Quilt Along – Official Commencement
Hello everyone. Thank you all for joining me!
I am sew excited to be hosting this, my first, Quilt Along. And am looking forward to getting to know each one of you better. In an effort to become more like a group, I would like to encourage you all to share pictures of your progress and finished work to our Flickr group.
And, as far as I’m concerned – choosing fabrics is considered progress!
This week’s post is all about fabric, so please show off your stack before you start cutting those strips, if you would. I’d love to see them!
A note about fabric choices:
The Right Fabrics make all the difference. Yes, of course, high quality cotton fabrics are a must for making a quilt that will last and be enjoyed for many years to come. But that is not what I am getting at.
As I previously related in my post on May 23rd, the design process for the Oh My, Scrappy Stars! quilt began with a developing obsession for a neutral background. This design calls for solid pale beige and 18 different neutrals. In this case, our neutrals are beige, gray and earthy tones, should range in intensity from very light to dark, and should include some solid fabrics and some prints.
The next layer to bring to the foreground will be the small stars found around the edges of the quilt. They are made from pale colours: blue, orange, green and yellow.
Then there are the main stars and they will contain a feature fabric as their centers. Some will also include brown accent fabric to create a secondary star around the feature fabric squares.
These 9 large stars will use fabrics that are a variety of warm colours and a variety of cool colours.
Reds, oranges and yellows are warm colours. Blues and greens are cool colours. Here is a mock layout.
By sharing these photos, it is my hope that you will be able to find some similar fabrics, suitable for this design. The following lists are the tools, fabrics, and other materials needed for the entire project.
So that’s it for this week. Your mission is to:
- search for the fabric you will need (Please ensure it is a MINIMUM of 42″ in width)
- take plenty of great pics to share on the Flickr Group
- cut your strips
If at any time you are looking for any of the quilt along posts….
Simply click on the tab found under my blog header, title Sew Fresh Quilt Along
This page includes a schedule outlining what we will cover during each week of the quilt along.
And if you have ANY questions, or just want to connect,
please don’t hesitate to shoot me an email: sewfreshquilts (at) gmail (dot) com
Happy Quilting!
Oh My, Scrappy Stars! Measures approximately 100” x 100”
A few tips and suggestions…..
- Use a ¼” presser foot with guide, if you have one, to ensure a consistent ¼” seam.
- Finger press all seams open and then iron open to reduce bulk. When piecing the rows, I do not pin the intersecting seams. I line up the seams, and with my fingertips I can feel if they are lined up. Then I keep my left index finger on the seam, just to the left of the needle, as the seam passes under the presser foot. However, if you are a press to one side kind of quilter, that’s okay, but then you will have to repress all your seams in alternating directions before joining the rows.
- Sew the patchwork together row by row. Sewing in blocks or sections will result in less accuracy.
- Purchase high quality cotton fabrics. All this hard work deserves to last.
- Pre-wash all your fabrics, tumble dry and iron before use. This will prevent uneven shrinkage or colour bleed.
Tools:
-
¼” Presser Foot with Guide
- Seam Ripper and Scissors
- Rotary cutter, Acrylic Ruler and Cutting Mat
- Iron and Ironing Board
- Pencil or Fabric Marker
Material Requirements:
Quilt batting of your choice in a size that is at least 110” x 110”.
Quality Thread in your choice of color. I used white thread for the entire quilt.
Fabric Requirements:
Your fabrics must be at least 42″ wide.
For the quilt top you need:
Feature Fabric – 1 & 1/2 yd.
Accent Fabric (brown) – 2/3 yd.
Warm Colours:
Red Fabric – 1/2 yd.
Medium Orange Fabric – 1/3 yd.
Light Orange Fabric – 1/3 yd.
Medium Yellow Fabric – 1/3 yd.
Light Yellow Fabric – 1/4 yd.
Cool Colours:
A variety of 5 shades of Blue Fabric – 1/4 yd. of each
A variety of 4 shades of Green Fabric – 1/4 yd. of each
Very Pale Colours:
Blue, Orange, Green and Yellow – 1/2 yd. of each
Neutral Fabrics:
Solid Pale Beige – 1 yd.
A variety of 18 other Neutral fabrics – 1/2 yd. of each
(gray, beige, cream, taupe, text prints and small prints with neutral background, etc.)
Backing Fabric:
Enough to cover a 110” x 110” area.
Binding Fabric:
The Feature fabric yardage given includes the amount required for a 2 ½” double fold, cross grain binding.
Cutting Instructions:
Calculations are based on a 42” minimum fabric width and do not allow for miscuts.
Strips are to be cut across the folded width of the fabric.
Trim selvage edges before crosscutting strips.
Feature fabric, refer to the diagram below, and cut, as shown from bottom of picture to top of picture…
– 10, 2 ½” strips for binding (SET them aside for later, preferably in a labeled plastic baggy)
– 1, 2 ½” strip (DO NOT Crosscut. For use in STEP 1)
– 2, 8 ½” strips crosscut into 8 ½” squares (yields 8 – 8 ½” squares)
– 1, 8 ½” strip UNFOLD and cut ONE 8 ½” square from the end (yields 1 – 8 ½” square)
– Cut the remainder into 2, 3” strips and crosscut these into 3” squares (yields 22 – 3” squares)
AND 1, 2 ½” strip (DO NOT Crosscut. For Use in STEP 1
Accent fabric, cut
– 3, 3” strips and crosscut into 3” squares (14 squares per strip x 3 = 42 pcs)
– 3, 2 ½” strips and crosscut into 2.5” squares (48 squares)
– 1, 2 ½” strip (DO NOT Crosscut. For Use in STEP 1)
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Red fabric, cut
– 2, 3” strips and crosscut into 3” squares (14 squares per strip x 2 = 28 pcs)
– 3, 2 ½” strips and crosscut into 2.5” squares (16 squares/strip x 3 = 48 pcs)
Medium Orange fabric, cut
– 1, 3” strip and crosscut into 3” squares (14 squares per strip x 1 = 14 pcs)
– 3, 2 ½” strips and crosscut into 2.5” squares (16 squares/strip x 3 = 48 pcs)
Light Orange fabric, cut
– 1, 3” strip and crosscut into 3” squares (14 squares per strip x 1 = 14 pcs)
– 3, 2 ½” strips and crosscut into 2.5” squares (16 squares/strip x 3 = 48 pcs)
Medium Yellow fabric, cut
– 1, 3” strip and crosscut into 3” squares (14 squares per strip x 1 = 14 pcs)
– 3, 2 ½” strips and crosscut into 2.5” squares (16 squares/strip x 3 = 48 pcs)
Light Yellow fabric, cut
– 1, 3” strip and crosscut into 3” squares (14 squares per strip x 1 = 14 pcs)
– 2, 2 ½” strips and crosscut into 2.5” squares (16 squares/strip x 2 = 32 pcs)
From three of the Blue fabrics, cut for each
– 1, 3” strip and crosscut into 3” squares (14 squares per strip x 1 x 3 colours = 42 pcs)
– 2, 2 ½” strips and crosscut into 2.5” squares (16 squares/strip x 2 x 3 colours = 96 pcs)
From each of the other two Blue fabrics, cut
– 1, 3” strip and crosscut into 3” squares (14 squares per strip x 1 x 2 colours = 28 pcs)
– 1, 2 ½” strip and crosscut into 2.5” squares (16 squares/strip x 2 x 2 colours = 64 pcs)
From three of the Green fabrics, cut for each
– 1, 3” strip and crosscut into 3” squares (14 squares per strip x 1 = 14 pcs)
– 2, 2 ½” strips and crosscut into 2.5” squares (16 squares/strip x 2 x 3 colours = 96 pcs)
From the one remaining Green fabric, cut
– 1, 3” strip and crosscut into 3” squares (14 squares per strip x 1 = 14 pcs)
– 1, 2 ½” strip and crosscut into 2.5” squares (16 squares/strip x 2 = 32 pcs)
From each of the Pale Blue, Orange, Green and Yellow (BOGY) fabrics, cut
– 1, 3” strip of each and crosscut into 3” squares (14 squares per strip x 4 colours = 56 pcs)
– 3, 2 ½” strips of each for 9 patch blocks
– 2, 2 ½” strips of each for background strips (2 strips x 4 colours = 8 total strips)
From your Solid Pale Beige and three of your lightest Neutrals, cut for each
– 1, 3” strip and crosscut into 3” squares (14 squares per strip x 4 colours = 56 pcs)
From ten of your other Neutrals, cut for each
– 1, 3” strip and crosscut into 3” squares (14 squares per strip x 10 colours = 140 pcs)
From your five remaining Neutrals and five Neutrals of your choice, cut for each
– 1, 3” strip and crosscut into 3” squares (14 squares per strip x 10 colours = 140 pcs)
From your Solid Pale Beige, cut
– 12, 2 ½” strips for background strips (12 total strips)
From each of your eighteen other Neutrals, cut
– 3, 2 ½” strips of each for background strips (3 strips x 18 neutral colours = 54 total strips)
From one of your Neutrals, cut
– 1, 2 ½” strips of each for background strips (1 strip in addition to the 54 above = 55 strips)
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Congrats on your first Quilt Along I am off to raid my stash and then a trip to my LQS. Surely I won't find all I need in my stash.
That's just how I would handle this assignment, Sherry. Stash viewing and fabric shopping – both very enjoyable pass times! Thanks for taking part in my first Quilt Along!Happy Searching!
I have some kind of problem, because when I read \”QAL,\” my stomach tweaks and I have to stop myself going to dig in the fabric bind and start a new project. (Already…too…many…WIPs…) 🙂 100×100! Awesome! I can't wait to see your finished project.
Thanks, Laura! I hope you will check in on us as we progress. Keep an eye on our Flickr Group. And cheer us on! I appreciate your support!
Great instructions, Lorna! Looks like the QAL is off to a fine start. Your feature fabric is awesome!
Thank you, Paulette! Your visit and encouragement is greatly appreciated.
Whew! I've been cutting all weekend! I still have about 200 3×3 squares to cut. I'm doing this scrappy – and my sewing room is looking better as the scraps get tamed.I haven't chosen my feature fabric yet though – – what should I consider in choosing this?
Hi Nancy-Rose! I chose something that had a neutral feel to it, buthad some blue and green in it. Did you see the pictures of thatfabric on my blog or in the Flickr group?Here is a link to the Flickr group….http://www.flickr.com/groups/2197167@N25/In the second picture, the fabric on the top is my feature fabric.In the fourth picture, the feature fabric is the large square and theaccent fabric is the brown star points off the large square.Glad to hear you scraps are getting tamed! This project will help that a lot!I'd love to see some of your progress if you get a chance to sharesome pictures to the Flickr group as you go.I started sewing my rows today and will be sharing more pictures tomorrow!