I'm often asked how I manage the seams when working with small pieces of fabric like in this quilt that is made entirely of half inch finished squares.I've written up a tutorial showing my process. Here, I'm using larger pieces of fabric but the process is the same no matter the size of the pieces used.
First, you will start with sewn pairs of squares. These can either be cut from strip pieced sections or be made by sewing individual squares together. I typically cut squares and sew them together. I am almost always working with scraps so this makes sense to me. Press the seam allowance to one side. Since we are using only two fabrics, in this first step, press all of the seams to the darker fabric.
Next, sew these into fourpatch units. When sewing these, make sure that the seams "nest" with each other. Sew the seam with the top seam allowance pointing away from you as shown. The seam allowance on the bottom will be pointing towards you.
You will need to take out the few stitches in the seam allowance and press so that the seams all point in a clockwise configuration as shown below.
Here are nine four patches arranged as they will be sewn together to make a checkerboard pattern. As you can see, the way the seams have been pressed allow all of the next seam crossings to also nest with each other so that the seam allowances will face in opposite directions.
When sewing these fourpatches together into pairs, the seams will be oriented opposite to the way they were before. Now, the seam allowances on top will point towards you and the bottom seam allowances will point away from you.
Again, take out the few stitches in the seam allowance and press these seams in a twirl in the counterclockwise direction.
Sew two units as above and then sew them to make a larger fourpatch. Here, you can see that all of the seams will nest.
The seam just shown is going across in the middle of the photo below. The seam twirls alternate direction across the fourpatch.
You can continue making a full size quilt in this manner. Make many of the units as above and then put them together to make even larger fourpatch units. Just keep building larger fourpatch units. Eventually you might have to join smaller sections to get the desired finished block/quilt size. As long as you always start with the seams on the first pair of fabric pieces pointing in the same direction, it will all work out. The direction of the seam twirl on the block will always alternate and no matter how large your quilt, the blocks will aways go together.
Here is a finished 6 by 6 block on the back.
Twirling the seams makes for a flatter finish to your quilt and will make the quilting step much easier! And look how perfectly those nested seams match up.
How to Make a Wooden Spoon - guest post by P
Have you ever wanted to know how to make a wooden spoon?This is how I did it.First, trace a wooden spoon from your kitchen onto a piece of wood. Then, have someone cut it out with an electric saw. Then, you use a spokeshave to shave the wood down to the line that you traced.
Then, make the handle round with the spokeshave.
Next, use the spokeshave to shave wood off the back of the bowl to make it rounded. Then, use a gouge to carve out the front of the bowl. Switch to a flatter and wider gouge to smooth those gouge marks out. Last, sand the spoon to make it smooth.
Ta-daaa! Now you have a wooden spoon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(note - P's father has taught her how to use woodworking tools safely. The spoke shave is a fairly safe tool, gauges are a bit more dangerous and should be used with direction from someone who knows what they are doing)
Flock of Turkeys
I am glad P is around to remind us of the importance of family holidays even when it is just the five of us here. She loves all of the little details that set a holiday apart from any other day. Last year when we had Thanksgiving dinner with friends, there were place cards for each of us on the table. P remembered this and set to work yesterday morning making place cards for our table.I had a quick idea of a way to add a turkey to spiff them up. Here is a quick tutorial if you want to make your own (If we had thought of this before Thanksgiving day I would have posted it earlier. You can just file this idea away for next year.)First, gather your tools. We used a two inch flower punch, a one inch circle punch, a standar hole punch, glue, and a fine point marker.
You will also need some fancy paper. Double sided craft paper works best for the tail section.
Next, cut out one of each size circle for the turkey body parts. From left to right they are the tail, body, and head.
Fold the largest circle so that the back edge peeks out behind the front. Glue the folded paper together and then add the body and head as shown. Use the marker to make a face.
Lastly you will glue the turkey to the card and add legs.
The legs can add quite a bit of character to the turkeys.
P's Super Easy Cat Bean Bag Tutorial
P made another cat bag today. 
We thought we'd share a tutorial. Here is the pattern It is on one inch grid so that you can draw your own. I hope you can follow P's directions.
1. Fold the fabric over and put the cat on top of the folded part and then cut it out. Then take the pattern off.
2. Put pink thread on your sewing machine. Sew around the cat. Leave a little hole on the bottom.
3. Turn it right side out. Make the face with a permanent marker.
4. Stuff it with rice. (about 3 tablespoons). Sew the hole on the bottom closed.
5. Hold the cat upside down by the bottom corners.
6. Put one corner under the other.
7. Stitch them together.
Another kitty for the set.
There you go. Super cute and you can even wear it on your fingers.
