Friday, May 6, 2016

Paint Chip Mini Quilt Tutorial

We've talked a lot about our new Painter's Palette Solids here on the blog. Why? Because we love them and we know you will too! 

Probably our cutest pre-cut packaging is our Paint Chips--a pack of 2-1/2" squares of all 84 colors. It's a great way to get your hands on all of the colors!

We thought it would be fun to come up with a design that features all 84 of these squares. Today, we're sharing that tutorial, taking you from this: 

To this:

This mini quilt measures 24-1/2" wide x 26" tall and uses a Paint Chip pack plus Smoke solid, Lipstick solid, and backing fabric. 

Here's how to make it:

You'll Need
One paint chip pack (eighty-four 2-1/2" precut solid squares)
7/8 yard Smoke solid (121-090)
1/4 yard Lipstick solid (121-066)*
7/8 yard backing fabric
29" x 30" piece of batting

Cutting
From the Smoke solid:
(20) 2-1/2" squares
(3) 1-1/4" x 42" strips for binding*
(2) 3-1/2" x 24-1/2" strips
(3) 2-1/2" x 24-1/2" strips
(1) 2" x 24-1/2" strip

From the Lipstick solid:
(3) 1-1/2" x 42" strips for binding*

*We used a flange-style two-color binding. If you prefer a traditional binding, cut Smoke strips the way you normally would to finish the quilt. 

Making the Quilt Top
Note that the diagrams don't show the entire row specified; they're intended to provide an example of what part of the row should look like. 
1. Add (4) 2-1/2" Smoke squares to the paint chip pack for a total of (88) squares to use in the pieced rows. The remaining (16) Smoke squares will be used in step 4 to make half-square triangles (HSTs). Select (12) 2-1/2" squares in assorted colors and sew together into a square row. Make (2) rows of (12) squares each. 


2. Select (16) 2-1/2" squares in assorted colors and cut each in half to make 1-1/4" x 2-1/2" rectangles. Sew the (32) rectangles together to make a rectangle row.


3. Select (16) 2-1/2" squares in assorted colors and cut each in half to make 1-1/4" x 2-1/2" rectangles. Sew (2) assorted rectangles together and cut in half to create (2) two-patches. Make a total of (32) two-patches. Sew two-patches together in pairs to create four-patches, and join the (16) four-patches together to make a four-patch row.

4. Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the remaining (16) Smoke squares and (8) additional colored squares. Pair each marked square with an unmarked square and stitch 1/4" on either side of the marked line. Cut apart on the line and press HST units open. Trim each to measure 2" square. You'll have 32 Smoke/color HST units and 16 color HST units.

5. Noting orientation, sew together (16) Smoke/color HST units to make a Smoke/color HST row. Make 2 rows.

 6. Noting orientation, sew together (16) color HST units to make a color HST row. 

7. Referring to the quilt image and measurements listed below, sew the pieced rows and Smoke strips together to finish the quilt top.


Finishing
1. Layer the backing right side down, batting and quilt top right side up. Quilt as desired. Trim batting and backing even with quilt top. 
2. We used a flange-style binding to add a pop of color along the edge. Use the (3) 2-1/2" x 42" Lipstick strips and (3) 2-1/4" x 42" Smoke strips and follow this tutorial to bind the mini quilt. If you'd prefer a traditional binding, cut strips and bind your quilt as desired. 

A close-up of the flange binding

We hope you enjoyed our Paint Chip Sampler tutorial! See all 84 Painter's Palette Solids colors here and ask for them (and the Paint Chip pack!) at your local quilt shop.

p.s. If this quilt looks familiar, you might have seen a sneak peek of it on Instagram! Sign up to follow us so you see all of the pics we post! 

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Feeling the Blues with Vera Cruz

This spring, we've had two quilts made with the lovely florals of Vera Cruz featured in magazines. These quilt patterns have more in common than just the Vera Cruz prints they use--both are perfect for blue lovers! 

In the January/February issue of Love of Quilting, Diane Tomlinson used just four blues and the traditional apple core shape to make a cool curvy quilt. Doesn't it create a fantastic illusion of colors weaving over and under each other?


"Core Connection" by Diane Tomlinson;
featured in Love of Quilting Jan/Feb 2016

Find the Vera Cruz collection here.
Find the kit for this project here. 
Find Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting here.















Then in the March/April issue of Quilting Quickly, Lisa Swenson Ruble used a snack pack of 2-1/2" wide strips plus plenty of blue floral to sew a variation of the barn raising design. The pieced strips add so much movement to this design! 

"Modern Barn Raising" by Lisa Swenson Ruble and machine quilted by Diane Oakes;
featured in Quilting Quickly March/April 2016

Find the Vera Cruz collection here.
Find the kit for this project here. 
Find the video tutorial for this project here. 
Find Fons & Porter's Quilting Quickly here.



Friday, April 29, 2016

Winners!

Thanks to everyone who followed along with our Vintage Shirtings Blog Hop! We hope you enjoyed seeing the six different block designs as much as we did--so much inspiration! 




Here are the randomly selected winners for each day of the hop, both for the Vintage Shirting and Dress Prints fabric bundles we're giving away, and for the additional prize(s) that each day's host generously chose to give away:

Day 1: Barb Eikmeier
Vintage Shirtings bundle winner: Susan M.
Book and template set: Sandy A.
Craftsy class, Connecting the Blocks: Jen B.

Day 2: Donna Lynn Thomas
Vintage Shirtings bundle winner: Maryellen
QE1 and QE2 winner: Kira
Craftsy course Piece Like a Pro: Cecilia

Day 3: Kelly Ashton
Vintage Shirtings bundle winner: Lori M.
Book: Barb H. 

Day 4: Reeze Hanson
Vintage Shirtings bundle winner: Janet T.
Three patterns: Gloria C.

Day 5: Sally Schneider
Vintage Shirtings bundle winner: Linda E.
Book and Gizmo: Lee B.

Day 6: Theresa Ward
Vintage Shirtings bundle winner: Janie
E-book: Lu

Winners, you'll be contacted via email by the host from the day you won to get your mailing address. 



*****************************************************************************************

And, while the winners themselves have been contacted, in the excitement and busy-ness of the Mad for Solids bracket and then the Vintage Shirtings Blog Hop right afterwards, we neglected to officially post the winners from our Ocean Sunrise New Block Blog Hop featuring the Painter's Palette Solids. 



Ocean Sunrise winners:
Debby G.
Anne R.
Veronique O.
Tish

Seacoast Quilter
Sarah

Congratulations to all these winners--we can't wait to see what you make with your fabric! (Please send us photos at fabriquiltblog (at) gmail.com!)

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Cityscapes

So often you hear that a fabric collection has "a little something for everyone." But in our 12-fabric Cityscapes collection, that's actually true. 
Cityscapes has elegant scrolls for traditional quilters. It has rock and pebble prints for landscape quilters. There are a few black and white prints for those modern quilters who love text, sketch prints, and general white-and-black low volume prints.  (And of course you can use this entire collection together just as it is to create a beautiful earth-toned quilt!)


This collection also has a double-sided pre-quilted option--perfect for tote bags! 

See the entire Cityscapes collection here and ask for it at your local quilt shop.

Friday, April 22, 2016

Vintage Shirting Blog Hop: Day 6

Today is the last day of our Vintage Shirting Blog Hop! We hope you've enjoyed all the block tutorials our Vintage Shirting friends have shared!



Head over to Theresa's blog to see the tutorial for her Square and Star block. A classic beauty! 
We'll give you a sneak peek of one of her two colorways here:

Theresa will show you how to make this block on her blog, you'll see her second colorway, and you can also enter for a chance to win a FQ bundle of Vintage Shirting and Dress Prints! 

 Thanks for joining us this week, and if you missed any days of the hop, use the links below:
 
Vintage Shirting & Dress Prints Blog Hop Schedule:
Thursday 4/14: Blog Hop Introduction
Friday 4/15: Barb Eikmeier @Barb's Favorites
Monday 4/18: Donna Lynn Thomas @DonnaLynnThomasQuilter
Tuesday 4/19: Kelly Ashton @KellyQuilter
Wednesday 4/20: Reeze Hanson @MorningGloryDesigns
Thursday 4/21: Sally Schneider @SallySchneider
Friday 4/22: Theresa Ward @AlwaysQuilts


See the entire Vintage Shirting & Dress Prints collection here and ask for it at your local quilt shop.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Vintage Shirting Blog Hop: Day 5

Today is the second last day of our Vintage Shirting Blog Hop! Thanks for joining us this week, and if you missed any days of the hop, you'll find the links at the bottom of this post. 


Head over to Sally's blog to see the tutorial for her Wyoming Valley Star block. This block has star power! 
We'll give you a sneak peek of one of her two colorways here:


Sally will show you how to make this block on her blog (including how to audition your fabric choices for maximum impact), you'll see her second colorway, and you can also enter for a chance to win a FQ bundle of Vintage Shirting and Dress Prints! 


Vintage Shirting & Dress Prints Blog Hop Schedule:
Thursday 4/14: Blog Hop Introduction
Friday 4/15: Barb Eikmeier @Barb's Favorites
Monday 4/18: Donna Lynn Thomas @DonnaLynnThomasQuilter
Tuesday 4/19: Kelly Ashton @KellyQuilter
Wednesday 4/20: Reeze Hanson @MorningGloryDesigns
Thursday 4/21: Sally Schneider @SallySchneider
Friday 4/22: Theresa Ward @AlwaysQuilts


See the entire Vintage Shirting & Dress Prints collection here and ask for it at your local quilt shop.




Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Vintage Shirting Blog Hop: Day 4

Happy Hump Day! Thanks for joining us on our Vintage Shirting and Dress Prints Blog Hop! 


Head over to Reeze's blog to see the tutorial for her Zig Zag block. It has a totally different look than the first three blocks, and we love it!
We'll give you a sneak peek of one of her two colorways here:

Reeze will show you how to make this block on her blog (she paper pieced the HSTs for more exact points!), and you can enter for a chance to win a FQ bundle of Vintage Shirting and Dress Prints as well! 


Vintage Shirting & Dress Prints Blog Hop Schedule:
Thursday 4/14: Blog Hop Introduction
Friday 4/15: Barb Eikmeier @Barb's Favorites
Monday 4/18: Donna Lynn Thomas @DonnaLynnThomasQuilter
Tuesday 4/19: Kelly Ashton @KellyQuilter
Wednesday 4/20: Reeze Hanson @MorningGloryDesigns
Thursday 4/21: Sally Schneider @SallySchneider
Friday 4/22: Theresa Ward @AlwaysQuilts


See the entire Vintage Shirting & Dress Prints collection here and ask for it at your local quilt shop.