Hugs from Helen

the people you meet….

Well we are all home again safe and sound after three days of meeting people from all walks of my life. I met Alex who I was in Townsville with 8 years ago, Sue who ran the craft group in Melbourne I went to 12 years ago, Michelle from Wagga 14 years ago, blog friends (thanks for saying hello Maria, Cathy, Kathy, Christine etcetc), many Tassie guild quilters I haven’t seen for awhile, fellow designers and shop owners – it was just one big networking session and stitching reunion.

Of course I shared the time with two lovely stitching friends

Went to inspiring lectures from Jinny Beyer

And the fabulous Jane Sassaman

Dinner and laughs with friends in Underbelly territory

Of course we all worked hard for the 3 days on the Quilted Crow booth! The booth looked fantastic and the response was wonderful… go girls…

Yes that is Sarah on the left – so those who didn't know, now you do! Due late May..

I came home with only one small purchase from AQC – yes I was constrained, told you I would try – BUT we wont talk about IKEA!

hugs for today

Helen

The Great Summer Holiday Mystery #10 – the final

The Summer Mystery has now finished and the instructions have been removed. However I have left the tutorial here for you as there are a lot of good tips and tricks in the last 10 posts – just use the category to find all posts. You can now download the full pattern as a working Quizzle from here.

Sarah wrote after my last post

‘Can you show a picture of your finished quilt?

WELL,  I was going to show you lots, I had taken full step by step photos of the quilting, trimming and binding process to put with this message BUT in my haste to get the post done I have somehow corrupted my memory card and cannot access any of the photos….arrrggggh I cant even get it to register so I can reformat it or show on my camera, so I think they are all gone.

I am not sure what I can do about it until I have to bind another quilt in the future – which probably wont be too far away… so for now I shall just give you the instructions and leave you to it…. if you have problems I will put a binding tutorial up next time I do some for you.

Press the long strip in half, with the wrong sides together. Align the raw edge of the binding to the raw edge of the quilt and sew with a ¼” seam, mitring the corners as you go. Trim the excess off the edges of the batting and backing to ½” from the seam line and turn the binding to the back.

To finish the quilt, slip stitch the binding to the back with a thread that matches the binding fabric.

Last, but most important, is to make a label for your quilt that includes your name, address, the date, the name of the quilt and any other relevant details. The best thing to use is a permanent pen to ensure the details don't wash away. Stitch this to your quilt so that future generations will know the creator!

luckily I did take the finished photos on another camera so here is my finished quilt. It is now in at the Quilted Crow if any locals want to see it up close and they have just received a shipment of the yummy Ava Rose fabrics  I used!

Well we have come to the end of our Summer holiday (actually a week or so ago) and our mystery quilt. I do hope you have all enjoyed following along with me and maybe picked up one or two more hints to make your quilting life easier. I have had fun doing it with you and love seeing the progress and colour choices on your blogs.

see some here – well done Vickie, here – just love those colours Sue, here – Messy Karen wasn't so messy with this, it looks perfect to me, here – very fresh colours Heather, here – I love blue and white quilts Kirsi, here – very pretty KJ, here – nice muted colours and I am so glad you got a surprise from an angel!

hugs to you all on a job well done, anyone else, send in your pics… I will leave all of the instalments up for one more week then the actual instructions will come down and you will have to go here to download the patterns… but hey, if you’ve enjoyed this one have a play over there with some of the others, they are all designed  in a similar fashion and you get to play with fabric choices first and there are heaps of step by step diagrams in all of the patterns so you will ALL be able to manage them..

Helen

The Great Summer Holiday Mystery Quilt #9

The Summer Mystery has now finished and the instructions have been removed. However I have left the tutorial here for you as there are a lot of good tips and tricks in the last 10 posts – just use the category to find all posts. You can now download the full pattern as a working Quizzle from here.

Tracey Browning of Constantine Quilts and designer of the pattern you have just made sent me the following notes for quilting the quilt

Quilting

Lay out the backing, wrong side up, and smooth to remove any wrinkles, working on a large flat surface such as the floor. Tape the backing to the floor with packing tape to carpet or masking tape to hard floors. I like to use the carpet as less damage is done to this than my hard floors.

Centre the wadding on top and smooth from the centre outwards.

Place the well pressed pieced top on top of the wadding and backing layers, and smooth out again.

Keeping the layers smooth at all times, pin-baste the quilt in a grid pattern starting from the centre and working towards the edges at a fist width or 4” intervals.

If you are planning to have your quilt machine quilted by a professional then please refer to your quilter for their requirements. Generally, we require a minimum of 3” extra backing and batting all the way around your quilt top to enable us to quilt your quilt on a frame system. You need to supply the top trimmed of all threads & well pressed, the batting & backing squared up/joined etc and then deliver these three pieces to your machine quilter NOT pinned together.

If you would like to quilt your mystery quilt similar to the original Rose Trellis then you will need to be confident with your free-motion machine quilting. I stitched in the ditch the skinny border and all the blocks with a walking foot to stabilize it first then using a free-motion foot quilt a leafy vine design in the outer border, a stylized flower & leafy triangle design in the setting triangles around the outer edge using the design in the fabric to mimic the flower & leaf in there. The centre ‘trellis’ has a ribbon stitched freehand in there as has the skinny border as well. Simply stitch a wavy line that undulates randomly along the fabric then echo back on this line and cross over it every time it changes direction to form a ribbon look.

The large feature fabric squares have been crosshatched 2” apart and the background behind these have a very large stipple – about 1 ½” big that I’ve also echoed back on to create the same ribbon effect. The centre of the stars have also got a flower in them that mimicked the flower in the feature fabric & the setting triangles.

You can see a close up of the quilting on http://quizzles.com.au/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/5-Rose-Trellis.jpg

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This is how I quilted my version on my Bernina.

I ditched all diagonal straight rows using a walking foot and cream thread.

I ditched both sides of the narrow border then stitched straight lines the width of my foot inside both sides.

I put on my hopping foot and did a freehand continuous rose design in each of the green spot squares and half squares.

I free machined a design around the outside border with matching roses in each corner and then just a vine and leaf design along the sides.

I marked with my ruler and blue washout pen a grid on the large floral squares – I quilted these with my free machine quilt so I didn't have to turn it repeatedly through my little domestic sewing machine. The I did a really large stipple on all of the blue background fabric.

tada…. all quilted. rinse out the blue pen and I will make one final post telling you about binding very soon…

a few other hints and tips from me -

• use a coloured thread that will blend with all your colours. You cant really change threads everytime you move across a different fabric so for me a cream blended quite nicely. Sometimes a mid grey or khaki colour works well or a colour from your fabrics which will contrast nicely with the others in the quilt top.
• I am not too fussy what type of thread I use – but use a quality one, be it 100%cotton, polycotton or even a poly or rayon embroidery thread.
• A patterned backing fabric is great for hiding any imperfections.
• You simply must use a walking foot for your straight line quilting to get a good result.
• I cannot go without my ‘Machingers’ gloves when quilting.
• put some good music on to quilt to and take regular breaks and stretch your shoulders.
• don’t trim your batting and backing fabric to the edge of your quilt top until after quilting when ready to attach the binding.

hugs, Helen

The Great Summer Holiday Mystery Quilt#8

The Summer Mystery has now finished and the instructions have been removed. However I have left the tutorial here for you as there are a lot of good tips and tricks in the last 10 posts – just use the category to find all posts. You can now download the full pattern as a working Quizzle from here.

time for your final borders today!

 

 

 

Pin mark the ¼ , ½  and ¾  way points of both the 64 ½” long borders and the top and bottom of your quilt top. Pin together matching these points. Sew the borders on using a ¼” seam allowance. 

tada!!! - sorry I didn't have time to photoshop and improve this pic for you but here is what your quilt should look like!

now all that is left to do is to layer, quilt and bind the quilt.... I am not going to take you through the quilting lessons - this is another whole technique for which there are many experts, many methods, may rights and wrongs and many of your will have your own favourite methods to use. However I will show you my quilted quilt - when its done and tell you what I did. I will also ask my sister Tracey Browning - an international award winning quilter (and the other half of Quizzles by Wysistas, and the designer of this quilt pattern) to give you a few hints and tips. And if you have been receiving the Quizzles e-book you may already have lots of hints and tips on quilting from there.

For now though, if you intend to quilt your own quilt - and do give it a go then at the very least you will need to have a walking foot for your sewing machine, so hop to the store and order it now.

Give me a few days to get the quilting done and meet me back here!

hugs,Helen

The Great Summer Mystery Quilt #7

The Summer Mystery has now finished and the instructions have been removed. However I have left the tutorial here for you as there are a lot of good tips and tricks in the last 10 posts – just use the category to find all posts. You can now download the full pattern as a working Quizzle from here.

So you have a quilt top? Doesn't it look great and it wasn't too hard was it? the final steps to finishing the top are the borders.

Firstly you need to measure across the quilt in both directions. Its not that I don't trust you but you should always do this just to make sure so that you don't get wavy borders because they are too big or pulled in corners because they are too small. So you always measure across the middle of the quilt in both directions. If you were perfectly accurate your quilt top should measure 51 1/2" in both directions. If they are not then you need to take the average measurement (add the two and divide by 2) and cut the following borders to match. Mine are okay so we will continue as if they are 51 1/2".

 

you can chain piece again here to save thread when joining all of your strips together into one long strip. snip apart and press the seams in one direction. Then cut them into your four border strips using the measurements above.

Pin mark the ¼, ½  & ¾  way points of the 51 ½” long borders and the sides of your quilt top.

fold the strip in half and then half again. Place a pin at each fold (3 of them - at the ¼, ½  & ¾  way points)

do the same on the edge of your quilt top.

Why do we do this you ask? well you measured across the centre of your quilt but sometimes the edges are a different size due to inaccurate piecing, cutting or bias joins... so we need to distribute the excess or shortage of border strip evenly along the whole side of the quilt top.... you may want to just lay the strip at one end and happily sew along but what happens if you get to the end and you have 6" left over or even worse 6" not enough?

Pin together matching these points.

lay out your quilt top right side up and then place one of the shorter border strips right side down with the raw edges even. match where the pins are and then pin along the entire edge about 6" apart. Tip: place the pins with the heads extending from the edge of the quilt.

(note in this pic below my pin heads are inwards on the quilt - don't do it this way, turn them around - I did after taking this pic)

  Sew the borders on using a ¼” seam allowance. Press the seam towards the Fabric C border.

When stitching have the quilt on top and the border strip underneath. This is so you can make sure that stitching line goes through your junction points for perfect points and also so that any excess border strip (if there was any) can be taken up by the feed dogs and distributed evenly.... now your pins are underneath but because those heads are poking out you can just remove them as you come to them. (note, if your quilt top edge was larger than the border I would probably do it the other way around) Ideally of course both are exactly the same length.

repeat the above with the opposite side of your quilt top. You now have a top and bottom border. Now we are going to do exactly the same thing with the two remaining sides of the quilt and the two remaining border strips.

Pin mark the ¼, ½  and ¾  way points of both the 54 ½” long borders and the top and bottom of your quilt top. Pin together matching these points. Sew the borders on using a ¼” seam allowance. Press the seam towards the Fabric C border again.

There you go, one more border to go next instalment - you are so close now...

hugs, Helen

The Great Summer Mystery Quilt #6

The Summer Mystery has now finished and the instructions have been removed. However I have left the tutorial here for you as there are a lot of good tips and tricks in the last 10 posts – just use the category to find all posts. You can now download the full pattern as a working Quizzle from here.

Okay, take all those strips from the other day and lay them out on the floor in order

You should have two spare Fabric a triangles for the bottom left and top right corners.

We need to join all of these rows together. You can do it in any order you wish. You need to match the seams with a pin where each Fabric D (green spot) piece matches a sashing block. If you have pressed all of your seams like I have suggested your rows should nestle together nicely - that is  where two seams meet one should be going one direction and the other in the opposite direction.

To pin match your seams place the point of the pin through the seam 1/4" in from the raw edge (right where the stitch line will go)

look over on the back and the point of the pin should be going straight through that stitch line also

take a couple of threads and place the pin perpendicular to the edges. When stitching sew up to one thread before the pin, remove it and then sew on through (unless like me you take your chances and stitch straight over the pins- and only break needles every now and then!)

Press each seam as you sew the rows together in the direction of least bulk - I found towards the sashing strips worked best this time...

Once it is all together your quilt top should now measure 51 ½” x 51 ½” square. Measure through the centre of the quilt in both directions and If not, write down the measurement it actually is.

Borders to come, see you next time... isn't it getting exciting now - I shall be keeping an eye out on your blogs so let me know if you've put progress pics up!

hugs, Helen

The Great Summer Mystery Quilt #5

The Summer Mystery has now finished and the instructions have been removed. However I have left the tutorial here for you as there are a lot of good tips and tricks in the last 10 posts – just use the category to find all posts. You can now download the full pattern as a working Quizzle from here.

Today we are going to start putting all those little bits and pieces together so get them all out and arrange in piles.

First we join a Fabric D small triangle to both ends of two sashing blocks. (the ones you can see in the middle here)

now the triangles are longer than the ends of the sashing blocks so you need to have the flat ends even - the point will hang over a bit

your stitching line should pass through the junction of the last two stitching lines

so that you get perfect points on the front

press the seam allowances towards the Fabric D triangles (green spot)

Next you need to join the following

a triangle, sashing block,  Fabric D square, sashing block, square, sashing block, triangle. Do this twice to make two strips. Press all seams towards the Fabric D pieces. 

Next step is to join the following

a Fabric A quarter square triangle,(the larger of your triangles)  sashing block, floral block, sashing block, quarter square triangle. Do this twice. Press seams towards the triangles and floral blocks.

Lastly we join the following:

one of the smaller Fabric A triangles, sashing, floral,sashing, floral, sashing, floral, sashing, triangle. Do this just once. Press seams towards triangles and florals.

Okay, you have probably worked out now that you have a quilt in strips. We will finish this bit next time!

hugs, Helen

The Great Summer Mystery quilt #4

The Summer Mystery has now finished and the instructions have been removed. However I have left the tutorial here for you as there are a lot of good tips and tricks in the last 10 posts – just use the category to find all posts. You can now download the full pattern as a working Quizzle from here.

 

 

Because this is a large square and your ruler will not reach from corner to corner you can fold the square in half diagonally, line up a line on the ruler with the fold and the point and cut.

Now do the same in the other direction.

now we are ready to start making a quilt top!

watch for the next instalment!

hugs Helen

The Great Summer Mystery quilt #3

The Summer Mystery has now finished and the instructions have been removed. However I have left the tutorial here for you as there are a lot of good tips and tricks in the last 10 posts – just use the category to find all posts. You can now download the full pattern as a working Quizzle from here.

 

It is sometimes helpful to draw your diagonal lines with your fabric squares on a sheet of sandpaper to hold it still. Because your diagonal line is on the bias without the sandpaper it tends to stretch and slide. This is a fancy clover sandpaper board but you can just use a single sheet or make your own board by gluing it to thin MDF. You may use it quite often as drawing diagonal lines in patchwork and quilting is quite common. A Mechanical (click) pencil is also good so your lines stay nice and thin and accurate.

TIP: To save some time you can stitch squares on to the opposite corners and chain piece them all together. Then trim and press and repeat for the remaining corners.

First attach one to one end then the diagonally opposite corner - don't forget to chain piece them all at once to save time and thread

Okay, see here how there is a double layer of fabric. The spot piece I am lifting up and the blue/stripe piece underneath. We don't need the spot piece, it will just add bulk so we are going to carefully trim it off - it doesn't need to be accurate so you can use a cutter and ruler, just freehand cutter or scissors.

Then it will look like this

Now we press back the remaining triangle of red spot towards the corner. Yes we now have a double layer again but we keep the underneath layer as it is all on the straight grain and will stabalise our unit (some would cut it off but this is my preferred option)

Now we repeat what we did above with the remaining two corners of each unit

and you have all of these triangle scraps left over. Keep them - there are many blocks and designs which use half square triangles like this.....I'll make something out of mine one day and show you.

Nearly there, are you having fun?

hugs, Helen

The Great Summer Mystery #2

The Summer Mystery has now finished and the instructions have been removed. However I have left the tutorial here for you as there are a lot of good tips and tricks in the last 10 posts – just use the category to find all posts. You can now download the full pattern as a working Quizzle from here.

If you are getting confident now you can lay your strips out along the lines of your board 3 deep. So below I have three rows of 3 strips double folded (6 layers) and one row of two strips double folded (4 layers). Trim off the end to square and then cross cut your 12 1/2" strips. You will only get one cut like this, which will make 22 strips. Then open out and press the fold out of the rest, again layer and cut the remaining ten 12 1/2" strips.

Alternatively, if you are not ready yet, just cross cut them all individually or maybe just two layers at once.

 

remember you can chain piece all of these to get them done quicker and save on thread. stitch a light and dark piece together 16 times, then repeat stitching another light piece to the other side. Cut all the units apart for pressing.

remember to press the seams closed first then to the darker fabric or in this case the centre strip.

 

 

That's it for today, well done, are you keeping up?

Now one question before you go - if you could make a difference just by buying a pattern, which charity or cause would you like to assist just by enjoying the passion of stitching? What charity, project or cause could women the world over make a difference to?

hugs, Helen