Premium Online Quilt Magazine – Vol. 5 No. 12 Online Quilt ... · season offers odours of pine, mulberry, or cinnamon. Christmas carols are playing over the intercom system and

Premium Online Quilt Magazine – Vol. 5 No. 12

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

Online Quilt Magazine.com

Premium Issue Vol.5 No.12 – December 2014

TWO NEW

Christmas

Projects!

Recipe –

Christmas

Fudge

When Should You

Introduce Kids to

Quilting?

Common

Quilting

Questions

Answered

PROJECT –

Double Rail

Fence Quilt

Pattern



Online Quilt Magazine Table of Contents

Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas For Quilters To Make …….…………………………………………………...………………….…..…………………………………………..……….. Page 4

Common Quilting Questions Answered ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

PROJECT – Around Christmas Tablerunner…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Page 7

Page 11

The History of Penny Squares and Other Redwork…………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………….…………………….. Page 19

Hints and Tips From Brannie …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………………. Page 23

PROJECT –Christmas Potholders………………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 25

What’s New from The Fat Quarter Shop ……………………………………..…………………………….………………………………………………………………………..………………. Page 37

PROJECT – Double Rail Fence Quilt Pattern ………………………..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Page 40

When to Introduce Kids to Quilting………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 44

When Less is More……………………………………………….……..…………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………………………. Page 46

Choosing a Thimble for Hand Quilting …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 48

Book Reviews ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………..…………………………………..………….……………………………...

Recipe Corner – Christmas Fudge ………………………………………….…………………………………………..…..…………………………………………………………………………….

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

Page 51

Page 55

Page 56

BLOCK OF THE MONTH –Christmas Pine Block ……..………….……………………………………………...……………........................................................................ Page 59

Today's Tips.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Page 63

YES – We Want To hear From You .............................................................................................................................................................................. Page 64



Letter from the Editor

Jody Anderson

Hi!

Well what a week! Lucky me – I’ve just bought myself the Christmas present I wasn’t going to – a Brand

New computer!!! Yay … not! You may have heard that we’ve been having a series of quite nasty summer

thunderstorms here where I live in Australia, and a week or so ago, lightning strikes took out both our

home modem (and half of the house powerpoints), as well as frying my computer (and now I realise my

printer) at work. Hence, the new computer. Needless to say, we are still on getting-to-know-you terms,

but I’m sure our relationship will improve.

Never mind – it’s Christmas and the Holiday Season now, and I’m all for eat, drink, quilt and be merry!

You’ll find some fun new Christmas projects in here to try, and they’re all pretty quick, so you’ll still have

plenty of time to whip some up before the 25th

. Speaking of ‘whipping up’ – check out the Christmas

Fudge recipe too on page 55. Some for me, some for you… you know how this kind of cooking goes!

Annette and I would like to wish you and your families all the very best for this Holiday season, and for

the New Year. 2014 was great, and we know that 2015 is going to be even bigger and better!

Stay Safe, and enjoy the Holiday!

Jody



Christmas is around the corner, but there is still

time to make great Christmas gifts. If you have

been in a slump lately, the Christmas season may

be just the key to lift your spirits and energy.

There is no better gift than those made by loving

hands.

Regardless of whether you have a stash of

quilting fabric or not; visit the fabric stores. This

will help feed your brain with many ideas and

guide you towards making personalized

Christmas gifts for friends and family members.

Entering stores during the Christmas holiday

season offers odours of pine, mulberry, or

cinnamon. Christmas carols are playing over the

intercom system and customers and clerks are

smiling.

This environment will give you the necessary

boost to energize your quilting energies and stir

your mind for homemade Christmas gift ideas for

you to create and stitch.

If you are like me, you probably have a couple of

projects on the back burners and the visit to the

store will give the needed kick to get started.

Do not forget to pick up a couple of quilting

magazines or a quilting book as an additional

pick-me-up remedy. Consider taking a mini class

for updating your skills or making something that

you have never done.

If you think you need some extra help or would

enjoy the companionship invite a friend or two to

get started on the Christmas projects.

Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas For Quilters

To Make

By Tricia Deed from www.Infotrish.com



Not knowing how many gifts you would like to

make, you may consider listing your priorities and

noting the time frame to make each gift.

This will help you to avoid bringing undue stress

on yourself to meet the gift giving deadline.

Here is a list of homemade Christmas gift ideas

for quilters:

• Utility bags for grocery totes, purses,

organizers, coin purses, and zippered

pouches

• Novelty items of book marks, key holders,

and luggage tags

• A doll quilt, or doll and doll clothing and

furniture accessories, stuffed dolls and

toys

• Christmas tree skirts, ornaments,

garlands, and other decorations

• Wearable fashion of hats, aprons, skirt,

neck scarves, jewellery, vests, slippers,

and much more

• Home accessories of reversible place

mats, table cloths, napkins, table runners,

box covers, pillow covers, dish towels, hot

pads, and quilted calendars

• Wall hangings, scatter rugs, and lap quilts

• Cup and glassware wraps, coasters, mug

organizers, and mug rugs

Photo from www.with-heart-and-hands.com



Photo from miacreates.blogspot.com

• Novelty items of covers for technology or

tools, bowls, bottles, eye glasses, and so

much more.

Christmas arrives once a year and it can get very

hectic no matter how we prepare for it. Before

starting your quilting projects take time for

yourself. Treat yourself for a few hours or a day

to enjoy a favourite personal past time too!

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



This month, we’re continuing a series of everyday

quilting questions that have been answered by

Leah.

Question: My biggest issue are the odd empty

spaces; do you just put lines in there to fit in with

the overall design or leave some empty spaces?

All designs end up with funny areas where a new

shape, in this case a full tear drop and echoes,

won't fit.

It's entirely up to you if you want to fill these

spaces up completely with gently curving lines or

leave them empty.

Personally, my guide on this is scale. On a small

scale, those openings in the texture will form

noticeable gaps in the design. To fill them, I stitch

simple curving lines which could be more echoes

to a Paisley shape, but are cut off by the edges of

the space or another overlapping Paisley. Using

travel stitching and careful spacing, extra lines

can fill all the gaps so the design is completely

and consistently filled.

On a big scale, however, open space is just fine

because your goal is a soft finish, not necessarily

a dense solid texture. Also if your scale is 1 inch

wide, you can get away with a lot of open gaps

without the texture appearing broken.

Quilting Question Answers

By Leah Day from www.FreeMotionQuilting.blogspot.com.au



Ultimately you'll just have to stitch it and decide

how you want the design to appear on your

quilts.

Question: How do you do it, Leah? How do you

keep your echo lines so evenly spaced with such

perfect arcs and swoops? I can imagine that

practice is beneficial, but do you have any other

tips for large, even very large free motion

quilting?

It's funny that I can make this design look easy

because when I first started quilting, it was very,

very difficult for me.

What I remember struggling with the most was

the size and shape of my tear drops and of course

all the travel stitching and echoing. It just

seemed impossible to get right!

But looking back, it's not like I'd challenged

myself to stitch a whole quilt with it. Every time I

tried the design, it was on a tiny scrap of fabric.

I'd stitch it for a while, break thread a million

times, get lost in the design, get frustrated, and

ultimately decide that Stippling was an easier

option.

It wasn't until I took the Paisley shape and turned

it into a wiggly flame shape and forced myself to

stitch it on 32 rays in Release Your Light that I got

the hang of this design. Maybe it was changing

the starting shape, maybe something about it

"clicked" in just the right way.

All I know is that once I started this project,

somewhere around Day 40 I tried Paisley again

and I could suddenly stitch it perfectly. And since

then it's become my favorite design and is



stitched on almost every major quilt I make, so of

course I can make it look very easy in the video

because I'm very comfortable quilting it. It's like

writing my name now - I don't even have to think

about it.

It could be that this is a real skill building design

and practice is key. It could also be the way your

brain and hands work, that you haven't found the

right movement and rhythm to make it feel

natural for your body. This will come, either with

lots of practice, or suddenly you'll return to it and

be able to stitch it easily.

If you're struggling, don't beat yourself up.

Perfection is not the goal here. Challenging

practice is the goal and that rarely looks perfect.

And just to rock home that point, this week I

spent 3 solid days trying to dye fabric for The

Duchess Reigns Quilt top. 3 days and 3 huge

pieces of fabric later, I'm no closer to creating a

quilt top for this quilt.

Yes, it puts me in a bad mood. Yes, I want to

punch something when it doesn't work out

perfectly. So I leave the room and let it set until I

can return with a better attitude. The point is to

have fun, to be challenged, to make mistakes, but

to have fun working through the challenges until

the final goal is reached.

Do I really need to hand dye this quilt top? No. I

could probably find a big piece of purple fabric

that could work for it, but it's the challenge of

trying something new, failing, trying again, failing

again - that is what keeps me coming back again

and again.

So go and fail at something this week. Try hard,

stitch your best, and make some mistakes.

Mistakes are beautiful. Mistakes are wonderful.

Because mistakes show that you are growing and

learning something new.



Perfection is NOT the goal. Enjoying your time

stitching, no matter the challenge, no matter the

mistakes - that is the goal.

If it was easy as pie, wouldn't everyone be

quilters? Or would no one be quilters?

Let's go have a great time quilting,

Leah

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



Project – Around Christmas Tablerunner

By Jody Anderson from www.QuiltBlockoftheMonthClub.com

This Christmas, have a play with some quilted circles and make one of two different tablerunners. You

may prefer the look of the freeform open circles, or piece them together for a great Christmas-themed

centrepiece for your festive table.

The pieced runner

measures 30 inches long x

13 inches wide.



You Will Need:

1 metre (1 yard) plain stone coloured fabric for

the backing

5 Fat Quarters (or equivalent) of bright red and

white print Christmassy fabrics (We used the

same prints for our other Christmas projects too,

for a red and stone theme this year.)

1 metre (1 yard) batting

Fabric marking pen

Preparation:

Print and cut out the 2 circle and 2 square

templates for this pattern.

The circles measure 4 inches and 8 inches across

the diameter.

Have you visited Craftsy yet,

To download your Free Lone Star Block

pattern for our Bonus Christmas

Project?



Construction:

This table runner is made from 25 separate quilted

circles – 5 x 8 inch and 20 x 4 inch.

Cut 20, five inch squares from the plain stone fabric,

and 20 squares from your assorted red prints. You

will also need 20 batting squares.

Cut 5, nine inch squares from the stone fabric, red

print and batting for the larger circles.

Use a lead pencil (or fabric marking pen) to trace

around the circle as shown on the wrong side of

each piece of the plain stone fabric squares.

Now layer the squares.

Batting is first on the bottom, then the red print

fabric on top, with right side up. Place the stone

fabric face down on top, so that the marked circle is

on the top.



Now sew around the circle outline to join the

three layers together.

Leave about a 2 inch gap in the circle seam (as

shown by the arrows), so you can turn the

circle through later.

Trim closely to the stitched line, but do not cut

through it.

Leave a slightly wider fabric allowance at the

gap, as this makes it easier to tuck the seam

allowance in.

Turn each circle right sides out, trim the excess

batting, tuck in the seam allowances at the gap

and pin closed.

Press well.



Finally, topstitch around the edge of each of

your circles to close the gap and flatten the

edges.

*** If you choose to make an open circle

runner, simply arrange the circles as you like,

so that most edges touch, and hand sew them

together at those points.

For the pieced runner, cut out the square

templates provided. This gives you the sew

lines on each circle to make your runner.

Lightly mark around the square shape as

shown.

The small circles are in sets of 4, so determine

your placement first, as you will not need to

mark all lines on all circles.



With the stone fabric sides facing, sew two circles

together down one of the marked square sides.

Open out the circles and fold back the flaps.

Topstitch around the folded back edge of each circle to

flatten and secure them.

Join two pairs of circles together in this way, as shown.

Then, following the bottom marked square sides, sew

the two rows together.

Take it slowly and your machine will sew it fine. You

may find a jeans needle will help.



Open out the flaps and topstitch them in place as

you did with the others. You will find you can

start at one end and do both sets in one seam.

Use the large square to mark the sewing line on

the large circle, and place a set of four so that

wrong sides (stone fabric) are together.

Sew to join them.



Open out the flaps again and topstitch them down to

finish this set.

Repeat four more times to make five sets of small and

large circles, then use the same technique to sew them

together, alternating the placement of the large

circles.

Optional – if you wanted a table runner with straight

edges, simply mark and fold over the outer edge

curves and topstitch them in position.

Download the Pattern separately at http://www.onlinequiltmagazine.com/members/content/f/id/414/

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

For More Great Quilt Patterns, Visit www.QuiltBlockoftheMonthClub.com



Outline embroidery played a significant part in

quilting history. It was used in blocks, most

commonly penny squares, which were printed

muslin pieces selling for one cent each.

Outline embroidery designs encompassed many

styles and subjects, and many of these old

patterns are still available for today's quilters.

In recent years, vintage doilies have been a

primary source of outline embroidery for

patchwork projects.

While outline embroidery itself is centuries old, it

hit its stride as a quilt decoration in the 1870s and

1880s when it was used to decorate Crazy Quilts.

Done in one color with a stem or outline stitch, it

was faster and easier than another Victorian

“A Woman’s Work is Never Done” – New redwork design

from www.QuiltBlockoftheMonthClub.com

The History of Penny Squares and Other Redwork

By Candy Hamilton from http://www.northwestembroidery.com/



technique called Kensington embroidery, which

was filled in and realistically shaded.

Although flower, bird, and animal patterns were

popular in the 19th century, designs featuring

drawings of children by English artist Kate

Greenaway predominated.

Dressed in the costumes of the early 1800s,

Greenaway's figures began appearing in the

1860s, and they adorned all sorts of objects, even

after her last book was published in 1900.

There were many similar embroidery patterns of

children, such as those appearing in Butterick's

1889 manual Needle-Craft, recently republished

by R. L. Shep.

By the 1890s, outline embroidery had spread

from bedspreads and quilts to pillowcases.

So ubiquitous were the Good Night/Good

Morning sleeping child motifs that a mass-

merchandiser, such as Montgomery Ward, sold

pairs of cases pre-stamped with these designs in

its 1894-1895 catalog.

Ward also offered stamping outfits with as many

as 75 patterns, including a complete alphabet.

The kit had white powder for dark fabrics and

blue for light ones. The pattern was perforated

with a serrated tracing wheel, or the perforations

could be made on a sewing machine with an

unthreaded needle. Powder was then rubbed

through the holes onto the fabric.

Montgomery Ward also sold embroidery floss in

many colors, although by 1900, turkey red was

the most popular shade for outline embroidery

on pillowcases and quilts.



Some women marked or stamped their own

fabrics. They used commercially available

patterns or outline drawings found in coloring

books.

A 1902 quilt, in the Museum of American Folk

Art's collection, has coal shuttles representing the

United Mine Workers strike of that year.

Happy events found their way onto redwork

embroidered quilts, too; for example, the 1901

Pan-American Exposition and the 1904 St. Louis

World's Fair. Redwork persisted past the 1900s.

Children, however, continued to be the most

favored subjects for outline embroidery. Whether

sewn in red or other colors, patterns of children

were usually gleaned from book and magazine

illustrations.

In the early 1900s, for example, Bertha Corbett's

Sunbonnet Babies and Bernhardt Wall's Overall

Boys took off where Kate Greenaway's patterns

ended and went on to grace countless

embroidered and appliqued quilts.

Patterns of Dutch children, embroidered in blue

or red thread, peaked in popularity just before

World War 1. Dolly Dingle and Billy Bumps, drawn

by Grace Drayton, went on to find fame as the

Campbell Soup Kids and as embroidery subjects.

Rose O'Neill's Kewpies provided strong

competition, particularly in the 1920s.

Other important themes of the between wars

decades included cottages, baskets of flowers,

and Western themes, especially cowboys.

President Roosevelt's pet scottie, Fala, practically

had a souvenir industry unto himself. The little

dog was used in many needle projects.

World War II produced embroidery motifs of

cartoon-like sailors and soldiers and their

sweethearts.

By the postwar period, cute puppies, kittens,

chickadees, and overweight French chefs

appeared in outline embroidery, mostly on

tablecloths, pillowcases, and dust ruffles, tea

towels rather than quilts, although today's

quilters could make adorable creations based on

these designs.



Really old redwork pillowcases surface from time

to time at antique shops and shows, but they're

often expensive. Separate redwork blocks, usually

sold in a set, are more affordable.

Doilies and tea towels of 1920-1950 vintage will

rarely run more than 10 dollars each and can cost

as little as one dollar. Some quilt guilds may have

collections of old designs that members can

trace.

Flea markets and garage sales are good sources

of old, unused transfers, stamped but never

embroidered items, and even floss in no longer

available colors.

China-painting patterns from old magazines and

books were similar to the embroidery designs of

that decade, so they can be substituted.

For those who enjoy reviving the past with quilts rich in

tradition, the making of penny square reproductions and

other outline embroidery work can be quite satisfying. And

what little girl wouldn't love to have a quilt stitched with

kitties, puppies, Kewpies, or nursery rhyme figures for her

bed?

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

The Patchsmith’s

Christmas Mug Rugs Collection 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



They say we cats have 9 lives, but I think my

cousin, Blackie might have had a bit of a

reduction the other day.

Being an inside cat, as I am, he likes to eat

anything that comes in from the garden. (I do

too.) Auntie Bee had been given flowers, which

were shut away in the bathroom so Blackie

wouldn't get to test them out. BUT, when Auntie

Bee rushed out to take the little people to school,

the door wasn't shut properly.

When she got home, Blackie wasn't well. He was

proper poorly, in fact. He had sicked up his

breakfast and lots of lily flowers as well. Panic

stations and off to the Vet for a quick flush out

and detox.

Well.... lilies are poisonous to cats apparently. I'll

have to use technical terms here which I don't

really understand. There was mention of 'put on

a drip' and 'blood tests' and 'hospitalization'. Lots

of anxious phone calls were needed.

Now Blackie is a very big black boy with long arms

and very sharp claws and teeth and he wasn't

thrilled to be told he was a drip. He certainly

didn't see the need for all those tubes and stuff

when he was feeling so sick. He chewed them up

during the night. Then he got all wet and

uncomfortable, so by morning he wasn't happy

and told the people to take their dripping stuff

away.

Hints and Tips From Brannie

By "Brannie" Mira-Bateman



Apparently there was quite a fuss with fur and

skin flying, ending up with (another mystery

term) 'an anaesthetic'. The next thing he knew,

the tubes were back and he had a little box thing

on his head! Feeling very out of sorts by that

time, he refused to eat and swore loudly (with

spitting) at anyone who looked crooked at him. I

know he was really sick because he wouldn't eat!

When he came home, he had a lot of missed

meals to make up for and last I heard he was only

narrowly stopped from eating some spinach

Auntie Bee had grown in the garden. There was

some muttering about "better live another 20

years so we get our money's worth!" It's her

birthday soon; I wonder if she'll get more

flowers? No more lilies, I'll bet.

I haven't eaten anything odd for a while, although

I was a bit sick the other morning. It gets light

earlier now and I was hungry. I now know how to

get them out of bed - just heave up a hairball

and Boing! They're up in a flash! Then I'm ready

for early breakfast!

I'm ready for a nap right now. Just climbing up on

to the wadding. I'll talk later.

Love Brannie,

the Quilt Block of the Month Club Cat!



Project – Christmas Potholders

By Jody Anderson from www.QuiltBlockoftheMonthClub.com

Why not whip up a quick potholder or two for this festive season? Whether for your own use, or as a

quick gift for your holiday hostess, these two different potholders are quick and easy to make, and are a

great way to use up those last few fabric scraps too.

The simple potholder

(left) is 7 x 9 inches,

and the star potholder

(right) is 7 ½ inches

square.



You Will Need:

Simple Potholder:

A small amount of plain stone coloured fabric for the binding

Small Amount of three bright red and white print Christmassy fabrics (We used the same prints for our

other Christmas projects too, for a red and stone theme this year.)

Small amount (equivalent to a Fat Quarter) of insulated batting. (We used Insul-fleece, but there are

other brands available. If you do not have any, regular cotton batting will be OK.)

Star Potholder:

Small amount of two bright red and white print Christmassy fabrics. (We used a white one with small red

stars, and red one with a white design for a good contrast between the two.)

Small amount (equivalent to a Fat Quarter) of insulated batting. (We used Insul-fleece, but there are

other brands available. If you do not have any, regular cotton batting will be OK.)



Simple Potholder:

From red print fabric A, cut one rectangle measuring 7 x 9 inches

From red print fabric B, cut one rectangle measuring 7 x 9 inches

From red print fabric C, cut two rectangles measuring 7 x 7 inches

From the batting cut two rectangles measuring 7 x 9 inches, and one square measuring 7 x 7 inches

From the stone fabric cut approx. a 40 inch strip (width of fabric) 2¼ inches wide for binding

To start, layer the red print fabric B rectangle

face down on a flat surface, then add two layers

of batting, and finally red fabric print A face up

on top.

Pin layers together and quilt in a 1 inch diagonal

grid. If you have a walking foot, use it for this

quilting.

Layer the remaining fabric squares with one

square of batting and quilt in a 1 inch diagonal

grid also.



As pictured, on the right side, sew a strip of

binding to the top edge of the quilted 7 inch

square.

Fold over to the wrong side and pin. Then

carefully topstitch in the ditch along the binding

on the right side, to catch the binding securely

on the back.



Place the 7 inch square on the quilted rectangle,

matching the side and bottom edges.

Pin and sew together with a scant seam down the

sides and across the bottom.

Trim to slightly round the corners of your

potholder.

As before, sew the binding to the top side (as

shown, with the hand pocket facing up) with a ¼

inch seam.

Cut a 5 inch strip of binding for the loop. Open it

out and fold in each side to meet the centre crease

before re-folding, so you have 4 thicknesses of

fabric. Topstitch around all sides.



Fold the loop in half and pin to the back of the

potholder in the centre of the top edge as pictured.

Fold the binding to the wrong side and pin, then sew in

the ditch from the right side to secure it, and the

hanging loop.

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

Star Potholder:

From the mostly red print fabric, cut:

One square, 3 x 3 inches

Two squares, 3¼ x 3¼ inches

Two squares 7 x 7 inches

A 50 inch strip 2¼ inches wide for binding



From the mostly white fabric, cut:

Four squares, 3 x 3 inches

Two squares, 3¼ x 3¼ inches

One square 7½ x 7½ inches

From the batting, cut:

Two squares 7½ x 7½ inches

One square 7 x 7 inches

First, piece the Friendship star on the front of

this potholder.

Place one white and one red 3¼ inch square right

sides together and mark the diagonal line with a

pencil.



Sew ¼ inch to either side of that line, then cut on the

line to make two half square triangles.

Open out and press, and repeat for the remaining

pair of 3 ¼ inch squares.

Arrange with the 3 inch squares to make your

Friendship Star block as shown.

Sew together in rows, then piece the rows to make

your block. Press well.



The back of this potholder has two triangle

pockets for your thumb and fingers.

Lay one of the red 7 inch squares face down,

place the 7 inch square of batting on top, then

the remaining red square face up. Pin and quilts

in a 1 inch diagonal grid.

When quilted, cut in half once on the diagonal as

pictured.

Now quilt the front. Layer the white backing,

two layers of batting and the pieced star on top.

Pin and quilt – we echo quilted a ¼ inch outside

the star, and a ½ inch inside the star.



On the right side, sew a strip of binding to each of

the back pocket triangles, as shown.

Fold the binding to the back, pin and stitch in the

ditch along the binding to catch the other side at the

back and secure it.



Cut a 5 inch strip of binding for the loop. Open it

out and fold in each side to meet the centre

crease before re-folding, so you have 4

thicknesses of fabric. Topstitch around all sides.

Position both back pockets on the wrong side of

the quilted star panel and sew together around

the outer four edges with a scant seam to

secure.

Sew the binding to the right side with a ¼ inch

seam.



Fold the loop in half and pin to the back of the

potholder angling down parallel with one side of

the pocket as pictured.

Fold the binding to the wrong side and pin, then

sew in the ditch from the right side to secure it,

and the hanging loop.

For More Great Quilt Patterns, Visit

www.QuiltBlockoftheMonthClub.com

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

~~~~~~~~

https://www.flickr.com/groups/ecoquilters



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".

DOE BY CAROLYN FRIEDLANDER FOR ROBERT

KAUFMAN

Find beauty and character in things that are raw

and imperfect with the new Doe collection.

Mix and match with simple creams, caramels, and

earthy browns.

Available in yardage and all precut goods.

View this range at:

http://www.fatquartershop.com/robert-

kaufman/doe-carolyn-friedlander-robert-

kaufman-fabrics/

What's New from The Fat Quarter Shop

From Kimberly Jolly at www.FatQuarterShop.com



LAKESIDE GATHERINGS BY PRIMITIVE

GATHERINGS FOR MODA FABRICS

Dreamy creams, soft yellows, and timeless navies

evokes fond memories of the lake. Available in

yardage, all precut goods, and exclusive quilt kits.

See more at:

http://www.fatquartershop.com/moda-

fabric/lakeside-gatherings-primitive-gatherings-

moda-fabrics/

WILDFLOWER MEADOW BY MELLY & ME FOR

RILEY BLAKE DESIGNS

Take a trip to the colorful meadows with your

favorite furry friends with Melly’s fun collection.

Available in yardage and all precut goods.

Check it out at:

http://www.fatquartershop.com/riley-blake-

fabric/wildflower-meadow-melly-and-me-riley-

blake-designs



GOSSAMER BY SHARON HOLLAND FOR ART

GALLERY FABRICS

A fresh vintage breeze breathes life into

Gossamer. Combining frosted florals with

charming gridworks, these prints highlight a

quaint approach to color. Available in yardage, fat

quarter bundles, and half yard bundles.

See this collection at:

http://www.fatquartershop.com/art-gallery-

fabrics/gossamer-sharon-holland-art-gallery-

fabrics



PROJECT – Eccentric Star Quilt Pattern

By Rose Smith from www.ludlowquiltandsew.co.uk

This eccentric star quilt pattern uses both the eccentric star and

the shoofly quilt blocks. I’ve used the same two colours

throughout. I rather like the way that the corners of the

shoofly block seem to extend the spokes of the eccentric star.

The quilt measures 40 inches square and I’ve used 1 yard of the

dark blue, ¾ yard of the light blue and ½ yard of white fabric.

The light blue is really more of a turquoise and it seems to

show up as green in the photos, although I have referred to it

as light blue throughout.

Cutting requirements

3.7/8 inch squares: thirty two each in dark blue and white, sixteen each in dark and light blue

3½ inch squares: sixteen light blue, thirty two dark blue

For the border you will need four 2½ inch strips of light blue cut across the width of fabric



Making the eccentric star quilt block

Make half square triangles with thirty two each of the dark

blue and white 3.7/8 inch squares.

Place a dark blue and a white square with right sides together

and mark a line along the diagonal. Sew a ¼ inch seam either

side of the marked line and cut along the line. This will

produce two half square triangles for each pair of squares that

you began with.

These are now 3½ inch squares. Press the seam allowance

towards the blue and trim the corners where the triangle tips

stick out.

Lay the squares out in three rows of three – I said this was an

easy pattern! The light blue square is in the middle and it is

completely surrounded by dark blue/white half square

triangles which create the spokes of the eccentric star. Note

that these are placed so that the white triangles form a larger

white triangle along each edge. This may help you with the

placement.

Sew the squares together across each row and sew the rows to

each other to complete the block. You will need to make eight

of the eccentric star quilt blocks.



Making the shoofly quilt block

This is the most simple version of the shoofly block. Make half

square triangles with the sixteen dark blue and light blue 3.7/8

inch squares.

Lay the squares out in three rows of three. The light blue

square is in the middle, the same as in the eccentric star quilt

block. There’s a dark blue square placed on each edge of the

central square and a dark blue/light blue half square triangle in

each corner. These are placed so that the dark blue is on the outside, forming the corner of each block.

Sew the squares together across each row and then sew the rows to each other. You will need to make

eight of the shoofly quilt block.

Assembling the quilt

Lay the blocks out in four rows of four. Begin rows one and

three with an eccentric star quilt block and then alternate the

blocks across the rows. Begin rows two and four with a

shoofly quilt block and then alternate across the rows. This

way you will have the blocks alternating across the rows and

down the columns.

Sew the blocks to each other across the rows and then sew the

rows to each other.



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

Adding the border

I have used 2.1/2″ strips of light blue fabric for the quilt

border. You will need two lengths of 36.1/2″ for the top

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

sides.

That completes the eccentric star quilt pattern. It is now

ready for layering, quilting and binding.

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

LUDLOW QUILT AND SEW

Discover new and exciting projects to quilt and

sew each month with clear and easy to follow

instructions.

Visit our website and subscribe to Ludlow Quilt

and Sew’s free monthly newsletter now.

www.ludlowquiltandsew.co.uk



There's no magical age for introducing kids to

quilting, and for most quilters it goes without

saying-children often take an interest in what

their parents are passionate about.

Whether you're a parent, caregiver or have a

close friend with a child, you need to match the

skills and interest of the child to the right project.

The good news is that there are many kid-friendly

quilting activities.

Easy applique patterns are a great starter project

for young children, and your local fabric store

probably has countless designs to suit any taste,

from planets to dinosaurs.

Plus, with so many appliques targeted to kids, it's

easy to get them excited about the project.

For a first project, focus on accessories like

headbands or bracelets that are fast, simple and

provide immediate gratification (and fodder for

show and tell).

Ideas to Get Started

If a quilt pattern piques their interest, there are

many foundational designs to start with.

Sewing blocks together isn't just relatively easy,

but it's also repetitious in a good way and can

lead to better hand-eye coordination and stress

relief for all ages. However, if their attention span

isn't quite there yet, you can start with a pillow

pattern, which is basically a starter project for

future quilts.

When to Introduce Kids to Quilting

By Jillynn Stevens



Tying a quilt is a fun first introduction to quilting

that is easy to learn and produces quick results,

not to mention a great blanket for bed.

You can each have separate projects or you can

work together as a team, family or class. Just

make sure you start on the right note, letting kids

choose their favorite charm packs in cotton fabric

or alien applique that's sure to impress their

friends.

Kids and quilting go together like cookies and

milk, but only if you choose the right project and

let them take the reins.

Assessing the Health Benefits

Quilting is a healthy activity for any age, largely

because the attention to detail requires

concentration and hand-eye coordination, and it

will help children learn patience and the rewards

of a hobby.

Plus, quilting is naturally a social activity that

provides an excuse for getting together. This

might be the best quality time you can have with

a child, and it opens up a world of networking

and new friendships. Nothing is more relaxing

than a quilting circle as generations come

together to talk, share stories and enjoy one

another's company.

Even better, the stress management techniques

naturally learned in quilting can be applied

throughout a child's life. Quilting is calming and

offers a quiet space to reflect and decompress.

Unlike the constant stimulation of video games or

other "screen time," quilting can be meditative-

and promises some fantastic results.

About the Author: Jillynn Stevens is a writer and

researcher. She is the Director of Digital Content Marketing

for Be Locally SEO where she enjoys helping clients expand

and improve their businesses through articles, blogs,

website content and more.

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jillynn_Stevens,_Ph.D.,_MSW



Fashions come and go, even in the patchwork

business. I guess most would classify my taste as

‘traditional’, but I’m not above dallying with the

new, giving it a go. But I most certainly do not

like to be pushed into something because it is “all

the go”.

Take the present fashion for what I think is ‘over-

quilting’. Beautiful, stunning, breath-taking

appliqués and superb piecing patterns which

have been quilted to the very inch of their lives –

or should that read “scant ¼ inch”?

Yes, I do understand it’s all a matter of taste, but

it seems to me that some of the quilting has been

pushed into the competitive realm, where density

reigns supreme.

Just how minute can you make your

meanderings........ Just how small can be your

stippling........ just how many echoes can you

manage before it ‘sounds’ like static?

Instead of letting the quilt speak for itself, the

quilting seems to overwhelm. Yes, I do know

some of these are wall quilts, but a too-close

quilting pattern can take the cuddliness out of a

quilt.

I may have mentioned this before in a previous

article, but at the risk of repeating myself, I want

to tell you about my favourite quilting. Not my

favourite quilt (I have lots of these!) but my all-

time favourite quilting. It actually had little to do

with the stitching, or even the design.

What ‘made’ this quilting was the fabric. The

quilter had used a tiny checkerboard print for the

When Less Is More

By Pamela Davis of Patchwork Quint-essential



background fabric, so that any quilting was

immediately and cleverly highlighted as a pattern

of light and shade. The quilting was in motives

cleverly designed to complement the appliqués

and piecing, and at a size just a bit less than the

recommended quilting space.

And space made it – space was what mattered!

Whilst the quilting line gave direction, texture,

light and shade, the overall effect was achieved

by space.

How I wish I’d taken a photograph of that quilt

for you! But I don’t need it, the impression of the

process is etched into my grey matter!

The colour of the minute checkerboard pattern

was black and beige, but now I am always on the

lookout for fabrics like this, and there are

beautiful two-tones around with the same

patterns, tiny 1mm-1.5mm squares. If pin-spots

are tiny and close enough, they can have a similar

effect, but not as dramatic as a checkerboard

pattern.

One day, I plan to make a quilt-as-you-go, starring

blocks of just these background fabrics, combined

with some of Leah’s lovely free-flowing

designs....... another dream! Well, certainly

something to look forward to!

And that’s the great thing about quilting – there’s

always another stitch, another ditch.

Happy quilting

Pamela Davis (Patchwork Quint-essential)

PLEASE NOTE:

Patchwork Quint-essential has changed!

It now has two arms, a new one called

Treasured Textiles, selling Bali Batiks by the yard & smaller

as well as beautiful Crazy Patchwork fabric packs

Email address: treasuredtextilesaustralia@ gmail.com

Tel: 0419 268 012 or Skype on the same number

Well worth checking out!



Choosing a thimble for hand quilting is important

and may take some time. A thimble is a personal

tool for any quilter.

First, taking time to check out the types of

thimbles should foremost. As a hand quilter you

either push with the tip of your finger or the side,

so different thimbles are suited for either of

these movements.

With various types, testing is recommended.

Wear a thimble for an extended period of time

while stitching, so you can make sure that a

thimble you have chosen will be comfortable to

wear.

Trying these thimbles on different fabric choices

would also be recommended. Pushing a needle

with your thimble through a light cotton fabric is

quite different than the three layers of a 100%

baby cotton flannel including batting and backing

material. Hand quilting requires many hours of

stitching time and having a thimble that is

comfortable is important.

There are various choices of thimbles on the

market to choose from. The metal ones that are

also made from stainless steel, silver or can be

even gold are traditional types for a hand quilting

thimble.

Choosing a Thimble for Hand Quilting

By Sharon Camp of www.uniquebabyquiltboutique.com



These are perfect for protection but if you have

long finger nails they may not sit properly on your

finger or also cause your finger to perspire after

extended use. (Unless you find one like the one

below!)

Leather thimbles are more of an option for those

hand quilters who do not like the bulkiness of the

metal thimbles.

To push with this type of thimble, you would use

either the side or the ball of the finger.

With repeated use and pushing the needle over

again in the same spot, the leather can wear then

and a hole will develop.

Porcelain thimbles are not just for collectors but

are used in hand quilting, as well. These attractive

thimbles, if they do not have glaze on the outside

are perfect to use since these do not cause your

finger to perspire. Be sure to be extra careful

when handling these thimbles since they will

break if dropped because they are made of

porcelain.



If you find you would rather push with your

thumb instead of a finger, than the open-top

thimble might be a good choice for you. This

thimble, commonly known as a tailor's thimble, is

worn on the thumb and allows you to push in any

direction. Since it does not have a top, finger nails

are not an issue.

No matter the type, all thimbles do go bad. Holes

develop after continual use or pressure in the

same spot or place. Use a thimble that can be

rotated or turned. Since no thimble will last

forever and if you find a thimble type that fits

your finger and your style of hand quilting, buy

two or three.

Choose the right thimble for hand quilting, then

relax and enjoy your quilting time.

Come and choose About the Author: Sharon Camp has

been quilting for over 30 years. Visit

www.uniquebabyquiltboutique.com and chose one our

handmade children's quilts, a lasting keepsake, a unique

birthday gift, or Christening gift, for that special "little one."

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

Don't keep this Online Quilt Magazine

all to yourself –share it with your

Quilting Guilds and Friends!

Don't wait - Invite them to

www.OnlineQuiltMagazine.com to

Subscribe and receive each New Issue as

soon as it's Published!



“Table Toppers” Quilted Projects from Fons &

Porter

If you are ready for some smaller quilted projects,

then the 12 designs in this book will provide

inspiration.

They are a collection of favourite table top

projects selected by Marianne and Liz and

combine techniques for experienced or beginner

quilters.

There are appliqued and pieced designs (and

combinations, of course) with a comprehensive

chapter of lessons to enable you to make any

topper easily.

The designs are so attractive and would really

enhance your home decor. I especially loved the

circular "Bluebird of Happiness" made with felted

wool. I laughed at "Watermelon" - in fact there

aren't any I didn't love.

Book Reviews

By Annette Mira-Bateman from www.QuiltBlockoftheMonthClub.com



You can change your decor to suit all seasons and

they would make great gifts.

All instructions, hints and tips, full size patterns

and even quilting designs are provided. If you are

looking for smaller projects, then go no further.

You'll be spoilt for choice with this collection.

"Table Toppers" is published by Martingale and is

available through your local craft book shop or

online from: www.ShopMartingale.com

(Photos courtesy of Martingale)



“Perfect Quilts for Precut Fabrics”

We have all bought Fat Quarters, Charm Squares,

Jelly Rolls and Layer Cakes and not always been

certain of what to make with them.

This book has 64 patterns for all of the above and

will be a valuable addition to your quilting library.

This collection of patterns comes from the most

popular projects from the best-selling books. The

patterns are sorted according to the different

fabric cuts and the new Fat Eighth is included.

You've bought Layer Cakes? Here are 9 projects

to use them in. Charm Squares? Here's another

23 patterns.

Traditional and modern designs are included with

pieced and appliqued styles. Instructions,

diagrams and explanations will make all these

quilts easy to make.

This book truly has something for everyone. It

should be a must for all quilters. There are pages

and pages of quilty ideas.



"Perfect Quilts for Precut Fabrics" is published by

Martingale and is available through your local

craft book shop or online from:

www.ShopMartingale.com

(Photos courtesy of Martingale)



Ingredients

395g (15 oz?)can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons glucose syrup

125g (4.4oz) butter, chopped

180g (6.5 oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 cup bottled fruit mince

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped dry-roasted hazelnuts

Step 1 - Grease a 4cm (1¾ inch) deep, 20cm (8

inch) (base) square cake pan. Line base and sides

with baking paper, allowing a 2cm (1 inch)

overhang on all sides.

Step 2 - Place condensed milk, sugar, syrup and

butter in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring,

without boiling, for 10 minutes or until mixture is

glossy and sugar has dissolved.

Step 3 - Increase heat to medium-low. Bring to a

simmer, stirring. Cook, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes

or until mixture thickens and comes away from

side of pan. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate,

fruit mince, cranberries and hazelnuts until

combined and chocolate melted. Spoon into

prepared pan. Smooth top. Set aside for 30

minutes. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for

6 hours or until firm. Cut into 1 inch squares.

Recipe Corner – Christmas Fudge



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.

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

“I have finished my Mystery Quilt using the

pattern from your

(www.QuiltBlockoftheMonthClub.com) Members'

Quilt area. It took me a while as it was my second

quilt however it provided me lots of practical

learning experiences in cutting out, piecing and

finally quilting.

It went much better when I upgraded my sewing

machine to a new Janome and am pleased with

the result. My granddaughter loved the blocks

with the cranes and purple edging so we made

that our front side and added more purple to the

reverse side border which worked well. Overall I

am pleased with the result. “

- Carolyn S., Queensland, Australia

Reader “Show and Tell”



“In our small town we honor our Veterans in a big

way. We honored 26 veterans form WWII, Korea

and Vietnam. The event was in Hogansville Ga.

The quilts were made by The Hummingbird Quilt

Guild and the Thursday night sewing group.”

- Sandy W., USA

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

“Just had to forward you my version of your

“Squared Up” quilt. I really got excited when I saw

this in the magazine as I have been looking for

something simple to go in our newly renovated

bedroom.

Both the quilt shop and quilter think this is an

amazing pattern. I love my one I had to make it

larger for my bed.”

- Valmae G., WA, Australia

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



“I do so like the magazine and I wanted to show

the quilts I have made with the help of a few

others for the local residency here in Majorca

Spain the club I go to ESRA decided to make some

lap quilts , fabric was donated by friends and it

worked really well. And they were all received

with pleasure.”

- Sylvia W., Spain

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

“A friend of mine asked me to make overnite bags

for her as she fell in love with the ones I made for

my girls.” - Karen B., South Africa

Keep them coming – We’ve had some

lovely quilts and bags this month! Please

send in your “Show and Tell” Photos to

me at:

[email protected]



This week's block is a pieced Christmas Tree. If

you’re all organised for Christmas now, you’ll

have time to whip up a quick project with one or

more of these!

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:

Helen in SE Queensland sent in a couple of great

tips:

• I've never had much luck with cutting the

corners off fabric before I wash it to stop

raveling. I've found that trimming the

edges with a pair of pinking shears, or a

pinking blade in my rotary cutter is miles

better. Give it a try, you will be surprised.

• (And this one’s about the recipe in last

month’s issue – the Sultana Cornflake

Cookies) - Years ago my grandmother

used to make these biscuits, then one day

she was pushed for time. Instead of

making individual biscuits, she greased a

slice tray/pan, put crushed cornflakes on

the bottom and sides, added the batter,

then sprinkled the top with crushed

cornflakes, and baked as usual. Then cut

it into fingers. Still tastes the same. :-)

This fab tip was sent in by Bindi – we’ve had a

play with this site, and guarantee it’ll help if you

ever find yourself stuck for colour choices or

combinations!

“This is a really amazing colour palette website

where you can actually search a colour by its

value and it matches it to the right colour

palette.”

http://design-

seeds.com/index.php/search/category/flora

We’re always on the lookout for great

Hints and Tips to share. If you have any,

please send them to

[email protected],

as we’d love to include yours!



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" Quotes…

* You never know what you have until you clean your quilt room

* I’d stop buying fabric, but I’m

not a quitter!

* ‘Tis better to have stitched and ripped out than never to have sewn at all.

Documents

Premium Online Quilt Magazine – Vol. 5 No. 12 Online Quilt ... · season offers odours of pine, mulberry, or cinnamon. Christmas carols are playing over the intercom system and