November 8, 2011 – Quilting my way through life!

…and my day to blog about the new 100 Blocks Volume 4.

My block #313:

How strange is that, my favorite number is #13!!!

Olde St. Nick

Notice the signature on the block? It’s one of the requirements when sending in the block.

Run right over to Quiltmaker’s blog and register to win original blocks!

Not only that, they’re offering lots of free stuff all week on the blog hop.

Now that you’ve met my Olde St. Nick, take a look at him (and his twin) on a fast & fun table runner that is also included in this issue on page 90.

To make a table runner of your own:

First win or purchase a new copy of 100 Blocks Vol. 4

Make 2 Olde St. Nick blocks pg. 24 (see my last post for quick cutting)

Some of my favorite tools for this job include:

Wonder Under fusible web by Pellon,

an applique sheet to fuse all the pieces together on and

my machine’s button hole stitch with Sulky’s 12 wt. thread! It makes my applique “pop”!

Cut 60, 2-1/2″ red squares

Cut 1, 10″ red square

Sew the red 2-1/2″ squares into 6 rows of 10 squares each. Sew the rows together to make a 12-1/2″ x 20-1/2″ rectangle. Sew an Olde St. Nick block onto each 12-1/2″ end.

Cut 10″ red square in half diagonally. Sew a triangle onto bottom of each Olde St. Nick block as shown in photo above. Trim excess from triangles.

Quilt as desired, bind and enjoy!

I hope you enjoy the issue as much as I enjoy being part of it.

Now go UP, UP, UP to the TOP of my blog and leave a comment telling me your favorite season to sew for. By doing this you’ll be entered to win the drawing for a FREE issue of Quiltmaker’s 100 blocks vol. 4.

The blog hop lasts all week, and I will personally draw for my winner on Friday after midnight.

Good luck and have fun!

Until next time,

Susan

It has indeed been a while since I posted a hot tip for Tuesday hasn’t it?

It’s not that I don’t have any more hot tips, it’s just that I got busy with market, then I just plain had no time to think about it much less work at it, so my apologies and I hope you can appreciate this hot tip.

While getting ready for my post for the new Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks Vol. 4 blog hop I realized I’ve never shown you how I cut multiple applique pieces at once. I’m sure many of you already do this, but I’m always amazed at those that it has never occurred to, so…

When I have an applique piece that is used several times in a project and the pattern says to cut 4, I NEVER trace that piece 4 times then cut it out 4 times, no, no,no! I’m much too lazy for that!

Look at the repeated flowers.

I don’t want to trace that same pink flower 4 times…

I determine how big the item is,

I trace the item 1 time,

calculate how big 4 would be,

fuse that much fabric,

trim fabric

peel off the paper backing,

cut the rectangles,

stack them up*********** VERY IMPORTANT: Layer fabric to fusible web. If you layer fusible web to fusible web and cut out, you will fuse the two layers together and you will NEVER get them apart. (Ask me how I know! You won’t make that mistake twice!)

Also make sure you pin the pattern right side to your fabric so you don’t accidentally reverse it. With these flowers it will not matter, but with some designs it’s important.

pin together with template,

cut ONCE!

Voila!!!

4 pink flowers with cutting once!

I can usually cut 4-6 applique pieces if the design isn’t too intricate. If I needed 8 of these same flowers I would have fused twice as much fabric, cut 4 more rectangles and cut out another flower (x4).

Even if each peice is not cut from the same fabric I use this technique. Trace once, cut once, have 4-6 applique shapes.

If you need a shape and the reverse of the shape, like the bunny on this pattern, layer fabric to fabric then cut out. If you need 4 bunnies, do that twice since you can’t lay fusible web to fusible web. It’s still cutting your time in half!

Now if you decide to make my table runner from the 100 Blocks magazine coming up next, you’ll have a way to cut your cutting time in half!

Until next time,

Susan