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Dreaming of Spring

2/27/2015

 
This has been a cold month -- but I am choosing to be thankful that we don't have all the snow that has blanketed the rest of the country.  I've been able to keep my driveway and sidewalk shoveled with my Dakota Blade.

I can push it with my good hand and no need to do any lifting with my wrists.

I appreciate my brother and his family for gifting me with the shovel a couple of Christmas' ago.
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Antique Tulip Applique Quilt

I was playing on my computer earlier this week and ran across this tulip applique quilt.  It was bright, cheery and helps me dream about spring.  I'm behind on quite a few things, so there is no time to make this quilt, but I decided I at least needed to draft it in Electric Quilt.  Creating even a virtual quilt makes me happy! 
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Would you like to follow along with me while I draft the block this week?  This will take the fear out of drafting applique blocks in EQ -- I promise!
I wasn't sure what size to make the blocks -- 12" blocks will make a finished quilt that is 42" x 51".  A nice size for a lap quilt.

Free patterns for your use:
  • PDF of my drafted block
  • PDF of drafted templates
The layout for this quilt can be a bit tricky.  I will cover drafting that using Electric Quilt next week.

Featured Pattern - Smiling Irish Eyes

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Smiling Irish Eyes Table Topper
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Smiling Irish Eyes Wall Quilt
Are you looking for a quilt to adorn your table or wall for St. Patrick's Day.  My Smiling Irish Eyes quilt can be purchased at your local quilt shop or directly from my website.

These miniature quilts have an Irish theme – shamrocks, a Celtic quilt block and Irish chain blocks.  Instructions provide for oversized units that are cut down with the use of the recommended rulers.  This makes miniature quilts a breeze.  The table topper finished 21" x 21" and the vertical wall quilt finished 8" x 20".

Recommended optional tools include:
  • Perfect Corner Ruler from Forever in Stitches, LLC
  • Tucker Trimmer 2 from Studio 180 Design

Elsa and Anna Quilt Update

The quilt is on my machine and is almost done.  I'm loving using the snowflakes from the exchange.  Pictures will be shared next week.
Happy quilting.

Kari

Sign up for my newsletter to stay current on what's happening in my studio and learn more quilting tips.  As a thank you, I'll send you a FREE pattern for this small maple leaf quilt.

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Elsa and Anna - Part 4

2/20/2015

 
This week I will focus on "How Will I Quilt That ... Elsa and Anna Quilt".  I decided I would create two options.  

One will be able to be used as a pantograph overall quilting pattern.  This one could easily be freehanded on domestic machine.

The second will be custom.  I wanted to use some of those fabulous snowflakes from the exchange.  

Elsa and Anna Overall Snowflake Meander

I started by drafting a simple snowflake using diamonds.
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Here are the snowflakes connected with Meander Anything.

Snowflake Exchange

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See how I did this using Art and Stitch software.  (In reviewing the video this morning, Correction:  In the video I mentioned using Snap to Grid to connect the snowflake ends when using Meander Anything.  I should have said "Snap to Anchors".
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For a free copy of a pdf of the quilting design, click here.

For a free copy of the Art and Stitch file, click here.

Elsa and Anna Custom Option

For the "custom" option, I decided I wanted to outline both Elsa and Anna.  They are "huge".  So their clothing would be a nice place to try a creative fill.  I also wanted to put snowflakes in the un-pieced blocks and then over the background spaces in the panels.  An then I thought I would like to use point to point designs in the pieced borders.

Let's get started.
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For the background, I started with inserting and resizing circles to fill the background space.  Hints:
  • Use the Control key with the Ellipse in the Autoshapes tool for perfectly sized circles.
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  • To resize, grab only the corners to ensure your circles stay perfectly round.
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Once I figured out how many snowflakes I needed, I started to fill them in with snowflakes from the Art and Stitch exchange.  I needed a few more simpler snowflakes, so I also added a few more created with the Magic Circle tool.  After I filled in all the snowflakes, I could get ride of the circles as I won't actually quilt them.
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For the diamonds, I decided on some Point to Point Designs.  I thought a variation on the snowflake block in the overall option would work for that and then I added a simple six pointed snowflake (now that I know snowflakes have six sides).
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Here is what they will look like in the diamond section of the quilt.
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For the corners, I used the simple snowflake, plus one of the point to point designs.
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I drew outlines of the clothing using the Curve tool.  When I want a sharp point, I use the Control key while adding a node.
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For Elsa's dress, I used a creative fill using River Run Meander by David Hudson.  I rotated the design and didn't connect the segments to make it easier to quilt out on my machine.  Each color is a separate segment in the second photo.
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How to do a Creative Fill:
  • Open the Sequence View Panel.
  • Move one of the River Run sections  above the outline of the dress.
  • Select both the River Run Section and the Dress section.
  • Then click on the Creative Fill button.
  • Notice that it deleted the portion of the fill that are outside of the dress shape.
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Move other segments above the dress shape and repeat the creative fill process.  You should select only one "fill" and the dress shape at a time before applying the creative fill button.  Apply a running stitch and double check your stitch out.
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I will try some different creative fills for the other clothing.
I was hoping to get my top quilted before this post -- but didn't make it.  Hopefully I will have a final quilt to share with you next week.

Snowflake Exchange

There were 44 submissions (plus the 4 projects I shared with you a few weeks ago).  Awesome work!!!  Here are the designs.

Those who submitted should have received a link to the private page and can obtain the actual Art and Stitch files.  If you missed the link, please send me an e-mail.
Karen M.
Jeffrey Lomicka
Jeffrey Lomicka
Pam B.
Kathy V.
Kathy V/
Dorothy C.
Deann B.
Deann B.
Kay Bell
James R.
James R.
Janet S.
Jack Steward
Monika K.
Brooke R.
JoAnn L.
B. Gooby
Lorry Young
B. Gooby
Greg Harris Breast Cancer Snowflake
Wayne K.
Delores in VA
Gwen S.
Snowflake Hearts by John R.
Jeanette Pugh
Laura B.
Annie Rengering
Betty Santa
Gnome by Jim R.
Gnomeflake 4 by Jim R.
Gnomeflake 3 by Jim R.
Gnomeflake 2 by Jim R.
Gnomeflake by Jim R.
Carol Best
Carol Best Layout
Linda G.
Linda G.
Linda G.
Bobbie B.
Susan H.
Susan H.
Whee!  There was a lot to share this week.  I hope you enjoyed  the quilting ideas and the Elsa and Anna quilt series.

Happy quilting.

Kari
Sign up for my newsletter to stay current on what's happening in my studio and learn more quilting tips.  As a thank you, I'll send you a FREE pattern for this small maple leaf quilt.

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Elsa and Anna - Part 3

2/10/2015

 
Now that the quilt is designed, we are ready to piece the Elsa and Anna quilt.  As a reminder, this is the drafted quilt.
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Cut the panel to 28-1/2" x 34-1/2".  When I went to cut I found the center was a little smaller than I had originally measured.  If that is the case with your panel, you can adjust the inner borders and the plain block sizes to still make everything fit. 

Inner Border

Cut two strips 1-1/2" x 34-1/2" for sides.
Cut two strips 1-1/2" x 30-1/2" for top and bottom.

Add side strips to quilt panel.
Add top and bottom strips to previous piece.
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Section should measure 30-1/2" x 36-1/2".

Ice Diamond Construction

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For the Ice Diamonds, I am using the Diamond Rects™ tool from Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design.  I like the tool as it allows for over-sized piecing which is subsequently trimmed down.  Getting these blocks perfectly pieced is like magic as the last step in the process is trimming to the prescribed size! 

Here is a demo I originally did last July that shows the Diamond Rects tool.
If you don't have the ruler, I will also provide a foundation pattern.

Make a total of 28 units.
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  • Use Diamod Rects™ to cut diamonds from 3-1/4” strip of Pink/Burgandy fabrics.  Cut and discard selvedge corner first.  


  • Then rotate Pink/Burgandy strips.  Align and cut the top and the right of diamond using the 3 x 6 finished size markings.    You will need 4 diamond cuts per block.


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  • For each Ice Diamond, cut 2 Blue/Teals  4” x 2-3/4”.  Place pieces so half are facing up and half are facing down.  Use the Diamond Rects™ to cut Side Triangles from these pieces.

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  • Lay out all pieces right sides up as they are going to be sewn.  

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  • Stitch two opposite side triangles to opposite edges of the center diamond.  Align the raw edges matching the tips for the narrow points on the diamond with the corner pieces.  Stitch with Pink Diamond on top.  It is important to use an accurate ¼” seam for this step.  Press toward side triangles
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  • Center, align and stitch the remaining two side triangles (again matching the tips for the narrow points on the diamond with the corner pieces).
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  • Using the Diamond Rects™, line up the pink diamond sewing lines with the 3 x 6 dotted lines on the ruler.  
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  • Trim #1
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  • Then rotate the unit 180 degrees and re-position the ruler.  
  • You can align both the 3 x 6 dotted lines and the 3-1/2” and 6-1/2” solid lines for this trim.
  • Trim the other two sides of the unit.  
  • Unit will measure 3-1/2” x 6-1/2”.

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Foundation piece (with seam allowances)is included here if paper piecing.

(Make sure section measures 6-1/2” x 3-1/2” after printing.)


Ice Crystal Instructions

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For these blocks I will be using the Square2™ tool from Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design.  This tool also allows for over-sized piecing which is subsequently trimmed down.  

If you don't have the ruler, I will also provide a foundation pattern.

Make a total of 4 units.
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  •  Use Square2™ to cut center squares from pink.  (If not using the Square2™, cut squares 4-3/4”o.)

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  • Cut two 4-1/4” x 4-1/4" of Blue/Teal fabrics for corners for each unit.
  • Cut these once on the diagonal to produce 2 triangles.  

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  • Add triangles to all four sides of Pink Center square.  Put Pink fabric on top when sewing on the corners.  Make sure you use an accurate ¼” seam allowance for this step.

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  • Use your Square2™ ruler to trim units to 6-1/2" x 6-1/2". 
  • Square2™ Trim #1 – The seam lines for the pink center square will line up with the 6” finished size dotted guidelines.  Trim top and right.  Then rotate unit 180 degrees. 

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  • Square2™ Trim #2 – The seam lines for the pink center square will line up with the 6” finished size dotted guidelines and the 6-1/2” solid lines.  Trim remaining two sides.

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Foundation piece (with seam allowances)is included here if paper piecing. 

(Make sure section measures 6-1/2” x 6-1/2” after printing.)

Completing the Top

Cut eight 6-1/2" x 6-1/2" pieces from blue/teal fabrics.

Piece Ice Diamonds and 6-1/2" x 6-1/2" pieces for side borders. If you need to adjust the length of the border, just trim from the squares on the end.  Make 2.
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Piece Ice Diamonds, Ice Crystals and 6-1/2" x 6-1/2" pieces for top and bottom  borders. If you need to adjust the width of the border, just trim from the plain squares before adding the Ice Crystal corners.  Make 2.
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Add side borders to center.
Add top and bottom borders.
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The top should now measure 42-1/2" x 48-1/2".  

Here is my pieced top -- just off the sewing machine.
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Next week, I will provide some suggestions for quilting.  I will also be sharing photos of the submissions from the "Snowflake Exchange".  
Happy quilting.

Kari

Sign up for my newsletter to stay current on what's happening in my studio and learn more quilting tips.  As a thank you, I'll send you a FREE pattern for this small maple leaf quilt.
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Elsa and Anna - Part 2

2/7/2015

 
My border fabrics have arrived and I am ready to start playing with the borders for my Elsa and Anna quilt.

For this weeks video, I will demonstrate how I created the borders in Electric Quilt.  I also will show how I drafted the blocks using Easy Draw. (If you missed last weeks video, and wish to catch up, please click here.)
Do you like the finished design?  If you created a different border for your quilt, I would love to see it and share it on my site (with credit to you).  You can send it to me at onpointquilter@comcast.net.
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Elsa and Anna Quilt Designed by Kari Schell
Next week I will show you how to piece the borders.

Art and Stitch Snowflake

Last call for your Art and Stitch snowflakes.  I will share drawings of the submitted designs on the February 21st post.  To get copies of the files, you must participate in the exchange.

More information on the exchange is available here.

Be My Valentine

Are you looking for a quick Valentine's day project? How about the "Be My Valentine" table runner? The pattern is now available in quilt shops across the country. If you cannot locate it at your favorite quilt shop, I am offering it for a limited time with free shipping for those in the US and Canada. To order click here. 

To enable "free shipping" select ECONOMY shipping during the checkout process.  This subtracts $2 from your order.
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Be My Valentine by Kari Schell
Happy quilting.

Kari
Sign up for my newsletter to stay current on what's happening in my studio and learn more quilting tips.  As a thank you, I'll send you a FREE pattern for this small maple leaf quilt.
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    Free guide available for newsletter subscribers
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    Kari Schell

    Electric Quilt Expert and Educator and Pattern Designer.

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  • Blog
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