When I made the very first digital mock up of Desert Charm, I pinks with yellow cornerstones. Imagine my delight when I saw the Art Gallery Fabrics line, Mayfair, around the same time. I knew I had to make this quilt with these fabrics. I think the result is stunning. I can't wait to get this quilted up!
I also wanted to share my pattern testers quilts! I have so much love for these ladies. They make suggestions and offer insights that make the pattern so much better.
Here are the beautiful quilts they made:
@turtlequilterjo made this beautiful purple baby sized quilt.
@collectivequilts made a stunner with jewel tones.
@mandipersell (from Sewcial Stitch) used corals/teals from Art Gallery fabrics to create this block. She will be selling these as kits. Go check her out so you can make this beauty too!
@oneblessedmamaquilts also used peachy/corals. She modified the throw to make it a square.
@maeberrysquare made this sweet baby size!
@redheaded_rita used a peachy background and it was such a fun fabric choice! (Also, check out that good doggo!)
@dmking52512 made this red, white, and blue version. Now I need to make a red, white, and blue version!
This pattern has been a long time coming. I started working on it back in January! I took an idea for a quilt block with a sawtooth star and tweaked it bit by bit until it became the Desert Charm block. As impatient as I have felt to get this one out into the world, I'm glad I took the time to make it perfect. And I'm so excited to share it with you now.
Just for kicks, I should do a side by side of that first draft and the final version. They look absolutely nothing alike!
The Desert Charm quilt pattern is a modern quit wiith a classic look. Each block is made up of half square triangles, flying geese, hourglass squares, and snowballed corners making it a great skill builder. I've rated the skill level as advanced beginner. A beginner could definitely tackle this quilt, but it is helpful to have a quilt or two under your belt.
Pattern Details:
- Two design options: Modern Solids and Scrappy Charms. Modern Solids uses the same fabric for each component of the block while the Scrappy Charms uses a mix and match method to add visual interest.
- FQ Friendly (sort of)! While the Scrappy Charms version calls for 1/3 yard cuts, I give instructions and a cutting diagram to modify the pattern if you want to use FQ instead.
- Three sizes: both design options can be made in baby (40"x40"), throw (60"x80"), and bed (80"x100") sizes.
About the cover quilt: The cover quilt is the Scrappy Charms version using 12 different Kona Cotton colors (Plum, Floxglove, Primrose, Amethyst, Lilac, Corsage, Candy Blue, Bluebell, Denim, Petal, Baby Pink, Peony)
I loved working with this color palette. I'm really loving muted colors right now. I'm obsessed with Kona Foxglove and want to find a way to include it in more quilts.
When I first started quilting, I really wanted to make a specific quilt for our bed. Except it was a throw size. Unsure of how to proceed, I emailed the designer and asked for her help. She suggested I add borders to the quilt to make it the size I wanted.
While that was great advice, I took it a step further by resizing the block and adding two borders. (In hindsight, this might have been the exercise that starting me down the quilt pattern design path.) Funnily enough, that quilt never got made. I made a few of the blocks, and packed it up to move across the country, and never got it back out again. It has been in my WIP pile for 5 years. Oops!
All that to say, adding borders IS the easiest way to increase the size of your quilt. Other reasons to add borders to your quilt? Borders can help square up your quilt if it has gotten a bit wonky, and add a nice frame to your quilt top.
First, lay out your quilt top on a flat surface.
Measure the length of your top in three places: the left edge, the middle, and the right edge. Take the average of the three measurements. That is what you will cut (and/or piece) your strip of fabric to.
When you have the appropriate length of fabric for your border, fold it in half and finger press to find the center. Do the same with your quilt top. Line up the two creases and pin in place.
Line up the end of the fabric strip with the end of the quilt, and pin in place. I use as many pins as I can to pin the entire length of the border in place. If you have a smidge extra fabric on one side, that's okay! As long as you pin the center and the edges, you can work the rest in. This is what will help square up your quilt top.
Do the same to the opposite side. Sew down both strips and press.
Repeat the exact same process for the remaining two sides of the quilt.
And done!
Now your quilt is nicely framed, a little bit bigger, and square!
Taking the extra time to line up the centers of your border strip with the center of the quilt top is worth it. It's faster to just start at one edge and sew the strip of fabric down, but that increases the likelihood of having wavy edges and a less than square shape.
Last year, I cleaned out and got rid of most of my fabric stash. (Read about that here).
I didn't touch my scraps though.
I can't bring myself to get rid of them because someday I'll make a postage stamp quilt or a string quilt or a scrappy something! (Maybe I'll design a quilt meant to use scraps...hmm...) In the back of my mind, I think I'll use the 'leader/ender' method to work on a scrap quilt in the background of my other projects. I just haven't found that perfect project that has made me want to start.
But, the beauty of my scrap storage method, is that when I find that perfect project my scraps will be ready to go with (hopefully) minimal prep.
So, for right now, they are safely tucked away on my shelf until the inspiration for a scrappy quilt strikes. I'm pretty proud of my system so I thought I'd take you through how I sort and store my scraps.
I have a small bin for each color group: neutrals, red/oranges/yellows, greens, blues, purples, and Kona Snow.
The fabric in these bins is cut into commonly used sizes (squares: 2.5", 3.5", 5", and 10" + strips: 1.5" and 2.5"). I wish I could remember where I saw the suggestion to cut scraps into usable sizes, but that was several years ago, and I don't know where I saw the idea. I know Bonnie Hunter teaches the Scrap User's Method, and come to think of it, this may be where I first saw the idea all those years ago.
If you wanted to implement something similar, consider what sizes you use most often in your quilts. Personally, I chose 5" and 2.5" because there are tons of patterns out there for charm packs and jelly rolls. I chose 1.5" for the potential string quilt, and 2.5" and 3.5" because those are pretty common sizes that I use when I make quilts.
I used to cut my scraps into these units before starting the next project. I wish I could say I still had that kind of discipline! There is currently a huge pile of scraps waiting to be cut and sorted. Oops. I really should set aside a day to knock out the whole pile so it is no longer taking up space on my To Do list. If you want to come help, I'll provide pizza and wine. Let me know.
The only exception to this method is the Kona Snow bin. Those scraps get tossed in at whatever size is left over. This is the white background fabric I use in all my quilts so WOF cuts and larger cuts are nice to have on hand.
Anything larger than a fat eighth, gets folded and stacked on the shelf. In an effort to keep my fabric stash to a minimum, I am currently only keeping solids, and the occasional stripes. Anything else gets listed on my destash account for someone else to enjoy. My goal is for my entire fabric stash (scraps included) to fit on this IKEA bookshelf. If it starts to overflow, I know I need to do a better job of USING what I have before buying more.
Lastly, I have two large ziplock bags. One contains orphan blocks and the other contains leftover HSTs. I will eventually work the HSTs into a scrappy quilt. The orphan blocks would be good for small projects like zipper pouches, pillows, or FMQ practice.
I should also mention my batting scraps! After seeing how large this pile is getting, I should probably start using my batting scraps in my quilts this year. I have the size pinned to the top of the folded batting scrap. That way I can easily grab the piece (or pieces if I will need to attach them together) I need.
Do you have a scrap storage system, and what are you planning on doing with your scraps? If you have a scrappy project you are working on, let me know! I need inspiration.
If you are looking for ways to use up your scraps, look no further! My FREE Scrappy Valley Quilt pattern is perfect for this! You can download the pattern here!
Free Scrappy Valley Quilt Pattern
There is so much that goes into writing a pattern: coming up with the design, sketching it out in a design program, creating the step by step illustrations, writing the actual text, picking the perfect fabrics for the cover quilt, making the cover quilt, going back and editing the pattern, triple checking the math again, the list goes on...
After all that, the pattern gets sent to my testers. I can't even tell you how much I love this group of ladies and the time and effort they put into making the quilt top and giving me their feedback.
Once everyone sends their feedback, I print a new pattern draft and write down every single note. Here's what that looks like:
Not only do they make every pattern better, but they take it and put their own spin on it with their fabric selections. It is such a joy to watch their version come to life on Instagram and see their interpretations of my pattern.
In no particular order, here are the amazing quilts my testers made. If you are on Instagram, go follow them! Not only do they share stunning work, they are a joy to get to know!
Amanda (@broadclothstudio) made this one. I adore her fabric placement. Not using white as the background really changes the whole look. Also, her photo skills are on point!
Jo (@turtlequilterjo) used the perfect batik for the cornerstones. Also, her grandson is a fantastic quilt holder!
Jocelyn (@mgjbtx_quilts) made a stunning baby quilt soft gray and pink prints.
Laura (@lemcgregor) used a bold floral print that I love!
Jessica (@maeberrysquare) used purple as her background and outcome is bold and beautiful!
Amanda (@mandermakes) used a fun print as the background with coordinating greens and grays!
Keyana (@collectivequilts) has me ready for fall and a pumpkin spice latte with this beauty!
Please tag me in IG (@runningstitchquilts) if you make a Noughts and Crosses quilt so I can see your version too!
Noughts and Crosses is here!
The Noughts and Crosses pattern comes in 2 sizes: baby (36"x36") and small throw (54"x54"). It is perfect for beginners because you get to practice half square triangles, flying geese, and diamond in a square units. ;)
Naming patterns is my biggest struggle. I usually ask my husband because he is witty and clever, but he didn't have any suggestions for this one. So I took to Instagram to crowd-source a good name. One person said it reminded her of tic-tac-toe, and I thought that was fun! Then another person said it reminded her of noughts and crosses. To be honest, I had to look up what that was. It is what the English call tic-tac-toe! It was the clear winner for a pattern name!
This pattern is perfect for highlighting a fabric you LOVE by using it as the main fabric. Add in coordinating solids, and you have a stunning effect. You could also choose your favorite 4 color combination and create different effects with different color placement. Using a darker background also changes up the look of the quilt. A couple of my testers did that, and I'll share their photos on Thursday. The possibilities with this pattern are endless!
I made a sample of each size using solids. For the baby quilt, I used muted blues and grays. For the small throw quilt, I used brighter teals and yellows. I want to make a Christmas version too. Hmm...maybe I can get that done before Christmas this year...
Now for the photos. First up! The baby size.
I think this would be precious for a little boy.
I kept the quilting simple - just wavy lines spaced about an inch apart - so when it gets washed it will be soft and crinkly. Perfect for a baby.
It is only 36"x36" so it is a good size for tummy time or for keeping a kiddo warm in the stroller. One of my friends is pregnant and doesn't know what she is having. I'm secretly hoping it is a boy so I can send this to her. Shhhh. ;)
Next: the Small Throw size!
I love the brightness of the teals and yellows. The effect of the yellow was what I originally had in mind when I designed this quilt.
The quilting was done by Jill (J.Coterie Quilting) and ISNT.IT.AMAZING!?!
We worked together to pick this geometric design and I think it compliments the overall design perfectly. I have always been proud of the fact that I quilt my own quilts on my domestic machine (even it is just straight lines), but using a long-armer takes the quilt to an entirely new level. You can bet I will work with Jill again and again and again!
Seriously. It's so good!
Come back Thursday to see my testers version!
Introducing Square Burst!
My latest pattern is now available! I have been so, so excited about this one.
At the beginning of the year, I worked with a fabric designer to create a new quilt pattern for her new line of fabric (Curiosity by Sandra Clemons for Michael Miller Fabrics). This pattern had been sitting in my queue as next in line, so I was thrilled that she wanted to use it for her new fabric collection!
Unfortunately, I don't have many pictures of the original Square Burst quilt. I was working on a pretty tight timeline to get the finished quilt to her for lookbook photography, and I only snapped the cover photo before mailing it off. I wish I had had more time to take better photos because the fabric is adorable and this one picture really doesn't do it justice. [Update 8/23/2020: I took tons of pictures of this one and added them to the end of the post!]
Interestingly, this super scrappy version of the pattern wasn't the original idea I had designed. The fabric designer liked the scrappier mock up better, so that's the one I ultimately made. But I still couldn't get my first idea out of my head.
After the quilt was made and the pattern was written, I did some extra math and included a bonus page of TWO additional design variations: cornerstones (my original vision for this pattern) and minimalist (because who can resist a 2 color option!)
Each of the three design options can be made in baby, throw, or bed size. Because this a block based pattern, you can easily make a larger or smaller quilt by chaining the number of total block you make. Instructions are included for figuring out how many FQs you need based on the number of blocks you want to make. This pattern is so versatile. I just love it so much.
When I first started quilting, I eagerly jumped in with both feet. I almost immediately signed up for a "color of the month" stash builder club. Each month, 12 beautiful 1/2 yard cuts would arrive in my mailbox that I would lovingly fold and place on a shelf to admire.
I imagined having one of those beautiful sewing studios with a wall of perfectly stacked FQs arranged in rainbow order to pull from whenever I wanted to make a new quilt. Makes sense, right?
Wrong.
There were several things wrong with this approach (for me).
The fabrics I was getting in the stash builder boxes were full of novelty prints that I don't use. They are cute and fun, and I held on to them because I might have the "perfect project someday". But, I've come to realize, unless specifically requested by a client, I'm never going to reach for those kinds of fabrics. It's just not my style.
My style is still evolving and changing. The fabrics or colors I'm choosing right now will probably be different next year. Even though it is fun to look at, my small stash is taking up space we don't have a ton of and will just have to pack up and move again (thanks, Army).
The "stash builder" buys new fabric collections as they are released, buys basics and blenders to have a variety of fabrics to mix and match for any project, and (probably) has the wall of beautifully stacked FQs.
The "project purchaser" buys a pattern (or creates one), determines how much fabric is needed, and purchases that amount. This quilter may have a small stash of basics and blenders and/or a scrap fabric system, but generally buys what she needs when she needs it.
I'm the second.
It didn't make sense for me to have a stash (however small) of fabrics I was probably never going to use because I was buying what I wanted when I needed it.
I'm using more solids than prints these days.
With pattern writing, I've found that it's better to make the cover quilts with solids so the pattern stays relevant. Using a fabric line that won't be available in 6 months could make the pattern look outdated, or frustrate a quilter who wanted to make the cover quilt but can't because that fabric is no longer available.
In the scenario where I pictured a wall of beautifully stacked FQs arranged in rainbow order, I'm imagining a forever house. One that won't be packed up, moved across the country, and then rearranged into a new house that may or may not have the same space or layout.
My husband is in the Army so we get to move every 1 to 3 years. Someday we will have a forever house, but until then, I need to part with the fabric I know I won't use so it is one less thing to pack, move, or store.
I created a destash page.
These fabrics are fun and beautiful and someone who will actually use them should have them! I'm getting rid of almost everything at ridiculously low prices, so feel free to take a look around and see if there is anything you want or need for your next project! There are also some good stash builders in there if that's more your style too. ;)
Tell me, are you a stash builder or a project purchaser?
Read more: Click here to read about my fabric scrap storage system
Pressing is one of the unsung heroes of quilting. A nicely pressed seam improves the accuracy of the quilt block and helps the whole quilt top lay flatter. Many of the quilters I am friends with on Instagram started raving about a wool pressing mat recently. So I bought one to try for myself.
Ive been using it for a couple of weeks now, and I have to say, I love it. I can’t imagine going back to pressing HSTs or flying geese without it.
Last week, I asked my IG stories what questions you had about the wool pressing mats. Here are the most common questions I got:
- Yes. Without question. Below is an example of an HST pressed on my ironing board and my wool pressing mat only pressed on one side for a few seconds.
- Again, yes. Due to the way the wool traps the heat, it’s like the seam gets pressed from both sides at once. So, I no longer need to take the extra time/step to flip the block and press from the other side.
- The only time I thought I detected a faint odor was during a marathon pressing session when the heat/moisture from the iron kind of built up in the mat. As soon as as the mat cooled off, the faint odor went away. It also didn't affect my fabric in any way. I have had more marathon pressing sessions since then, and haven't noticed any more weird smells after that first time. It definitely doesn’t stink up the room or anything.
- Nope, I do not. I have not had any problems with color transfer or any adverse reactions to my fabric while using the mat. I would hesitate to cover the mat with something that would block or hinder the advantages of using a wool pressing mat in the first place.
- I currently have mine sitting on top of my pressing board or ironing board so I haven’t had to worry about that. I have noticed that the heat goes all the way through the mat so I wouldn’t use it on my dining room table or surface I cared about without something underneath just in case. Below is a picture of my current set up. Ironing board as a base and extra "table" space. My wool mat sits on top of my homemade pressing board (just because I don't have anywhere else to put that pressing board and it makes a nice carrying tray to move from room to room).
- Mine is 14"x14". In a perfect world, I would have an amazing sewing studio with a huge pressing station, but I don't have that just yet. I need something that is portable (sometimes I do my pressing upstairs where my sewing machine is and sometimes I do it downstairs hanging out with my family), yet big enough to accommodate the size of the majority of blocks that I make. This size fits the bill for that. With my mat sitting on my ironing board, I have pressed an entire throw size quilt top easily. Just scooted things along as needed.
- I teamed up with Project Wool Mats to give you a 10% off coupon code!
Any questions I didn't answer? Leave me a comment and I'll answer them for you!
This post includes affiliate links. It doesn't cost you anything to click them, but I might earn a few cents if you do. Thanks for supporting Running Stitch Quilts!
When I first found out I was pregnant, I immediately started thinking of how I was going to use her clothes in a quilt.
Would I do a square patchwork quilt? Would I make it big enough to use the graphics on the clothes? Would I make it small enough to hang on the wall? Surely, I wouldn't want to use such a quilt, right? What clothes would make the cut as special enough to save?
That last question was where I started. I decided pretty early on, within the first month, that I would only save the "monthly picture" outfits for a special quilt. Then, I didn't give it much more thought after that. I figured, at some point, the right idea would present itself.
And after a while it did. I was scrolling through instagram and came across the Down Memory Lane quilt by Aqua Paisley. I knew instantly that would be the pattern I used for my daughters first year mini. I filed the idea away until I had time to work on it.
Well....at the beginning of this year, my husband and I found out I was pregnant again! Suddenly, I felt the urge to finally get all the first first year projects done for our daughter (who is now two and a half). That baby book is also sitting unfinished. Oops!
I downloaded the pattern, grabbed the onesies from my cedar chest, and got started. Start to finish, this only took me a week. I had been in a quilting funk, and this was the perfect project to light that spark again.
I arranged the clothes in order from the outfit she came home from the hospital in to the twelve month photo.
I knew I wanted to frame this with a collage of the monthly photos, so I knew I needed to keep it small. Luckily, the hearts finish at 3" so the entire mini is a 16" square. The downside to the small size was the pieces were too small to include any of the cute graphics from the onesies. If I were to make this again, I would use the cut out the graphics and make a patchwork backing. Though, I'm not too worried that I didn't do that because the quilt is framed and no one would ever see it.
As a fun touch, I used one of the fabrics in her baby quilt as the backing. I love how the two tie together even if I'm the only one who knows it's there.
Instead of a traditional quilt binding, I opted for a faced binding. It finishes this mini quilt perfectly.
I used this website to have a 16"x16" photo printed. They had amazingly fast production and shipping. I think I had my photo within a week. (That's not sponsored or anything, I just had a good experience!).
When the photo arrived, I took everything to Hobby Lobby for framing. I cannot be happier with out it turned out.
We hung it at the entry to our stairs so I can see it from almost anywhere I'm sitting in our house (we have one of those open layouts in this house). I often find myself staring at it because I'm obsessed with it.
I love this as a keepsake as my kid(s) get older. I can't wait to make one for baby girl #2. Hopefully, I get it done before she is 2 and a half though. :)
Half Square Triangles (HSTs) are the most basic of quilt blocks. It is one of those buildings blocks in quilting. Once you master this one, it opens up a whole new world of blocks to make. I’m just guessing here based on my own experience, but it is probably one of the first quilt blocks attempted after a 4-patch.
There are many, many ways to make an HST. They can be made 1 at a time, 2 at a time, 4 at a time, 8 at a time, on a roll, with the perfect HST paper method, etc. Today, I’m going to focus on the 4 at a time method because it is the method I used to make HSTs in my two latest quilt patterns (Eternally Yours and Square Burst).
The upside to this method is that it makes 4 HST at a time. The downside is that it yields units with bias edges which make the blocks more prone to stretching and distortion. But, don’t let that scare you. That is nothing a little starch and light handling can’t solve.
An HST is two right triangles of contrasting colors/fabrics in a square. Because the final result is a square, these can be made in any size needed. The handy reference sheet includes a chart with common sizes and the math formula if you want to calculate your own.
To get started, you need your two contrasting fabric squares, a rotary cutter, and pins (if you use them).
Take your squares and place them right sides together. You can pin them in place if you would like, but I find that I don’t need to.
Sew a 1/4” seam down one edge. Tip: I like to chain piece these by sewing the first edge of all units at a time.
Sew a 1/4” seam down the second edge. I like to sew the opposite side next. I have found that it helps prevent the top square from shifting. (I should have used a contrasting thread that was easier to see, but I didn't think about it until this very moment.)
Continue sewing a 1/4” seam around the remaining edges.
I sew all the way to the edges so my seams overlap at the corners. This is a non-issue once you cut it apart.
When all 4 sides have been sewn together, it’s time to head to the cutting table. If you have a rotating cutting mat, it is especially helpful in this step. Line up your ruler from corner to corner and make a cut.
Before moving the pieces, rotate your mat (or carefully rotate the squares) to make another cut from the opposite corners like shown.
You now have 4 HST units!
Press seams open or the side - whichever you prefer - but be careful to lift the iron in an up and down motion to prevent distortion of the blocks.
They come out a little bit to allow you to trim them down to the appropriate size.
That’s it! You’re finished!
Yep, I have a few final thoughts for you:
Download your reference guide, grab some fabric from your stash, and get sewing!
Eternally Yours in available in my shop!
While I released this pattern on Wednesday, I'm just sharing more about it now. I usually like to have this post ready to go when the pattern is available, but like all things with the pattern release, nothing went according to plan!
Right after I sent this pattern off to the testers, I found out I was pregnant! Right after I found out I was pregnant, I lost the will to do anything other than sleep. As much as I wanted to meet my original release date of Valentine's Day, I'm okay with having waited. I would rather things be done well, then quickly.
The Eternally Yours Pattern is available is three sizes: baby, throw, and bed. It has fabric requirements and layouts for two design options in each size: a minimalist, and a scrappy design. Here are some mock ups of the throw size in each of the designs.
Design 1: Minimalist - one color/fabric is used for the X's and one fabric/color is used for the O's.
Design 2: Scrappy - this option uses fat quarters, and each FQ makes 2 X's and 2 O's for a fun variety.
This quilt design actually started as a commissioned quilt I was making for a customer. I took the concept I created for her, and tweaked it to match my personal aesthetic a little better, and that is how Eternally Yours was born.
The cover quilt uses a variety of Kona Solids from Robert Kaufman. I used Blush Pink, Deep Rose, Sangria, Pomegranate, Cerise, Ruby, Rich Red, Wine, Crimson, Berry, and Garnet. The background is my go to, Kona Snow.
I quilted this one with straight line quilting about 1.5 inches apart. Straight line quilting is my favorite. It never gets old, and it looks good on everything!
And now, here are my testers versions. They did an amazing job!
Linda (@txquiltgal) made a fun scrappy throw size! I adore the fabrics she used.
Jen (@oneblessedmamaquilts) also did a scrappy throw in colors that make me excited for spring.
Mandi (@mandipersell) made a striking minimalist baby quilt. I can't get enough of the teal feature sashing she used!
April (@aprilgracequilts) made a scrappy baby size in calming, muted colors.
Jessica (@maeberrysquare) also went for the minimalist option in baby size. The pink and purple combo is a beauty!
