OCW Sew Along Part 3

Hi friends! Are you ready to move on?

Let’s trim up the quilt center.

Place your ruler along the edge and make sure that you are leaving a 1/4 inch seam allowance!!

Trim all sides and you should have something that looks like this, ready for the borders.

For the borders we are going to use 1 1/2 inch strips to make strip sets. I cut 1 1/2 inch strips from my various colored fat quarters and then cut those in half so I had about 22 – 11 x 1 1/2 inch colored strips, and then I used 33- 11 x 1 1/2 white strips to make my strip sets. You can use whatever lengths you want, just make sure to have enough variety and when you are done making the strips sets we will cut them into 1 1/2 inch units. You will need a total of 72 units.

Sew your 1 1/2 inch strips sets together like this: white/color/white/color/white. Pressing toward the darker fabric.

When you have them all sewn up, cut them into 1 1/2 inch units. Again you need a total of 72.

We will sew them together in a “stair-step fashion.”

Keep sewing until you have 2- 15 units sewn together for the top and bottom of the quilt and 2- 21 units together for the sides.

On each end you will sew a 3 unit piece. White/color/white. You can accomplish this by either making another strip set and cutting it into 1 1/2 inch units. Or if you have left over 1 1/2 units from the above steps just seam rip off the bottom two squares.

Add a 3 square unit onto each end.

Then the final step is to add a 1 1/2 inch white square onto each end.

Now lets trim the borders. Lay your ruler along the top, making sure again to leave 1/4 inch.

Trim the sides in the same way.

Sew the top and bottom borders onto your quilt center.

For the side borders you will need to cut 4- 3 1/2 inch squares of white and add them to each side. Sew these to your sides and you are done piecing!!

** this picture shows my top and bottom border not trimmed, but yours will already be trimmed.

I’ll post a PDF of the applique shapes for you to print out in the next couple of days. I’m in the middle of a major bedroom redo and didn’t have a chance to scan it yet, but I wanted to at least get these borders up for you in case you were ready to get going.

Maybe you don’t even want to use the applique shapes I did. Maybe you would like a monogram letter of your last name? Or maybe you would like a simple flower, or basket? Some embroidery would look cute too! The sky’s the limit right? =)

Thanks for sewing along!

Later gators,

Melissa

Edited to add the pdf applique

HERE

oh capatain wentwork applique

OCW Sew Along part 2

Mar5

Let’s cut out the center diamond. It is cut a little bigger than you need because 1. I couldn’t figure out how big to cut it and 2. I’m too lazy to figure it out since this isn’t a pattern for sale.

Soooo this is how I did it. You might be smarter than me and know how to figure it out a better way.

Cut a 6 3/4 inch strip from your white fabric. Then line up your 60 degree ruler mark along the top.

Make your cut on the right hand side.

Now move your ruler over to the 6 3/4 inch mark along the left hand side and the 60 degree mark along the top.

Make your cut along the right hand side.

And that is your center diamond. We will trim it down later when we join the rows.

Okay Lets Make The Rows

You should have your project laid out into rows, and we’ll be sewing the diamonds together into diagonal rows. The first and last row do not need to be joined to anything, as it is just one diamond.

So starting with the second row place your diamonds right sides together and sew using 1/4 inch. Always pressing toward the darker fabric.

If you used the 2 1/2 stripper tool it’s easy to see where to line up.

If you cut diamonds with your regular ruler you are going to have to do a little more work.. Make sure your diamond tips are overlapping by 1/4 inch on both sides.

Lets Sew The Rows Together

Once you have all of your rows put together we will then join the rows.

Join rows 1-8 together

rows 9-11 together

rows 12 – 14 together

and rows 15 -22 together.

Tips for joining the rows:

It’s not like sewing squares together as the seams don’t butt up. Instead you have to make little V’s that span a 1/4 inch along the top of the V.

Start by lining up your end, if you have the blunt ends from using the 2 1/2 inch stripper ruler you just line it up.

If you don’t have the blunt end remember to let your diamond tip overhang by 1/4 inch.

Since we pressed toward the darker fabric we have two different versions of lining up,

One will look like this, all the seams will make a v and should be 1/4 inch across it.

And the next seam will look like this, I tried to take a picture up against the light so you could see the v it makes.

Be patient with yourself, and pin, pin, pin. Don’t worry it if isn’t perfect, no one likes perfect people. LOL

After All The Rows Are Together

Now we’re ready to assemble the center. Pick up your joined rows 9-11 and sew it to your center diamond. (these are not the actual rows just demo’s I made up because I forgot to take pictures the first time)

Join it at the bottom and don’t forget to leave the 1/4 hangover.

After you press open, you can then square it up by cutting off the extra with your ruler and rotary cutter.

Once you’ve trimmed you can then add your joined rows12-14 to the other side.

Continue joining until it’s all put together.

You should have something that looks like this:

Okay, I’ll be back next week for borders and the applique.

Later gators!

Melissa

OCW Sew Along

Feb25

I finished the top for our sew along today!! It isn’t quilted or bound yet, but I will work on that while you guys are cutting your diamonds. I think it turned out rather Spring-y, which I could really use about now. (Grin)

I did have enough color/print diamonds and strips cut for 2 kits. You will still need to purchase the white fabric and cut the diamonds, strips, binding, and backing from the white yourself. If you would like one, they are $15.00 plus $2.50 for shipping.

SOLD OUT

___________________________________________________ Here are your cutting instructions for today!

You’ll need a total of

**76 Colored/Print diamonds

**94 white diamonds

From your various Colored/Print Scraps cut 2 1/2 inch strips. You can stack a few together if you are comfortable, and your rotarty cutter is sharp enough. I cut diamonds in stacks of 4 strips at a time.

Next take your 2 1/2 inch striper tool labeled S1A and lay it on the end of your strip.

Make your first cut along the right hand side.

Now flip that stack so that the uncut side is on the right and rotary cut on the right again, also cutting off the squared off tips.

You can continue down the length of your strip only having to make the cut on one side.

If you are using your regular ruler you will lay your strips out and place the 60 degree line along the top of your strips.

Make your first cut, and discard that little scrap.

Now move your ruler along, keeping the 60 degree line along the top and measuring over 2 1/2 inches, then make your second cut.

Keep cutting the rest of your strip using the 2 1/2 inch marker on your ruler and lining up the 60 degree line along the top.

Do the same with 2 1/2 inch strips of the White fabric, until you have a pile of 76 colored/print diamonds and 94 white diamonds.

Here I am cutting, and cutting, and cutting….LOL

Now is a good time to download a Jane Austen novel to listen to while you cut. =)

Once you are done you can lay it out if you would like.

I’ll be back next week with the center diamond and piecing instructions!

Later Gators!

Melissa

Oh, Captain Wentworth! A free pattern and sew along

Feb21

I’ve been working on something fun the last few days for us to sew together ! It is my interpretation of Jane Austen’s famous diamond quilt, pieced by Jane, her mother, and sister.

There is a wonderful article about the quilt written by quilt historian Barbara Brackman here CLICK

Like many before me, I’m an avid Jane Austen fan, and have read all of her books and watched all the PBS films over and over. My favorite Austen man is Captain Wentworth from Persuasion ….ahhhh so dreamy. So that’s what I’m calling this quilt.

I’m not finished designing it yet but I wanted to give you a heads up to prepare in case you want to sew along.

Here’s the quilt so far:

It will finish somewhere around 30 x 50, so it will make a nice little wall hanging. I’m going to add some applique in the center triangle, and finish the pieced border, then I’ll start posting the directions here on the blog.

I cut way to0 many triangles so I will probably offer a few kits if you would like to use the same fabric as I did.

Okay so what do we need?

1. VERY HELPFUL, but not mandatory is the Marti Michell 2 1/2 inch stripper template.

If you don’t have this, and don’t want to purchase this handy dandy tool, you can still use your regular ruler with the 60 degree angle mark, but the tool will make piecing the quilt a lot easier because the template ruler has squared off points that help you line up your triangles.