How to make a basic patchwork sampler quilt top - block 4, sashing and border

Welcome back to the 3rd part of the basic patchwork sampler quilt top tutorial. This time we will be making the 4th and last block, join all blocks with sashing and add the border.

4. block - Log Cabin

The log cabin is a classic block that can be interpreted in lots of ways just by choosing the colours of the single pieces. This is what your finished block will look like.

First we will need to cut the following pieces:

- one 5.2 x 5.2cm/ 2 1/8 x 2 1/8 in square for the center patch (blue fabric)
- one 5.2 x 5.2cm/ 2 1/8 x 2 1/8 in square of the dark fabric
- two 5.2 x 9.2cm/ 2 1/8 x 3 3/4 in rectangles of the dark fabric
- one 5.2 x 13.2 cm/ 2 1/8 x 5 1/4 in rectangle of the dark fabric
- one 5.2 x 13.2 cm/ 2 1/8 x 5 1/4 in rectangle of the light fabric
- two 5.2 x 17.2 cm/ 2 1/8 x 6 7/8 in rectangles of the light fabric
- one 5.2 x 21.2 cm/ 2 1/8 x 8 1/2 in rectangle of the light fabric

Now place all pieces on the table arranged as they will be in the block. Start assembling the block starting from the smallest center piece and moving counterclockwise.

First join the two smalles squares.

Then keep on joining the following pieces. As you will note the next piece is always just as long as the two previous pieces together. This is a great block to do as paper piecing (click here for an explanation on paper piecing have a look at this tutorial).

Keep on joining the pieces as explained above to finish the block.

Now your four blocks are done. This is what they look like together:

To make the quilt top we need to join them and that is done by adding sashing.
For the sashing cut the following pieces from your background fabric:

- one 11.2 x 51.2 cm / 4 1/2 x 20 1/2 in strip
- two 11.2 x 21.2 cm / 4 1/2 x 8 1/2 in rectangles

Place you four blocks on the table and sashing in between as shown below.

Then start joining the rows. Attach the first block to the sashing on it's right and then to the second block.

Do the same with the remaining two blocks and sashing rectangle.
To finish the center of your quilt top now all you need to do is to join the three rows. Place the upper row on the middle sashing, pin together and sew. Then attach the bottom row in the same way.

Well done, here's the center of your sampler quilt.

Now let's add the borders and the top is done.

For the borders cut two rectangles measuring 11.2 x 51.2 cm / 4 1/2 x 20 1/2 in and another two rectangles measuring 11.2 x 71.2 cm / 4 1/2 x 28 1/2.

First attach the shorter, lateral borders, and then the upper and lower border.
Pin the first shorter rectangle to one side of the quilt top and sew it in place. Then join the second shorter rectangle to the opposite side.

Now attach the upper and lower border in the same way. They are longer as they cover not only the length of the center of the quilt, but the two lateral borders, too.

And here your are, this is your finished basic patchwork samper quilt top:

In order to prepare a finished quilt you will now need to make the quilt sandwich of quilt top, batting and backing, then quilt and finally bind the quilt.
For information on how to prepare a quilt sandwich, click here. For a tutorial on binding instead click here.
Regarding the quilting let me tell you that I will quilt this sampler in the ditch, outlining the four blocks and their patterns and then do some stippling over the background. 

Have you made a project following this tutorial? Let me know what you think. Did you like it? Was it easy to understand and to follow? Do you have any suggestions?
Write a comment or send me an email using the contact form at the bottom of the page.

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How to make a basic patchwork sampler quilt top - blocks 2 and 3

OK, here we are to finish blocks 2 and 3 of our basic patchwork sampler quilt top.

Let's start right away.

2. Block - The Pinwheel

For the 2. block we will need to cut triangles. The problems with triangles is that, in most cases, they are cut on the bias, and so sewing them becomes more difficult as the fabric is more flexible.
In our case we need half square triangles, and there are ways to facilitate the job.
Cut two 12cm / 4 7/8in squares of both fabrics. Now place the two squares of the first fabric right side up onto the table and the two squares of the second fabric right side down on top of the first squares. Make sure all edges are perfectly aligned.

Now sew the two squares together, sewing twice along the diagonal, once 0.6cm / 1/4 of an inch on the right and once 0.6cm / 1/4 of an inch on the left of the center diagonal. When done, cut the square in two right through the diagonal, leaving two triangles.

When you iron the triangles open (for this block, iron all seamallowances towards the darker colour), you will find you have created two squares made of two triangles each.

Proceed in the same manner with the remaining two squares and position the four quarters of the block as shown below.

Now flip the two squares on the right over and onto the two squares on the left aligning all edges.

Join the top two squares and then the lower two squares in order to finish the two halves of the block.

Now flip the top half over the bottom half, align the edges and join the two halves to finish the pinwheel block.

Very good, the 2nd block is done. But let's keep going.



3. block - Evening Star


This block is a combination of triangles and squares. And not only that, in this block we have half square and quarter square triangles, but don't worry, it'll be easy.

Here's what the finished block will look like.

We need to cut the following pieces (in order to avoid sewing on the bias, we will use a similar technique to the one used for making the pinwheel, only that this time some smaller pieces will be left over. Put them aside for later use, you never know when they might come in handy):

- one 11.2x11.2cm / 4 1/2x4 1/2in square (darker fabric, center)
- eight 7x7cm / 3x3in squares (darker fabric, for triangles)
- four 12x7cm / 5x3 in rectangles (light fabric, for triangles)
- four 6.2x6.2cm /2 1/2x2 1/2 in squares (light fabric, corners)

We will start by preparing the triangles.
Take one of the rectangles cut from the lighter fabric and place it on the table right side up, then place one of the darker squares for triangles onto the rectangle right side down, aligning it to three edges.

Now sew first through the square 0.6cm / 1/4 of an inch left and right from the diagonal as we did with the square in the pinwheel and as you see in the picture above.
Now iron the flap of the triangle open and place a second dark square onto the remaining space of the base rectangle. The square should overlap the other, already attached, square by at least the seam allowance of 0.6cm / 1/4 inch.

 The seems should form a "V" on the rectangle. Now cut the excess triangles away, cutting in between the two seams.

You now have one bigger piece, that's the points of the stars for the block, and two smaller squares, put those two squares away, you will not need them for this block. Proceed in the same way with the remaining three rectangles and 6 squares for triangles.
See below an example of what you can do with the leftover squares. If you put them away and perhaps add more when making another quilt, you can at some point mix them all together. These squares of two triangles can be arranged to form beautiful patterns and when you have lots of differents fabrics and colours they make a great scrappy quilt.

But let's get back to our evening star block. Prepare your pieces on the table as they will be arranged in the block, and start to join the rows.

First join a square for the corners with one of the starpoint-pieces turned upwards and a second corner square.
Then join a starpoint-piece turned sideways with the center square and another starpoint-piece turned the other way.
Last join the remaining corner - starpoint-piece turned downwards - corner.

Now all that remains to be done is to join the rows together. Pin the first and second row together, right side to right side, and make sure that the contours of the center square and the starpoints are well aligned. Sew together. Repeat the same procedure to attach the bottom row. Now iron your block and that's it, you're done.

I'll see you for the next tutorial where we will finish the last block and add the sashing.

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How to make a potholder

Now here's the tutorial for the potholder that completes the set with the kitchen glove.

To make the potholder you need:

cotton fabric (if you want to make the set, the same fabric as the outside of the glove)
batting (the thicker the batting, the harder it will be to work with, but the better it will protect from heat)


Getting started:

Cut two 20cm/8in squares from the fabric and one square from the batting. Place one fabric square right side down onto the table, place the batting on top of it and the second fabric square right side up on top of the batting.

Make sure all sides are well aligned and pin the three layers together.

Now quilt the three layers together sewing diagonal lines starting from somewhere in the middle of the potholder.

In order to sew parallel lines use a presser foot and edge guide. Put the guide on the distance to the needle that you want your lines to be from one another and keep on sewing line after line. When you finish the first half of the potholder, turn it around in order to quilt the other half.

When you're finished quilting the potholder you're half way through the process. Now what remains to be done is to bind the piece.
Cut a 5,2cm / 2 1/2 in strip about 10 cm/4in longer than the circumference of the potholder. Iron the strip in half lenghtwise and then iron 1/4 of an inch sewing allowance on the rough edge of the strip towards to binding. for more detailled instructions on how to iron the double binding, have a look at my machine binding tutorial.

When the strip is ready, start pinning it to the potholder as described in a.m. tutorial, beginning, in this case, from one of the angles.

Start right from the angle, pin the binding in place all the way around the potholder and use the excess binding at the end (right at the angle where you started pinning the binding in place) to make a hanger.

Let the binding stick out over the edge of the potholder.

Sew the lower, open, edges of the binding together from the edge of the potholder to the end of the strip.

Then turn the binding back onto itself and form a loop as shown below.

Cut then end of the strip to size and place it under the binding close to the edge of the potholder.
Now sew all the binding in place as shown in the binding tutorial.

And here's you're finished potholder.

Doesn't it look cute as a set together with the matching kitchen glove?

Have you made a project following this tutorial? Let me know what you think. Did you like it? Was it easy to understand and to follow? Do you have any suggestions?
Write a comment or send me an email using the contact form at the bottom of the page.


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How to make a kitchen glove

The kitchen glove is a nice and simple gift to make for your loved ones, especially if you make a set with the potholder (for tutorial see here).

To make the glove you will need:

Outside fabric
Inside fabric
Batting

Start by tracing the template on both fabrics and the batting. Place your fabric flat on the table and the template on top, then mark the outline of the template on your fabric. Don't worry what you trace with, the lines will be at the edges of the fabrics inside the glove later.
Now flip the template over, place it on the fabric and trace a second, mirrored, outline. Do that on both fabrics and the batting.

Cut all 6 pieces with your fabric scissors following the outlines you have traced. Divide the pieces into the two sides of the glove and place the inside fabric right side down on the table, the batting right on top of it and last the outside fabric right side up on top of the batting.

Now we need to quilt the three layers together. To do that first pin the layers together in several places so that the fabrics are held in place.

Then start to sew a straight line diagonally across the glove somewhere in the middle. When you start in the middle, excess fabric will be distributed outward from this point on, if you start on one side, all differences between the layers will show on one side only.

Now keep on sewing parallel lines onto the glove. The easiest way to do that is to use the edge guide. Adjust it to the distance you would like the lines to be from each other and keep on sewing straight lines keeping the edge guide on the previous seam.

Keep on sewing lines until the first half of the glove is covered. Then turn the glove in order to continue sewing lines on the other side of the glove. 

When finished, quilt the other side of the glove in the same way.
When both sides are finished, clean the edges, cutting off excess fabric and batting. 

 Then place the two halves of the glove onto each other, right sides inside and pin together.

Sew the two halves together, starting from the lower edge of the side where the thumb is, all the way around the glove, leaving the last cm, the last 1/2 of an inch, on the outer side, where there is no thumb, and the bottom, open (you will need the small space on the outer side to fix the binding and close it later). 

You can sew with a regular sewing machine, but it is advisable to finish the edges off with a zigzag-stitch in order to protect them during later use. I have used the serger as it sews while cleaning and closing the edges in the same step.

When you have sewn the two halves together as explained above, turn the glove inside out. Now the outside fabric will be facing out.

Now all that's left to do is the binding. Cut a 6.2cm / 2 1/2 inch strip about 10cm / 4in longer than the circumference of the opening at the bottom of the glove. For a double binding iron the strip in half lengthwise, right side facing out, then iron 0.6cm / 1/4in of seamallowance on the rough edges to the inside.
Your strip should as shown below.

For more information on how to prepare the strip for double binding have a look at my quilt-binding tutorial.
When the strip is ready, pin it to the glove as shown in a.m. tutorial, starting from on of the loose edges where you left the opening on the outer side (no thumb) of the glove. Fix the binding all the way around, and, when you reach the other end of the glove, make a hanger as shown below:

Leave the binding a little longer than the side of the glove and stitch the binding closed on the open bottom from where the glove ends to the end of the strip with your sewing machin. Now turn the strip back onto itself to create a loop at the edge of the glove. Make the loop the size you think right, turn it back on itself and fix it in place with a pin for sewing, crossing the binding on the inside of the glove as you see in the picture below.

 Sew the binding in place all the way around the glove.

Now turn the lower part of the glove inside out and clean the string (the end of loop) where it is sewn onto the binding.
Then sew the last opening on the side of the glove where you finished attaching the binding closed, making sure the loop is turned towards the outside. In order to avoid unnecessary bulk, turn the loop upwards before sewing. Your finished binding should look like this:

So here's your finished kitchen glove. To complete the set go to the tutorial for the matching potholder.

And here's what I had to put with while making this kitchen glove: Buttercup and Puffo just had to help.
Buttercup tested the batting,

while Puffo checked if the quilt sandwich had been prepared correctly.

Have you made a project following this tutorial? Let me know what you think. Did you like it? Was it easy to understand and to follow? Do you have any suggestions?
Write a comment or send me an email using the contact form at the bottom of the page.

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