I am moving right along with my Merry Little Christmas 4 Patch Quilt...Gracious BE!  I love this fabric line so much! 

How about YOU?

I decided to assembly line sew the 4 Patches to the white fabric strip and then cut them apart after I filled a strip up...I was able to attach 6-4 Patches to the strip with a small seperation between each one to allow for an accurate squaring up.  

After stitching the 4 Patch onto the strip...I took it to my ironing station...I pressed to set the seam and then pressed the seam allowance towards the 4 patches...it just seemed like the ease of construction at this point...so I went with it.  My thought process in quilting is to press towards the direction of the area that will produce the FLATEST end result.  

Ensuring that your blocks lay FLAT...is first and foremost important in quilt construction...when adding sashing in between the blocks or rows of blocks also requires that area to lay FLAT after you have pressed it.  

If for some reason your blocks or rows do NOT lay flat after pressing...your problem is directly THERE.  Do not move on thinking you will "quilt it out" or your long armer will "quilt it out"...because this is not the case.

Just some "food for thought".

Here you will see a close up of one of my 4 Patches sewn onto the sashing strip and then squared up to make it pretty pretty pretty.  It's a plan...and it works so darn GREAT!  

Just a little reminder...I wait to "square up" my blocks to the sashing strip AFTER they are press towards the 4 patches as this will provide you with the most accurate squaring up results.

I have been using this method for accurate block and sashing construction for nearly 20 years...and I really like the finished end results I get.

Give it a try...

Let me know what you think!

Quilt ON!

Kathleen

After doing a little lurking around on the internet...I stumbled across this cute little pattern layout (for FREE) designed by Andy Knowlton and it was simply PERFECT for my 12-Half Yard Cuts.  It wasn't necessary for me to reinvent the wheel so to speak, by writing my own pattern when this one was spot on!

Here is where I found the pattern layout...www.abrightcorner.com

Be sure to check it out!

I started off by making my scrappy 4 patch units shown above...I made 63 of them!  And Boy Howdy...did they whip up quicker than one would think!  There was mindless sewing happening here...only paying slight attention to not having two of the SAME fabric prints in one 4 Patch Unit.

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!

In case your wondering...I have a nice little stack of leftovers from each of my 12-Half Yard Cuts to make something else that will definetly make my little heart sing!  My mind is already in overtime!

Check back later to see what happens next...

Quilt ON!

Kathleen

The Christmas Holiday may be over...and the decorations all packed up and put away...well...except for my Super Cute Vintage Holiday Christmas Quilt that still adorns my Master Bedroom and the Santa Face Pillowcases too!  I am hanging onto the Holiday Spirit for just a few more days...or weeks...or...

I digress!

As the Holiday winds down...I had decided I needed to take a quick inventory of my "things"...and when I say "things"  I am really referring to my Fabric Stash and UFO's!

Gracious BE!  How did I manage to aquire so much?  I am gonna stick to the fact that I have been sewing/quilting and embroidering for over 40 years.  I call it a "lifestyle"...and it makes me Happy Happy Happy!

Let's go with that!

Any who...I was taking that well needed inventory and organizing my projects for 2021 when I spotted this adorable fabric line I had purchased years ago called "A Merry Little Christmas" by Zoe Pearn for Riley Blake...it dates back to 2013!  I simply chose it by the beautiful color way it had...and the super cute Trees and Snowmen Motif didn't hurt it at all!

I have 12-half yard cuts...as shown in this picture above...just perfect for a sweet "Merry Little Christmas" Quilt...so let's get started!

The FIRST thing I did...was actually the same thing I always do when I start a new project...and that is to cut off all the selvages from the 12 different fabrics and snap shot them here! 

Isn't it just fabulous?

Well yes Kathleen...it is!

YEP...I talk to myself...sometimes I even answer myself!

It's OK...we're in quarantine...STILL!

Check back with me as I move forward with my FIRST project for the year 2021 and see what comes next!

Quilt ON!

Kathleen

The year 2020 brought us some unpleasant times...some would even say...down right NASTY!

I would agree!

During this major "home alone"  life style I remained creative...it's all I really know what to do to occupy my mind.  

Christmas Ornaments have been one of my favorite things to make...using my Embroidery Machine...Matilda Jane!  She just never disappoints with her super fabulous stitch outs.

Todays Ornament design is from Embroidery Boutique...called "Merry and Bright"...I really love the combination of a applique and simple embroidery it has!  I chose the smallest 4x4 size to make this adorable Farmhouse looking Christmas Ornament!

Who doesn't love them some Farmhouse Decor these days?

WIN WIN!

Kathleen