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Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Journey to Nebula - Rock Candy - Cutting the Star 60 Way!

 


Now that I have finished my Jaw Breaker pillow, it was time to move onto the next project in the Journey 2 Nebula Quilt Along.


The next project is Rock Candy Tabletopper.  This is a fun quilt that is made by combining diamonds and side triangles.  The pattern calls for the use of 5" charm squares. I choose to use black background Island Batik fabric and 6 Coordinating fabrics; all were cut into 2 1/2" strips.  The reason I used 2 1/2" strips over the 5" charm squares is that not every 5" charm square package is actually 5", and we needed to cut each of the squares in half.

I started cutting 36 diamonds from the 6 coordinating fabric strips using my Studio 180 Star 60 tool. 

Right Handed

Left Handed

Starting by trimming off a 60° angle off one of the ends of the strips.  

Right Handed

Left Handed

Next, I located the 2 1/2" diamond point guidelines and aligned the guidelines on the strip edges and cut. Continue to cut 36 diamonds from the coordinating fabric strips.

Right Handed
Left Handed

Finally, I trimmed off the tips by lining up the 4 1/2" horizontal line so that it lines up on the bottom of the diamond. 

Right Handed

Left Handed

Now it is time to cut out the background side triangle pieces. Placing the strip on your cutting mat.  If you are right-handed, you will be cutting from left to right. Left-hander will cut from right to left.  Position the 2 1/2" horizontal line of the tool on the bottom of the strip and the tip line on the strip's top.  Cut up one side of the strip and down the other.

Right Hand

Left Hand


Rotate the tool 180°, so the tip is facing you this time. Realign the guideline used previously on the top and bottom of the strip and align it along the trimmed edge. Cut the next triangle shape. Continue rotating, aligning, and cutting until you get 24 triangles. 

Now the fun part begins with arranging my pieces into a pretty table topper.  Stay tuned; I will be sharing my finish table topper soon.


Monday, October 19, 2020

Journey to Nebula - Finishing Jawbreaker pillow

I'm a little behind on my Journey 2 Nebula projects; life seems to change your plans when it involves quilting.  



The last blog post on my Journey 2 Nebula project was cutting Jawbreaker triangles using the Studio 180 Design Star 60 tool. Read the first post Here.



Then I arranged the triangles according to the directions spinning the triangles as you would be arranging your blocks for a One Block Wonder Quilt, so they make a shape, but you will also notice that they are also set up rows. Adding the extra pieces to fill in the gaps.


After I had the pillow top arranged with the triangles, it was time to start sewing the blocks together.  Starting with the first row, sewing each triangle to each other. 


Once I had the triangle pieces sewn into individual rows, I started sewing all the rows together to match up all the seams.



Once this was done, I trimmed the pillow top to be 15 1/2" square and add the border, and quilted it.  With this pillow top, the directions were to add a 2 1/4" binding to finish it off.


Here are the finished Pillow and the coordinating  Seaside table runner and Lucky Charm Pillow top. 

Now off to get my new Journey to Nebula project.


Tina




Thursday, October 15, 2020

Aztec Dance BOM - Month 5

 



I really can't believe we are already on Block 5 in the Aztec Dance block of the month. Next month (November 15th). I will be releasing the final block and finishing instructions so you can finish your blocks. 

You can now purchase Block 5.  Remember, you have two options for buying the pattern. First, My website is set up for both Printed and Downloadable PDF versions. For my International customers, I have an Etsy website.

Month 5

This month's block consists of two different Flying Geese color combinations and Triangle Pizazz units for the corners. There is no Diamond in a Square unit in this block, but we will be making them in Bonus Block 2 (tutorial found below block 5), which is included in this month's block.

Let's get started by cutting out those pieces from the cutting chart in your pattern.

Flying Geese

Note: If you have purchased your pattern from a quilt shop before this 10/14/2020. I have found an error on step 11 on page 2 of this pattern. Please see the Aztec Dance BOM Page download the updated page. 


In this month's block, we are making two different color combinations of flying geese units. 



Start by using your Quilter's Magic Wand, mark two lines, each 1/4" away from the center diagonal on the two small squares. Remember to use a very fine tip mark pencil or pen when marking your lines; this will give you a couple more extra fabric threads for those trim downs.

Position the two small squares diagonally on the opposite corners of the larger square. Remember to nudge the small square in toward the center in a couple threads.



Stitch on the drawn lines, then cut apart between the stitching line on the center diagonal. Press the seams toward the small triangles.

Place the remaining marked small squares on the units, again remembering to nudge in a couple threads from the large triangle sections' raw edge. Then cut apart between the line of the stitching on the center diagonal.

Right Handed

Left Handed

Align the diagonal guidelines of the Wing Clipper® with the seams of the Flying Geese unit. You'll automatically be centering the tool over your pieced unit. Refer to your Block Instructions for Trim downsizes for your block size. Trim the sides and across the top. 


Right Handed

Left Handed

Rotate your flying geese unit 180° and reposition your Wing Clipper® 1 to align the previously trimmed raw edges with the proper size for your unit and the "X" at the top with the intersection of the seams. 


Repeat to make 16 of both color variations of Flying Geese.

Triangle Pizazz Units


Start by drawing a diagonal stitching line on a Gold Square. Position the small square on one end of the small rectangles with the right side facing each other. The diagonal line should run from the top left corner to the right (see above picture).  Stitch on the diagonal line, trim the excess 1/4" from the stitching line. Press toward the

Small triangle. 

Unit A

Unit B


As shown in your pattern instructions, Position rectangle units either make a Unit A or Unit B and stitch the pair together along the rectangles' long sides.

Fold the unit in half and snip the seam allowance the center between the two triangles all the way through the seam allowance.  Press the seams in opposite directions away from the triangle. 

Center the unit on a large Rectangle and using a ruler with a 45° angle mark (The Tucker Trimmer I works great for this).  Place the 45° line on the unit's edge and draw a 45° sewing line on its wrong sides.  Making sure the line runs from top to bottom and goes through the corner of the triangle where the stitching lines meet.  Draw a second line on the opposite side of the unit through the other triangle.

Stitch on the drawn lines.


Cut a 1/4" from the stitch lines on both sides. Press toward the blue larger triangle.



Position the sizing diagonal of the Tucker Trimmer over the unit so that it lines up with the unit size diagonal seam line of the Triangle Pizazz and assuring the common diagonal lines up with the triangle at the center. Trim the first two sides.


 
Rotate the unit 180° and line up the Tucker Trimmer repeatedly, aligning up the diagonals and cut sizes with the previously trimmed edges and trim.

Assembly


Now comes the easy part of stitching all your units into beautiful blocks, referring to your pattern instructions to complete your 4 blocks.




Bonus Block 2



For this Bonus Block, we will be making a large Diamond in a Square unit.  Now, if you are making the wall hanging, you can use either the 6" or the Large Square Squared tools.  But if you are making the Queen, you will need to use the Large Square Squared tool due to that you are making a 9" finished size.

Since we should be familiar with the Square Squared tools by now, I will not be going into detail on how to make this unit.  


Please remember to use the Center Square Section of your Square Squared tool (Part A- from the Large Squared Squared tool) to trim down the center block before sewing your unit.

Right Handed

Left Handed

For the Trim, start by position the Trim Down Section (Part B of the Large Square Squared) of the Square Squared tool over the unit. Be sure to refer to your pattern instructions for trim sizes. Focusing the "X" of the finished unit sizes over the sewn seams. Trim up the side and across the top.

Right Handed
Left Handed

Rotate your Diamond in a Square Unit and reposition the Square Squared tool and the two remaining sides. Again, trim up the side and across the top.


Make 4 of these Bonus Blocks

See you on November 15th for the release of Month 6 and tutorials. Remember, you join our Quilting Affection Designs Block of the Month Facebook Group to share your completed blocks.  


Thursday, October 1, 2020

Journey to Nebula Quilt Along - Jawbreaker - Cutting Star 60 way

 


Week 5 in the Journey 2 Nebula has started with the making of the "Jawbreaker" pillow by Jaybird Quilts. When finished, this pillow will measure 20".  


This pattern is written by Hex N More Ruler by Jaybird Quilts, but I will be using the Studio 180 Design Star 60 tool to do all my cutting. I'm using fabrics from the Island Batik "Islander Batik" Collection that I have been using for the last 2 projects.


The pattern calls for eight 2 1/2" x WOF strips, so I pulled out eight coordinating strips that I could use as strip sets. 


Then I began making four strip sets.


Once my strip set was stitched, I press the seams open to reduce the bulk.

Right Handed

Left Handed

Now that I have my strip sets ready, it was time to start cutting the triangle pieces out using the Star 60 tool, starting by carefully placing the strip on your mat.  If you are looking for the direction on the 

Position the mark at the tip of the tool with the top of the strip set and 4 1/2" horizontal line on the tool on the bottom edge of the strip set. Right Handed quilters will move from left to right. Left Handed quilters will cut from right to left.  Trim up one of the sides and down the other to get your first triangle.

The cutting technique we will be using can be found in the Star 60 instructions under the Cutting the Side Triangles.  Link to the Star 60 PDF Instructions.


Right Handed


Left Handed

Rotate your Star 60™ tool 180°, so the tip of the tool is facing you. Aligning the tip line on the bottom edge and the 4 1/2" Horizontal line on the top edge of the strip set. Trim up the side. 

Continue this process of rotating and aligning with all the strip sets.


Now all my triangles are cut using my Studio 180 Design Star 60™ tool.  Now its time to play with the pieces and their arrangement.  Next week I will show you my finished product.

Tina