Hands2Help 2019 - Our First Guest Blogger, Jamie!

Hi, all!

Welcome to the first of six guest blogger posts for this year's Hands2Help Challenge!  I'm so happy to welcome Jamie of L'Fair Quilts as she shares yet another wonderful quilt tutorial.  Jamie has been a great supporter of the Challenge, with two previous tutorials in 2014 and 2018.  She's also a fabulous pattern designer - I love her quilts and have made two of them already!  I've learned so much from her, and know you will too.  So without further ado, let's see what she has for us this year!

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Thank you so much, Sarah, for the wonderful intro. 

The pattern I have for the 2019 Hands2Help challenge is all about keeping it simple.  “I Love You More” was simply born on the design wall as a way to use scraps.  The story behind the name,  “I Love You More”, is the simple tug-at-the-heart words my little great niece, Jolie Nicole, shares with me every Thursday when I drop her off at dancing lessons.   

Let us simply begin with my 2019 H2H Comfort Quilts…

Quilt #1, Finished size:  50” X 62”

Block Size:  6 ½”

Fabric Requirements:

·         Focus Fabric:  1 ¼ Yards for 6 ½” Squares

·         Background Fabric for 4-Patch:  1 Yard (pay special attention to cutting instructions)

·         (31) 4” squares from scraps coordinating with focus fabric

·         Border Fabric:  1 Yard

·         Binding:  ½ Yard

·         Backing:  3 ½ Yards (horizontal seams)

Quilt #2, Finished size:  50” X 62”

Block Size:  6 ½”

Fabric Requirements:

·         (32) 6 ½” Mile-A-Minute (“MAM”) Blocks (also known as Crumb Blocks)

·         Background Fabric for 4-Patch:  1 Yard (pay special attention to cutting instructions)

·         (31) 4” MAM Blocks

·         Border Fabric:  1 Yard

·         Binding:  ½ Yard

·         Backing:  3 ½ Yards (horizontal seams)

CUTTING DIRECTIONS:

Quilt #1:

Focus Fabric

·         Cut (6) 6 ½” X width of fabric (WOF) strips, then (32) 6 ½” squares

Background

·         Cut (4) 4” X WOF strips, then (31) 4” squares (See Note *)

·         Cut (5) 3 ½” X WOF strips, then (62) 3 ½” squares (* Note:  You should be able to cut (55) 3 ½” squares from these strips, use the left over 4” strips to cut the remaining 7.)

Scraps

·         Cut (31) 4” Squares (for HSTs)

Border Fabric:

·         Cut (6) 4 ½” X WOF strips

Binding Fabric:

·         Cut (6) 2 ½” X WOF strips

Quilt #2:

Background

·         Cut (4) 4” X WOF strips, then (31) 4” squares (See Note *)

·         Cut (5) 3 ½” X WOF strips, then (62) 3 ½” squares (* Note:  You should be able to cut (55) 3 ½” squares from these strips, use the left over 4” strips to cut the remaining 7.)

Scraps (Various scraps for MAM blocks)

Border Fabric:

·         Cut (6) 4 ½” X WOF strips

Binding Fabric:

·         Cut (6) 2 ½” X WOF strips

MILE A MINUTE (MAM) BLOCKS:

Quilters who “make” their own fabric for MAM Blocks, use various methods.  My method is to start with a single scrap, adding various strips clock-wise (like a log cabin block).  Trim the blocks when they are large enough to make 6 ½” and 4”.  For Quilt #2, make (32) 6 ½” MAM Blocks and (31) 4” MAM Blocks.  

ASSEMBLE FOUR-PATCH:

Half-Square Triangles (HSTs):  Draw a line diagonally across the back of the 4” background square.  Place on top of 4”  or  MAM square, right sides together.  Sew scant ¼” away from the drawn line on each side.  Cut apart between sewing lines and press open to the dark color.  Trim to 3 ½” square.  Repeat to make (62) HSTs.

Sew together (2) 3 ½” HSTs and (2) 3 ½” background square to form the 4-Patch as pictured below.  Press toward the background square.  Repeat to make (31) Four-Patches.

ASSEMBLE THE QUILT

Be careful with the rotation of the blocks and use the layout below.  The whimsical look comes from alternating the direction of the 4-patches on each row.  It doesn't matter which direction you start with, just make sure the next row is rotated.  Before sewing, take a picture and verify the correct rotation. Sew the rows together across, then down.  

     

ASSEMBLE AND ATTACH BORDERS:

Ø  Join (6) 4 ½” WOF border strips into one continuous strip using diagonal seams. 

Ø  After the center top is together, measure from top to bottom, down the middle.  Cut (2) strips from the continuous strip equal to this measurement.  Attach to the sides of the quilt top.

Ø  Measure from left to right in the middle, then cut strips to this measurement and add to top and the bottom.  (Hint:  When attaching the borders, pin from the center and work out to the ends.)

Thank you for letting me share the “I Love You More” pattern.  Please visit my blog post today for additional quilts made with this pattern, including different sizes. If you make your own version of "I Love You More", please email us a picture and/or link or  tag #Iloveyoumorequilt on Facebook and/or Instagram.

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Wow!  Another great pattern to add to the repertoire!  I love the idea of the MAM blocks - and I have lots of little scraps that would be perfect for those.  Are you itching to get to your sewing machine now? I know I am!

If you do make one of these quilts, be sure to send a pic to Jamie and use her hashtags (shown above).  You can also use the Hands2Help hashtags - #hands2help2019, #h2h2019, and the appropriate charity (@jacksbasket, #mercyfulquilts, #carolinahurricanequiltproject, #quiltyhugs, and #victoriaquiltscanada).

We'll have another great guest blogger next week - be sure to stop by and check it out!

Hugs!

Sarah