Our First Quilt Square

Our first quilt square is a very easy square. I'm sure that it has a name, but i have no idea just what it might be.

For your quilt...don't think that you will have to get all of your fabric at once. If you can choose a color sceme and keep that in mind throughout the process then you will be fine. I have chosen to do very bright tropical colors. I got the fabric in this first square when I was in Kingman last month. I look for sales (Joanne's has their fat quarters on sale right now for $1) and buy lots and lots of fat quarters. The only big piece of fabric that you will need for this project is the back and you won't need that for awhile...but if you see something that you like in the coming months...then, by all means...get it. I would buy 3 yards of backing fabric. That way you will have pleanty to work with and you may even want to work a little of it into your top. If you have any questions along the way, please let me know and I will help however I can.

Here we go..........

You will need a light, medium, and dark piece of fabric. ..(example...white, grey, and black)... your light, med, and dark fabrics can be the same color (lt blue, med blue, dk blue)...use what you like. Believe me...you will want to work on something that you like as opposed to something you don't.

Cut 3 strips of fabric...one from each...4.5" x 12.5"

Arrange them lt to dark...here my medium can read either as a medium or a light, depending on where the print is.

Sew along the 12.5" at 1/4"...lite to med, med to dark...

...no back tacking at either end...this will make it easier when the squares are sewn together...

When trimming your threads, leave a 1/2", or so. This will help keep your stitching from coming undone...remember...no back tacking...

Next, press your seams as sewn to "set" them...

...and then press them all one way...no pressing open here...

...a little hard to see here, but the seams are all pressed the same way...

Flip your square over give it one more good pressing...don't pull on it...just press it...you don't want to stretch it...and...

..............Your First Square is Finished...........

This square will be able to go either horizontal or vertical...if you are using one way prints (stripes, fish...you don't want them swimming upside down...) make sure that they are going the way that you want them to. This may require a little upside down thinking on your part when doing your cutting.

Good luck and I look forward to seeing the progress that each of you are making;)

Here's my Pincushion

I hope that all of you will be participating in our little crafting expedition this year. I hope that through this blog we will all grow closer and have a good time. Every one's, input is welcome;)

So for January, our project is a pincushion. We all need one if we're going to do any kind of crafting with fabric. Leslie must have been inspired to come up with this project. There are tons of ideas on the web, so if you can't come up with an idea of your own then check out the links that Les has offered, or you might know of some of your own. Have fun and good luck;)


Here's the pincushion that I chose to make. It took me less than an hour start to finish. It takes 15 - 2.5" squares. Five light, mine are pink; five medium, brown with pink flowers; and five dark, brown with pink swirls; one button; some fiberfill; and embroidery floss to tie button on.


Take a look and

tell me what you think:)

I put my pincushion in the show and the color looks different than it really is...

The color is better in this picture, but there's a shadow from the grapevine on the right side. The button is abalone and just a little smaller than a quarter.

That will give you an idea of the size of my pincushion...a little on the big side, but that's OK with me;)

...and here are a couple of side views......

I'm happy with the way it turned out and was surprised that it was as easy as it was.

Looking forward to seeing what each of you come up with.

Pin Cushions

For January we are doing a pin cushion for our craft. As we are going to be sewing a lot we will all need one of these handy tools and as Karen says, "You can never have enough pin cushions."

Pin cushion:

Parameters for the pin cushion: Have fun and make one that you like and fits your personality! If you want more direction here are a few that I found that are pretty simple.

http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2008/09/pin-cushion.html
http://www.purlbee.com/very-easy-pincushions/
http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2007/06/tiny-pin-cushion-tutorial.html
http://www.bhg.com/crafts/sewing/accessories/patchwork-pincushion/

Another idea is to take strips of fleece roll them up and glue the edge to the outside.*use scraps if you have them*

Happy New Year!

Happy 2009! So hopefully you all got the email that Karen sent out and those that haven't accepted their invitation to our blog will do so soon! We were thinking this would be fun a good way to keep up on crafting and we can each make at least one blanket per year. As the email said we are doing a craft and a block of the month each month.

I have created a flickr group for us to post our pix so we can all see each others projects! Go visit: www.flickr.com/groups/craftingoverthemiles/

Make sure you keep your scraps as you will probably use them in another project down the road!!! Just get a basket when they are on sale and keep your scraps in there.

Remember that the blocks you do through out the year are for the same quilt so pick coordinating fabrics.