Nannycraft4u

Make your handmade dreams a reality - Just ask Nanny!

Home » Tutorials

Catch-Up Week for the 9 Patch Sampler

by 2 Comments

I have noticed that the number of photos of finished blocks that I have received has declined and so this week I have decided to give everyone a ‘catch-up’ week.

I know what it is like when you have fallen behind and have that dreaded feeling that you are never going to catch up !

I want you to finish this Sampler and so I am giving you a chance to get back on track  – so lets do it!

WHAT YOU NEED:

  • a plan of attack
  • some time
  • belief in yourself
  • chocolate

WHAT YOU DO:

  1.  Find where you are up to –  all tutorials can be found by clicking on the Block names below.
  2.  Print the tutorial if that helps – you will find a green ‘Print Friendly’ sign at the top left of each tutorial – this will print without all of the ‘other stuff’
  3.  Complete your block and lodge a photo.

To help inspire you, I am going to share some of the completed blocks (with permission).  I love how different they look depending on the fabric choice and I cant wait to see them come together in a few weeks time!

BLOCK 1 – 9 Patch

 

BLOCK 2 –  RAILFENCE VARIATION

BLOCK3 – Half Square Triangles 

 

BLOCK 4- SHOO FLY

 

BLOCK 5 – FRIENDSHIP STAR

BLOCK 6- CONTRARY WIFE

 

BLOCK 7 –  SPOOL

BLOCK 8 – CHURN DASH

BLOCK 9 – FORMAL GARDEN

BLOCK 10 –  GREEK CROSS

BLOCK 11 –  CHEVRON

BLOCK 12 –  BIRDS IN THE AIR

BLOCK 13 – DOUBLE 9 PATCH

 

Thank you for sharing your photos – I hope they help to get you going….

 

Until next time

Nanny xx

Make a Birds in the Air Quilt Block from Charm Squares

by 2 Comments

Today we are going to make a Birds in the Air quilt block using charm squares.  As with any of the blocks, you may choose to use a different combination of LIGHT, DARK and OTHER – there is no right or wrong!

 

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

DARK :  5 x 5″ squares

LIGHT:  4 x 5″ squares

OTHER:  2 x 5″ squares

LET’S SEW!

  1.   Make 2 DARK and 2 LIGHT into  HST’s
  2.   Repeat using 2 LIGHT and 2 OTHER
  3.  Take one of each of these and put aside (you will not need them here)
  4.   Trim the HST’s and the remaining  DARK squares to 4.5″
  5.  Organise your squares:

6.  Sew your 9 patch and press

NANNY NOTE:  You will have 1/4″ seams on the outer edges of your triangles.  A photo mishap meant that this was taken after it was added to the quilt top, hence it appears to finish at the points.

I really like this one!  Of course you can see that if you were using it in a quilt you could save a lot of work by cutting the large triangle formed by the DARK in this case as a single triangle.

Until next time

Nanny xx

Make a Spool block from Charm Squares

by 2 Comments

Today we are going to make the 7th block in our 9 Patch Sampler.  We are going to make a Spool block using our Charm Squares.

The spool is so called because it is designed to look like a spool of thread.  With more experience, you will be able to vary the size and shape of the spool, but for today, we will stay with our 4.5″ squares made into a 9 patch.

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

The Spool is the first block where  we will be introducing another fabric to our 9 patches – I have called it OTHER so I now have, DARK, LIGHT and OTHER.  It is simply an accent fabric that will add to the design.  I am using Black and you can see that it represents the thread on the spool.

Dark: 4 x 5″ squares – 2 are left at 5″ and the other 2 are trimmed to 4.5″

Light:  4 x 5″ squares – 2 are left at  5″ and the other 2 are trimmed to 4.5″

Other:  1 x 5″ square – trimmed to 4.5″ (this is the thread on the spool)

LET”S SEW:

  1.  Take the two 5″ Dark and Light and make  4 HST’s
  • diagonal line
  • scant 1/4″ either side of line
  • cut between the lines
  • trim to 4.5″ and press OR press and trim to 4.5″

2.  Sew a 4.5″ Light either side of the 4.5″ Other

YOU NOW HAVE :

  • 2 x 4.5″ Dark
  • 4 x 4.5″ HSTs
  • Light – Other – Light

3. Organise your squares:

4.  Sew your 9 Patch.  Take care to match the joins carefully to finish the spool.

 

5.  Press and add it to your growing samples.

Make a Spool Block from Charm Squares

Thank you for sharing your photos to our Facebook page Nanny Sews and Crafts – it is fun to see how different each block looks with the different fabric choices!

 

Until next time

Nanny xx

Make a Contrary Wife Quilt Block from Charm Squares

by 4 Comments

For all the ‘contrary’ wives out there today we will make a Contrary Wife quilt block from charm squares.

Contrary Wife Quilt Block

WHAT YOU NEED:

LIGHT:  5 x 5″ squares

DARK: 4 x 5″ squares

 

 

LET’S SEW:

Nanny Note:   if you need more detailed instructions just follow the links for a quick reminder!

  1.  Take 3 LIGHT and 2 Dark squares and trim them to 4.5″
  2. Take 2 LIGHT and 2 DARK and make HST’s
  • diagonal line
  • scant 1/4″ either side of line
  • cut between the lines
  • trim  to 4.5″and press OR press and trim to 4,5″

3.  Organise your squares:

 

4. Sew your 9 patch and press.

Contrary Wife Quilt Block
Contrary Wife Quilt Block

How did you go with the Contrary wife?  Are you feeling a little contrary now?  I must admit when I saw the name of this block, I imagined a  frustrated quilter ( maybe with little ones crying “Whats for dinner?”) trying to make sense of her squares and HSTs and getting flustered – maybe she was having problems with her corners or maybe her directional fabrics!

Whatever it was, we have been left with a fun block in her memory!

 

Until next time

Nanny xx

‘Dream to Achieve’ – Binding the Quilt

by Leave a Comment

alans pen logo

Logo for Margie done

'Dream to Achieve' I'm Quilting Along With Nanny
‘

 

 

 

 

 

Well here we are at the final step in our quiltalong ‘Dream to Achieve’ – Binding the Quilt!

So let’s get started!

  1. Trim the quilt

Take your quilt, and trim to the edge of your sashing , checking the square of your corners.  They should be pretty spot on as we have been checking along the way!

DSC05930

I use my square rule for the corner and then my long one to continue down the sides

DSC05931

 

2.  Prepare the binding

Take your fabric for binding and cut it into 2.5″ strips selvedge to selvedge – you will get 8 cuts from your 0.5m

3.  Join the binding strips

Take two strips and place as shown

DSC05929

Stitch along the line shown with my rule, trim and press.

Continue to join all strips in this manner and then press in half

IMG_0133

4. Adding the binding

Take the end, open it and cut at 45 degree angle

Now, leaving about 6″ of binding free, and starting along one of the sides (not at a corner),stitch the binding to the wrong side of the quilt (this is to stitch your binding by machine – if you prefer to do it by hand you will stitch to the front)

When you reach the corner, stop 1/4″ from the end and turn and stitch out to the corner (I apologise that my machine light has reflected here but if you see the last stitch the stitches then go up at 45 degrees to the top right)  Sort of like this ——–/ Remove from the machine.

DSC05932

 

Fold the binding up towards the machine (Your angled finish will help get this)   The photo I took of that step is not clear enough so will use one from another quilt to demonstrate

DSC04383

Then fold the binding back down along the next side until the fold is level with the side just sewn (I have pinned it to take the photo)

DSC04384

Starting at the edge, you then stitch along this side up to the next corner and repeat.

5.  Joining the ends of the binding

When you get about 8 – 10″ from the start, do some reverse stitches and finish off and remove from your machine.

DSC05934

 

The start is on the left.  Open the start end

DSC05935

 

and lay the other end into the opening

DSC05936

 

Now mark where they meet – I will mark it with this pin so you can see as this fabric is tricky!

DSC05937

 

Take that end away from the quilt

DSC05938

 

Open it up and using your 45 degree on your rule

DSC05939

Mark along the rule

DSC05940

 

Then put another mark 0.5″ to the left of the first mark (this is the seam allowance)

DSC05941

Cut along that line – the one closest to the end (you will still have the first line on your binding)

DSC05942

Now join the ends, finger press, fold in half  and it will fit perfectly!!  Complete sewing the binding.

DSC05933

6.  Press

Press the binding away from the quilt.

7. Finish the Binding

Fold the binding to the front of the quilt so that it just passes the stitching. To work out how far over the stitching to put the edge, pop a pin in where you are going to stitch close to the edge and it should show just next to the binding on the back.

At the corner, fold right through

DSC05943

and then fold the next side up forming a mitre – You will find it easier to handstitch a little stitch in the corner to hold it for you rather than pinning

DSC05944

 

 

Stitching close to the edge, work your way around the quilt.  When you reach a corner, leave your needle down, lift your presser foot and turn the quilt.  Lower your presser foot and continue.

Repeat until binding is complete.

Nanny note:  Don’t worry if your stitching isn’t perfectly positioned on the back – this is something that improves with practice and like I have said before, just step away a bit and it will not even be noticeable!!

Congratulations!!  That is your quilt finished! What an achievement!!  It shows that you just need to Dream to Achieve!

Don’t forget to give your new quilt a name – I’m calling mine ‘Butterfly Dreams’ !  I will include this on my label when I find its new home!

DSC05950

 

DSC05948

 

 

DSC05949

 

 

Thank you for joining me in this Quiltalong.  I hope you have enjoyed making your quilt and that you will share a photo . I would also like to thank our sponsors Alan’s Pen Making and A1 Craft and Quilting for providing the gift packs along the way!

What to next?

Until next time

Nanny xx

© Nannycraft4u

All content and images belong to Nannycraft4u unless otherwise indicated. You are welcome to link back to my blog, but you may not copy whole posts, tutorials or photos without my permission. Please give credit for my work and link back to the original post at Nannycraft4u.com.au If you use one of my ideas, I would love to know about it. Designs and tutorials are for personal use only.