Hello Dear Friends and Readers, welcome to todays post which is the final of The Spinner Quilt construction. It is a reality that sometimes it just takes some time before the light comes on about how a quilt should progress or indeed finish. This one is no exception as it has languished in a pile for sometime without direction. It just needed something….????
Here is the links to part one and two which will give all the details so far.
Then yesterday, the illumination did occur. I realised that it needed some kind of framing and so I set about doing that by then adding prairie points to the perimeter which I think really sets it off by giving some colour and diagonal movement which compliments the design without competing with it. This is how I did it.
This quilt top measures approximately 76” x 84 1/2” including the prairie points.
The Spinner Quilt – Part 3 susie’s-scraps.com
Requirements for the Border and the Prairie Points
8 of cream/white 2 1/2” width of fabric strips
72 of 5” x 5” scrap squares
I then added the 2 1/2” cream/white borders to the perimeter of the quilt as pictured above.
Make the Prairie Points
Press each of the 72 squares once on each diagonal to form a triangle.
The Spinner Quilt – Part 3 susie’s-scraps.com
Placing the Prairie Points
With raw edges all aligned, evenly place the prairie points around the perimeter of the quilt edge. 17 each along the short sides and 19 on each of the longer sides.
The Spinner Quilt – Part 3 susie’s-scraps.com
Here all the prairie points are laid out and pinned ready to sew.
The Spinner Quilt – Part 3 susie’s-scraps.com
Carefully machine stitch 1/4” away from the edge to fix all of the points in place.
The Spinner Quilt – Part 3 susie’s-scraps.com
Now all the points are stitched on the the top is laid our ready for quilting. Obviously once the quilt is quilted the points will be along the free edge and the raw edges will be slipped stitched into the quilt back.
Here is a smaller example of a quilt finished with praire points. I love the way they give some three dimensionality to the quilt and also can add some extra weight.
Hello Dear Friends and Readers. Welcome to today’s post and a very warm welcome to all my new subscribers. Although I still love machine stitching, today I would like to share the progress of my current hand sewing project. I should explain that I really like to have a hand sewing project on the go at all times. Even if I do not touch it for quite a while it doesn’t matter. This is slow stitching. This is therapeutic stitching. It is something to take with you when you are not at home. That may be a holiday or a visit to friends or family, road trip or something as simple as waiting in the car to pick someone up or waiting at an appointment. It kind of goes with that old adage “A stitch in Time Saves Nine” and although that can mean to fix something while it is a small problem it can also mean to create something a little at a time and eventually it will be something that otherwise would have been nothing.
Six Pointed Hexagon Stars Antique Inspired Part 2 susies-scraps.com
Hand Sewing the Six Pointed Hexagon Star
Position a light fabric diamond right side down against the Six Pointed star. Try to align the tip points. Begin stitching approximately 3/8ths” from the 60 degree point using a 1/4” seam.
Six Pointed Hexagon Stars Antique Inspired Part 2 susies-scraps.com
Once you reach the 120 degree angle of the diamond and the seam of the two adjoining diamonds of the star underneath, then pivot the top diamond to now mach with the side of the adjacent diamond and continue stitching until 3/8ths” from the end. Lock stitch to secure.
Six Pointed Hexagon Stars Antique Inspired Part 2 susies-scraps.com
Begin sewing the second diamond in the other background fabric in the next adjacent space sewing in the same manner.
Six Pointed Hexagon Stars Antique Inspired Part 2 susies-scraps.com
Continue alternating the fabrics until the Six Pointed Star now is a hexagon shape as pictured below. Each side of the hexagon should measure 5”.
Six Pointed Hexagon Stars Antique Inspired Part 2 susies-scraps.com
Slowly stitching these Six Pointed Hexgon Stars I have now accumulated about 50 blocks.
They are looking rather nice! Not bad for scraps and idle time.
Six Pointed Hexagon Stars Antique Inspired Part 2 susies-scraps.com
Moving along to the next part…Here is the link to Part 3
Hello Dear Friends and Readers. welcome to today’s post. Today I would like to share and hopefully inspire you with you my Scrappy Thousand Pyramids Quilt. Last night I finished putting the binding on after recently finishing the hand quilting. Luckily I managed to find a similar fabric in the French General range to use for the binding.
Here is the link to the original pattern made with 5” strips for easy peicing.
I had decided that hand quilting would be the better option for finishing this quilt. The main reason is that I suspected trying to free motion quilt around or over the intersections of the pyramids might not be satisfactory. The other reason is that I do love antique quilts. I think that this had that sort of a look. Many of the fabrics, (but not all) are French General. My solution was to hand quilt it. Having just finished hand quilting my grandmother’s garden like grandma used to make, Grandmother’s Flower Garden Quilt Like Grandma Used to Make I felt encouraged to hand quilt this Scrappy Thousand Pyramids Quilt too..
This was not particularly difficult as I just followed the seam lines, 1/4” away approximately.
For more information about the hand quilting process, I can refer you to a previous post in which I detailed my methods. All In Hand – Lessons In Hand Quilting
While it may seem a big task to some of us, it actually turns out to be a lovely evening activity. I think it’s a good way to quiet the mind and concentrate on just making some beautiful quilting stitches. This is a rather restful activity. On the other hand, there is wrestling with a large quilt on the sewing machine, which I still love by the way. If however, there is no urgency to finish the quilt, then a little bit of stitching done each night turns out to be, in its own way, quite efficient. Perhaps, during this evening time, is not necessarily when we might be at our best to be doing free motion quilting. This is probably best reserved, in my opinion, to a daytime activity.
To me, this was a good opportunity to try to continue to improve my hand quilting stitches.
TIP
Maybe at this point, you might be thinking ???? ahh but at night time, the lighting is probably a less than ideal. Obviously if you have a directional lamp that can focus on your work, that would be nice, however, a better option maybe what I have been doing. I have been using a headlight at night. This turns out to be really good. One can adjust the beam to be downward looking and brighter on the work. This way it’s still relaxing and a large amount of overhead light is not required. I believe there are all different kinds available now for camping and in hardware stores. The one I am using is called Bilby. It has a rechargeable battery if you want to look it up here is a good review.
Small bag to keep the thimble, scissors, thread, and needles
Optional Headlamp
One of the very nice things about hand quilting is that it is very easy to clean up the quilt top as you go. Snip off unwanted threads etc. And I only used 2 needles for the whole quilt!!
Hand Quilting The Borders
For the borders, I continued the triangle theme. I did not mark the quilt borders. I just followed the finishing points of the pyramids. I adapted the triangles for each border according to the width available. Overall the quilt is lovely and soft and drapable due to the hand quilting.
It is lovely to finish a quilt. It is one less in the “to be quilted pile”.
I do believe that my stitching has improved a little from the beginning to the end of the hand quilting process.
Hello Dear friends and Readers, I first posted about making Scrappy Great Granny Square Blocks a few years ago now. Sadly the blocks got put away in a drawer to be looked at some other time…… I still really love these blocks and as you all know, I am all about the scraps.
The good news is that my stash of 2 1/2“ x 2 1/2“ squares had steadily grown, so I thought it is time to revive this project and make some more! So today I am sharing the progress of these blocks. I believe it is a very good sign when a project is still very appealing even if time has gone by.
It is really good to know that this block works well with all scraps. You will see from the photos that even directional prints or odd squares can find a nice home here in these blocks. Another positive is that even if you only have one of a particular square, it can become the centre square or it can join in on a round with other similar colour squares.
The only extra thing required is some background fabric. I have used white but there is no reason why you couldn’t choose any other colour or even black as the background. (lots of granny Square crocheted rugs had a black background) here is some history of the crochet Granny Square https://www.hanjancrochet.com/history-of-the-granny-square/ How it came to be a quilt block I really do not know.
Here is a link to my original tutorial which will give the requirements and method for the blocks.
All the blocks are trimmed to 12“ x 12“
Requirements for the Scrap Great Granny Squares Blocks
See how these directional prints can work. Some of these fabrics are bits left over from borders and backings but they are still pretty and they are good fabrics so they will add to the overall movement in the quilt when they all come together eventually.
Scrap Great Granny Squares Quilt Revival susies-scraps.com
In truth it would have been easy to throw some of these bits out, but as you can see it was worth the trouble to cut them up into useable squares.
It actually takes a lot of work to cut these up from yardage however if you have leftovers and cut those bits up at the end of a project, all those beautiful bits can be incorporated into another even more lovely quilt with so much variation.
My Singer 201k treadle has been getting a bit of a workout. It is fun and relaxing. I like to lay out the blocks onto a firm portable surface ( a cutting mat or lazy Susan ???? is great ) and then take it to the machine and put the block together.
Scrap Great Granny Squares Quilt Revival susies-scraps.com
So here are my blocks so far. I am going to make some more. not sure yet how many….but that is part of the adventure, don’t you think!
Scrap Great Granny Squares Quilt Revival susies-scraps.com
Glowing Pinwheels Quilt and Pattern (not quite Amish)
Hello Dear Friends and Readers, welcome to todays post.
If you are like me and you have from time to time admired the antique and vintage quilts made by Amish women, you might have noticed how bold their designs can be even though their propensity for plainness of fabric dominated their quiltmaking. And in fact, how some of the designs seem to literally glow. Well I believe that is attributed to use of solid colours. https://www.quiltingdaily.com/this-old-quilt-unmistakably-amish-quilts/
We can also incorporate that sort of concept into our quilts by the use of plain and solid coloured fabric. This can present as a conundrum as we are literally bombarded with soo many beautiful fabrics to choose from. As scraps are what I prefer to use, there is no reason that we cannot combine the two to make some potentially striking quilt designs.
Moving forward, I was given a slection of Polka Dot scrap fabric strips by my friend Wendy. I washed them all and had them ready in rolled up strips but I really didnt know what I was going to do with them. Eventually I decided that because it is a fun design, they would look well being in a fun block like Pinwheels!
That is when I decided to create these blocks Pinwheels On Point Blocks – Made Easy. For each block I decided to use a solid background colour to make the pinwheels stand out.
Then when there was the arrival of a new baby grandson I decided between other projects to gradually make these blocks and here is the result of how I have put them together. Funnily enough I recently mentioned that I do not often use black in my quilts Scrappy Housetop Log Cabin Variation Quilt Top Vintage Inspired but there is certainly a place for it and I think this has contributed greatly to the impact of this quilt. Technically this could be called a Band Quilt or Row Quilt.
Finished quilt size 35 1/2“ x 46 1/2“
Requirements for the Glowing Pinwheels Quilt
30 of the Pinwheels on Point Blocks. All of the background fabrics must be in assorted solid fabrics to get the quilt to glow.
To make these Pinwheels on Point blocks, you will need:
30 of 5 1/2“ x 5 1/2“ assorted solid / homespun fabrics.
60 of light coloured polka dot or patterned fabrics each 3“ x 3“
60 of dark coloured polka dot or patterned fabrics each 3“ x 3“
Then to put the quilt together;
4 of dark strips I used black with white polka dots each 3“ x 30 1/2“
2 of dark strips 3“ x 46 1/2“ for the sides
Backing fabric 40“ x 50“
Batting piece same size as the backing fabric
5 of 2 1/2“ Width of Fabric strips in a stripe for the binding.
Constructing the Glowing Pinwheels Quilt
Use the 30 of Pinwheels on Points Blocks to make 3 panels each containing 10 of the blocks set into a 5 x 2 arrangement.
Glowing Pinwheels Quilt and pattern (not quite Amish) susies-scraps.com
Alternate the colours of each block in the panel so that there is good colour distribution.
TIP
Please be careful not to stretch the bias edges until the blocks are sewn together.
Glowing Pinwheels Quilt and pattern (not quite Amish) susies-scraps.com
Lay out the three panels as pictured below using the dour 3“ x 30 1/2“ black strip at either end and between the panels.
Glowing Pinwheels Quilt and pattern (not quite Amish) susies-scraps.com
Sew the strips to the panels. then sew the two remaining long black 3“ x 46 1/2“ strips to the sides of the quilt top. See how the pinwheels glow!
Glowing Pinwheels Quilt and pattern (not quite Amish) susies-scraps.com
I layered it for quilting using a cotton batting and a delightful print which has a myriad of the same colours as the front.
Now for the quilting. As the focus of the quilt was polka dot fabrics, I decided to quilt the whole quilt with little loops, using my vintage Singer 201K C1948. Vintage Singer 201K and FMQ
Glowing Pinwheels Quilt and pattern (not quite Amish) susies-scraps.com
Trim the waste from the edge of the quilt after quilting. Prepare the striped binding strips into one long length and sew to the front of the quilt. Quick Bind Every Time – Tutorial
Glowing Pinwheels Quilt and pattern (not quite Amish) susies-scraps.com
And here is the finished quilt.
Glowing Pinwheels Quilt and pattern (not quite Amish) susies-scraps.com
And here is my dear little recipient. One year old.
Glowing Pinwheels Quilt and pattern (not quite Amish) susies-scraps.com
I had lots of fun making this quilt. If you enjoyed this quilt story and pattern, you may also like some of these other baby/lap quilt and Pinwheel inspired designs.
