The real reason why I go to the fair…

August 20th, 2011

3×6 Bee Block Diamond Blossom

August 15th, 2011

Here is our second block for this round of the 3×6 Bee!  Took a wee bit longer to create than planned, but the end result was well worth it!
Now to make 6 more….. o_o

(I’m apparently really bad at writing blog posts and couldn’t think of anything interesting or witty to say about this new block so I’ll just leave you with the truth…which is….that I’m really bad at writing blog posts! Hah!)

 

3×6 Bee Block Hexagon

August 11th, 2011

One of the great things about virtual quilting bees, for me, is working with color combinations that I would never usually work with.  Now, I know I am showing you our block for the 3×6 bee made in my chosen colors, but my hive has some great combinations posted and I’ve spent the week going over fabric choices!  I really fell in love with aqua and tangerine while working on a bee block last period, and now purple, orange, and gray have me a little interested!

The cutting table is covered with little stacks of fabric, one stack for each bee member.  I like to have a block design finalized and printed out, taped to the wall (I have an obsession with blue painters tape), then move on to choosing fabrics and
colors.  I drive myself (and my Husband, hehe) wacky trying to find just the right fabric, color, print, and pattern.  I replace fabric after fabric, pulling out fabrics over and over again, moving this way, switching that one….over and over!  We just had to laugh the other night when I kept saying “No, not that blue, it needs to be more like this blue!  No…wait…that blue does looks better…wait…no…”   But then you find that great combination, that “A-ha” moment that pulls the block together (granted, this moment comes after taking a couple nights off from looking at fabrics and coming back in with a fresh mind…and pulling out the same four fabrics you cast aside earlier), and you can’t wait to move on to choosing more fabric for more blocks!

Quilt Block Tutorial: Swirling Hexagon

August 2nd, 2011
 
Swirling Hexagon Tutorial
 
Version 1
 
 
This Hexagon quilt piece will require 6 different fabrics and can be made as large as you’d like just by continuing the swirl. This tutorial will use three 1” wide strips and a 1” triangle per each color.
 
 
Cutting:

  1. 1. This tutorial will use six 5” square pieces,
  2. 1” triangle acrylic template, and a 2” Wide Hexagon template
  3. (printed from online).

  1. 2. Cut each fabric into three 1” wide strips
  2. (at least 2 strips have to be 5” long) and 1 ¾” square.

  1. 3. Use the 1” triangle template to cut the 1 ¾” square into a triangle.
 
 
Piecing:
Center Hexagon (2”): (using 6 different colored 1” triangles ) *split and press each seam after sewing.

  1. 1. Sew 1st triangle to the 2nd triangle.
  2. 2. Sew 3rd triangle to the 2nd triangle.
  3. 3. Repeat (a.) and (b.) for triangles 4-6.
  4. 4. Sew 1st set of triangles to the 2nd set of triangles.  *Carefully align the center point and pin. Be ready to use the seam ripper on this step because getting the two sets to align perfectly will take time and effort)
  1. 5. Using the 2” hexagon, trim the sewn piece to make a clean 2” hexagon center piece.
  2. *Again carefully align the center and corners to end up with a perfect hexagon.

 

Swirling Color Strips: (*This tutorial will create 3 rings of swirling colors. More rings can be added to create a larger final hexagon.)

  1. 1. Sew first strip matching the color of the triangle. The strip will need to be at least ¾” longer on the bottom. Leave ¼” un-sewn on bottom for partial seam for the final strip of this ring.
  2. 2. Press outwards and trim.
  3. 3. Sew next strip matching up the triangle colors.
  1. 4. Repeat until you create a full ring of colors. For final strip of the ring, pin back the first strip of the ring with partial seam and sew the final strip. Remove pin, fold back the pressed seam and continue the stitch of the seam.
  2. 5. Trim the strips by cutting parallel to the previous strip to create a clean hexagon.
  3. 6. Repeat Steps (a.) thru (e.) for the next 3 or more rings. Remember to start out the first strip of each ring with a partial seam.
  4. 7. After the final trim of the 3rd ring, you will be left with a approx. 4.5” Hexagon piece.
 
The hexagon swirl design in this tutorial was originally used in this quilt.
If you make a block using this tutorial, please add it to my Flickr group, Parfait Projects!
Please feel free to contact us for any questions at all!
 
 
All editorial content and graphics on this document produced by Madame Parfait (original material) are copyright and all rights reserved. Please do not reproduce, copy, or distribute any material from this document. Feel free to link to the website, and please contact me if you would like further information on use. All projects and tutorials created and listed are for personal use only. Any outside images, material and information NOT produced by Madame Parfait are copyright their respective owners. © 2010 – 2011 Madame Parfait and The Parfait Café.

My Little Barista

August 1st, 2011

Maybe we should cut back on all the cappuccino making around here, haha.

Hexagon Ring 4×5 Block

July 22nd, 2011

Another bee block!  This block is the test block for the 4×5 modern Quilt Bee, quarter three.  I’m really excited about this bee, but am starting to get a little nervous in regards to fabric choice!  I’ll have to really think about which fabrics I choose so they will show well in the block! But, there with be nothing going on upstairs in the sewing room for now….it’s 101 degrees here! 101! What is that! Thankfully I have Rita’s Water Ice rootbeer flavor and custard to cool me down, and Downton Abbey and various Korean Drama’s to occupy my time in the much cooler downstairs!

The Post Where I Sound a Little Crazy…

July 7th, 2011

 

Yesterday night while sitting in the sewing room putting away some new fat quarters, I realized that I have way, way too much random fabric.  Way too much.  I started picking up novelty print fabric here and there before Little Mister was born in hopes of creating tons of baby quilts.  I would find a couple fat quarters from a line, coordinate them with a solid or another print, and then tuck them away in hopes of finding more and creating a theme quilt.  Well, that didn’t work out too well.  Once tucked away, they became forgotten about, mixed in with other quilts, pulled out and looked at only to exclaim “What was this for?” and used for something else.  Last night I found about 20 fat quarters of all sorts of different transportation prints, random robots, book panels, animals, “It’s a boy”, bugs, newborn black and white, and monsters.  I pulled all of them, put them on the table, and got to work.  If I don’t do this now, I’ll honestly never do it, and they will sit unused until I have an urge to sort fabric again!

 It didn’t stop there, I also found my fat quarter set for Far Far Away 2, which I started using in a quilt, found out there was going to be a part 3, stopped working on it and waited.  (I also still have my FFA1 but I don’t think it will mix well…)My half yard cuts of FFA3 came in a few weeks ago from Japan, and you know, I had that same feeling….”What if I cut and use them all and there is a part 4!! I should hold off….”!  I really have to stop doing this and just CUT! So that is what I did!  I cut here and there, pulled fabric, patterns, looked at tutorials on blogs, made a list, sorted said cut fabric into small labeled bins, and made a plan of action to get started working on all the different projects!  Putting them into the labeled bins makes it easier for me to see what I have already cut and planned, so if I have a little time here or there I can work on it. 

This all brings me to the point that I really need to stop hoarding saving fabric in hopes of finding that “perfect” pattern, or another continuing line, or that I’ll walk into some random quilt shop in Little Town, Nebraska and find a hidden room full of the remaining Mendocino I’ve been looking for.  But, nothing ever seems to fit the bill.  “Oh, this pattern is great! But…I’m saving my Neptune for something else…”  There will always be fabric, always be cute new lines, and always be new and exciting quilt patterns.  Does anyone else have this going on in their sewing room as well?  This never ending desire to save save save in hopes of, well, quilt perfection? 

Robert Kaufman Solids Charm Pack Challenge

June 29th, 2011

 

I would like to thank everyone for their wonderful comments and links on the Interlocking Seasons quilt block tutorial.  I am still in the process of replying to all of the comments and questions, and please let me know if you have any problems with the tutorial!  It was a labor of love and I hope everyone enjoys the pattern and makes lots of quilt blocks!  I must say that most of the credit for this belongs to Mister Parfait, he did an amazing job and I can’t believe I doubted his design in the beginning! (Okay, I’ll admit, I was still bitter over my design not working out, tehehe) I was able to see the first block made from the tutorial yesterday morning, it is beautiful!

The quilt above is for the Robert Kaufman Solids Charm Pack Challenge (using the Dusty Palette) for my local Modern Quilt Guild!  I wasn’t able to make it out to the meeting last month for the big reveal; I wish I could have been there to see everyone’s quilts!  We used almost every charm square to make the hexagons and the surrounding white fabric is also half and full hexagon shapes.  The hexagons are all machine pieced.  This would be considered a “mini” quilt; it is only about 25 inches square as a top! 
EDIT: Tutorial is up!

Quilt Block Tutorial: Interlocking Seasons

June 15th, 2011

Interlocking Seasons Quilt Block Tutorial

Version 1.1

*PDF Click Here*

This 12.5” x 12.5” block will require 6 different fabrics; 4 for the outer rings, 1 for center ring, and 1 for background.

  Outer Rings (For each of the 4 fabrics): 

Piece: Quantity: Measurement:
A-1 3 1.25”x 3.5”
A-2 4 1.25”x1.25”

Center Ring:

Piece: Quantity: Measurement:
C-1 4 1.25”x 3.5”
C-2 4 1.25”x1.25”

Background:

Piece: Quantity: Measurement:
B-1 4 1.25”x 2.75”
B-2 8 1.25”x2”
B-3 9 1.25”x1.25”
B-4 4 8”x8” -  triangle

 

 

Cutting

(*Use the following direction as a suggestion. Cutting each piece one by one will result in more accurate result but you can save time by minimizing the number of cuts by cutting multiple pieces at once.)

a. Outer rings

  1. 1. Cut 1.25” wide strip of Outer Ring Fabric. A strip of half yard fabric should be sufficient. 
  2. 2. Fold strip to make 4 layers of 1.5”. Cut all four layers into 1.25”x1.25”(A-2)
  3. 3. Fold remaining strip into 3 layers of 3.75”. Cut layers into 3.5” x 1.25” (A-1)
  4. 4. Repeat for other 3 remaining outer ring fabrics and separate each fabric into 4 groups.b. 

b. Center ring

  1. 1. Cut 1.25” wide strip of Center Ring Fabric. A strip of half yard fabric should be sufficient.
  2. 2. Fold strip to make 4 layers of 1.5”. Cut all four layers into 1.25”x1.25”(C-2)
  3. 3. Fold remaining strip into 4 layers of 3.75”. Cut layers into 3.5” x 1.25” (C-1)
c. Background   
  1. 1. Cut 1.25” wide strip of Background Fabric. A strip of a yard fabric should be sufficient.
  2. 2. Fold strip to make 3 layers of 4”. Cut all 3 layers into 3 sets of  1.25”x1.25”(B-3). You will have 9 pieces.
  3. 3. Fold remaining strip into 4 layers of 4.25”. Cut layers into 2 sets of 2”x1.25” (B-2). You will have 8 pieces.
  4. 4. Fold remaining strip into 4 layers of 3”. Cut layers into 2.75”x1.25” (B-1)
  5. 5. Cut 8” wide strip of Background fabric. A strip of half yard fabric should be sufficient.
  6.  6. Cut strip into 2, 8”x8” pieces. Take both pieces and rotate by 45 degrees. Cut the 8”x8” into 4 triangles (B-4).

  

  

Piecing:

Arrange outer ring fabric into 4 sets in the order of how you want the rings to interlock.  Select one set as the current outer ring. You will sew the pieces into 4 individual panels. The 4 panels will be sewn together to form a whole interlocking ring panel.

        Suggestions:

  • • After sewing each piece, be sure to iron both sides of the fabric, pressing the ¼” seam allowance to the darker fabric side.
  • • All sewn strips will be ¾” wide. Measuring before sewing and after ironing will result in seams that will line up evenly.
  • • Carefully align and pin seams prior to sewing.
  1. 1. Sew B-1 (background) to top of A-2 of next outer ring set.
  2. 2. A-1 of current outer ring set to the left side of the pieces
  3. 3. B-2 to the bottom of the pieces then set aside the pieces.

  

 
  

 

1. Sew B-3, A-2 of next outer ring set, B-3, and C-2

2. Sew C-1 to the left side of the pieces

3. Sew B-2 to the top

 

 

 

1. Sew first group of pieces to the 2nd group

2. Sew A-1 to the top

3. Sew A-2, A-2 of next outer ring fabric, and A-1

4. Sew last group of pieces to the right

 

Repeat the steps for the next 3 panels to create 4 panels.

*The last panel will use the first set of outer ring fabric for the “next outer ring set” for A-2.

  1. 1. Combine the 4 panels by first sewing the last B-3 to the bottom right corner of first panel.  *Leave 5/8” un-sewn on the top to sew the final block.
  2. 2. Sew 4th block to the bottom of 1st with B-3. Turn 90 degrees to line up the patterns.
  3. 3. Sew 3rd to the 4th and then sew the 2nd onto the 3rd.
  4. 4. Sew the 2nd block to the 1st block. Be careful to line up the seams of B-3 from step one.

 

 

 

  1. 1. Sew B-4 to the top of the interlocking rings. Leave 1” un-sewn on the left edge, fold and pin.
  2. 2. Turn 90 degrees counter clockwise and sew the next B-4. Trim the corner edge remaining after a B-4 piece is sewn to each side of the interlocking rings leaving the ¼” seam allowance.
  3. 3. Continue sewing B-4 to each side of the interlocking rings. After sewing the last B-4 piece, unfold the pinned edge, sew together and trim edge corner. You will be left with a large square about 13” x 13”.
  4. 4. Trim all four sides, aligning the center of the interlocking rings, measuring 12.5”x12.5”.
  5. 5. Relax and enjoy the completed interlocking seasons block.

To see the completed blocks, you can find the blog posts here and here.  You can also find them on my Flickr:  1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8.  This block was designed by Mister Parfait for the 3×6 Bee

If you make a block using this tutorial, please add it to my Flickr group, Parfait Projects!

Please feel free to contact us for any questions at all!

All editorial content and graphics on this document produced by Madame Parfait (original material) are copyright and all rights reserved. Please do not reproduce, copy, or distribute any material from this document. Feel free to link to the website, and please contact me if you would like further information on use. All projects and tutorials created and listed are for personal use only. Any outside images, material and information NOT produced by Madame Parfait are copyright their respective owners. © 2010 – 2011 Madame Parfait and The Parfait Café.


Finished 3×6 Bee Blocks and Bonjour……

May 31st, 2011

…to Little Mademoiselle! She made her appearance last week, quite a surprise to us all!  7lbs 12oz’s, she is cute as cute as a button and such a joy!  Little Mister is taking over the role as big brother with ease, and Mister Parfait and I are doing quite well! 

We did find a chance to finish and send out the quilts blocks for the 3 x 6 Bee!  Above is the whole set, I’m going to miss them!  Now I have the next quarter to look forward too, better get to thinking up blocks!

Also, we are still working on a tutorial for the block; there will just be a slight baby delay! ^_-

EDIT: Tutorial is up!

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All editorial content and graphics on this site produced by Madame Parfait (original material) are copyright and all rights reserved. Please do not reproduce, copy, or distribute any material from this site. Feel free to link to this site, and please contact me if you would like further information on use. All projects and tutorials created and listed are for personal use only. Any outside images, material and information NOT produced by Madame Parfait are copyright their respective owners. © 2010 - 2011 Madame Parfait and The Parfait Café.