The Christmas Tree block from my Vintage Christmas Sampler is one of the blocks that I designed myself. It is a very simple block to make. As always, I am a visual learner and have a photo tutorial for you.
Get the know how after the jump! …
I drew this block out while standing at my ironing board last Tuesday. I am fairly certain that I am not the first person to make this block – especially when there are books like the Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilts. It has 4,000 quilt blocks in it, so I have to believe that even though I drew it out, I’m not the first person to do it!
This block is another example of using Half Square Triangles and basic squares. For more information on constructing Half Square Triangles – please refer to my Chevron Block Tutorial.
Get the know how after the jump! …
I have been working on this sampler for the last month and thought you might like to watch my progress and quilt along with me!
Here is a list of the blocks that I plan on making for my Vintage Sampler Quilt – check back regularly for updated posts. I will link each tutorial to this post – not all the blocks listed will have tutorials – I have already started sewing and I have forgotten to take pictures a couple of times (oops!).
These are posted in no particular order – so please don’t expect me to complete them in any particular order 🙂 These are merely the blocks that have caught my fancy!
Block 1: LeMoyne Star
Block 2: Radiating Diamonds
Block 3: Log Cabin
Block 4: Christmas Tree
Block 5: Stocking
Block 6: Blueberry Pie
Block 7: Indian Mats
Block 8: Geese in Formation
Block 9: Oatmeal Cookie Variation
Block 10: 9 Patch
Block 11: Chevron
Block 12: Wonky Barn Fence
Block 13: Ohio Star Variation
Block 14: Waterwheel
Block 15: Wreath
Block 16: Snail’s Trail
Block 17: Old Snowflake
Block 18: Double Wrench
Block 19: Scrappy Zig Zag
Block 20: Fireflies
I told Sunni this morning that I was doing a Mystery Quilt and that I had completed part one and was very excited. To my surprise, instead of congratulating me, she asked me what a Mystery Quilt was. That is when I thought…maybe other quilters and sewists do not know what a Mystery Quilt is either.
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| Image Courtesy of: quiltbug.com |
This picture is of two completed mystery quilts, these women followed the exact same directions and came up with two completely DIFFERENT quilts!
A Mystery Quilt is a quilt project where you get only a small amount of information about the project at one time.
For example: I have decided to do the Mystery Quilt that is featured in the May/June ’11 Quiltmaker Magazine. I learned about Mystery Quilts from family friends, a husband and wife who quilt together. One of the projects they worked on last year was the same Mystery Quilt but in two different color stories, similar to the women in the photo above.
The magazine is releasing three issues, each with various steps. Issue one focuses on fabric selection and the creating of 3 different blocks. I have no idea what part two will be and will not find out until the next edition of the magazine is released…thus the MYSTERY!
The reason I decided to make this quilt was two-fold, one I wanted to stretch my sewing skills (and my imagination) and I also wanted to use up my stash. I didn’t need to buy ANY fabric (not even a backing!) to make this quilt and the finished size is 56″x68″ so that is saying something!
If you are interested in joining me on the quilt along, head to your local bookstore or magazine shop and purchase the current issue of Quiltmaker or you can buy one from their website. There is also a great article from the designer of the quilt, Debbie Caffrey, on rotary cutting techniques. I started using them while cutting this quilt and I’m already noticing a difference!
Here are the fabrics I have selected to use, the last two may change depending on my mood when part 2 comes out in the July/August ’11 issue.
Here are the blocks I whipped together for step one. All of the cutting and sewing took me about 2 hours for part one. The hardest part was the fabric selection, which I am assuming is pretty normal with a Mystery Quilt. It can be hard to pick fabrics when you don’t have the slightest idea what you are doing with them!!!
I am so excited to see what I get to do with these bad boys! The best part is that some of this fabric I have been holding on to since 1996 and I am finally getting to use it!!!
Do you want to join me on this mystery quilt along? Go buy the current issue of Quiltmaker and we will sew together! There is also a great community for this project on Quilters Club of America which I joined this weekend.
Did you know that today, March 19, 2011, is National Quilt Day?!? I did not know either until I saw it on Etsy. As an avid quilter and recently a quilt designer I thought I would post a few pictures of my favorite quilts on here.
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| Butterfly Quilt – Original Design |
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| My great-grandma’s Tahitian Quilt |
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| Christmas Quilt for my In-Laws |
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| Anne sitting on top of the Chinese Puzzle quilt my mom made me |
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| A quilt top I put together for my mom in honor of my grandma |
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| A wall hanging for my sewing studio |
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| Zig Zag Zoom – Anne’s original baby quilt – the top is completed…the rest, not so much 🙂 |
Comment with a link to any quilts you are working on or have finished recently!
