Do you know that March is Nationwide Quilting Month? It’s a factor! To have fun, I’m sharing a fast star mini quilt free sample and quilting ideas. This mini quilt has a traditional Ribbon Star (or Morning Star) quilt block design, however the development methodology is tremendous easy AND will eradicate plenty of pointless seams, giving your patchwork a clear, graphic look. This could additionally work for an excellent 18″ x 18″ pillow cowl.
A few years in the past I designed a this mini quilt sample for a quilt alongside. Final 12 months it was featured in Quilts and Extra Journal and now I wish to make it simply out there to all of you, my readers right here!
This quilt can tackle plenty of completely different appears – from fashionable to conventional – primarily based on the material that you simply select. I’ve made a number of completely different variations of the Star Brilliant mini quilt together with the unique with navy and grey solids and a impartial blossom background:
one with my Notting Hill material assortment
and that is the most recent model made with the Riley Blake assortment Buttermilk Homestead.
Isn’t it superb how completely different material types or colours change the entire really feel of a quilt? If you happen to’re in search of tips about selecting material for a quilt, go right here.
This Nationwide Quilting Month free mini quilt sample is sponsored by Child Lock Stitching Machines. I’ve been working and stitching with Child Lock stitching machines for a few years. They’ve an enormous vary of machines for each want, ability stage or price range. I’ve received some useful tips about the best way to discover the suitable stitching machine for you.
(POST EDIT: There was a minor mistake within the reducing directions. The above hyperlink has the up to date sample to obtain. The up to date model might be titled Star Brilliant Mini Quilt UPDATE.)
Quilt Block Suggestions and Tips
This quilt sample options two primary and tremendous helpful quilt blocks: the 4-in-one Flying Geese blocks and Sq. in a Sq. blocks. The entire material necessities and reducing directions are within the printable quilt sample.
Making 4 Flying Geese blocks without delay is considered one of my favourite quilting brief cuts. Listed below are photographs of the step-by-step course of for the pastel quilt model above.
All of those steps are within the printable sample. If you happen to’d like extra step-by-step photographs of the course of of constructing 4-in-one Flying Geese blocks take a look at this publish right here. There’s additionally a printable chart for making flying geese blocks in a number of sizes.
Sq. in a sq. blocks are one other considered one of my favourite quilt blocks. Listed below are some useful ideas for making these versatile blocks.
Middle the lengthy fringe of two of the smaller triangles on reverse sides of the middle sq. and stitch in place utilizing a ¼″ seam. (Use a precise ¼″ seam allowance. This is without doubt one of the very uncommon instances I don’t suggest a scant ¼″ as a result of it could make your block barely too massive and your seam allowance width on the high of every level of the within sq. might find yourself too small. )
Useful ideas:
to ensure the that your triangles are centered, fold the lengthy edge in half and make a bit of crease together with your finger nail on the heart. Do the identical on all 4 sides of the middle sq.. Match up crease marks to simply heart the triangle.
Press seams towards the skin triangles. Trim dog-ears overhanging the sq..
Chain Piecing is a good time-saver while you’re making a number of of the identical blocks. You’ll be able to even press the primary set of triangles open earlier than trimming the threads and the overhanging triangle ideas.
Repeat the method with the remaining 2 triangles, urgent seams towards the skin
Discover the middle and thoroughly sq. up the block to three ½″ x 3 ½″ by trimming equally on all 4 sides. (Watch out to go away a ¼″ for seam allowance at every level.)
(These sq. in a sq. blocks are the idea of a standard Economic system Block. Yow will discover a tutorial for Economic system Blocks right here.)
What’s “Squaring Up”?
Each the Flying Geese and Sq. in a Sq. blocks on this quilt require trimming extra material to ‘square-up’ the block to the precise measurement. Don’t skip this step!
Squaring up the parts of a quilt block might seem to be an additional effort however it can make an enormous distinction within the accuracy of your piecing. Triangle ideas will overhang the skin edges of the sq..
I used the Child Lock Crescendo for piecing these blocks. This has been considered one of Child Lock’s high of the road stitching and quilting machines. It was lately changed by the brand new and improved Child Lock Refrain machine.
After your entire parts (flying geese and sq. in a sq. blocks) are pieced, observe the structure within the sample to stitch them collectively.
(Cloth on this model is Dawn by Fan Gulick.)
When stitching the blocks collectively, chances are you’ll wish to press the seams open as there’s some bulk alongside the seams the place the star factors intersect. Usually I’m a press seams to the aspect form of lady, however since this can be a mini quilt it gained’t be getting as a lot folding put on and tear as a bigger quilt and fewer bulk at these intersections will make it simpler to quilt.
Machine Quilting and Ending
After you mini quilt high is pieced, put together a backing material that’s a minimum of 22″ x 22″ and create a quilt sandwich with the backing piece, right-side dealing with down, a chunk of 20″ x 20″ batting, and 18″ x 18″ quilt high piece dealing with up.
Safe them along with security pins or adhesive spray baste earlier than you quilt the layers.
This tutorial on getting ready for Machine Quilting walks by the method of the best way to baste your layers collectively and the best way to quilt the three layers together with your stitching machine. Most vital – at all times begin in the course of the quilt and work in the direction of the skin edges.
There are many choices for quilting with your property machine. Mini quilts are a GREAT undertaking to observe machine quilting as a result of they’re small and simpler to maneuver. Some choices you might strive:
Straight Traces – I like how they offer a extremely fashionable look to the quilt.
Use the pieced shapes as a information. Right here I used the diagonal traces of the celebrities factors and did straight line quilting ¼″ away from the seams.
Mini quilts are additionally nice for training free movement quilting. There are some nice tutorials and tips about free movement quilting right here. I quilted the Buttermilk Homestead mini quilt with the swirly embroidery design a part of the Blue Tiles system from Kimberbell Designs.
Bind the quilt. Mini quilts are additionally nice for training completely different binding strategies. You’ll be able to learn The way to End (Bind) a Quilt right here.
Making a Pillow
If you want to make your quilt high into an 18″ x 18″ pillow, quilt the highest, batting and backing (be at liberty to make use of muslin or a left over piece of scrap material (as it is going to be hidden contained in the pillow). This tutorial will present you a straightforward methodology for making a again for any measurement pillow.
And there you go! An excellent enjoyable and quick mini-quilt ability builder. Excellent for taking part in with material combos, sprucing your quilt block piecing, or experimenting with new quilting types. If you happen to missed the hyperlink above you may:
If downloading from DropBox offers you issues, you may obtain from Google Drive right here.
If you happen to make one I’d like to see it! Tag me on social media @diaryofaquilter and/or use the hashtag #StarBrightMiniQuilt
Huge thanks once more to Child Lock Stitching Machines for sponsoring this free sample. Child Lock has a number of particular promotions on new stitching and quilting machines this month.
Pleased Nationwide Quilting Month!
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