Indoor Gardening

     I'm doing a little indoor gardening with fabric.  This project will be published as part of a ruler program later, but I'm giving you a sneak peek.  If you would like to do a little test sewing, make a flower or two.  Let me know how you feel about the project in the comments section.  I would love your feedback.

     You are going to need a 60 Degree Ruler for this project.  The formal instructions will also require a Hexagon Trim Tool.  If you have one dust it off you are going to enjoy using it!  If you don't have one, I have a little cheat for you to make a paper template until you can get out of the house and buy a hexagon ruler.  I know you are going to want one.  There are lots of fun ways to use it.

Meanwhile gather up some fabric scraps in greens and flower colors.  I do mean scraps!  You will need a variety of fabrics cut into 1 1/2" strips from 2" to 6" long.  Scraps are perfect.  The more fabrics the merrier but you can get away with as few as 5 shades of a color for each flower.   

Now about that hexagon template.  

1. You are going to need a regular sheet of paper, a pencil, your 60 degree ruler and rotary cutting supplies.  Make sure you have a SIXTY DEGREE ruler.  That's the one that is equal on all three sides.
2. Fold the paper in half.  Measure 3 1/4" from the FOLD and cut a paper strip as shown.
3. Place the 3" line on the edge OPPOSITE the fold, centered on the paper.  Draw a line on each side of the triangle.  The clipped point will NOT reach the fold as shown.

4.  Rotate the ruler and place a POINTED corner (not the flat tip) against the line you have drawn, placing the point on the edge of the paper opposite the fold.  Cut the angle as shown on each side of the drawn triangle.

5. Unfold the paper.

You may want to make one more template before we are ready to sew.

     Each flower starts with a pentagon in the center.  Pentagons have 5 sides.  We want the pentagons to have wonky sides for a more natural look.  The easiest way to make your template is to draw a star, the way you did in elementary school.  The center of your star is a pentagon!  Cut out the center shape.  This will be the template for the center of each flower.  If you are comfortable cutting this shape freehand there is no need to make a template.

The good news is that we don't want all of the sides of the pentagon to be equal.  

If yours is a bit wonky - it is perfect!
If you use freezer paper for this template, you can press the waxy side to the fabric and it will stick.  That makes it easier to cut out the shape.

To make a flower, cut the center fabric using the template. Stitch a scrap strip to one side of the center pentagon.  Press the seam toward the strip.  Trim one end of the strip using the edge of the pentagon as your guide.

Now add a second strip to the trimmed edge. Press and trim one edge. 

     Repeat the process, adding a strip and trim, working your way around the center pentagon in the same way you would make a log cabin block.  Trimming only one side helps you to stay organized and know where to add the strip especially if you decide to make several blocks at one time.

     Once you have added fabric to all five sides, trim the block into a wonky pentagon shape.  Notice that the sides of the new shape are not parallel to the center pentagon.  Just trim, no template required.  My goal was to not have any of the sides be a perfect 90 degrees to help the flowers look more natural.

     I used the places where the strips intersect to help guide me with the trimming.  There is no right or wrong here.  Even if your pentagon turns into an octagon, just trim and keep adding  rounds of strips until the flower is larger than the paper template or the 6" hexagon on the ruler.  Trimming after each round makes it easier to stay organized.  

With all the trimming you are going to create some very pretty trash.  

Remember, you are using up scrap fabric.

If you are a SERIOUS saver, these pieces might be the beginning of a collage quilt!

     Once your flower is a bit larger than the size needed, use the ruler or the template to cut it to size.  To trim with the ruler, cut two sides, rotate the ruler and align the markings on the ruler with the trimmed edges.  Trim two more sides, repeat until all sides are trimmed.  If you are using the paper template, either mark the trim lines on the fabric or hold a rotary ruler against the paper edge to trim.  Be careful not to cut the paper and change the size of your pattern.

One flower finished! 

You will need 7 finished flowers for the table topper.

There is nothing wrong with perfect hexagon shaped flowers, but for that "art school graduate" look, feel free to clip a few corners with green fabric to make things look a little more natural.

(Or to fill in a gap if something went wrong when trimming ; )

Now for some leaves.

     I thought it would be more fun to make them scrappy!  I like the scrappy look, but I do have to admit that it adds considerable bulk to the seams where the triangles meet.  For the pieced leaves, I stitched 1" and 1 1/4" strips together to form a strip set 3 1/2" wide.  Using the 60 degree triangle I cut 12 triangles from the 3 1/2" wide pieced strip.  If you have trouble stitching through bulky layers, I suggest that you cut 12 solid green leaves from a 3 1/2" fabric strip. 

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

     Arrange your flowers and leaves in a hexagon as shown below.  Twist and turn the pieced leaves to create random movement in your garden.  When you are happy with the arrangement, begin sewing units together as shown.  Then join the units together in rows.  If you press all the seams toward the leaves, they will "nest" as you sew the units together.  This is a decorative table topper that won't get much laundering so if you feel better pressing the seams open, that works too.

Even with the extra bulk of the pieced leaves, 

look how well the corners meet when you use the right tools!

A bit of bulk is nothing that a nice straight seam and a good quality steam iron can't handle!

The competed top measures approximately 18" side-to-side or 21" point-to-point.

That's a bit small for our large square coffee table, so I added a dark green border cut 3 1/2".

After some simple machine quilting I may decide to trim that down.  But for now, it's perfect.

It's always easier to trim to make something smaller than to add-on after the project is quilted.

The top of our hexagon garden is complete!

If you prefer a long thin runner, simply make more flowers and make the rows longer.

If you decide to do a little indoor gardening, please post a photo in the comments section!

If you have comments on what you liked or didn't like about making the flowers 

I would love to hear that too.

Enjoy!

I was cleaning up my sewing room earlier today and came across a few "orphan" blocks from another project.  Normally I toss these blocks into what I call Area 51.  That place where all UFO's land.  

Instead of adding to the overflowing pile, I decided to make a runner for my new kitchen using the Perfect Rectangle Ruler.  This ruler is excellent for turning ho-hum blocks into interesting shapes.

First, I had to enlarge the blocks to a more suitable size.  I suggest a 12" finished block for this project.  I added white triangles to set the blocks on point.  Here's a tip:  Clean your iron before sewing with white fabric!  I wish I had ; )

To fit a 12" finished block you will need Perfect Rectangles cut from a 6 1/2" strip of the background fabric in your block and another set cut from fabric for the outer edge of the runner.  The fabric should be folded, the way it came off the bolt, so that you are cutting 2 pieces at the same time.  Those pieces will be mirror imaged.  Make the first cut, rotate the ruler and make the second cut.  Don't forget to trim those tiny clipped corners.  You will be happy you did when you stitch these pieces together.

Once you have the pieces cut from both the background fabric and the fabric for the outer edge, stitch the triangles into Perfect Rectangles.  Then stitch those units together, matching the ends that are background fabric. Make 12 units.

Stitch these to the top and bottom edge of your center block.

Remember, the center block can be ANY 12" finished quilt block

or even a single square of beautiful fabric.

Now add border fabric squares to each end of the remaining units.

Stitch these to the right and left side of the center blocks.

Make three of these and stitch them together end to end.

I added nice wide borders to my runner, because I plan to put it on the longarm 

and practice some fancy quilting with rulers, just for fun.

It's going to look great in the pantry area of our new kitchen remodel. 

But first I need the countertops!

If you would like a .pdf of the step-by-step instructions for this runner, 

drop me an email me at:

Karen@thequiltcompany.com

Put "Any 12" in the subject line and I will send them to you.

Where Ya' Been Karen?

     The last six months have been crazy busy, especially considering I am a "retired" person.  In reality, I only retired from owning a retail quilt shop.  I still have a wholesale book and pattern company.  I host a yearly retreat for quilt shop owners from across the U.S and Canada called Sewposium.  I also design rulers for Creative Grids and this spring I have my name on a fabric group from In The Beginning Fabrics.  Why retire when you love your job?

     Any one of those responsibilities can be all consuming.  Together, they keep my sewing room in a constant state of total craziness - and I love every minute of it.  However, I do hope that the last few months will not become the norm.  I've done nothing but chase one deadline after another.  

The Glamour of it All

     The Crazy part started when Creative Grids released my newest set of templates at Fall Market in October.  To release a Creative Grids product the designers are required to have companion patterns ready for sale.  No problem.  BUT these fun new Crazier Eights templates are capable of SO MUCH more!  I knew that I had to write a book!

You won't believe what these 5 crazy shapes can do!

You can purchase both the book and the templates in my Etsy shop:

KarenMontgomeryShop

Making the quilts for the book is easily the best part of the project and incredibly fun!  

     My line of Scrap Crazy templates (there are 3 different sets) are designed to help you use up scrap fabrics, leftovers or even yardage.  My sewing room floor was littered with piles of fabrics, sorted by color, type or style for several months.  It was a glorious mess!  But look at some of the results!

The book has instructions for 8 projects, from table runners to bed size quilts.

.

Once the quilts are pieced, quilted and bound, the really hard work begins.

Writing instructions, proofing instructions, drawing all the diagrams and then laying out the pages.

The real challenge for this project was getting the photos taken.  

Between closing the store and finishing the book, we moved from 

Pennsylvania to Florida.  

I left behind a great group of quilting friends, but I also left a well crafted 

group of professionals that understood my work.  

In this case, I was missing my photographer.

For instruction purposes, the quilts must be photographed flat and square.

That is best achieved with a good solid surface, a tripod, special lighting,

and the technical expertise of a pro.

After a few unfortunate attempts to find someone that understood that these 

were technical photos and not style shots I became.... 

Honestly, with a deadline looming I started to PANIC!

My husband - simply said "We can do this".

"This" required a suitable flat surface in a well lit area.

One that could be pinned to or have a quilt spread out,

 flat on a vertical surface.  Due to high ceilings and very high up,

 south facing windows, this new house simply doesn't have 

an uninterrupted wall large enough 

where we can control the lighting.  

We learned that lesson filming the product video!

You can watch the edited version of the video here:

Crazier Eights Video 

Coincidently, I had just ordered a king size headboard for our guestroom.  

That required dismantling the bed to attach 

the new headboard to the base frame.

My can-do husband had an idea!  

He carried the box springs from the king size bed 

downstairs and out into the backyard.  

Those were placed on a clean sheet and leaned against the privacy fence. 

 A heavy towel was placed over the space between them 

so that sunlight didn't filter through.

Using nothing fancier than the camera in my cell phone, 

we began a photoshoot that still has our neighbors scratching their heads.

We got it done!

  He was right.  It wasn't a fancy studio shoot, but it worked.  

I learned some new photo editing skills and was able 

to meet my publishing deadline, 

just in the nick of time.

Now the book is back from the printer and ready for you to enjoy!

Me, I'm going to get to work on a SECOND book 

using this same set of templates because there are

 even MORE great things you can do with them!  

If you have made something with the Crazier Eights template set

Don't be shy, show me your stuff!

     

Hello!

     I am the author of the Brown Bag Mystery.   The BBM participants have some questions about how to use the Perfect Rectangle Ruler, so I thought I would offer some visual help here on my woefully neglected blog.  If you are unfamiliar with the Brown Bag Mystery - it's tons of fun! You purchase a bag of fabric from a participating shop, join a private online group and share your progress as the clues are delivered.  If you want to play along, leave a comment below and I will put you in touch with the participating shops.

     The Perfect Rectangle Ruler makes it easy to create Half Square Rectangles.  What makes the piece "perfect" is that the finished base measurement is one half the height.  That means that 2 half square rectangles or 4 individual pieces sewn together will make a square.

Cut your fabric strips to the desired size. For this demo the strip is 4 1/2".  

Brown Bag Mystery participants should make sure that all of the fabric strips are RIGHT SIDE UP.

Use any ruler to clean up one end of the strip to create a perfect 90 degree corner.

Place the 4 1/2" line on the base of the fabric strip and the left side against the trimmed edge.

Cut the right side and the tiny clipped corner on the upper left.

That tiny clip is important!

Before moving to the next cut, slide the ruler up and align the base 

and right edge of the ruler with the fabric piece.

Trim the bottom right corner clip.

Rotate the ruler 180 degrees to make the next cut.

Creative Grids Rulers have a non-slip grip on the bottom of the ruler.

You ALWAYS rotate the ruler.  You will NEVER use the ruler upside down.

.... except for the Quick Trim and Circle Ruler, but that's a different demo ; )

Repeat the process, trimming both corner clips, top and bottom on each cut.

When you stitch the Perfect Rectangles together, they will line up.... well... perfectly!

 

Try that without corner clips!

Brown Bag Mystery participants should NOT sew these together until told to do so!

Just an FYI.....

The Perfect Rectangle Ruler is the companion ruler to the Triangle In A Square Ruler

CGRTMT2

These two rulers combine to make the triangle that fits inside a square.

It's all in having the right tools!

Happy Birthday to Me!

It's my birthday.

     Facebook has been suggesting that I choose a worthy cause and invite my friends and followers to contribute to that cause in lieu of gifts for my special day.  What a great idea!

     I'm not sure where this "I get to tell you what to do because it's my special day" thought process came from, but I'm jumping onboard.  Here's the plan:

Sew something.

Anything.

     No financial commitment, no "click here" to donate box.  I hereby command you to spend the day working with fabric.  Make a mess in your sewing space.  Cut a bunch of fabric into small pieces and sew it back together again.  Drag out a project you haven't worked on in awhile and make some progress.  Hand stitch a binding.  Get creative.  At the very least, Take an hour or two and ponder your next project.  You have no choice, it's my birthday and I insist.  I plan to do the very same thing.  To be honest, that is exactly the same way I spend most of my days.  That doesn't matter.  Today is MY birthday and I insist that you celebrate!  Now go get busy.

     I don't want to give you the impression that there are no birthday gifts coming my way.  The Hubs and I celebrated with dinner and tickets to the community theater production of "The Savannah Sipping Society" over the weekend and among other things, I have been gifted a TWELVE WEEK yoga class.  Yoga is something that for years I have promised myself I would try "when I have the time".  Without the daily responsibility of running a retail store, I have run out of excuses. 

     I'm not going to deny that I am intimidated by the thought of pulling on a pair of yoga pants and joining a bunch of women that are probably shaped like twigs and move like Gumby.  I only hope that there is at least one other person that groans louder than I do when getting up off the floor.  Wish me luck! 

This is NOT me.

….. but I do like those pants!

Area 51

     

     You have probably heard of Area 51.  That desolate expanse of desert somewhere out west where UFO's are alleged to have be spotted.  I have news for the UFO seekers out there.  If it is UFO's you are looking for, then you don't need to look any further than the corner of the closet in my sewing room.  I have my own personal Area 51.  It's been years in the making.  It has history, drama, unidentified patterns, unusual shapes, odd forms, coupled with all the thrill of a nice clean archeological dig.

     Much like the U.S government, I have been denying the existence of these UFO's for years.  Our recent household move forced me to recon with the UFO pile that had accumulated over 25+ years.  I had to stop lying to myself that I was going to "finish that later".  

     The first chore was to get all of those abandon projects in one place and admit to myself what I had.  That was eye opening!  Doing my best to channel Marie Kondo, I sorted, subdivided and purged the piles - THREE times to pare it down to what you see here.  (I don't normally subscribe to Marie Kondo and her "Does it bring you joy" organizational methods.  I have a mountain of scrap fabrics that most people would toss out and every single piece brings me joy.  I also have a kitchen full of small appliances and pots and pans which don't even make me smile, but I'm pretty sure I have to keep them.)  

     What is left in my personal Area 51 is what I feel is a reasonable representation of pieces, parts and half finished projects that I can see myself completing or putting to good use.... at some point.  After all, some of the UFO's in my stash simply need binding.  They are "finished" quilts.  It's just that they aren't "done".  (If you are reading this and you don't understand that there is a difference between finished and done, have a quilter explain it to you).  

     I had nothing so solid as a "plan" for the mountain of bits and pieces that exist in Area 51.  I simply could not part with things like baggies filled 17 batik Nine Patch blocks and a 4" stack of squares to make more.  Or the 2" finished quarter square triangles that represented the possibility of an amazing Ohio Star quilt, or not.  The nine out of 12 completed blocks from a 10 year old mystery project, that wouldn't take much more to complete.  Or the mountain of corner clips that only needed to be sewn together, pressed, and then squared to some reasonable size before they would make a great start on a whole new project. I couldn't possibly trash those.  

     Now I am back to work in my new sewing room. I am busy writing programs for quilt shops across the US and Canada.  That process requires that I design, make, and write the patterns for multiple projects.  Quite often in the design process a project takes a turn and my original idea is trashed.  I was working on a new block of the month using copious amounts of half square triangles when size became a problem.  Then remembered those clipped corners in the UFO stash! 

     A bit of digging, sorting and restacking and I pulled out those waste triangles.  They have been in that UFO stash sewn together and pressed for so long, waiting for their chance to shine that I can't even remember the project they originally came from!  A bit of squaring up and ta-da enough scrappy half square triangle units for 12 different pieced blocks with a stack to spare.  I even have a beautiful batik to use with them.  Marie Kondo be damned.  Vindication for scrap hoarders everywhere!

Now to figure out what to do with the original HST in the wrong size......

 

Settling In

     I'm in our new home, all alone for a few days.  There may be 21.67 million other residents here in Florida, but I am not responsible to feed, clothe, water, cook, clean or do the laundry for even one of them.  You might be thinking I've found heaven.  I have to admit, it's pretty close.
     All, and I do mean ALL of my sewing supplies have arrived and have been distributed in my new sewing space.  Everything is here except my new long arm, which is on order.  I have everything I need and all the time to myself temporarily.  Are you jealous?
     We moved in stages, so I have been arranging things as they arrive.  Then re-arranging as more things arrive, and more, and if possible, even more sewing supplies to find a home for.  If it is possible to have too much sewing stuff, I might be getting close.

     I posted this photo of phase 1.  Friends that know me well remarked that my room would never stay that neat.  I wanted it to.  I really did.  I have additional shelves on the other side of the room, assigned baskets for everything, the organizational plan is a work of art. 

     I'll cut to the chase, this is what it looked like earlier this week.

     Scrap quilting is a messy business.  I have designed a new set of Scrap Crazy templates for Creative Grids that will be available to purchase later this fall.  The prototypes arrived last week and I couldn't wait to try them out.  While a normal quilt might be made of several hundred pieces that are cut from 6, 7 or 8 fabrics, a scrap quilt requires those hundreds of pieces be cut from hundreds of different fabrics. What some people would describe as a mess I see nothing but potential!

     There was one small mishap in the process.  Without my loving and exceptionally handy husband here to help me install the design wall in my new sewing room, I attempted it myself.  I assumed that a generous length of flannel and some duct tape would serve me well temporarily.  I was wrong.

     These pieces WERE the beginning of a well organized scrap quilt until the duct tape let go sometime in the middle of the night.
     I broke down and unpacked the garage boxes until I found the staple gun.  Then armed with a ladder and some assistance from the "helpful hardware man" I managed to install the design wall properly.  
     One rainy day later, the pieces on the floor came together to make this, the first quilt from my new sewing space. I'm naming it Changing Direction.  Seems appropriate.