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TSW - A 3-yard quilt with a free pattern!

3/1/2021

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Do you have too much fabric in your stash and don't what to do with it?  Need an easy quick quilt to donate or gift to someone?  I love this series of books showing an amazing amount of patterns that take just 3 yards of fabric, one yard of each.  This video shows making one of the patterns, and even includes a free pattern for it to download.​
You can watch the full video below, or check it out on You Tube.  "Sew Very Easy" has a lot of other videos you might just find useful too.  Click Here
You can also download the free pattern with instructions:  Click Here
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TSW: How to do Quilt Facings with Mitered corners!!!

2/22/2021

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Article from the blog of Krista Moser.  To see her original post, Click Here
Have you ever wanted to try facing a quilt instead of binding it? This works well for artsy style quilts that are going to be on display. There are a few good methods for doing facing instead of binding, and I thought I would show you my favorite method... the mitered way!
CLICK ANY PHOTO TO SEE A LARGER IMAGE​
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One reason to use the mitered method, it is less bulky giving you a nice sharp corner. And it can be manipulated a little easier, giving you a tight fit when you turn the facing to the back (I’ll explain more on that below).
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One reason to use the mitered method, it is less bulky giving you a nice sharp corner. And it can be manipulated a little easier, giving you a tight fit when you turn the facing to the back (I’ll explain more on that below).

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Join the strips end to end with a diagonal seam on the 45 degree angle.
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Trim away the excess from the seam, and press each one open. Then, press one edge under about ⅜” all the way down the length of the strip.

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From the front of the quilt, lay the raw edge of the strip along the raw edge of the quilt. Give yourself at least a couple inches extra, hanging over the ends of the quilt, before trimming the strip off. Run the strip down the sides, giving yourself a couple inches on both ends there too. Pin the strips into place, but do not pin all the way to the corners. I stopped short about 5” from the corners.
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Stitch all the way around the quilt with a ¼” seam allowance, stopping 5” from the corner, and starting again 5” down the next side.

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Take the quilt to the ironing board with its flapping tails of facing at each corner. Fold the facing strips back to create a miter at each corner, and press a sharp crease. Notice how I manipulated the strips to gap about ⅛” at the folded edge; it’s not a perfect 45 degree angle. When I sew the two sides together, following that crease, it creates a little tension on the inside edge once it’s been folded around to the back.
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I used that crease as my guide and cut ¼” beyond it on both facing pieces.
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Pin the two facing pieces together, matching up their creases and stitch, backstitching at both the start and stop.
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Press that seam open, and pin the facing to the quilt. Stitch into place.

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Trim the corner down, but do not cut through the stitch line.

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Turn the facing corner around to the back of the quilt, using your fingers to work the edges of the quilt into place. It may be necessary to use a semi-pointy object to poke out the corner of the quilt and really get a nice edge. Because that extra ⅛” gap is pulled snug, it helps hold the facing to the back of the quilt so it doesn’t roll around to the front of the quilt.
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Press the facing down flat along the back, using the nose of the iron to help manipulate the fabric into place. Then pin, pin, pin!

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Well, there you go! I’m off to do a lot of hand stitching :)
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TSW - Hidden Wells Block Tutorial

2/8/2021

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This block looks more complicated than it is.  Thanks to clever assembly and cutting, you can make these beautiful blocks quickly and easily. Please click on any photo to see a larger image.
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Step One: Each fabric – Cut one strip 2½” by the width of the fat quarter. Sew four strips together with a ¼” seam allowance and press toward the darkest fabric. Measure the width – it should measure 8½” – cut the piece into two 8½” x 8½” squares
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Step Two: Place one block right side up. Place the second block right side down on top with the strips going in the opposite direction as shown

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Step Three: Pin the blocks together. Sew a ¼” seam around all four sides
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Step Four: Use a ruler and your rotary cutter and cut diagonally from one corner to the other. Repeat this on the opposite diagonal corner

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Step Five: Open your pieces and carefully press. The blocks should measure approximately 5½” x 5½” – square up if needed
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Step Six: Arrange the blocks until you find a design you like and then sew them together with a ¼” seam allowance. Your block should measure about 10½ inches

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Here it is in other colors.... You can also try 2 light and 2 dark colors.
This article is from a blog post at ConnieKresin.com. She has many other helpful tutorials.  If you would like to see her post for this technique on her blog,   Click Here
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TSW:  Strip and Flip Baby Quilt (or any size!)

1/31/2021

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I thought I would share this fun and quick quilt pattern.  I can already think of other sizes and color choices to make this.  Small changes would make it jelly roll friendly, and scrappy would be fun too.  What would you make with this technique?
To see the original post and other cute projects they offer, see Cluck Cluck Sew   Click here
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This fun scrappy quilt is quick to put together and great for beginners. Use lots of different colors to keep it bright and fun…or just a few colors to keep it calm and simple.
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Finished Size: 36″ x 41″ Baby Quilt

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1. You’ll need to cut 27 color strips 2″ x width of the fabric (at least 36″) and 2 white strips 1 1/2″ x width of the fabric (at least 42″).
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2. Lay the color strips out in the order you want them.

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3. Using a 1/4″ seam allowance, sew the strips into pairs first…then sew the pairs all together. Alternate the sewing direction when sewing the strips/pairs together, and don’t pull the strips…this will help prevent stretching and keep the strips straight.
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4. Press the seams open. This takes a bit more time but the nice straight seams are worth it!

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5. Fold the length of the quilt top in half and align it carefully on the cutting mat. Trim the edges straight until the quilt top is 35″ wide.
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6. With the quilt still on the cutting table, make a cut 8″ in from the right side. Make another cut 5″ in from the last cut.

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7. Sew a white strip onto each side of the 5″ strip. Press towards the white strips and trim the ends.
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8. Rotate the strip 180 degrees, and sew the strip back in between the larger pieces to make the quilt top. Press towards the white strips.

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Virtual Quilt Tour - Totally Amazing!

1/26/2021

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This virtual quilt tour was on You Tube during the 2020 Pandemic.  The exhibit was at the Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas and it features contemporary quilts from International Competitions, including our cherished Houston Quilt Show.

There are four videos to the series, but I clipped just the quilt slide portion to share here.  I bet you will watch it, and then watch it again!   You can also watch the full 4 part video series on You Tube.  Click Here


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TSW: Cut your scraps for best use & storing

1/17/2021

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I have been researching to figure out the best way to store my fabric scraps.  They are piling up quickly, and I want to use them if I can. My first big find was that many quilters pre-cut their scraps into usable strips or squares.  Sounds great, but I am still trying lots of new things and wasn't sure what sizes to cut them.  Then I found a helpful blog post on "The Voice of Quilting" by Pat Sloan. 

She had gone through similar research to mine, and took it one step further and researched what would be used most often in quilt patterns. She came up with the following list for herself:
  • 2" squares
  • 2.5" squares
  • 3.5" squares
  • 5" squares 
  • 2.5" wide strips (like jelly rolls)
What qualifies as scraps?  That varies from quilter to quilter, but may also vary depending on how much you still love the fabric.  I have found it interesting how even "ugly" fabrics often look good if cut into small enough squares!
The size you choose depends on the size of the scrap you have to work with.  Of course, if you have the time you can also take smaller scraps and sew them together to make a scrappy square in the sizes listed above.  The uniform sizes store easily in shoe box size containers, and take surprising less room to store than the raw scraps.  Win-win.   

I hope my research project helps you too.  If you have found any other pearls of wisdom on this topic, please comment and share your ideas!
Ann
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TSW:  Triangle Scrap Magic... and more

1/10/2021

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TSW (Technique Sharing Workshop)
Years ago I took a series of classes on wearable art, which used many quilting techniques to create clothing.  One of my favorite techniques was randomly piecing fabric until it was big enough to make something out of the "created" fabric.  I recently found this post and it reminded me of how I loved doing this, and gave me a good way to use scraps to create a quilt.
​Ann Nolen
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You have scraps and you just sew them together into "slabs."
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Have you made enough? Lay your template down on it. Remember if it's too big, you can cut the extra off. If its too small, just add to it.

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Here a chunk from the top was curt off, and added to the side where it was needed.
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Even the extra triangle bits on each side can be put to good use too.

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Just keep creating, and it can be so much fun clearing out small scraps and creating these magic triangles!
Click on any photo to see a larger image
Many thanks for this information on the Triangle Scrap Slab Magic post by The PatcheryManagerie.blogspot.com

The options are endless, of course.  Look at these photos to see how this quilter sewed strips and used a square template to create a block.
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January Demo: Stitch and Flip technique

12/29/2020

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I invite our members to come to our usual Casual Quilting Group this Monday (January 4th) to work on it together.
I already loved the whimsical applique pattern from Colourwerx.  In fact, I was planning to buy the pattern online and have since done that.  This video shows another technique "Stitch and Flip" to have some fun with this pattern, or actually any silhouette design that interests you. I love this this YouTube video by "On-Point TV and Quilting by Nancy." Watch here or go direct to You Tube at   Click Here.
Check it out, give it a try!  


Some of our members tried the technique during our Zoom Quilting Group.
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Justine made cactus and then added a cute lizard.
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Justine shared this photo of auditioning background fabrics.

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Merry Kittens Everyone!

12/21/2020

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I have fostered bottle-fed kittens for the Humane Society for the last 6-7 years.  I wanted to share this video I made for my quilting friends as a "Christmas Card."  All the photos are former foster kittens of mine, and what a cute bunch they are!
Merry Kittens Everyone!  
​Ann
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The Beauty & Durability of Old Sewing Machines

12/19/2020

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ASG (American Sewing Guild) of Santa Rosa recently had John Furtado, owner of Village Sewing, as a guest speaker.  Using Zoom, he was able to show his collection of old machines, and tell us what he loved about each one! 
PS - Thank you to ASG for sharing this video with us! You can find more info about them at www.asgsantarosa.org
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Demo - Mirrored Reflections

12/7/2020

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  • One of our members, Janice Johnson, posted this quilt block in our Facebook Group.  We loved it and wanted to know more about the quilt block and what the story was behind it. Good news, the pattern is a free download, and it can easily be made from fabric or jelly rolls in your fabric stash!
A few tips from Janice:
  • To download the free pattern for "Mirrored Reflections" offered by Dynamic Quilting Click Here.  You will need to sign up for their mailing list to get it. 
  • It uses 6 fabrics that should look good together.  Janice suggests using the two wider strips in row 1 and 4 for the best look. Remember that Row 1 and Row 6 should also look good next to each other due to the repeat.
  • Our group is invited to come to our Zoom Quilting Group on Monday, Dec 14th with questions or to sew on the block together.  The Group meets from 10:00 - 12:00.  Janice will be there to answer questions, or you can ask her in our Private Facebook Group.
Thanks Janice!
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Here are some of the blocks that were made by Janice and other members. Click image to see a larger version.
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Justine L
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Janet T.
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Carole H
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Janice J.
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Linda V
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Justine L
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Member Quilt Story:  Linda Jensen

11/26/2020

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One of our members, Linda Jensen just completed this beautiful fiber art project in a workshop taught by Sophie Standing of Kenya.  Our group wanted to know more about the workshop, the process, and what she thought of taking this course online.  Linda did a wonderful job, and it was a treat to get  chance to discuss it with her.
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If you would like to see more about Linda's teacher, Sophie Standing, textile artist Click Here
Linda took the class through a quilt shop in Australia.  If you are interested in future classes, you may contact them to notify you when they have another class scheduled. Click Here
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Quilting Tips - Fast Half Square Triangles

11/23/2020

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Half-Square Triangles quick & easy? This video has it all. A very clever technique shows you how.
​Thank you to our member Carole Hamann for telling us about this useful video.
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Online quilt class:  Lisa Walton of Australia

11/18/2020

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The link below is to Lisa Walton's online classes available.  I would like to mention that she has a new "On Demand" class, AURORA, for individual students coming out December 1, 2020.  She is offering  25% off her already reasonable price of $45US if you enroll before December 1st.  
   Yummy looking class with instructions to paint your fabric, simple piecing, and beading or bobbin work to embellish it.  You can work at your own pace from your own sewing room. To see more information about the class and sign up Click Here
If you sign up, let us know.  We can form a mini-group to go through the class together.  Contact Ann@VirtualQuilters.com
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Blog - Show & Tell from Mel Beach workshop

11/8/2020

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We held our first workshop as a group, and what fun it was!  Zoom worked great to learn this very cool technique.  Below are student photos, more may be added as our class projects are completed.
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Intriguing Interleaves workshop with Mel Beach - Class photo!
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Class project by Peggy D
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Class project - Elizabeth A.
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Class project - Ann N
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Looks great this way too!
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Class project - Justine L.
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Class project - Pam M
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Blog: Shopping trip to Bolt Fabrics in Cloverdale

9/21/2020

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Chris & I decided to take a quick drive up to Cloverdale to visit Bolt Fabrics.  Quilters can never have enough fabric in their stash! Bolt Fabric has set up the store to be so safe during the COVID Pandemic.  Masks, only 2-3 people in the store at a time, and even a few smart surprises that worked out well.  We love this local store, and what a treat to get to go shopping!
PS - Their website is www.boltcloverdale.com   Thanks Kate!
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Blog: Want to look your best on Zoom Chats?

9/6/2020

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Blog: Can you believe these miniature quilts?

9/1/2020

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I just watched this interview of  Kumiko Frydl by Lisa Walton, and it was fabulous.  The miniature quilts  are unlike anything I have seen and are well worth the few minutes to watch.
By the way, Lisa Walton has a wonderful series of interviews of well known quilt artists, and you can see them all on her website here: ​https://lisawaltonartist.com/videos/
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Blog: Quilt Workshop by Zoom.  Yes, it is here!

8/25/2020

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Intriguing Interleaves:​
6 Hour live workshop, split into 2 days. 
​Online Zoom workshop allows you to sew in the comfort of your own sewing room.

Teacher:  Mel Beach
​Capacity:  20 students

Description:  Unlock the fun and intrigue of Lorri Crano's Interleave quilts.  All the secrets of creating the illusion of curves and transparency using only straight line stitching will be revealed.  Best of all, interleave quilts are assembled using a quilt-as-you-go technique, so your unique interleave quilt will be pieced and quilted at the same time!

Mel Beach is a teacher that we have experienced before, and we love her teaching style!  She is also very experienced teaching over Zoom, so we will have a smooth experience with our first Zoom workshop as a group.


Session 1 - Monday, October 5th 9am - 1pm.  Intro to Zoom, workshop to complete an 18' x 18' project
Session 2 - Tuesday, October 6th 1pm - 3pm  Discussion of technique, and ways to tweak it for other styles and projects. 
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NOTE: You will need to have a computer, laptop, tablet or phone in your sewing area to participate in the class.  We will have a Zoom practice session (without the teacher) before the class since this is our first workshop.
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​Join as a member to gain access to this Members page. Sign up for the workshop here:  
Join Our Group (Free)
Buy Workshop $43
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Sonoma County Virtual Quilters
www.VirtualQuilters.com
​Contact us by email at Ann@VirtualQuilters.com