Monday Design Wall....

My last Christmas Snuggle quilt is finished.... This years #7.... whew!!
After pondering several border designs I finally settled on this one.

Because of the design layout of the center (way longer than wide) I knew I didn't want to add the same border around the whole quilt.
So after adding that first block border I came up with the two extra block borders on just the sides.
That did it!  Exactly what it needed.

Now this top will go to my quilting gals and I'll pick up #6 that they have finished quilting.

Gosh!!  Maybe I can play around with a few small things I've been wanting to get made.

And today is Monday so I'm linking this over on Judy's Design Wall post.
I hope you're having a great day. Glad you stopped by.....Linda

Wonky Strip Block

Annabellouise asked me whether I had a pattern for my wonky strip blocks.   
So that had me thinking that I could put together a tutorial.  
I'm sure there are a gazillion ways to make wonky things out there in cyber-world but.....

I use special strips to make mine.  lol   

And I'd like to show you what I do.  


First let me show you my Go Tumbler die.   When I'm cutting tumblers I'll cut my fabric into 7½" strips (length of fabric) and then fold that strip over three times to fit that outside measurement shown by the arrows.

Once I've cut Tumblers I'm left with a lot of those wonky outside strips.    Like these >>>

 (click on the pics to enlarge.  Many of the pictures have additional info added)

                     

So that's where my strings come from for these blocks I'm making.   Since the length of these strips are limited I figured a 5½" paper foundation would be the largest size block I could make.  

Now I start building the block by first laying the center strip diagonally across the square (face up) making sure the fabric covers the tips of the paper.  Some find it helpful to put a spot of washable glue stick to hold the 1st strip in place .... but I've found I really don't need to if I let the needle hold the start and I hold the end corner.  But do what you're comfortable with.  And it really isn't vital that this strip is exactly centered anyway (this is a wonky block after all).  It's more important that all the foundation is covered no matter how you lay on the strips.

 Then add another strip face down and align the two raw edges.  Sew from one edge to the other using a ¼" seam.  

Open and press the seam.  The I'll add the next strip and I like to scramble up the colors to make the block more interesting.  

 Continue to add strips by using some of the smaller pieces for the corners of the blocks as shown.

One half of this block is covered.

 Sometimes I won't like the way a strip fits along the last one sewn so I'll adjust the sewing line by just moving the new strip to where I think it might look better and then sew along the edge of the new strip.  I usually don't even trim the bottom strip but I guess you can if you want to.  It really won't make a difference one way or another.

 Here's one block completely covered and pressed.  

 Now to trim it.   If you enlarge these next few pics you can see the small little adjustments that I make. 

Oh and by the way.... I am a Right Handed Quilter!  And if you are a Left Handed friend you'll have to adjust these instructions because I have no idea how to help you.  hahaha 

Trim up the right side and along the top.  

 Once those first trims are made then flip the block around and line up the ruler along the trimmed fabric NOT the paper edge.  See how small the sliver of fabric is?   Doesn't seem like that would make much of a difference but when you're sewing many many blocks together it does add up.  (well at least that's what 'they' say anyway.  So I guess it must be true) lol

One block finished. 

 Now to remove the paper back.  

And since I can't take a picture AND hold the block at the same time you'll just have to pretend my right hand is holding down the corner of the block while my left starts to tear off the paper.

 This leaves a pretty clean back without having to pick out a lot of loose paper.   Nice huh?  ;0)

There you go!!  That's how I make my Wonky strip blocks.  I hope you've found some small part of this tutorial helpful.  

I've also used tumbler strips to make a border for one of the snuggle Tumbler quilts here.  The only difference is the border blocks were sewn without a foundation paper.

 


Thanks for stopping by....Linda

It's the start of another week so that means it's time for me to link to Judy' Design Wall Monday.

I'm still working on the tumbler quilt and this was taken Sunday afternoon.   I do have all the squares cut for the borders and just have to get them sewn together.  Laying them out so the colors are nicely mixed is just as labor intensive as those tumblers.

Hubby & I were supposed to have our medical checkups this morning but the weather turned out to be not so nice.  So I called and cancelled the appointment and will reschedule later.
Oh shucks!  That means I'll be able to sew today.

You all have a good day....I've gotta get moving.
Thanks for stopping by....Linda

When I first decided I wanted to make another tumbler quilt I had <<<<<this layout in mind.

But then I started putting them up on the design wall in the order I was cutting them out and thought about doing this stripe layout.>>>>>

After I had all the tumblers cut and the first layout all complete I decided I'd see how I liked the stirred up version that I had originally planned.
And of course I liked it best after all.  Somehow it just seems to look the best in my mind.....So I changed my mind about the layout and went with this one.  I'm now in the process of sewing it together and cutting and sewing the border.

I do that so much.  I'll start with a plan.... then twist it around .... and sometimes it's better and sometimes it's not.  
Goodness!!  That layout started to cross my eyes trying to not allow any two blocks of the same color to touch.  I didn't worry about pattern as much as I did about color.  And if any of you see any that are touching (and I haven't) please let me know.
 
Thanks for stopping by....Linda

A couple of years ago I ordered a complete fabric line from Connecting threads called Aqua Terra.  It is no longer available so that definitely means that it is time to use it up and make room in my stash.




I enjoyed coming up with designs to use up all of my old Christmas fabrics so I'm going to do the same thing with these.
So yesterday I pulled all of the fabrics and started cutting strips of 7.5" and 2.5" wide.

I have a plan and I'm pretty sure I can get at least one large quilt and a nice size snuggle plus a topper or runner out of all of these and the scraps that I have leftover from the first quilt I made with these fabrics.

I used my Go Tumbler die and cut large tumblers out of the 7.5" strips.  I can get 6 tumblers out of one strip and I've only used one strip of each pattern so far....so I still have a lot of fabric to play with.

I decided to try a different layout so I just slapped these up on my design wall. >>>>>>

Hummmm!!  That's interesting.  I may keep this layout since I've already made one brown tumbler that was all mixed up.  So now I have to cut just a few more to fill in that bottom.

It's so nice to have the Go Cutter do it's thing with these.  Made short work of cutting that's for sure.
And if you haven't been over to Judy's Design Wall to see what others have been working on..... grab your cuppa and click on that link.
Oh and just in case you haven't seen enough of all the Orca Bay's that have been showing up these last few months......Bonnie is having her final link-up for the Orca Bay mystery.  You just have to go check them out!!

Thanks for stopping by....Linda

I have another finish.
Well two finishes actually.
Kinda.
1st finish.......

This is the #2 Christmas (tumbler) quilt.  The quilting was done with a snowflake edge to edge design by my local quilter. >>>>>

And I added the binding by machine (back to front).

    

I know I've said it before....but I'm going to say it again.
"I love the tumbler die".
The tumbler block is soooo easy to cut on my Go cutter AND they are so easy to sew together.
The hardest part of a tumbler quilt is finally settling on the most pleasing layout....which in my case, can be (and has been) a never ending shuffle.
....And a tumbler quilt looks the best with a wide array of fabrics (great stash busting).

And now for my 2nd finish.
Bonnie Hunters Orca Bay Mystery Clue #3 DONE!
  350 (2" half-square) blocks.
<<<They are all piled in the container with all the other blocks that are finished so far.

I started making the first 150 half-square blocks with 2" strips and the Easy Angle ruler.
Now I understand this method can be pretty accurate if all of the stars are lining up just right .... but (for me) several times I had to toss aside a block that just wouldn't work.   I would tell you what I was doing wrong.... if I knew.  But I don't.

Now let me make this very clear.  This is the method that many many quilters use and have super results with.
I'm not one of them!  I tried!  I really tried hard!!
And I did have some success.  But boy oh boy was it sloowww and tedious.
For me!

Once I finally finished using the leftover strips and the easy angle ruler I was able to go back to the Triangulations method and then I easily cranked out the rest of the 'perfect' blocks.
I've learned 2 things from Bonnie just by doing this mystery.

1.   I can not be without the Triangulations program for making half and quarter squares.  No matter what size!
2. I love string blocks.  I can definitely see more of them in my future.

Thanks for stopping by.... and have a great day
  

This afternoon I made the binding for this snuggle quilt that I'd made a few months back.  (Sorry about the poor picture quality but I was running out of light)

I had already decided to attach the binding by machine like I did my last quilt....and then I got lucky!
I read Crazy Mom Quilts blog a couple of days ago.  She has a post about attaching the binding by machine and she's changed it up a bit.  It was like a bell went off when I read her instructions and it just made so much more sense to me.  She said to sew the binding on the back and wrap around to the front and sew by machine.    Of Course!!

Now this is where I changed it just a little bit more.  Amandajean uses a 1/4" seam allowance when sewing the binding on the back and the front.
 I use my walking foot and set the right-hand edge along the edge of the quilt & binding.  That seam measures about 3/8".

 Also when I turn the binding to the front (like I'm doing in these two pictures) I'll use the outside edge of the walking foot and run along the outside edge of the folded binding.
Another 3/8" seam.

And I take it slow and only sew a couple of inches at a time as I hold the binding in place.
I can see the back seam easily as I fold over the binding so I can make sure it is covering that seam.  I love this method!

I've cut my binding 2.5"  and did everything else just like Amandajean did in her instructions.   But the larger seam allowance seems to put the final top seam right along the edge of the back seam and almost looks like it's been stitched in the ditch.  And an added bonus is this also makes the binding the same size front and back.

I will definitely be binding all my everyday quilts with this method for sure.  Especially now that they can finish out this nice.
Thanks bunches Amandajean!!

And.....TaDa.....
All of my 224 blocks lined up and lookin' pretty!
I'm ready for tomorrow's Orca Bay clue #2.
Thanks for stopping by....

I've started another Christmas quilt and decided to use my 2 tumbling block dies with my Go cutter.  I have the 3.5" and the 6.5" and they are so quick and easy to cut and sew together.

<<< These are the small tumblers in all the different holiday fabrics I'm using so this quilt will clean out a lot of my Christmas stash.  
I'll still have some strips left after this one is finished so I think a nice table topper should take care of them.  I'm needing wanting new holiday fabrics badly but....I made a deal with myself about using what I have first.
(I really don't know what came over me!!)

This is how far along I am today.  The border blocks still need to be sewn together but I was in a hurry to get them up on the wall to see how they would look.  Yep I like them.
Now I can cut more small ones and get these borders done.  
Thanks for stopping by....