February 27, 2014

The EZ-est Quilt Ever...

 Are you ready to see how to make a simple, fabulous quilt in about two hours? 
Well, make a cuppa tea and relax in your chair while I show you how it's done.
This quilt began when Susan shared the process with us at retreat.
(Warning: There are LOTS of pictures in today's post.)
 Step 1: Choose 10 fabrics and cut 5" strip x WOF (Width of fabric). Join
them with a 1/4" seam lengthwise until all fabrics are joined together. 
 **Press seams alternating in opposite directions for each strip. Once you 
have joined all the strips together, you need to sew one more seam. 
Join the first strip to the last, lengthwise. You have now formed a tube. 
Don't worry that the selvege ends are not all lined up. As Susan says, 
"You're gonna whack all those off anyway when you square up the tube."

Just be sure that you don't get a distortion in the fabrics when you sew
that last seam together. Don't try to line up the ends of the seam. You're
making sure that there won't be an odd drape in the fabic.
 Timeout! I have to run back up to Sarasota to pick up Tag at the vet's.
(Insert Jeopardy theme music here until we get back.)
 I'm back. Now. Where were we? Oh, yes... All the strips are
sewn together and the final seam is sewn so you have a tube.
Fabric tubes cut into 5" width
 Now, you need to cut off those uneven ends and while still in a tube,
lay the tube flat and cut 5" strips from the tube. You will have eight
tubes of fabric when you're finished with this step.
Decide which fabric you want to have in the upper left corner. Rotate
 the tube until you find that fabric and open up the seam at the top of
 the block. You don't even need a seam ripper for this step. Just hold it 
firmly on each side of the seam and pull. (Note: I'm holding this seam in
one hand to photograph for you. You should actually hold each block on
 either side of the seam which will make it easy to just pop them apart.)
 Lay your first strip out flat and then grab your second fabric tube.
Locate the fabric block that matches the first one, and then locate the 
SECOND fabric block and separate the seam at the top of that block. 
You will then have (in this photo) the flower block at the top of Row 1; and
the green leaf block at the top of Row 2. The blocks will form diagonals.
 See? This is what I'm talking about. Now, for Row 3, look at the next 
fabric tube and roll it until you find the third fabric in the first row. That 
will be the top fabric in the Third Row. Open the seam above the aqua 
fabric (in this case) and lay it open on your table next to the first two rows. 
Repeat this step through all the remaining strips.
 When you're finished, you'll see all the tubes are open, and the design
forms a repeating diagonal across all of the strips. Cool, huh?

Join all of them together with a 1/4" seam, matching up the intersections.
Take your time and you won't even have to bother using pins. Just hold
the intersections until you've stitched them and then move on to the next
one down the seam. Take your time and it will be easy to do.
 Look! Aren't those intersections fabulous?
 7:04 pm and I've finished the quilt top! It was that easy. I know I'll
be making more to give away and sell. If you don't quilt and are
interested in purchasing a quilt, email your favorite colors to me
and I can create a special order just for you! I can also add more
borders to make the quilt even larger. I'm also going to add applique'.
 What? Don't be surprised. I told you it was simple!

Come back tomorrow and I'll share a little trick I thought of
today while I was sewing. I took photos and can't believe I
hadn't thought of it earlier! I'll show you pictures tomorrow.

Happy Friday, all y'all!
DonnaAcornSignature

3 comments:

  1. Ok, you lost me! Read it quick and it's very late. Very pretty. Will need a big cuppa in the morning to figure this one out. Maybe I should just stick to knitting and crocheting! :) G'night

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very nifty trick. I'm already thinking about a larger quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh I almost thought, "I could do this!"...until I realized I can do this. You make it look and read so easy to do. Thank you. I await your embellished and finished quilt for I have a feeling it will be fabulous and not sew "Simple or Basic" looking. Thank goodness Tag is doing well. Fabulous Friday Dear...

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for leaving a comment today. I'm using new settings on my comments so that I'll be able to respond to your messages to me. Be sure to come back to see my replies!

Blessings, Donna