LAUREL RIDGE -- MONTH 8

 Laurel Ridge is the 2025 Block of the Month quilt designed by Lynn Wilder exclusively for The Quilt Show.  Star Members have FREE access to the patterns starting January 1, 2025. Made in two colorways, the complete patterns are excellent. You will love making this quilt. Lynn supports the pattern instructions with Videos too. 

This month we make the "Cat's Cradle" block, 32 of them. Making half square triangle blocks in units of 8 make these very fast and easy:

The only cutting change I made is my usual one: I upped the size of the pink triangles to 3.5" squares and the large background triangles I cut from 6" squares. I prefer to "trim to perfection".

This does mean I had to trim the pieced half of the block so the large background triangle fits correctly:

Using a Half Square Triangle ruler, I placed the 1/4" diagonal line on the center spot where the pink triangles cross the yellow triangle. The 5.5" line on the ruler is at the bottom of the triangle, and I can see that the HST square will be in 1/4" on both points--very important.

When sewing the large background triangle to the pieced half of the block, you want to "cross the X"--this will insure your middle is perfect:

With blocks as easy as these, I usually prepare all the pieces needed, following the excellent cutting instructions in the pattern. Then I work on these as "leader/ender" units while working on other projects. The pieces are made over time, then it is a simple matter to complete the blocks with the sewn parts. 

If I just want to make these 32 blocks immediately, I use a different ongoing project as my "leader/ender". My 3" Old Italian blocks are perfect for this task. See the instructions here: Summer Sew A Long:

Next month we move on to Nine Patch Stars, the blocks with the most pieces.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

BUCKET LIST QUILT # 5 AKA MY NEXT LIFETIME QUILT

 As I try to make a list of the quilts I REALLY WANT TO MAKE, and EXPECT TO MAKE, it allows me to sort through the huge stash of fabric I own and make a plan to use it or lose it.

Here is the NEXT QUILT on on the list:

I bought this antique top in 2014 from quilt dealer Cindy Rennels,  of Cindy's Antique Quilts. I remember clearly buying it at her booth in Paducah--to treat myself for my "retirement" from H&R Block, and my 60th birthday. There was something about it that just spoke to me. The tag says "from Pennsylvania, 1860-1880 fabrics" Well, I'm from Pennsylvania too and I LOVE a quilt with lots of fabrics.  See many detail photos BELOW.

Once I decided to replicate it, I thought about the easiest way to cut fabrics for the 3" blocks.  Questions I asked myself:

1. What size quilt do I want? The original is 16 x 16 blocks.  Mine is 17 x 17, so I will have a CENTER block, more about that later.

2. Should each block be a DIFFERENT FABRIC? I have more than 289 Civil War reproduction fabrics, that's not the problem. At first, I decided to go with making 4 blocks exactly alike and then spreading them around the quilt. This requires 73 fabrics. Then I changed my mind. All of the blocks will be different. 

3. What background fabric to use? It will take 6-7 yards. The original used all the same cream solid. I only had one solid fabric in that quantity--Paperbag. Pulling the bolt out to the closet I found it had 7 yards on it--decision made!

It didn't take long before I was pulling fabrics and cutting. This makes the perfect LEADER/ENDER PROJECT. These 3" blocks practically make themselves as I am working on other projects.

One fabric I absolutely had to use was a small scrap--just enough to make ONE block. I decided it would be the CENTER BLOCK--which is when I changed the layout from 16 x 16 to 17 x 17. Here is the sketch from EQ8, when I learn how to make it that size, I will fix this layout:

;

This block is called the OLD ITALIAN BLOCK, Brackman # 2881. Here is that center block, laid out, ready to sew:

Here are ALL THE FABRICS NEEDED for all 289 blocks, all cut into the size needed, 6.5" x 8" to make 4 blocks from each. Then I pulled out the next big tub of reproduction fabrics and cut many more 3.5” x 5” pieces, enough to make ONE block, 289 DIFFERENT fabrics. No photo of that pile: 

Before I committed to making this I used completely different fabrics to test my plan. If it becomes another Workshop offering, I will need a smaller sample in more contemporary fabrics:

3" finished blocks

These are so much FUN to make!  

I was eager to make a few from reproduction fabrics--here are the first few done:

The only problem? If the idea here is to USE UP FABRIC, this is a fail! It didn't make a dent in the stack I pulled from the closet. At least I'll use up 7 yards of solid.  Here is what went back IN the closet after all cutting was done:

As promised, here are more photos of the original antique top. If you love 1800's fabrics as I do, it's quite a treat for the eye:

There is one SPECIAL BLOCK I am trying to research. I believe it is CENTENNIAL FABRIC, printed to celebrate 1876 in America. If you know this to be authentic Centennial Fabric, please let me know:

I am considering offering this as a Sew-Along project here on the Blog. I would provide instructions for cutting several different sizes, 3" might be a bit too small for some. It will teach you the 3 important BASICS OF PRECISION PIECING: the cutting, sewing and pressing. Let me know if you're interested...

UPDATE: here is the Sew A Long post:

2025 Summer Sew A Long

There is no rush to get this quilt done fast. As a Leader/Ender project I can allow it to take years. It's my NEXT LIFETIME QUILT. Since I  can't die until it's done, it is smart to make it REALLY SLOWLY.

Here are more Blogs I have written on LIFETIME and LEADER/ENDER quilts:

Lifetime Top is Done

Lifetime Leader/Ender

Having a leader/ender project is always part of my quiltmaking journey, with every quilt I make. With this one, I can achieve BOTH  a BUCKET LIST completion and have a Leader/Ender project ready.  Isn't life grand?!

Let's quilt.

Barbara

Sawtooth Stars

You would think that a 10 foot x 9 foot design wall would be big enough. But, no, when there is secret sewing in progress I wish the wall were twice that size.

This Sawtooth Stars quilt is just a leader/ender project for other sewing. It will be queen size when it's done.

And that step stool tried to kill me. Don't climb up on a step stool wearing flip flops. And don't be too close to the wall--you just might try to fall backwards...

No injuries but a warning to be more careful. Quilting can be dangerous.

UPDATE: The Giveaway Goal is up to 2796! Just a few more to go over my goal of 2800 followers. See this post for more information.  It's likely the Giveaway will be up with my next post...

Let's quilt.

Barbara

Getting Ready

The first Joyful Journey Retreat will be March 11-15, 2020. We are excited about it and it was so much fun to stuff the Gift Bags:

There is a grand prize one lucky person will win, not seen in these photos.

There are 20 of us and we look forward to a great time at Red Rooster Retreat center, Crane Hill, AL. I thought of each of them as we packed these bags. I look forward to making new friends of the few I don't yet know.

My latest leader/ender project is now done, a Double Four Patch from Civil War reproduction fabrics:

I am working on another one of these from bright, modern fabrics and using a different alternate block.  It will be interesting to see how different the quilts look with only minor changes in layout and color.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

Top Three Tips for Time Management

Every time I give my lecture "Time Management for Quilters" I hear from people, days, weeks or even months after who tell me they picked up a few tips that really helped them get more done. Some ask me to go into things in more depth. So here are my 3 Top Time Management tips, the things I do that really help me get more done.

1. PLAN--MY JOURNAL

I have always kept lists, usually on slips of paper. Eventually, the paper would get tossed out and sometime later I would wish I still had it. So when I learned about "bullet journals" a couple years ago I was intrigued. As I read about the concept I felt like you could spend all your time creating a journal about your life instead of living your life. But some of the ideas spoke to me so I adapted the idea to a format that works for me.

I started with a simple blank lined pages journal, picked up at a bookstore. One good pen that I liked the feel of and one ultra fine Sharpie, in Fuchsia, that's all I use. The inside front page is the Index. On the left are the  months listed and the page numbers they cover. On the right are what are called "Collections" but in the next edition I will simply call them "Pages".  I am on my second edition:

For each month, I start with one page that is the overview of that month, things I want or need to get done that month. Besides quilt deadlines, there are things like "book airfare for..." or "Send Supply Lists for Workshops to..." At the bottom of the page I keep a running total of Quilt Tops Completed" and Quilts Completed" that month and the cumulative total for the year, just because it is easy to do this way, for no other reason.

After the monthly overview page, each day I list the things I want/need/hope to get done that day. To the left of each item is a square box that I check off when the item is done. At the end of the day, if the item is not done, I use the fuchsia marker to draw a down arrow, meaning that item got moved down to the next day. If I decide i will not do that item at all, I draw a line through it. Some days have lots of items, some days few, but each day is listed. I usually list tomorrow's items at the end of today--I know what I'm going to be doing the next day.

I don't carry the journal with me, it sits on my desk at the computer. When traveling, I simply list something like"Saturday June 16-Wednesday June 20, San Diego Canyon Quilters".

The Pages/Collections list is the secret to this system for me. Whenever I think of things I want to keep track of, I create a Page for that, wherever in the journal I happen to be at that point--today it would be in the middle of July--the next blank page is 88. I add the Page name and page number to the Index at the front of the journal and it is easy to find whenever I need it. Here are my current Pages:

Quilts to Finish
Tops to Quilt
Labels to Make
Class Ideas
Internet Purchases
Blog Ideas
People to Make Quilts For
Quilts to Photograph
Where Did I Put?

One of the best of these is "Internet Purchases"--any time I order something online I put it on this page, page 8 in the journal, what it is, the cost, the seller, and then I check off when it arrives and when I pay the credit card for it. Before this list, I would get the credit card bill and wonder what that item was, a book? a sewing notion? Personal or business? Now I check page 8 and know instantly what I bought.

The last one is the most recent. Any time I say "I'll put this in a safe place" I add it to the Where Did I Put? list. Now I have a backup for my memory--aging is a real thing.

Your list will vary, start with those that make sense to you and add to them as you like.

Why does this save me time? First, it keeps me on track to get things done, on deadline or because that's what I want to do that day. Second, it keeps my ideas in one place, so I can find them again. Third, it keeps me focused--I never say "wonder what I'll do today?" I can break down a task into the required parts and give them a time slot.

This does not replace my calendar on my computer/phone/IPad--I keep that fully updated with appointments, trips, birthdays, etc. The journal simply works for me, keeping me on target for each day. Perhaps you'll find a different system.

2. THE 15 MINUTE PLAN

Today I have the luxury of working in my studio 9-4 most every day but it wasn't always that way. When I started quilting 35 years ago I  had two kids and a husband, a household to run, several paying jobs, including tax season for 34 years, where I often worked 60-70 hour weeks, was always active in my local guild with all the jobs that entails, and I still found time to make some of my best quilts, of my own design, hand quilting many.

In teaching new quilters I came up with the notion of the "15 Minute Plan". If you have to wait until you have 3 hours of uninterrupted time to start, you'll never get anything done. Break your quilting tasks into 15 minute jobs. Before work, if you have 15 minutes, you can:

Select the fabric for the next block you will sew
OR Cut the fabric for the next block you will  sew
OR Figure out how many strips of binding fabric you need and select the fabric for it
OR Cut the binding strips, sew them together if you still have time
OR Press the binding seams and binding
OR CLEAN UP THE CLUTTER--15 minutes of putting stuff away really helps so the job doesn't grow to an hour-long massive clean up

I always have something ready to sew right beside my machine--if I had 15 minutes I could sew this:

Before I leave the studio today, I'll have something ready to sew tomorrow.

What can you do in 15 minutes, besides play Solitaire or Angry Birds?

3. LEADERS AND ENDERS--Make FREE Quilts

I am a huge proponent of the leaders/enders process made popular by Bonnie Hunter.

Why do I love it so? It saves time, thread, aggravation and fabric bits. All you need to do is have a PLAN. Simple shapes work well for this, squares or triangles are easy. As I am creating quilts, I cut the leftover fabrics into the size "scrap" that works for the plan I have. Currently, it's 1.25" finished half square triangles; before that it was 2" finished four-patches.

At the start and end of each line of chain piecing I start with a Leader and finish with an Ender--two units of fabric that I piece while sewing other things for whatever quilt I am actively working on. Here you see the Leader, a block unit being created and an Ender:

We tend to have the most trouble keeping 1/4" seam allowances straight at the beginning and the end of chain piecing. This helps keep you straight as you start sewing the important part, here the block unit being constructed, and end straight as you leave the block and go to the Ender. We also have difficulty when we rethread the machine--occasionally, the machine likes to "eat" the points and create a "bird's nest" on the bottom--I would much rather have that problem on a small, unimportant bit of fabric than my lovely block.

And it SAVES THREAD. Quality thread is not cheap and it just breaks my heart to see a student sew one little unit together, then pull it out of the machine with at least a foot of both top and bobbin thread attached, only to cut off that thread and throw it in the trash! Chain piecing keeps that waste to a minimum.

To make this system work, all you need is a plan, a quilt pattern that uses simple units you can easily cut from scraps and sew as you go. Here are just a few of the Leader/Ender quilts I've made in recent years:

Queen-size FourPlay, pattern by Kinch and Storms

Doll quilt from a charm pack

Rainbow Baby Nine Patches

Queen-size Tumbler, Bonnie Hunter Leader/Ender Challenge project

I hope you find an idea here that helps you. The lecture is full of lots more but these are the 3 I live by. What tips/tricks do you use to help you get things done?

Let's quilt!

Barbara

What Do 4096 Triangles Look Like?

My Lifetime Quilt is progressing:

Each triangle is 1.25" finished. There are 32 of those triangles in one 5" block. Four 5" blocks become one 10" block. Four 10" blocks become one 20" block. Four 20" blocks become one 40" block. Here are two 40" blocks joined together, 80" x 40", about half of what the finished quilt will be, I think. It might become bigger, time will tell.  Here you see 4,096 triangles.

The rest of the story on this quilt and how I came to make it my "Lifetime Project" can be found here:  Lifetime Leader/Ender project.   

Now that this "half" is done it's back to making a bunch of 5" blocks:

They get made as I am piecing other projects, like the Long Time Gone blocks and the Halo Star Medallion quilt. I need to cut more triangles as the bin is getting a little low. I cut leftover fabrics into 1.75" strips, put light/dark strips right sides together, then use a Half-Square Triangle ruler to cut the triangle pairs. They are sewn, pressed and trimmed right along with whatever project I'm working on.

There is very little planning as I assemble the blocks. I try not to use one fabric more than twice in any 5" block. And I try to use a variety of colors in each block.  This one has a lot of green. Some have a lot of brown. I try to have at least one cheddar/gold in each block.

I like to think of some fabric historian having fun with this quilt 100 years from now, trying to guess the years these various fabrics were made. Since some are accurate reproductions of fabrics first printed 100 years ago, that should be interesting detective work.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

Easy Things and Others, Not So Much

I needed a break from tedious, really careful work so I started on a simple quilt that will be a gift for an old buddy. Random Ohio Stars, a free pattern from Bonnie Hunter:

The twelve 12" stars are done, now I need to make 13 more 6" stars and I'll also make two 3" stars.  I  must say, those 12" blocks feel huge to me, so much bigger than I usually deal with.

Then there are the four flying geese for Temecula's Wild Goose Wednesday project.  I love flying geese and always make four at a time.  Their size is 6" x 3" but after making a few of those I scaled down to 4" x 2"--I like this size much better:

I am getting a bit tired of my "Lifetime Leader/Ender Quilt" so decided to start joining it together. These are 1.25" finished Half Square Triangles, read more about this project here.  This is about one quarter of the finished quilt, I think. The Front:

The Back, more careful pressing is still required:

This week I've been free-motion quilting on Stella's Splendid Sampler.  Not the best quilting ever but this will be one of those "finished is better than perfect" quilts, full of love. There is a long way to go yet.  Here are  a few shots:

Stitch in the Ditch with the Line Tamer ruler

More Stitch in the Ditch

Stitch in the Ditch done

More Stitch in the Ditch

Free-Motion

More Free-Motion

Today I picked up "Stars in a Time Warp" from the quilter, Mechelle Armstrong of Magnolia Longarm Quilting.  She did a great job and I love the wool batting we selected, soft and with lovely loft.  I am eager to get the sleeve made and then sew it and the binding in place.  The label is ready and waiting:

Tomorrow I teach all morning, Saturday I teach all day, Sunday afternoon is a Quilt Show meeting I am involved in--when will I get more quilting done?  Next week...

And the next weekend:  Stella herself will be here--can't wait!  She is 22 months almost, scrumptious!

 She eats really well:  hummus, tomato, cucumber, peppers, yum!

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

Sew-A-Long Part 3 The Old Italian Block

Welcome to our first Sew-A-Long.  If you missed the earlier posts you can find them here:

Part 1 Introduction

Part 2 The Shoo Fly

For years I have called this block the "X" block.  In searching for a real name I found it in Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Pieced Patterns, #2881: The Old Italian Block. So that is what we call it:

We'll be making 6 of these 6" finished blocks.  You can make them scrappy or all the same fabrics, your choice.  Each block uses 3 fabrics, one large square for the background triangles, one small square for the center, and four rectangles for the "X":

I am using a small polka dot for all of the background quarter square triangles, the same stripe for the center square that I used in the Shoo Fly block centers, and 6 brights for the "X"'s.

Quarter Square Triangles (QST) have the straight of grain on the long side of the triangle.  Half Square Triangles (HST) like we made for the Shoo Fly blocks, have the straight of grain on the short side of the triangle.  For best results in quilt block piecing, you want the straight of grain on the outside edges:

Cut the background squares 5.5" square--you need 6 of these.  Cut each in half on the diagonal, then carefully move the ruler and cut the other diagonal, creating 4 Quarter Square Triangles.

I cut two layers of fabric at a time since I can be accurate that way. You can stack up all 6 squares if you like, but it takes more pressure on the ruler to cut 6 at once and if you mess them up, you messed up 6 instead of 2.  You decide.

Next cut 6 center squares, each 2":

2 layers, 2" x more than 6", trim one edge

Rotate and trim other edge, now this is 2" x 6"

Slide the ruler to the 4" line, cut, slide the ruler to the 2" line, cut

6 squares, 2" each,, 2 layers

Cut the sets of four rectangles, 2" x 5", in the same way. Here are my cut pieces all ready to sew:

Time to SEW.  Lay out a block near your machine:

Flip the middle row over, on top of the row on the left:

I use a leader/ender set of small squares, then chain piece the 3 units in order.  Pin if you like. NOTE:  The rectangle is longer than the triangle it is sewn to.  Be sure the 90 degree corners of the rectangle and triangle are lined up, the end of the rectangle will hang over the point of the triangle by more than an inch.  Sew slow, steady and straight.

Here are the units that have been sewn, on the left:

You can press them now, or wait until the right side row has been added.  I like to press now. Be careful--the cut edges of the triangles are BIAS edges and they can be distorted if you press them aggressively or use too much steam.  A dry iron is better at this point:

Lay out so you can press toward the rectangles

Use the edge of the iron to open the seam toward the rectangles

Now we'll add the final 3 pieces to the block, flipping the triangles and rectangle over on to the previously sewn units. Here you can see how the triangles are smaller than the rectangles and it is the corners of each you want to have lined up:

Once sewn, it is time to press, again, toward the rectangles:

Front view

Back view

We're ready to sew the three rows together to complete the block.  Turn the middle row over on the left side row, pin, and sew. I pin IN FRONT of the intersection, one seam is going up, one is going down.  This pin will keep the intersection in place as you approach and then sew it:

Ready to sew

Check those intersections

Pin the right side row onto the previously sewn rows

I leave the bottom pin in place to help me sew straight all the way to the end

Check those intersections

Before I leave the machine, I check the intersections to see if they meet as I want them to.  If they are off just a little I can leave them alone or un-sew a few stitches, fiddle with the intersection, re-pin and re-sew. When I am happy with the intersections, I get up and go to the iron.  Press toward the rectangles:

Lay the seam at the top you want to press TOWARD--open and press

Front view 

Back view

We are almost done.  It's time to "trim to perfection".  The block is now too big, you will trim it to a precise 6.5".  Using a 6.5" square ruler makes this easy.  Place the 3.25" marks at the four intersections of triangles and rectangles.  This also puts the center markings of the ruler down the center of the upper right/lower left rectangles:

Trim the excess from the right and top sides:

Rotate the block, again place the 3.25" marks at the intersections, be sure you are cutting a precise 6.5" square, trim the remain two sides and you are done:

Ta da!  Perfectly pieced 6.5" Old Italian Block:

Lather, rinse, repeat until you have 6 Old Italian Blocks done. My little pile of leader/ender 4-patches is growing too:

Next time we will sew 18 blocks together with a diagonal or "on-point" setting.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara