Day Two - Modern Opulance Blog Hop

I’m so excited that you have stopped by my blog today during the Deb Tucker Studio 180 Design Modern Opulence Blog Hop. My name is Tina Dillard, and I'm a Studio 180 Design Certified Instructor, author, instructor, designer, and owner of Quilting Affection Designs. Throughout the week, a few of my fellow Certified Instructors are bringing you projects that are either table toppers or table runners.

These projects are using Deb’s newest fabric line with Island Batik, Modern Opulence. It's full of oranges, blues, and golds that are rich and bold. For those fall-themed projects, they're perfect. As soon as I saw this collection, I fell in love. The possibilities are endless with this line. The schedule for this week is below, so make sure to follow each of these as the week progresses.

Monday, January 16th: Studio 180 Design kickoff

Monday, January 16th: Diana Mann of Murgaboo Quilts

Tuesday, January 17th: Tina Dillard of Quilting Affection Designs (today)

Wednesday, January 18th: Phyllis Fay of Stitchin’ in the Ditch

Thursday, January 19th: Raija Salomaa of Quilter’s Treasure Chest

Friday, January 20th: Studio 180 Design wrap up

The project I designed for this Blog Hop will be this month's Block Party Block. I'll quickly explain Block Party Blocks if you're not familiar. Block Party Blocks look just like Blockbuster blocks from Studio 180 Design. They're free downloads that come out around the 15th of every month. These blocks use a variety of Studio 180 Design tools and provide practice, fun, and inspiration. 

Let me introduce you to my Block Party Block #32 and Blog Hop Project "Opulence Puzzle." Deb's Modern Opulence fabric collection inspired this elegant table topper. Using Studio 180 Designs tools and techniques, I made the sample using the 36" x 36" table topper size, Wing Clipper, Large Square Squared, and Corner Beam tools. In addition, I've included Technique Sheets for Pickets and Quickets, Stacked Squares, and Birds of Paradise.

I'll show you how easy this project was by showing you the tools, the units, and the fabrics I used. Stay with me until the end of this blog, and I'll tell you how to download this free project that comes in 36" x 36" and 24" x 24".

I used seven different fabrics from the Modern Opulence collection in this table topper. Their values range from Light to Dark and include a Background and Coordinating fabric for the borders.  

I'll start with the first unit of this table topper, the Corner Beam. With the Corner Beam, you can cut your Side Triangles and Center Beams and trim the units with one tool. No more paper piecing. I used a mix of background and medium/dark fabrics from the collection for my Corner Beam Units.

Next, I made Flying Geese and Quickets units with Light, Medium/Light, and Dark fabrics. The wing clipper tool is used for these units. I love having a Wing Clipper around for flying geese. Use this tool to trim down Quicket units from your Picket and Quickets Technique Sheet.

To finish this project, I used the Large Square Squared Tool to create Birds of Paradise and Stacked Squares (Economy Blocks). Combining Light, Medium, Medium/Light, and Dark fabrics makes this Birds of Paradise unit bright and colorful. Last but not least, the Economy Block from the Stacked Squares Technique Sheet was made for the center using a combination of Background, Light, and Medium fabrics. 

After I make all my units, I can assemble the table topper, starting with the main block. Here's how the three rows look put together. A quilt's center could be a great block by itself.

After that, make another set of flying geese units and combine them with rectangles and squares to create the pieced border. You'll then sew the pieced borders to each side of the center block. It's finished off with coordinating fabric borders.

A gorgeous table topper from Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design Modern Opulence Fabric Line from Island Batik is easy to make and put together. This Block Party Block #32 "Opulence Puzzle" table topper pattern can be made by clicking on this link and downloading it.

Thanks for joining me on Day Two of the Modern Opulence Blog Hop. I'll see you on Phyllis Fay's Stitchin' in the Ditch blog tomorrow.  

Tuckerize Your Quilt - Guest Blogger - Large Square Squared

Well folks, it is Day 4 of “Tuckerize Your Quilt Blog Hop”! I am guest blogging for Tina Dillard or Quilting Affection Designs and my name is Debbie Chiarelli of Quilts by Debbie. I have been a Certified Instructor for Studio 180 Design since 2016. When asked about participating in the Blog Hop I thought…why not?  I talk endlessly about Studio 180 tools and the way they make the most difficult blocks, easy to create. As a quilter of 30+ years, I am always trying to learn new tricks and find alternative ways to create beautiful quilts. If you’re like me, you may choose to avoid the unique skill of paper piecing. Today, I’m going to show you a technique I’ve learned as an alternative method to paper piecing through the use of Tucker tools. Happy quilting!

Two blocks that I love and have found very easy to do, include the Snail Trail and the Pineapple block and these are the two blocks I am going to demonstrate today!

Moving forward, the only tool you will need to complete these blocks is the Studio 180 Large Square Squared®.  There are quite a few patterns created by Deb Tucker and the Studio 180 Design Group that utilize this tool so I think it will come in handy in your quilting tool box!

To get us started, here are a couple examples of patterns that have the snail trail block in them:

Leymone Trails

Calypso 

     Filigree     

              

Now, I am going to dive in and show you just how easy it is to make a snail trail block of your own so you can make any of these stunning quilts yourself! Hopefully, this demonstration will get you as excited as I am to use this tool and will have you quilting something new in no time!

The Large Square Squared® has 2 parts to this tool:

Part A:

1Step 1: This is what you will start with to make your center square. The tool has markings for strip sizes you will need to make the center square. Here I am showing how to make an 8” square unit. I started with a 2” strip to cut my starting square.

  

2Step 2: Then you will start to build your snail.  Add the first set of triangles.  Sew each triangle on opposite sides first, iron, then sew on the next two triangles on the remaining sides. Always sew with the square centered on top of the triangle.

This is Part ‘B’ of the tool. This side is used for trim down and the directions are as follows:

Step 1: In this step, you will place your pressed block under the tool and line up the X marked with 2 for 2” block.

For righthanded folks, you will cut on the right side and top. Lefthanded cutters will turn the ruler 90° so the X’s will be on the left. Cut up the left side and across the top.

Step 2: Then, you will lift your tool and turn the unit 180° and line up the X’s and the 2 ½” clean up lines and trim.

Step 3: We will now add the next set of triangles (round 2). Now you can decide if you want your tail to spin left or right, but once you decide here you will need to stick with it for the rest of the block.  I have decided to spin to the right as you can see in the photo.  As before sew on the triangles opposite sides first, press (seams to triangles) then sew on the second set of opposing triangles.

Step 4: we will now trim down this round. We will be going back to the Part ‘A’ tool.  Locate the center square for the 4” finished block window on the Part ‘A’ tool. You line up the intersections of the seam with the center crosshairs the 4” finished unit. The diagonal line on the tool will cross through the intersections of the last set of seams.  Trim. 

 

Lift the tool and rotate the unit and realign the block using the same crosshairs and also you will be able to line up the trimmed edge with the lines of the center square for 4’ finished block. Now you are ready to trim the opposite side.

Now you are ready to repeat.  Continue to build by adding the remaining rounds follow the diagram below. Remember to continue to add your colors to the right (or Left) to continue as you started. 

Round #	Tool Part	Trimming Lines
Round #3	Part B	4” X and the 4 ½” clean up lines
Round #4	Part A	Center Square for 8” finished block
Round #5	Part B	8” X and the 8 ½” clean up lines

  

Round #3

   

Round #4

Round #5

   

Finished Unit

Now with the Large Squared Squared Tool® combined with the Stacked Squares Technique Sheet you can make sizes from 1” up to 12” squares. 

The other favorite of mine is the Pineapple Block.  This technique is pattern specific as seen in the Peach Melba® pattern here

With this technique you use the same method of adding rounds that are slightly oversized and trim down.  I will show you a few pictures of how this is put together.

You will start with a 4 patch then add triangles for the first 2 rounds and then you add logs for less waste.

These are the Log and trim down examples. You work with octagon shapes till you add the final corners.

There are 4 rows of logs of background and 4 rows of logs of accent colors.  Then you will add the final triangles of the accent colors then the final trim.

After the final trim you will get the following blocks:

                      

I am working on the Queen size Quilt of this pattern.  I have a total of 48 of these to make and only 30 left to finish.  The Large Square Squared® has made creating these blocks so easy, that I have been speeding through them.

I have enjoyed being a guest blogger of Tina Dillard, Quilting Affection Designs. I hope you will check out the other bloggers of the Tuckerize Your Quilt Blog Hop listed below.  There are still 2 days left. Also, you can always go back and see the previous blogs.  I really enjoy the Studio 180 Design Tools and how they have my quilting adventure easier.  Thank you and Happy quilting!

Monday, 7/15/19 

Tammy Silvers, Tamarinis 

Tina Dillard, Quilting Affection Designs  

Tuesday, 7/16/19

Karen Overton, The Quilt Rambler 

Sarah Furrer, Studio 180 Design 

Wednesday, 7/17/19

Gail Renna, Quilt Haven Threads 

Marie McKay, Ribbon Star Studio

Thursday, 7/18/19 

Deborah Chiarelli, Guest Blogging for Tina Dillard  

Friday, 7/19/19

Michelle Hiatt, Sew On the Go 

Rosella Hanson, Guest Blogging for Tammy Silvers

Saturday, 7/20/19 

Bonny Peters, Cat Den Mountain Quilts

Lydia Zeigler, Guest Blogging for Karen Overton