Christmas Star Quilt Free Tutorial

I wrote this pattern a few years ago. It is really simple and quick to put together. I didn't feel like trimming the flying geese blocks so I cut everything I need for it into triangles. I bought these adorable bear prints to make a quilt for Christmas when my children were really young. I fussy cut the center squares to keep the full image of the sleepy bears. We still enjoy this quilt every year at Christmas time.

You can download the pattern here.

YouTube Freemotion Quilting Mini Quilt Part 1

For those of you who have a YouTube channel, you know that the change is coming up quickly and those who don't have enough subscribers will lose their partnership agreement. I am one of those subscribers that will be affected by this new rule. I took a break for school so didn't put out as much videos as I'd like. I have plans to share quilting, crafting and stamping videos on my channel. 

If you would like to keep-up-date, please subscribe to my YouTube channel to see new videos as I get them done.

My YouTube channel is here.

How To Align Quilt Sashing

As I was working on the past couple of quilts, they both call for sashing strips to be attached to the many rows to form the quilt top. It reminded me that I needed to make sure to keep the rows that have the vertical sashing strips in line with each other as I connect the horizontal sashing strips to them.

Mini Bolt Binding Tutorial

While I was videotaping the machine quilting on my mini bolt quilt I also went ahead and videotaped how I put on my binding. You can download the full printable version here. I only needed to cut one strip to fit this quilt. To watch the video click here.

Infinity Scarf

I am still working on using up my small yarn stash. I have one ball of this pretty purple variegated yarn from Deborah Norville. I was going to knit a long scarf but I couldn't find anymore of this yarn at the store so I turned it into an infinity scarf. It was just the right length for it. 

How To Sew a Pinwheel Quilt Block

Lately I've been making videos to add to my new YouTube channel. It's a bit of a learning curve and takes a bit of time but I love doing it. It's awkward at first but I am getting used to it. I've been posting crafting videos but I have this video and another sewing project in the works to share shortly. 

This video is a short tutorial on making quick and easy half square triangles to form this pinwheel block.

Pincushion Tutorial and a Giveaway

This is a quick and easy tutorial to use up your scraps. Although it is easy, I like lots of visual aid so this post is picture heavy. I used leftover pieces of a charm pack from Bonnie and Camille called Hello Darling from a mini quilt project but you can use any scraps laying around. I've never had any staining problems using the ground walnut shells. You could always use batting to line the backing if you want to make sure it doesn't stain your fabrics.

Sweet Dreams Quilt Tutorial

I hope you've all had a wonderful weekend. I have been so busy with our son's fundraiser and sewing obligations that I haven't been able to get a lot of things done and that includes fun sewing.

Love Is Spoken Here

I have been wanting to do some embroidery work for a while and found that Clover & Violet was doing A Season by Hand series so I am linking up. I am so happy to finally be able to work on this embroidery design that I created.

Christmas Through the Year Link Up Party

It seems like time keeps going by faster and faster these days. It's already time to link up your CTTY projects. Can't wait to see what you all did.

So today, our little guy had to go to the swap meet for his Scout troops annual rummage sale. They had a ton of stuff to sell. We got up and ventured to the swap meet to look around plus we didn't have to pay to get in in honor of military appreciation month. I did get some fun stuff at a really great price. I'll share that another day. Today is all about CTTY.

Quilt Binding Tutorial

I've been wanting to do a quilt binding tutorial for some time, but just didn't get around to it. I know there's alot of binding tutorials out there, but you never know so here's my version. I like to do my binding this way to reduce the bulk at the starting point of the binding.

1. Cut all your binding strips to 2 1/4" or 2 1/2". I like narrow bindings so 2 1/4" is my standard binding size. I am making a scrappy binding so my strips are not the same.

Mini Wallet/Businss Card Tutorial

The Moda Bake Shop's holiday gift series is full of fun and creative gift ideas for you to whip up those holiday gifts. It can be as short as a 30 minute tutorial or for those of you who have some extra time you can make a larger project. Whatever it is, I am sure you'll find wonderful inspirations during this event.

Homecoming Table Topper Tutorial

Happy Monday!
I can't believe this is Thanksgiving week. This year has gone by so fast. Are you ready for Christmas? I am not. I have so many things I would like to complete, like new stockings, oven mitts and some little projects for our kids. I did manage to get the Homecoming table topper tutorial done. It took a while in between finishing up some patterns, design team responsibilities and of course the border issue. I was going back and forth on what I would like to do with the border. In the end I scrapped the scrappy border because of the oddball measurement resulting from the sashing.

Starburst Wallhanging Tutorial

I am finally done with the tutorial for the Starburst wallhanging. I was trying to figure out how to import my pdf file to make it easier for you all to print. I am sew happy it worked!

Homecoming Table Topper Block 4 Tutorial

The weekend is here! It's been so hectic here that I barely managed to finish this for you before the week is over. Phew!!! I hope you'll like this block. It's another quick one to put together. We're going to catch a movie and relax this weekend. I'll be back next week with the Leafs Me Happy blog hop and this quilt top done.

Homecoming Block 3 Tutorial

Happy Monday! 

I hope you all had a great weekend. We had some interesting things happen on our weekend outings, but that's for another day. Today I am sharing with you my third block to my table topper. There will be 4 blocks total. This is a friendship star block and 4-patch combination.

I have a name for my table topper. Yeah!!! 

If you create blocks using my tutorials or patterns, I would love to see it. Please upload it to my Flickr group.

Homecoming Table Topper Block 3

12" square finished

Supplies:

2 - light fat quarters (A, B)

2 - medium-dark fat quarters (C, D)

You can also also use scraps of 2 1/2" and 4 7/8" strips of fabric at least 18" long for this block. I chose fat quarters because it's already cut long enough.

Cutting Instructions:

1 fat quarter  A - cut 2 - 2 1/2" strips

1 fat quarter B - cut 1 - 4 /7'8" strip, subcut 2 - 4 7/8" squares

1 fat quarter C - cut 2 - 2 1/2" strips

1 fat quarter D - cut 1 4 7/8" strip, subcut 2 - 4 7/8" squares

Block Assembly:

1. Mark a diagonal line on the wrong side of the light 4 7/8" squares.

Place one light 4 7/8" square and one med/dark 4 7/8" square right sides together. 

2. Stitch 1/4" from both sides of drawn line. Cut on the diagonal line.

Press open. There will be a total of 4 - 4 7/8" half square triangles.

3. Take the light and med/dark 2 1/2" strips, placing them right sides together, stitch.

Press open. Cut into 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" sections.

You'll need a total of 10. The photo only shows 8, but you need ten.

4. Stitch 2 - 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" sections together to form a 4 patch.

5. Place the 4 - patch and half square triangles as follows. Stitch the 4 - patch and half square triangles together to form 3 horizontal rows. Press row 1 seams to the left, row 2 seams to the right and row 3 seams to the left.

Stitch the rows together. Press the seams toward the center.

This is the finished block.

If you missed block 1 and 2, click here to go to the tutorial.

Dots on Dots Blog Hop

Today is my turn to show you my blocks. I love Moda's Hometown collection by Sweetwater. These prints have little dots on them. I love the colors and the prints in the collection. I created these blocks to turn into a table topper. The blocks measure 12 1/2".

Homecoming Block 1

Homecoming Block 2

If you create blocks using my tutorial, I would love to see it. Please upload it to my Flickr group.

Homecoming Block 1 Tutorial

 Materials:
4 - 6" square light print (A)
2 - 4 7/8" light print (B)
4 - 4 7/8" med. print (A)
2 - 4 7/8" med. print (B)

The picture below has more squares than what's listed above. Please ignore them. They were supposed to be for me to make extra blocks.

Draw a diagonal line on the wrong sides of all 4 7/8" squares.

Take the 4 - 4 7/8" squares of the medium print and place each square right sides together onto a 6 1/2" square. Sew on the drawn line.

Cut 1/4" away from sewn line. Pin the excess triangles and sew together using a 1/4" seam. These are just extras that you can use for another project or save for block 2.

Press open. Repeat on the opposite side of the 6 1/2" square with the remaining light and medium prints. 

You will end up with 2 of each of the blocks below. 

Assemble them as shown in the finished block.

Homecoming Block 2

Supplies:

8 - 4" squares of various light prints

8 - 4" squares of various medium prints

NOTE: If you are using the extra half square triangles from block one, trim to 3 1/2" squares. You'll then need to cut 4 - 4" squares of light and medium prints.

1. Mark a diagonal line on on the wrong side of each light print. Pin each to a medium print, right sides together.

2. Sew 1/4" from drawn line. Do this on both sides of drawn line. Cut apart on drawn line. Press open.  Trim if needed to 3 1/2" squares. You'll have a total of 16 - 3 1/2" half square triangles. Sew the half square triangles together following the finished block below.

I was hoping to accomplish more but I had to stop what I was doing because we had to wash our carpet then I got sidetracked working on another sample for my pattern and finished writing up the instructions for it. Here's a peek of what  I was working on. It's got lots of circles and dots :-)

Don't forget to go and visit these talented ladies for some more fun and inspiration.

Quilt Taffy

Pink Pincushion

Lily Patch Quilts

Freemotion by the River

Mrs. Pickles

Julie @ The Crafty Quilter 

Rose Creations

Feathered Nest Studio 
Bee in My Bonnet

P.S. I lost my head somewhere in all the craziness going on around my home that I forgot to thank two important ladies that made this blog hop all possible :-(

Madame Samm and Corrie, thanks for putting this blog hop together. You are sew awesome!

Baby Hat

It's nice to be home after being gone for a few days. I'll share those pictures over the next few days. In my previous post I was talking about the service projects I went to. I am finally able to post the crochet hat I did. This baby hat was really super quick to put together.  I think this is for a preemie. I think I whipped it up in 30 minutes. 
If you would like to make one, this is how I did it. 


Row 1 -chain 31, then double crochet in each chain to the end. 
Row 2 - Chain 2, double crochet in each double crochet. 
Repeat Row 2 for a total of 12 double crochet rows. This will give you a little room to roll the bottom of the hat up to act as a brim. 
Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Sew up the sides to create a tube, then sew up the top of the hat and pull it tight to close. Tie off.


If you would like to make this for a larger child, the lady in charge of this project (BTW is a wonderful lady), said to chain 60 and make it as long as you would like.

Here is my finished baby hat. I am going to make some more to donate. I have a bunch of yarn I've been trying to use up and this would be a great project to do.

Quilted Trivet Tutorial

It's been a busy few days. This tutorial is a couple of days later than I had planned, but here it is all finished. I used the scraps I had leftover from the Indian Summer wallhanging I did for the Moda Bake Shop. This trivet is 10" square and it's a great way to use up some of your scraps.

Quilted Trivet Tutorial

By Kim Sherrod

Finished Size: 10" square

Supplies

Pinwheel Block

2 - 2 7/8" squares dark fabric

2 - 2 7/8" squares light fabric

1st Border: 2 - 1 1/2" x 4 1/2", 2 - 1 1/2" x 6 1/2" light fabrics

2nd Border: 16 - 2 1/2" squares, assorted dark fabrics

Binding: 1 - 2 1/4" strip light fabric

Backing: 14" square coordinating fabric

Instructions

1. Cut the pinwheel squares in half on the diagonal. Place one light and one dark triangle together and sew to make a half square triangle. Repeat for the remaining light and dark triangles. You will have 4 half square triangles.

2. Sew the half square triangles together to form a pinwheel block. See image below for placement. Press and trim if necessary. 

3. Take the 1 1/2" x 4" 1st border strips and sew them to the left and right side of the pinwheel block. Press seams toward the borders. Take the 1 1/2" x 6 1/2" strips and sew them to the top and bottom of the pinwheel block. Press.

4. Sew 3 - 2 1/2" squares together to form the left an right side of the 2nd border strip.

5. Sew the above two rows to the left and right side of the pinwheel top. Press seams towards border.

6. Sew 5 - 2 1/2" squares together to form the top and bottom of the 2nd border strip.

7. Sew the above rows to the top and bottom of pinwheel top. Press seams towards border.

Square up the quilt top if necessary.

8. Layer quilt top, batting and backing together. Quilt as desired. Bind using your favorite binding method.

This is quick to put together and make a nice gift especially with the holidays coming up. Hope you've enjoyed my tutorial.

I am linking this tutorial to: amylouwho, confessions of a fabric addict

Indian Summer Wallhanging Tutorial

I have a tutorial to share with you today over at the Moda Bake Shop. I was hoping to get this pattern done months ago but due to my health, I wasn't able to. It was a challenge to try and concentrate on things when you're not feeling well for months on end. I am so glad it's finally done.