Island Batik Ambassador AccuQuilt Challenge Baby Quilt

April's Island Batik Ambassador Challenge project was called AccuQuilt Ready. Set. GO! Challenge Baby Quilt.

We were to make a baby quilt using our new AccuQuilt Go products which we received at the beginning of the year from AccuQuilt one of the latest sponsors of the Island Batik Ambassadors this year.

For my project, I decided to use the Island Batik "ditty" collection. This collection has a variety of pastels throughout the strip pack and came with Pink and Cheddar yardage. I used some neutral fabric.

The block I choose to make out of my Quilt in the Day! GO! QUBE book is called Frayed Four-Patch. I liked the book which is full of different blocks and projects, and the block patterns are easy to read and follow.

The Frayed Four-Patch uses two different Dies out of my 8" block pack. I used Die #2 (squares), and Die #8 (rectangles).

The AccuQuilt makes it easy to cut the squares and rectangles, by cutting up to 6 layers deep.

Combining the Cheddar and Pink squares with the Neutral rectangles really set the tone for the blocks.  I made 16 Frayed Four-Patch blocks.

I then add some more color by using my "ditty" strips as a sashing in between the Frayed Four-Patch blocks.  I decided to add them to the outside of the blocks as well.

I quilted my baby quilt using Hobb Heirloom Natural Cotton Batting.  The binding was from extra strips from the "ditty" Island strip package.  

This was a fun, fast and easy project to make using my AccuQuilt Cutting System.  

Stay tuned, I'm already working on my May challenge quilt "Modern."

Carolina Asmussen ~Carolina Asmussen

Gene Black ~ Gene Black

Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts

Connie K Campbell ~ Freemotion by the River

Anja Clyke ~ Anja Quilts

Tina Dillard ~ Quilting Affection Designs

Becca Fenstermaker ~Pretty Piney

Jennifer Fulton ~ Inquiring Quilter

Barbara Gaddy ~ Bejeweled Quilts by Barb

Dione Gardner-Stephen ~ Clever Chameleon

Sarah Goer ~ Sarah Goer Quilts

Vasudha Govindan ~ Storied Quilts

Lori Haase ~ Dakota City Quilter II

Joanne Hart ~ Unicornharts

Mania (Magdalini) Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for Quilts

Carla Henton ~ Creatin in the Sticks

Stephanie Jacobson ~ Steph Jacobson Designs

Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs

Joan Kawano ~ Moosestash Quilting

Kim Lapacek ~ Persimon Dreams

Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood

Leanne Parsons ~ Devoted Quilter

Bea Lee ~ BeaQuilter

Toby Lischko ~ Gateway Quilts & Stuff

Bill Locke ~ Studio Bill Locke

Denise Looney ~ For the Love of Geese

Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights

Sally Manke ~ Sally Manke

Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack's Blog

Kathleen McCormick ~ Kathleen McMusing

Carol Moellers ~ Carol Moellers Designs

Karen Neary ~ Sew Karen-ly Created

Lisa Nielsen ~ Lisa Lisa and the Quilt Jam

Jackie O’Brien ~ If These Threads Could Talk

Laura Piland ~ Slice of Pi Quilts

Michelle Roberts ~ Creative Blonde

Vicki Schlimmer ~ Vicki's Crafts and Quilting

Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail

Sherry Shish ~ Powered by Quilting

Anita Skjellanger ~ Quilt in a not-Shell

Laticia "Tish" Stemple ~ Tish's Adventures in Wonderland

Jennifer Strauser ~ Dizzy Quilter

Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations

Terri Vanden Bosch ~ Lizard Creek Quilts

Alison Vermilya ~ Little Bunny Quilts

Sandra Walker ~ mmm! quilts

Suzy Webster ~ Adventurous Applique and Quilting

(Debora) Anne Wiens ~ Seams like a Plan

Geraldine Wilkins ~ Living Water Quilter

Janet Yamamoto ~  Whispers of Yore

See you next month,

Tina

"Designs to Inspire"

Graceful Points QAL Block 7

Welcome to another release day for the Graceful Points QAL. Today we will be continuing working with our V Block® Trimmer, and we are going to be using our Tucker Trimmer® I by making Combinations and Quarter Square units for our Block 7.  Both can be purchased on my website. 

Block 7 is called in the Studio 180 Design Blockbuster #9 "Three in One."  We will be making all three blocks.

Before we start, you will need all 5 different fabrics, and please refer to your color chart found in your general instructions. You will also want to download Block #7 and the Blockbuster #9 Three in One Instructions, both are required to make your blocks.

Please remember that the pictures used in this tutorial are for the 6" block for the Wallhanging.  Be sure to read the Downloaded Block Instructions to get the correct cutting and trimming sizes for the 12" block, which are indicated in (Blue) parenthesis.

Let's get started

Since these blocks are reviews of blocks that we have made in the past, this will be a brief overview of what we will be making.

Unit A - V Blocks

We covered how to cut the Center and Side Triangle and assembly for the V Blocks in Block 6, so if you need a quick refresher, you can read all about it HERE.

So you will follow Block 7 instructions to cut all your Side Triangles Pairs and Center Triangles.

Helpful Tip: Organization is vital when you are working on new patterns.  I suggest getting paper plates and labeling with color, unit size, or any method that you feel with help and then place pieces on the plates.  As you make each of the V Blocks, you can add to the labels as you go.

Trimming

Right Handed

Left Handed

Place the V Block® tool on the unit and aligning up the Finished size measurement with the seam lines.  Trim along the first two sides.

Right Handed

Left Handed

Rotate the unit 180° and line up the V Block® too over the unit again, aligning the units cut sizes with the previously trimmed edges and "X" with the sewn line intersections.  Trim the remaining two sides.

You will be making four Different V Block units. Suggest place the units on separate paper plates with the unit name used in the block instructions. 

 Unit B - Combination Units:

Now we are going to do a quick overview of Combination units.  We made these in Block 4.

We are going to start off like we are making half square triangles. Using the Quilter's Magic Wand Mark two stitching lines 1/4" on either side of the center diagonal line on the wrong side one of the squares. 

Layer the units Squares with right sides together. Stitch on the drawn lines, cut down the middle and Press to the dark side. Do not trim these units yet! 

Now we are going to add an additional couple of steps to this process. Position the HST and the additional square with right sides together.  Using your Quilter's Magic Wand mark two stitching lines on either side of the center diagonal line.

Stitch on the drawn lines and then cut down the middle.  Press seam in the direction of the new triangle.

Trim using your Tucker Trimmer, carefully aligning the common diagonal and the sizing diagonal lines for the size you are making, refer to you Block instructions.

Unit C - Quarter Square Triangles

Quarter Square Triangles are made the same way as the combination, except we are going to sew the two half squares together.  We have completed QST in several of our blocks already, Block 4 was the most recent one, so I'm going to just a quick overview of this unit also.

Start off by making your half square triangles using the fabric colors indicted in your Block Instructions.  Reminder, you do not need to trim them to size at this point.  On the reverse side of your fabric mark a 1/4" on each side of the center diagonal of one the HST unit.

Position the two half square triangles with right sides together and assuring to position the fabrics to they the opposite of each other.  Stitch on the drawn lines and cut down the middle.

Trim with your Tucker Trimmer, carefully aligning up the common diagonals and sizing diagonal lines.

Assembly of Blocks

When all your units are complete, all you have to do is finish your block #7. Please follow Blockbuster page Download to make sure you lay out the units correctly. 

Block #1

Block #2

Block #3 

Your "Three in One" block is now complete, I look forward to seeing your Blocks, and I hope you will share your photos in the comments section below or on the Graceful Points Facebook Group.  Additionally, you can post your blocks on Facebook or Instagram making sure to use the #gracefulpointsqal and/or #quiltingaffection designs.  I can't wait to see your blocks.

The next block will be released on May 10th, where we will be using new tools, the Corner Beam and the Sliver Technique Sheet.

Tina

"Designing to Inspire"

Garden Enchantment BOM Part 3

Today is the final tutorial on how to make the SideKick & High/Low Units of the Garden Enchantment BOM Block 1. If you missed the first couple of blog posts on how to assemble units in this block, you can catch up by clicking on these links:  Part One and Part Two.

For Block 1 we will be making 16 SideKick & High/Low units. If you are not familiar with this technique or want to get more information on this unit, I suggest you pick up the SideKick & Hight/Low Technique Sheet, which is now available on my website.

SideKick

For this section, we will be removing the left Side of the based Section Square and replacing it with a Side Triangle that is cut with your Studio 180 Design V-Block® Tool. 

Start off by gathering the White square (Base Sections), Purple Strip and Dark Purple Squares (Low Corner).  Read your pattern cutting instructions for the exacts sizes to cut.

Based Section Cutting

Right Handed

Left Handed

2.  Position the White based section square fabric FACE UP for cutting. 

3. Then you are going to place the Dotted line of you V Block® on the edge of the base section square and the bottom of the finished unit size guideline along the raw edge of the square.  Cut along the slanted edge of the tool.  

Repeat the steps above for all your remaining based sections.

Side Triangle Cutting

Please remember when cutting your Side Triangles this is the same process as when you make V-Block Units.

Right Handed

Left Handed

4.  Place your Purple Strip FACE UP for cutting. This will ensure we are getting the correct side triangle for the replacement.  

5.  Position the Bold Solid line of you V Block® Trimmer on the edge of the trimmed end of the Purple strip and make sure to line up the bottom of the finished size guideline along the raw edge of the strip.  Cut along the slanted edge of the tool.

Right Handed

Left Handed

6.  Rotate the V Block tool 180° and position the extended diagonal line against the previously trimmed slanted cut.

7.  Layout the Side Triangles and base section face up as they will be positioned in the final unit. Position a side triangle and base section with right sides facing together.  Align the edges and Stitch with a 1/4" seam allowance.

Repeat to make 16 Side Triangle Units.

Do Not Trim at this point!  We need to add the Low unit next.

8.  Mark a diagonal line down the wrong side of your Dark Purple Square.  This will be your stitching line.

9. Position the Dark Purple Square in the bottom right-hand corner of your SideKick with right sides together and the line going across the corner. 

10.  Stitch on the line, Trim the seams 1/4" from the stitching lines, and press away from the based unit.

Trim Down

Right Handed

Left Handed

11. Position the V-Block® trimmer tool on the unit.  Making sure to line up the side triangle seam with the guideline on the tool and to Position the intersection of the two seamlines where the guidelines on the tool intersect.  Note the seam on the folded corner will not line up with the guideline of the tool. Align the Finished size measurement with the seam lines.  Trim the first two sizes.    

Right Handed

Left Handed

12. Rotate your SideKick & High/Low unit 180° and line up the V Block® tool again. Aligning the cut size stated in your instructions with the previously trimmed edges and the "X" lines with the sewn seam line intersections.  Trim the last two remaining sides. 

You will make 16 SideKick & High/Low units.

Now we have all your units made for this block, refer to your pattern instructions and complete the assembly of your blocks. Please read the instructions thoroughly.

See you on May 15th for Block 2 release and tutorials.