Show And Tell–Calm Blue Ocean

Donna, a lovely reader sent me this photo of her recently completed mystery quilt:

I asked her if she would let me share it with you and she very kindly said yes.

Now Donna tells me she hasn’t been quilting long, but I got to tell you, I think she’s telling fibs, because how wonderful is her quilt?

Well done, Donna!  Your quilt is a credit to you.

If anyone else out there has finished their quilt, I’d love to put a photo of it on the blog, so please feel free to send one through to sillygoosequilts@hotmail.com

Till tomorrow,

Suzie

Calm Blue Ocean–The Final Step!

Yes, it’s here!

Click here for the direct link

or

click here to take you to the mystery page.

I do hope you loved it as much as I loved it.  I’ll definitely do another one!

Till tomorrow,

Suzie

Calm Blue Ocean Month Nine

Ohhh it’s nearly reveal time!  I’m sure you’ll have a good idea what kind of quilt you’re going to end up with after today.  Have fun!

Click here to download the next step

or

Click here to take you to the mystery quilt page.

Enjoy!

Calm Blue Ocean–Month Eight

Heading towards the finish line – are you guys enjoying it?  I’d love you to send me some pictures if you’ve got some.

Okay – here you go!

click here to download the next step

or

click here to take you to the mystery quilt page.

Till tomorrow,

Suzie

Calm Blue Ocean Month Seven

Oh my gosh, you guys, I totally forgot to upload this yesterday.  I’m so sorry!

It’s going to be a little sporadic the next two weeks – I have little ones at home now for school holidays.

Here it is.  Enjoy!

Click here to directly download the next step, or click here to go over to the mystery quilt page.

Thanks!

Suzie

Calm Blue Ocean Part Six

***just a quick note – it’s been asked if you can paper piece the previous step.  Absolutely you can, but you can’t use the picture on top of the PDF as its not to scale.  Draw your template out as I have instructed, and DON’T cut them apart into template A, B and C.  Paper piece as desired, remembering that your block must be 3.5” when complete (that’s 3” finished, with 1/4” seam allowance around.  Please email me if you’re confused).

Down to this week’s step!

So I’ve decided not to reveal each part of the mystery quilt on the main page from now on, just in case you’re not up to the current step and don’t want to see the quilt till it’s done. 

So click on here to download the PDF, or head over to the Mystery Quilt page to download the next step!

Have fun!

Suzie

Calm Blue Ocean Part Five

Click here for a printer friendly PDF.  Remember, the pictures are much nicer on the PDF plus I have included a third method for printing the templates.

As always, remember scrappy is best! Use lots of different fabric choices when cutting.

We will now be working with templates.

It is very important that this template measures the right size. I’ve given you two ways to make sure that you have the correct size template.

Method A

Download and print out your template, get your ruler and measure each finished (bold) line.

Template A should measure 3” x 3 5/8” x 3 5/8”

Template B should measure 1 ½” x 3 5/8” x 3”

Template C should measure 1 ½” x 3 5/8” x 3”

Enlarge your copy if required.

Method B

Alternatively, on a blank piece of paper, draw a 3” square.

Measure across the bottom line of square and mark the 1 ½” point with a dot.

Join a line from the top left of your square to this dot. Then join a line from the top right of your square to the dot.

Cut the triangles apart and glue onto cardboard. Draw a ¼” seam all around the shapes, and cut apart.

Assembly

From background fabric, cut 224 of template B and 224 of template C.

From coloured fabrics, cut 112 of template A.

Piece the units in the following way:

· On the wrong side of all three units, trace a ¼” seam.

· Lay template B fabric triangle on right side of a template A triangle right sides together, matching raw edges and pinning if required. Use pins to match ¼” pencil line drawn.

· Sew along ¼” seam line on pinned side.

· Gently press open with seam allowance towards template B fabric.

· Lay template C triangle on the other long side of template A triangle, right sides together and matching raw edges.

· Stitch a ¼ seam on matched side

· Gently press open with seam allowance towards template B fabric.

Confused? Don’t be. Check my website under Tutorials to find a photographic display of how to do it. This block is apparently called a Square Goose. Who knew?

Continue stitching these units until you have pieced 112 of them. Put into a ziplock bag marked Unit Five.

Unit Five – Make 112

Calm Blue Ocean Part Four

Click here for a print friendly PDF.  Diagrams are better in the PDF.

Part Four

As always, remember scrappy is best! Use lots of different fabric choices when cutting.

Time for something new now!

From background fabric, cut (112) 2” x 3 ½” rectangles.

From coloured fabric, cut (224) 2” squares.

Piece the two inch squares together to make 112 units measuring 2” x 3 ½” and press.

Piece this unit to the background rectangle cut previously.

Press. This unit should now measure 3 ½” square. Continue with this method until you have made 112 of them. Put into a ziplock bag and mark with Unit Four.

Unit Four – Make 112

Calm Blue Ocean Part Three

Print Friendly PDF HERE – diagrams are more specific on PDF

This time, we get to sew something a little different. We’re going to make those old favourites, the half square triangles.

From background fabrics, cut 64 four inch squares.

From coloured fabrics, cut 64 four inch squares.

As always, remember scrappy is best! Use lots of different fabric choices when cutting.

Using method listed below, make 128 half square triangle units.

1. Draw a light pencil line across the diagonal of one of your squares. Draw this line on the wrong side of your fabric.

2. Lay this square over a background square right sides together and stitch a scant ¼” from either side of the pencil line.

3. Cut the blocks apart on the pencil line and press open.

Trim them back to measure 3 ½” and then put into a ziplock bag, marked Unit Three. You should have 128 units.

Unit Three – Make 128

Calm Blue Ocean Part Two

Print Friendly PDF HERE – diagrams are more specific on PDF

How’d everyone go with the four patches? Sick of them yet? I hope not, as we have some more!

This time we need to piece some more 3 ½” four patches, but instead of making them all blue, we need to throw in some background.

As always, remember scrappy is best! Use lots of different fabric choices when cutting. If you stick to two colour choices (e.g. blue and cream) like me, you should love your finished result.

From cream, cut 256 two inch squares. From coloured fabrics, cut 256 two inch squares.

Piece together a four patch as shown below.

Unit Two – Make 128

Calm Blue Ocean Part One

Print Friendly PDF HERE – diagrams are more specific on the PDF

Are you ready to begin? I hope you have a blast!

In this step, we will be making four patches that will measure 3 ½” unfinished.

From your bag of coloured scraps, you need to cut 356 two inch squares.

Chain piece your two inch squares to make a four patch unit.

This should measure 3 ½” square. Trim if necessary. You will need 89 of these units. Put aside in a ziplock bag marked Unit One.

Unit One – Make 89

Calm Blue Ocean Intro and Fabric Requirements

Printer Friendly PDF found HERE – diagrams are more specific on the PDF

Hello and welcome to my first ever mystery quilt! I’ve had a blast developing this design, and learnt so much about my computer and EQ6 while I’ve been doing it! I am really excited to share this with you.

This will work wonderfully as a scrappy quilt. I’ve made it in a simple two colour toning (creams and blues). I’ve used the same cream throughout but feel free to mix and match.

See my photo for a guide as to what I used:

There will be lots of piecing in this quilt. There will be lots of four patches, so if you’re a ‘leader and ender’ kind of quilter, you’ll love this design.

It’s easy peasy, and as long as you can cut straight and sew straight, you’ll do really well. I’m not the most accurate of sewers some days, and I find it’s always a good idea to use a scant ¼” seam, and then trimming down if need be.

My finished quilt will measure 75” square, so it’s average in size. You can make it bigger if you like, that will be easy enough. But there are lots of piecing sections to do, so I suggest you start with my sizing first of all.

Each step is easy, and with instructions being released every two weeks (approximately, as time permits), I hope you’ll be able to keep up.

Feel free to take a little break from time to time if you want to, but remember that others may be discussing their quilt around the traps and the design may be revealed if you’re not careful.

That’s all from me. I hope that you love this quilt as much as I loved doing it for you. I know you understand that I am a beginner at publishing this sort of thing, so please email me at sillygoosequilts@hotmail.com with any questions or queries.

Requirements List

· Light fabric for background - approximately 5 yards (I have used cream)

· Coloured fabric for blocks - approximately 6 yards*

*as we are using scrappy fabrics, it’s really hard to estimate. My advice is to just keep cutting from your scrap basket till you have enough, adding as you need it. 6 yards is the figure EQ6 gave me.

· Ziplock Bags.

· All the usual requirements for quilting (rotary cutter, mat, board, iron etc)

That’s it really! Next week we’ll start the cutting and stitching. Let’s have fun!

Calm Blue Ocean Mystery Quilt

As promised, here is the schedule for our mystery quilt.  I’ve decided to go with weekly instalments rather than fortnightly.  Two weeks is too long to wait in between parts, don’t you think?

It’s a ten-parter, so it should take a couple of months to make at an easy going pace.

Due to my limitations with the Blog programme, I’m not really sure how to transfer my EQ pictures into my blog.  So, the PDF’s have all the best instructions and diagrams, and I really recommend that you download them when told to. 

Thursday 17th May – Introduction and Fabric Requirements

Friday 18th May – Part One

Friday 25th May – Part Two

Friday 1st June – Part Three

Friday 8th June – Part Four

Friday 15th June – Part Five

Friday 22th June – Part Six

Friday 29th June – Part Seven

Friday 6th July – Part Eight

Friday 13th July – Part Nine

Friday 20th July – Part Ten

Please email me with any queries or questions, and remember, HAVE FUN!

See you tomorrow!

Suzie

Ready for a mystery quilt?

So I’ve been a little sneaky.  I’ve done a mystery quilt.  It’s my first, and I did it as a combination of just wanting to try something new for the blog, and also to get to know how to use Electric Quilt.  It worked out really well, and so I invite you to join along in the…….

The name came about because at the time I was designing this quilt, I was having multiple problems with both the laptop I was working on, and my machine.  I needed the lap top for the Electric Quilt and instructions, and I needed the machine for sewing the jolly quilt! 

I found myself doing lots of deep breathing and walking away and thinking of nice, calming things, like a Calm Blue Ocean.  

Calm Blue Ocean.  Deep breath.  Calm Blue Ocean.

Anyway, I loved doing this design.  I’m thrilled to my toes with the finished result of it.  It’s been quilted by my very fabulous (and free) long arm machine quilter who also happens to be my mother. 

I even made the logo myself. Clever old thing.

I plan to release the new instalments every two weeks, unless you all talk me into doing it weekly.  It’s not hard, not at all.  It isn’t as intense as Bonnie Hunter’s tend to be but there is a lot of piecing, all rotary cut, no applique.  It’s broken up into small steps, and each step is well and truly achievable in a day or so. 

So are you ready?  I’ll post a schedule in a day or so, but tell your friends, make sure you click on the follow me button and let’s have some fun!

(Bountiful Bouquet is still going strong of course, but a mystery is always so much fun!).

Suzie