Courthouse Block, No Attorney Required and WINNER Announced

 

Courthouse Block Quilt

This is such a quick and easy quilt, suitable for a beginner and wonderful for a seasoned quilter that just needs a zen sewing session that let's you stitch away. Maybe you need a quick quilt for a friend or for your guild charity. This will definitely fit the bill. The more variety of fabrics you have the more interesting your finished quilt will be. Don't be afraid to dig into your random fat quarters and left over jelly roll strips. You can definitely make a dent in a scrap pile with this one as well.

We live in Eastern Idaho, surrounded by beautiful farm land. My husband's cousin gave me a large bundle of fabric and it was all coordinated. It made me think of farm land and how beautiful it is out here. So it was a logical choice for this quilt.

Let's get started on our blocks! For each block you will need a 10" square for the Courthouse. This is perfect for a layer cake or you can cut your own 10" squares from fabric, as I have done in this video. You will need a selection of 2.5" by width of fabric strips for your Courthouse Steps. A jelly roll will serve you or again, you can cut your own strips as I have done in this video.

Courthouse Block, No Attorney Required

Take one of your contrasting 2.5" strips and sew it to one side of your 10" square, trim even with your square and finger press your seam open. Do the same on the opposite side of your square.

Turn your square and again, using a contrasting 2.5" strip, sew it to one side of your 10" square as shown in the video and do the same on the opposite side. Trim even with your block and finger press.

You will repeat this 2 more times, on the opposing sides. When finished, you should have two strips on each side of your 10" square as shown in the video.

Press your block and make as many as you need for the size quilt you wish to make.

Press in half and in half again as shown in the video and cut your block in half and then in half again as demonstrated in the video. You should have 4 quarter blocks after you make these two cuts.

Courthouse Block Sew Along

In this video, we will just carry on and make several blocks.

Courthouse Block Layout Options

This short video will show you some of the layout options for your quarter blocks.

Court House Block Final Assembly

There are several layout options for this block, I have chosen to take a quarter block from different fabrics and stitch them together, like a 4 patch, to create a new block and then those are stitched together to make the quilt. The more fabric varieties you have the more interesting your final quilt will be.

The Finished Courthouse Block Quilt

Finished size 65" x 81"

Four blocks across and 5 blocks down

Baby quilt use 4 blocks (2 x 2) and a possible border to create the side you wish.

Crib size 6 blocks (2 x 3) border if you wish,

Throw size 12 blocks (3 x 4)

Twin size 20 blocks (4 x 5)

Double or full 30 blocks (5 x 6)

Queen 36 blocks (6 x 6)

King 42 blocks (7 x 7)

I did not place a border. Used 2.5" strips to create the binding. 

Hope you enjoyed this quick and simple quilt. 

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 Your likes, comments and shares are appreciated!

RaeLina Tesch was the WINNER of the Babylock Zest Sewing Machine that we gave away last month to celebrate 20,000 followers on Facebook. Congratulations RaeLina! Thank you to Gary's Sewing Center for providing the Babylock Zest Sewing Machine, I am sure she will enjoy it!

Let's Make Some Napkins!

Let's make some napkins! These are quick, easy and inexpensive, finish beautifully and they will look lovely on your table. Suitable for gift giving, tucked into a basket with some additional small gifts or even just tied with a pretty ribbon and gifted on their own! Wonderful for a housewarming, bridal shower, birthday, picnic in the woods, you can think of a million ways to enjoy them and gift them.

To start you will need 1 fat quarter per napkin. 1 yard of fabric will make 4 napkins. You can mix and match your fatquarters if you like or have them all the same!

Cut your fabric to measure an 18" square.  Press under 1/2" all around the edges of each napkin as shown below.

Now fold your napkin on the diagonal, matching up one side and creating a point, as shown below. I found it helpful to place a pin to align your edges. 

Using a ruler mark a line measuring 1" as shown below. Line your ruler up with the bottom of the folded fabric as shown and the top of your 1" should rest on the edge of the napkin as shown below. Make your mark with either an air erase pen, or a small sharp pencil, or chalk...just mark with something that will come out easily.

It will help you if you pin the edges of the Napkin as shown before you stitch on the line.

TIP: Start your stitching just a few stitches in from the edge and backstitch to catch and secure, then when you stitch off, backstitch again to secure your other edge.

This is important, you will clip each of the corners after you stitch, you want a clipped shape like the photo below with the wide part to the outside edge and the narrow part to the inside as shown below. Becareful not to clip your stitches, you don't need to get that close.

Finger press your seam open and turn it right sides out, gently use a chopstick or a knitting needle to help turn out your point. Press your napkin and topstitch close to the turned edge as shown below.

You can press again and you are finished! You have beautiful mitered corners and are ready to set your table!

 

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Share it with your friends and be sure to follow on Facebook and Instagram for more!

Star Table Topper Tutorial Featuring The Brimfield Block

My apologies for not having blogged for so long. My husband was diagnosed with stage IV prostate cancer and he has been my focus this year. He has successfully completed his radiation therapy and is undergoing chemo which is administered once every 3 months for the next year and a half. Currently he is in remission, so we are very grateful to all our friends, family and many of you here, that have offered up prayers on our behalf. Those prayers have been answered! So back to Quilting!!!

If you have followed my blog for a while, you know that I love to make Star Table Toppers. For this particular one, I am using the Brimfield Block as my focal piece. The Brimfield Block is paper pieced in the English Paper Piecing style and hand stitched together. Don't freak out, it's easy and enjoyable. I'll share some tips in this tutorial to help you out.

SIDE NOTE: you can make this Star Table Topper with ANY random or orphan quilt block you like. 

Let's get ready to make a Brimfield Block. You will need the following: The Brimfield Block paper pieces, which you can obtain here: https: https://brimfieldawakening.com/product/brimfield-block-epp-paper-pieces-for-one-block/ 

If you want to fussy cut your fabric pieces for your block, which is totally fun! You will want to get the acrylic templates Here: https://brimfieldawakening.com/product/brimfield-block-acrylic-templates-1-4-seam-allowance/ (if you don't want to invest in the acrylic templates, get some template plastic from your local quilt shop and trace the paper pieces, then add a 1/4" seam allowance. Cut on the outside edge and then you can slide your plastic pieces around on your fabric till you find what you like. Watch the video below and it will show you how to use a template effectively.)

Other items you will need for the paper piecing portion of this table topper: Washable glue sticks or the Sewline water soluble glue pen, fabric of your choice, rotary cutter, rotary cutting mat, needle, thread, some scissor or snips and a good light to stitch by.

Now to paper piece your block. Decide which fabrics you want to go where and cut them with your acrylic templates. To affix them to your paper pieces, use your glue stick to run a small strip of glue along the edge of the paper and fold your fabric selvage to adhere to the glue. Sometimes, if I am really being fussy about placement, I will put a small dot of glue in the center of the paper piece and line my fabric up pressing it to the dot of glue, then I can fold and glue the backside without having the front side move on me.

Here is a little video by Brimfield Awakening to show you how to use their templates. They really are so much fun. Take a moment to visit their website and look at all the fun paper piecing blocks you can make!

Here is a little video by me to show you how to use a glue stick for EPP. 

You should have all your pieces for your block created, now to stitch them together. I like to use Superior Thread, 60 weight. This color does not show, it's like a little piece of silky goodness that disappears into your fabric. 

Using a little painter's tape, you can lay out your pieces and tape them in place, this will help keep things organized when you are stitching them together. The flat back stitch is your key...watch this tutorial by Kim from Brimfield Awakening.

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Our EPP video series continues with our absolute favorite stitch: the FLAT BACK STITCH. This stitch is a GAME CHANGER whether your tackling curves or simply want invisible stitches ❤️ . For those of you new to Brimfield Awakening or trying to figure out EPP (English Paper Piecing), this set of videos will cover the basics. We original made them for @52quilters , but thought they should live on our feed, too❤️ . We thought you’d like a 15% coupon code to get your EPP supplies at ••••••www.brimfieldawakening.com•••••• so we created one! Just enter “52QUILTERS” at the checkout on our website. It will be valid until April 30th 2019. . ✂️Happy Stitching!✂️ xx-Kim + Nisha . . #FlatBackStitch #EPPbasics #babybrimnfield #babybrimfieldstar #tutorial #englishpaperpiecing #paperpiecesepp #brimfieldawakening #agaura #artgalleryfabrics #epp #quilting #sewing #sew #quilt #handsewn #handmade #timetosew #eppobsessed #modernquilting #modernpatchwork #patchwork #lovesewing #sewingpattern #getstitchywithit #makersgonnamake #sewsewsew #crashbangcolor #sewingisfun #handstitched

A post shared by Kim + Nisha ✂️ Brimfield EPP (@brimfieldawakening) on Apr 26, 2019 at 1:08pm PDT

Once you have your pieces put together you will want to lay them out and stitch them to your background fabric. Again, I have used the thread above in my sewing machine. You can use a straight stitch, a blind stitch (which is what I did) or a simple zig zag to attach your piece to your background. I measured my background to extend 2 inches beyond the green points in my block.

For directions to complete your star table topper click on the link here: https://sisterofthedivide.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-table-toppers.html

I hope you will experiment with these blocks from Brimfield. You don't have to make a star table topper if you feel unsure, you can keep it simple and just add a little border and make it a square if you wish.  

Maple Sugar Table Topper Tutorial

Suitable for a beginner! You can make this easy Table Topper. Change up the fabrics and it can serve for any holiday or occasion you wish. The topper measures 18.5" x 18.5" square

For the center of this table topper, I used a piece of Kona Cotton Black which I had fun experimenting with.  Dying fabric using Tsukineko Ink which I picked up at the Pacific International Quilt Festival in Santa Clara, CA a few weeks ago. 

Below is a demo video I shot at the show which gives you an idea of the application process. You can use any focus fabric for your center, it does not have to be hand dyed. If you want to pick up these inks, you can get them at www.teacherstamp.com. This demo was given by Thomas Teng. He and his lovely wife Joyce are the owners of TSC Designs which has been a family owned business since 1985. They are able to answer all your questions about Tsukineko Inks.

For the Maple Sugar Table Topper you will need:

1.)  A square of focus fabric for your center - cut (1) 6.5" x 6.5"

2.)  Two coordinating and contrasting fabrics cut as follows:

Gold Batik  cut (4) 3.5" x 6.5" rectangles
                    cut (1) 7.5" square
                    cut (1) 2" x 9" strip

Burnt Orange Batik cut (1) 9" square
                                 cut (4) 3.5" x 3.5" squares
                                 cut (4) 3.5" x 6.5" squares
                                 cut (1) 2 x 9" strip
                                 cut (1) 2 x 16" strip
Batting (1) measure 20 x 20 (you will trim to fit after quilting)
Backing fabric (1) measure 20 x 20 
Binding Fabric cut (2) 2" or 2.5" x WOF strips, depending on how thick a binding you wish.

I have used the 3 x 6" Quilt-In-A-Day Flying Geese Ruler to make four flying geese as illustrated below.

Place the 7.5" square on top of the 9" square, centering them with right sides facing each other. Draw a diagonal line from one corner to the other. Pin the squares together.

Stitch 1/4" on both sides of the drawn line as shown. Remove your pins and then press to set your seams, cut apart on the drawn line as shown below.

Open each half and press flat, make sure there are no tucks and that you have pressed the seam toward the large triangle. You should have two pieces that look like the photo below.

Place your pieces right sides together so that opposite fabrics touch and your seams are parallel with each other...DO NOT TRY TO MATCH YOUR SEAMS. Your pieces should look like the photo below with a "swallow tail" on each side. 

Again you will draw a diagonal line from corner to corner, pin and stitch on both sides of your drawn line as shown in the photo below.

When you have stitched on both sides of your drawn line, then you will remove your pins, press to set your seam and cut apart on the drawn line as shown below.

Now before you press these two halves open, you will make a little clip in the middle of your seam as shown below. Fold your fabric in half to find your middle and then make a little clip to the seam. I have made a wedge to show you the clip.

From the right side, press INTO one triangle. turn and press INTO the second triangle. Turn over and press on the wrong side. At the clipped seam, fabric is pressed AWAY from triangles as shown below.

Now don't freak out! You didn't sew it wrong! You should have two squares that look exactly like the photo below. And now the magic begins...

Place your ruler on your square and line up the solid teal lines with the peak of your triangle as shown below and trim away the excess.

Repeat this process for the remaining half of your square and also the the second square.  You will have four perfect flying geese!

There are lots of methods for making your flying geese, if you like another method, use that...you want your geese to measure 3.5" x 6.5" (they will finish in the quilt at 3" x 6")

Now take your flying geese unit and matching up a 3.5" x 6.5" rectangle of your gold batik stitch them together on the long side that does not have the point of the geese as shown below. Press to the rectangle. Create four of these and set them aside.

Take your  (2) 2" x 9" strips...one of the gold batik and one of the burnt orange batik and match them together. Stitch a 1/4" seam down one side to create a strip set as shown below. I have made this larger than needed to allow you some wiggle room when cutting.

From your strip set, cut (4) pieces that measure 2" x Width of your Strip set which should be 3.5". They should look like the photo below.

Now take your 2" x 16" strip of burnt orange and placing that under your needle...lay your strip set pieces that you just cut on top of that strip, right sides together and making sure that you have the golden batik piece at the bottom closest to you, stitch them as shown below...leave yourself a little room between each piece...about 1/2 an inch should be plenty.  Press open to the long strip and then trim apart. Each little block you just constructed should measure 3.5" Square. This is a good time to square them up.

To the squares above we will be adding a 3.5" square of the burnt orange and a 3.5" x 6.5" rectangle of the burnt orange.

You will be creating (4) of these units.  First we will attach the 3.5" square to the units shown above using a 1/4" seam. As you lay them out to stitch, make sure that your gold batik square is under your needle first and place the burnt orange 3.5" square on top as shown below. 

Construct (4) of these and press the seam to the 3.5" square. Now we will add the 3.5" x 6.5" rectangle to our unit. Lay them all out as shown below so you are stitching them all the same.  Use a 1/4" seam allowance and stitch the long strip to the pieced unit as shown.

Create (4) of the units shown below.

You are ready to lay out your table topper. There are many possibilities at this point depending on which way you turn your geese unit. Below are some possibilities.

Once you have decided on your layout. Stitch your topper together in rows as shown below. Then finish by stitching your rows together. Press your top and bottom rows to the outside, away from the geese unit.  Press your center row toward your center block away from your geese units. This will let you nest your seams when you stitch them for perfect matching.

Make your quilt sandwich with batting and backing and quilt as desired. When you are finished quilting, trim your batting and backing to your topper and then bind for a finished topper.

I hope you enjoyed this little tutorial. Experiment with different fabrics and be sure to share a photo with me when you have finished your Maple Sugar Table Topper! I always love to see what you create. Happy Quilting! Special Thanks to Brittany Kay for her sweet suggestion of Maple Sugar for the name!