Square in a Square/ Economy Patch

 Hello quilters! Someone mentioned that they wouldn't know how to make the economy patch by using my Electric Quilt cutting pattern.  I thought I'd show you how I would make a 3" finished economy patch block.

I'd cut the center square a tad smaller. It seems like I always lose my 1/4" seam allowance on this block.

Center square- cut (1) 2 1/2" square

background (a tad oversized) - cut (2) 2 1/2" squares, then cut on the diagonal to make 4 triangles. 

Find the center of your square and the center of you triangle. Sometimes you can just fold it then pinch, but sometimes you cannot see the line where you pinched it. 

Line up the centers on opposing sides.

And sew with 1/4" seam allowance.

Press before adding the other 2 triangles. 

Line them up the same way. 

And sew. Trim off the extra dog ears. 

Press. 

You want your block to be unfinished 3 1/2". So I line up my ruler at 1 3/4" which is half of 3.5. I line it up on the top and the right side. My blue arrows are faint. Trim the right side and the top.

Then trim the other 2 sides for an accurate 3 1/2"

Ta-da!

This is such a simple block but I've never been a big fan of assembling this one! For me the key is making the center square a scant smaller and the outer triangles a scant larger. 

I hope that helps any new quilter/piecers.

Have a terrific Wednesday.

Friday Tutorials

I've got all my blocks made for the Lincoln quilt! 36 each. I need to focus on the next part of the Liberty quilt. Trying to stay one step ahead of everyone hasn't been easy! By the way, I love what I'm seeing!! You ladies are really meeting the challenge in a great way!!

Speaking of the Liberty quilt. We have quite a few flying geese to make  so I thought I'd show you an easy way- with the sizes you need to end up with four (4)  4 1/2"x2 1/2" unfinished flying geese block.

I always get confused at to what part is the "goose". The center is the goose and you'll need a dark 

print cut 5 1/4". For the "wings?" you'll need four (4) 2 7/8" light squares. 

My fabric isn't a very good representation because they are almost both mediums. 

 Lay 2 squares on the diagonal of the large square. Draw and center line and sew a scant 1/4" seam on both sides, then cut on the line. Press the geese "wings" away from the dark.

 Place the remaining squares as shown. Draw a line on the center and sew on both sides, then trim.

Press and trim to 4 1/2"x 2 1/2"

Easy huh? I'm sure most of you have done this, but sometimes it is nice to have a reminder.

Here's my instagram feed for the week,

It's been a terrific week! It looks like a tiny glimmer of spring in the forecast! I see daffodils coming up in my yard!! Whoop! Whoop!

Frivolous Friday Fun!

Wow! It is Friday already!! These adorable dresses arrived from Martha this week. Her sister donated some fabric to her and she made all of these for my trip to Colombia- 17 in all!! Thank you Martha! I can imagine the girls faces lighting up when they realize one of them will be for them!!

The one of the left really blends in with my maple tree. The dress and the tree are amazing!!

Before moving on with some piecing I needed to pick up my sewing room. You know how that goes!

I found this pillowcase waiting to be turned into a dress, so instead of procrastinating, I completed it.

Then I found this little kit to make two produce bags with cotton and mosquito netting. So, I figured it had "stewed" long enough!! I couldn't understand the pattern so I made it my way and thought I'd show you. It was super simple! You could use any other webbing/mesh.  I really despise the grocery store plastic bags. Why use 1 bag to put a box of cereal in? And when I've had to use them all my groceries fall out before I get home anyway. Now I can eliminate some plastic produce bags as well.

You can use whatever size you want. I'll tell you what the kit had in it. 

With right sides together sew a 12" x22 " piece of netting/mesh to a 4"x22" piece of cotton. (this will be the bottom) Don't iron it because it may melt. (ask me how I know?)

For the top you will use a 2 1/2"x 22" strip. Fold in 1/4" on one long side then fold over again to make a casing for whatever you will use for your string. Mine was a heavy cotton ribbon about 3/8" wide.

Fold your bag over, right sides together, and sew the bottom and side, but don't close in your casing.

 Leave it open like this. Be sure to back stitch so it stays sewn.

These were in my kit and they are great! 

Ta-da! Done!

Here's another pattern I really want to make. I'm thinking about using the red and black fabric. I may start on that this weekend.

Here's my Instagram for this week. 

A quilt show is on tap for me this weekend!! Whoop! Whoop!

Love to you all!

No Waste Flying Geese

Thank you all for the sweet comments on my Benjamin Biggs quilt. I wish I had the time to reply to each one of you personally! I really do appreciate you taking the time to read and comment! 

Making the Wabash Co quilt will require quite a few flying geese. In my opinion this is the way to make a lot of them. Kathy didn't remember doing this technique, but while I was visiting Ohio she cranked them out like nobody's brother! I thought I'd show it briefly to refresh your memory.

Finished size determines what size to cut your large and small squares. You can find a size chart HERE.

Press toward the larger triangle.

Press and trim! Ta-da!

Now to find some time in my sewing room!

We went to a mid week concert! It was better than I expected. 

 Starting us off was Don Felder, lead guitarist for the Eagles for 26 years! I enjoyed him more than I enjoyed the Eagles concert. Of course, we had amazing seats and that helps too!!

 Next up was Styx. We have seen them once before and enjoyed them too.

The night was closed out by REO Speedwagon. They are all getting old, but they 

can still rock and play the guitar like crazy.

Here's my Instagram feed for the week.

Have a fantastic weekend!!

Easy Flying Geese

Happy Wednesday! Part of our Fall Festival assignment this month was making flying geese for the sashing. I am doing mine like Jan did hers. Using the same background and changing the center colors. Since mine are not going to be scrappy I am using the no waste method method. (I've always called it that) This will make 4 identical flying geese units.
I'm sure many of you do it this way, but this is for those of you that don't have a clue what I'm talking about.

For the Fall Festival quilt our finished flying geese blocks will be 4"x2". My background is green. The center/colored part is black.

From your background (mine is green) add 7/8" to your finished size, which means I will cut four (4) 2 7/8" squares of background/green.

From the colored fabric we will add 1 1/4" to the finished width of the block, so we will cut a square 5 1/4".
(the finished width is 4"+ 1 1/4= 5 1/4")

 Put 2 squares of background as shown in the photo. I use my Hera marker to draw a line down the center of both smaller squares. Sew a scant 1/4" on both sides and trim on the line.  press towards the small triangles. 

 Add the other 2 squares of background as show. Draw another line down the center and sew 1/4" or a tad smaller on each side of the line. Cut on the line.  Press...

Ta-Da! Trim to 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" and set them aside for when we assemble our Fall Festival quilt. 

Trimming your Quilt Top

I have to show a couple of quilt photos despite the topic.

Primitive Primer by Jan Patek & Sue Spargo

This isn't a Christmas quilt but that's when I like to hang it up and enjoy it.

We finally got our tree up and will decorate it this week. I always put a quilt up behind it. My Just takes Forever (Just Takes2) is working it's way back home after being quilted but I am positive I won't have the binding on before Christmas. Cant wait to see it and show you all! Looking forward to another red and white quilt.

 

As I was prepping my Christmas quilt for binding I was wondering how you all do yours.

I use my square ruler to square up all 4 corners

Then use my long ruler to trim the sides.

 

 

Then hope I'm not too far off when they meet up! lol

I'd love to know how you do it.