Ideas from Pintrest

Pinterest has to be one of the best things to happen to quilters of all time. For those of you who don't know what Pinterest is, it is a virtual bulletin board for images. At first, I thought, "big deal", until I tried it. Now I have so many ideas for quilting and other things that the hardest part is getting off the internet and deciding which one to start first.

Hunters Star Watercolor Quilt

Here's another way you can have fun with the Hunter's Star block. Each quarter is 16 squares by 16 squares with 8 different fabrics in 2 color or shade groups. If you use 2 inch finished squares (perfect for jelly rolls), you'll have a beautiful watercolor quilt for a table top or as a wall hanging in no time.

I've done a similar quilt in Christmas fabrics - reds and greens - and it was great and very festive.

Happy Quilting,
Jeanne

Scrappy Hunters Star Quilt

In this design, there are 4 fabrics chosen from each of 2 color groups to make each block. To use the Hunter's Star fabric calculator, choose the special ruler method and you'll have to divide all the fabric and pieces instructions by 4.

Happy Quilting,
Jeanne

Fracture A Quilt Block

I absolutely love to start with a basic quilt block, fracture it into smaller pieces and then either make it scrappy, watercolor or gradient. At first I was intimidated by how they were done, but it can be easy and fun.

Take this "Corn and Beans" block with only 2 color or value groups. Divide the 2 squares into half square triangles, then each unit into thirds. You will have a fractured corn and beans block.

Next you choose lots of different fabrics within each color or value group and you get a great new quilt block. You can make it scrappy, or watercolor style or color gradient. Use jelly rolls (2½ inch strips) and this block measures 18 inches square or nickels (5 inch squares) and you'll have a 37½ inch block.

Make 9 of the 18 inch blocks. Lay them out and turn the blocks to even more fun effect. Add a border and you have a 60 inch or so quilt in no time.

Happy Quilting,
Jeanne

Make It Scrappy

When I first started quilting I choose the least variety of fabric to make the quilt look good and spent a long time agonizing over whether this fabric went with this other fabric. It sometimes took days and several trips to the fabric store to even start my masterpiece. Then I started making scrappy quilts. It boggled my mind that other quilters could get so many pieces of fabric to coordinate so well together. In my mind they must have spent months picking out each individual fabric to go so well together.

Now I know that it can be easier to use alot of different fabric rather than picking out those 3 or 4 perfectly blended fabrics. My first scrappy quilt came about by accident. I wanted to make a scrappy "Morning Star" quilt. I started picking out fabric and tried to make sure each fabric I picked went well with every other fabric I had already picked. My head was spinning.

Finally I decided to just start sewing, because even if it looked hideous (and some of those fabrics absolutely look hideous right next to each other), that was okay. I just wanted to sew the quilt!

When it was all finally done, I stepped back and looked and it was NOT hideous. In fact it became one of my favorite quilts. Since then when I intend to make a very scrappy quilt I just reach into the scraps and sew without thinking. Other times I try to use scrappy color groups or values to keep the design visible while adding a bit of sparkle to the quilt.

Happy Quilting,
Jeanne

Scrappy Arrowhead Quilt

To make this Scrappy Arrowheads quilt choose an assortment of lights for background, greens and reds. Use the half square triangle calculator for a 2 inch finished size.

Green: 16 squares 2-⁷/₈ inches.
Red: 16 squares 2-⁷/₈ inches.
Background: 32 squares 2-⁷/₈ inches.


A - make 12 green & green units.
B - make 8 green & background units.
C - make 24 background & background units.
D - make 12 red & red units.
E - make 8 red & background units.

Sew 2 green quarters and 2 red quarters as shown with a ¼ inch seam and press seams to one side..

Sew quarters together as shown with a ¼ inch seam and press seams to one side.

Add a 1½ inch border and finish quilt using your favorite method. The finished size will be approximately 19 inches square.

Tips:

1. When choosing fabric, be sure that there is low contrast with in each of the fabric color groups, but high contrast between each group.
2. Choose themed fabric such as Christmas or Halloween to make a holiday table top/wall hanging.

Happy Quilting, 

Jeanne

Old Windmill quilt block

I've just finished the latest quilt block calculator - Old Windmill - which is entirely half square triangle units. You have the option of making the units with squares or using a right triangle ruler to cut them from strips. Once I learned how to use the right triangle rulers, I was hooked. You no longer have to figure out the weird seam allowances - just add 1/2 inch, cut a strip and cut out triangles.