over the years, I have posted many projects using the color green. Usually there are other colors included – they all play so well together! And there’s always something in nature (and my backyard) that inspires the combination. Tip: If you’re viewing this in an email, you might want to click over to my blog and read it. The gallery below will show up so much nicer (I think)!
Green plays so well with all the other colors; but, I’ve been trying a new combo – one that’s not pictured above. Green and black. It doesn’t sound very Spring-like, but this is going to be my newest Spring pattern. It’s very modern farmhouse looking. I was inspired by the photo below from Hip and Humble Style. It’s been on my Spring Pinterest board for two years.
I’m almost done with the sample and then I’ll share the whole thing with you. Hopefully by the beginning of April. Here’s a little sneak peek. I can tell you that it’s going to be a table runner! Don’t you love the black and white gingham?
That’s all for now. We’re enjoying some Spring rain here in Northern California. It’s a wonderful time to be inside quilting! If you’re looking for something quick to make for Easter, check out my Patchwork Peter Rabbit. It’s one of my favorite decorations for Spring!
