I’ve Got Your Back Quilt: basic block tutorial

Yesterday I spent some time making blocks for Missy’s quilt. I took some pictures of the process I’m using for making the blocks. Each block is unique but I use the same basic approach to make them and will outline it here for you today if you want to use this technique too. For the first entry I wrote about this quilt and how it came to be go here.

Step 1:

Start with a smallish (2”x3”) trapezoid shape. The more irregular the shape the more skewed the finished block will end up.

 

 

Add the side pieces to opposite sides. I usually pick a piece of fabric that is longer than the side I’m adding it to to give me plenty of room for trimming later.

Sew (1/4” seam allowance) and press with seam allowances toward outside.

 

Step 2:

Trim excess fabric. I line my ruler up with the edge of the original piece and trim off the excess fabric. You can also trim at a new angle if you want to skew the edges even more.

 

 

Step 3:

Add the next round. Again choosing a piece that is a bit longer than the edge it is being added to. This round goes on the other edge of the first piece and the seam crosses the ends of the seams of the first round. Press open with seam allowances toward the outside.

Trim overhanging fabric like in the first round.

 

 

 

Step 4:

Continue to add fabrics to opposite sides, pressing and trimming as you go. I typically add a total of 7 rounds, the center square counting as “round 1”. I planned this quilt so that the 6th round will be white fabric and the last round (7th) will be the darker green.

Step 5:

I want my finished squares to be 11” square so I make sure the last two rounds (white and green) are plenty thick enough to give me room to trim them down to the finished size.

 

Lay a square ruler on top of the finished block and make sure your finished dimensions fit on the square.

 

 

Trim right and top sides.

 

 

Line trimmed sides up with the 11” marks on ruler. Trim remaining two sides.

 

Your finished block should be square with opposite green edges and opposite white edges. You can vary the width of the inner rounds to make the outer rounds wider or thinner. You can also add more rounds. The bigger the angles you use to cut the edges will skew or square you block more or less depending on personal taste.

 

 

Step 6:

Putting the finished blocks together.

Line the blocks up so that a green edge is touching a white edge (turning each block 90°)

I am pretty sure that this is how I’m going to assemble the finished quilt. But I may experiment with adding a narrow green sashing between blocks. But right now I like how the green edges make the rest of the block “float” in space and blur the lines of the finished blocks.

NOTES:

For a while I was making the blocks so that the 3rd round was always white but then I thought that made the finished quilt look too white all over so I started eliminating that round of white and varied the fabric placement to make more darker blocks. I’m also trying to make more blocks with thicker green edges. I think the overall effect will be very cool and modern looking. I love the fresh clean look of this simple color palette. Right now my quilting plan is to just straight line quilt with lines going across the quilt in different directions. I just don’t know what color thread to use. I think white will show up too bright on the green parts but green or blue will muddy the white sections. I’ll have to do some test blocks to see what I like best. Of course I’ll post results here to get your opinions!

I also made this one square using the breast pocket from one of the shirts. I’m not sure yet if I’m going to incorporate it into the finished quilt. I may do a partially pieced back and put it there with a note to Missy in the pocket. Or I may use for a coordinating pillow. I also saved the front button bands from the shirt with the idea of using them on pillows as the closure. The possibilities are endless!

If you use this technique please link back to me so I can see your creations. I love these improvisational techniques because the end results are all so different. I can’t wait to see what you all make with it too!

Schoolhouse Tunic and Mimosa Pants

How’s that for an exciting blog title?

This is the second Schoolhouse Tunic I’ve made (technically third, I made one for the store too.) from the pattern by Sew Liberated. It is a fast, easy project. I’ve seen it on many blogs and sewing websites. The first one I made was out of a grey and blue woven stripe and I made the shirt length vs. the tunic length. I like it and wear it often but it isn’t my favorite shirt. My oldest daughter said it looked like a men’s maternity top, whatever THAT means! I thought the longer length would be more flattering and maybe a more feminine print would help. We’ll see what this looks like paired with a summery pair of white or mint capris and sandals if the weather ever warms up around here

When cutting this out I tried really hard to make sure none of the paisleys (Amy Butler Soul Blossoms fabric) landed right on top of my boobs. If you look closely at the fabric you can see that the turquoise elements look a little like N’avi grabby hands. I didn’t want that over a tit. I think I managed to get them placed okay. I learned this lesson at a young age when my mother made herself a bathing suit for a trip to Hawaii. She had recently discovered the joys of double knits (it was the 70s after all!) and had chosen a very bright Hawaiian floral to make this suit. She did a fabulous job as was always her way. But when she put it on she discovered a very “Georgia O’Keefe” flower positioned in a very embarrassing place.

I also made a new pair of pants last week. These are from Project Sewing Workshop – Mimosa Pants. I’ve been looking for a pants pattern for a very long time. Pants are probably the toughest sewing project out there and finding a pattern that fits and flatters in next to impossible in my experience. I like these but I have to remake them in the future in at least one size down.

Pattern sizing is insane. It isn’t anything like off the rack “vanity” sizing you find in stores. But it isn’t standardized and every pattern designer can and usually does use a different set of measurements for their patterns. The big book pattern companies still use sizing form pattern slopers designed in the 40s. Modern pattern makers like Project Sewing Workshop and Sew Liberated use more modern measurements. Plus size patterns are made with a D-cup and if you are plus sized everywhere but there you have to make adjustments for that. My wish is for pattern makers to tell you on the envelope if the measurements given are finished garment dimensions or body measurements and what wearing ease is designed into the garment.

These pants are designed to be very wide legged and flowing. But they need to sit close around the waist and hips. I took my measurements very carefully and even did a pin fitting with the paper pattern. I cut the largest size and then machine basted the pieces together for a final fitting before seaming. They were HUGE! Per the pattern measurements they should’ve been an inch or two too tight in the waist but I took that plus some in before finishing. I didn’t the best I could but I’m still not perfectly happy. The crotch still hangs a little low and the legs are too wide. Also the wool/spandex fabric used is a little scratchy, especially on winter dry skin, so I wish I had lined them. The pattern is simple enough that lining them would have been very easy.

What I like about them is the waistband and side invisible zipper. I wear most of my tops untucked and I hate when the front fly and button on a pair of pants sticks out and shows through the front of my shirt. Now that I am the proud owner of a #35 invisible zipper foot I love invisible zippers. I will be putting them in everything I make to wear below the waist. I have enough bumps and bulges with out adding them with my clothing!

I think this pattern would be great made out of a soft linen for summer. We also have some other colors of wool gabardine at the store that I will attempt another pair out of for work. I’ll just go down a size or two first.

I’m going to attempt to make a lot more of my own clothes again and work on my pattern altering and fitting skills along the way. My first plan is to gather a collection of basic patterns that I like the construction and basic fit and build from there. I’d love to get suggestions for patterns that others have liked. I’ve found some nice ones on the Burda site that I may try next.