Category Archives: Quilting Rulers

Scrappy Sunscreen


Old (… cringe …) blocks put to use at last.

Oh what was I thinking! Where did these fabrics come from? I must have ‘acquired’ them some how, way, way, waaay back on this patchwork quilting journey.

I do remember using them to learn this technique, but obviously put the blocks aside in the depths of the stash. Not letting them go to waste, they made another piece for quilting decisions.

No, the corner points where the blocks meet don’t match and the blocks were not even the same size! Some creative ‘fudging’ was needed to put it together.

Although the main block has a strong visual look, I decided to quilt in the secondary ‘square’ pattern using Westalee’s ‘Spin-e-fex’ Quilting ruler. That would hold down the strip piecing seams. With so many mismatched colours perhaps a variegated thread would make a good choice. It was okay but the quilting got lost, so an echo in a solid colour helped make it pop out a bit more.

That left the centres of each block and the myriad of seams where the blocks join together. The Westalee ‘Stepping Out – Yin & Yang’ ruler made this part quick and easy.

Oh, and UFO #5 for 2019 is finished!

So why is it called ‘Scrappy Sunscreen’? Our car is also getting on in years, made before windows included UV protection for the interior. The back window ledge is exposed to fading, so not only does this provide protection but it helps find the car in the supermarket car park!

Yes it too will fade over time, and who knows what it’s next use will be – perhaps as a pet blanket?

RobynsPatch

Snuggle and Read

It’s ‘Hearty’

One of my book club friends had a significant birthday, so of course a small lap quilt was the go! Just the thing to snuggle up with a good book during these cold winter months.

’Pink’ is her favourite colour, and with that start, it was off to the stash to find – luckily – enough fabrics for the task. As the birthday was imminent, it needed to be a quick simple design. Squares and rectangles lend themselves to chain piecing for a fast sew of a pattern, easy done!

‘Snuggle and Read’ a quilt for Jo’s birthday (bookclub)

Stitching in the ditch to anchor the blocks, mmmm …, okay but needs more than that to give it another level of ‘looking’.

What quilting would suit, and which quilting rulers to use – just love this part of the process – is the challenge. Two Westalee Rulers, the small arc template and the heart template fit like a glove.

Heart template

Quilting pattern of arcs and hearts

RobynsPatch

‘Rail Fence’ quilting

Fences and Clamshells …

I love using domestic machine quilting rulers and get to play with them on charity quilts. At Essendon Quilters, we have a program called ‘Quilts for Others’ that supports many people in the community both near and far.

I choose to participate by doing the quilting, as it challenges the decision-making process. What design would suit a quilt, or how can I use a particular ruler on a quilt.

A ‘rail fence’ patchwork pattern easily lends itself to walking foot quilting. Thinking outside the ‘square’ opens up limitless options, as there is no right or wrong way to quilt any quilt.

So for this little quilt, it’s clamshells! This time it’s with ‘Yutien’ rulers.

QFO ‘Rail Fence’ showing the clamshell pattern.

‘Yutien’ clamshell quilting ruler.

 

‘Yutien’ wave quilting ruler used to create a ‘ropey’ border pattern.

Back showing the overall clamshell pattern.

Lots of fun, quick progress and keeps the brain active too!

RobynsPatch

Sweet Things

One way to use up ‘left-over’ fabric.

A while back an inspiration for tackling the pile of fabric scraps came from “Successful Scrap Quilts from Simple Rectangles’ by Judy Turner and Margaret Rolfe.

‘Successful Scrap Quilts’ by Judy Turner and Margaret Rolfe.

Decisions, decisions – made easy. From then on it’s cutting ALL ‘left-overs’ into 4.5″ x 2.5″ pieces no matter what! Time is too short to cut up bits in lots of different sizes for different projects – after all, the originals have already been used in a quilt.

‘Successful Scrap Quilts’ by Judy Turner and Margaret Rolfe.

There are lots of ways to sew the units together, especially if Bonnie Hunter’s technique is used – sew a patch as you sew-off from a previous one. A fun way to make scrap quilts. So ‘Sweet Things’ is one of them.

‘Sweet Things’ made from scraps.

These four blocks are each made up of 6 units (3 patches in a unit) and have been extended with the plain strip to make it large enough for a baby-sized charity quilt. Now at 24″ x 28″, it meets the requirements for a ‘hospital give-away’ via my guild.

‘Sweet Things’ quilting.

Quilting is with Westalee’s‘Simple Circles’ 1″ circle and Hobby Quilt’s ‘Wave & Scallop’. Makes for a lovely design.

‘Sweet Things’ back.

And there’s more … UFO #3 for 2019 is finished!

RobynsPatch