Hands2Help - Welcome our first Guest Blogger, Carol!!

Hi, all!

It's Sunday again and time for a little Hands2Help action - and I have a treat for you tonight!  One of our wonderful H2Hers has agreed to do a guest blogpost for us, sharing some great quilt ideas.  Please welcome Carol from Fun Threads - this is her first year participating in Hands2Help, and she's jumped in with both feet!  You're going to love this post!

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First I want to say a big THANK YOU♥ to Sarah for hosting the Hands2Help Quilt Challenge and having me as a guest blogger

My name is Carol and FunThreads is my blog. Making quilts for charity is a passion of mine. Giving a quilt is like sending a giant hug to somebody. It’s wonderful.

There are two approaches to donating quilts and neither is right nor wrong. The first is to grab a pattern, buy some fabric and make a lovely quilt. Bam, done. The second, my favorite, is to grab your scraps and think outside the box. This is where the fun is!

Everyone has piles of scraps tucked away in closets, drawers and under beds. So I created an easy peezy rainbow themed quilt that you can whip up in a weekend without much extra expense. I’ve also added links to two more of my easy rainbow quilts at the bottom of the post. All of these can easily be made into larger quilts. Just think how happy somebody will be snuggling under a bright rainbow!!!

  I♥Rainbows
Designed for this challenge
Uses 5 1/2 inch squares to make 9-patch blocks and includes a fusible heart applique

Finished size 47” x 47”

Another color idea

Supplies
(9) 5 1/2” squares of red, orange, yellow, green, blue-green, blue, purples, pink
(1) 15 1/2” square black
(1) 14 1/2” square red
14 1/2” piece of paper for drawing heart1/2 yard of fusible like Steam-A-Seam-2-Lite or Wonder Under
1/4 yard for borders
3/8 yard for bindingapprox. 53” x 53” backing
approx. 53” x 53” batting

1/4” seam for all piecing

Step 1 – Create the Heart Applique
If you don't know how to do fusible applique click  here for an easy tutorial

Fold the 14 1/2” piece of paper in half and draw or cut out a large heart that fills the paper.

When you are happy with the heart shape trace it to the steam-a-seam fusible.

Peel the backing paper off and place on the wrong side of 14 1/2” red square. I like to hit it quickly with the iron to tack it in to place.

Cut out your heart.

Peel the remaining layer of paper off and center the heart on the 15 1/2” black square. Remember to leave a 1/4 inch seam allowance on all sides of the shape.

When you are happy with the placement fuse it in place following package directions.

Stitch around the edge of your heart using a zig-zag, satin or applique stitch to keep it from coming loose.

Step 2 - Make the 9-patch Blocks
Sew colored squares into rows of 3.

Press seams in opposite directions. This will make it easier to achieve perfectly matched corners later.

Sew rows together to make a 9-patch square and press.

Step 3 – Create the Quilt Design
Sew (3) blocks together to form a row.

Press the row seams in opposite directions. This will make it easier to achieve perfectly matched corners later.

Sew rows together.

Step 4 – Cut and Attach the Borders
Cut (5) 1 1/2” wide strips selvage to selvage across the width of your fabric.

Piece strips together to make
(2) side borders 1 1/2” x 45 1/2”
(2) top/bottom borders 1 1/2” x 47 1/2”

Attach the side borders.

Attach the top and bottom borders.

Press borders neatly.

Step 5 – Baste, Quilt and Bind
Baste, quilt and bind using the method of your choice.

Zippy Rainbow

Uses 4 1/2” squares and solid white strips make a fast quilt

Pattern can be found HERE

Finished size 46 1/2” x 46 1/2”

Scrappy Zig-Zag Rainbow
Uses 2 1/2” x 4 1/2” strips for a lively quilt

Pattern can be found HERE

Finished size 40 1/2” x 44 1/2”

Have a Scrap Happy Day
and
Thank you for making a quilt for charity!

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Thanks so much, Carol!  I can't wait to give some of these patterns a try!!

Hugs!

Sarah