Tuning My Heart Quilts by Debra Davis

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Tuning My Heart Quilts by Debra Davis"

Shana Lane
5 years ago
Views:

We Can Build A Snowman A Block of the Month Program by Debra Davis Tuning My Heart Quilts, LLC Block 7: Dream Finished Size 12" x 12" This month s block is based on Johnnie Around the Corner.

We lived in a small town in Texas for a short time that had an interesting history. No dancin in Anson.

Dancing was legalized not long ago, though there are several restrictions still in place. However, every year there is the Cowboy Christmas Ball to look forward to.

2 We Can Build A Snowman A Block of the Month Program by Debra Davis Tuning My Heart Quilts, LLC Block 7: Dream Finished Size 12" x 12" This month s block is based on Johnnie Around the Corner. I could not find much information about this block beyond it first appeared in It reappeared in 1943 as the Broken Wheel Block. Our snowmen this month are dreaming of the Christmas Ball. We lived in a small town in Texas for a short time that had an interesting history. No dancin in Anson. A 1933 law forbade public dancing in Anson under penalty of a $15 fine and that fine only increased over the years. Dancing was legalized not long ago, though there are several restrictions still in place. However, every year there is the Cowboy Christmas Ball to look forward to. The one night a year that was made an exception to the rule and the town comes out to party together. So put on your dancin shoes and let s dream of the Christmas Ball together. For this block we will be using Fabrics 1, 2, and 11 and the fabric for the snowmen appliqué. (fabric requirements for the entire quilt can be found at ) In the cutting directions you will see which fabric to use and what piece to cut from that fabric. Before cutting I like to starch my fabrics. Labeling your pieces as you cut them is also a good habit to get into to help you stay organized as you put your blocks together. Happy Quilting! pg. 1

3 Cutting Directions From Fabric 1 cut: E-(cut 1) 6 ½ x 6 ½ From Fabric 2 cut: A-(cut 4) 3 ½ x 3 ½ D-(cut 4) 2 x 6 ½ From Fabric11 cut: B-(cut 16) 2 x 2 C-(cut 4) 2 x 6 ½ Color it Your Way pg. 2

Step 1: The Corner Units We will be making Square-in-a-Square blocks for the corner

I did a video tutorial for Block 5 on the Tutorial page of my website if you need a

com/we-canbuild-a-snowman-bom Begin by drawing a diagonal line on the wrong side of the

) Place one B square on the corner of each A square.

4 Step 1: The Corner Units We will be making Square-in-a-Square blocks for the corner units. I did a video tutorial for Block 5 on the Tutorial page of my website if you need a refresher: Begin by drawing a diagonal line on the wrong side of the B squares. (Use a pencil that will not show through your fabric.) Place one B square on the corner of each A square. Sew along the line, just to the right of it, rather than on top. I sew with my needle next to the line. If I sew on right on the line I lose a bit of the fabric I need to make this method work. Flip the B square over the top of the A square. Check to see that it completely covers the A square. If so, you can trim ¼ away from the line and press towards B. Place the next B square on the opposite corner diagonally. Sew and press as we just did with the first B square. pg. 3

going beyond the points of the A square.

5 Add the next B square and repeat the process. Add the final B square. The Corner Units should measure 3 ½ x 3 ½ You need to have ¼ of the B fabric going beyond the points of the A square. This will ensure nice corner points in the end. pg. 4

6 Step 2: Middle Units Sew the C and D rectangles together, right sides facing and using a ¼ seam allowance. Press towards the dark side (D) These should measure 3 ½ x 6 ½. Step 3: Putting it all Together Lay out your pieces as shown. You will have an irregular nine-patch. pg. 5

Join together into rows pressing the top and bottom rows towards the center

Tip: Sew slowly over the seams. I sew with the corner units on top.

intersecting seam lines as shown by white dashed line in the photo.

Join these rows together to complete the block. It helps to pin at the seams.

7 Join together into rows pressing the top and bottom rows towards the center and the middle row way from the center as indicated by arrows. Tip: Sew slowly over the seams. I sew with the corner units on top. To keep your corners sharp try to sew right across the top of the intersecting seam lines as shown by white dashed line in the photo. Sew across tip of intersecting seams. Join these rows together to complete the block. It helps to pin at the seams. I place my pin and then stop sewing when I come right up to it. I remove the pin so that I do not sew over it and risk breaking my needle. Match seams Pinning method 6

8 Press towards the middle row as shown by arrows. The block now measures 12 ½ x 12 ½ Step 4: Appliqué Using the Appliqué Pattern Sheet, trace the individual pieces onto the paper side of your fusible, labeling them as you do. Fuse onto the back of your fabric Let completely cool and then cut out on the lines. Before fusing to your block; trace the snowmen faces onto the shapes. It is much easier to see these details now, before they are fused to the block. 7

We need to layer the appliqué pieces in the order they are numbered.

This is a nonstick sheet, that you can fuse your pieces together on

aiding in proper placement of the appliqué.

9 We need to layer the appliqué pieces in the order they are numbered. I like to lay out all of my appliqué on a pressing sheet. This is a nonstick sheet, that you can fuse your pieces together on top of and when done it peels right off to be placed on the background fabric. It is see through so the pattern can be seen from underneath, aiding in proper placement of the appliqué. (I use the one by Fons and Porter) Begin by placing piece #1 on the design. (peel the paper backing off as you go.) Next add piece #2 on top of #1. Then piece #3. 8

Then piece #4 and so on. Once you are happy with the layout, carefully move the entire thing to your pressing surface.

I only lay my iron on long enough to get the little bits that need to stick together to hold-about 2-3 seconds is all it takes.

You can place the pattern underneath if that helps.

10 Then piece #4 and so on. Once you are happy with the layout, carefully move the entire thing to your pressing surface. (You will press on top of the pressing sheet.) I do not completely fuse the appliqué together at this point. I only lay my iron on long enough to get the little bits that need to stick together to hold-about 2-3 seconds is all it takes. I am not worried about them being completely attached at this point, I just want them to hold together so that I can move the appliqué as one piece onto my background fabric. After peeling the appliqué off of the pressing sheet center it on your background fabric and fuse in place. You can place the pattern underneath if that helps. Attach a piece of stabilizer to the back your appliqué before proceeding with the machine appliqué. For the Machine appliqué I set my machine to do a buttonhole stitch. I use a width of 2.0 and a length of 1.9. Begin with your needle right along the edge of the appliqué. The straight part of the stitch should stay along this outside edge while the bite of the stitch is inside the appliqué. Pull the bobbin thread up to the top. 9

Machine Appliqué around all of the outside edges of the pieces. I started with the snowlady.

9; the same as my Buttonhole Stitch) towards the point I want to start my Buttonhole stitch (1).

Buttonhole stitch going right back over those straight stitches and sew around the rest of the snowlady

(3) (I have made a video that is available on my website so you can see the process.

11 Machine Appliqué around all of the outside edges of the pieces. I started with the snowlady. Since I will not be going around the entire appliqué I start by taking a few straight stitches (length 1.9; the same as my Buttonhole Stitch) towards the point I want to start my Buttonhole stitch (1). When I get to the starting point, I pivot with my needle in the down position and start with my Buttonhole stitch going right back over those straight stitches and sew around the rest of the snowlady (2). 1 2 I will stop at the place where the other snowman appliqué is on top. (3) (I have made a video that is available on my website so you can see the process. It can be found on the tutorial page.) 3 Then I pivot back around and switch back to a straight stitch and take five or six stitches back over the top of the Buttonhole stitches. 4 10

Next I go around the other snowman, starting at the hat and do the same thing-start with a few straight

Since this appliqué is on top of the other I will stay right along the edge as I go over the section where

12 Next I go around the other snowman, starting at the hat and do the same thing-start with a few straight stitches, pivot and sew with the Buttonhole Stitch around to the other side of the hat. Since this appliqué is on top of the other I will stay right along the edge as I go over the section where the two meet. With the snowpeople finished I change to a black thread to go around the feet and hat. These get done in the same way. I want to show you how I go around the corners of the hat -again you can see the process in my video tutorial. Here I have stopped on the straight stitch part of the Buttonhole stitch right at the corner. 11

With the needle in the down position I pivot and let

part of the stitch I just did before pivoting.

13 With the needle in the down position I pivot and let the bite part of the stitch go over that straight part of the stitch I just did before pivoting. Then I just continue on with my buttonhole stitch as normal. The Pivot The Bite With the machine appliqué done it is time to move on the hand embroidery details. 12

14 Step 5: Embroidery Trace any remaining embroidery design onto the block. Using two strands of Orange floss stitch the noses using a Satin Stitch (there is a video tutorial for all of these stitches on my website which can be found on the tutorial page for this BOM) Using two strands of Black floss stitch the eyebrows, mouth, and arms using a back stitch. Using two strands of Black floss make French Knots for the eyes-wrapping the thread around the needle twice for the small snowmen. Using two strands of green backstitch the headpiece, and two strands of red make French Knots for the berries. Optional: Use two strands of red to make French knots for necklace. Tip: When threading the needle if you struggle to get the thread through the eye, try flipping the needle over. This often solves the problem as the eye of the needle is punched when it is made and so thread goes through better one way than the other. That s it! I hope you will consider sharing your finished block with me on my Facebook Sew Along page. I love to see what you are making with my patterns and always comment. Until next time. Happy Quilting! A Note about Copyright: The pattern itself is copyrighted. Basically, please do not make copies of my patterns for others in either print or digital form. I would love it if you would direct people to my website to download their own copies of my patterns-in this way you will be thanking me for my work and supporting what I provide to you. Yes, you can sell your items made from my patterns. Any physical items you create with my patterns are yours and there are no restrictions on what you can do with them. So go ahead and enter them in shows, sell them, donate them for auctions, etc. You are not required to mention Debra Davis or Tuning My Heart Quilts in any way. However, it does help me out a lot when you do. When you share the project and tell your friends about me and my quilt designs and tutorials, it helps me stay in business and support my family. I really do appreciate it when you share and let others know you found my quilting tutorials and patterns helpful. So attribution is not required, but definitely appreciated! Please pay it forward and pay it back and let me know when you create a quilt from one of my patterns. And if you tag me on and if I see it I will be able to comment back to say thank you! 13

Tuning My Heart Quilts by Debra Davis

Tuning My Heart Quilts by Debra Davis - Tuning My Heart Quilts, LLC We Can Build A Snowman A Block of the Month Program by Debra Davis Tuning My Heart Quilts, LLC Block 10: Ain t it Thrilling Finished