Forest Quilt Along-Free Squirrel Paper Pieced Block Pattern

Today I am bringing you block 10 in the Forest Quilt Along.  In case you haven't been sewing along, you can find links to all the previous block in the Forest Quilt Along in this Flickr group.  The blocks are intended to be fairly challenging and realistic for quilters who like a paper piecing challenge.

I designed a 12" Squirrel block.  I hope you like him!  He is made using a BasicGrey grunge and floral from the Little Black Dress line.  The background is a Bonnie and Camille aqua dot for Moda.  He has a vintage button for his beady little eye.

I decided that the easiest way to share the pattern was to list it in my Craftsy shop.  It can be downloaded for FREE though!

(Edited to add--some people told me that they didn't have a Craftsy account.  You can also download the file here.)

Remember to share your finished blocks in the Forest Quilt Along Flickr group.

Sweet Serenade Quilt Patterns at Market

 

 

I've been busy in recent weeks designing two quilt patterns for BasicGrey using their new fabric line, Sweet Serenade.  The fabrics are soft corals, blues, creams and dark brown.  Many of the prints have music notes on them, some sweet blue birds, and there is a neat postal print as well.  This first quilt was inspired by the chevron print in the fabric line and the hexagon trend that doesn't seem to grow old.  I separated rows of hexagons with chevron sashing.  I love the results and would like to make this quilt again, trying out some other fabric combinations for fun.

 

Here is the finished pattern cover for the Dowager design. In case you are curious, I didn't name the patterns.  BasicGrey names them after the prints in the collection.  Thank heavens for that because I am terrible at naming.

 

 

This is my second design, a string star quilt.  This is a time consuming quilt to make but it results in some neat optical illusions/secondary patterns.

 

 

And this is the Avalon pattern cover.  I really want that card catalog piece of furniture in the front! 

 

I look forward to sewing with these fabrics some more after a brief reprieve...especially all the neutral prints which are my favorites.

 

I hope you like them!

 



Blogger's Quilt Festival

 

If you are visiting my blog for the first time while touring the Blogger's Quilt Festival, welcome!  Those of you who are not new to my blog have already seen this quilt.  It's a fairly recently finished paper pieced quilt with an Artist Studio theme measuring 45" x 55".

 

The blocks in this quilt were made by the members of the Cocorico Bee.  I asked them to make me blocks with the Artist Studio theme and I received everything from a Fashion Designer's Studio to a Pottery Studio. I love the variety.  Somewhat unexpectedly, I also received blocks that are really cohesive!  I was surprised at how comfortably the blocks worked with each other.  They don't compete with each other as bee blocks sometimes do. I think that it helped to be a part of a group of individuals who really know each other's styles.  These blocks are all made with fabrics that are very "me." 

 

I didn't ask for blocks that were the same dimensions so I was challenged to piece them together.  As it turns out, though I feared that part of the process, I absolutely loved doing it!  A quilt wall at retreat was a major help. I used some sashing and designed a few small paper pieced blocks to fit into the sashing for added interest (the brushes and pencil).

 

 

After much hemming and hawing, I decided to finish my quilt by quilting it with an irregular grid. I really liked the quilt top without quilting and didn't want to add a lot of texture to the crisp blocks. I am happy with this solution though I did get anxious each time I stitched through lovely piecing and some mighty thick seams!

 

Here is a little close up so you can see the grid.  The lines are straight but spaced irregularly--2-4" apart.

 

 

 

I pieced the back of the quilt with light colored prints since I used a very soft grey thread for quilting. I made a label with my brayer block and stamped words that read "Blocks by members of the Cocorico Bee/assembled and quilted/by Amy Friend."  I rarely include such a label but thought it was important to document the collaborative effort.

 

I feel like it is important to give credit to each of the members of the Cocorico bee:



 

 

Top Left:  Sewing Studio by Charise

Top Center:  ART by Leila
Top Right:  Mannequin by Krista
Second Row Left:  Drafting Tools by Lauree
Second Row Center:  Paints by Tamiko
Second Row Right:  Easel by Erin
Third Row Left:  Easel by Kylie
Third Row Right:  Paint Jars by Muriel
Bottom Row Left: Calligraphy Pen by Megan
Bottom Center:  Watercolors by Kerry
Bottom Right: Pottery Studio by Melinda

 

 

 

 

I used the navy Architextures print for the binding. 

 

I'm going to treasure this quilt! 

 

Thank you so much for visiting today!  I hope you will click my "follow with Bloglovin'" button up on the top right sidebar and keep coming back!

 

 

Enjoy the rest of the Festival.



Oh What Fun! Pillow Tutorial

 

I'm so glad to hear that many of you like the Oh What Fun! quilt pattern that I designed for BasicGrey.  I thought it could use a little pillow to go with it so I made this one and am talking about it on the BasicGrey blog today.  Click over for all the details.

 

 

 

If you are looking for the Oh What Fun! quilt pattern, it's available in my Etsy shop.  Remember, you are now able to download the pdf patterns after you pay rather than waiting for an email from me. I know that some of my repeat customers have been looking for their emails with pattern attachments but those days are past!  Now you can just click download and save the pattern to your hard drive.  It's faster for you and easier for me too!  If you have any trouble though, feel free to email me and I can send you the files.

 

I'll be back on Friday to share my new quilt pattern designs for BasicGrey that will be debuting at quilt market. 



National Nonwovens New Colors

 

Oh my goodness, didn't they know that I had a quilt I was trying to finish??  These stacks of woolen distraction came in the mail today. They are National Nonwovens new colors for 2013 and they have me wanting to make something asap.  What should I make?  I'm thinking I should start a new hand project for the summer family camping trips.

 

The top stack of felt is Rustic Collection.



 

 

This collection is called Wooly Chic.

And this is the XoticFelt Urban Collection.  Unlike the other two collections that are wool, this collection is a bamboo/rayon blend; it's very soft.

 

I love that these high quality felts are all made in the USA and that the company is located right here in MA.  Click the link to National Nonwovens in my sidebar if you would like to take a look at their selection.

Oh What Fun!

I know it's hard to think about Christmas in May but BasicGrey's new holiday line, Aspen Frost, is due in stores this May/June along with the "Oh What Fun!" quilt pattern that I designed.  This was a fun quilt to make, mixing and matching prints from the collection and creating ornaments with a number of different designs.  They are arranged in such a way that the negative space is really fun too.

If you'd like to buy a copy of the pattern, it is available for instant download in my Etsy shop. There are 5 files:  one is the pattern, then there are separate yardage requirements files for each of the four quilt sizes. 

You have plenty of time to make one if you pick up your Aspen Frost this spring!  You can find it at the Fat Quarter Shop.

Ribbons: Mini Series 1, Block 5

Today I am sharing my last block in a series of five blocks based on the Sizzix parallelogram die.
To see the tutorials for the other blocks, click the links below.

Mini Series 1, Block 1 Enigma

 

Mini Series 1, Block 2 Bachelor's Puzzle

Mini Series 1, Block 3 Windmill Star

Mini Series 1, Block 4 Double Z

Today's block is called Ribbons.  Let's get started!

From a dark print:  Cut 4 half square triangles
From a light print:  Cut 12 half square triangles
Cut 8 parallelograms -- 4 from one print and 4 from another

Lay out your block as shown in the image above.

 

As with the other blocks in this series, each quarter is constructed in the same way.  Just consult the first diagram for fabric placement within each quadrant.  I'll walk you through the construction of the upper left corner. 

 



To begin, place your dark half square triangle, right sides together with the parallelogram and stitch a 1/4" seam.

With right sides together, attach the light colored half square triangle to the bottom of the same parallelogram. 

Moving to the other half of this quarter, place the light colored half square triangle right side down on top of the parallelogram and stitch. 

 

 

Then attach the remaining half square triangle to the lower edge of the parallelogram.

 

 

 

 

You then have two completed halves and need to join them at the center.  I found it best to iron all the seams from the ivory colored parallelograms up and all the seams on the peach colored parallelograms down.  Then things nested nicely.  (Please note that this image shows all the seams ironed up but I changed that before continuing.)

 

 



 



You will complete all four quadrants in a similar manner.

 

 

 

Once you have done that, it is time to sew the quadrants together.

 

 

 

I am sharing this image of the back of my block so that you can see how well the seams nest if you plan ahead!

 

 

 

Now you have completed your fifth parallelogram based block finishing at 8."

 

 

The fabrics I used for this block are:

Sewing in Grey for Yuwa

Sewing Pattern in Red from Blend

Periods in Chalk, Comma

BasicGrey (out of print)

 

 

 

 

 

I plan to give you some time to catch up if you are sewing along with me.  I have some projects using new Sizzix dies about to be released at Quilt Market to show you over the next few weeks and then I will come back to finish up this project.  I want to create a modern setting for these traditional blocks.  And yes, they will be on point!

 

If you are sewing along, please share pictures of your blocks in my During Quiet Time Flickr Group and the Sizzix Flickr Group as well!