October Blog Hop Bundle Winners!

We'd like to send out a big thanks to everyone who stopped by during our Holiday Headstart Blog Hop! We'd also like to give a shout-out to our designers, who created these great projects! 

Now, for the randomly drawn winners of fat quarter bundles from each day:

Day 1: Take Me to Class Tote by Tessa of The Sewing Chick

A fat quarter bundle of Cachet:

Congratulations, Willa!

Day 2: Window Pouch by Emily of Mommy's Nap Time

A fat quarter bundle of Baker's Delight:

Congratulations, Donna!

Day 3: Squared Stripe Pincushion from the Benartex Blog Team

A fat quarter bundle of Cool School

Congratulations, Karen!

Day 4: Bold Braid quilt by Kelly of My Quilt Infatuation

A fat quarter bundle of Dori:

Congratulations, Dawn!

Winners, you'll be receiving an email today to get your mailing addresses.

Thank you!

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Music Lover's Delight

It's so satisfying to find just the right fabric for a quilt you'll be giving as a gift. And if you know a music lover, be sure to add this quilt to your to-do list.

 Designed by Stephanie Sheridan and quilted by Linda Leathersich, the duo behind Stitched Together Studios, this quilt incorporates fussy-cut panel designs and pieced piano blocks for an elegant, music-themed piece. The quilt uses the Concerto and Touch of Luxe collections from Kanvas and is featured in the November/December 2013 issue of McCall's Quilting magazine.

"Symphony in B" designed by Stephanie Sheridan & quilted by Linda Leathersich;
featured in McCall's Quilting November/December 2013

Stephanie shares how she made these two fabric collections work together as she designed this quilt and then Linda shares her thinking behind the machine quilting. 

What attracted you to the Concerto collection?

I have always been a music lover, so I was drawn to this fabric line right away!

Why did you decide to combine the Concerto and Touch of Luxe fabric collections?

The Concerto line has just a little metallic element to it, but I knew that I wanted to make this quilt look much richer and more festive since it was going into the Holiday issue of McCall's. The Touch of Luxe line was the perfect choice, all of the colors coordinated perfectly and it brought just the amount of class and opulence that I was looking for.

What was your vision in designing the quilt? 

I knew that I wanted to create a modern design using both the panel and border print. A print from the Concerto line that I didn't use in the quilt—the angled piano keyboard print--actually inspired the piano key block. When I saw it I knew I wanted something like it in the quilt, but I needed it larger and not angled, so I created the piano key block.

Concerto fabric that inspired part of the quilt design

Any helpful tips for someone making this quilt?

Make sure that you are sewing an accurate ¼'' seam ... especially for the piano key block! My favorite way to test this is to cut (3) 2 ½" X 6 ½" strips of fabric and sew them together using a ¼" seam along the 6 ½" side. Press the seam allowances towards your center strip, then measure. Your block should be exactly 6 ½" and your center strip should be exactly 2". If it isn't, adjust your seam allowance and try again. It is definitely worth the time to do this test and will save a lot of headaches while piecing not only this quilt, but all of your quilts!

What is your favorite part of the quilt?

The layout ... I love the look of an asymmetrical quilt, but my brain fights me every time I try to design that way! This quilt has an asymmetrical look because of the different fabrics in the outer border and the odd number of rows, but it is actually perfectly symmetrical!

Can you tell us about the quilting?

Linda: The quilt itself inspired asymmetrical and musical themes, as well as an elegant feather in the border. My tips for quilting on this particular quilt would be to use invisible thread. It allows the fabric to stand out while creating texture by outlining the instruments. The "Phancy Pheathers and Scrolls" in the border switch directions to create more visual impact, and the scrolls mimic the movement of the quilt backing.

What's on the back of the quilt?

Linda: We used another fabric from the Concerto line that didn't work as well on the front of the quilt, but was one of my favorites in the line.

Find the kit for this quilt here.

See the entire Concerto collection here and Touch of Luxe here.

See more from Stitched Together Studios here.

Find McCall's Quilting November/December 2013 issue here.

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Tutorial: Star Twist Pinwheels with Jackie Robinson

Today designer Jackie Robinson of Animas Quilts is here, sharing a step-by-step tutorial for her Star Twist pattern using her "He Still Loves Me" fabrics. 
Don't miss Jackie's giveaway and special offer at the end of this post!

Have you ever admired a less traditional block and wondered exactly how it was  constructed? Or just assumed that because it looked involved, it was too difficult to make? If so, you'll love Jackie's unique pinwheel block. 

And what you'll love even more is how easy it is to assemble! It's just one unit, repeated eight times, with careful color placement! Keep reading to see how Jackie makes this block.

Hi all, it's Jackie from Animas Quilts and I'm happy to be here sharing my Star Twist design. This is a pretty - and sweet - little quilt.  I love the twisty chain effect surrounding the soft stars. You can find the entire pattern as a free download on the Benartex website, but I'll walk you through it step by step right here on the blog. I love helping quilters realize that some complicated-looking blocks are actually quite easy to make, and you'll see that's the case with this quilt.

"Star Twist" by Jackie Robinson 60” x 74”

Let's Get Started:

First, download the cutting info from the pattern sheet. (The pattern sheet will give you the whole pattern as well, but I'll walk you through the steps here.)  

Next, pre-cut all the pieces. You’ll notice the cuts are in descending order according to size.  The reason I cut this way is because IF we mess up a cut, we can always cut it down to a smaller size.  But, if I was cutting the small pieces first, that wouldn’t be an option - I'd just need more fabric. Be thrifty--cut larger pieces first!

NOTE:  I would (and did) make one change to the printed instructions.  For the star block centers, I just used fussy-cut light purple daisy squares rather than adding background colored corners. By the time you place all those diagonal corners on the star centers, the petals of the fussy-cut daisies are chopped off. 
So, follow the cutting directions on the pattern sheet, but when you are ready to cut the White on White background print, cut only (22) 2-1/2” wide strips into 

(31) 2-1/2” x 12-1/2”

(48) 2-1/2” x 6-7/8”

(48) 2-1/2” squares  (rather than 72)

Be certain to also print out the Templates. When I simply printed all four pages of the pattern, my printer cut off the top of the templates, so check your printer settings. Be sure to measure the template and be certain it is 4-1/2” tall.

You just might own a tool that will make cutting the template shapes easier.  If you have a TriRecs tool or a Half Rectangle tool or an Angle Play set of tools, dig it out.  It will make your cutting MUCH easier.

Star Blocks

1. Stitch a Right Facing Purple Multi Scroll triangle onto a Background triangle. Without pressing (because of the exposed bias edge), direct the seam toward the Purple. When you line up these pieces before sewing, make sure they are offset with ¼” ‘ears’ at each end so that when stitched everything is level. Make 24.   

2. Offset as before, sew a Left Facing Purple Multi Scroll triangle onto the Step 1 units.  Press gently toward the Purple. Make 24. They will measure 4-1/2” square from raw edge to raw edge.    

3. Place a 2-7/8” Background square right sides together with a 2-7/8” Green Mini Medallion square. Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the Background. Stitch accurately on both sides of the drawn line. Make 24.    

4. Cut the Step 3 units apart on the drawn line. Press toward the Green Mini Medallion. There will be 48 triangle squares measuring 2-1/2” square from raw edge to raw edge.  

5. Use the Step 4 triangle squares and 2-1/2” Background squares to assemble Butterfly 4-patch units. They will measure 4-1/2” square from raw edge to raw edge. Make 24.    

At this point, as I mentioned above, skip adding the diagonal corners on the 4-1/2” fussy cut light purple allover squares.

6. Assemble the units from Steps 2, 5 and the 4-1/2” Light Purple Daisy squares into Star Blocks. Press. Make 6. They are 12-1/2” square from raw edge to raw edge.   

Pinwheel Blocks - these are REALLY fun!

7. Diagonally stitch a 2-1/2” Green Scroll square onto two opposite corners of a 4-7/8” Black Scroll square.  Trim the excess from the corner and press gently toward the corner.  Make 12.    

8. Diagonally stitch a 2-1/2” Black Scroll square onto two opposite corners of 4-7/8” Green Scroll squares. Trim the excess from the corner and press gently toward the corner. Make 12.    

9. Cut the Steps 7 and 8 units diagonally through the plain centers, making 24 triangles of each. So far, so easy!   

10. Sew a 2-1/2” x 6-7/8” Background along the indicated edge of each Step 9 unit. Line it up with the square corner. It will extend about 2” beyond the diagonal corner. Without pressing (because of the exposed bias) direct the seam toward the background.   

11. Using the bias cut edge as a guide, diagonally cut the corners of the Step 10 pieces. Be gentle. The cut should extend to the corner of the Background piece.  

12. Positioned as shown, sew one of each color of the Step 11 units together to form a square. Press toward the mainly Black unit. Make 24. They will measure 6-1/2” square from raw edge to raw edge. You thought this was going to be tricky . . . see how easy!   

13. Watching placement, sew four of the Step 12 units together to form a block. Press. Make 6. They measure 12-1/2” square from raw edge to raw edge.    

Assembly

14.  Lay out the blocks with 2-1/2” x 12-1/2” Background sashing units surrounding them. Add 2-1/2” Green Scroll squares for the cornerstones.    

15. Stitch the quilt top together. Press gently.

16. Stitch the 2-1/2” Green Scroll strips together, end to end. Cut two equal lengths for the side borders and attach. Press toward the borders. Then cut two equal lengths for the top and bottom borders, and attach. Press.

17. Attach the outer stripe borders, beginning and ending at the 1/4” seam allowance at each corner, and leaving the miter ‘tail’ extending.  

18. Place a corner to miter on your ironing board, with the border that is lying horizontal extending to the right, and the one that is vertical on top of it and extending up. Fold the top extending border diagonally under and position so it is exactly on top of the one extending to the right. Once you are satisfied that the miter is correct, smash it with the iron.   

19. Use a pin or two to hold the mitered corner in place.  From the underside, stitch in the pressed crease. Check to see that it’s correct and if it is, trim the excess from the seam to 1/4”. Press these seams open. Repeat Steps 18-19 for each of the corners to be mitered.   

20. Layer your quilt and prepare to quilt your masterpiece. I like to accentuate the diagonals by stitching diagonally through the corners. Detail the blocks. You may want to also quilt in all the seams (in the ditch). Outline the daisies in the border.

21. Bind with the strips specified, following the instructions with the Binding Miter Tool.  If you're not familiar with this terrific tool, watch a video demo here. 

You're done!

Thanks Jackie! Now for a giveaway and a special offer. "Like" Jackie's Facebook page and leave a comment below this post letting us know you did so. One commenter will receive a gift certificate for $20 worth of downloadable patterns from Animas Quilts. Giveaway ends November 9th at 11:59 EST and winner will be drawn randomly.

And make sure that you're following our blog (through a blog reader like Bloglovin' or via email; you can find sign-up options for both in the right-hand sidebar) to find more fantastic tutorials, interviews with designers, and news about Benartex's upcoming fabric lines!

Also, as a thank you for stopping by this tutorial and Jackie's Facebook page, she's got a special deal for you! For the next 5 days only, you can purchase a kit for this Star Twist pattern featuring Jackie's He Still Loves Me fabric for 15% off! Find the link for this offer here.

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Holiday Headstart Blog Hop: Day 4

Welcome back! It's the final day of our Holiday Headstart Blog Hop! Today, Kelly from My Quilt Infatuation is here, sharing a quick and easy quilt design, the Bold Braid. We hope you enjoy her tutorial and are inspired to make your own--who doesn't love a super-quick quilt?! Make sure you also pop over to Kelly's blog to see more of her creative ideas and find out how you can enter to win a fat quarter bundle of Dori for yourself. If you missed any of the other tutorials featured this week, you'll find links at the bottom of this post.

Hey y'all, I'm Kelly from My Quilt Infatuation.  I'm thrilled to share a tutorial with you for a quilt using the Benartex's new Dori fabric line.  I just love the bright, fresh colors in this line.  The fabrics are super versatile and would look fun in a kids' room, or even outside on a picnic table.

I love the look of braid quilts and herringbone quilts, but when I'm short on time, I don't want to fuss with all of those tiny strips.  By making the strips wider, you can create a quilt with big impact in a snap!  Here's how-

Fabric Requirements-
10 fat quarters
2.5 yards backing fabric
1/2 yard binding fabric

Cutting-

Start by pressing your fat quarters and trimming to 18 x 18 inches.  We'll be using those scraps later so hang onto them!  Make a cut across one side to get a 4.5 inch strip.  Trim it to 13.5 inches, and choose two of the leftover 4.5 inch squares to begin your braids.

Cut the remaining fabric into 4.5 inch strips in the other direction.  They will be 13.5 inches long.  Each fat quarter will yield 5 strips measuring 4.5 x 13.5 inches for a total of 50 strips.

Piecing the Quilt Top-

To build the braid pieces, start by taking one of your 4.5 inch squares and sew a strip to one side using a 1/4 inch seam.

Add another strip to the adjoining side of the square.  This is the beginning of your braid!

Continue adding strips to one side, then the other until you have 10 strips on each side.  This basic construction could really be used to make a braid of any length or width by varying the strip length, or by adding more strips, but for this fun little quilt, we'll stop at ten.

You can get as particular as you like about your strip arrangement.  Personally, I enjoy sewing in a carefree style and letting the fabric "fall where it may."  Of course, I know other quilters that prefer to lay out every single piece.  That's really up to you!

Time to take your braid to your cutting mat.  Start by lining up your ruler across your beginning square and trim at the widest point.

Then trim each side to a straight edge, cutting as little away as possible.

Finally, trim the bottom of your braid at the widest point.  I know it seems like a lot to trim off, but I usually square up these cut pieces and add them to my scraps.  I just refuse to waste pretty fabric!  Your trimmed braid will measure 16.5 inches wide by 52 inches long.

Once you have both of your braids pieced and trimmed up, lay them side by side and sew them together.  You should have 10 remaining strips after sewing both braids.  Sew four strips into a border for each long side.

Marvel at your finished quilt top!

Finishing the Quilt-

Now, let's talk about those scraps.  I always use my scraps in my backing so that nothing goes to waste-- and you get the added bonus of making your quilt fun on both sides!

Once you've pieced your backing, just baste, quilt and bind with your favorite method.  I opted for the Dottie Lime fabric in this line as my main backing fabric, and I picked out that awesome orange color for the binding.  I quilted it with a simple meander, and I love the crinkly texture it gives the quilt.

Your finished quilt will measure 40 x 52 inches.  That's a great size for a baby or child, or even a large table topper!

Thanks Kelly! We're always happy for a quick quilt idea--great for a holiday or a baby gift! Head over to Kelly's blog, My Quilt Infatuation, to find out how you can win a fat quarter bundle of these fantastic fabrics!

Don't miss the other tutorials featured in our Holiday Headstart blog hop:

Day 1: Take Me to Class Tote by Tessa from The Sewing Chick

Day 2: Window Zip Pouch by Emily from Mommy's Nap Time

Day 3: Squared Stripe Pincushion from the Benartex blog design team

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