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Sunday 22 September 2013

Summer Beach Quilt - Part V - Pretty little houses all in a Row


This is next part of the Summer Beach  Quilt tutorial, where I'll be showing you how to make the house block. If you are making the whole quilt, then you will need 4 blocks. The roof of the beach house is made up of half-rectangle triangles--just like with the sails of the boat. The pieces required to make the roof is enough for two houses. 



For one block you will need:

2 – 5 ½” x 3 ½” gray rectangles for roof (this fabric is enough for 2 houses)
2 -  5 ½” x 3 ½” white rectangles for roof (this fabric is enough for 2 houses)
1 – 3” x 4 ½” fabric rectangle for door
2 – 4 ½” x 4” fabric rectangles for walls
1 – 2 ½” x 10” fabric for area above the door
1 small piece of cardstock (if you made the sailboat row you can use the one you had)


Using your ruler, mark a 1/2" square on one of the corners.



Lay out one 5 ½” x 3 ½” gray rectangles and one 5 ½” x 3 ½” white rectangles rectangles side-by-side with the gray on the left. Use your 1/2" mark on your cardstock to draw a dot on the inside of the lower left corner of the gray rectangle.





Now repeat with the upper left corner of the gray rectangle, and the upper-left and lower-right corners of the white rectangle as pictured below.



Draw a line connecting the dots, but then continue the line to go beyond the dots to the edge of the fabric.




Place your gray fabric on your white fabric as pictured below making sure to align the dots on the upper and lower pieces of fabric.






Pin into place (on the sailboat row I pinned them away from the center line so I wouldn't have to move the pins around, but it's up to you how you want to do it:)




Sew a line on both sides of the centerline leaving a 1/4" seam allowance. 




Cut along the line the separate. 




And press open.




To make the other side of the roof, lay out your remaining 2 rectangles with the gray on right this time. Use your cardstock to draw dots on the lower-left and upper right of the white rectangle, and upper-left and lower right of the gray square.



Now take your gray rectangle, and lay it across you white fabric as pictured below. The dots should still be facing up on both pieces so you can align the dots to match up on the upper and lower pieces. 




Next, pin into place and sew 1/4" from either side of the line. 




Then cut along the center line to separate and press open.




Now you can start assembling your house. Again, you will have an extra roof unit for another house.

Sew one left-side roof unit to one right-side. 



Next, sew your two 4 ½” x 4” (wall) rectangles to your 
3” x 4 ½” (door) rectangle




Then, sew your  2 ½” x 10” rectangle to the top of the door/wall unit




And finally, sew your roof on top! Square to 10"w x 9"h  



To finish the row for the Summer Beach quilt you will need the following sashing pieces

2 -2.75" x 9" white fabric 
3- 3" x 9" white fabric

(The reason the sashing pieces are not the same size is because while I was originally making this quilt and got to this row I realized all the sashing pieces could not be the same size and make a 50.5" row. I'm not saying my method is the greatest, this is just how I did it:)

Sew the 2.75" x 9" on the outsides of the row, and sew the 3" x 9" pieces of between each of the houses.

And now your row is all done!!!

To piece all the rows together, please refer to the assembly/layout diagram:)






Saturday 21 September 2013

Summer Beach Quilt Tutorial - Part IV - Sailboat Block


This is my tutorial for my sailboat block from my Summer Beach Quilt (instructions to complete the row is at the bottom). This block finishes at 16"w  x 16.5"h . To make the sails I used half-rectangle triangles and used a tutorial from the Modern Quilt Guild to figure out how to make them. In this tutorial I will be using their recommended techniques to make the sails. 

PLEASE READ: Just like with half-square triangles, when you make half-rectangle triangles you will render 2 completed units for each one you make. I hope that makes sense. For example, to make my quilt I made 3 different sets of sails, and had 3 sets left over when everything was done. But that just means I can make some coordinating cushions or something:) 

To make one block you will need the following fabric pieces:


Note: To make a scrappy/striped sail like mine, just sew (5) 2.5" x 8" strips together on the long edge:)

When we make our sails we need to mark our fabric 1/2" inside the corners. To make this easier, use a small piece of cardstock and trace around your ruler on the corner at the 1/2" mark. 




Now, lay out your two 12.5" x 8" rectangles side by side with the short edge on the bottom. Make sure your white fabric is on the port side (left) and your print fabric is on the starboard side (right). 

Using your cardstock, mark a 1/2" dot inside the lower left corner. 




Mark an additional dot in each of the corners indicated by the arrows.




Now, using your ruler, draw a line across your white fabric using the dots as a guide. You are essentially "connecting the dots" but you want your lines to extend to the edge of the fabric.




Now, take your white piece of fabric and rotate it clockwise and match up the dots on the white fabric with the dots on your print fabric. The dots will still be on the outside, you are just placing them on "top" of each other. The top of the white fabric is now on the lower right. 




Lift up the fabric and make sure the dots are on lined up on the top AND bottom. 




Now pin your fabric into place (but not near the drawn line). 




Sew 1/4" from both sides of drawn line.




Cut your pieces along the line to separate.



And open them up and press. 

I pressed towards the white fabric because I didn't want to fight the scrappy sails, but it's up to you which way you press:) 




Now we are going to make our left sail(s). Lay out your 9" x 13.5" pieces of fabric with the print on the left and the white on the right (a reverse of the last). Mark your dots 1/4" from the corners indicated by the arrows. Using the dots as a guide (and your ruler) draw a line to "connect" the dots on the white piece of fabric. 




Doing the same thing as we did before except this time you will place your white fabric on top of the print fabric with the dot on the top of the white fabric aligned withe the dot on top of the print fabric. Make sure the upper and lower dots are aligned. 

Next, pin the fabric, sew a line 1/4" from both sides of the drawn line...




Separate, open them up and press! Your sails are all done. 




You now have enough sails to make 2 boats, but for this tutorial we are only completing 1 boat. 

Next you will need your (2) 1" x 7.5", 1.25" x 16", 1" x 13.5" strips. 




Sew your 1" x 7.5" strips to the top and bottom of the right sail. Then sew the two sails to the 1" x 13.25" center.




Next, sew the 1.25" x 16" strip to the bottom of the sails.

Then you will need your 3" x 16" color fabric for the boat, and your 3" x 3" white squares. Draw a diagonal line through the center of the white squares and place them on your boat as pictured. Sew a line through the drawn line on your squares.  




Now, trim the corner of the square leaving a 1/4" seam allowance from the line you sewed. 



Press the squares towards the white, and sew your "boat" to your sail unit. 


Square your boat to 16" wide and 16.5" high. And you're done! 



If you are making your the Summer Beach Quilt, make 3 completed sailboats and sew a 2.25in x 16in sashing between the sailboats. Please refer to the layout diagram for quilt layout and assembly. 



And now it's on to the little houses row:) 

Friday 20 September 2013

Summer Beach Quilt Tutorial - Part 3 - Water Row

This is part III of my Summer Beach Quilt tutorials--the Water row. 

Here's what you'll need:

2 - 5.5in x 3in white rectangles
33 - 3in x 3in white squares
1 - 8in x 3in rectangle
16 - 5.5in x 3in aqua rectangles (I used Michael Miller Cotton Couture aqua) 



The first step is to make the 16 flying geese. If you've never made flying geese before it's really fun and easy. 

First, draw a diagonal line on the back of 32 of the 3" x 3" squares.


Place the square on your aqua rectangle as pictured in the diagram making sure it is flush with the outside edge.


Sew along the drawn line. 


Trim off excess fabric on the outside of the line leaving a 1/4" seam allowance.


Press towards the white fabric. 


Place a second square on the opposite side as pictured. 


By the way, I just notice my cutting mat needs a serious wipe-down!
Anyway, sew along the drawn line on the second square.


Trim leaving a 1/4" seam allowance.


And press towards corner and square to 5.5" x 3". 

Note: Squaring up IS SO IMPORTANT. I cannot stress this enough. Whenever I get lazy and I don't square up the blocks I always regret it later because of the amount of frustration it can cause:) 

Now just make 15 more flying geese. 


Lay out 10 flying geese and sew together. Press seams open.


Lay the second row of water out in the following order:
3" x 3" white square, 1 flying geese block, 5.5" x 3" white rectangle, 3 flying geese, 5.5" x 3" white rectangle, 2 flying geese, 8" x 3" white rectangle


Sew the second row of water together and press seams open.


and now sew the two rows together. This should measure 50.5" in length. 


In the next tutorial, we will be making the sailboats:) Please refer to the layout diagram for sashing/assembly instructions.