premium online quilt magazine – vol. 6 no. 3 …...cutaway shapes and reverse appliqued in the...

Premium Online Quilt Magazine – Vol. 6 No. 3

© Online Quilt Magazine.com All Rights Reserved P a g e | 1

Online Quilt Magazine.com

Premium Issue Vol.6 No.3 – March 2015

PROJECT –

“Squared

Away” Table

Setting

Quilt “The

Easiest Flower

Ever”!

Tips on Buying a

Longarm Quilting

Machine

Learn

Reverse

Applique

PROJECT –

Hot Cross

Bun

Pincushion



Online Quilt Magazine Table of Contents

Reverse Applique Technique…………………………………………………………………………...………………….…..……………………………….………………………………..……….. Page 4

Free Motion Quilt Tutorial – The Easiest Flower Ever ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

PROJECT – “Squared Away” Table Setting ………………………………….……………………………..………………………………………………………………………………………….

Page 8

Page 13

Common Quilting Questions Answered ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2

Hints and Tips From Brannie …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………………. Page 27

PROJECT – Hot Cross Bun Pincushion ………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 29

What’s New from The Fat Quarter Shop ……………………………………..…………………………….………………………………………………………………………..………………. Page 32

Easy Ideas To Take Care Of Your Rotary Cutter……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Page 35

PROJECT – Renaissance Attic Windows Pattern …………………………………………………....…………………..…………………………………………………………………………

Tips on Buying a Long Arm Quilting Machine ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Book Reviews ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………..…………………………………..………….……………………………...

Recipe Corner –Rich Chocolate Easter Egg Tart …………….…………………………………………..…..…………………………………………………………………………………….

Reader “Show and Tell” …………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………….……………………………….………………………………...…

NEW Global Friendship Quilt Project ………………………………..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Page 37

Page 42

Page 44

Page 48

Page 50

Page 53

BLOCK OF THE MONTH –Domino Block ……..………….………………………………………………………...……………........................................................................ Page 55

Today's Tips.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Page 58

YES – We Want To Hear From You .............................................................................................................................................................................. Page 60

Cover: “Squared Away” Table Setting



Letter from the Editor

Jody Anderson

Hi!

Welcome to our March Issue, and since Easter this year is very early in April, this is our Easter issue too.

And just when I’d decided on a course of ‘sensible eating’ for the New Year too… (I’m going to be

sensibly enjoying some home-made eggs this year again - see recipe on page 58!) And for those with the

willpower to not indulge in chocolate, try our fat-free Hot Cross Bun Pincushion instead!

This month we’re thrilled to introduce you to quilting designer extraordinaire Lori Kennedy. Lori is

joining us as a regular monthly contributor, and we know you’re going to fall in love with her easy style

and explanations, and gorgeous quilting motifs, just as we did.

We also take a look at how to reverse applique, Rose has a lovely Attic Windows quilt pattern, we share

some tips on caring for your rotary cutter and mat, and there’s some things to think about when buying a

longarm quilting machine.

It’s a big month – Enjoy it all!

Jody



Have you found a beautiful appliqued design

you'd like to make but the pieces seem so small

they might be difficult to handle?

Reverse applique can make this task much more

manageable.

Is there a pattern that would be enhanced by the

perception of depth instead of the "stacking"

system of traditional applique?

The reverse applique technique creates that

depth.

Have you been troubled with seam allowances of

light-colored patches showing through when

appliqued to a darker fabric?

Reverse applique can solve that problem too.

First you will need to "reverse" your thinking

about some aspects of applique. Instead of

pattern templates with the traditional 3/16 inch

turn-under allowance added, reverse applique

templates are the exact size of the design.

Picture from www.crafthubs.com

Reverse Applique Technique

By Candy Hamilton from http://www.northwestembroidery.com/



Instead of applying one fabric shape on top of

another, the shape will be revealed after a

section of the top fabric is cut away to expose a

layer of fabric underneath.

As with traditional applique, a firmly woven, 100-

percent cotton works well because the turn-

under allowance can be pressed to retain a crisp

fold. You also will need a pair of very sharp,

pointed scissors and a color of thread that

matches the top fabric.

Many who work with applique choose a No.8

sharp needle for this type of hand sewing.

Determine which shapes will be appliqued in

reverse - in other words, which ones will show

through when the top fabric is cut away and

seamed. Make templates for these shapes.

One method is to trace the outline onto see-

through paper, glue it to a stiffer paper such as

tagboard, and then cut out the shape. If you have

a sheet of see-through plastic, trace around the

shape on this material and cut it out.

Position the template on the top fabric and, with

a pencil, lightly trace around the shape. Pierce

the fabric at the center of the design with sharp

scissors and, if the shape is wide enough, cut

away the excess fabric in the center, leaving

3/16" inside the line as a turn-under allowance.

Clip into curves and corners within a thread of

the pencil line.

If you prefer, you can baste down the turn-under

allowance at this time. Finger pressing as you sew

may work just as well, and it will probably be

easier for small openings. If you plan to finger

press, basting can be omitted.

Cut a scrap of under-fabric large enough to

include the design boundaries plus about 1 inch

extra on all sides. Position this scrap under the

cut-away area of the top fabric and baste in place

approximately 1/3 inch outside the pencil line all

around the design.

The turn-under allowance can be finger pressed

just before you sew it down. To do this, run the

shank of the needle at an angle along the edge of

the allowance for about 1 inch, turning under the



fabric to the depth of the pencil line. Hold down

this fold with your thumb, and finger press in

place. Blind stitch this short length; repeat the

turn-under procedure for 1 inch and sew again.

Picture from www.spiroubobine.com

Because corners have no seam allowance, you

will need to make an extra reinforcing stitch into

these angles about two threads deep.

For points that will be sewn down, trim away

excess fabric at the tip of the point, leaving

approximately 1/8 inch as a turn-under

allowance.

First, fold under this blunt end, then fold under

one side, then the other, trimming fabric as

necessary to keep the allowance under the

design.

When all seams of this shape have been secured,

turn the piece over. Trim away the under-fabric

to leave a ¼ inch seam allowance all around the

stitching line.

Picture from www.quiltingismytherapy.com – raw edged reverse

applique.



If desired, trace another design on this under-

fabric, cut away excess from the center of this

shape, and layer a third fabric under the one just

appliqued.

Follow the same procedure to create a

dimensional design that reveals layers of color in

the various designs.

If the pattern includes additional shapes, scraps

of other colors can be positioned under these

cutaway shapes and reverse appliqued in the

same manner, creating a colorful surface.

Picture from gingerbreadsnowflakes.com

Whether you are using two fabrics or several

more to create your design, reverse applique

embroidery can be the technique you use to

solve problems of handling small pieces, hiding

seam allowances, and creating dimension in your

work.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Candy_R_Hamilton



This month we’re thrilled to be able to introduce

you to Lori Kennedy from

www.theinboxjaunt.com as a new regular

contributor. Lori has some fabulous free motion

quilting designs to share, and we’re sure you’ll

find her tutorials clear, fun and oh-so-easy to

understand!

- Jody

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is this month’s flower motif - This flower is

The Easiest Flower ever!

Here’s a little quilted storyboard of where we are

going:

Free Motion Quilt Tutorial – The Easiest Flower

Ever

By Lori Kennedy from www.theinboxjaunt.com



Begin in the center and spiral outward–stopping

with a complete circle.

Then just begin leapfrogging around the circle. I

usually like five petals.

Once you return to the first petal, start working

your way around again…



As I go around again, I try to offset the petals by

placing the inward point of the new petals- on

the rounded apex of the row before it.

Continue circling around the flower until you

have filled up most of the space-leaving room for

leaves if desired. After the last row of petals, I

often stitch a narrow row of echo quilting… and

then add leaves.

It is one of my favorite flower motifs and I use it

frequently to fill squares. I stitched it repeatedly

in Olivia’s College Doodle Quilt.

I also like to stitch variations on The Easiest

Flower:



The first block is the basic Easiest Flower:

The second flower (top right) is created by echo

quilting after every layer of petals is added. It

has a slightly different look…

The next variation is stitched by not off-setting

the inward points and the curves. This flower

has a very pleasing look as well.



In the final variation, the last row of petals is

pointed. I really like this flower, too… (by now

you must know that I have never met a flower I

didn’t like…)

I hope you will have fun with this addictive little

flower…and I hope you agree that it is The Easiest

Flower Ever!

Practice on paper first…If you can’t doodle it on

paper, you won’t be able to stitch it fluently…

About the Author: Lori Kennedy claims she has been

passionate about quilting since birth and believes quilting is

in her blood--her grandmother, mother and two sisters are

all quilters. She can’t stop talking (about quilting) and can

be found discussing free motion quilting daily at

www.theinboxjaunt.com and bimonthly in her column, ‘My

Line with Lori Kennedy’ in American Quilter Magazine.

When she’s not blogging, taking photos or quilting, she can

be found hiking the trails of Minnesota with her husband,

six kids and two Australian Shepherds. Look for her book of

step-by-step free motion quilt motifs from AQS Fall, 2015.

Don't keep this Online Quilt Magazine

all to yourself –share it with your

Quilting Guilds and Friends!

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as soon as it's Published!



Project – “Squared Away” Table Setting

By Jody Anderson from www.QuiltBlockoftheMonthClub.com

I was looking for an

Easter-inspired project

this month, and in a very

abstract, modern quilting

way, my version of a

collection of varied Easter

eggs developed into this

easy, bright and fun table

setting with table topper

and placemats to match.

Of course, fabric selection

is up to you – try black

and white with a splash of

red, or prettier pastel

colours for a more subtle

look with yours.

The Table Topper measures 35 ½ inches x 14 inches, and the Placemat measures 21 inches x 14 inches.



You Will Need:

* You will only use small amounts of the several

different fabrics to make these projects, making

this an ideal stash buster project. If you wanted

to make the table topper and a set of 4

placemats, Fat Quarters of your selected fabrics

would be sufficient for the tops.

We used 4 polkadot fabrics in blue, green, orange

and yellow, and 3 solid fabrics in grey, orange and

green. The rows were alternated between spots

and solids to break up the patterns a little.

* Backing fabric – the amount required here will

depend on how many matching placemats you

make, however the table topper will fit across the

width of fabric easily, and the placemat will fit

into a fat quarter easily too. (I would suggest you

use a metre/yard of some of your selected

fabrics, and then there will be plenty left over for

use as the backings.)

* Batting measuring at least 38 x 16 inches for the

table topper and measuring at least 23 x 16

inches for each placemat.

Large Square – 10 inch block



Medium Square – 5 inch block

Small Square – 2½ inch block

Cut:

Refer to the diagrams above for the strips

required for each of the three sizes of blocks.

Refer to the photos as a guide for fabric

placement.

The cutting directions below are for single blocks

only.

The table topper has one 10 inch block, six 5 inch

blocks, and ten 2½ inch blocks.

The placemat has one 10 inch block, three 5 inch

blocks and two 2½ inch blocks.

For the Large 10 inch block, cut:

A – one square measuring 2½ x 2½ inches

B – two strips measuring 1½ x 2½ inches

B – two strips measuring 1½ x 4½ inches

C - two strips measuring 1½ x 4½ inches



C - two strips measuring 1½ x 6½ inches

D - two strips measuring 1½ x 6½ inches

D - two strips measuring 1½ x 8½ inches

E - two strips measuring 1½ x 8½ inches

E - two strips measuring 1½ x 10½ inches

For the Medium 5 inch block, cut:

F – one square measuring 1½ x 1½ inches

G - two squares measuring 1½ x 1½ inches

G - two strips measuring 1½ x 3½ inches

H - two strips measuring 1½ x 3½ inches

H - two strips measuring 1½ x 5½ inches

For the small 2½ inch block, cut:

I – one square measuring 1 x 1 inch

J - two strips measuring 1 x 1½ inches

J - two strips measuring 1½ x 3 inches

Piece:

To piece each block, sew the side strips to the

centre square and press seams well. Add top and

bottom strips and press again.

Repeat with sides, then top and bottom of each

following row, making sure to press well at each

step.

Note - The large 10 inch block (below) will look

better with a strong solid colour for the outer

border (E).



The Medium 5 inch block:

The Small 2½ inch block:



Table Topper Assembly:

Lay out your blocks as shown, with the large block on point in the centre, a set of three medium blocks

clustered around each side point, and a set of three small blocks off the outer point off that set. There

are four small blocks just off centre too, at top and bottom.

You will sew this together in diagonal rows as pictured above. Sew the rows in order and press the

seams of each row in opposite directions, so the seams nest together well when you join the rows

together.

Piece the rows together and press well.



Placemat Assembly:

The placemat is assembled in the same way as the table topper. Lay out one large block on point, and

add three medium blocks clustered around the right hand side point.

Add one small block to either side of the cluster.

Again, sew in units as shown, then join the rows together and press well.



Quilting:

Rather than bind all the points around these mats, we chose to sew the front and back together, and turn

right sides out to finish.

Lay the batting on a flat surface and add the

backing fabric on top of that with right side

up. Smooth the layers together before

adding the pieced top, with right sides down.

Pin well and sew around the edge with a ¼

inch seam allowance. Make sure to leave

one long straight side unsewn, to turn it

through later.

Trim along the raw edges of the pieced top.

Also trim off each of the points, to reduce

bulk in the corners when you turn it.

You will also need to clip into the corners

you’ve sewn too. Cut up to BUT NOT

THROUGH the stitching, so your mat sits flat

when you turn it.



Turn right sides out through the gap you left, and

use a knitting needle or blunt pencil to help you

push the corners out so they are nice and sharp.

Press well. Trim the excess batting from the

opening and tuck in the seam allowance at the

gap. Press and pin closed.

Finishing:

Topstitch around the outer edge of the mat to

close the gap and flatten the edges.

Quilt as you like to keep the layers together. As

you have already sewn the edges, a looser

quilting pattern will be best, to avoid any pleating

or puckering. We simply stitched in the ditch

around alternate rows.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For More Quilt Patterns, go to

www.QuiltBlockoftheMonthClub.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



This month, we’re continuing a series of everyday

quilting questions that have been answered by

Leah.

Question: So how exactly do you know how a

design will look in a particular area of your

quilt?

By giving them an audition and seeing which wins

the part!

Yes, auditioning designs does require drawing,

but you don't have to be perfect at this in order

to know if a design will work or not. Perfection is

not the point. Just getting the general shape of

the design over your quilt is the idea.

So the first thing to start with is a photo or

drawing of your quilt. If your quilt is already fully

finished and pieced together, hang it on a wall

and shoot a photo of it.

Now get this photo on your computer or take it

to a printing store and print it out in grayscale

(black and white).

Why are we removing all the color? Because

color can be distracting. It's also hard to see your

pencil marks over. Honestly my favorite way to

do this is with a simple black and white outline of

the piecing design so that way there's no

distracting color or shading to deal with.

If you have a quilt in mind, try working this week

with a photograph of a single block or a border

corner section. This way you can play with

designs over a small section at a time and

hopefully not be overwhelmed by the full design.

Of course, if you can't do this - either you don't

know how to take and manipulate photos this

Quilting Question Answers

By Leah Day from www.FreeMotionQuilting.blogspot.com.au



way or don't have the capability, don't worry!

Here's an image to play with:

Yep, this is a simple Sawtooth Star block. No

frills, no flash, just a simple star block.

But how many ways are there to quilt this block?

5? 10? 100? There are literally millions of ways

to quilt this shape. How do you know what way is

best?

Simple - what do YOU like best?

The only way to answer this question is to print

out this sawtooth star block and draw three

different versions of it. We're simply holding an

audition and any designs you like are welcome to

participate!

Here are mine:

The first is a simple combination of Stippling in

the block and Pebbling in the outside edges. The



Pebbling is much darker and denser than the

Stippling, which means the outline of the star will

show up nicely.

It's important to note that this drawing is showing

very dense quilting. You will definitely need to

pay attention to scale as you audition designs

because this can really effect how the texture

looks on your finished quilt. What is the only way

to know what it will look like ahead of time?

Draw it and see!

This second version fills the star with Paisley and

the outer edges with Stippling. In this case the

star looks much more flowing and fluid when

filled with all those tear drop shapes and echoes.

Remember that every design type will appear

slightly differently. Paisley is a Pivoting Design,

which means it has a lot more traveling and

thread play and will show up more boldly on a

quilt, even with matching thread color.

Stippling is an Independent Design and will

always appear much lighter because it's always a

single line of thread wiggling over your quilt.

Keep up to Date with What’s Happening on our

Facebook Page – Do You Love Quilting Too?

Bonus blocks, hints and tips added all the time!!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Do-

You-Love-Quilting-Too/271888039492644



Finally this third option opens up yet another

path - adding marked elements to the piecing.

Let's imagine the star was pieced, so the extra

flower I've drawn inside was just marked on the

fabric. I call these marked designs Motifs.

Motifs are designs that are not pieced or

appliqued, but QUILTED in only with thread. They

form new shapes and designs over the surface,

and are marked to ensure their symmetry and

placement.

Many times I'm asked why I mark certain things

and why I don't mark others. I mark a motif

because I want it to show up as exactly THAT

shape. I want exactly THAT flower, formed

exactly THAT way.

I couldn't free-hand this shape. If I tried to stitch

this without marking, it would not look like this -

wouldn't be lined up properly, wouldn't fit this

space perfectly, and the effect wouldn't be the

same. Marking is required for motifs to achieve

that exact shape, in that exact placement.

Fillers on the other hand are not meant to be

perfect or exact. They flow and bend and fill in

places organically. I don't mark these designs

because they're meant to be random, and it

would also be ridiculously time consuming to

mark them over the surface of a whole quilt.



Adding the marked flower motif to the star block

has opened another world of design possibilities!

I can stitch Stippling around the flower, wiggling

into all those tight places, then fill the outer area

with Paisley. What a pretty audition!

So which of these auditions is the "right" one?

Well, all three are good designs. All three add

interesting effects to the quilt. There really isn't a

"wrong" way to quilt a quilt, so there really isn't a

"right" answer here.

The right design is the one YOU like the best.

How will all this look in thread on fabric? The

only way to know is to stitch a small sample using

a scrap of the fabric in the quilt and the thread

you planned to use.

No, you don't have to quilt out a whole block if

you don't want to, but it's a good idea to get

some practice with the fillers you've selected with

the thread you plan to use. Some fills like

Pebbling simply won't work with some types of

thread because the layers of travel stitching will

cause weak, thick thread to break.

So that is your challenge this week! If you have a

quilt needing to be quilted, consider taking a

photograph and playing with drawing designs

over the surface. If that is not open to you, print

out the sawtooth block and play with drawing

designs over it.

Yes, this is play! Not torture! Just have fun, keep

it simple, and experiment with the many effects

you can create by auditioning different designs

and marked motifs over the surface.

About the Author: Leah Day is the author of the Free

Motion Quilting Project, a blog project dedicated to

creating new free motion quilting designs each week and

sharing them all for FREE! Leah is also the author of From

Daisy to Paisley - 50 Beginner Free Motion Quilting Designs,

a spiral bound book featuring 50 designs from the project,

and she now has three Free Motion Quilting classes

available through Craftsy.com. www.daystyledesigns.com



My Quilty-Mum says I am a "Creature of Habit".

Whatever that means. I just like to know what is

coming next and sometimes I have to remind

them.

I wake up in the morning before the sun and

make sure they're awake too by running and

walking and jumping all over them. Mum gets my

breakfast, then they go off for a while for a walk.

They come back after a bit, sometimes smelling

like horse or dog depending on who they met on

their travels.

I don't eat breakfast all in one go; I like to make it

last. I ask for the food, smooching around, saying

"Naowww!" fairly loudly, but when the little plate

is put down, I check the smell from a short

distance away to make sure it's OK then saunter

off to check on something out of the window for

a while.

Don't let them take you for granted, Quilty-Cats.

Keep them on their toes.

After they have eaten their brekky (and I mean

straight after) it's time for my combing. I sit on

the mat and stare. I also have a special little

pitiful meow I use. Occasionally I have to sit in

the middle of the floor, staring at them if they

forget and get the order wrong and start the

dishes.

After the comb, dishes, they soap up their teeth,

then it's Cuddle Time. They seem to have very

Hints and Tips From Brannie

By "Brannie" Mira-Bateman



short memories at times; they need lots of

reminders.

Mum can then go sewing, Dad off to the

computer or garden - me? Well the next thing

on my list is....you guessed it... a little nap. It

might be on Mum's knee if it's hand sewing, or up

on the batting shelf if she's in the sewing room. I

can have bits of breakfast between all of these

activities if I like.

We have Play Time a couple of times a day, too.

Paper balls, plastic rings, running, jumping,

tunnel, tent, galloping long distance... then quick

under the quilt and sleep....and I can dimly hear

Dad say, "I don't know why she doesn't have a

heart attack!"

Next week, Quilty-Mum said, Auntie Jody is

coming up and they are going to "retreat". I don't

know what that means exactly. Are they going to

walk backwards or hide?? Dad's not retreating

apparently, so I guess he'll look after me.

I can remind him of the order of service: wake

up, breakfast, walk, comb, cuddle, sleep.

Quite simple really. I am going to start with the

reverse order right now.

Love Brannie,

the Quilt Block of the Month Club Cat!



Project – Hot Cross Bun Pincushion

By Annette Mira-Bateman from www.QuiltBlockoftheMonthClub.com

It’s Easter, and indulge all you like with our

quirky new Hot Cross Bun Pincushion!

Our Hot Cross Bun Pincushion is about 2¾

inches cubed.

You Will Need:

You will need small amounts of the following

fabrics: a piece of dark reddish brown, scraps of

cream, palest light brown and tiny bits of white

for the cross.

Left over batting or toy fill to stuff pincushion

2½ - 3 inch square piece of tile or similar for the

base



Cut:

From the dark reddish brown fabric, a square

measuring 3½ x 3½ inches

From the cream fabric - 4 rectangles measuring

3½ inches x 3 inches

From the pale light brown fabric, one rectangle

measuring 3½ inches x 6½ inches

From the white fabric, cut 2 strips measuring ¾

inch x 4 inches

Construction:

Press under a scant ¼ along both the long edges

of the white strips.

Lay them on the centre of the dark brown square

and top stitch each side of the strips to make the

cross on the top of the bun. Trim ends.

Fold the pale light brown fabric rectangle in half

with wrong sides together, and stitch along 2

sides with an 1/8 inch seam, leaving one side

open to form a pocket.

Join all the pieces with ¼ inch seams (wrong sides

together) as shown in the diagram below. Leave

the seam open also where the bottom pocket

opening is, so you can stuff the pincushion.

Stuff firmly and slip in a piece of wood or tile to

the base pocket, then hand stitch the pocket and

open seam closed. Draw or embroider on raisins

if you wish.

Finally, using a long darning needle, slightly

gather the 4 vertical corner seams - top to

bottom. Hide the knotted end of the thread at

the top corner then run the needle down

catching the seam allowance inside in a few

places. Gather the seam slightly to pull down the

corners of the 'bun'. Catch firmly at the bottom.

Push this thread through inside the bun in one go,

so you don't see it on the outside.



You're now finished. This would make a quick

and easy gift for Easter for your sewing friends.

For More Great Quilt Patterns and Projects go to www.QuiltBlockoftheMonthClub.com



We're pleased to be able to bring you a selection

each month of the Newest Fabric Releases and

the new season fabric "must haves".

AMBLESIDE BY BRENDA RIDDLE DESIGNS FOR

MODA FABRICS

Inspired by vintage quilts and fabrics from her

grandmother, Ambleside is classic and fresh at

the same time.

Available in yardage and all precut goods,

including our exclusive Jolly bar precut.

Check it out at:

http://www.fatquartershop.com/moda-

fabric/ambleside-brenda-riddle-designs-moda-

fabrics

What's New from The Fat Quarter Shop

From Kimberly Jolly at www.FatQuarterShop.com



ALOHA GIRL BY FIG TREE QUILTS FOR MODA

FABRICS

Take a trip to the beautiful tropical islands of

Hawaii with the Aloha Girl collection. Available in

all precut goods, yardage, and an exclusive

Hibiscus Quilt Kit.

See More at:

http://www.fatquartershop.com/moda-

fabric/aloha-girl-fig-tree-quilts-moda-fabrics

FANTASIA BY SARA LAWSON FOR ART GALLERY

FABRICS

Fantasia illustrates a mystical and lighthearted

illustrations of story book classics with vibrant

pops of colors and playful details. Available in

yardage.

View this range at:

http://www.fatquartershop.com/art-gallery-

fabrics/fantasia-sara-lawson-art-gallery-fabrics



CLEMENTINE BY HEATHER BAILEY FOR FREE

SPIRIT FABRICS

Bring sunshine and fun to your next project with

Heather Bailey’s new Clementine collection.

Evoking the fun colors of summer, these prints

will inspire countless projects. Available in

yardage and all precut goods.

See this collection at:

http://www.fatquartershop.com/free-

spirit/clementine-heather-bailey-free-spirit-

fabrics



Cutting mats and rotary cutters come together

when dealing with many arts and crafts projects,

including quilting.

We can't stress enough the importance of taking

care of one's crafting tools. A lot of these tools

may be easily obtained anywhere, however by

undertaking some simple maintenance you are

able to certainly allow them to last much longer.

By simply following these guidelines below you're

able to really save a lot of money in the future

from having to invest in new rotary blades once

they wear out. What's more, it saves you from

that annoying experience of having a dull blade

just when you need it the most.

Start by using a self-healing cutting mat. By using

this as your surface for cutting not only are you

going to preserve your work areas and/or

furniture, but you'll also cut down the dulling of

the blades. Having said that, keep in mind to

always purchase a top quality cutting mat and not

substitute it with a lower priced alternative. Look

for a cutting mat that has both value and

sturdiness.

Make use of a special blade sharpener -

Depending on the manufacturer of the rotary

cutter you are using, it is possible to acquire a

blade sharpener so that you can sharpen the

blades.

Take into account though that particular brands

may not need to be sharpened. A handful of

brands may possibly need you to get a specific

blade sharpener crafted for that particular model.

Clean your cutter frequently - Make sure that you

thoroughly clean your own rotary cutter after

every use. To do this, simply remove the screw

found where the blade is fastened. Then remove

Easy Ideas To Take Care Of Your Rotary Cutter From Robert P Garciasta



the nut, the rounded washer and the other screw

along with the blade protector.

So that you can recall what screw goes where, we

advise for you to position the screws, nut and

washer on the desk in the order that you

removed them.

Clean the blade as well as the plastic shield by

using a soft cloth which has a couple of drops of

oil on it. As soon as that's done, and prior to

putting everything back together be sure that you

place a few drops of oil on each side of the blade.

Should you forget about the way to reassemble it,

nearly all rotary cutters include a diagram that

will show you how to assemble it again.

Avoid scraping the blade - In some cases many of

us unintentionally scrape the ruler or run over

pins, which causes the blade to be dulled more

rapidly and sometimes even chip it. As much as

possible try to avoid doing this!

Ensure that your cutter stays well oiled – this

makes the cutting process easier, and also

prolongs your blade's life. Make sure you use a

high-quality sewing machine oil for this.

About the Author: Robert Garciasta has been in the arts

and crafts hobby a long time and loves to publish his

knowledge and experience in this area.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_P_Garciasta



PROJECT – Renaissance Attic Windows Quilt

Pattern

By Rose Smith from www.ludlowquiltandsew.co.uk

This quilt measures 54 inches square. I have used ½ yard of

the light fabric for the border and cornerstones, with ¾ yard

of each of the remaining four fabrics. (Floral, Red Script

print, Pink Script print, Green sashing fabric.)

Cutting requirements

Floral fabric: sixteen 6½ inch squares

Red script fabric: sixteen 6½ inch by 2½ inch rectangles,

sixteen 8½ by 2½ rectangles, sixteen 2.7/8 inch squares

Pink script fabric: sixteen 6½ inch by 2½ inch rectangles, sixteen 8½ by 2½ rectangles, sixteen 2.7/8

inch squares

Green sashing fabric: forty 2½ inch by 10½ inch rectangles

Light border fabric: twenty five 2½ inch squares for the cornerstones, two lengths 2½ inches by 50½

inches and two lengths 2½ inches by 54½ inches for the attic windows quilt border



Making the attic windows quilt block

Make half square triangles with the 2 7/8 inch squares. Place

two squares with right sides together and mark a line along

the diagonal. Sew a ¼ inch seam either side of the marked line

and cut along the line. This produces two half square triangle

units. Press the seam allowance towards the dark fabric and

trim the corners where the triangle tips stick out.

Lay the pieces for the quilt block out with the floral square in

the middle and a frame of pink and red. The 6 ½ inch

rectangles are across the top and bottom of the central square

with the 8 ½ inch rectangles down the sides. The half square

triangles are placed in the two diagonally opposite corners.

(You’ll notice that in the top right hand corner the script in the

half square triangle continues the direction of the script in the

rectangles either side of it. In the bottom left hand half square

triangle, the direction of the script doesn’t match that on

either side of it. What I could have done is used one diagonal

for half of the squares when I made the half square triangles

and then used the other diagonal for the remaining squares.)



Sew the patchwork pieces together to make three columns, then sew the three columns together to

complete the quilt block. You will need to make sixteen of these blocks. They will be sewn together in

four rows of four, but with sashing between each block and between each row of blocks.

Sewing the quilt blocks together

Place the first block of row one so that the red triangle is

bottom right of the block. Place the second block so that

the red triangle is bottom left and sew a green sashing strip

between them. Repeat this pairing for the second half of

the row. You should have four blocks with three sashing

strips so that there is no sashing at each end of the row.

This placement is the same for rows one and three.

For rows two and four you will need to place the red

triangles so that they form a larger red triangle pointing

downwards – so the red will be top right and then top left.



Add sashing between the rows

In order to sew the rows to each other, make up five strips

of sashing – four green sashing strips and three light

cornerstones in each strip.

Sew one strip above and below row one. Sew row two to

the sashing below row one and then keep adding the rows

with sashing. You will end up with sashing above and below

the rows and between each row.

For the sides of the quilt top, make up two strips with five

cornerstones and four green sashing strips. Sew one of

these to each side of the quilt top.



Add the quilt border

I decided that the quilt didn’t look finished at this stage, so I

added a 2½ inch border strip made from the same fabric as

the cornerstones. You’ll need two lengths measuring 50½

inches for the top and bottom and two lengths measuring 54½

inches for the sides.

That completes the renaissance attic windows quilt top. It is

now ready for layering, quilting and binding.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the Designer: Rose Smith was born and brought

up in Zambia in Africa. She moved to the UK when she

was 18 and now lives in Shropshire, indulging her

passion for quilting and sewing. She has sewn all her

life - ‘anything that stood still long enough’ in the words

of her children - but now finds that patchwork and

quilting have taken over her life. She indulges this

passion by posting patterns and tutorials on her website

for all to share. www.ludlowquiltandsew.co.uk

LUDLOW QUILT AND SEW

Discover new and exciting projects to quilt and sew

each month with clear and easy to follow

instructions.

Visit our website and subscribe to Ludlow Quilt and

Sew’s free monthly newsletter now.

www.ludlowquiltandsew.co.uk



If you've done some quilting of bed sized quilts,

then you know how difficult it can be to try and

feed the fabric evenly through your sewing

machine.

That's where a long arm quilting machine can be

a great help. They're designed to handle large

pieces of fabric, which allows you, the quilter, to

do a quicker and better job.

Long arm quilting machines vary, but usually they

have a throat depth range of around 32 to 40

inches. They're designed to avoid friction or

slipping of the fabric. The quilt is held in place

with three poles, and as you work on the quilt it

gradually rolls up, rather than sitting in a heap on

the floor. The sewing machine part of the

machine runs smoothly along a track for quilting.

Unfortunately, though, a long arm quilting

machine is a fairly expensive piece of equipment,

which makes it out of reach for anyone but a

professional quilter. They cost upwards of US

$7,000, with many costing well over $20,000.

Quilting as a business can justify the expense as it

can be spread out over multiple quilts.

For home quilters, however, it's often a good idea

to look around for a used long arm quilting

machine. They still tend to be pricey, but it's

often possible to pick one up for under $5,000.

The important thing is to make sure you know

what you're buying.

Do some research first so that you can pick

whether the machine you're considering is a well-

known brand with parts or repair services readily

available. The last thing you need is to buy a

cheap machine, only to find you can't get it fixed

if there are any problems.

Tips on Buying a Long Arm Quilting Machine

From Heather Allen at www.madaboutquilting.com



Most major manufacturers have their own

website, which makes it much easier to research

long arm quilting machines.

You can either choose the type you want and

then try and locate a second-hand one, or else

use the websites to check up on a machine you've

been offered. Many manufacturers will send you

further information about a particular model if

you request it.

Whether you're buying a new or used model, it's

always a good idea to take a look at the machine

before buying it. The manufacturer may have

dealers in your area that you can visit. Or visit a

store which stocks a range of models so that you

can test a variety of long arm quilting machines

and find one that suits you.

A great place to find machines is at your larger

Quilt Shows where many manufacturers bring

their machines (often with great deals!), which is

a great chance to find them all in one place and

ask lots of questions.

Some other things to consider include:

- Does it have all the features you need?

- Will it fit in the space you have available?

- Is it easy to set up or will you need to pay for

help?

- Is there a repair service available locally?

- Can you get training if you need it?

Buying a long arm quilting machine is a big

financial decision, even if you buy a used

machine, so make sure you've done all your

research before making your final decision.

If you do, you will make the right choice and buy

a machine that will be of great benefit to your

quilting efforts for many years to come.

About the Author: If you want to learn more about

machine quilting, head over to Heather's site at

http://www.madaboutquilting.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heather_Allen



“Graphic Quilts From Everyday Images” By

Heather Scrimsher

This very interesting book shows us how to be

inspired by looking at the world around us and

seeing quilts or blocks everywhere.

The book is divided into 3 sections: 1. Enlarged

Detail - Quilts Based on Photo Detail, 2. Blocks

and Repeats - Quilts with Block Construction and

3. Lines and Strips - Quilts with Straight Lines.

In the first section, quilts are inspired by details of

plane propellers and church steeples; in the

second - leaves, stonework or drips of water are

included and in the third - fences, lawn and

brickwork are all used for inspiration.

Heather Scrimsher describes how she looks at

photographs or details within them to devise

different quilt designs. You'll be looking at the

world with new eyes after this book.

Book Reviews

By Annette Mira-Bateman from www.QuiltBlockoftheMonthClub.com



Full instructions with detailed pictures show how

to make these 15 quilts. The hints and tips are

nothing short of brilliant. I can't wait to put little

circles on my next quilt.

These modern quilts are uncluttered and striking

and will suit all quilting abilities. You'll love

"Graphic Quilts from Everyday Images".

"Graphic Quilts from Everyday Images" is

published by Martingale and is available through

your local craft book shop or online from:

www.ShopMartingale.com

(Photos courtesy of Martingale)



“Fast-Piece Applique - Easy Artful Quilts by

Machine” by Rose Hughes

Talented designer, Rose Hughes has a love for

graphic, large designs. The 11 projects in this

book are delightful, and her simple Fast-Piece

Applique technique will soon have you producing

these striking quilted designs.

Rose gives lessons on simplifying drawings from

nature and then taking apart the lines to produce

wonderful shapes to quilt.

She talks about fabrics and colour choices and

schemes. Rose lists all equipment necessary (and

I do mean ALL) with clear photographs to further

illustrate your choices.

You'll learn how to enlarge pattern designs, how

to make freezer paper templates and with

descriptions, diagrams and clear photos, you

can't go wrong.

This book is a comprehensive design manual with

32 pages of instructions before the project

patterns.



Her method of couching with the machine over

raw edges of appliqued edges looks great and her

quilting designs will provide inspiration.

All these 11 projects have the "Wow!" factor we

want in our quilts.

“Fast-Piece Applique - Easy Artful Quilts by

Machine” is published by Martingale and is

available through your local craft book shop or

online from: www.ShopMartingale.com

(Photos courtesy of Martingale)



Ingredients:

250g/ ½ lb good-quality dark chocolate, broken

into pieces

200g /7 oz butter, chopped

6 eggs

1/3 cup caster (fine white)sugar

200g/7 oz mini chocolate Easter eggs (or

speckled eggs), for decoration

cocoa powder, to serve

Sweet shortcrust pastry

1 2/3 cups plain flour

3/4 cup pure icing sugar

125g / 4.4 oz butter, chilled, chopped

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon chilled water

Recipe Corner – Rich Chocolate Easter Egg Tart



Step 1

Make shortcrust pastry: Combine flour, icing

sugar and butter in a food processor. Process

until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add

egg yolk, vanilla and chilled water. Process until

pastry just comes together. Turn onto a floured

surface and knead until smooth. Pat into a

10cm/4in disc. Wrap in greaseproof paper and

refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm enough to

roll out.

Step 2

Preheat oven and a large flat baking tray to

190°C/374F. Roll pastry out between 2 sheets

baking paper to a 34cm/13 in round. Use round

to line base and sides of a 1 inch-deep,

26cm/10in (base) fluted loose-based tart pan.

Trim excess pastry. Freeze pastry case for 15

minutes or until firm.

Step 3

Line pastry case with baking paper. Three-

quarters fill with dried beans or uncooked rice.

Place on hot tray. Bake for 10 minutes or until

firm to touch. Remove paper and beans. Bake for

a further 8 to 10 minutes or until pastry base is

light golden. Remove from oven. Reduce oven to

180°C /356F and return baking tray to oven.

Step 4

Meanwhile, place chocolate and butter in a

heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave,

uncovered, on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) for 2 to 3

minutes, stirring every minute with a metal

spoon, or until melted and smooth. Using hand

beaters, beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl for 4

minutes or until pale and thick. Pour in chocolate

mixture. Beat until well combined.

Step 5

Pour chocolate mixture into pastry case. Place on

hot tray and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until

just set. Cool to room temperature.

Step 6

Arrange mini Easter eggs on tart. Dust with cocoa

powder and serve.



This month we continue our regular segment of

“Show and Tell” quilts made by our Online Quilt

Magazine Readers. It’s been another great

month too!

We will include them as long as you can send

them to us, and that way we can all share in the

wealth of creativity and inspiration abundant

within our quilting community.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“…my latest project, my winter doona cover. I

purchased these fabric photo copying sheets from

Australian Country Quilts in Fremantle. These are

my favourite photos of travels through 3 different

states. I also wanted to do a “window attic”

frame and thought, now I can!”

- Lois W., Australia

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I have really enjoyed your online mag. I do a

great amount of quilting (40 years) - some never

saw a sewing machine, others were sewn and

Reader “Show and Tell”



quilted by machine. Getting a bit old at 76 but

still have the passion and so much fabric (I have a

daughter that is following - good thing)!! Here is

a picture of my Bermuda Sunrise quilt. It is all

batik fabric and I have made two.”

- Cindy D., USA

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This is a raw edge appliqué that I enjoyed

completing for a friend! This is one of many raw

edge projects that I have completed.”

- Sandy W., Hogansville, GA, USA

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This is a photo of the quilt I completed and gave

to my grand-daughter for Christmas.

It was a 6 year UFO because I after I drew up a

picture for it I discovered I did not have a clue

how to turn it into fabric.

So after 6 years of learning to quilt this was finally

a finished project. I'm also sending a close up of

some of the FMQ I did. It was my first attempt at



FMQ and there is no pattern, just doodling, but I

had so much fun doing it.”

- Lavern W., USA

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I did this “Block of the Month” sampler from my

local Quilt Shop, for my Mom. Her Grandmother

was a Quilter, and as my Dad’s grandmother was

a tacker. Most of this quilt was Hand stitched.”

- Annette W., USA

Keep them coming – We’ve had some

lovely quilts and bags this month! Please

send in your “Show and Tell” Photos to

me at:

[email protected]



Many of you may remember our Global

Friendship Quilt Project from last year, and we’re

thrilled to be able to let you know that it’s time

now to launch our Project for this year!

Participating is easy – simply email me

([email protected] ) your full name,

best contact email address and your country, and

I’ll put you in a group.

Groups will be restricted to around 8-10

members and you will each make a 12 inch block

every month for one member in your group. This

way you will all be able to collect 7-9 blocks from

your other group members to turn into your very

own Friendship Quilt.

I will collect names for this month of March, and

we will start the Project off in April. I know of

quite a few new friendships formed through our

last project, and so this year’s theme will be

Autograph Blocks. You can make, sign and send

your blocks, just like a fabric autograph book!

We will supply several different block patterns,

but you are free to make one of your own choice

to send instead.

There is no cost to participate, apart from the

fabrics and postage to make and send one block

to each other member of your group in turn.

When the Project starts, we will send all

participants a quick questionnaire, so you can

choose fabric colours/types for the quilt blocks

your fellow members will send you.

Whilst this project has been great fun – it is not

for everyone. Please consider this commitment

2015 Global Friendship Quilt Project



carefully – you will need to be able to make and

send one block each month to a different group

member, so that everyone receives a block from

all of their group members.

If you drop out half way through, members of

your group will not be able to finish their quilts,

and that will be disappointing for them.

We also request that you use a good standard

quality cotton quilting fabric. This ensures the

quilts will last and not fall apart after two washes!

Beginners are welcome too – the more the

merrier!!

Register your details now at

[email protected] and we’ll get the

groups sorted this month to start the Project in

April. ☺

Susan C. from Alberta, Canada with her finished

Star Friendship Quilt from last year.



This month’s block is a fairly simply pieced chain

block. You could use it for a whole quilt pattern,

a border, or as a feature block as well.

To make this 12 inch block as shown, you will

need 4 different fabrics and once you have rotary

cut the pieces according to the Cutting Diagram,

you can piece them together as shown.

Block of the Month



https://www.flickr.com/groups/ecoquilters



Today’s Tips:

I received this recently and this reader would

appreciate any help if you know an answer…

“Would any of your readers know the process and

the amount of Parisian Essence to use to dye a

large amount of fabric to achieve an aged look in

my fabric. Am very new to this and wish to carry

out this process correctly and not spoil the

material. “Help” would be the appropriate word

to use at this stage.”

- Bev. S.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s nearly Easter, and my tip is – “Eat More

Chocolate!” And so to help you:

Home Made Rocky Road Easter Eggs

(These are half eggs filled with home-made rocky

road)

I made these last year and they were such a hit,

I'm going to do some again this week.

You will need:

Half egg Easter Egg chocolate moulds. (Approx

length 5 inches, but this whole recipe is a bit

approximate, so alter it to suit as you need to.)

Milk or Dark chocolate - block or buds for melting

is fine. You will need approx. 200g (1lb)

chocolate for each egg.

Pink and white marshmallows

Pink/red jube lollies/sweets

To make:

Melt your chocolate in a double boiler or in the

microwave. If using the microwave, just do quick

20-30 second bursts and stir well in between, so

you don't burn the chocolate.



Approx. half fill the mould with chocolate and

smooth some up the sides of the mould as well.

As you need to make quite a thick egg base to

hold the rocky road in the middle, you will need

to be reasonably generous with the chocolate at

this point. Either buy another set of half egg

moulds in a smaller size, or make your own

smaller egg shape (scrunch up layers of tin foil

until you get the right sized 'egg shape' then

cover with a layer of plastic clingwrap so it's

easier to pull out when set), so that you can push

the smaller shape into the chocolate in the larger

egg to force it up the sides of the mould. Leave

the middle mould in place, and put in the fridge

to set.

When your egg shell is set, take out the inner

mould and arrange cut chunks of marshmallow

and chopped lollies piled up in the centre hollow.

Drizzle over the rest of your melted chocolate

and set in the fridge again to finish.

You can put whatever filling you like in your eggs.

You may like to add some nuts, shredded

coconut, glace cherries, or even honeycomb. I

have made a couple with chunks of fudge in the

middle that worked out REALLY well too! Get

creative, look for chocolate on special at this time

of year in the supermarkets, and make some

gourmet eggs for your friends and family.

We’re always on the lookout for great

Hints and Tips to share. If you have any,

please send them to

[email protected], as we’d

love to include yours!



YES, We Want to Hear From

You!

As our Online Magazine continues to grow each

month, we need your feedback in order for us to

continue to improve our publication for you.

• We want to know how you liked it.

• We want to know the topics you're

interested in.

• We want to know if you have any

suggestions, Hints or Tips of your own that

you'd like included, or if you know anyone

we should include a story on!

Please send me an email with your Testimonial,

Tip, Suggestion, “Show and Tell” Quilt or

Enhancement – I'd love to hear from you!

Send all emails to:

[email protected]

If you'd like to submit an Article, or a Project for

Publication, or take advantage of our Very Very

Reasonable Advertising Rates, please email details

or queries to Jody at

[email protected]

To subscribe to our Monthly Online Quilt

Magazine, please go to

www.OnlineQuiltMagazine.com and

register so you don’t miss another issue!

"Quilt-y" Quotes…

* Quilting is my passion ... chocolate comes in a close second.

* A family is pieced together with hope and faith.

* May your sorrows be patched and your joys be quilted.

premium online quilt magazine – vol. 6 no. 3 …...cutaway shapes and reverse appliqued in the...

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