Modern Patchworkの March/April 2017 の目次

When the gloom of late winter pushes in on me, I take advice from one of my favorite movies, “The Sound of Music,” and concentrate on my favorite things. (I know, I know—I’m dating myself!) I don’t need to wait for the dog to bark, the bee to sting, or until I’m feeling sad to know that art, especially modern and graphic art, makes my heart sing. As much as I adore Impressionism and admire the Old Masters, there is nothing like an infusion of bold color and daring lines to pull me out of a funk and back into creative mode. I am fortunate to live near the Yale University Art Gallery, which houses a significant collection of 20th Century paintings. Whenever I need inspiration, I can jump in…

Curved Piecing Curved piecing is ubiquitous in modern quilts, but some quilters ignore it because they’ve avoided learning how to sew curves. Like many things, piecing curves takes a little practice. With these tips, you’ll soon be creating smooth curved seams like a pro! NOTE: These illustrations show the Drunkard’s Path block but these tips are true for all blocks with curved pieces. 1. Cut a convex quarter circle piece and a concave L-shaped piece from contrasting fabrics. Fold each piece in half. Finger press at the curved centers. 2. With right sides together and the L-shaped piece on top, align press marks and pin in the center of the block. 3. Pin the outside edges together with the straight edges matching. 4. You might find it necessary to add…

LOVEBUGSTUDIOS.COM This visually complex quilt is made easy with the use of die-cut, machine-pieced hexagons. If you don’t have a die cutter, the included template will work just fine. If you’ve never worked with Y-seams before, you’ll master them quickly using this technique. A short stitch length and a seam ripper eliminate the need for marking the seam intersections. These large hexies are a great size to learn on—and the quilt will be a showstopper. CUTTING Measurements include ¼ " seam allowances. If using the template provided, trace it onto template material. From assorted Bold Prints, cut: — 48 hexagons using a die cutter or template. Each ¼ -yard piece will yield 4 hexagons. NOTE: For more variety, a single hexagon can be cut from a 9" x 10" piece…

This quilt has so much movement it’s almost hard to believe there are no diagonal seams! All of the shapes are squares or rectangles and sew up easily. CUTTING Measurements include ¼" seam allowances. Sashing strips are exact length needed. You may want to make them longer to allow for piecing variations. From Navy, cut: — 10 strips 5½" x 40". From the strips, cut 54 (A) squares 5½" x 5½", 12 (B) rectangles 5½" × 4", and 6 (C) rectangles 5½" × 2½". — 7 strips 2½" x 40" for binding. From Medium Teal, cut: — 9 strips 5½" x 40". From the strips, cut 60 (A) squares 5½" x 5½". From Dark Teal, cut: — 15 strips 1" x 40". ASSEMBLY 1. For odd-numbered rows: start with a…

QUILTACHUSETTS.COM This quilt was inspired by the designer’s love of bold color combinations and geometric design. The quilt draws on the shapes and textures encountered on a walk in the city— crosswalks, manhole covers, traffic signs, and construction sites. The pattern is based on an oversized Drunkard’s Path template— another unexpected element. CUTTING Measurements include ¼" seam allowances. Make templates from patterns on page 65. From the Gray, cut: — 2 strips 6½" x 40". From strip, cut 1 (H) rectangle 6½" x 22½", 2 (G) rectangles 6½" x 12½", and 12 (A) rectangles 1½" x 6½". — 2 strips 12½" x 40". From strip, cut 1 (M) square 12½" x 12½", 1 (K) rectangle 12½" x 22½", and 17 (C) rectangles 1½" x 12½". — 12 strips 2½" x…

QUILTINGDAILY.COM T his quilt took its inspiration from the old television game show which had B-list celebrities answering questions to win spaces on a life-size tic-tac-toe board for adoring contestants. These bright colors, fortunately, are definitely A-list. CUTTING Measurements include ¼" seam allowances unless noted. Templates for appliqué pieces are on page 73. This quilt used the needle-turn appliqué method. If using fusible or raw-edge method, trim off the ¼" seam allowance from the pieces. From 5 of the 10" squares, cut: — 1 using Template A. From each of the remaining 5 (10") squares, cut: — 1 rectangle 2¾" x 4". From the Gray Dot, cut: — 1 rectangle 15" x 58" parallel to the selvedge. — 4 strips 2¼" x 58"parallel to the selvedge for binding. From the…

STITCHINDYE.COM Malka Dubrawsky has always loved simplicity. She finds calmness in a spare, clean design. Crafted from basic strips and squares in tonal blocks, this quilt is unadorned and direct, qualities that enhance its appeal. CUTTING Measurements include ¼" seam allowances. From each fat quarter, cut: — 3 strips 3" x 20". From the strips, cut 16 squares 3" x 20". From each ½ yard solid, cut: — 4 strips 3" x 40". From the strips, cut 4 rectangles 3" x 19" and 16 squares 3" x 3". — 2 strips 2½" x 40" for binding. BLOCK ASSEMBLY 1. With right sides together, sew 1 Dark Gray (background) 3" square to 1 Medium Gray (foreground) 3" square. Make 16 Dark/Medium Gray units. 2. Sew 4 sets of Dark Gray/Medium Gray…

Modern quilting is all about creating your own designs and looking beyond the traditional rules. But newbies sometimes feel intimidated by that freedom. Are you intrigued by modern designs but don’t know how or where to start? You can design your own block—or your own quilt—even if you’ve never done it before, with these simple instructions. Distilled down to the basics of gray, white, and a bold color, these improvisational blocks are fun, versatile, and wonderfully addictive. This article describes three techniques for creating a Newbie Modern Quilt Block. Try making a few using each technique, varying the position of the colored element, the size of the block, and the placement of each element. You’ll find that you have favorites, and will probably want to make more than just one.…

1 We are All Stars Tiny stars dot the surface of each color in this new Cloud9 collection. Cloud9 has succeeded in bringing a subtle, innocuous print into the modern sphere with their contemporary color choices. The reds, fawns, and mustard yellows mix perfectly with just about anything. Use these fabrics by themselves or as a low-volume print mixed with your modern stash. CLOUD9FABRICS.COM 2 Blithe Katarina Roccella This light, soft, winter-inspired collection evokes the peace of a freshly fallen snow in a dense forest. It reflects the changes woodland animals go through as winter transforms their landscape. The animals depicted in this fabric seem to flit between the trees, as they would in nature. Romantic colorways like warm taupe and misty blue bring a peaceful element to each fabric.…

An excerpt from MODERN MACHINE QUILTING: MAKE A PERFECTLY FINISHED QUILT ON YOUR HOME MACHINE Editor’s Note: Catherine Redford’s new book is all about quilting your tops on a home machine ... everything from feathers, to fills, to matchstick quilting. The book also has some amazing projects. This excerpt shows one of my favorite blocks, the Log Cabin, in a fresh and modern setting, just the right canvas on which to practice machine quilting. —Vivika Hansen DeNegre Log Cabin blocks are very versatile. These are constructed with 2½" fabric strips. You could use jelly rolls instead of fat quarters if you prefer. It is easy to stitch more or fewer blocks to make a quilt the size you require. Alternatively, you could use narrower strips for a different look. Once…

SHARONHOLLANDDESIGNS.COM This design was inspired by a staircase. Solid fabrics provided the ideal platform to study hue, saturation, and brightness— accentuating the 3-D quality of the quilt. Bright colors move forward on the lower steps and muted hues recede on the higher steps, adding depth. Light and shadow also give the quilt energy. CUTTING Measurements include ¼" seam allowances. Sashing strips are exact length needed. You may want to make them longer to allow for piecing variations. From both the Light Gray and Dark Gray, cut: — 1 strip 87⁄8" x 40". From the strip, cut 2 squares 87⁄8" x 87⁄8" and 2 squares 8½" x 8½". — 3 strips 8½" x 40". From the strips, cut 10 squares 8½" x 8½". From the Turquoise, cut: — 1 strip 87⁄8"…

French-fold Binding A well-made binding will protect the edges of your quilt, add to the overall design, and make it last longer. The following technique is for creating a French-fold binding, also known as a double-fold binding. PREPARE THE BINDING 1. Measure the perimeter of your quilt and add approximately 24". The additional length will accommodate the mitered corners and the finished ends of the binding, and give you a few inches to spare. 2. Cut enough 2½"-wide strips to equal the desired length. 3. Join the strips together using diagonal seams. To do this, place two strips, right sides together at right angles. The area where the strips overlap forms a square. Sew diagonally across the square. Trim the excess fabric ¼" from the seam line and press the…

quilted by Saima Davis Reminiscent of the order and tranquility of an English country garden, this quilt has a strong diagonal path that visually leads the eye from one corner to another. Playing with large-scale prints and value changes will alter the overall design. CUTTING Measurements include ¼" seam allowances. Border strips are cut to the exact length. You may want to make them longer to allow for piecing variations. From Cream, cut: — 3 strips 10"x 40". From the strips, cut 12 squares 10" x 10". From Light Green Geometric Print, cut: — 2 strips 10" x 40". From the strips, cut 6 squares 10" x 10". From Purple, cut: — 1 strip 10" x 40". From the strip, cut 4 squares 10" x 10". From Teal Print, cut:…

This simple home decor project will look great in a living room, bedroom, office, or bathroom—anywhere tissues are required. I made mine in a coordinating line of fabrics to match my home but this would also be an excellent project for scraps or a collection of 2" precut squares for the pieced blocks. CUTTING From the Block fabrics, cut: — 10 squares 2"x 2" from each of the 5 fabrics. — 1 strip 3" x 8" from 1 fabric. — 3 strips 1¼" x 18"from 3 fabrics for binding. — 1 strip 1¼" x 9½"from 1 fabric for binding. From the Side Panel fabric, cut: — 2 pieces 4½" x 18". ASSEMBLY 1. Arrange 25 squares—5 rows by 5 columns—aligning the colors in diagonal rows. Make 2 blocks. 2. Sew…

REDPATCHBYJENN.WORDPRESS.COM This lap quilt features Drunkard’s Path blocks and strategically placed patches to create a feathered pattern. If you’re new to sewing curves, this dynamic quilt is a great place to start. CUTTING Measurements include ¼" seam allowances. Make templates from patterns on page 88. When cutting from templates A and B, place them as shown in the Cutting Diagram. From Orange, cut: — 3 strips 6½" x 40". From the strips, cut 10 using template A, 2 (C) rectangles 6½" x 1½", 2 (D) rectangles 6½" x 2½", 2 (E) rectangles 6½" x 3½", and 2 (F) rectangles 6½" x 4½". From Pink, cut: — 2 strips 6½" x 40". From the strips, cut 10 using template A. — 2 strips 21" x 40". From 1 of the rectangles,…

Sew Perfect Y-seams: Yes you can! Patchwork blocks such as Hexagons or Tumbling Blocks have three seams that intersect in a “Y” shape and cannot be assembled with continuous edge-to-edge stitching. Y-seam construction requires starting and stopping ¼” from the edge of the patchwork in order to create blocks that lie flat and do not pucker. The following technique simplifies Y-seam construction to “dot-to-dot” sewing. With a little practice, it will become second nature! SIMPLE Y-SEAM CONSTRUCTION 1. Using a sharp pen or mechanical pencil, mark the point where the ¼” seam allowances intersect on the wrong of each piece. This dot indicates where to start and stop sewing. 2. Align 2 of the pieces, right sides facing. Sew a seam from “dot to dot” being sure to back stitch…

BETTYCROCKERASS.COM Featuring Flamingo— Kona’s 2017 Color of the Year! Jen Carlton Bailly likes to design quilts late at night. She finds that self-doubt goes to sleep and she feels free to play with colors and shapes—typically ending up with some of her favorite work. “So Curvy” was conceived this way—a little bit of play, uninhibited instinct, and doubt snoring away in bed. CUTTING Measurements include ¼ " seam allowances. From each of White, Pink, Navy, and Red, cut: — 6 strips 11" x 40". From the strips, cut 16 squares 11" x 11". From binding, cut: — 8 strips 2 ½ " x 40". BLOCK ASSEMBLY 1. Trace templates onto template material and cut out. 2. Using the Cutting Diagram, from each 11" square, cut 1 Template A and 1…

DEBORAHSSTUDIO.COM Gather some fabulous graphic fabrics and create a swarm of beetle pincushions, complete with eyes, antennae, and wings! These guys will walk (or fly) their way into your sewing basket as well as your heart. CUTTING Measurements include ¼ " seam allowances. Patterns for body and wings are on page 39. Copy and cut out the templates for the body and the wing. From the back and body fabric, cut: — 2 rectangles 6" x 3 ½ ". From the wing fabric, cut: — 2 left wings using wing template. — 2 right wings using wing template reversed. From the head fabric, cut: — 1 piece 1 . " x 3 ½ ". From the headband fabric, cut: — 1 piece 1" x 3 ½ " piece. ASSEMBLY 1.…

ANNIEMCHUGS.COM Rectangles and triangles in a quilt almost always promise a modern feel—as do bold or solid colors, stark contrast, and negative space. This design is softened by adding pieced “friendship bracelet” strips. Contemporary, almost nautical, reimagine this quilt in your own color combination. CUTTING Measurements include ¼" seam allowances. Border strips are exact length needed. You may want to make them longer to allow for piecing variations. From Black, cut: — 4 strips 2½" x 40". From the strips, cut 16 (A) rectangles 2½" x 10. — 6 strips 2" x 40". From the strips, cut 16 (B) rectangles 2" x 11½". — 4 strips 3" x 40". From the strips, cut 16 (C) rectangles 3" x 10". — 3 strips 6½"x 40". From the strips, cut 8 rectangles…

THENOTSODRAMATICLIFE.COM A simply pieced central design creates the basis for this quilt, allowing the machine quilting to be the star of the show. Matchstick quilting in coordinated thread enhances the colorful piecing by subtly drawing the color out to all edges of the quilt. CUTTING Measurements include ¼" seam allowances. Outer panels are exact length needed. You may want to make them longer to allow for piecing variations. From White, cut: — 1 rectangle 64" x 40". From this piece, cut the following (parallel to the selvedge): 1 (Z) strip 21" x 64", 1 (Y) strip 11" x 64", 2 strips 2" x 61½", and 2 strips 2" x 62" for facings. — 1 (X) strip 21" x 32½". — 1 (W) strip 11" x 32½". — 1 strip 20½"…

Half-Square Triangle Blocks Two at a time Half-Square Triangle blocks (HSTs) are some of the most versatile blocks we use in quilting, but the bias-edge seam makes them a bit of a challenge. This quick method for making two identical HST blocks at once eliminates the need to sew along a cut bias edge—you get more blocks with less fuss. 1. Cut 2 squares 7⁄8" larger than the desired finished size of your block. 2. Using a ruler, draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the lighter square from the upper left to the lower right corner. 3. With right sides facing, pair a dark square with the marked light square. 4. Stitch ¼" on each side of the drawn line. 5. Cut along the drawn line, creating…

ARTELASQUILTS.COM On winter mornings, fresh snow glistens and reflects the patterns of sunlight and shadow under the trees in a pine forest. This quilt‘s subtle texture and stunning design makes you want to strap on snowshoes and walk in the woods! CUTTING Measurements include ¼" seam allowances. Sashing strips are exact length needed. You may want to cut them longer to allow for piecing variations. From White, cut: — 1 strip 21½"x 40". From the strip, cut 3 strips 6½" x 21½" parallel to the selvage for the appliqué background units and 2 strips 9½" x 21½" parallel to the selvage. From 1 of these strips, cut 1 (A) piece 9½" x 8¼", 1 (B) piece 9½" x 3¼", 1 (C) piece 9½" x 4", and 1 (F) piece 9½"…

QUILTED BY TIA CURTIS Subtle and timeless, indigo blue is a staple in many cultures. This quilt blends a dozen different indigos with today’s subtle prints in contemporary orange and gray for a stunning addition to any home. Try your hand at making this ageless hexagon pattern! CUTTING Measurements include ¼" seam allowances. Make a template for the hexagon from the pattern on page 92. From each Indigo Print, cut: — 2 strips 8½" x 40". From the strips, cut 4 hexagons for a total of 64. — 1 strip 2½ x 40" for pieced binding. (Cut 7 binding strips total.) From each Gray/Orange Print, cut: — 1 strip 8½" x 40". From the strip, cut 4 hexagons for a total of 16. QUILT ASSEMBLY 1. Arrange the hexagons as…