A big thank you to all of you for your patience in waiting for me to get this tutorial up and running! I’ve been scrambling the past two days to get everything edited, written and finalised ready for todays block! And speaking of blocks, the eighth one in the series is a fun and beautiful variation of the Open Window block!
You may remember me doing this block quite recently for this quilt(accompanied with this tutorial). The block we’re making this time has a few elements that are different in comparison to the last. For starters, this version is made completely using HSTs (16 to exact!) and has a slight twist in the design layout. Either way you make this block, it’s still a little beauty and can be used for all sorts!
As always you’ll be able to find all of the measurement and cutting details, along with the fabrics* I’ve used to piece this block together as well as a diagram of the block layout, in the pattern sheet linked at the top of this post. If you would like to use the same 12.5″ set square as me, you can find it here:June Tailor Get-Squared 12.5″ Ruler.
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So the final block that we’ll be making for this quilt will be coming out this Friday! It’s a block that I’ve never made before but have been seeing it everywhere lately and think that it’s just simply devine! The block is called Wind Blown Square that features another full design of HSTs placed all in different angles, achieving a ‘wind blown’ type movement to it! I’m so excited to get piecing it – I think it’s the perfect block to ‘finish’ with!
Don’t forget to keep sharing your blocks with me! If you’re sharing on Instagram don’t forget to tag me: @3and3quarters or #3and3quarters!
Can’t wait for Friday!!
Happy Sewing, Friends!
xx
*A big thanks to Australian wholesale supplier and fabric distributer Dayview Textiles for supplying me with such beautiful fabrics! If you want to see all of the fabrics I’ll be using in this Quilt Along, check out this post where I share them all with you!
Welcome to week four (!!!) in my HST Sampler Quilt Along series! This week we’re starting a little later than usual thanks to the few days I had off to recover from my dental work on Monday.
So block no.7 in the series is a fun little variation of the Churn Dash block! The only thing that’s different with our block compared to that of the original is that the rectangle elements in each row have been replaced with squares. Thus resulting on our block looking more like a doughnut than a wrench-type looking thing.
Just like a few of the other blocks we’ve made so far, this one is pieced together as a simple 9-patch block. (Our very last one in this series! The last two blocks after this are both 16-patch!)
As always you’ll be able to find all of the measurement and cutting details, along with the fabrics* I’ve used to piece this block together as well as a diagram of the block layout, in the pattern sheet linked at the top of this post. If you would like to use the same 12.5″ set square as me, you can find it here:June Tailor Get-Squared 12.5″ Ruler.
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Thank you to everyone who wished me luck and sent me get well soon messages concerning my dental appointment on Monday! You guys are so sweet and so lovely to me! 🙂
As I mentioned in the video, block eight (Open Window) will be out in the next few days (I’ve penciled in for Sunday to be my deadline!) as I’m running a few days behind schedule due to Mondays adventures!
The variation of the Open Window block we’ll be making is somewhat different to the one I’ve shown before – this one involves more colours and a slightly different layout that could get confusing when piecing together our HSTs. But all will be revealed very soon!
Happy Sewing, Friends!
xx
*A big thanks to Australian wholesale supplier and fabric distributer Dayview Textiles for supplying me with such beautiful fabrics! If you want to see all of the fabrics I’ll be using in this Quilt Along, check out this post where I share them all with you!
First of all, a big thank you to everyone for your patience in waiting for this block to come out. The past few days have been a bit rough and I didn’t quite find the time to get edits and things done. But not to worry, block six is finally here and it’s the one that I warned you about that could be a bit tricky for some to piece. (Don’t worry, I was one of those ‘some’!) So my advice when piecing this block together is to have the pattern sheet close by so that you can keep referring to it as a guide if you get a bit confused with HST placements etc.
So this variation of the Mill Wheel Block is pieced together completely out of HST – 16 to be exact – and are laid out in a way that it should, if you squint your eyes, have a pinwheel type design flowing through it. I think you’ll only really see this if you use two contrasting fabrics/colours in your HSTs. (This theory has been untested.) If you don’t want to use contrasting colours then that’s cool, you’ll just end up with a really pretty block that has a lovely X type design to it! 🙂
For all of the measurement and cutting details, along with the fabrics* I’ve used to piece this block together and a diagram of the block layout, click on the pattern sheet linked at the top of this post. If you would like to use the same 12.5″ set square as me, you can find it here:June Tailor Get-Squared 12.5″ Ruler.
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As I mention in the video, my fingers are crossed that I’ll be able to get next weeks blocks out to you on time. A big dentist appointment waits for me on Monday to remove the one wisdom tooth in my mouth that chose not to sprout out in the proper way. (Think horizontal and causing havoc with the molar in front of it! Ouch!) So I’m trying to do as much prep over the weekend as I can, but we’ll see what happens over the next few days!
Keep on sharing your blocks with me! Big apologies if I don’t see them straight away. Time zones and missing notifications can sometimes be to blame! You’re all doing such a fantastic job with your blocks and your talents and skills just blow me away!!
I hope you all are having a fabulous weekend!!
Happy Sewing, Friends!!
xx
*A big thanks to Australian wholesale supplier and fabric distributer Dayview Textiles for supplying me with such beautiful fabrics! If you want to see all of the fabrics I’ll be using in this Quilt Along, check out this post where I share them all with you!
So another Wednesday has rolled around and we’re now up to block five in our HST Sampler Quilt Along! I really can’t quite get over how quickly the past few weeks have flown by as block five marks our (almost) halfway point! But I don’t want to think about it all ending just yet, I’m having way too much fun making these blocks and sharing them all with you!!
The fifth block in the series is the fun and uber-simple Shoo-fly block! Packed full of traditional charm and elements, this block will be pieced and finished before you can say, ‘wow, I love it!’ 😀
As always, if you click on the pattern sheet linked at the top of this post, you’ll be able to find a full list of all of the measurements and cutting info, along with the fabrics* I’ve used to piece this block together! If you would like to use the same 12.5″ set square as me, you can find it here: June Tailor Get-Squared 12.5″ Ruler.
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Keep on sharing those blocks with me, it truly makes my day seeing them and knowing you’re having fun and growing in your skills!!
Coming up on Friday is block six: the Mill Wheel. It is a bit of a tricky one to layout and piece, but totally worth all of the brain-power once finished! I hope you’re ready for it!
Until then,
Happy Sewing, Friends!!
xx
*A big thanks to Australian wholesale supplier and fabric distributer Dayview Textiles for supplying me with such beautiful fabrics! If you want to see all of the fabrics I’ll be using in this Quilt Along, check out this post where I share them all with you!
Let’s end the week on a high with Block Four in my Quilt Along series – the Friendship Star!
I absolutely love this block! I have done since I made this quilt top using this fun little block! I’ve had a few issues with the quilting on this one and it’s currently in the process of having all of the quilted stitches unpicked by hand because I hated the FMQ job I did on it! I’m sure one day I’ll get around to re-quilting it and placing it on a bed or on the back of lounge so that it be used for cuddling under!
If you click on the pattern sheet linked at the top of this post, you’ll be able to find a full list of all of the measurements and cutting info, along with the fabrics* I’ve used to piece this block together! If you would like to use the same 12.5″ set square as me, you can find it here: June Tailor Get-Squared 12.5″ Ruler.
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I wish you all the most loveliest of weekends, wherever you are in the world! I hope you all enjoy making the blocks from this week and are ready to discover two more HST delights next week!
Keep sharing your blocks! I love seeing them!
Share here:
Instagram: @3and3quarters(PS. If your account is private, I won’t be able to see your block/s!)
*A big thanks to Australian wholesale supplier and fabric distributer Dayview Textiles for supplying me with such beautiful fabrics! If you want to see all of the fabrics I’ll be using in this Quilt Along, check out this post where I share them all with you!
The Morning Star, I think, has to be one of my favourites! I love how bright and vibrant the layout is and how by just using two fabrics in the block it makes it look really effective, humble and simple.
Just like before, everything you’ll need to know in regards to the measurement and cutting information as well as the fabrics* I’ve use to piece this block together are in the pattern sheet linked at the top of this post! If you would like to use the same 12.5″ set square as me, you can find it here: June Tailor Get-Squared 12.5″ Ruler.
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Blocks three and four will be coming out on Wednesday and Friday of next week! One of the blocks I’ve made before, while the other is a bit of a traditional one that I thought I’d never make!
I hope you all have a lovely weekend sewing up your blocks! Don’t forget to share them with me and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask at any time! 🙂
Happy Sewing, Friends!!
xx
*A big thanks to Australian wholesale supplier and fabric distributer Dayview Textiles for supplying me with such beautiful fabrics! If you want to see all of the fabrics I’ll be using in this Quilt Along, check out this post where I share them all with you!
**Argghh! Right at the last minute I’ve just realised I’ve been quoting the size of the block wrong throughout the whole video!! The size of the blocks will be 12.5″ square NOT 12&1/4″! The set square ruler I use is 12.5″ NOT 12″! Oh my, where was my brain today!
Hello and happy Wednesday to you all!
Today brings to you the first block in my HST Sampler Quilt Along series, the Formal Garden Block!
Everything you’ll need to know in regards to the measurement and cutting information as well as the fabrics* I’ve use to piece this block together are in the pattern sheet linked at the beginning of this post! If you would like to use the same 12.5″ set square as me, you can find it here: June Tailor Get-Squared 12.5″ Ruler.
I know I’ve said this a thousand times now but don’t forget to share your finished blocks with me! I love, love, love seeing them!
Happy Sewing, Friends and I’ll see you on Friday with block #2!
xx
*A big thanks to Australian wholesale supplier and fabric distributer Dayview Textiles for supplying me with such beautiful fabrics! If you want to see all of the fabrics I’ll be using in this Quilt Along, check out this post where I share them all with you!
Way-hey! We’re so close to the end of this series, with only one more installment to go after this one! Where has the time gone!
So in part five, we’re looking at how to make and attach a ‘cheat’s binding’ (that is: Straight-Grain Binding) to the raw edges around our quilt using sewing machine and hand sewing techniques!
TBH, making and sewing the binding is my favourite, favourite step in quilt making. After sewing it on with the machine, there’s just something so calming about sitting down with your almost-finished quilt and adding an element of hand sewing to it. It’s almost like that last finishing touch of colourful sprinkles on a pretty birthday cake before delivering it to the table to be devoured by hungry party guests. It’s like your last touch before you can almost let it go…
Wow, where did that deep-and-meaningful thought come from…?? Ooo…?!
Anyway…
As always I want to encourage you to make and attach the binding to your quilt in the way that you know best and using a method that you find the easiest and/or most successful. You are always more than welcome to use my way as guide or for inspiration! And if you do chose to follow my method, you’ll find all of the measurement and cutting info as well as a quick walk through of the steps to complete this stage in the pattern sheet linked above!
I always love it when you share with me your finished blocks, quilt tops and quilting! Feel free to tag me on Instagram* or Twitter at @3and3quarters, send me an email or share them on Facebook!
*FYI: If your Instagram account is set to private and I don’t follow you, I won’t be able to see your photos!! If this is the case, send me an email letting me know you’ve tagged me and I’ll do my best to find you on Instagram so I can give you a big fat LIKE and some wonderful words of positivity and encouragement!! 😀
So don’t forget to join me for part six, where we’ll go through the last step in making our quilt – the quilt label! And then…our quilt is officially finished!!! YAY!
Welcome to part four of my QAWM series! If you’re playing along at home, we’re now up to the stage where we are ready to quilt our basted quilt!
Over the past three parts to the series, I’ve been writing up a pattern/info sheet for you to download and print off… This time around, I’ve decided to put all of the information, tip, tricks and ideas for quilting in a blog post!
So let’s start off with the three main ways you can quilt your quilt:
The first is the most traditional way – hand quilting. This is a form of quilting where you sandwich your basted quilt into a large hoop, usually wooden that can some times be attached to a frame. Then using a short hand-quilting needle and waxed or non-waxed cotton thread, you sew a short running stitch through all three layers of the quilt. The technique takes quite a lot of patience and practice to get used to and can take up a lot of time, depending on the size of the quilt and the design you plan on quilting.
Another way would be to simply quilt on your own domestic sewing machine. The way you choose to do this is completely up to you! You can stick to straight vertical lines like I have or even explore Free-Motion Quilting where you lower the bottom feed dogs on your machine and move the quilt top in any direction you like using an embroidery/darning/spring-loaded foot! This form of quilting can also be known as ‘stippling’ and can be a little tricky to master! My advice would be to practice on some scrap batting and fabric to get a feel of the motion and direction before trying it out on your quilt.
The third way to get your quilt quilted would be to take it to a long-armer. This form of quilting is seen as a more ‘professional’ way to finish a quilt, with the end result looking absolutely beautiful, clean and perfect! You can usually find long-arm quilting services at your local quilting store or you can find a private quilter in your area.
Personally, I prefer to quilt my own quilts. The reasons for this are:
1. I have a fairly limited income and so can’t quite afford to pay someone else to quilt my quilt.
2. I’m a control freak and love that I have free reign on how I get to quilt.
3. I love the romance of my quilts being purely made by my self. That my hands, my heart, my efforts and my time, with nobody else’s, have constructed and finished a quilt. Sometimes this notion can come back and bite me in the butt – especially when time is a major factor – but on most occasions, a huge rush of accomplishment crashes over me and every gruelling, challenging and sometimes soul-changing step is totally worth it!
Okay, let’s now move onto how I get my sewing machine ready to start quilting. (Obviously, this information would only be relevant to those of you who wish to quilt their own quilts!)
– First, I change the foot on the machine from my 1/4″ foot to a walking foot. A walking foot features a set of ‘feed dogs’ that work together with the feed dogs on your sewing machine to help feed all three layers of your quilt through the machine all at once. The foot prevents the top layer of the quilt from moving forwards, keeps stitches even, stops the layers from puckering and it creates a smooth surface for you to quilt over.
– Next, depending on the last time I changed my needle, I’ll replace and put in a new sharp needle. I usually use a 90/14 universal needle as I find them to be the perfect strength for quilting.
– When it comes to threads, I’m pretty non-fussed about using a particular weighted thread or one that is marketed towards quilting. I mainly use a Gutermann polyester thread for all of my sewing and quilting as I find they’re strong and versatile, there’s a bigger colour range to choose from and they can sometimes be a little less expensive than quilting cotton threads. (Remember, I’m on a limited budget here!) Now don’t get me wrong, I love using cotton threads and fully understand the reasoning behind why it’s best to use cotton thread in patchwork etc. But I just personally find that polyester works best for me and that’s okay.
So in this quilt I’ve chosen to use a purpley-type-colour in the bobbin to match the purpley-type-fabric I’ve used for the backing: Gutermann polyester thread in the colour: 247. For the top thread I’m using an off-white-but-not-quite-cream Gutermann polyester thread in the colour: 111.
– The last thing I do to my machine is change the stitch length from 2.5 to 4.5. I find that when using a longer stitch length the machine feeds it through faster thus getting the quilt quilted faster! I also love how the long stitches leave this beautiful tactile surface effect making the quilt look fresh, modern and insanely mesmerising!
To test out what the stitch length will look like on your quilt, place a scrap piece of fabric along one edge of the quilt and sew lines at different lengths until you find the one that looks the best! Note the stitch length down and always remember to set it back to that every time you turn the machine back on! (If you have one of those really fancy sewing machines, program the stitch length in so that it’s easier to come back to!)
Setting up the the space around you:
– Make sure where you’ve set up is comfortable, spacey and has good light.
– Choose a comfortable chair that supports your back and allows you to be front-on with your sewing machine.
– Have essential tools beside you like thread snips, extra thread for the bobbin, water and some snacks if you really need them! I also like to have my phone close by incase I want to take some Instagram photos!
– Lastly, put on some good music, a movie, audio book or podcast to help you get into ‘the zone’!
My quilting technique:
– Before I start quilting, I make sure the surface of the quilt along with the batting and batting layers are lying flat, with no immediate tucks, folds or chances of puckering.
– I sew the first quilting line through the centre on the quilt, ditch-stitching along the seam of the middle sashing strip. This line will become my marker or guide to follow as I sew the rest of the lines.
– Beginning from the top edge, I gently feed the quilt through positioning my hands on top of the quilt at either side of the needle and walking foot, keeping the layers taut as they are fed through.
– I allow the sewing machine to feed the quilt through at it’s own pace. Don’t push or force the quilt through as this may result in skipped stitches, puckering and fabric shifting.
– Placing an extension table alongside your machine will help to control and feed through the quilt.
– Have the quilt hang into your lap as you feed it through to prevent the quilt from dragging and placing strain on you and your machine. Allowing the heavy weight of your quilt hang from your machine may result in skipped stitches and wonky quilting lines.
– To help ease the trouble you may have with the quilt hanging down from your left side, place a chair or ironing board along this side to prop up the quilt, easing the strain placed on you and your machine.
– If you’re quilting straight vertical lines, place the edge of the walking foot alongside the previous line you’ve just sewn and use it as a guide. If you want to make the space between your lines wider, insert a quilting guide-bar into the back of the walking foot, set it to the width you wish to use and place the bar alongside the previous line instead.
– Most importantly: take your time! Be patient with the process and always learn from the mistakes you make! (Remember: it’s okay to make mistakes! They make us better at what we do, even though you don’t think so at the time!!)
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So I think that’s everything I wanted to share with you in regards to quilting!
If you think I’ve missed a crucial step or if there’s a technique or way you love most to do, comment below and share your knowledge with us!
Don’t forget to keep sharing photos of your fabric choices, finished blocks and quilts if you’re following along with the series! I absolutely love seeing what you’re making and how you’re interpreting the pattern!! You’re all so wonderfully creative!! You can easily tag me on Instagram and Twitter using the handle: @3and3quarters or you can simply upload a picture to my Facebook page!
I hope that you’ll join me soon for part five where I’ll be teaching you how to make and attach a simple double binding to your quilt – the second last step to the finish line! Yay!!
Whew! Part Three in my QAWM series is finally here! It almost seems that the universe was throwing everything at me last week preventing me from getting this stage filmed, edited and published!
For starters, the weather in Sydney at the the start of last week went absolutely crazy! I had never seen so much rain fall in my life! It literally never stopped! Thus resulting in me being confined to the house to simply wait it out. (It was advised by authorities not to leave your home if you really didn’t need to! That’s how dangerous the rain had become!) So after three to four days stuck inside, cabin fever kicked in and I couldn’t help singing to myself this song from one of my favourite childhood movies, Muppet Treasure Island! Finally on Thursday the rain stopped and I was able to visit my local fabric store to buy the fabric for the backing, the exact batting I wanted, a new can of basting spray and thread that matched the colour of my backing fabric.
On Friday, we were forced out of the house as scheduled electrical work was happening in our area, thus resulting in losing our power for four hours between the time of 8am and 4pm. So to the city we went! We caught a train to Circular Quay, had some lunch and then hopped onto a ferry that took us around to Darling Harbour where we went to have a look at the Madame Tussauds Museum.
Sydney was looking beautiful this day!I met an Avenger! Squee!!
Saturday was the centenary of ANZAC Day, a special national day that all Australians and New Zealanders hold close. It was the day that our troops landed on the shores of Gallipoli during World War One. The history is a tragic one of poor leadership decisions, of being led to the wrong place and of heavy losses that weren’t at all necessary. ANZAC Day is a public holiday for us where we are given the chance to honour, remember and celebrate what the ANZACs did for our nation as well as recognise the others who have and who still do serve our country.
On Saturday afternoon, I thought I’d take the time to get started on filming part three. However, after discovering unfixable holes in my backing fabric after cutting it in half and sewing them together, I threw it in and spent the rest of my time making and sewing hexies!
Pretty Hexies!
Venturing out again to the fabric store was a no go as most stores closed early due to ANZAC Day and to add insult to injury, a huge storm was currently battling its way across Sydney that brought very heavy rain and hail stones! Eek!
Roll on Sunday… I bought some new backing fabric, ensuring that it was perfect! My camera was charged and ready to go. The sun was shining which meant my lighting would be perfect! And most importantly, I was in a good mood! So I jumped on the moment and got it filmed and done!
So that was my week… Although I did forget to mention the numerous people we had around for lunches and dinners (we were the most sociable house on the block last week!) as well as the horrid bout of stomach flu I suffered on Monday and Tuesday, adding to my rainy day blues!
On the positive side, on the down days I was able to write and publish a very over due blog post (my March Favourites) as well as make a quick and very spontaneous tutorial on how to make an ANZAC Poppy Felt Brooch! Win!
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So in Part Three of the series we’ll be looking at how to make a pieced quilt backing, how to chose the right batting as well as how to baste a quilt together so that it’s ready to be quilted.
As always, everything you’ll need to know regarding measurements and cutting instructions is in the information sheet linked above!
Part Four will be all about quilting our quilt! I’ll go through the different ways you can do this while also discussing the way I’ve chosen to quilt my quilt. I’ll show you how to set up your sewing machine for quilting as well as the way I like to organise my space so I’m comfortable and happy!
Also, don’t forget to show me your finished blocks and quilts! Tag me on Instagram or Twitter at @3and3quarters, send me an email or share them on Facebook!
If you have any questions or thoughts about the block, the finished quilt or the series as a whole, please comment below and I’ll try my very best to help you out!!
3and3quarters 