penny-studionotes-2

Above is the final pieced top made with the appliqué squares. (Cropping makes it look a little tilted; it's not.) I spent yesterday using Photoshop to try out a number of lay-outs for this quilt, narrowing it down to four possibilities. A) 4 vertical squares, pushed left B) 4 vertical squares, centered C) 4 rectangles D) 2 x 2 squares Much as I liked the idea of getting more color in by using horizontal rectangles of colored fabric (layout "C"), I think the simple square works best. Of course, Christy Marnell, designer of the Posh Tot quilt pattern, had already figured that out :-)  This will be a generous-lap-size quilt, about 57 x 77". I had been thinking I would put a 2" frame of color around each square, but that resulted in a quilt that was bed-size instead of lap-size, and I didn't want to go that large.  So I tried layout "D" which I could do with larger borders.  Nice, but not as striking as layout A.  I solved the size problem ...

Square-in-square tutorial: made with folds, no cutting Many thanks to Judy Chaffee, who taught this method to a group of us at a recent quilting retreat. She learned it at a Modern Quilt Guild meeting in Kansas City, where the group used it to make some charity quilts. Both Judy and I looked for a pre-existing tutorial using google searches, but couldn't find one, so I've written up how to make the block. This method produces  very quickly. These directions use two squares of fabric, 5" and 10".   These are convenient if you like pre-cuts (charm packs and layer cakes), but the method works for any size, smaller or larger. The small square does not have to be half the size of the larger square—vary according to the look you are after. Making the basic version, the unfinished block will be 1" smaller than the largest square, 1-1/2" when finished. Basic version  (with photos illlustrating steps below): 1.     Put a 5" square right-side up on a 10" sq...

Each year, a group I'm part of, Quilters by Design, meet for a four-day retreat where we discuss our work and do a lot of sewing. The people in the group have all done design workshops with Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr , so we share a common vocabulary and approach to the design process. It's great to have dedicated time to sew, to share the time with friends, and to see how a quilt design can be transformed once response and suggestions are heard from a group of creative folks.  For example, I brought with me a quilt that was in the early state of the design process.  I had finished five large appliqué blocks, using a pattern that showed the blocks laid out for a 40x40" wall-hanging. "Japanese Gingko" by Roxanne McElroy This has been my "travel appliqué" project for a few years, more important to me for the process (having  easy-to-transport hand-work when I travel) than for the finished product.  As I was finishing up the last block, I learned of a wedd...