Download The PDF HERE
Hello Everyone!
I a new, fun Autumn project for you. It is called Autumn Leaves and it is a lovely table runner to grace your homes for the season.
I really had a lot of fun making this one. The leaves are super simple and the border is all flying geese. In the instruction, the fast four method of making flying geese is detailed. I had a little fun with reversing the colors on a few of them so we have geese flying and chasing, creating the chevron effect. I couldn't decide which I like better so I did one side traditional geese and the other side the chevron geese.
Here is a close up of the leaf block. These blocks finish at 10" so you can easily make your runner as long or short as you like or even make some matching placemats simply by adding geese to the right and left sides!
I hope you enjoy making it as much as I did!
Autumn Leaves Runner Instructions
Happy Fall!
Sue
Dragonfly Fiberart Pattern Company www.dragonflyfiberart.com
Half Square Triangle Fun
There are so many different ways to make a half square triangle. Tonight on my sampler group sew, we explored a couple of different ways and I thought it would be nice to post the cheater chart with the sizes to cut the square for 8 at a time. I have done the math for you up to 8" finished but if you need larger, the formula is there for your reference. I always add a 'fudge factor' to my cut size. For example, we were sewing 2 1/2" half square triangles to finish at 2". The chart tells me to cut a 5 3/4" square but I added 1/4" and cut two 6" squares. This gave me a little wiggle room to trim to perfection in case my seams were not perfect.
Finished Block Size |
Minimum Size of Squares To Cut:* |
Trim Pieced Block To: |
A |
A x 2 + 1 ¾” |
A + ½” |
1” |
3 ¾” |
1 ½” |
1 ½” |
4 ¾” |
2” |
2” |
5 ¾” |
2 ½” |
2 ½” |
6 ¾” |
3” |
3” |
7 ¾” |
3 ½” |
3 ½” |
8 ¾” |
4” |
4” |
9 ¾” |
4 ½” |
4 ½” |
10 ¾” |
5” |
5” |
11 ¾” |
5 ½” |
5 ½” |
12 ¾” |
6” |
6” |
13 ¾” |
6 ½” |
6 ½” |
14 ¾” |
7” |
7” |
15 ¾” |
7 ½” |
7 ½” |
16 ¾” |
8” |
8” |
17 ¾” |
8 ½” |
Once you have cut the two contrasting squares, layer them right sides together. Draw a line on the diagonals, corner to corner. Your block should have an 'X' on it. Sew 1/4" to either side of the lines. (Sew lines are the Blue dotted lines on diagram)
Cut lines are the Solid Black lines on the diagram. When the sewing is completed, line up a ruler to cut vertically straight through the middle of the block. Without moving the sections, now place the ruler horizontally through the center and cut. Again without moving the sections, place your ruler on the diagonal line corner to corner and cut between your seam lines. You now have 8 half square triangles. Tip: If you have a spinning cutting mat, it will make the cutting easier.
Press open to the darker side. Now square your triangles to perfection using the TRIM block dimension in the chart. When sewn into the quilt, your block will be the Finished block dimension in the chart. My favorite ruler for trimming is the BlocLoc ruler but any square ruler will work. Just be sure you are lined up on the diagonal seam.
Happy Sewing!
Sue
PS. Be sure to visit our web site for great patterns, rulers, tools and more!
My quilt guilds often make placemats to donate to the Meals On Wheels program which delivers freshly made meals to folks in their homes that may need that extra bit of help. I think it is a wonderful program and just think how happy those folks are to see the smiling face of the volunteer delivering that meal especially now when everyone is so isolated. And also the happiness of a bright and cheerful placemat to line their tray and add that personal touch that says someone is thinking of me. Sometimes these placemats are holiday themed and other times they are just a fun collection of fabrics meant to add some brightness to the day.
Here is a version I like to make as it is quick and pretty! It also helps me use a bit of my scrap pile. Actually, it doesn't even put a dent in it but it gives me joy to think it does as well as to make them. 😂
Need to gather our materials. You will need some 2" strips of fabric in various colors. You can use variable widths but we'll save those for another project I will show you. I used batting scraps leftover from quilts, the trim offs after they are quilted. Also some backing fabric. Keep in mind that in quilt as you go (QAYG) your bobbin thread will show on the back so make sure it works with your backing fabric.
(1) fabric backing piece cut 14 1/2" x 19 1/2"
(1) batting piece 14 1/2" x 19 1/2"
(5) or (6) strips of fabric 2" x WOF or enough pieces to make the equivalent
(2) strips 2" or 2 1/4" wide x WOF for the binding
(1) 6" x 6" focus block for the center
Smooth out your batting piece and find the center. Draw a vertical and a horizontal line though this point with a marking pen. I used a blue water soluble pen but a Frixion would work fine as we won't need the lines after the center is placed. Place your backing fabric wrong side up on a flat surface. Center the batting piece with the lines facing up on it.
So let's gather some materials. The sizes are the same for both mug rugs.
Front and back fabrics: (2) pieces 6 1/2" x 9 1/2"
Batting: (1) piece 6 1/2" x 9 1/2"
Binding: 2" x 36" piece, pressed in half length wise
Hearts: Scraps or strips of multiple colors
Small piece of fusible web that can be sewn (I used Heat N Bond Lite)
You will see the downloads for the heart templates in the sections below. The templates have an optional seam allowance added (outside line) in case someone wishes to hand applique or turn the edges under and use a straight or blanket stitch to attach. If fusing, trace the inside dark solid line with no seam allowance, then satin or zig zag stitch the edges. This will quilt your mug rug at the same time.
Download Hearts A Flutter template here.
For Hearts A Flutter, cut 1" strips then sew together along the length to create a strip set. You could also use strips in random widths but not too wide as the hearts are small. You could also just make each heart a single color of fabric. Press the seams all in the same direction.
Trace the hearts onto the paper side of the fusible web. rough cut around them and place them on the back of the strip assembly. Press and fuse into place. Cut out the hearts along the drawn lines.
Scatter the hearts onto the top fabric until you find an arrangement you like, then peel the paper backing and fuse into place. Layer your backing fabric wrong side up, place the batting on top then your top fabric right side up. Secure the layers together with pins or, stitch around the outside, very close to the edge to hold the layers together. Satin stitch, blanket stitch or zig zag the edges of each heart. Then echo quilt once around each heart shape.
Sew your binding on to the front of the mug rug, then fold over to the back. Machine or hand stitch to the back.
Fabulous and finished!
For My Beating Heart, you will follow all the same steps above except that you will only be fusing on and stitching the one heart. Download My Beating Heart template here.
The heart is about 3" x 3". Place it on the mug rug top on the right side centered between the top and bottom with the same distance from the right edge. Fuse or applique into place. Place your layers together, secure then stitch around your heart through all the layers. Starting at the bottom point of the heart, echo quilt around the heart, equally spacing each round of stitching.
The echo stitching rounds will eventually start going off the top, bottom and right edges. As the echo grows larger, you will only be stitching the curves on the left side which goes really fast. The echo rows should be 1/4" to 3/8" apart. I just used the width of the foot on my machine.
Finish with binding the same as the Hearts A Flutter mug rug. That's it, you are done! So now enjoy your happy little mug rugs this Valentine's Day or any day you wish to share some love with someone special.
Happy Sewing!
Sue
PS. Be sure to visit our web site for lots of great quilt, table runner, placemat, home dec and tote bag patterns!
There are so many fun patterns out on the web that are free! Great designers share their beautiful designs with us and many also design free projects for the fabric manufacturers to feature a new line of fabric. Quilt shops love this as they have a great pattern to show you as soon as the fabric arrives. I was poking around and ran across a few I would like to share. Of course there are thousands more just through Pinterest alone, but this is a great start! Some of these certainly could be used for lovely baby quilts any time of year or a fun challenge project to display.
Sandy Gervais (one of my all time favorite fabric designers) created this sweet Candy Hearts table runner for Riley Blake. You can download the PDF here.