Vintage Quilt Tutorial: Dresden Plate Part 1

Welcome to Part 1 of the Vintage Plate Quilt Tutorial!

Today I am going to show you how to make the blades and center circle. Next time I will show you how to attach it to your block

You can check out my vintage inspiration here

What you will need:

Template Printout
Scraps, fat eigths, fat quarters for blades (you need a piece at least 3"X5")
cardboard or template plastic
Frixon pen (or pencil)
thread and needle

You can see I just traced the paper but if I made more I would trace it on to cardboard or template plastic. I use a Frixon pen to trace because the lines come out with the heat of my iron. I don't worry about making mistakes and leaving behind ink marks.

You need 19 blades per plate (blades are the individual pieces I am tracing above. A plate is the blades all joined together)
You can use as many or as few different fabrics as you like.

With right sides together sew all 19 blades together at the sides (1/4" seam allowance).

I made a mini design board and laid out the blades in a pattern I liked, carried the board over to my sewing machine, and sewed the blades together. Lori Holt has a great tutorial for these design boards

You can press the seams open (like above) or to the side. For my finished block I waited until all 19 blades were sewn together and then I ironed the whole piece, seams to one side.

Tada!

Now on to the middle circle.

Use the large circle template to trace and cut your fabric. I fussy cut this awesome bird from Heather Bailey's Up Parasol

I dont have a picture of this step but you can see it sort of in the next step.
Hand sew a basting stitch around the edge of the circle. Make sure your thread has a know at one end. It doesn't have to be pretty. When you get to where you started go a few stitches past. Leave a thread tail

Place your smaller circle template in the middle of the wrong side of the cut out larger circle (for this part you will need to trace the paper template on to cardboard or template plastic)

Pull the thread tail holding the cardboard in place. The fabric edges will gather up over the circle.
Iron the front and back of the circle. Remove the cardboard.

There you have it. Now go and sew up a bunch of blades!

All fabric is from Heather Bailey's line, Up Parasol. You could easily use a fat eigth bundle for this project.

Fabric Members here is your link  . You can also find yardage of the fussy cut bird fabric there too.

Download the templates HERE
Part 2 here

See you next time!

Eerie Mini Quilt

Hello Tuesday! Today I am sharing a mini Halloween quilt I stitched up.
Anyone recognize the pattern?

The fabric is Eerie by Basic Grey.  It uses a charm pack and 1/4 yard of background fabric.

It's Thimbleblossom's mini house pattern, Dwell.

I hand stitched  a few places with perle cotton and machine stitched around the houses.

I had enough charm squares left over I used them for the backing. In fact, I had enough charm squares left over I could have made another mini quilt (with more background, of course).

And, in full full disclosure, I haven't finished the binding. Half of it is pinned so I could take pictures. I have a few binding projects just waiting to be finished.




Here is the Eerie lovliness in all its glory. Basic Grey is one of my favorite designers, We also have fun fat quarter bundles available.
I also made a few kits

Vintage Quilt Thursday: Dresden Plate

Happy Thursday! Today I am sharing my Dresden Plates with you. These unfinished plates came from my daughter's grandmother's family.
I have about 20 of them and I am hoping to make at least 2 quilts so I can pass them along to my daughters.

Each blade was hand sewn and the center yellow circle was reverse appliqued.  They measure 14".

There are so many different feedsacks, its like a little fabric history lesson.
 

The tutorial and pdf I am sharing next week will not be using the reverse applique for the center. The technique I am using is (I think) much simplier.

 I needle turn appliqued each plate on to a square. You can still see my cross hair folding I used to center the plate.

I haven't decided how to join the blocks yet, sashing, no sashing.

Check back next Thursday for a tutorial and free pattern to make this block!

Today I am busy putting Advant Garden bundles together. Momo has put together another great line!

Up Parasol Clutch

Several weeks ago I saw a clutch on Instagram made by Pinksuedeshoes. I had to make it! That happens to you right, you see something and want to drop everything to make it?

I used Up Parasol scraps from a few projects I have lined up (this is a great tiny scraps project), linen from our shop and a pattern by Stitch Magazine.

The hardest part (and I only call it hard because it takes time) is the petals. After that its smooth sailing.

I have a few more sets of petals cut out in preparation for Christmas sewing.

The pattern is from an issue about 4 years ago but I also found it in the book Best of Stitch  Bags to sew.

Ruffled Pouch

I am a mad pinner on Pinterest. Mad as in crazy. I am sure many of you are too.

I pinned this fun tutorial not too long ago and set out cutting the pieces. I don't read instruction much, just blaze ahead. So when I cut the back piece was 4"X5" I realized this was going to be a teeny pouch.  Not quite what I had in mind.

However, I love this teeny ruffled pouch. My kids love it too (perfect for holding coins and small treasures) . I will be making many more I am sure.

I used a thrifted skirt for the bottom and ruffle. The skirt was amazing but a size xxs.
Vintage blue sewing machine courtesy of Heather

The linen can be found in our webstore or on Etsy.
The tutorial is here

Vintage Quilt Thursday: Drunkard's Path

Only a week behind but here I am with the follow up to the Vintage Quilt Thursday, Drunkard's Path. You can check out the vintage quilt I used as inspiration here .

The vintage quilt's individual blocks finished at 2". That's no typo. Mine finish at 6".

I used a fantastic ruler by Marti Michell. You can find it here.

I pieced the individual squares in the traditional block but, as you can see, there are many different layouts. The unfinished  block I made is 20"

I wanted to sew a 2 color block like the inspirational quilt but I am very excited to make a scrappy quilt. I haven't decided on a totally scrappy block or make each block with the same fabric but each block different.

The above block I hand quilted with chunky stitches using Perle cotton. It didn't take long at all. I do spy a small section I missed. I must have run out of thread

On the top is a zipper half installed. I am easily distracted. Eventually it will become a pillow for one of my daughter's beds.

Next weeks Vintage Quilt Thursday are blocks I inherited and the following Thursday I will have a PDF template for you to download. My first PDF, very exciting.

Linen Thread Catcher

So, no Vintage Quilt Tutorial. I was hoping to get something in the mail today to share with you but it is coming tomorrow. Boo.

In the meantime, here is a cute, little thread catcher.

I have been working with linen lately. I have a few more linen projects and I am excited to get them done so I can share them with you.

The tutorial is very well written and would make a fun gift for your quilty (and non quilty) friends.

Another picture taken with my cell phone. Don't mind all the junk on my dresser. 

Here is a link to the linen I used
The Thread Catcher link

For you Fabric membership peeps here is your linen link

Fabric Membership people get 25% off every purchase from our Webshop

Show and Tell: Table Runner

 Happy Monday! Today's Show and Tell is a little table runner I made to fit my coffee table.

The strips are cut  1.5-2" and are 10" wide. The table runner itself is 10" X 24" long. It was a quick and easy finish and I used up scraps.

I finished it using quilting in the ditch

 We have the fabrics I used in a fat quarter bundle and 10" Layer Cake

I just realized how well this runner and that can go together. 3 Bear Honey and that little bee with a kerchief and pink honeycombs!

 I love cutting custom bundles for customers. They come up with the best colors. Sometimes, I like them so much I cut a few extra. This is my latest favorite. Isn't it awesome!!

Vintage Quilt Thursday: Drunkard's Path

Its Thursday! And I love Thursday because we share awesome vintage quilts!!

Today I am sharing another 2 fabric quilt. I tell you, I am sold on 2 color quilts.

The green cabinet and pink frame in the background are new vintage pieces Heather added to our new little shop. Have you been by and checked it out yet?

 This little quilt is a toddler bed size and each individual block is 2" finished!!

The little 9 patch in the corner is a fun touch.
Come back next week and I will share a modern version or two and instructions on how to make this fun block.

New Shop Hours:
Tuesday 10-7
Wednesday 10-5
Third Saturday 9-5

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Are you a knitter? Heather added some needles and patterns 50% off to Etsy so check it out

Whats New: Chillingsworth

Its Tuesday! And that means new stuff to share. Today I brought in my finished Chillingsworth table runner. It was so simple to make.

And I quilted it myself!

I used one Chillingsworth panel, (5) 2.5" binding strips, and a black backing (and batting, of course).

I marked my cross hatch lines with a Frixon pen (the best marking pen ever) and quilted with a walking foot.

The bundle is super fun too. Can you make out the little skulls on the purple damask? And newsprint is always a hit with me.

Heather is making a table topper with this line and I can't wait to see it. I will be sure and share pics with you when it is done.

You want to be sure and mark July 11th on your calendar. Heather is hosting another Instagram destash., 9Am-9PM. This round is hard to find and out of print fabrics.

The destash is under @thequiltbarndestash

You can also enter to win a low volume fat quarter bundle! Check it out