Premium Online Quilt Magazine – Vol. 4 No. 11 Online Quilt ... · two and the perfect little project. I believe mug rugs are the perfect little project for so many reasons. Firstly

Premium Online Quilt Magazine – Vol. 4 No. 11

© Online Quilt Magazine.com All Rights Reserved P a g e | 1

Online Quilt Magazine.com

Premium Issue Vol.4 No.11 – November 2013

Experimenting

In Your

Quilting

Color Play and

Ruler Rant

CHRISTMAS

PROJECT –

Mistletoe Mug Rug

MAKE A

Quilted Jelly

Roll Sewing

Machine Cover

Handmade

Quilt-making

in 1933



Online Quilt Magazine Table of Contents

Mug Rugs at Christmas ………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………………..…………………………………..………. Page 4

PROJECT – Mistletoe Mug Rug ………..……………………………………………………..…..……..………………….……………………………….…………………….………………...…. Page 7

Color Play and Ruler Rant ……………………………………….………………………………………………….…………………………..……………….…………………………………………

PROJECT – Quilted Jelly Roll Sewing Machine Cover ..………….……………….………..……………..……….………………………..……..…………………………….…………..

Page 11

Page 15

How To Make An Easy Quilt Label …………..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

What’s New from The Fat Quarter Shop ……………………………………..…………………………….………………………………………………………………………..……………….

Hints and Tips From Brannie …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………….

PROJECT – Tic Tac Toe Quilt ………………………………………………………..…………………………….………………………………………………………………………..……………….

Experimenting In Your Quilting …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Decorating With Quilts ……..………………..…..……………...…………………………..…………………….…………………………………………….………………………………………….

Page 21

Page 24

Page 27

Page 29

Page 34

Page 38

Handmade Quilt Making in 1933 ……..……………………………………………………………………………………..…………….……………………………………………………………

Book Review – “Quick and Easy Hexie Quilts” by Dr Peggy Rhodes & Julia Wood ………………..….………….………………………………………..…………………….

Reader “Show and Tell” …………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………….……………………………….………………………………...…

Page 41

Page 44

Page 46

BLOCK OF THE MONTH – Cats and Mice ………..………………..…..……………….……….......................................................................................................... Page 50

Today's Tips.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Page 53

YES – We Want To hear From You .............................................................................................................................................................................. Page 54



Letter from the Editor

Jody Anderson

Hi!

Since the countdown to Christmas had started (and there’s stuff in all the shops), who am I to resist?

We’re easing in slowly though this month, with another gorgeous Mug Rug project from The Patchsmith.

This is quick and easy to make, and will make great stocking fillers or gifts for those ‘Secret Santa’

occasions.

Now that my very first book has been published (yes – I’m still buzzing about it!), I was able to use up

some of my leftover Jelly Roll strips, and I have to confess, I’m quite taken with my Quilted Jelly Roll

Sewing Machine Cover project too. (It’s on my machine, and fits perfectly over the back of my chair too

when I’m sewing!)

Rose has another quilt project, there’s more fabrics to check out, more articles, and it was even a brown

furry ‘quilting assistant’s’ Birthday too…

Have a great month!

Jody



Christmas is such a busy time. There is so much

to do and the list just keeps on growing. Adding

homemade gifts to that list can seem like one

task too many. But it doesn’t have to be.

It is possible to create lovely quilted gifts and

enjoy some quiet time. All it takes is an hour or

two and the perfect little project. I believe mug

rugs are the perfect little project for so many

reasons.

Firstly a mug rug is quick to make and can be

fitted into a spare hour or two – which may be all

the time you have. Slow down to the steady

whirr of the sewing machine and a short time

later you will be rewarded with a wonderful little

piece of fabric art.

What is more, they require only a small amount

of fabric, so you will already have all the materials

you need to complete one of these functional

Mug Rugs at Christmas

By The Patchsmith from http://thepatchsmith.blogspot.com.au/



little quilts. There is no need to add to the

growing shopping list or the Christmas budget!

Just pull out your scrap box, pick your fabrics and

away you go.

Mug rugs can be as simple or as complicated as

your time and skill allows. With the right pattern

they also lend themselves to batch-making - it is

just as easy to cut for two mug rugs as it is to cut

for one. You will find the rhythm and order of

batch sewing the perfect antidote to the hustle-

and-bustle of the festive season.

And if you don’t finish the mug rugs in one sitting

it really doesn’t matter as they are the perfect

portable project.

You can begin stitching them on the sewing

machine and finish them by hand in front of the

fire. Or pop an unfinished mug rug into your bag,

ready to add a stitch or two whenever there is a

moment in your busy schedule. You’ll be

surprised at how few moments it takes to

complete the binding or sew on a button.



So close your sewing room door, reacquaint

yourself with your favourite sewing tools and

create a unique and colourful gift this Christmas.

Not only will friends and relatives admire your

handiwork, they will also wonder at your superb

time management skills. They need never know

their handmade gift was quicker to make than

the Christmas cake!

To get you started I have included my Mistletoe

Mug Rug, from my Christmas Mug Rugs

collection, just for you.

About the author:

Amanda Weatherill is the Patchsmith. Amanda lives in a

little village in the English countryside where she spends

her days patching and playing with fabric. She particularly

enjoys designing mug rug patterns. Visit her Craftsy shop to

view more of her fun designs and check out the Patchsmith

for hints and tips on creating these lovely little quilts.

Patchsmith Craftsy Store -

http://www.craftsy.com/user/853279/pattern-store

Patchsmith Blog - http://thepatchsmith.blogspot.co.uk/

What's Christmas without all those lovely handmade goodies?

This set of 10

Different Christmas

projects on CD-Rom

has something for

everyone.

Order your copy Now

at:

www.Quilts-n-Bags.com



(Size before quilting 9½” x 6½”)

FABRIC REQUIREMENTS/Cutting:

Patched Background:

Fabric A: Four 2” corner squares

Fabric B: Two 2” x 3½” rectangles

Two 6½” x 2” rectangles

Center: Four 3½” x 2” rectangles

One 6” square of green fabric for mistletoe leaves

Four small flat cream buttons (or a 2” square of

cream felt)

One 11” x 8” rectangle of cotton fabric for

backing

One 11” x 8” rectangle of lightweight batting

8” square fusible webbing (i.e. Bondaweb /

Wonder Under)

1 yard of 1¼” binding fabric (i.e. bias binding or

cotton strips)

Stranded Embroidery Cotton

Project – Mistletoe Mug Rug

From The Patchsmith from http://thepatchsmith.blogspot.com.au/



General Instructions:

Read through all instructions before beginning.

All seam allowances are ¼” and are included in

cutting sizes.

Press seam allowance towards the darker fabric

wherever possible.

When printing the appliqué sheet select ‘Actual

Size’ on the print screen.

MUG RUG BACKGROUND

1. With RIGHT sides together stitch the four

center rectangles together as shown.

Press. Unit should measure 6½” x 3½”.

2. Stitch a 6½” x 2” fabric B rectangle to the

top and bottom of the center unit. Press.

Unit should measure 6½” square.

3. Stitch a 2” fabric A square to each end of

the two remaining 2” x 3½” fabric B

rectangles. Press. Units should measure

6½” x 2”.

4. Stitch these two units to either side of the

patched square to complete the mug rug



background. The mug rug should measure

9½” x 6½”. Press.

APPLIQUE

5. From the appliqué sheet, trace twelve

mistletoe leaves onto the paper side of

the fusible webbing. Cut out the shapes

roughly - do not cut out accurately along

the lines at this stage. Following the

manufacturer’s instructions iron the

fusible webbing cut-outs onto the

WRONG side of your chosen fabric.

6. Allow to cool then cut out the leaves

accurately along the traced lines. Peel

the paper from each shape. Position the

leaves onto the mug rug as shown on the

appliqué page. Leave at least ¼” between

the leaves and the edge of the mug rug to

allow for the binding. When happy with

the placement, iron to fuse the pieces in

place.

7. Stitch all pieces in place by hand or

machine.

FINISHING

8. Lay the 11” x 8” backing rectangle, wrong

side facing up and place the batting on

top. Position the mug rug centrally on top

with right side facing up. Baste or pin all

three layers together, ensuring that the

backing and top remain flat and smooth.

Quilt in the ditch on all seams and add any

additional quilting as desired.

I outline quilted around each leaf.

9. Once all quilting has been completed, trim

backing and batting to the same size as



the mug rug top. Bind the mug rug using

the binding method of your choice. I used

a single-fold 1¼” binding.

10. Finally add a button to each corner of the

center rectangle. (Alternatively you could

add a circle of cream felt in place of the

button.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

******* The Patchsmith’s

Christmas Mug Rugs Collection Need a quick and easy gift for the holiday

season?

Ten festive mug rug patterns combined in

one handy booklet.

Only US$9.99

For details of this and all Patchsmith patterns

visit the Patchsmith’s Craftsy store

http://www.craftsy.com/user/853279/pattern-store



It's Wednesday and I'm still playing with pretty

colors!

Hmm...I don't think I have enough red here. I

must have more RED! Lol.

This week I also received a rather timely question

about rotary cutting rulers. Since I'm busy cutting

up a storm it was easy to shoot some pics and

share the goods with everyone! Here's the

question:

"Hi Leah, You said something on one of your

videos about using the same kind of rulers. What

is the brand that you use? I'm just starting out

with quilting and would like to be on the right

track with my measurements."

This is a great question, especially for someone

just starting out. The quilting world has really

blown up in the last 3 years especially with more

tools, rulers, gizmos, and gadgets than ever

before. What is really necessary to get started?

The short answer is not much. You will need a

cutting mat, rotary cutter, and some rulers. This

quilter's question was specifically about rulers so

let's focus on that specifically.

Color Play and Ruler Rant

By Leah Day from www.FreeMotionQuilt.blogspot.com



The key to rulers is finding something that works

for YOU. And yes, you should pick just one brand

of rulers and stick with it exclusively.

Why?

All rulers are marked differently. In fact, some

companies have even patented the way they

mark their rulers (ridiculous!) so some rulers are

marked more clearly than others. And because

rulers are marked so specifically, switching from

one brand to another might be a recipe for

cutting disaster.

For example, if you get a 12.5" ruler, how is the

extra 1/2 inch marked out? It's really easy to flip

your ruler around while cutting and accidentally

cut 1/2 inch bigger or smaller without meaning

to. If you switch from one brand to another, are

they marked the same or different?

The marks on a ruler itself can also be thick or

thin and this changes with every manufacturer.

When you line up your ruler on your fabric, you

need to INCLUDE the line you are measuring to.

Yes, measuring to include or exclude just the

marking line can make a difference in how

accurate your cut is.

But some rulers have super wide lines that are

meant for the fabric to line up through the

middle of the line. These I find flat out confusing

and refuse to use them. Still, some quilters swear

by them.

The trick again is to have ONE method of

measuring, one type of line to line up with, so you

have the greatest chance of cutting properly and

the least chance of accidently cutting a piece or

strip too small.



Personally I got started with Optima brand rulers

back in 2005 and I still have my original set - 12.5"

square, 6" x 24" rectangle, and 6" x 12.5"

rectangle. Unfortunately Optima rulers are no

longer being made even though they were some

of the most clear and easy to use rulers of all the

different brands.

Yes, this really is what I started quilting with - just

3 rulers - and these served me for more than 4

years before I needed different shapes. I really

don't think you need much more than a 12.5"

square and a long rectangular ruler to cut 99% of

the things you'll want to cut in your first years

quilting.

So when is it time to buy different rulers?

I've invested in a handful of special rulers that do

really specific things. These rulers have been

investments for particular quilts or projects and

they're definitely fun to have around, but...I

haven't used them much after the project they

were intended for.



So understand that special rulers definitely help

for really special projects, but after it's all over,

you might not ever use it again. It's really easy to

amass a lot of junk as a quilter, so take it from a

serious junkie - resist the temptation to cover

your wall with rulers as long as you can!

Now that is the minimalists approach to ruler

buying - get two shapes of the same brand and

cut away!

Let's go quilt,

Leah Day

About the Author: Leah Day is the author of the Free

Motion Quilting Project, a blog project dedicated to

creating new free motion quilting designs each week and

sharing them all for FREE! Leah is also the author of From

Daisy to Paisley - 50 Beginner Free Motion Quilting Designs,

a spiral bound book featuring 50 designs from the project,

and she now has three Free Motion Quilting classes

available through Craftsy.com. www.daystyledesigns.com

OUT NOW!!!

Available through www.AmericanQuilter.com

and your local craft book store. (I have copies

coming for Australia too…)



Project – Quilted Jelly Roll Sewing Machine Cover

By Jody Anderson from www.QuiltBlockoftheMonthClub.com

This practical project is perfect for using up some left over Jelly Roll strips. I had some favourite strips left

over after I’d made a bag, and as I also needed something to keep the dust off my machine, this was a

great combination!

This cover measures 9 inches wide x 17 inches long and 12 inches high.



You Will Need:

A selection of 2½ inch (Jelly Roll) strips. I used the ones I had for as much variety of fabric as I could

manage. You will need at least the equivalent of half a roll (20 strips minimum – maybe more.)

½ metre ( ½ yard) plain fabric for contrast strips and binding

¾ metre (1 yard) fabric for backing

¾ metre (1 yard) batting

Construction:

First, piece the french braid style panels. The images below are from a different project, but will

demonstrate how to piece the strips.

Piece the front French Braid panel from the 2 ½ inch strips. This is really easy, and is pieced in a similar

fashion to making a Log Cabin quilt block.



Start with a 2 ½ inch square, sewn to the

lower edge of a 7 inch strip as shown.

Press seam and open out for the top of the

braided panel.

Add a 7 inch strip to the first pair as shown.

Open out and press each seam as you go.

Add another strip to the right hand side,

matching the lower edge each time you add

a strip.



Add another strip to the left hand side.

Add further strips in order as shown

until you reach your desired length.

There are two long pieced panels for the main panel of the cover. Use at least 7 inch length strips for this,

and you will have enough width for the panels.

It is easier to piece one long French braid panel and then cut the two sewing machine cover main strips

from that.

Press well, and cut two long panels measuring 6 inches x 33 inches.

Make the two side panels in the same way, using 9 inch length strips to make the french braid panel.

From the one long pieced strip, cut two rectangles measuring 9½ inches x 12½ inches.



Assembly:

From the plain fabric, cut two strips measuring 2 inches x 33 inches

From the plain fabric, cut one strip measuring 2½ inches x 33 inches

Join the two long pieced jelly roll panels with the 2½ inch contrast fabric strip in the middle. Arrange the

pieced strips so the pattern points in opposite directions as shown.

Sew a 2 inch contrast fabric strip to each side of that panel and press well.

From the backing and batting, cut rectangles slightly larger than the pieced top panels, and layer to quilt.

Lay the backing face down on a flat surface, then add the batting and top (right side up) on top of that.

Smooth out the layers and pin baste.

We quilted in the ditch following the chevron design (as shown below). Quilt the three panels and trim to

square up the sides.

Fold the large centre panel in half to find the side centre points and mark with a pin. Fold the side panels

in half too. With right sides together, sew the side panels to the centre panel as shown above, making

sure to start and stop a ¼ - ½ inch from each edge.

The inner seams are bound, so you will need to cut sufficient 2 ½ inch strips from your backing fabric to do

this as well.

Join these binding strips together with 45 degree seams and fold in half and press with wrong sides

together (if required). Cut two 9½ inch lengths to bind the top seams.



Matching raw edges, sew the binding to the seam

(starting and stopping a ½ inch from each end),

then fold it over to the other side, pin and

carefully stitch again from the first side, to catch

the folded binding underneath.

Now, sew the sides together to form the cover. As

you did for the top edge, bind each of the side

seams too. Allow lightly longer length with the

binding strips, so you can tuck in the raw edges

before attaching the binding to the side seams.

Finally, cut sufficient 2½ inch binding strips from

the plain contrast fabric to finish the cover lower

edge. Join with 45 degree seams as you did

before and sew the binding to the sewing machine

cover before folding over and finishing by machine

or hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For more great quilt patterns, go to:

www.QuiltBlockoftheMonthClub.com



Quilt labels are extremely important because

they capture the vital information of the quilt and

allow the history of the quilt to live on and on

throughout many generations.

While making quilt labels for your quilt is often

the last thing anyone wants to do, it is actually

easier than you might think. And trust me, the

value of your label will be appreciated by future

generations.

Let me show you an easy method for making quilt

labels that will not require much effort, but will

produce a first-class result. Before you begin

making your quilt label, think about what you

want to go on your label. Here are three

essentials, I always include:

• Who Made the Quilt (Who pieced it, and who

quilted it, if different)

• City, State, or Country of where the quilt was

made and pieced

• Date the quilt was finished

Additional information that could be included:

• Name of the quilt (An original title or name of

traditional pattern, such as Log Cabin)

• Type of quilt (Civil War Era, Vintage 1930's,

Wholecloth, Contemporary, etc.)

• Personal message (Merry Christmas-Love,

Mom)

Now that I have given you a little background

information on what basic quilt labels look like,

How To Make An Easy Quilt Label

by Cathy Thomas, from http://littlehousequilts.com/



let me share with you some simple instructions

for how to make an easy quilt label.

EASY QUILT LABELS

1. Take a piece of muslin or light-colored fabric.

This should be a big enough piece to easily

include all the information discussed previously.

It should also be a light enough color for your pen

to show up.

2. Take four 1 ½ inch strips of fabric left over from

the quilt top. Two strips should be cut to the

width of your label; the other two should equal

the length plus 3 inches.

3. Sew the two short pieces to each side of the

fabric that you cut out for the label. Then, attach

the longer strips to the other sides.

4. Cut a piece of cloth fusible interfacing (not to

be confused with paper fusible products) the

same size as the finished muslin piece including

borders.

5. Sew the right side of the label and the fusible

side of the interfacing together with a ¼ inch

seam leaving a small opening for turning. Turn to

the right side and record your information with a

permanent marking pen on the muslin side.

6. Place label with the fusible side down on the

quilt backing fabric. Make sure the label is not too

close to the edge of the backing, taking into

consideration the extra 3 - 6 inches of backing

most longarm quilters require.

7. Finally, iron the label to the backing, which will

permanently set the ink and also secure the label

to the fabric to prevent slipping while machine

stitching.

8. Machine stitch the label in place using a

buttonhole or small zigzag stitch.

There you have it. In just about half an hour or

less, you will be able to make beautiful quilt

labels that will stay with your masterpiece

forever. Now future generations will always know

the history of your quilt as it is passed on. Trust



me, they will thank you for taking the time to give

the quilt a label.

Do you want to learn more about quilting? Learn

many great tips and tricks when you sign up for

Cat's Newsletter. Do you like to browse quilt

patterns? Cat has many new patterns and designs

to check out.

About the Author: Pattern Design by Cathy Thomas, owner

of Cat's Creations and Little House Quilting. Cathy Thomas

is the mother of four and grandmother of four. She has

been a professional longarm quilter for the past nine and a

half years and has more recently launched her own pattern

line and blog. To find out more about Cathy and her work,

click the link above to visit her blog.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cathy_Thomas



We're pleased to be able to bring you a selection

each month of the Newest Fabric Releases and

the new season fabric "must haves".

Vin Du Jour by 3 Sisters for Moda Fabrics

Let’s toast with 3 Sisters! Their latest collection

for Moda Fabrics was inspired by the French wine

region.

Vin du Jour is ripe with flourishing blooms,

delicate vines, and a picturesque toil!

This sophisticated collection is sure to please the

most discerning of palates.

Check it out at:

http://www.fatquartershop.com/Vin-Du-Jour-3-

Sisters-Moda-Fabrics.asp

What's New from The Fat Quarter Shop

From Kimberly Jolly at www.FatQuarterShop.com



Soho Chic by Sandy Gervais for Moda Fabrics

Do you dream of life in the big city?

Sandy Gervias captures the energy and

uniqueness of the SoHo neighborhood in New

York City with her latest collection for Moda

Fabrics! The vibrant chartreuses, punchy purples,

and bold blacks of Soho Chic bring you to the

heart of NYC!

See more at:

http://www.fatquartershop.com/Soho-Chic-Sandy-

Gervais-Moda-Fabrics.asp



Wrens & Friends by Gina Martin for Moda

Fabrics

Bright, graphic, whimsical patterns depicting

birds, bird houses, and garden flowers pop in this

premier collection from Gina Martin for Moda

Fabrics. Wrens & Friends was inspired by the

gardening and bird loving ladies in her family.

Her mother and grandmother can be found in

their gardens all summer long!

View the range at:

http://www.fatquartershop.com/Wrens-and-Friends-

Gina-Martin-Moda-Fabrics.asp

Floral Gatherings by Primitive Gatherings for

Moda Fabrics

Take a breath of fresh air with Primitive

Gatherings! Floral Gatherings, the latest

Primitive Gatherings collection for Moda Fabrics,

is filled with soft floral prints in Springtime hues!

See this collection at:

http://www.fatquartershop.com/Floral-Gatherings-

Primitive-Gatherings-Moda-Fabrics.asp



"What's in a name?" I ask myself. They call me so

many different things.

Do all you other Quilty-cats have lots of names, or

is it just me?

"Hey, Funny Face. What are you up to?" Mum

will say when I stroll by. "There's a Catty Poodle

waiting for us!" she'll sing out when they come

back from shopping.

My Dad is a bit more direct. "Hey You. Cat! Leave

my shoes alone!" he'll yell. ( He has one special

pair of shoes he hides in the cupboard. The

stringy bits are very chewable, so I have to be

quick and quiet.)

Sometimes he'll shout "B.B." at me. That comes

from him calling me Brownie Britches or Brownie

Bu...er...Bottom.

I jumped up into the shelves with soft stuff the

other day when Mum slid open the door to put

towels away. She saw me unfortunately, held the

door open and shouted "Out! Out damned Spot.

Out I say!"

I raced up to the front room. Why did she call me

Spot?? I'm almost sure I heard her mutter "...or

get thee to a Cattery" as I flashed past.

I do actually have a few stray white hairs here or

there, but you wouldn't call them spots. I have a

birthday next week. I'm going to be a Big Girl

Ten!

Mum says I've passed her, now. I don't know

how she worked that out. Ten sounds good to

me - that's both whole front paws!

Hints and Tips From Brannie

By "Brannie" Mira-Bateman



I can add up. It's Mum that has trouble. She is

standing in front of the cutting table now

saying..."4 1/2 inch squares...then 3 7/8

inch.....cross cut twice...."

I know that when she really wants me to come to

see something out the window she calls

"Brannie!" loudly and then I run like mad because

it's often a bird or rabbit really close and I like to

see them.

Quilty-Mums are funny aren't they? It doesn't

really matter what they call us Quilty Cats, as long

as they find us helpful.

Love Brannie,

the Quilt Block of the Month Club Cat!



PROJECT – Tic Tac Toe Quilt Pattern

By Rose Smith from www.ludlowquiltandsew.co.uk

I have made this tic tac toe quilt in black and white fabrics only. It is

based on the tic tac toe quilt block and measures 46″ square.

I have used four different black fabrics with one white fabric: total

fabric usage of 1 yard black fabric and 1.1/2 yards white fabric.

Cutting requirements for the tic tac toe quilt

2.1/2″ squares: one hundred and eight black, one hundred and forty four white

2.7/8″ squares: thirty six each of black and white

You will also need eight 2.1/2″ white strips and four 1.1/2″ black strips for the quilt borders (that’s cut

across the width of fabric).



Making the first tic tac toe quilt block

The tic tac toe quilt block has two main components.

The first one is a straightforward nine patch block. This is made with five

black 2.1/2″ squares and four white 2.1/2″ squares laid out in three rows

of three squares.

Normally I would suggest sewing together strips of black and white to

speed up the piecing, but I didn’t use much strip piecing for this quilt

because I wanted to use several different blacks within each nine patch

unit.

What I did do was sew together one black strip with one white strip and

cut that at 2.1/2″ intervals. This gave me a few double squares for the nine

patch units which I could then use with different black squares.

If you look at the photo above you’ll see that some of the squares are

already sewn together – they are the double squares from the strip

piecing. Sew the squares together across each row and then sew the rows

together.

Make eighteen of these.



Making the second tic tac toe quilt block

The second quilt block you may know as the

shoofly block.

This is still a nine patch block but you will need

four half square triangles for each block. To make

these, place a black and a white 2.7/8″ square with

right sides together and mark a line along the

diagonal.

Sew a 1/4″ seam either side of the marked line

and cut along the line to produce two half square

triangle units.

Sew the squares together across each row and

then sew the rows together. Make eighteen of

these.

The complete tic tac toe quilt block consists of two

of each of the nine patch blocks, placed diagonally

opposite each other. Sew these together in pairs

and then sew the pairs together. You should now

have nine tic tac toe quilt blocks.



Assembling the quilt

Sew the blocks together in three rows of three

blocks each, with the blocks rotated - the first

block having the nine patch unit on the top left

and the second block having the shoofly block on

the top left.

Quilt borders

For the first quilt border I sewed 2.1/2″ white

strips to the quilt – two at 36.1/2″ for the top and

bottom of the quilt and two at 40.1/2″ for the

sides.

For the second border I sewed 1.1/2″ strips of

one of the black fabrics to the quilt – two at

40.1/2″ long for the top and bottom and two at

42.1/2″ long for the sides.



The third and final quilt border was made using 2.1/2″ strips of white

fabric again – two at 42.1/2″ long for the top and bottom of the quilt

and two at 46.1/2″ long for the sides.

The tic tac toe quilt is now complete.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the Designer:

Rose Smith was born and brought up in Zambia in Africa. She moved to the UK when she was 18 and now lives in

Shropshire, indulging her passion for quilting and sewing. She has sewn all her life - ‘anything that stood still long enough’

in the words of her children - but now finds that patchwork and quilting have taken over her life. She indulges this passion

by posting patterns and tutorials on her website for all to share. www.ludlowquiltandsew.co.uk

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One of the best quilting tips I had ever heard was

to experiment. “Experimenting” sounds rather

frustrating sometimes. After all, we want to make

our quilts perfect the first time and

“experimenting” alludes to some trial and error.

But experimenting can take your quilting to new

levels. Take, for instance, the idea of quilting with

neon, glow in the dark thread.

Wouldn’t that just be the perfect accent on a

quilt made for a teen? Actually, it would be great

for anyone who loves black light art. It sounds like

it’s worth trying.

This isn’t a “must have” tool, but if you love to try

new things in your quilting it is certainly a “must

try.”

Glow in the dark thread is not exactly new, but

people have been experimenting with it, with

great results!

Several companies are producing glow in the dark

threads. There's YLI Linda Taylor by Design neon

threads, Coats & Clark and Robinson- Anton-

Moonglow also make glow in the dark threads.

Quilting by Dusty Farrell

Experimenting In Your Quilting

By Penny Halgren from www.How-To-Quilt.com



Now, these are not tagged as quilting threads;

they are labelled for machine embroidery. You

won’t find every color under the sun, but you will

find several basic thread colors like white, yellow,

natural, pink, pale blue, etc.

Try your hand at stippling or free motion quilting

as one of your first neon thread projects. Or, try

using a stencilled motif you already have. If you

are not convinced you’ll be crazy about the

results, try a small project first.

For a first time project, give a whole cloth quilt a

try. This will allow your neon stitching to be the

sole focus of the quilt. Then, try a pieced project.

You may decide to quilt only in the solid areas of

your pieced quilt or you may even decide to give

stitching in the ditch a try.

Remember, glow in the dark quilting isn’t meant

for every project you have. But it can be a lot of

fun and can bring a level of edgy coolness to your

quilting!



You can find some online through a google

search, or at: http://www.glo-net.com/glow-

thread.html .

Maybe you’re not quite ready to cross into the

glow-in-the-dark side of quilting, but you can

learn to loosen up a little so you can expand your

quilting horizons.

Start with a small change. Use a quilt block

pattern you have never used before. If you

habitually make a quilt using the same block

throughout, create a sampler quilt instead. If you

always coordinate your colors perfectly, try for a

look that’s more random or “scrappy.” You might

just be surprised with the look that results!

Another option is to use a pattern you are

accustomed to, but colors you are not. If you tend

to lean to pastels, go bright (and vice versa).

Give appliqué a try if you are normally a quilt

piecer. If you are not accustomed to this

technique, buy a kit or pattern that outlines the

directions for you. If you are familiar with the

3DollarBOM.com

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appliqué technique, design your own for a

change. Be creative with your motifs.

Experiment with borders. Make them wider or

thinner than usual just to try something new. Do

the same with your bindings. If you generally self-

bind your quilts by folding the back over to the

front, try making your own binding strips and

learn to miter corners.

There are so many ways that experimenting will

help you with your quilting. We all know that

practice makes perfect, but adding new patterns,

techniques, colors, etc., will keep your hobby (or

business) alive and interesting.

When you see something interesting in a

magazine or online that you want to try, make a

copy to put in an “Experiment” folder. Once you

start accumulating ideas in this folder, you will

probably begin to refer to it as an inspiration or

motivation folder. Then, one day when you

happen to find yourself in between quilt projects,

grab an idea from the folder and begin to create.

Giving new ideas a try or experimenting with

products and projects you’ve never tried before is

a great tip to keep your quilting interesting and a

good way to expand your quilting knowledge.

About the Author: Penny Halgren is a quilter of more

than 27 years, and enjoys sharing her love of quilting

with others. Sign up for her free quilting tips, quilt

patterns, and newsletter at

http://www.How-to-Quilt.com

Keep up to Date with What’s Happening on our

Facebook Page – Do You Love Quilting Too?

Bonus blocks, hints and tips added all the time!!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Do-

You-Love-Quilting-Too/271888039492644



You know cuddling up with a quilt is one of life's

small pleasures. A good book, a cup of hot

chocolate, a roaring fire - the picture just isn't

complete without a comfy quilt to wrap yourself

in.

But quilts can be so much more. Including custom

quilts as part of the decor is one of the easiest

ways to add warmth to your home's design.

In addition to the obvious benefits of color and

pattern, quilted fabric accessories add genuine

physical, and even emotional, comfort to the

rooms in which we live.

Quilts in the Living Room

Today's homes often have cathedral ceilings in

the living or great room. Such high ceilings can

make the home feel spacious, but sometimes

leave it feeling a little cold, too. Plus, it can be

hard to find art work large enough to balance the

grand walls and make the space feel welcoming.

An oversized quilt can be the answer. Its

considerable size can fill in a blank wall while it

color and design complements your decor. (As an

added bonus, the cost of quilt will often be less

than the cost of a painting of equal size.)

Quilts in the Family Room

The family room got its name because it's the

room your family comes together in - it's where

you gather to relax, talk about your day and shut

out the world.

But what if your family room windows open right

into the neighbors' family room windows? Just

close your quilted curtains - insulated panels and

Decorating With Quilts

By Deidre McLeod from www.whimziequiltz.com



roman shades are two types of window coverings

tailor-made for quilts.

Think about what else you do in the family room.

You watch TV, maybe even play games. Now,

imagine a cute, colorful quilt covering the table

that you all collect around for Scrabble. It'll make

banging your head after losing - again - so much

more comfortable.

Quilts in the Dining Room

Whether you are sitting down for a quick bite, a

romantic meal or a Thanksgiving feast, consider

dressing your dining room table with a table

runner to match the spirit of the moment.

It's not only one of the best ways to add a little

color and cheer, but a quilted table runner or

table cloth can protect your table from hot dishes

and accidental spills, too.

Quilts in the Bedroom

Nothing can be better than getting ready for a

good night's sleep than by slipping under a

quilted bed cover made just for you. Having

brightened your room all day, it now offers

comfort and warmth for the cold night ahead.

And don't forget the fun, new trend in bedroom

decorating today - bed toppers. These smaller

quilts, designed to coordinate with your existing

comforter, can be made in various colors or

themes (for example, a holiday topper).

It's an easy way to update or freshen a bedroom

without replacing your expensive current bedding

or buying lots of comforters that you then need

to find a place to store.

Quilts in the Nursery

From the minute you bring baby home, you want

your precious new family member to know he or

she is wrapped in love. Of course, a soft, warm

quilted blankie is a given. But you can show your

love with a quilted crib set designed especially for

the nursery, too.



Add quilted toys to complete the picture. Fabric

blocks, dolls, stuffed animals, even cloth books

are safe for baby to play with and easy to clean -

just toss them in the wash.

Quilts in the Bathroom

The master bath is probably the last place you'd

expect a quilt, but why not? Just remember to

use a plastic liner and a quilt can make one of the

most sophisticated, and unique, shower curtains

you've ever seen.

The ways that quilts can be incorporated in

interior design don't have to end here. No matter

the number or size of the rooms in your house,

you can consider custom quilts as the perfect

choice practically anywhere fabric is called for!

About the Author: Author and quilt creator Deidre McLeod

invites you to decorate - room by room - with custom quilts

from Whimzie Quiltz and More. Have a quilt created just for

you or your loved one at http://www.whimziequiltz.com.

FREE initial designs; no obligation. Whimzie Quiltz and

More - Creating the Quilt You’ve Always Wanted.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deidre_McLeod

Conquer Strip Piecing Techniques. . .

No More Wasted Time and

Frustration Sewing Your Blocks

Together

When you begin a new quilt project, do you sometimes feel like you are fighting

a war? First you face the “Battle of the Quilt Blocks.” For me, at least,

sometimes it’s a challenge just to choose a block or two for a quilt. The first one

may look too hard. The second one may use too many different fabrics.

Then after you have spent hours – maybe even days – eliminating blocks, you

find one that is just right. Or at least, you’ll be happy using it in your brand new

quilt.

Ahhhh – a sigh of relief!

Next, it’s time to look at the color scheme and fabrics to use. Finally, you have

everything set and you’re ready to cut your fabric. Faced with cutting a bazillion

little squares, you stop and think “there must be a better way!”

And, truly, there is – Strip Piecing!

With the advent of the rotary cutter, quilters figured out that they could sew

strips together and then cut the “strip units” into segments to sew into blocks –

rows of squares, alternating rectangles and squares, and more.

Using this technique, your cutting and sewing time for each quilt is slashed –

leaving you time to make more quilts! In our brand new DVD Mentor –

Conquering Strip Piecing – you’ll see just how this works, and learn how to

make a beautiful quilt with complicated-looking borders, too.

To get all of the details, visit:

http://how-to-quilt.com/strippiecedquilt.php



In the spring of 1933 my great grandmother, Effie

Bernice Hunt, began a labor of love at her kitchen

table: a 25 week-long handmade quilt making

project of 25 applique quilt blocks.

Each handmade quilt block featured a different

flower beloved in the Pacific Northwest and

ranged from the camellia, to the gladiolus to

bluebells. The patterns were published weekly in

the Sunday Oregonian newspaper.

A full 60 years later I assembled those fragile

polished cotton, handmade quilt blocks into the

gorgeous finished "Modernistic Flower Applique

Quilt."

Effie had very thoughtfully tucked the directions

in among the completed applique quilt blocks for

the final quilt assembly. What a beautiful

handmade quilt and portrait of the past she

bequeathed to me!

The family story goes that the heart of Effie's

handmade quilt making operation, and she made

many applique quilts and patchwork quilts, was

at the kitchen table in front of her beloved, huge

radio set stationed smack in the middle of

everything.

My particular applique quilt was gradually given

birth to over a weekly basis beginning in the

spring of 1933.

While the entire family's life revolved around that

kitchen "command center," my father remembers

being shooed out to play when his grandmother

claimed her "alone time." The kitchen resolutely

became off limits but for handmade quilt making

and radio time!

Handmade Quilt Making in 1933

By Laurie Monahan from www.whimziequiltz.com



Effie set aside this time daily to work on the

weekly handmade quilt block, to soak up her

favorite radio dramas and to listen to the world's

breaking news. She is remembered as being a

history buff and a news junkie!

Imagine some of the awareness sewn into my

handmade quilt: in 1933 Hitler became the

German chancellor, the Nazi's began their reign

of terror, Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated

as President of the United States and the New

Deal was launched. Postage for a letter then was

only 3 cents too!

So, on May 28, 1933 the Sunday newspaper

published the first weekly applique quilt block

pattern: "The Tulip," "associated with Holland

and spring and brilliance of hue...the tulip may be

made one of the most colorful in the quilt."

Buff or black were the suggested color choices for

the basis of the handmade quilt blocks and I love

how she chose black. The colors of the flowers

are so vivid and striking on this background that

they literally jump out from the applique quilt.

On Sunday, June 25th, applique quilt block #5

was published: "The Nasturtium." It pictures two

yellow spurred blossoms with one head-on view

and another viewed from the side.

My favorite part of this handmade quilt block are

the three plump, round leaves which are so

identifiable with the nasturtium plant. I have

grown these flowers for years because the

flowers are so delicious to eat in salads!

On Sunday, July 30th, applique quilt block #10

was published: "The Bluebell." The quilter is

advised to make the blue bells light in color for

conspicuousness and to make the stitching a

darker blue. The stitching used to connect the

bells to the stem and to form the stamens is to be

orange.

For some reason Effie did not connect the bells to

the stem with orange stitching but left them free



floating. Perhaps this was more modern to her

eye?

Almost two months later on October 1, applique

quilt block # 19 was published: "The Morning

Glory." The handmade quilt designer wrote that

this flower was included "...to enable the user of

the applique quilt who retires with the poppy

(handmade quilt block # 16) to greet the day with

the morning glory!

Following in Effie's footsteps and being a history

buff myself, I can imagine that while sewing this

handmade quilt block Effie could have been

listening to news stories about the repeal of

prohibition -- what a contrast!

And so, here is just a small historical vignette

about my great grandmother's personal context

and the art of handmade quilt making in the

1930's. What a wonderful gift and historical

portrait Effie left behind.

I feel so lucky to daily gaze upon this beautiful

"Modernistic Flower Applique Quilt" and to be

reminded of her life and the world as she knew it.

About the Author: Laurie Monahan currently lives in

Boston Massachusetts with her teenage daughter, two

great cats and teaches part time.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laurie_Monahan



“Quick and Easy Hexie Quilts” by Dr Peggy G.

Rhodes & Julia C. Wood

This book has 80 pages with 12 projects and a

whole new slant on these popular quilting

techniques.

The Quick and Easy Hexie Technique involves

cutting circles (from whatever circular object you

have - lids, saucers, cookie cutters etc. - then with

a few quick folds and stitches, you'll have a

hexagon with no pieces of plastic or paper to

remove. Die cutting machines can speed up this

cutting if you wish.

The 12 projects are quite varied and are a giant

step away from Grandma's Garden. There are

small, but appealing wallhangings using different

sizes of hexagons in appliqued flowers and a

colour wash effect in "Colour Explosion" which

resembles an impressionistic water colour, where

the individual hexagons can hardly be seen by

Book Review

By Annette Mira-Bateman from www.QuiltBlockoftheMonthClub.com



careful cutting of the floral fabric.

The large "Hexie Mania" quilt with some Kaffe

Fassett fabrics is a wonderful riot of colours and

can be made by beginner to advanced quilters.

The inclusion of a pictorial quilt and a modern

one will give you plenty of ideas to use hexagons

in whole new ways.

Step-by-step instructions and help in calculating

yardage, combined with advice on incorporating

hexies into other quilts will have your head

bursting with new ideas. A real "hexie

adventure". Give it a try.

"Quick and Easy Hexie Quilts" is published by AQS

Publishing, P.O. Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-

3290 or look up www.AmericanQuilter.com.

Also available from Amazon.

“Hexie Mania”

“Mickey Blue Eyes”



This month we continue our regular segment of

“Show and Tell” quilts made by our Online Quilt

Magazine Readers. It’s been another busy month

too!

We will include them as long as you can send

them to us, and that way we can all share in the

wealth of creativity and inspiration abundant

within our quilting community.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This is a quilt I have made for my foster son and

his new wife as a wedding present. The method is

from "Rings That Bind" by Cheryl Phillips but the

design is my own (good Canterbury colours). It is

on its way to the Gold Coast as I write.”

-Anne C., Christchurch, New

Zealand

Reader “Show and Tell”



(detail)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This quilt was made for my grandson, Ziggy. He

loved it.”

- Janet D., Albany West Australia

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



“Here are two of my quilts for your Show and Tell

section of the Magazine, I've called them

Lavender Fields and Razzle Dazzle.

I love getting your magazine and all its tips and

patterns.”

- Robyne R., Australia

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



“Just showing you a quilt I finished of Dreaming

Down Under. Everyone seems to like it, and my

daughter took it to New York and gave it as a gift

to people she stayed with.”

- Anna S., Western Australia

Keep those photos coming in please! We’ve

seen some great ones, and I’m sure there’s still

many more to share. Send your photo, and info

on your quilts to me at

[email protected]

Join The Club!



This month’s block is a lovely star/cross pieced

block, that has some wonderful effects when you

make a few and lay them out together.

To make this 12 inch block as shown, you will

need 4 different fabrics, and once you have

rotary cut the pieces according to the Cutting

Diagram, you can piece them together as shown.

Block of the Month







Today’s Tips:

Seeing as we’re off to the Quilt Market and Quilt

Festival this month in Houston, here's some of

our favourite tips for surviving the big day/s -

* Wear comfortable shoes! As much as we all like

to dress up for a big day out, comfy shoes will see

you actually enjoying your day without blisters or

squashed toes.

* Consider taking your own food. Again, we

know it's fun to have lunch out on your day out,

but to be honest, the food is usually overpriced

and just not that exciting. And after queuing for

45 minutes just to get a sandwich.... That's

wasted show time! If you want to buy lunch,

consider eating lunch a little earlier, before the

rush hits!

* Bring a large bag to carry your purchases home

in. Even better if you have one (and if it's allowed

at the Show), is one of those wheeled trolley bags

- you can fit a spare pair of shoes and your lunch,

AND all the new treasures you've acquired

throughout the day!

* Take advantage of the show brochures. If you

get them before-hand, take the time to read

them and plan out a bit of what you want to do

and see. There's nothing worse than discovering

a workshop you really wanted to do just finished

a half hour ago. And remember the show

discount coupons too....

* This may be the most important tip we have too

- acknowledge that by about 3pm, you've

reached what we call 'choc-o'clock', and you

really just should do something about it!! (We

do! Daily!!! Hmmmmmm......)

Please keep your handy “quilty” hints

and tips coming too – We’re always on

the lookout for great new ideas to

share!



YES, We Want to Hear From

You!

As our Online Magazine continues to grow each

month, we need your feedback in order for us to

continue to improve our publication for you.

• We want to know how you liked it.

• We want to know the topics you're

interested in.

• We want to know if you have any

suggestions, Hints or Tips of your own that

you'd like included, or if you know anyone

we should include a story on!

Please send me an email with your Testimonial,

Tip, Suggestion, “Show and Tell” Quilt or

Enhancement – I'd love to hear from you!

Send all emails to:

[email protected]

If you'd like to submit an Article, or a Project for

Publication, or take advantage of our Very Very

Reasonable Advertising Rates, please email details

or queries to Jody at

[email protected]

To subscribe to our Monthly Online Quilt

Magazine, please go to

www.OnlineQuiltMagazine.com and

register so you don’t miss another issue!

"Quilt-y" Quote…

* A family is pieced together with hope and

faith.

* Always remember you're unique. Just like

everyone else.

* Any day spent sewing, is a good day!

Documents

Premium Online Quilt Magazine – Vol. 4 No. 11 Online Quilt ... · two and the perfect little project. I believe mug rugs are the perfect little project for so many reasons. Firstly