Settings: Two Side Sashing

I will try to post some patterns to use for setting 12 inch finished blocks.

 It is not as simple as I thought it would be, because the images can't just be copied and pasted into the blogger template, but have to be uploaded separately. Plus, I can't figure out how to add in a table that I usually use for yardage and cutting instructions, so I will add that as a list, instead. 
At the store, we have a booklet available which I wrote some years ago, which contains 21 patterns.  Unfortunately I can't just upload all of those at once either, as the computer that 19 of them were stored on crashed a few years ago, so I would have to re-type them all. (And I have no clue which USB stick they were backed up on.)  Not to say that I wouldn't do that sometime, but not all at once.  

This is Setting number 20 from the booklet and has been very popular in previous years. 

 20. Two Side Sashing

a Setting Pattern for 12-Inch Blocks
uses 20 blocks
finished size is about 74" x 88"

a Periwinkle Pattern by Michelle Harris, 2012, free to print out and use for personal use

The sampler blocks are 12-1/2" with the seam allowances; they will finish at 12" when sewn into the quilt.

There are sashing strips only on  2 sides of the blocks.  When laid out to form the pattern, the blocks rotate back and forth.
(NB, This is a good pattern for when your sampler blocks have not all come out at the same size!  you could cut the sashings wider, and then trim them all to one size before you assemble them into the quilt top, thus absorbing the size differences from block to block)

Fabrics:
A.  Light Grey in the picture , used for Sashing for Blocks
            1.1m (44") 
                 Cut 2 strips, 15" by the wof,*
                  from these strips, sub-cut 20 rectangles,  3" x 15"

                 Cut 1 strip, 12-1/2" x wof
                  from this strip, and from the leftovers above, sub-cut 20 rectangles, 3" x 12-1/2"

B.  Inner Border Fabric (finishes at 1-1/2")
              .5m (18")  
                      Cut 8 strips, 2" x wof

C. Outer Border Fabric  (finishes at 6-1/2")
              1.5m (60")  
                       Cut 8 strips, 7" x wof

D.  Binding Fabric
              .7m (24")
                       Cut 9 strips, 2-1/2" x wof

*wof means the width of fabric from selvage to selvage, usually between 42" and 44"



Step One: Sew the Sashing rectangles to the sides of each block.  If there is any variation in the size of your blocks, now is the time to even them all up!
Measure them, and then trim them all to the same size, cutting the extra bits off of the sashing rectangles to keep the points on your sampler block intact.

Step Two: Lay out the 20 blocks into a 4 column, 5 row arrangement, referring to the diagram above  to see how to rotate the block.  You might want to shift the blocks around until you are pleased with the way that the colors balance out.

Sew the blocks into rows, and then sew the rows together.

Step Three: Add the borders.  To make the strips long enough, you will have to join the strips end to end and the cut the border to the size needed. 
When joining lengths, some people prefer to use a diagonal join .  To do that, just overlap the ends of the strips at a 90° angle ,and then sew from corner to corner.  Trim off the extra fabric and press. 
Cut the length of the borders as you go, because the length of them depends on the size of your central unit as it grows larger.

Using the narrow, 2" strips for the inner border, cut the two side borders to the same measurement as the height of your center unit.  Sew them to the sides and press seams out. 
Cut the top and bottom borders to the new width of the center unit and sew them on. 
Repeat this for the outer borders.

Step Four:
Layer the quilt with the batting and backing, and baste.  Quilt!

Step Five: Binding.  Trim away the extra batting and backing fabric.
This uses a double fold binding.
Sew the 2-1/2" strips of binding fabric end to end with 45° diagonal seams.  Trip away the extra fabric, and then press the strip in half lengthwise, with right side facing out, matching the raw edges.  Starting partway along one of the sides, stitch the raw edges of the binding to the top side of the quilt, folding the strip into a false iter at each corner.
 Turn the folded edge of binding to the back of the quilt and had stitch it into place.

Sticks and Stones, Block four, flying geese pinwheel

Sticks and Stones, Block three, Irish chain

 

this is a pretty block, and it's got a nice mix of straight and diagonal sewing lines.  

If you haven't already done so, be sure to check out the previous post which shows some finished quilts from last years' blocks, the black white and bright ones--- there are some beautiful quilts!

Playing with some settings

I've been mulling over what to do with the black, white and bright 12 inch blocks from the latest saturday surprise sampler. 
At the moment they are still pinned to the wall at the shop, but whenever I am there, they bother me because I haven't figured out what my plan is for them.

I decided to play around on my Electric Quilt program to see what some ideas might look like.  I thought I would post them here in case you too are wondering what to do with yours. 

1. white background, 3" sashing,  with 1-1/2" squares in the pieced outer border, finishes at about 76" x 90"

2. Diagonal setting, each block has an outer border added, they alternate in color,  77" x 98"

3.another very white setting, with a rectangle sewn on the side of each block, then sewn as a strippy quilt, 76" x 89"

4,  triple bar sashing, with skinny center bar, 80" x 96"

 5. outline each block with a skinny band of white, then set it in an ocean of purple: 80" x 96"

or maybe frame in black, and let it swim in white,

6. alternating with log cabin blocks, one inch logs, 84" x 86"

Well, that was fun.

Block 20, Cut Glass Dish

This is block number 20! 

Block 19, Double Churn Dash

Block 19 already,

Block 18 Four Stars

This time the block is called Four Stars, for the obvious reasons:

Block 17

This is block 17, it is called Peppermint Swirl

Peppermint Swirl

 

Block 16, Ripples

Block 15, Silver Maple

today the block is of some tesselating maple leaves,

Block 14

this week is Pinwheel:

I hope that you are having fun with the blocks.
I am starting to imagine possible ways to sew them together, although I don't really have a plan at this point.  All I know is that I want to use lots of bright fabrics in the setting!
Remember, if you've done at least 10 blocks  (i.e. purchased at least ten, they don't all need to be sewn up), you can get the fabric for your settings at a 30% discount now.  
Happy sewing!

Block 13, Reflected Mountains

Today we have a new block called Reflected Mountains,

I hope you're having a nice weekend,
It's been a lovely day here, with snow starting to melt!  Hope we don't get another snowfall.

"Ongoing Projects"

Every so often I think about listing the projects that I have in progress.  A daunting task indeed.  Up until now I was quite afraid of what I might discover if I tried this. 

However, in the past couple of weeks, as I tided up my sewing room, I found that I was making a stack of fabrics and quilt tops, and blocks to pass on to Serendipity (our Guild's group that makes things to give away).  This made me wonder just what I did have on my shelves left to work on. 

Also, I read Carly's post about making an inventory of her fabrics.  While this was both shocking and awesome, it did inspire confidence that I could indeed inventory my ufo's (unfinished objects).
Last night I photographed what I had on my shelves, and this morning I have made a list of what there is.  Granted, I did forget to take photos of a few things, but I did list them. 

At the end of this, I find I have 30 projects on my list, which is what it is.  I don't pretend that I will finish all of these, and I'll probably pass some of them on at a later date, but it does feel good to have them listed now.  More in control of it all, somehow.  Also, I have a list of photos, mostly that I can refer to, rather than having to physically look through my shelves and baskets. ( they are on the new page, above, called Ongoing Projects) 

Also, I have a new basket of stuff to pass on to Serendipity!

Black white and Bright Block 12

Block 12 is called Color in the Corner:

Block 11, Black Qhite and Bright

Block 11 is called Bricks:

I do like it quite a bit.  I didn't put in the bright colored brick, but you can place it wherever you like if you want to include it. 
Hope that you are enjoying lots of sewing time lately,

Black and White Block 10

This week's block is called Medallion.  It is part of our Saturday Surprise Sampler Block program that you can learn more about by clicking on the page tab above, or by pressing here.

It's one we've done in previous rounds, but I still like it a lot! 

Black and white, Block 9

This week's block is called Simply Squares.

It is part of our Saturday Surprise Sampler Block program that you can learn more about by clicking on the page tab above, or by pressing here

Odds and Ends

That's a funny expression when you think about it -- odds and ends.  Odd things that don't belong in a set, and ends to finish off things started.
Well. over the past several months, I've been a pinterest user, and have noted many little projects that I wanted to try.  This week I determined to do some of those little odd projects.

1. Paper piecing hexagon project.  

 I did a table runner last month using the paper hexagons, and enjoyed doing that project.  I wanted to try another project using another less common arrangement of the hexagons.
In this block, I just made 12 hexagons, sewed them together in a diamond shape, and appliqued the whole piece over a little bit of toile,

 then I appliqued the unit to the orange dot fabric, and after trimming it to echo the diamond shape, appliqued that to the blue flowered background.  I'm not sure what to do with this block now.

2.  Another thing I wanted to try was a Union Jack block.  

 It was harder to make than I thought it would be.  Partly this is because I thought I would paper piece the corner rectangle parts, but then I was having a little problem remembering how to do paper piecing.  Rather than apply my mind to remembering, I just used templates and pieced the thing. 

Union Jack quilt block

 I was pretty happy with how it turned out.  I sewed on a border and quilted it, and sewed it into a cushion!

3.  I wanted to knit a boxy basket shape out of wool on really big needles and felt it.  So I did.  However, the top edge didn't shrink up as much as the bottom of the box, and it was really floppy.  So I just folded over the wall to make it half as tall, and it is sort of rounded.  Whatever, it seems to work okay to hold stuff on the coffee table 

4.  Little key chain rings.  Pretty easy.  Just some free motion stitching holding the layers together, and the little loop to go over the ring part. 

 wouldn't mind trying a few more of these with some hand stitching on them sometime. 

 5. Little knitted Christmas trees.  The idea is to sew buttons on to the trees to make them look decorated.

 I might make them into Christmas tree ornaments, or something.  I'll see if they show up against the tree when we get it.

6.  When I got back to my sewing room here in Savannah last week, I saw that I had left these Sampler blocks up on my design wall.  So I decided to sew setting blocks and put them together into a top. 

 My plan is to use 21 sampler blocks and 21 log cabin blocks, set together in a "Straight Furrows" setting,

so, I have started sewing the log cabins. they will be half white and half assorted colors.  I like to cut out all the pieces before I start sewing.  I was somewhat surprised that after cutting out all the pieces I had made hardly a dent on my stack of 1930 reproduction fabrics.
Well, that's today's round-up on what I've been doing.  Except for one other project, which I will make another post on later.

On another note, I'm glad that many people are finding the coupon for 40% off an item at the store.   If you haven't used it yet, you can print off a copy of the coupon   here  .  It is good up until December 24th.  Also, Miriam sent me a photo of the Kaffe Fassett shot cottons that arrived!!!

they are wonderful!

Block 8, Box and O's

This week's block is bound to be one of my new favorites.  It is part of our Saturday Surprise Sampler Block program that you can learn more about by clicking on the page tab above, or by pressing here

Block 7, Star Wreath

This block is part of our Saturday Surprise Sampler program, which you can see our progress so far here