Monday, September 28, 2015

Harvest QAL - Hourglass and Spool Blocks (week 5)

Drum roll......................

Week 5!  Lovely spool blocks (or perhaps they look more like bow ties in this photo) and Hour Glass blocks (which are also looking like bow ties when they are sideways!)


I've been having a lot of fun with the QAL and hope you are too!  Lots of people have been making their own blocks and I have been very happy with the volume of pattern downloads!


Step by step photo instructions for Hour Glass blocks are available in my Blocks 101 series.

Next Monday is the release of the final assembly instructions!  I can't wait to see all the finished wall hangings!

Just getting started?  Overall information can be found here on the QAL page.

An important reminder -  the pattern you download is for your own personal use.  This means you can not duplicate it.  You do not have permission to give a copy or to email a copy anyone.   You can refer them to my blog and they can download their own copy.

Grab button for Elm Street Quilts Harvest QAL
<div class="Elm Street Quilts Harvest QAL" style="width: 150px; margin: 0 auto;"> <a href="http://www.elmstreetquilts.com" rel="nofollow"> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-JYEUmq1B5AzFw_GILDaj5BnxWlRzkEIlYehBziSMj8TWIT2pvXULFXKVgE_R03lHVSsismSUufOYACZiE8oftXjgkFkZKffyHTS2T2cG9tpmEAfhyD7svxI2qJV7gBXZL0kKIIXrIY/s125-no/Harvest+QAL+ElmStreetQuilts.jpg" alt="Elm Street Quilts" width="150" height="150" /> </a> </div>

Post your progress on your blog and please grab the button! 


Post your progress on Instagram and use  #elmstreetquilts.


Post your progress on Facebook on the Elm Street Quilts Facebook page! 

But first you'll need the instructions to make some Spool blocks and Hour Glass blocks - instructions available from my Craftsy store.




The full pattern is available in my Craftsy store as well for a small fee.



Have a wonderful day! Patty

Saturday, September 26, 2015

Block 101: Hourglass block

Bringing you another versatile block in the Elm Street Quilts Block 101 series.

The Hourglass block is quit a lot of fun to put together.  There is almost like a magic to the whole process.

I should really make more of these blocks.  They really are fun to assemble.


Now let's get started!

Start with two squares the same size.  (I am using 4'' squares for this tutorial.)  Draw a diagonal line across the wrong side of the lighter square.  (I used red marker for the photo - a pencil will do.)



Sew 1/4 '' to either side of the drawn line.



Cut in half, cutting through and not between the sewing line.



You will then have two pieces



Cut apart on the drawn line and you'll have 4 pieces as folows.


Unfold and finger press.


Swap the lower triangles as shown below.  (You can also make a bunch of these in different fabrics and colors and then combine them for an attractive looking hourglass.)



Sew together, aligning the seams carefully.


Trim to proper size.  These are being trimmed to 3'' squares.  Notice the measurement right at the center.


And enjoy!


You can make hour glass blocks in any size you want.  Start with the finished size you need and/or the unfinished block size.  The right column in the table tells you the size of the initial squares.

But you almost don't need a table.  Start with the unfinished size and cut your two (2) initial squares an inch larger!


Have fun!



Have a wonderful day! Patty

Monday, September 21, 2015

Harvest QAL - Churn Dash and Leaves (week 4)

Time for Churn Dashs!


Time for Leaves!


Time for week 4 of the Harvest QAL!

Both of these blocks are paired together because they both use the HST (half square triangle) block.  All the HSTs are the same size so you can sit down and get them all churned out (get it?) in one sitting.  

Step by step photo instructions for HST are available in my Blocks 101 series.

I hope you are having fun with this QAL - I am pleased with how many people have joined in!  Overall information can be found here on the QAL page.

Grab button for Elm Street Quilts Harvest QAL
<div class="Elm Street Quilts Harvest QAL" style="width: 150px; margin: 0 auto;"> <a href="http://www.elmstreetquilts.com" rel="nofollow"> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-JYEUmq1B5AzFw_GILDaj5BnxWlRzkEIlYehBziSMj8TWIT2pvXULFXKVgE_R03lHVSsismSUufOYACZiE8oftXjgkFkZKffyHTS2T2cG9tpmEAfhyD7svxI2qJV7gBXZL0kKIIXrIY/s125-no/Harvest+QAL+ElmStreetQuilts.jpg" alt="Elm Street Quilts" width="150" height="150" /> </a> </div>

An important reminder -  the pattern you download is for your own personal use.  This means you can not duplicate it.  You do not have permission to give a copy or to email a copy anyone.   You can refer them to my blog and they can download their own copy.



Post your progress on your blog and please grab the button! 



Post your progress on Instagram and use  #elmstreetquilts.


Post your progress on Facebook on the Elm Street Quilts Facebook page!  (I just started this Facebook page and it is looking lonely with no likes and no visitor posts so please go show it some quilting love!)

But first you'll need the instructions to make some churn dashes and leaves - instructions available from my Craftsy store.




Don't want to wait for the blocks each week?  The full pattern is available in my Craftsy store as well for a small fee.




Have a wonderful day! Patty

Monday, September 14, 2015

It's all about the geese! Harvest QAL week 3!

Happy Monday! 
Did you get your apples and pumpkins done?  I hope you had fun making them.  There was a typo in the cutting instructions for the pumpkins which has been corrected.  See the main QAL page for more information. 

It is week 3 of the Harvest QAL!

Time for making Flying Geese!   This is a great way to use up scraps of color to punch up your quilty Harvest wall hanging.   There are plenty of tutorials for flying geese made the no-waste way on the web.  I've got my own tutorial here for you as well as part of my Block 101 series.



The number of people who have downloaded these weekly patterns continues to grow.   I'd love for that number to continue to increase so help me spread the word!


Grab button for Elm Street Quilts Harvest QAL
<div class="Elm Street Quilts Harvest QAL" style="width: 150px; margin: 0 auto;"> <a href="http://www.elmstreetquilts.com" rel="nofollow"> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-JYEUmq1B5AzFw_GILDaj5BnxWlRzkEIlYehBziSMj8TWIT2pvXULFXKVgE_R03lHVSsismSUufOYACZiE8oftXjgkFkZKffyHTS2T2cG9tpmEAfhyD7svxI2qJV7gBXZL0kKIIXrIY/s125-no/Harvest+QAL+ElmStreetQuilts.jpg" alt="Elm Street Quilts" width="150" height="150" /> </a> </div>

An important reminder -  the pattern you download is for your own personal use.  This means you can not duplicate it.  You do not have permission to give a copy or to email a copy anyone.   You can refer them to my blog and they can download their own copy.





Post your progress on your blog and please grab the button!  Then come join the linky party below!


Post your progress on Instagram and use  #elmstreetquilts.


Post your progress on Facebook on the Elm Street Quilts Facebook page!  (I just started this Facebook page and it is looking lonely with no likes and no visitor posts so please go show it some quilting love!)

But first you'll need the instructions to make some geese - instructions available from my Craftsy store.




Don't want to wait for the blocks each week?  The full pattern is available in my Craftsy store as well for a small fee.







Have a wonderful day! Patty

Monday, September 7, 2015

Harvest QAL - Apples & Pumpkins (Week 2)

Happy dance - week 2 of the Harvest QAL!



Have all your background fabric cut and ready for week 2?  If not, no problem.  You'll have an incentive now because you'll want to make these cute pumpkin and apple units!

(Note - the apple unit in the photo actually has an error.  See that strip of fabric to the right of the 3rd apple?  It was supposed to be to the left of the first apple!  No worries - it will work either way but if you follow the instructions, your unit will be slightly different.)


These apple and pumpkin blocks are a lot of fun to make.  Both blocks use the same technique to 'round' or 'snowball' the corners.   The instructions are clear but if you need a bit more of a photo tutorial on this technique, check out my Block 101 - Snowball post.




Over 100 people (and still growing) have downloaded the week 1 cutting instructions.  I'd love for that number to continue to increase so help me spread the word!

Post your progress on your blog and please grab the button!  Then come join the linky party below!


Grab button for Elm Street Quilts Harvest QAL
<div class="Elm Street Quilts Harvest QAL" style="width: 150px; margin: 0 auto;"> <a href="http://www.elmstreetquilts.com" rel="nofollow"> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-JYEUmq1B5AzFw_GILDaj5BnxWlRzkEIlYehBziSMj8TWIT2pvXULFXKVgE_R03lHVSsismSUufOYACZiE8oftXjgkFkZKffyHTS2T2cG9tpmEAfhyD7svxI2qJV7gBXZL0kKIIXrIY/s125-no/Harvest+QAL+ElmStreetQuilts.jpg" alt="Elm Street Quilts" width="150" height="150" /> </a> </div>


Post your progress on Instagram and use  #elmstreetquilts.


Post your progress on Facebook on the Elm Street Quilts Facebook page!  (I just started this Facebook page and it is looking lonely with no likes and no visitor posts so please go show it some quilting love!)

But first you'll need the instructions to make some apples and pumpkins - instructions available from my Craftsy store.




Don't want to wait for the blocks each week?  The full pattern is available in my Craftsy store as well for a small fee.




Enjoy!




Have a wonderful day! Patty

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Block 101 : Snowball

For me, anyway, the term snowball in quilting means to create the illusion of a rounded edge to your square block.

Like a snowball.

We will use this technique to make the apples and pumpkins in the Harvest QAL.

To assemble, you need your main block and then 4 smaller squares sized the same.


The dimensions will depend on the effect you are working to create.  For my sample, the brown square is 5'' and each of the white squares are 2''.

Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of each of the white squares.

Pin to the corner as shown below.


See where I have that pin relative to the drawn line?  You want to sew on the other side of the drawn line.  Just a hair off the line so when you fold it back, your corners will align correctly.

Like this.


Now repeat for the rest of the corners.


Before you cut anything, fold back those corners and make sure you are happy with how everything aligns.


Look good?  Then go ahead and cut them leaving a 1/4'' seam allowance.


Fold and press.



You can use this technique on blocks that aren't just plain squares of fabric.  I made this quilt a few years ago and used this technique to create a second design.  (I called this quilt Dream Big.)








Have a wonderful day! Patty