Nine-Patch/Snowball Quilt Tutorial

My happy-go-lucky charm packs arrived today, so I made some progress on my quilt. A few of you asked about making it, so I thought I'd do a quick tut on what I'm doing.

BTW- I also ordered this grey diagonal stripe. It will be great for binding - don't miss that one!

The quilt is a combination of 2 simple blocks - a nine-patch and a snowball. It's one of my favorite classic combinations and I don't think I've ever made one! Mine are 6" finished. I'm making 99 blocks, set 9 blocks x 11 blocks. I'll add a 1" finished inner border of white and a 3" finished outer border for a quilt that's 62" x 74".

To make 50 nine-patch blocks and 49 snowball blocks, you'll need:
4 charm packs or 162 charm squares (5")
2 1/8 yards of white for the snowball blocks and inner borders

To finish the quilt like mine, you'll need:
7/8 yard for borders
5/8 yard for binding
4 yards for backing

To make the Nine-patch block, sew 2 charm squares together on one side. Cut them in half as pictured in both directions.

You'll end up with 2 sets of squares sewn together and 4 squares 2 1/2" (these are all print squares even though the light blue ones look white!)

Do this with 75 pairs of charm squares. Cut the remaining 12 charm squares in half in both directions, for 48 additional 2 1/2" squares. (You'll have 2 extra)

Sew one 2 1/2" square to each of the sewn pairs above for a row of three squares, Press the seams in one direction. Sew three rows together to make the block, alternating the direction of the seams so they fit together nicely. Make 50 blocks.

From your white fabric, cut 49 squares 6 1/2". For this you'll need 8 strips 6 1/2", plus one additional square.

Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the remaining 2 1/2" squares or use an Angler to sew a small square on the corner of each white square.

Press and trim the seam allowance to 1/4". Make 49 Snowball blocks.

Set your blocks by alternating the two. Here's what I managed to finish today! I'm liking how scrappy it's looking. I'm adding in a few navies, some Simply color and some previous lines of Bonnie and Camille.

Mmmm... I'm trying to decide on a border and binding using my charm squares, so I'm ready when the yardage is available! What do you think?

. . . Cindy

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Unplanned Sewing...

My sewing seems to be very unplanned at the moment. A bundle of Tsuru sat on my table and in a bit of spur-of-the-moment sewing I made a block (top left)...

Then I made another...

and another...

The block-making continued until I ran out of solid navy and impatiently waited for more to arrive.

I ended up with a figure-it-out-as-you-go sampler quilt, full of gorgeous color and a modern take on some traditional blocks!

Tsuru has this wonderful border print that with some math and fussy cutting, I was able to sprinkle some flowers around each corner.

And to keep the unplanned projects going, yesterday I cut up a Happy Go Lucky Charm pack and pieced these cute 6" blocks. Sheesh! Now I'm waiting for a couple more Charm Packs! Planning does have it's advantages!

Happy Sewing! . . . Cindy

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Sewing Room Tour - part 2...

Thank you for all your comments and sewing space love yesterday! Today I thought I'd share a few of the details and storage solutions I've come up with.

As I mentioned yesterday, I do work better when things are fairly neat and tidy. The down side to putting things away is not being able to find them when you need them! I found this drawer handle at Anthropologie and had to have it to remind me to think carefully when I put something away!

I organized my space with a few things in mind ~ keep my work surfaces clean, store items close to where they will be used, and make supplies easy to find (meaning don't let drawers and bins get too full and cluttered). I also wanted to keep my space pleasant looking ~ a happy place to be.

Here are some of my storage solutions:

I've decided not to keep a lot of scraps. I used to have a big scrap drawer that was so full I was stressed just opening it. These 4 small bins from Target hold scraps of only my very favorite fabrics. When one starts overflowing, I clean it out and drop a bag of scraps on the freebie table at guild.

Current piecing projects. I used to keep these in bins on my cutting table, but in my effort to keep the table clear, they now live in the drawers of my sewing cabinet. I wondered if putting projects out of sight would also put them out of mind, but remember my dry erase board with current projects? It keeps me on task!

These clear jars (also from Target) sit on top of my white cabinets and hold pearl cotton, twine and ribbons. I started collecting AMH and Amy Butler ribbons in 1-2 yard pieces. I found this idea on Pinterest - they're wrapped around popsicle sticks!

This is one of my favorite things! I have 3 clipboards (one more on the other side of the room). Two have patterns that I plan on using soon. The third has reference sheets that I refer to frequently - how to make a pillow case, paper piecing instructions, cutting bias binding and my fibonacci number chart. These cute boards are from See Jane Work.

My thread is stored in the sewing cabinet drawers of the larger machine where I do machine quilting. A few spools of beige and gray are stored in the drawer of the smaller machine where I piece.

This bin holds my binding fabric. I try to keep it safe so I don't cut into it for another project!

 Fabric is folded and stored by color in bins (yes, Target) using Jeni's folding and sorting method. I've found it easier to get to than stacking fabric.

Little things need little drawers. This inexpensive unit from Ikea holds needle, glue sticks, snaps, zippers and more.

You may have noticed this drawstring bag hanging next to the cutting table. It holds the binder clips I use to secure my backings to the table when pin basting - right at hand!

This cup holder is next to my machine and keeps small rulers, pencils and cutters handy. On my sewing surface I keep thread clippers, a pin cushion and recently I've decided to keep my seam ripper right at hand.

 I also try to keep some decorative and pretty things visible. A bowl of floss...

and some quilts on the wall. My Joseph's Coat and my favorite light fixture from Ikea...

My color wheel (I'm surprised by how much I refer to it!)...

It's nice to have a space that's all your own, whether it's a big room or a little corner. As Nate Berkus would say - it should rise up to greet you. I keep a few personal items that make me smile. Like this #1 sheep, given to me by my teenage son because I'm "the number one mom". He makes me laugh every time I look at him!

Thanks for visiting!!! . . . Cindy

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Sewing Room Tour... part one

I've had a lot of sewing spaces over the years. I started in our first apartment sitting on the floor with my machine on a step stool (younger days!). I've set up in the dining room of our first house, an unfinished basement in another and a 10' x 10' spare bedroom in our third. When we found our current place, one of the things that sold me was a bonus room built over the two-car garage. Huge 20' x 20' space - I could picture it immediately. Reality set in, and since my husband works from a home office (and is really the one who buys the fabric), we built a dividing wall down the middle and I ended up with a nice 10' x 20' sewing room. I love it!

I like that it's somewhat removed from the rest of the house - a little sewing sanctuary. You walk up a set of stairs in the back of the house off the kitchen. Here's the room from the doorway...

I consider myself really lucky to have 2 sewing machines. They're in cabinets placed back to back giving me ample table space for quilting large quilts. I use the larger machine primarily for machine quilting and the smaller one for piecing. This allows me to go back and forth without changing thread or the setup. Crazy how just having to rethread the machine used to stop me from getting to my machine quilting!

Here's the setup from the other side. I love my little TV that swings both ways on the wall...

On the left wall is my design wall. Simply sheets of styrofoam, duct taped together and covered in a white flannel sheet. Easily reachable from the piecing machine...

Just around the corner is a piece of framed pegboard holding my rulers and rotary cutter...

It's within easy reach of my nice big cutting table. I've had this table for many years and I love that it's lightweight and folds down to the size of the drawer you see in the front. I baste all my quilts on this table - it's on wheels and I roll it around to get to all sides of the quilt.

I made the step stool so I could reach to the top of my design wall.

My ironing station is around the corner. It's made from a wire shelving unit (also on wheels) with a 20" x 60" MDF board on top. I've had this board for many years and it's still perfectly flat. It's covered in thin batting with a pillowcase-type cover. I take 2 yards of fabric, sew up the long end into a tube and slip it over the board, folding and pinning under the ends. When one side is ruined, I flip it over on the second side.

The shelves are used for fabric storage...

To the left of the ironing station are couple of small storage cubes from Target. Here I keep my most frequently used books. I'm a quilt book hoarder, so I have lots more stored on a bookcase in the hubby's office right next door.

On top of the books is a bit more storage and my dry-erase board that keeps me on task...

To the left, I have another shelf for fabric storage and 2 cabinets for more fabric storage. (More on that tomorrow). The shelves above the cabinets are shoe storage shelves turned upside down. The boxes hold patterns...

And finally, just inside the door is my desk. I've my books displayed on a picture ledge from Pottery Barn...

 a bit of sewing art and pictures of some of my favorite people...

You can see everything is fairly cleaned up and tidy. I work better when there's not a mess, although that happens when I've pulled a lot of fabric for a project. Mountains of unfolded fabric!

Tomorrow I'll be back with some of the little details and storage solutions.   . . . Cindy

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Quilt blocks and winners!

 The randomly selected winners of Casey's new patterns are Jennifer Powell and Ann Seely. Congratulations! Please email me and let me know which pattern you'd like  - Onward or Sakura.

For those of you who use Google Reader and are switching to Bloglovin' (as I have), I've added the "follow" button on the right. And if you aren't using a reader to keep up with your blog readin', now my be the perfect chance to get started. Click on the link, create an account and continue to add your favorite blogs.

I have my March Bee block to share with you. As I mentioned, Toni and her husband chose several Blue Note album covers for us to use as a design for our blocks. The idea was to keep it modern and close to the original art. Such a great idea! Here's my result...

For my birthday in December, I got a gift certificate to one of my favorite online fabric stores from my girlfriends (love you girls!). I fell in love with Tsuru and snatched some up as soon as it came out. I bravely cut into it today and started a new project!

Since a few of you sounded interested in a sewing room tour, I started snapping some photos. I should have it all up this week. Stay tuned!

And I'm longing for this after a foot of snow this weekend! . . . Cindy

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Marcelle Medallion - finished top

It's truly been a labor of love. My Marcelle Medallion quilt from this book is completely pieced.

It was kind of like reading a really good book - you can't stop, but you don't want it to end...

My favorite part was carefully choosing each fabric. I used tons of different fabrics - some tiny scraps; others brand-new half yard pieces that now have little corners cut out of them.

I must say, the pattern was fabulous. It takes a lot of math to fit all those pieced borders together and it work like a charm...

pyramids, flying geese...

 and cute little crosses...

all living happily together...

I've got my backing ready. I think it will be just as much fun to quilt as it was to piece. Maybe it deserves a bit of pearl cotton hand quilting?

. . . Cindy

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