Twirled Seam Tutorial
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.
The Applique Book
Have you heard about Casey York's new book, The Applique Book? It's a comprehensive guide on applique outlining the techniques for many different kinds of hand and machine applique. Works from 21 designers are included along with 16 quilt projects you can make.My quilt, Astrid, is in the "reverse applique" section of the book. I love the minimal look of this quilt. The design is made from an arrangement of very simple blocks.
The background is a pretty peacock Peppered Cotton with the warp and weft different colors, one black and the other the peacock blue. You can see the effect in the different blocks here.
I like the subtle color change that happens depending on the viewing angle.
Fading Foliage is in the "turned edge" section of Casey's book. I had been wanting to make this quilt for quite some time. The key to the design is finding just the right fabric. You need a large scale two color print, the blue and black print in this quilt. The other two fabrics for the quilt should look like the two colors of the large scale print, the blue print and black solid here. With this combination parts of the applique design will "fade" into the background giving an unexpected look to the applique.Here you can see the shape of the applique in the light blue fabric on the black background.
I made six blocks of the same design but used all six possible combinations of the three fabrics. Here, the block is made with the two color print appliqued to the black. Notice how the design fades away where the black of the print is on the edge of the applique. This was just what I was hoping for!
This block has the two fabrics reversed. Again, a subtle design in contrast to the first photo above.
My daughter-in-law fell in love with these blocks while I was making them and helped design the finished layout of the quilt.
Here's the full view.
With the fabric print playing such an important part of the design in this quilt, I really want to make it again in different fabrics. I'm on the hunt for another fabric!If you would like to purchase a signed copy of the book, you can get one directly from Casey here.
Wardrobe Upcycle
This weekend Miss P and I went through her dresser to switch out the winter and spring clothes. She tried everything on and we bagged up the items that were too small to wear anymore.She was pleased that she can still fit into this dress I made her back in August of 2012! That was second grade, folks! Look at what a little peanut she was then. The dress is much shorter on her now but it still fits in the chest and shoulder area.
This is the pile of tights we found that were too short to wear anymore.
Her cousin recently sent her a box of hand-me-downs that included a couple of pair of leggings that she has been wearing with her skirts and dresses. We decided to try converting the tights to leggings.It was easy as pie. I cut the foot part off and hemmed up the lower edge using a multi-step zigzag stitch on the sewing machine. I used the foot portion to test out which stitch worked best.P is thrilled to have new wardrobe pieces made from her old favorites.
She wishes that favorite brown jacket were a little bigger so she could wear that too! She squeezed herself into it for the photo.
Depression - quilt 2 in the domestic abuse series
Depression - finsished size 16'' x 16''
The injuries from emotional/verbal abuse are invisible to the eye; they do not show up as bruises or broken bones.
The victims of abuse often develop depression. Bruce Linton, a family therapist, quoted in this article, speculates that we are inclined to underestimate the damage that verbal assaults -- harsh words, or even words spoken in a harsh manner -- can inflict. Over time, the unremitting assault on individuals' autonomy and sense of identity can erode their confidence and self-esteem.
In her book Verbal Abuse Survivors Speak Out: On Relationship and Recovery, Patricia Evans defines 15 types of verbal abuse:
- Withholding (refusing to talk to or acknowledge the victim)
- Countering (always telling the victim that he or she is wrong)
- Discounting (not taking into account the victim's perceptions)
- Verbal abuse disguised as a joke
- Blocking and diverting (thwarting the victim's attempts at communication)
- Accusing and blaming
- Judging and criticizing
- Trivializing (telling the victim his or her concerns are inconsequential)
- Undermining (eroding the victim's confidence)
- Threatening (implying physical harm through a fit of rage or though an unspoken threat, like punching the wall)
- Name calling
- Forgetting (regularly "forgetting" appointments, agreements, or incidents)
- Ordering and demanding
- Denial (denying all abusive behavior)
- Abusive anger (frightening the victim with repeated angry outbursts)
Children who have been abused have a higher risk of developing depression in later life. "The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that among adults ages 18 and older, approximately 15 million have major depression and 3 million have chronic mild depression. The onset for depression for most people begins after age 30, and it affects a higher percentage of women than men. People with a history of emotional and physical abuse have an earlier age at onset of depression and a longer duration of illness, according to a study published in the "Journal of Psychiatric Research" in 2010."
If you have a friend or family member who is experiencing abuse here are some things you can do to help. The most important thing to remember is that the choice to leave or not is theirs. You can't make them leave a bad situation but you can be supportive and helpful in their choice. They will need someone they can count on when/if they do decide to end or leave the abusive relationship.
Domestic Violence knows knows no boundaries when it comes to race/gender/sexuality/age/
Remember, domestic abuse affects ten million people in the US every year. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, please know that the folks at the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1 800 799 SAFE or thehotline.org) are ready to listen and support you, as well as refer you to a local program or organization. If you observe someone being abused, you can also call the hotline. A good samaritan call can save a life!
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All of the quilts in the Domestic Abuse series so far can be viewed here.
Coal Seam
Coal Seam was started in a class with Luke Hanes last year during QuiltCon 2015 and was included in Gwen Marton's book, Free Range Triangle Quilts. When I shipped it to the publisher for photography I had only quilted the black lines.
As the QuiltCon 2016 submission deadline came up, I pulled this out to enter in the show but after looking at it again, thought it needed a bit more quilting in the background. So, I started adding some seed stitch quilting to the white.
When I started the stitching, I didn't carefully calculate how long the stitching would actually take.
Six weeks of steady stitching later, I finished the quilting on New Year's eve. Needless to say, it wasn't finished in time for QuiltCon submission. There's always next year, right?
I used Glide thread and am thrilled with the way the stitches shine, an effect that is very difficult to capture with the camera.
I enjoyed the process immensely and plan to add more hand stitching to future projects.
Textiles: Contemporary American Quiltmaking
I am honored and excited that two of my quilts will be hanging in a gallery show later this month. This will be the first time any of my quilts have been shown in a gallery setting.Hosted by Gallery EOSS at Watermark Gallery in East Providence, Rhode Island, this exhibit will showcase the work of ten artists. Featured artists will be: Melissa Averinos of West Barnstable, Massachusetts; Teresa Coates of Portland, Oregon; Lynn Harris of Chelsea, Michigan; Mandy Leins of Saratoga Springs, New York; Tricia Royal of Chicago; Denyse Schmidt of Bridgeport, Connecticut; Maria Shell of Anchorage, Alaska; Gail Weiss of Portland, Oregon; Victoria Findlay Wolfe of New York City; and Sherri Lynn Wood of Oakland, California. The exhibit will be on display from March 18th to April 10th, 2016.The show was curated by Bill Volckening.Please go see the show if you are in the area.Here are the two quilts of mine that will be in the show:Bar Scene
Atomic Pinwheels
Isolation - the first in a series
Ten million Americans experience domestic abuse every year. Ten million. Someone I love and care about is a victim of abuse and has been for nearly twenty years. Odds are you or someone you know is a victim as well. I have learned a lot about domestic abuse over the last two decades and the number one fact I have learned is that most incidents are never reported. Ten million people every year and that number doesn't reflect the full scope of abuse in the US, as many people aren't able to safely share and report their stories. I am a doer. I like to make and fix things. Sadly, I cannot fix things for the person in my life who is being abused. But, I can speak up. And I can sew. And hopefully I can make a difference. (Statistics from the CDC)I am currently working on a series of quilts dealing with Domestic Abuse.The first quilt in this series is Isolation.
Finished quilt 16" x 16".
Isolation or exclusion is often the first method an abuser uses to gain control over his/her victim. Abusers do this by limiting who their partner sees, talks to, what they read/watch and even where he/she goes. They can do this by deleting emails, intercepting mail, erasing phone messages, changing any plans the abused may try to make that would connect him/her to others, blocking calls, and lying to and about others. They often use jealousy to justify their actions. You can read more about Isolation and Exclusion here and here.
Domestic Violence knows knows no boundaries when it comes to race/gender/sexuality/age/
Remember, it affects ten million in the US every year. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, please know that the folks at the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1 800 799 SAFE or thehotline.org) are ready to listen and support you, as well as refer you to a local program or organization. If you observe someone being abused, you can also call the hotline. A good samaritan call can save a life!
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All of the quilts in the Domestic Abuse series so far can be viewed here.
Every Last Piece - feature quilt - Troubles with Scraps
The design for Troubles with Scraps came from playing with the parts for the traditional Kansas Troubles block.
The basic pieced unit for Kansas Troubles reads as a half square triangle. I tried many different settings and layouts for the hst unit and finally settled on this bullseye look.
This was one of the first quilts I quilted on my longarm and I really had fun with the feathers and bubbles.
Finished size: 42'' by 55''The pattern and directions for Troubles with Scraps can be found in chapter two of my book.You can purchase an autographed copy of the Every Last Piece from me here.
The Splendid Sampler - Wings
Have you started the Splendid Sampler sew along, a year long sew along organized by Pat Sloane and Jane Davidson yet?I have finished the second block, Wings, designed by Jane Davidson.
I had a hard time deciding if I wanted to add the embroidery detail. Here is is with the first block before I added the antennae.
I have enjoyed scrolling through the #TheSplendidSampler hashtag on Instagram to see all of the different versions of the blocks. Come join the fun and add your photos.
Tiny Piecing
I do love playing with tiny pieces of fabric. These little four patches are trimmed to one inch square.
You can see a few of them sprinkled in these little blocks.
I'm not sure where this is headed yet but I'm having fun making them.
Wordless Wednesday
Advent Tree - a collaborative effort
I've been eager to share this project with you!Both of my grown sons always enjoyed counting down the days to Christmas on the advent tree I made when they were small. They would fight over who got to take turns putting the ornament up each day. As the sole child at home now, lucky Miss P gets to hang an ornament on the tree for 24 days! She and I decided that now that D and his new wife have their own place, they should have their own countdown tree.
P came up with the original design. She improv pieced the green tree parts all on her own.
The star tree topper in her original design ended up being a fancy button.
I built the background pieces from my neutral scraps
and put all of the parts together to make the quilt top.
The background is quilted in a breezy design and the tree quilting resembles needles or branches.
P and I worked together to make the ornaments. P made a couple of really cute beaded ornaments, aren't they great? 
We also included a 2015 penny, the year of their wedding.
We didn't quite get 24 ornaments made before Christmas but we have almost a year to make the last few.It was quite a pleasure to work with my daughter on this gift. She did a wonderful job on the design and sewing and had great fun choosing all of the buttons!I know D and M will enjoy using this in their home next year.Now I want to make a new tree to update the one we have been using for more than twenty years.
Every Last Piece - feature quilt - Bow Ties
Bow Ties is a quilt I finished in 1993. It is a true scrap quilt and is made with the scraps from many of my old 4-H sewing projects.
I was inspired by an antique bow ties quilt I had seen in a magazine. I love the way the placement of light and dark fabrics varied in each block and wanted to create the same energy in my own quilt.
I am glad that I took the time to make the block the traditional way with the set in seams. The square set on an angle in the center of the block really looks like a knot in the bow, especially with stripe, plaid, or checked fabrics.
This quilt is a real trip down memory lane for me. I'm having a bit of a 1970s flashback here.
My grandmother hand quilted this quilt and I gave it to my oldest son for Christmas back in 1993. I'm secretly glad that he hasn't taken it to his apartment.
Finished size 71'' by 100''.Bow Ties can be found in the gallery section of my book.You can purchase an autographed copy of the Every Last Piece from me here.
Every Last Piece - feature quilt - Beach Balls
On this cold, dark, and rainy day, I'm sharing the colorful and sunny quilt, Beach Balls.
The background is string pieced with sandy colored neutrals.The beach balls are string pieced using color coordinating scraps.
I had fun digging through my scraps and building the color wedges.
The binding is pieced from a variety of the background fabrics.
This quilt is the perfect size for a child's play quilt.Fun fact - this was the first quilt I quilted on my longarm.
Finished size: 42'' by 48''. The directions for Beach Ball are in Chapter 1 of my book.You can purchase an autographed copy of the Every Last Piece from me here.
Tiny Pieces - Tiny Quilt
I've been experimenting with the little one inch cut squares I can cut so quickly with my custom Sizzix die.
When piecing the tiny squares together, the seams can end up making the squares look a little lopsided and lumpy so I'm taking the time to twirl the seams for a flatter finish.
Even with careful piecing and pressing these squares seem to have a life of their own.I learned a lot in making this 16 inch mini and now have some new ideas and techniques to try in future small scale piecing projects.
This is the first in a series of tiny pieced mini quilts that I have planned.Now, I'm trying to decide how to quilt it. With such small pieces I don't want the quilting to muddy the overall effect. I'm thinking of a variegated for the print squares and white, red, and black in the solid areas to keep the colors there clear and crisp.
Keeping Focused
I can't seem to stay focused on any one particular project lately.I've been playing with the tiny squares,
joining rosettes on the passacaglia quilt,
and prepping this red and white quilt from last year for quilting.
What have you been working on?
Retreat Work
I had the pleasure of attending the Holly Girls quilt retreat last week. Pat Holly and Sue Nickels taught us the finer points of machine applique and border design.
I packed my boxes of tiny scraps to work on and since the Red and White Quilts book arrived while I was packing, I threw in some red and white yardage. At first, I was busy piecing more tiny sixteen patches from the scraps. After a few lessons, demonstrations, and show and tell I was ready to start an applique project. This will be a strippy quilt inspired by Susan McCord's fabulous quilts. The strip on the right was my first design and uses a motif from the border of her Floral Urn quilt. The strip on the left is a two color version of her fabulous leaf vines that can be seen on several of her quilts.
Pat told us that after stitching 100 skinny points and small circles we will have mastered the machine applique technique for points and circles. I think these two border strips will help me become a master at machine applique.
I hope I can follow through and get these stitched down. I plan to design two more applique strips and set them alternately with solid red strips.
Pillow Talk
Two years ago I gave my daughter-in-law two pillow forms for Christmas and told her I would make some pillows for her. After much delay they are finally finished.Megan chose the color palette and pulled a selection of fabrics from my stash. She also requested velvet backing for the pillows.
The larger pillow is a block from Jane Davidson's Rock Pools quilt. The pattern is in her self published book Desert to Sea.
The smaller pillow top was made in a class with Sherri Lynn Wood last fall.
I sometimes have a hard time squaring up large blocks so I want to share how I trimmed these pillow tops to size.To trim the large blocks I used Karen Kay Buckley's Perfect Adjustable Square. It comes is a beautiful box that keeps all of the parts safely stored together.
Inside there are pieces that go together to build squares from 4 inches to 24 1/2 inches. This device makes it easy to find the center of a square without marking the diagonal lines.
I highly recommend this set for squaring up large blocks. It is well worth the price to know you are getting it right with little effort.
Every Last Piece - feature quilt of the week - Paris on a Shoestring
This week's feature quilt is Paris on a Shoestring. It is a variation of Nancy, one of the quilts that is patterned in my book. Both quilts use the same string pieced triangle units.
I had this fabulous Paris Maps print that I wanted to use and I wanted to keep it in the largest possible pieces. Instead of making four large star blocks, I pieced this quilt in rows leaving each area of the map print as a single piece of fabric.
There are a lot of ways to put together quilts using the string pieced triangle units.
This quilt also features a scrappy binding. I cut lots of scrap pieces to the 2 1/4 size that I like to use and sewed them together as usual.
Finished size: 47'' by 47''.There is still quite a large pile of string pieced triangles and squares that I plan to combine into one quilt.
