Wordless Wednesday...Dog-gone...

mary

Building Steps

If you followed my last post you know I used freezer paper to piece a courthouse steps block....

here is a wee review and a peek at the way these blocks fit together...

When working on the second block you will always want to repeat one of the fabrics from the first block... 

Again, I traced my template onto a piece of freezer paper {the paper side}...here I have numbered the order for piecing...

Score the lines with the back of your seam ripper to make it easier to fold back at the line...

Begin with your center square {1" X 1"} placed over the back side of the square labeled 1{wrong side of fabric to the waxy side of the template} ...

press in place with a hot dry iron...

fold back on the line between 1 and 2.

Place your acrylic ruler on top of the folded paper and trim so that you leave a quarter inch seam allowance....

  

place the fabric for step 2, right sides facing and raw edges aligned, with the center fabric...

stitch next the fold....finger press and then press with your hot iron.  Be sure every time you press - you are pressing on the paper side so your iron does not stick to the template...

next you will work with the opposite side and repeat the same process...fold, trim, stitch and press...

when you have finished your block you can see how the blocks will come together....

Now, you can see why we repeated one of the fabrics...

blocks will be stitched together with a quarter inch seam allowance...

 I will keep piecing these little courthouse steps and adding to this tutorial....

things change a bit when you get to the second row....

I have also been picking away at the wedding quilt...

I outlined the stems and petals and now

I am quilting a grid pattern in the center section...

hope you had a good weekend!

happy monday!

mary

 

    

Steps....

One of my favorite blocks is the simple log cabin...

there are many reasons I love this block.

There are so many design possibilities with this one simple block.

Perhaps my most loved design is the Courthouse Steps...

    

It is just the same simple log cabin...just tweaked a bit to create a color block of sorts...

I begin with a very small template...

each of my logs are 3/8 wide...

my center square is 3/8 inch square...

I trace my template onto freezer paper. For this project I will be using paper foundation piecing.  And I like to use freezer paper because, with heat, it will temporarily adhere to the fabric.

you can easily make up your own template ...begin with a center square and add logs of the same width on each of the four sides of your center square.  Continue adding logs of the same width until you have added enough logs for your cabin!  Make it any size you wish!

Once I cut out my template, I score it with the backside of my seam ripper...

use your acrylic ruler to keep the lines straight...

the reason I score the lines is so I can more easily fold back on the line.  I do not sew through my paper...I fold it.  That way I can reuse my freezer paper!  And since I am hand drafting each template...I want to reuse it!

Now I pick my fabrics...

for this version of courthouse steps I pick 4 different fabrics.

And a center fabric for the center square...

I cut my strips 1 inch wide and my center square - 1 inch square...

with paper foundation piecing it is important to have strips larger than the actual finished piece {3/8 inch} because it will be trimmed to leave a 1/4 inch seam allowance...

Center the square on the center of the template. The wrong side of the 1 inch fabric square should be facing the waxy side of the template...

I press on the right side of the template {the non-waxy side} with a hot dry iron to stick the fabric to the template...

If you are not using freezer paper or if your freezer paper doesn't hold the fabric well enough...you can anchor your square with a dot of basting glue...

 turn the template with fabric over and carefully fold back to expose the first line for the first log...

I carefully trim away the excess fabric, leaving a 1/4 inch seam allowance....

I forgot to snap a picture of trimming the center square...but it is the same idea....

 

The fabrics for the steps will be wider than the finished size and longer...at least a quarter inch on each side.  It doesn't have to be a specific size just a quarter inch larger on each side.  So for the length of my step strips, I just cut my 1 inch strip longer than the size of the step.

 

  

 

place your first step right sides facing with the center square - raw edges together and sew along the side of the folded freezer paper...begin 1/4 inch before the beginning of the first step and ending 1/4 inch after the end of the step...

finger press the step open...

  

the next step to be added will be on the opposite side of the center square...in the same manner...

then the third step will be on the right or left side of the center square.  It is very important to always keep the same order as you build your courthouse steps...

   

so proceed in the same manner - fold back the paper to expose the next step to be added, cut a step longer than the piece you will need, add it with right sides facing {these will always be the same fabrics}, stitch along the fold of the paper and trim the seam allowance to 1/4 inch.

once you have added all the steps and filled up your template...simply trim leaving a 1/4 inch seam allowance on each side...

peel away the freezer paper...

and you have one courthouse step block...

 

the next block will contain one of the fabrics used in the first block.  You want to repeat this color as a mirror image in the next block...I did not have time to do a second block...but I hope to keep walking you through this process.

 

 happy stitching

     mary       

 

{Almost} Wordless Wednesday

autumn loveliness

 

a surprise

so fun and so sweet...

 thank you, Clare...you are so dear

and here is what I have been playing with at home....

 

happy wednesday!

mary

The Big Zig!

I love to share the fabulous quilts by the folks I am so lucky to sew with!

     These women arrive at the shoppe eager to sew...eager to spend a couple of hours each week for 5 weeks stitching and sharing...I just can't tell you how fun it is!  We get to know each other...we laugh...we complain...we encourage each other and learn from each other!  So much better than therapy!

 

Introducing the Big Zig!

    This is Anna's quilt! I must tell you, Anna has been coming to the shoppe for as long as I can remember.  Anna has two wonderful children - her son Josh is my Saturday buddy!  He sneaks into the shoppe...when I see his mom, I think Josh didn't come to visit me...and then he pops up!  Gets me every time!

Anna made a great quilt!  She used a cross weave in chocolate brown for the space between her zigs....fantastic!

Next is Kristy. Kristy and her sister-in-law, Judi, took the class together.  I want to be adopted into this family!  They are so much fun!

And isn't this quilt fabulous!

  

Judi's is equally fabulous! Both quilts are quilted with a combination of machine and hand quilting!

 

 

 

Alison did a gorgeous quilt  with colors transitioning from intense  reds to yellow...

 

  

Hopefully, I will be able to show you Serena's sensational holiday quilt in the near future...she took a bit of a tumble and the quilt needed to be sidelined while Serena rested. Boo!

 

And now I have another group that will begin zigging tomorrow!

To get in the groove...I did a little zig zagging today...

 

  

Sorry it has been quiet here lately, but we had to purchase a new computer and it is driving me nuts!

It is so sensitive...I type and things just disappear! It takes me more than twice as long to post!  So frustrating!  I would love any advice!  Sarah?????

mary :)

      tomorrow...I want to show you some more happy mail 

Happy Mail!

Birthday mail is always fun!

This year was no exception!

 my dear friend Susan sent me some handmade goodness...

   

a wonderful notebook with a patchwork star 

 how fantastic is this! This will come in handy for class notes, wedding planning - just any important notes I need to have handy.  And of course at my age, I need all the help I can get! heh heh!

 and she pieced the most adorable tiny hexies to make this sweet pincushion!

 Susan spoiled me terribly

besides soaking up all this birthday goodness...I have been doing some hand quilting and some english paper piecing...while my machine is in for a minor repair. Hopefully, more on the hand work tomorrow!

Happy Tuesday!

mary      

 

Oakshott

A couple of weeks ago I received a generous bundle of Oakshott fabrics.

I have read many wonderful reviews of Oakshott so when Lynn of Lilys Quilts offered to let me experience Oakshott...I didn't hesitate!

 

 

Oakshott produces fine hand woven fabrics that are a quality equal to none.  They are luscious fabrics of vibrant, rich color.

 

 

This fabric has an iridescent quality which gives the color such depth. 

I am eager to give it a try with a bit of applique. I did have a chance to try some very small piecing...

 

 

 Oakshott and Company is a U.K. based company...fortunately they have an online shopping feature and do ship internationally!       

 

 

visit their page!

  www.oakshottfabrics.com

 

Happy Thursday

mary

Wordless Wednesday....

mary



Working Hard....Hardly Sewing......

I like a simple life...not too busy....orderly....

and it seems the last few months my life has been anything but....

I have so many irons in the fire...I can barely figure out what to tackle next.

 

But as time ticks on....each year a certain day creeps up on me and smacks me head on....it is that reminder that another year has been layered on these old bones...

 

As an early celebration, my dear bloggy friend, Susan...sent a very nice - very heavy package my way.  

 

 

Suz knows me well. Isn't it funny how a friend you have never met in person can know you so well - just through emails....

 

The book, The French Dog by Rachael McKenna,  is gorgeous...beautiful pictures of France and the sweetest pictures of hugable, adorable pups!

 

 

so cute!

 

 

awwwww...

 

And then she threw in a couple of precious extras...a sewing sisters notepad and a teeny koala button!

So sweet...

 

I was also the recipient of a very nice collection of solid cottons...from Oakshott...

I will just give you a sneak peek here and talk to you more about that later...I want to dedicate a post to this magnificent fabric...it is fabulous!!!

 

 

and, while I haven't had much time for machine piecing, I have had a few minutes every now and then to work with some luscious Liberty!

 

 

   

  hope to see you again tomorrow!

mary