Sweet Sixteen Quilt Along - At The End, Something Traditional!

Hi, all!

Wow, can you believe it!  We've made it to the final week of the Sweet Sixteen Quilt Along.  One week of instruction, then eight different ways to use the sixteen-patch blocks you create...

Sixteens and pinwheels...

A modern take on the 16-patch quilt...

A one-block quilt using 16-patches...

A low-volume postage stamp quilt...

Setting 16's on point gives a totally different look...

16's and snowball blocks...

Checkerboard 16's using a new technique...

And now it's time to see the final quilt in the Sweet Sixteen Quilt Along!

This quilt is made using two different color variations of the same block.  I chose to make it with a sixteen-patch block using various red and beige fabrics to give it some depth.

Isn't that pretty?  I love all the different shades of red!

And the quilting was fun, too!

So here's a quick tutorial of a fast way to make these blocks...

My version of this quilt has 49 blocks set into a 7 x 7 grid.  There are 25 red blocks and 24 white blocks.  I used fat quarters cut into 2.5" x 22" strips to make the strata sets (four strips sewn side by side).  In the directions below, R stands for red and W stands for white.

For the white blocks, you will need 6 sets of strata assembled WRWW, and 6 sets of strata assembled WWWR.

For the red blocks, you will need 7 sets of strata assembled RWRR and 7 sets of strata assembled RRRW.

Once your strata is assembled and pressed (I pressed my seams open to make it easier to assemble the blocks), crosscut each strata into eight pieces, 2.5" wide.

For each white block, you will need two pieces of WWWR, and two pieces of WRWW.  Arrange them as shown below.  For each red block, you will need two pieces of RRRW, and two pieces of RWRR, arranged in the same way.

Once your blocks are assembled, arrange them alternating red and white blocks.  Arrange the diagonals of the red blocks from upper left to lower right, and the diagonals of the white blocks from upper right to lower left.  I added a red border to finish off my quilt, although you don't necessarily need it.  My finished quilt measures about 60" square.

I cut my strips from sixteen different reds and sixteen different whites to get a wide variety of shades in my quilt, although you could do it with fewer colors.  You will need 56 red strips and 50 white strips, 2.5" x 22", to make this quilt.

 And just because it's pretty, here's one last shot of this quilt!

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So that's the final quilt in the Sweet Sixteen Quilt Along!  I hope you've enjoyed the journey as much as I have  - and if you've been working on a version of a 16-patch quilt, I'd love to see your creation!  Please link up below and show off what you've been making - because you guys are so creative!  It's exciting to see how many MORE ways there are to use these versatile blocks.

And one final thing - as many of you already know, my daughter at son-in-law are in the process of adopting Nathanael, a 3-year old boy from China.  They are in the final days now, just waiting for their travel authorization from China so they can go over and complete the legalities there.  And as part of their final fundraising efforts, some of the quilts I made for the Sweet Sixteen Quilt Along  are being auctioned, along with other fabulous handcrafted items, on Facebook this weekend.  The auction ends Sunday, March 8th at 8 pm CST.  If you'd like to check it out and help us #bringNathanaelhome, just click on this link to be taken to the Facebook page.

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Next week, I'll feature some of the sixteen patch quilts you all have linked up over the past eight weeks.  And then the week after, I hope you'll join us for the beginning of.....

Signups for the Challenge begin Sunday, March 15th - I hope you'll come join in the fun!

Hugs!

Sarah

#bringNathanaelhome - Adoption Auction!

Hi, all!

Well, it's finally come - the Cornwell Adoption Auction on Facebook!  There are many many wonderful handmade items up for bids, including some that I've made. . . 

Scarves...

...pillows...

...and quilts, of course!

Lots of other handcrafters have donated beautiful items, 

like great wall art...

...soft and warm crocheted items...

...beautiful jewelry...

...and handcrafted notecard sets!

And there's much much more on the Facebook page!

I hope you'll take a few minutes to check it out and see what you'd like to have living at your house!  You can get to the page through the link above or by searching for Cornwell Adoption Auction on Facebook.  Instructions for the auction are in the first post (*be sure to join the group so you can bid!)  If you're not on Facebook but see something you'd like to bid on here, leave me a comment and I'll contact you with the current bid amount to find out what you want to bid, and I'll place it for you.  

We're in the final stages of the adoption - the kids are just waiting for the word from China to go pick Nathanael up and bring him home.  It won't be long before we'll no longer be...

How exciting!  I can't wait!

Hugs!

Sarah

Make-A-List Monday - Progress, and A Winner!

Hi, all!

I hope everyone is warm and safe - it's been a wicked week for weather!  But that usually means that lots of sewing gets done, right!  And according to Punxatawny Phil, we've got six more weeks of quilting weather - - - I think I'll rely on the southern version, General Beauregard Lee (informally known as Beau), who did not see his shadow!  I'm ready for sunshine and warmer weather!

Enough of that, though. Let's see how last week's list went...

1.  Work on the 4th sample quilt for the quilt along.
Done!  Well, at least the flimsy is done.  I've still got to find backing material and get it quilted. No pics yet!

2.  Update the H2H page.
I'm working on it, and it should go live in the next day or so.  I had to wait for confirmation of some of the wording from this year's charities!

3. Start contacting sponsors for H2H.
God love you, some of you have been contacting me!  You have no idea how much I appreciate all of you wonderful quilters!  

4.  Work on the commission t-shirt quilt.
Everything is organized and ready to go!

5.  Keep up with any quilt ministry needs that arise.

Done!  This quilt, pieced with orphan blocks by Pat, went to a woman whose home burnt to the ground last week…

…and this pretty quilt, Janice's first, went to a woman battling esophageal cancer.

This quilt, which I am happy to say I had the opportunity to make, went to a 7 year old boy who lost his mother very unexpectedly last week.  His parents were divorced, and since he's moving in with his dad, he's having to change schools and make new friends.

We were told that he loved the color red and anything sports related.  And I had fun with the quilting - inspired by Christina Cameli's new Craftsy class!  I worked in squared spirals to give this quilt some great texture.

We also gave away two quilts that I failed to take pictures of.  The first went to a woman just diagnosed with bone cancer.  The second was given to a woman who is going through drug rehab, and is moving into a less-supervised environment.  This has been a difficult time for her in the past, and we're hoping that having tangible evidence of others praying for her will help her make it through this critical time.  

I also started working on the 5th sample quilt for the Sweet Sixteen Quilt Along!  Wow, this is really keeping me hopping!  Here's a sneak peek...

So not too bad last week - I just need more hours in the day!  Here's what's on my plate for this week…

1.  Quilt the fourth sample quilt for the Quilt Along!

2.  Finish the top for the fifth sample.

3.  Work on the commission t-shirt quilt.

4.  Update the H2H page.

5. Write the H2H corporate sponsors.

6.  Keep up with any quilt ministry needs that arise.

Gosh, that looks a lot like last week's list, doesn't it? Oh well, it's just this time of the year!  But I love it!

And now - the moment I'm sure lots of you have been waiting for!  It's time to announce the winner of Christina Cameli's new book, Step-by-Step Free Motion Quilting.  Thanks to all of you who shared your funny (or scary) winter stories - I have to tell you, I laughed out loud a lot while reading them!  We had 176 entries, and Little Miss Random chose…  #4!!

JasmineJanuary 28, 2015 at 9:53 AM

I love her tutorials on her blog, and am very interested in this book. :) I follow with Bloglovin.

Congratulations, Jasmine!  I'll be emailing you soon!

And now, the question is - - - what are YOU working on this week?

Hugs!

Sarah

And just a reminder - the adoption quilt raffle/fundraiser is still open until Thursday at 5 pm.  You can read more about it here - we're still at only one quilt, but we're close to the point where I'll add in another quilt - won't you help us #bringNathanaelhome?

Sweet Sixteen Quilt Along - A One-Block Quilt!

Hi, all!

Welcome to the fourth week of the Sweet Sixteen Quilt Along!  If this is your first week to stop by, here's what we've been doing.  The first week I shared several different ways to make sixteen-patch blocks.  The second week the first quilt option was revealed…

…a combination of sixteen-patch blocks and pinwheels with just a splash of color.  The following week, I shared a more modern take on the sixteen-patch quilt (also a great design if you get tired of making blocks after just a few!)

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And now here we are at the fourth week of the Quilt Along.  It's time for a one-block take on the sixteen patch block!

Back in May 2014, Judy Martin shared a block she designed in 2011 called Star Cluster.  She designed it as a 12" or 16" block, but I looked at it and saw its potential to be a one-block quilt.  I plugged it into EQ7 and came up with the dimensions, printed it out and tucked it away in a notebook.  When I started thinking about the Sweet Sixteen Quilt Along, I knew I wanted to use it as the jumping-off point for a quilt.  

And here is my Interlocking Stars quilt!  It looks tricky to put together, and it is, a little, but if you break it down, it's not too hard to do.  

This version of the quilt finishes out at 64" square, with blocks finishing at 7.5".  My quilt is made using some scraps I had left over from a Nana's Pantry FQ bundle from Connecting Threads.  I had sixteen different fabrics left over, so I put one of each print in each of the four sixteen-patch blocks.  The star points are made of four different colorations of the same print, also from the Nana's Pantry line.  Background is Kona White.

Want to try this one out?  Here are the directions!

A few notes:  (1)  This quilt is fat quarter friendly.  I made mine from the leftovers of a fat quarter bundle.  (2)  I prefer to cut my pieces a little oversized and then trim them down to size after piecing.  This helps me get nice points when I piece.  I've listed the sizes for cutting that EQ7 supplied, but put the sizes I actually cut in parentheses.

Fabric Requirements:

16 prints, 9" square or 4.5" x 18" (minimum size)

From each of 16 prints, cut four 4.25" (4.5") squares.  These are for the sixteen patch units that form the centers of the stars.

4 prints, 18" square or 8.75" x 36"(minimum size) 

From each of four prints, cut four 8.5" (8.75") squares.  These are for the points of the stars.  Cut one square in each color in half diagonally.

Background fabric, 3 yards

From the background fabric, cut twelve 8.5" (8.75") squares.  These will be used for the points of the stars.  Mark a line diagonally across the center of each square.

From the background fabric, cut four 8" squares, and four 8" x 30.5" strips.  These will complete the background of the center of the quilt. (The easiest way to cut these is four 8" width-of-fabric (WOF) strips, each divided into one 8" square and one 8" x 30.5" strip.)

From the background fabric, cut six WOF strips 2.5" wide for the outer border.

Binding, 1/2 yard

Backing, 4 yards

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Begin by dividing your 4.25" squares into four piles, each with one of each of the sixteen prints.  Assemble four-patch units using the 4.25" squares.  Trim your 4-patch units to 8" square.  Assemble the 4-patch units into four sixteen patch units.  

Next, you need to assemble the half square triangle (HST) units that will become the points of the stars.  Take the twelve background pieces, marked diagonally, and pair each with an 8.5" square for the star points.  Stitch 1/4" from either side of the line you drew on the background piece.  Cut between the two lines of stitching along the line you drew.  Press the HSTs, and trim to 8" square.  You should have six of each color.

Referring to the diagram, and after determining the placement of your point colors, match the triangle shaped star point pieces you cut earlier in pairs and sew them together along the diagonal edge.  Each color will be paired with two different colors, where the stars touch.

Breakout of the quilt design

Now to assemble the top.  Referring to the diagram above, assemble the top in quadrants.  Each quadrant has a long background piece, a row of HSTs, and a wider row comprised of the sixteen patch block flanked by two pairs of HST blocks.  (You can see the breakout in the upper right hand side of the diagram.)  Once the quadrants are complete, they can be joined together to assemble the large block that comprises the center of the top.  NOTE: This is much easier if you can lay the top out in its entirety on a design wall or design floor, if that's what you have!

Finally, add the borders.  You're finished!

Technically speaking, you could make this quilt without borders, but I wanted to be sure that the points of the stars didn't get lost in the binding.  That's why I added a 2" border all around.  And you could make the center 16-patch blocks with more or less than 16 fabrics.  This is just how mine worked out, and is shared this way in the tutorial for simplicity's sake.

I quilted my version of this quilt on my Juki TL98-Q, using a walking foot to achieve 1/4"straight line quilting on the top.  The stars have diagonal quilting radiating out from the center of each star, and all of the background pieces are quilted vertically.  It took a VERY long time, but the texture is amazing, and it's very soft and drape-y.  

Just for the record, I love one-block quilts!  They work up so quickly and easily, you don't get bored making the same block over and over, and they're great for showing off larger pieces of your fabric.  They also make a huge visual impact!  Keep them in mind when you need a quick quilt!

Now it's your turn - are you ready to show off your progress?  Feel free to link up below - we'd love to see what you're up to!  

And just a reminder - if you're interested in entering to win the black and white quilt pictured above, there's still time to enter!  You can read all about the adoption fundraiser raffle/giveaway here.

And - - - there's still time to enter to win a copy of Christina Cameli's new book, Step-By-Step Free Motion Quilting!  Check out the blog post here.  Entries close Monday 2/2 at noon CST.

Hugs!

Sarah