Day 5 of the Ruby's Treasures Blog Hop

If you know me, you know I love 1930's reproduction fabrics.  When my friend Barbara Eikmeier told me she was bringing out a line of 30's fabrics in conjunction with Paint Brush Studios I jumped for joy and immediately ordered fabric bundles and panels to sew and to sell.  I had a quilt all lined up to make using 30's reproductions, a darling Alphabet baby quilt, and got to work on it right away using Barb's fabrics.  I love how they coordinate with the Painter's Palette Solids (by Paint Brush Studio).  The colors are so fresh and cheerful, and totally go together.

So when Barb invited me to participate in the Ruby's Treasures Blog Hop it was a no brainer!  Of course!  I poured through the blocks in Ruby McKim’s book One Hundred and One Patchwork Patterns.

http://www.101patchworkpatterns.com/

It was really hard to pick just one.  But I saw a block named Skyrocket and I was curious about what it looked like.  What was Ruby imagining when she names a block after a rocket?  This was 100 years ago, remember, and sky rockets were the stuff of science fiction back then.  Here is the original pattern.

The original was a 12" block made using templates (with no seam allowance I might add), and set-in seams were needed to add the outer triangles to the block.  OH NO!  While I am perfectly able to do set-in seams I didn't want to do 8 of them in one block (and I had two blocks to make, no less) so I redrafted the pattern in EQ7.  The resulting block could be rotary cut, but the size and shape of the patches made that just as difficult as using templates.  Fractional measurements and odd angles, Oh My!

So I chose to do a paper piece blocks, and it was super easy to make.

Here are my EQ7 renderings for the block:

  

I wanted to do one with a dark background and one with a lighter background to emphasize the different looks achievable with this block.

I printed my foundation pattern on tracing paper and selected my fabrics for each block.

There are 8 section in each blocks and you need to paper piece each section first.  Here is the layout for the foundation pattern.

Click HERE to download the free paper foundation pattern for this block.

NOTE:  When you download and print the pattern measure the 1" square printed on each page.  If it is not exactly 1" you may need to adjust your printer settings.

I recommend pre-cutting patches for each section to speed up the process.  I did this by making an extra copy of the foundation pattern and cutting it apart.  I used each shape to create a template, and added 1/2" to all sides of the template.  Once I cut the first patch I stacked it on a folded piece of fabric to get the rest of the pieces.

Here is a cutting list to help you get started.  These measurements have the extra amount needed to foundation piece added in.  This is for the block with the green background.

• Cut (4) 4" blue squares
• Cut (1) 4" yellow square
• Cut (4) 4" green squares
• Cut (4) 3" pink and blue print squares, cut once on the diagonal to make 8 triangles
• Cut (4) 4" x 6" yellow rectangles (use your paper template to trim the corners)
• Cut (8) 4" x 8" green rectangles (use your paper template to trim the corners)

Cut the foundation pattern pages into sections.  There should be 4 corner sections and 4 sections to make up the 9-patch center.  If you a novice paper piecer you may want to watch one of the many great video tutorials available on U-Tube.

Reduce the stitch length on your machine to 2.0 or shorten it to a setting smaller than normal.  Thread your machine with 50 or 60 wt top thread and a light weight bobbin thread in the bobbin.  Use a quarter inch presser foot and a 1/4 seam guide (a strip of tape works well) on your machine bed.

In foundation piecing the fabric is always placed right side up on the UNPRINTED side of the pattern, and you sew on the PRINTED side of the pattern.

Pin the yellow cone shaped patch to the middle of the corner section, adjusting it so that there is about 1/4" seam beyond one of the lines.  Trim if necessary.

Then place the green triangle shaped patch on top of the yellow patch, right sides together. 

Do a "test flip" to be sure that when the green patch is opened out that it completely covers the area AND seam allowance of the area it is to cover.

 Sew on the line joining the two patches.  Start about 1/4" before the line and sew 1/4" beyond the line to secure the ends of the seam.

Remove the pin and press the green patch open.  Be sure it cover the area completely.

To trim the other side of the yellow patch, fold the paper pattern back on the stitching line.

Use an Add-A-Quarter Ruler (pictured) or a regular ruler to trim the yellow fabric 1/4" beyond the stitching line.

The Add-A-Quarter Ruler has a raised 1/4" edge which is butted up against the fold line to precisely cut 1/4" seam allowance.  It is a great tool and not expensive.

 After you trim off the excess yellow fabric fold the paper back out flat.

Position the other green triangle patch right sides together on the yellow patch.

Do a test flip - like you did before - to be sure the patch is positioned right then carefully turn the pattern over and sew the seam on the printed side of the pattern. 

Flip the green fabric open and press.

Turn the foundation pattern over and trim on the cutting lines.

Be sure to trim the corners of the triangles on the cutting lines.

Turn over and press the completed section.  You will need to make 4 of these corner units.

Foundation piece the four center section in the same manner.  They are easier to do because they do not have wonky triangles like these corner sections.  Join the two center section to make the yellow star center.

Sew the two side sections to the center section to complete the nine-patch star.  See the foundation pattern for instruction in how to join one section to another.

Add the corner sections, matching seam lines and corners.  Press seams open.

Sew the two opposite corners on first, then add the other two corners.

Press well after each corner is added.  Remove the paper from the seam allowances if it feels too bulky.

Here is the completed block.

Once you get the hang of paper piecing it goes very quickly, and you can actually chain piece sections to speed up the process.

Here is the second block with the light yellow background.

In this block I added an extra star point in green to give it the look of a friendship star in the middle.  

Let me know which version you prefer in the Comments. If you leave a comment you will be entered in my giveaway for a free pattern.  

Remember that ABC Baby Quilt I mentioned in the introduction?  The pattern will be published in The Quilt Pattern Magazine in 7 segments from January to July 2017.  I will choose one comment at random to win a 1 year subscription to TQPM so you will get all 7 installments of the ABC quilt.  

Here is a sneak peek of the quilt pattern you could win.

Don’t forget, if you haven’t already been to the Inspired by Fabric blog, hop on over there, sign up to follow (if you don’t already) and leave a comment there as well– they’re giving away fat quarter bundles of Ruby’s Treasures!

Here’s the schedule for the rest of the hop. Stop by Barb’s blog each day as well, as she’ll be sharing more about Ruby and the fabric collection she inspired.

Friday 11/4: Barb Eikmeier @ http://barbsfavorites.com/

Monday 11/7: Donna Lynn Thomas @ http://www.donnalynnthomasquilter.com/blog

Tuesday 11/8:Theresa Ward @ https://alwaysquilts.com/

Wednesday 11/9: Pat Speth @ https://nickelquilts.wordpress.com/

Thursday 11/10: Reeze Hanson @http://blog.morningglorydesigns.net/

Friday 11/11: Kelly Ashton @ https://kellyquilter.com/whats-new/

And here’s the link to Inspired by Fabric, our blog host. http://inspiredbyfabric.blogspot.com/

Thanks for hopping by!  Be sure to leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway!

More Deco Gardens Bonus Blocks Available - November Half Price Sale

Just got back from Quilt Market and it was so much fun.  My brain is fried.

I need to get back into my daily rhythm of designing, sewing, and managing my media which has all taken a back seat to Market preparations for the last month.

My travel schedule for the year is nearly over and while I have a few weeks of rest and relaxation scheduled, I am also busy designing more Deco Gardens Bonus Blocks.  Sheesh, wish I could stop doing these, but each time I do a new one I get inspiration for 4 new ones.

So November is officially Half Price Sale Days

 on all Deco Garden Bonus Blocks.

Here are the newest ones:

Block 34 Dandy Lion

Block 35 Violets

Block 36 Big Blue
Let me know if you have a better name for this block and I will send you the pattern for free.

Block 37 Periwinkle

To see these and all the other Deco Garden Blocks on Sale CLICK HERE.  And Thanks to all my readers and subscribers.  You Rock!

Seminole Sample Border Blocks Setting is Free in November

Blog Post for Monday, November 7, 2016.

Have you been following the free Seminole Sampler BOM?  We are down to the last two months of this year's free BOM and it has been a lot of fun to bring this unique design to you.

This month you can get the setting for the Bonus Border Blocks (Border 1) and the Stair Step Border (Border 2) for free.

Click HERE to download the Free Pattern for Border 1 and Border 2.

If you have been collecting the free Bonus Blocks (available to subscribers) they you have 10 blocks to choose from for your Border 1 Row.  If you didn't get the Bonus Blocks you can purchase the whole set HERE.

Did you miss any of the rows?  You can still get the ones you may have missed HERE.

Next month will be the last row in this Block of the Month and it will be the final triangle border which surrounds three sides of the quilt.  With this last installment you will have the entire Seminole Sampler Pattern.

Next year will be a completely new Block of the Month.  If you have suggestions or ideas I am still happy to hear what you would like to do.

And to end the year on the right foot: 

I have a free gift for all my readers who post a picture of their progress on the Seminole Sampler in my Flickr Group Page.  

Post your picture Here.

If you are not able to post your picture please send them to my and I will post them for you.

To claim your free gift you must (1) post a picture, and (2) leave a comment here letting me know it has been posted.  You will get a free pattern of your choice!  Be sure to let me know which one you would like (excluding kits and complete BOM patterns) when you post a comment.

Have a great week!

October BOM Row 10 is here

I am rushing to get this post written while the two grand babies are napping.  I love having the two little ones here but am grateful for naptime!  haha

This is my busy time of the year with quilt shows, teaching, traveling, and preparations for Quilt Market the end of October.  So I posted the October Row of Seminole Sampler a few days early.  I know, being early is not very Reeze-like, since I am late more months than early!  But with the kids here all weekend I needed to get things done early.

Row 10 is a group of Flying Geese in alternating colors.  The technique is a classic Seminole Patchwork technique, the 10th technique we have learned this year.  I hope you have enjoyed learning this great piecing method and are  pleased with the results of your rows.

I love this mix of purple and blue violet with black.  It really makes those colors so vivid.  And this is a super easy row to make.  Download the free pattern on the 2016 BOM page HERE

If you have been following the extra Bonus Blocks from the Deco Garden series, you might be pleased to see that there are quite a few new ones since I last posted.  Again, just trying to stay ahead so watch for the release of each of these.  Just to tempt you, here they are:

Block 33 Stella D'Oro Day Lily  (released October 1)

Block 34 Dandy Lion (release October 15)

Block 35 Three Violets (released November 1)

Block 36 Big Blue (released November 15)

More Deco Garden Blocks Available

I love these Art Nouveau tile inspired blocks, and this month three more are available on my website.

Block 26 May Apple

Block 27  Frittilaria

Block 28 Wild Onion

Winner Announced 2017 Block of the Month Suggestions

2017 Block of the Month Suggestions

Last month I asked readers to post comments with ideas for next year's free block of the month.  Wow did I ever get some great suggestions!!

Thanks to all of you who offered great ideas for next year's block of the month.  They really give me something to think about as I work out the details for next year's free project.  I chose one of the comments at random to win a free jelly roll.

This month's winner is: CathyQuilts 

Contact me by email to receive your free jelly roll!!!  Congratulations!

August Row is now Posted

August is a great month here in Kansas.  Can you spell H-O-T?  I love the dog days of summer.  The cool mornings, bright sunny afternoons, and the clear warm evenings.  I am a summer junkie!  Of course I am typing this from the comfort of my air conditioned house (ok, wimp wimp wimp), but I still love summer.

We had a big thunderstorm a few nights ago and the top of the maple tree in our back yard went crashing to the ground!  I call it our self-pruning maple tree because every year a branch comes down in one storm or another.  Pretty soon there won't be any tree left!  It is a very temperamental tree!

 It resides right where the electric and cable wires come from the pole to the house, and always drops its annual branch on the wires, testing their strength and endurance.  The wires won this time, but only by a small margin.  The tree seems determined to bring them down, just waiting for the right wind storm to come along and wrench another limb from its lofty heights to show just who is the boss of the back yard.  My husband always says, "I need to take that tree out!"  I can hear the tree quietly laughing at him.  It know he will never do it, and somehow I think in the end, the tree will rule!  "Trouble is a Tree scorned," or so goes the excellent truism which applies to maples as well as misses.  I am thinking we should do this:

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The August Seminole Sampler row is now posted on my 2016 BOM page.  You can download the pattern file for free during august.  I love this row.  I call it Floating Windows.  It looks like little black windows peeking out from the yellow and purple squares.

If you subscribe to my newsletter, you will also receive the free bonus block which accompanies this row.  No surprise to anyone, it is also called Floating Windows.

This month in my newsletter I am offering two different half price patterns and offering all 7 of the current bonus blocks for $6.00 for the set.  Check those out HERE.  If you are not a subscriber it is easy to do.  Just fill in the little form with your name and email.  You will not get any junk mail, only 2 newsletters a month, and you can do a one-click unsub anytime you no longer wish to receive it.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE

I am catching up on "stuff" now that I have a bit of down time from traveling.  I do love meeting with guild members, students, and other professionals when I teach and vend, but this month I am enjoying being home, watching the grand babies (6 months and 2-1/2 years!!!), and working on some new designs.

I have a boat load of new patterns coming out this fall and that means lots of writing.  I do enjoy that part of the design process but I sure need a good editor.  My thanks to "Threadlady" Judy who edited my Seminole Sampler pattern for me this month!  You rock!!!!

"CORRECTED" July Row Available for Seminole Sampler

Whoot whoot - hold the phone!  There was an error in the pattern and my wonderful reader Loretta discovered that something was wrong and let me know.  THANK YOU!

CLICK HERE to download the corrected pattern for free!

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Time for another row in the Seminole Sampler BOM.  Whoooo Hoooo!  These really are fun to design and sew.  Writing the patterns for them are a bit of a challenge, however.  :-)  This month you get two rows, actually, although they are essentially the same.  They are spacer rows between to bigger rows of blocks, but they are still done in the Seminole piecing technique and they are integral to the design.

Here are the two Dog Tooth Bands for Row 7.

The orange and black band with the blue top strip goes between rows 3 and 4 in the Seminole Sampler Quilt Design.

The yellow and black band with the purple bottom strip goes between rows 6 and 8.  There is actually a third dog tooth spacer, but it will be part of Row 9, along with the row 9 band.

So if you have been following the BOM and making the rows as we go along, you can now join rows 1-7.  Here is what it should look like.

Hope you are having fun with this project.  It's not too late to buy the fabric kits for this quilt from ConnectTheBlocks.com.

I am starting to think about ideas for next year's free block of the month.  Got a suggestion?  Leave a comment with your idea and you will be entered for this month's drawing for a free jelly roll!  Have a great July!