Quilt Goals with Fat Quarter Shop

As a Quilter one of the most exciting things you can hear from a friend is “Can you show me how to make a quilt?”  All the emotions start running as you know that the adventure ahead for your friend is going to be amazing and hopefully the start of their own loved and long quilting journey.

I have been invited by Fat Quarter Shop to participate in the Quilt Goals 2023 Challenge and my Goal was to help a friend with Quilting for the first time.  I thought that it might be helpful to share with you, my top 5 Tips for Teaching a friend to Quilt.

 

1. Keep is Simple

For someone starting out in quilting – choose a pattern that is simple in design but big on impact.  Repeated blocks work well as you can focus on teaching them the importance of a 1/4in seam allowance and how to sew one block – which they can then gain confidence in sewing by repeating and seeing their skills grow as they make the blocks.  They will love seeing their stack of blocks grow and it spurs their enjoyment of quilting.

 

This design is my Liberty Belle Quilt and it uses a repeated block pattern to achieve this stunning quilt.  How amazing are the colours from Melody Millers Curio Collection for Ruby Star Society.

Get the Liberty Belle Quilt pattern here

2. Colour Confidence 

This takes time for quilters to develop and will grow and change over time.  Start out using collection. These already have colour combos worked out and work really well together. This means at this early stage for a new quilter they can work on their skills of sewing rather than being worried or unsure of what colours work well together or if it will turn out ok.  Fabric collections take out the guesswork.

3. Get the right Equipment 

Setting up the sewing machine with a 1/4in foot will be such a game changer.  Often when people are new to quilting, they take the machine straight out of the box or dust it off (a gift from a great Aunt) and start quilting and soon run into trouble when all the points and blocks don’t line up.  While this isn’t about perfection – it is about having the machine “Quilt ready” with the correct foot for quilting. 

4. Borders – make or break!

Not all quilts have borders but when they do this can be the make or break of how a quilt looks.  Make sure you correctly teach your friend to measure and then cut the Border strips to fit the quilt top measurements.  Just sewing border strips to the quilt top, then cutting off the excess can result in flared or buckled quilts once quilted.  By doing it this way you can be adding length to the quilt top and this is why the borders then flair out.  It is important to measure and cut each border strip to size.  You can watch here to see how to do this.

 

How to get Perfect Borders – 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CbxLmNXDZWD/  

 

5. Binding is fun!

I know it can often be that part that many quilters aren’t that over the moon about but I wanted to share a couple of my favourite ways to Bind so that you can easily love binding yourself and show your friend how it can be relaxing and that last final touch to a quilt. 

 

Continuous Corner Binding Tutorial – https://www.blog.tiedwitharibbon.com/2018/01/how-to-sew-your-quilt-binding.html

 

How to invisibly sew down your Binding - https://www.instagram.com/reel/CgwNv3ljYwF/

 

 

With these tips, you and your friend will absolutely love quilting up a storm together.

Liberty Belle Quilt Pattern

If you loved it to – make sure you keep up to date with all the Tied with a Ribbon News here - https://subscribepage.io/TWARnewsletter

Happy Quilting

Jemima x 

Amour Granny Square Bag Tutorial by Amy of Happy Hippie Studio

Hey there! I’m Amy from Happy Hippie Studio , and I am stoked to be bringing you a tutorial for the Amour Granny Square! This pattern combines my two favorite things: yarn and fabric. 

A little backstory: 

I started crocheting when I was eleven. My family lived in Montana where the winters were long and there wasn’t much to do other than drink coffee and crochet (let’s not talk about how I developed a caffeine addiction at eleven!) For many years, I only used fine thread and made so. many. doilies. As I got older, I wanted to make things that were utilitarian as well as beautiful, so I ventured into making blankets and bags. 

I didn’t start quilting until 2013 when my oldest was a baby and I was a stay-at-home-mom struggling with depression. Making simple quilts gave me the quick wins I needed to feel like a productive adult again. 

Now that the kids are a little older, I’m enjoying taking the time to dive deeply into both crochet AND quilting, and finding unique ways to combine them! Just don’t ask me to knit anything. It will likely take a really long time. 

This tote bag is a fun combination of crochet and machine sewing. Yes...you can absolutely use your sewing machine to sew through crocheted items! It’s not scary, I promise. 

Just grab your copy of the tutorial at the link here and get stitching! 

Are you nervous about sewing fabric to yarn? Don’t be! Here are a few tips to help it go super smoothly: 

1. SLOW DOWN! Put your machine at half speed or less. 

2. Pins are your friends! The heat from the iron won’t penetrate the thick yarn,   so use lots of pins. Seriously. If you think you have enough, use more anyway. 

3. Use a longer stitch than normal. Mine is set at 2.7 mm. 

4. Don’t change the tension. 

5. Use a thread that matches the background fabric on your bag. This will make seams disappear.

6. Use a 1⁄4” seam. I’m lazy, and don’t like taking off my quilting foot, so this pattern was written with 1⁄4” seams. If you’re a quilter, this will save you a step since you’re accustomed to using your 1⁄4” foot for, well, everything. 

The variation in thickness will hide a lot of flaws, and look really artisan. Perfection is so overrated anyway! 

Grab your copy of the free tutorial and get started ASAP here! 

While my style tends toward the vibrant and scrappy, this tote would be GORGEOUS in a neutral palette (hello, earth tones!). If you make it in neutrals, please don’t forget to tag @happyhippiestudio and @tiedwitharibbon so we can feature your work on our accounts and use #amourgrannysquare and #tiedwitharibbonpatterns

Thanks for sewing along, Amy

Piece. Love. Quilt. 

Guest Blog Post by Danielle @the.reds.quiltco all about her Heatwave Quilt

Guest Blog post by Danielle of @the.reds.quiltco

When Jemima reached out to me about testing her Heatwave Quilt pattern, I knew that I wanted to use a variety of prints and solids in the same colour family. Blue is my absolute favourite colour of fabric to work with so it was an obvious choice! I knew I would have a good variety of blues to choose from in my stash and they also played well on the wave design of the pattern. 

I gathered about 10-12 potential fabrics and then narrowed them down from there to the seven that I used for my quilt top. A last minute additional pop of navy polkadot for the binding made for eight blue fabrics in total. I wanted to add variety to the texture of the fabric as well, so my final pull was made up of quilting cottons, chambray and even a muslin print that tied the light and dark blues in the quilt together. 

Making the Heatwave Quilt pattern was the first time I had ever used a triangle template to cut out my fabrics. I really had no idea how using a template would compare to the regular cutting process but I was so pleasantly surprised! With each fabric starting out as strips then getting cut down into the exact same size triangle, I couldn’t believe how quickly the cutting went. Plus, it was a welcome change for me from cutting rectangles and squares!

Quilt top construction is pieced rows that eventually join together to make the full design. My design wall wasn’t big enough to hold the full layout for the quilt so I just kept my fabrics organized in stacks on my cutting table and pulled from them one row at a time. I sewed and pressed each completed row fully before moving onto the next one and was able to stay really organized throughout row construction. I also made sure to take the extra time to pin each set of rows before sewing them together. I don’t always have the patience for pins but to ensure that the rows all met up perfectly and the wave design finished in crisp, solid sections, it was well worth the time spent.

Once the top was finished, I chose to do 3/4 inch straight-line quilting on the diagonal to mimic the angles of the wave design. I wanted the quilting to add a lot of texture and eventual crinkle, while not distracting from the bold lines of the design itself. I chose a white thread that stood out in some sections and blended in for others, depending on the fabric colour it landed on. I backed it in a warm cozy flannel because I live in Canada and the winters can be long here! Happy to report that my Heatwave Quilt is currently the most fought over one in our living room - so I’d say it was a very successful project!

Such a BIG thank you to Danielle for sharing all about her Heatwave Quilt.  You can check out Danielle on Instagram here at @the.reds.quiltco 

Heatwave - it's getting HOT in here!

Nervousness, excitement, trepidation... Thankfully, release time is also SUPER busy, so I'm able to channel those emotions into the work that has to be done in the lead-up. 

Of course, as I'm releasing one project, I'm always working on something else behind the scenes, and it's been no different this time, but this week it's all about Heatwave! 

Heatwave is here (and it's SUPER HOT!) Designed for maximum impact, the Heatwave Quilt works well with a range of fabric choices - a combination of your favourite bold solids, the prints in a specific fabric collection, or fabric scrap magic (like my Anna Maria Horner version below). 

Three sizes are included in the pattern: Baby quilt - finished size 49½in x 52½in or 126cm x 134cm Throw quilt - finished size 69½in x 71½in or 177cm x 182cm Large Queen quilt - finished size 98½in x 104½in or 250cm x 265cm. 

There are clear set out instructions with illustrations and photos to help you with your machine piecing of this quilt. Suitable for beginner quilters or quilters of any level. This design is made using Equilateral Triangles. And there is even a Bonus Pillow pattern included for you to complete the set.

The Heatwave Quilt Pattern includes: 

• Illustrations and photos
• List of Fabric requirements
• Cutting Instructions
• Sewing Instructions
• Pressing Tips
• Layout and Assembly instructions
• Binding instructions
• EQ Template pages
• BONUS Pillow Pattern

Whether you want to give Equilateral Triangles a go for the first time (don't worry, they're not as tricky as they seem!), or you've tried one of my other designs (End Game, Labyrinth or Love Triangle) you now have a new EQ design to add to your project list! 

To keep things really easy, you can buy the matching EQ templates in my store. They've had a bit of a glow-up with new packaging and are looking pretty schmick, as you can see! And don't forget the BONUS pillow pattern that's included! 

Check out all my tips for sewing with equilateral triangles in my blog post here.

“This design is modern, fun to piece, and comes together quickly with Jemima’s clear instructions and step-by- step diagrams. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to cut and piece the triangles that make up this pattern. It’s a thing of beauty, sewing friends!” Lauren @sewlosew

"This was my first time working with equilateral triangles in a quilt. The strong visuals and clear instructions in the pattern helped me to feel confident at each step of the process and made piecing triangles a breeze. I couldn't believe how quickly the quilt top came together once I got going!"    Danielle @the.reds.quiltco

The Heatwave Quilt pattern is out now.

Available as a PDF Pattern or Paper Pattern in my Store.

Wholesale customers can purchase through Creative Abundance or Checker Distributors.

Please tag me @tiedwitharibbon with your #heatwavequilt so that I can see the beautiful versions you make.

Happy Quilting 

Jemima x x

Equilateral Triangles - My Best Tips and Tricks

I have a real love for designing Equilateral Triangle Quilt patterns – some of my popular designs such as my End Game Quilt and Love Triangle Quilt use these EQ Triangles as the basis for the design.  

I understand that these can often feel intimidating or just maybe a little bit tricky - cut I am here to share with you some of my best Tips and Tricks so that you can tackle Equilateral Triangle's with ease - and see that they really aren't that tricky.

End Game Quilt

You have seen all the Equilateral Triangles all over the Internet and Pinterest and wondered how do makers achieve all those perfect points? You have tried to put some Equilateral Triangles together but none of your points meet and it doesn’t come together how you imagined!

 

I have taught many Workshops on Tacking Equilateral Triangles, so I am here today to share with you some of my best tips for sewing with Equilateral Triangles to get perfect points every time.

 

My top tips for Perfect points.

1. Pressing 

Use a Starch Spray (I love Best Press) to help starch all your fabrics before you press them all.  This will help flatten your fabrics and make your fabric “feel” nice and firm to cut.  You will also notice how this helps the bias in the EQ Triangles stay as firm as possible for when it comes to sewing your Equilateral triangles. 

2. Cutting 

It’s best to make sure that you start on the right track. Before you begin to cut you will want to ensure your Templates are accurate.

Begin cutting our your project with a nice sharp blade in your Rotary cutter and take your time.  Accuracy in cutting will help at the next step of sewing.  Rushed cutting can snowball and turn into pieces that don’t align as you sew so your patience will be rewarded.

3. Not all Rulers are created Equal

Ruler – There are many rulers on the market and again this is important to test any ruler size you have against any paper Template provided. Always double check alongside the given paper template in the pattern (check the size scale – 1in square).  

Also, if your ruler is “Top Trimmed” - meaning it has flat points – cut these off when cutting out your pieces.  These will help you line up your seam allowance.

Love Triangle Quilt

4. Sewing  

When it comes to sewing your EQ triangles together - match your points at the seam intersection (not along the raw edge of the fabrics). Place a pin where the seam meets at 1/4in to hold these points together. I like to put my pin through on a diagonal to hold down seam allowances from either side.

Sew the seam through where the points intersect. You may need to sew slightly scanter or wider at this point, so your stitch runs exactly through this point. 

With these helpful tips you will find it easy to tackle Equilateral Triangles.

If you have found these tips for sewing Equilateral Triangles helpful, then you will want to sign up for my Newsletter which is always full of helpful quilting tips and tricks.  

Sign up to my Newsletter here

When you sign up, you will receive a 20% Discount code that you can use Storewide in my store.  In my Newsletter there is lots of information about all my upcoming patterns, special offers, where I will be teaching as well as great tips and tricks to help improve your quilting.

Happy Quilting

Jemima x

Christmas handmade gifting in no time at all

At this time of year as Christmas and the Holiday season is just right round the corner, time seems to be short on for most.  It's such an amazing time of the year to gift to those we love and especially when those gifts are handmade making it all the more precious.

But with not long to the big day I am here with my top picks for beautiful, quilt and fast to make gifts you can sew in next to no time to have ready for under the tree.  

Sunny Dayz

Great hat pattern to make for the kids

Bethanie Apron

Make this for your baking loving friends or to fancy up your own cooking

Hair Dayz

perfect for the teenager or scrunchie loving friend

Measure Once Mini Quilt

for your sewing and quilting loving friends or yourself

PJ Pals

for all the kids you sew and gift for

Santa Sacks

perfect for all those gifts under the tree - both big and little kids

Zippy Hobby Bags

perfect for everyone

And how about some FREE Tutorials that you can find on my Blog.  Sure they may be oldies but boy are they still goodies.

Christmas Gift Tag Tutorials

Felt Snowman Tutorial 

I hope you enjoy sewing up these super quick and super fun projects.

Happy Quilting

Jemima x 

Choose your Own Adventure Quilt Pattern Release

Sometimes patterns take a while to come to life and be released out into the Quilty universe.  This is exactly the case for the Choose Your Own Adventure Quilt and I am so excited to introduce my latest release to you and I promise it has been worth the wait.

The Choose Your Own Adventure Quilt features 1 pattern that has 2 design colourways.  This means that you can make either the Inside Out version or the In Colour Order and be walked through exactly how to make either one.  No guess work, no reading between the lines and trying to figure it out yourself.  This pattern includes everything you will need to know to make either design.

For the In Colour Order version I made it using Speckled from Ruby Star Society inspired by the beautiful Floral Backing fabric by Melody Miller also of Ruby Star Society.

The Inside out version was made using Art Gallery Fabric Pure Solids and the beautiful floral again inspired the colour way which is called Boho Fusions by Art Gallery Fabrics.

This pattern is made by Foundation Paper Piecing (FPP) and no matter whether this is the first time you have tried this technique or you are a pro FPP'r then you will find that everything is explained.

The Choose your own Adventure Quilt is 56.5in x 70.5in (145cm x 180cm) and the pillow finished size is 20.5in x 20.5in (52cm x 52cm)

The bumper sized pattern includes:

Full colour step-by-step instructions

Cutting Guides

Pictures and diagrams

Full colour layout guides

Full size templates

Colouring pages and even

BONUS - pillow pattern so that you can accessorise with the scraps.

And because I like to make things as easy as possible - I have made a FPP Paper Pack that goes with this Quilt pattern so that you don't have to worry about printing off templates yourself - simply cut and sew.  All the printing is done for you so that you can make one complete quilt.  Check them out here in my store.

You can now get the Choose your Own Adventure Quilt pattern in both PDF and Printed Booklet formats in my store.  FPP Paper packs are available here.

For wholesale customers you can get the Choose your Own Adventure Quilt pattern and paper packs at Creative Abundance and Checker Distributors.

I have also had the most amazing pattern testers work on this new design - make sure you check out #chooseyourownadventurequilt on Instagram for some absolutely breath taking versions.

Happy Quilting

Jemima x x