The Inklingo Sampler

Hexagon Alphabet - putting it all together

2012-02-12T23:48:00.000-08:00

So, all blocks have been stitched, and it's time to put it all together, and get your top ready for quilting.

The directions on how to cut and measure are a bit involved but I'll try it anyway. The lack of fixed measurements is because you might have used another size hexagon than I did. I used the 0.5" hexies but if you used the o.75", the 1" or one of the even larger sizes, fixed measurements will be wildly off.
To make this easier to do for yourself, copy the directions, but instead of the words in parentheses, write the actual measurements you arrive at, measurements that are consistent with the size of hexagon you chose to use.

Cut two strips of fabric which is (height of letter block) x (two hexagons width + 0.5")
Join one to each side of your filler-blocks.

Join the blocks into rows, making sure, on the last row, that the strip on the side of your filler-block goes towards the letters, making an extra space between letters and fillers.

(Picture above is a mock-up and the rows are not yet joined on it)

Measure the longest row; that's the TUVW row
Measure the shortest row; that's the KLMN row
Divide the difference in length with two

To the width arrived at, add (two widths of your hexagon + o.5" seam-allowance)

Add a strip (height of letter block) x (the above measurement) to each side of each row.
Yes. You will waste some fabric, but this is the fastest way to do it.
If you don't want to waste any fabric, measure carefully and add strips to either side of each row, according to your measurements.
Find the centre on each strip (folding in half is great)

Join the strips, so that the centre of one row matches the centre of the next row.

Since I have made the letters individually, it is a bear (downright impossible) to press half-way decently in the joins between blocks and in the joins between rows.
I pressed to either side to ease the bulk of the 'bad' joins.

Trim the sides. I aimed at having 1" (= one width of hexagon) on the side of the blocks on the longest row (TUVW)

I then added the same width of Background-fabric border to the top and the bottom, giving a (fairly) uniform space all around the letters. And finally, a wider border, made with my focus-fabric, all the way around.

Layer, baste, quilt-as-desired, bind AND (and this is important) SIGN the quilt. You never know which quilt will end up becoming a family heir-loom, so sign every one of them :-)

Hexagon Alphabet - filler blocks

2011-11-23T01:28:00.000-08:00

And here are the last block/s.
You need two filler blocks, so make two of the same.

Printing-table here.

And I know I promised you to show you how to join the blocks into a quilt (wall-hanging) and when I wrote that, I had more time on my hands than was comfortable.

... since then, life has exploded with loads and loads of work, so I haven't actually stitched together my own (yet). I might find the time to do so during the next week, but I probably won't.

HOWever, there will (still) be a picture with the mock-up of the quilt, and some sort of a write-up next week.

The Letter Z - Hexagon

2011-11-16T19:00:00.000-08:00

Check the Letter F to see how you avoid stitching this letter up mirror-image.

Printing table here.

The Letter Y - Hexagon

2011-11-09T01:25:00.000-08:00

Printing table here.

The Letter X - Hexagon

2011-11-02T01:24:00.000-07:00

Printing table here.

The Letter W - Hexagon

2011-10-26T01:23:00.000-07:00

Printing table here.

The Letter V - Hexagon

2011-10-19T01:22:00.000-07:00

Printing table here

The Letter U - Hexagon

2011-10-12T01:21:00.000-07:00

Printing table here.

The Letter T - Hexagon

2011-10-05T01:20:00.000-07:00

Printing table here.

The Letter S - Hexagon

2011-09-28T01:19:00.000-07:00

Check the Letter F to see how you avoid stitching this letter up mirror-image.

Printing table here.

The Letter R - Hexagon

2011-09-21T01:18:00.000-07:00

Check the Letter F to see how you avoid stitching this letter up mirror-image.

Printing table here.

Ohio Star

2011-09-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

We have already had this block, in the 6" format on this blog
Until I have time to write a printing-table and a new block which works with the other ones in this series, see the Ohio Star post from July 2009.

And if you do not have Collection 2 (which is sold out), use 2" QST from the downloadable QST 00B collection, and 2" squares from any number of (other) downloadable collections.

The Letter Q - Hexagon

2011-09-14T01:17:00.000-07:00

Check the Letter F to see how you avoid stitching this letter up mirror-image.

Printing table here.

And yes, it is the right letter, and yes, it is a reversed p, BUT, I tried to make an O with 4 hexagons on the bottom, and it simply did not 'read' as a Q, this one, however, reads like a q at least :-)

Confederate Rose

2011-09-10T05:04:00.000-07:00

As was the case last week, this week's block on Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler, isn't really Inklingoable.
BUT, it is possible to fake and fudge your way through it.

Print the 2.5" QSTriangles as directed in the printing-table.
Note that you must use Layout 2 and must (!) use the size I have given. You will have a good deal of waste, but it cannot be helped if you want to use Inklingo as part of constructing the 'weird shape' you need.

From the fabric you have printed with the 2.5" QST, cut 4 squares, each with two adjacent QSTriangles.

Draw a new stitching-line, 0.25" from either of the two stitching-lines already on the two-triangle unit.
Cut another 0.25" away from the newly drafted stitching-line.
See the picture on the right. Red line is new stitching-line, green line is new cutting-line. If you have trouble seeing it, click on the picture to enlarge it.

Add these four 5-edged shapes to the 2.25" central square (cut 2.75")
Be careful NOT to stitch into the seam-allowances. Sew only from cross-hair to cross-hair (or the equivalent). That is the 'joy' of Y-seams or inset seams, but it is possible to do, even on the machine, even for me (!), but only if one does not sew into the seam-allowance but stops exactly at the corner.

Add the 1" (finished width) strips to the centre.
Strictly speaking, to make the relationship between the pieces exactly the same as is found in Brackman's block, you now need to cut the strips 1.4" for a finished width of 0.9". I have opted to make mine 1" finished (and printable with the 1" Log Cabin collection), and to print them 5" long. They need to be trimmed, BUT, if you print these, align the centre of each log with the centre seam on the 'messed with' shapes that border the centre square. That way, you can also align the 1.875" HST you need to add to the corners with the centres of both ... centre and strips, and can wait to trim until the block is actually finished.

For the 8" block, use Barbara Brackman's directions.
Printing table.

The Letter P - Hexagon

2011-09-07T01:16:00.000-07:00

Check the Letter F to see how you avoid stitching this letter up mirror-image.

Printing table here.

Kentucky Crossroads

2011-09-03T10:26:00.000-07:00

Block 36 on Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler quilt isn't Inklingoable.
Sad, but true.

If you have Collection 2, you can print the QST for the 6" size block (you will need to print the 4" QST), but if you don't own that collection, the only thing you could print - for either size - is the 1.5" (finished) square you use in the 6" block

For the 8" block, follow Brackman's directions.

For the 6" block

The below measurements are with seam-allowances (!)

Cut a square, 5.25"
Cut twice on the diagonal to make 4 QST.
Cut 4 strips, each 2 x 4"
Cut a square, 2"

Join a strip to each side of the square.
Join a triangle to each side of the two remaining strips.
Join long-strip-with-square to the two with-triangle units.

Trim to 6.5" (unfinished) for a finished size of 6".

Enjoy !

The Letter O - Hexagon

2011-08-31T01:15:00.000-07:00

Printing-table here

Star of the West

2011-08-27T06:56:00.000-07:00

Week 35 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler is called 'Star of the West' ... or Clay's Choice ... or Harry's Star. It's an easy block to make, and looks good in many different versions.

The fabric values given in the printing table are based on the actual block shown on Brackman's blog, and not on the colour-values given in the drawing at the end of her post.

Brackman's Post here.
Printing Table here.

The Letter N - Hexagon

2011-08-24T01:14:00.000-07:00

Check the Letter F on how to avoid stitching this letter up mirror image.

Printing-table here.

Rosebud

2011-08-20T08:46:00.001-07:00

Week 34 of the Brackman sampler, and we're rolling in HSTriangles.
The 6" block is eminently Inklingoable
The 8" block is less so.

A few notes (on the 8" size) :
I have given the Inklingo-sizes that are equivalent to the sizes Brackman gives on her blog. However, please note, that since this block has 3 triangles spread over 4" of space, the size given by Brackman will give you a unit which is too small.

If you - like I - own just about every Inklingo collection known to woman, you can use other sizes. A better approximation to the sizes actually needed to make an accurate 8" block are :

1.32" HST in the 15" Feathered Star collection
2.64" HST in the 30" Feathered Star collection

The 1.32" HST equals Brackman's template A (where you need 12 of one fabric and 8 of another)
The 2.64" HST equals Brackman's template C (where you need 4)
And then you need the 4" HST

Brackman's post here.
Printing-table here.

The Letter M - Hexagon

2011-08-17T01:13:00.000-07:00

Printing-table here.

Indiana Puzzle

2011-08-13T08:05:00.000-07:00

Week 33 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler is called 'Indiana Puzzle'. As always, reading her stories about the Civil War is very interesting. I, at least, am learning a lot.

Completely re-written on August 25th after Linda Franz issued an intoxicating SIX different sizes of Drunkard's Path collections, and a wonderful Design Book.

I've made one printing table for the 6" block, which uses the 3" Drunkard's Path collection. BUT, there are two different options on the 8" block : one circle (using the 4" Drunkard's Path collection) or 4 circles (using the über-cute 2" Drunkard's Path collection).

Taking my cue from Brackman's block, he printing-tables are based on using 4 different fabrics. Two different ones for the circle, two other ones for the background.
HOWever, you can make the block using just two fabrics, and the AB combo layout found in all the Drunkard's Path collections. If you do that, you need to print two combos of both fabrics to make this week's block.

When it comes to the 3" collection, a 5" charm will print one of each shape, and by using 4 charms and printing the combo, you'll have a wonderful, scrappy block.

Brackman's post.
Printing table.

The Letter L - Hexagon

2011-08-10T01:12:00.000-07:00

Check the Letter F on how to avoid turning this mirror-image.

Printing-table here.

Carolina Lily

2011-08-07T00:07:00.001-07:00

This week's block on Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler is inspired by the Carolina Lily. The 'real' block has 3 lilies and some applique. This one only has one lily, placed in a 'vase'.

The block uses (mostly) the 6" LeMoyne star collection for the 6" size block. For the 8" size block, follow Brackman's directions, or make the 6" block, and then Log-cabin it, using the 1" Log Cabin collection, to make the 6" block into an 8" one.

I would hybrid-piece this one. Use the machine for most of the seams, but hand-stitch the inset seams between the petals of the lily, just as I would an ordinary / full LeMoyne star.

Brackman's post.
Printing-table.

The Letter K - Hexagon

2011-08-03T01:11:00.000-07:00

Printing-table here.

Empty Spools

2011-07-30T05:44:00.000-07:00

Week 31 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler is (fortunately) a very simple block.
No need for a printing-table, though, since only one shape is printable.

For the 8" size, follow Brackman's directions.

For the 6" size :
From both Background and Focus fabrics, cut a square, 7.25"
Cut in half diagonally, twice, making 4 QST of each.

You need two of those squares from each of your fabrics.

From focus-fabric :
Print two 3" QST (from the QST 00B collection). Use layout 2, in rows, and print a sheet that is 4 x 4.5" printed Landscape.

Using the technique described for the Bow Tie blocks, (shown previously on this blog) add the smaller focus-triangles to the larger background-fabric triangles.

Trim behind the smaller triangles.
Join the 4 triangles to form a square.
Finished !

The Letter J - Hexagon

2011-07-27T01:10:00.000-07:00

Check the Letter F on how to avoid turning this letter mirror-image.

Printing-table here.

Peterson's Stars and Stripes

2011-07-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

No print-table for this one.
For the 8" block : Follow Brackman's directions.

For the 6" block :
Use the 1" Log Cabin collection.
Print 3 red and 3 white rectangles, each 1 x 6".
Join to make a striped background.

And that's the Inklingo'able part.

Then comes the star applique. And a 5-pointed one at that. The problem here is the applique-template for the star (and the fact that I don't really do applique'ed stars).

First suggestion : If you've got 'Dear Jane', go to the block called G6, Papa's Star, draft the star on freezer-paper, and use that as your template for the star-applique.

If you don't own 'Dear Jane' :
I googled 'folding a 5-point star' and lots and lots and lots of sites came up.
I chose this one, because it has both a diagram and a video (I have no affiliation with the page at all).

Make your own star-template, using a 4.5 x 5.25" sheet of (freezer-)-paper, and applique the thing down on your striped block.

Enjoy :-)

For the 6" block shown right, check over at Tilde's Quilts.

The Letter I - Hexagon

2011-07-20T01:09:00.000-07:00

Printing table here.

Railroad Crossing

2011-07-16T01:05:00.000-07:00

Week 29 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War sampler is possible to make with Inklingo, but for the 6" size, you need to be able to shave 0.125" off the sides of the pieced strips.
If you print the 2.12" square for the centre (found in the Storm At Sea 9" collection), you can use that as a template for trimming your pieced striped squares, and you should be good.
The differences between what is actually needed in sizes and what you can print, are merely what happens if you stitch on or inside the stitching-line, rather than just on the outside - once your 5 central squares have been trimmed to 2.12" (finished size, un-finished size is 2.62").

Brackman's post here.
Printing table here.

Brackman Sampler : Corrections 4

2011-07-16T01:00:00.001-07:00

Well, as I continue to fall behind in the actual stitching of the blocks, so the corrections continue. This week there aren't many, and they are in no way biggies, but a few ... precisions have been made; the links will take you to the post, and the printing-table links on the post will lead you to the new print-tables when relevant.

Week 20, New England
Just a note of caution added, not a correction : If you use the 0.5" Log Cabin collection, please be aware that the seam-allowances are slimmer than the usual 0.25" Inklingo generally uses. You need to adjust for this !

Week 21, Underground Railroad
Some minor typing-errors have been corrected, and printing-table is updated

Week 24, Ladies' Aid Album
Another one with a note of caution, rather than a correction : Remember, that the 2.5" square in the centre, needs to be cut at 3" (!), and that the 0.5" Log Cabin strips have seam-allowances that are slimmer than the 0.25" the rest of your bits have.

And these constant corrections and recommendations is why I try to stitch whatever I publish, before I publish. As I work my way through the blocks, these little things get caught (which is good); if I just write the theory, errors will be made and not caught until some hapless stitcher finds herself up the creek ... Oh, well, better late than never and all the rest of it :-) I hope you take the time to download the corrected printing-tables, and use those, rather than the first versions for making your blocks.

The Letter H - Hexagon

2011-07-13T01:08:00.000-07:00

Printing-table here.

Next Door Neighbour

2011-07-09T01:00:00.001-07:00

Week 28 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler is called 'Next Door Neighbour'.

It uses HST and QST, and is easily Inklingoable in both sizes ... however, if you want to make it in the 8" size, you need the (sold-out) Collection 2 on CD. If you don't have that, you need to hand-cut the 4" QST. Just follow Brackman's directions for her template B, and you should be good.

In the 6" size, however, it's good and easy to make with the HST 00B and QST ooB collections.

Brackman's Post.
Printing-table.

Brackman Sampler : Corrections 3

2011-07-09T01:00:00.000-07:00

Well, there has been upheavals of various sorts here, but a few more Brackman blocks have been stitched, and a few minor errors have been caught in the printing-tables, which means there are corrections to some of the blocks (again).

The Interlaced block / True Lover's Knot - which isn't a Brackman block, but finishes 6" and can be added to the mix - has been updated to a degree where it got its own, all new post. Go check it out.
Old version (with inset seams).
New version (with no inset seams).

Union Square, from week 18, has a small correction in the printing-table. A 'landscape' had fallen out, but is now inserted back into the printing-table.

Missouri Star, from week 19 now has sizes of fabric/paper added to the printing table. It was a bit ... minimalist, BUT, the relevant numbers are added in the relevant colums, at least for the 6" block.

The Letter G - Hexagon

2011-07-06T01:07:00.000-07:00

Check the Letter F (last week's block) on how to avoid turning letter 'the wrong way' or mirror image.

Printing-table here.

Irish Chain

2011-07-02T01:05:00.000-07:00

Finally got to the point of writing the printing-table for this one.

Week 27 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler is 'Irish Chain'.
In the 6" size, it is eminently Inklingoable, using the 1" Log Cabin collection.

In the 8" size, it isn't Inklingoable at all ... unless you change it (as was done with the Log Cabin block of week 7), and add another round of 'borders' to it. That is what the printing-table does.

There are collections other than the 1" Log Cabin which has the 1 and 2" squares needed for this block, but I have gone with the 1" Log Cabin collection, because it has all the relevant bits.

Brackman's post.
Printing-table.

The Letter F - Hexagon

2011-06-29T01:06:00.000-07:00

Printing-table here.

This is the first letter where sewing it mirror-image is a potential problem, particularly if you follow Linda Franz's recommendations and "stitch from the back", i.e. lay the block out with the wrong side of the block visible (watch or re-watch the DVD in Quilted Diamonds 2)

Hitherto, all letters have been either top-bottom, or right-left symmetrical, which means that there are limits to how badly you can mess it up. The letters F, G, J, L, N, P, Q, R, S, and Z however, can be messed up if you don't get it right when turning it wrong side up, so here is what you do with those :

Lay out the letter on a piece of paper or cardboard, right side up. This means the letter looks as it is supposed to look, from the right side, when you have finished piecing it.
Carefully place a scrap of batting on top of your laid-out letter.
Pat gently.
Turn over the cardboard / batting sandwich, so you now have the paper/ cardboard on top.
Gently lift off paper / cardboard.
On the batting, your letter is now laid out, wrong side up. And you know it'll turn out right, which is a relief.

Simple, eh ?
Let me know if the above directions are not sufficiently clear. I would hate to confuse more than instruct on this one.

Barbara Frietchie Star

2011-06-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

Week 26 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler, and we're half-way through.
This one is as born for the Inklingo HST. Print a total of 16 HST same size of light / background-fabric, and you're rolling.

Linda Franz' Triangle Tips.
Scroll down a bit. It's the 'Inklingo Sawtooth' pdf-file you want to look at.
Brackman's Post
Printing Table

The Letter E - Hexagon

2011-06-22T01:05:00.000-07:00

Printing-table here

Calico Puzzle

2011-06-18T05:00:00.001-07:00

Week 25 of Brackman's Civil War sampler is an old favourite : The Calico Puzzle.

In Brackman's measurements (which are also the ones given in the printing-table for the 8" block), you will end up with a block that is 8.25” finished size, and will thus need to trim it down to 8”.

The most appropriate size HST and square to use for the 8" block, would be 2.67”. That size is practically impossible to cut, and there are no perfectly sized squares or HST in any Inklingo collection to match it.
HOWever. If you own the 30” Feathered Star, that one has a 2.64” HST. Print your HST in that size; stitch them just outside of the seam-line, thus giving you the extra millimeter you would like to have. Once the HST-squares are pieced, use the finished unit as a 'ruler' to make your squares. You will get a better approximation at 8” square block compared to Brackman's measurements.

In the 6" size, the block is eminently Inklingoable and easy as pie to make :-)

Brackman's post here.
Printing-table here.

The Letter D - Hexagon

2011-06-15T01:04:00.000-07:00

Printing-table here.

Ladies' Aid Album

2011-06-11T04:18:00.000-07:00

Please note, that the centre square and the corner squares are NOT the same size !
Not in the 8" size and the measurements given by Brackman, not in the 6" size and the measurements given by me.
It is quite possible to make this with the same size square in the centre and the corners, at least in the 6" size, but I have chosen to follow Brackman's lead here, and make them different.

Disregarding which size you make : Use Linda's brilliant quick Flying Geese with Inklingo method. Go to the Triangle Tips page, (hidden under the 'Support and Goodies' tab on the Inklingo web-page), scroll down a bit, and then download the FREE pdf with directions on how to make Flying Geese with Inklingo. The measurements given here are based on you using that technique.

I have not (yet) stitched this week's block, and it will probably be another week or two before I get back to stitching the Brackman blocks. However, the printing-tables have been made.

Brackman's post here.
Printing table here

The Letter C - Hexagon

2011-06-08T01:03:00.000-07:00

Third week, third letter.

As with the Letter B, you can use either quarter hexagons in the top and bottom right side, or you can use half-hexagons and cut them down to size afterwards.

Printing table (both for using quarter-hexies and for using half-hexies and cutting them off afterwards.

True Lover's Knot

2011-06-06T01:00:00.000-07:00

The 'Interlacing block' (or 'True Lover's Knot') that has been shown on this blog previously, is a lovely thing. But really. Doing all those inset seams ? On the machine ? ... because stitching this many straight seams is as made for machine-work.

I can't face it. I really can not.

Now, if I was doing this block in a striped fabric, or in a fabric that will show seams very clearly, even from a distance, I would feel that it was absolutely necessary, but ...

So, I've looked at it again, and re-arraged a few seams, and used the 0.75" Log Cabin collection. And now I have a 6" square block that will fit right in with most of the other blocks I've made on this Sampler blog. The printing-table, however, features all 3 sizes of Log Cabin collections.

The block isn't hard to do, when you rearrange the seams as I have. However, the piecing sequence is important. Get that wrong, and you'll be up the creek in no time flat (do not ask me how I know that, unless you're fond of seeing a grown woman cry).
To help y'all avoid the frustration, I've made a piecing-sequence diagram.

- Sounds fancy, doesn't it ? 'Printing Sequence Diagram'.Well, it isn't complicated at all, it's just words, and the reality behind the words is simple -

Anyway : I drafted the easier way, seam by seam, and Linda emended it and changed it into an easy to interpret pdf-file which you can print and keep next to your sewing-machine as you stitch.
I would actually recommend making no less than 2 of these. For one thing, you will waste less fabric when printing, for another, you can piece them simultaneously (using something like Bonnie Hunter's Leader-Ender technique), and not waste miles of thread.

Printing-table for Lover's Knot block (for all 3 Log Cabin collections)
Printing-sequence diagram.

Illinois Roads

2011-06-04T04:54:00.000-07:00

Week 23 of Barbara Brackman's Sampler isn't Inklingoable.
It is, however, extremely simple to make.

For the 6" block, the base unit is a rectangle, cut 2 x 3.5 (unfinished size) for a finished size of 1.5 x 3".
Cut 4 rectangles of two different fabrics.
Follow Brackman's Directions on how to join and stitch them.

Very, very simple.

Brackman's post here.

... and no printing-table.

Brackman Sampler : Corrections 2

2011-06-04T01:00:00.000-07:00

Another week has gone by, and I have gotten another few of the blocks sewn.
Again, this means corrections to the printing-tables.

Follow the links given below, and download the printing-table on the relevant block again.
This week, there are corrections and updates on :

Lincoln's Platform, week 10

London Square, week 11

Little Blue Basket, week 13 has a completely new printing-table, and I have put up directions, for making the block 6" by adding a handle and shifting the balance of the block ever-so-slightly.
You are on your own when it comes to drafting the handle, but it isn't all that hard. If you have QuiltPro or EQ-some-number-or-other, I'm sure you can either find something useable in one of the block-libraries, or draft something on your own.

Ford Sumter, week 15 has a brand new post too. After the 0.75" Log Cabin collection, this is much, much easier to make using Inklingo. Still no printing table for the 8" block, but the 6" block now takes an absolute minimum of messing about.

The Letter B - Hexagon

2011-06-01T01:03:00.000-07:00

The Letter B looks a bit squished on the right side. Trust me when I say, that it won't look better if you make it a hexagon longer compared to this. I've tried, and this is what I consider to be the better looking option. As always when making letters with fixed geometrical forms (like the hexagon), you need to be able to live with small oddities, and the way the letters vary in width.

Printing-table for The Letter B, here.

To make the block a perfect rectangle, you need to use two quarter hexagons for the upper and lower right corner of the block. I really, seriously, couldn't be bothered to print those fiddly quarter-pieces for the few letters that require them (I am making my alphabet with the 0.5" size hexagon), so I just used half-hexagons, even though they are not waht is needed.

If you do that, this (picture on the right) is what your letter B will look like before trimming (if you use only half-hexagons and not quarter hexagons)

Just trim away the excess. It isn't much, not even in the larger sizes, and it will make your life easier to just do it like this.

Apple Core pattern - revision

2011-05-29T01:00:00.000-07:00

While clearing-and-cleaning on my computer, I re-found the pattern for this little bag.

First, it was available at the Inklingo Yahoo-list.
Then I revised it - very slightly - and put it up here on the Sampler-blog, for free, and now I have moved it, yet again.
So far, 120 people have downloaded the pattern, and the only one commenting on it (or taking the time to say 'thank you') is someone who has already made the project, did so when it was on the Yahoo list.

ANYway :

Go to my 'Just Giving' page.

You can still download the pattern for free, there are no strings attached to this one, but I want you to consider donating some money for 'Doctor's Without Borders'. You can do it via the above 'Just Giving' page (which works with your credit-card or PayPal account, from anywhere in the world) or go direct to your local / national chapter of that charity and donate direct to them. I'll work this pattern on the honor system.

A pattern like this would sell for anything from 8-12 $ so please take that into consideration.

It is a neat little hand-piecing project (I don't do apple-core on the machine, but I'm sure someone out there is able to), and it doesn't require all that much fabric to make.

Enjoy !

Blockade

2011-05-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

This week's block on the Brackman Sampler is called 'Blockade'
In the 6" format, it uses 1.5" HST and 3" QST; in the 8" format, it calls for 2" HST and 4" QST.
HOWever, for the growing number of people who do not have access to the (sold out) Collection 2 on CD, the 4" QST is a problem.
Not worry. By adding a few, but crucial, seams, the entire block can be made with one size HST.
I've made two printing-tables for each size. One with the big QST, the other without the QST.

... oh, and for once, I've made the block as well, and you can see what I mean. This block is made entirely from HST.

Picture on the left shows the HST-squares before joining.

Brackman's post here.
Printing-tables here.

Brackman Sampler : Corrections 1

2011-05-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

I am - almost - on summer-break here, which means that I have time to actually stitch some of the Brackman blocks. As I progress, I find errors, or realize that sizes and shapes that were not available when the printing-table was made originally, have become available since the block was first published.
If either are the case, I revise the printing-tables, finish my block, and upload a picture and an updated printing-table

So far, there are updated printing-tables on the following posts.

Week 4, Texas Tears
Week 5, Kansas Trouble
Week 6, Richmond
Week 7, Log Cabin (collection came out after the block was published)

The Letter A - Hexagon

2011-05-25T01:01:00.000-07:00

We start, as all good alphabets, with the Letter A.

I have made my letters into rectangles, because that way, you can just make the letters of whatever text you want, and join them, flat side to flat side.
That is why each letter takes quite a lot of half-hexagons, both house-half and other half.

Printing-table here.

Tilde's 15 Minute Challenge for Inklingo

2011-05-24T12:34:00.000-07:00

This is a "guest post" by Linda & Monkey, who normally write on the All About Inklingo blog.

Tilde approached me last week with an idea, and I think it is brilliant.

It is "Tilde's 15 Minute Challenge." It is designed to help you print your very first shapes on fabric with Inklingo! You can download 2 pages and get started right now.

Whether you are new to Inklingo or very experienced, we urge you to just do it! It's a great idea, and you could win! There will be a draw on Monday 30 May from all of the comments here and on the All About Inklingo blog (combined) for two winners of $25.00 Inklingo Gift Certificates.

When you have done the Challenge and reported your results, I think you will want Tilde's Tiny Tote pattern too—and its free!

Tilde has been a dear freind (that's how Jane Austen spelled it) for over ten years, and she was one of the first three quilters to use Inklingo in 2006. With credentials like that, how can you resist her challenge?

Thank you, Tilde! I am lucky to call you a freind.
Linda & Monkey

Underground Railroad

2011-05-21T09:14:00.000-07:00

Week 21 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler quilt is called Underground Railroad.
... well, that's the 'modern' name for the block. I always thought it was called 'Jacob's Ladder', but I just checked it out in Brackman's own 'Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns' where it is # 1312, and it is - according to this magnum opus - called : Hour Glass; Railroad Crossing; World's Fair; Jacob's Ladder; Double Four Patch; Railroad; Going to Chicago; New Four Patch; Gay Scrap Quilt; OR, Buckeye Beauty.
In Denmark (my country) we have a saying that : beloved child has many names.
Must be a seriously popular block.

The block is fully inklingoable in both sizes, tho' you need more than one collection to make it. The 3" HST (for the 6" size) and 4" HST (for the 8" size) this block calls for, are both found in the sold-out CD # 1 collection, but both sizes are available for download; in two different collections, but still :-)

Brackman's post here.
Printing-table here.

Hexagon Alphabet

2011-05-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

I'm starting a new round of (hopefully) interesting blocks. All of them letters of the alphabet, all of them made with hexagons, all of them fully Inklingoable.

The picture here shows my first mock-up on the designwall, with all 26 letters of the (English) alphabet.

For the next 26 weeks, you'll get a new letter each week, until you have the full (English) alphabet, and can write anything you want ... provided you want to write anything at all.

In the 27th week, I will post directions on filler blocks, for the bottom row, and in the 28th week, I'll show and tell you how to make your alphabet-blocks into an alphabet sampler quilt-top.

The Hexagon alphabet is based on two quilts from the Red and White exhibition (and iPad app) that was in New York for one week in March 2011. Two of those quilts used letters made with hexagons. Not all letters were present in those two quilts, so the remainder has been invented by me, and some letters have been emended by me.

I have chosen to make each letter into a rectangle. This is because not all letters are the same width, and some have quarter-hexagons in two corners, some in all four, and if you want to write an actual sentence (or name) with these letters, they need to have about the same space between them to be legible. The way I've made the letters, there is one half-hexagon (other half) of space from the letter itself to the edge of the (individual letter) block, which equals one full hexagon between letters. To make this work for words, add a futher two hexagon-width between words.

Please note, that there are no fabric-requirements given on any of these blocks. That is because they can be made with any size hexagon ! Do consider size, though. The difference in size, depending on which size hexagon you use, is huge :

Height of blocks, if using
0.25" hexagons : 2.25"
0.5" hexagons : 4.5"
0.75" hexagons : 6.75"
1" hexagons : 9"
1.25" hexagons : 11.25"
1.5" hexagons : 13.5"
2" hexagons : 18"
3" hexagons : 27"

The 0.75" and 1.5" hexagons are both in collection #3 (CD and book, seriously good value for your money), the rest are available in individual, downloadable collections. Check out the Inklingo Hexagon Page.

I've made a 'general printing table' for you to print out, and fill in with the size hexagon you want to make (link below). The amounts printed of each shape, will give you a complete, 26-letters, English Alphabet, and two filler-blocks for the bottom row.
When you have done your calculations as to how much fabric you need to print all the shapes involved in the right numbers, please add enough background-fabric to enable you to straighten out the individual rows (making them all same length), and enough of both background and letter-fabric to make one or more borders, and a binding.
Your guess as to how much is as good as mine here, and all depends on what size hexagon you choose to use. I have worked my letters in the 0.5" hexagon size, and started out with about 2.5 yards of each fabric. So far, there is still loads to spare.

General Printing Table here.

New England Block

2011-05-14T05:01:00.000-07:00

Week 2o of the Brackman Civil War Sampler Quilt.

... and isn't it fortuitous, that Linda is now out with a collection of HST in 'odd' sizes ? Last week, she had a post on square-in-a-square on the All About Inklingo blog.
Now she has issued a collection of 'odd size' triangles (pieces or fractions of eight) that are needed, just as they are needed.

I think it is nifty, because having the 'of eight' increments in HST, means that this block is fully Inklingoable in both sizes.

Please note, that in both sizes, you print some rectangles from a Log Cabin collection. They need to be cut down to size after printing, but you can use the printed squares in the block as a 'ruler' to get the correct length.

Also, if you are making the 6" version, using the 0.5" Log Cabin collection, remember that the seam-allowance on these are NOT 0.25" but are slimmer.

Brackman's post.
Printing Table

Missouri Star

2011-05-07T07:18:00.000-07:00

Week 19 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler quilt is called Missouri Star

Now, isn't it fortunate, that this week, with the square in a square for the centre, of the block, that Linda has just made a post on her 'All About Inklingo' blog, which deals with how you get from a known size HST to an unknown size square (or vice versa). Go check out the Measurements of Half Square Triangles post.

This week's block is fully Inklingoable in the 6" format, and almost fully Inklingoable in the 8" format (fully Inklingoable only if you've got the sold-out Collection 2 on CD).

And please note : When you make the star-points, do not make 8 identical ones. If you do, you'll get different coloured tips. Make two mirror-image set of each 4 star-points.

Brackman's Post.
Printing Table.

Union Square

2011-04-30T06:33:00.000-07:00

Week 18 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler quilt is called Union Square

The block is fully Inklingoable in the 6" size, and partly in the 8" size.
You always get some weird measurements with squares on point, and this one is no change from that pattern. Fortunately, there are some weird measurements in some of the Inklingo-collections too, so that's ok.

Brackman's post.
Printing Table.

Comfort Quilt

2011-04-23T01:00:00.000-07:00

Week 17 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War sampler uses the Free Collection ! at least for the 6" block.
But both sizes are Inklingoable.

The greatest problem with the 6" size, is the weird size rectangle you need for the outsides of the block, but they too are easy to make ... using Inklingo :-)

Read on, and click on the picture if you have trouble seeing the lines on the print-out.

The rectangle for the sides of the block needs to finish at 1.32 x 3.39"
The size is seriously weird, but here's what you do :
Print the 5 x 8" piece of fabric with squares. You'll have four partial squares on one side of the fabric, and that is as it should be !
To get the weird length, you need two complete squares, WITH seam-allowance, PLUS one extra seam-allowance. Look at the picture.
Red line (which is originally a cutting-line), is your new stitching-line.
Green line (which is originally a stitching-line), is your new cutting-line.
Cut into 4 strips, each with 2-squares plus 1 seam-allowance.

The trick is basically the same for the 8" block, only, you add 0.5" to the 'two-square' unit, not just 0.25", so you need to get out your ruler for that.

Check piecing-directions on Brackman's post
Printing-table.

P.S. For the inquiring mind, that wonders how I came up with this one, here's the math :
1.32 + 0.5 + 1.32 + 0.5 + 0.25 = 3.89 (cutting lenght)
3.89" minus seam-allowances (3.89 - 0.5") = 3.39" ... the weird length you need.

and for the 8" block :
1.75 + 0.5 + 1.75 + 0.5 + 0.5 = 5" (cutting length)

White House

2011-04-16T01:00:00.000-07:00

Week 16 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler quilt is called White House.

In the printing-table, I'm giving you two different versions of the 6" block; one using striped fabrics, one where you piece the stripes, using the 0.5" Log Cabin collection.

If you choose the latter option, here's what you do :
With the Log Cabin rectangles, piece a total of 4 rectangles, each 1.5 x 3” finished size (that'll mean 2 x 3.5” unfinished).
Add the fabric 3 (or 4) HST to one (the same) side of each of these rectangles, to make the unit that in BB's directions are a combination of one unit each of A and B. Use the method shown in Linda's pdf on how to make Inklingo Snowballs. See her page of Triangle Tips and then scroll down a bit to find the pdf with 'Inklingo Snowballs'.

Brackman's directions.
Printing table

Fort Sumter

2011-04-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

Completely re-written ! on June 3, 2011

This weeks block on Barbara Brackman's Civil War Quilt Sampler is not really inklingoable in the 8" format, however, with the advent of the 0.75" Log Cabin collection, the 6" size is fairly easy to do, and without all the tweaking the original posting necessitated.

Only one thing to tweak : The new directions require you to print logs that are 0.75 x 3" (finished size). You only need logs that are 2.75" long (finished size), so this is what you do.
Print the logs, then cut away one seam-allowance on the long side, and you have the perfect lenght.
And that's it ! And no, you don't need the stitching-line, you can follow the stitching-line on the 0.75" square that you will be joining to it.

There is no printing-table for the 8" block, since only one of the shapes is genuinely inklingoable, and that's the 1" square she uses for cornerstones on the centre square, but there is a brand new printing-table for the 6" version.

Brackman's post.
Printing table (6" block only), also re-written on June 3, 2011

Fox and Geese

2011-04-02T06:39:00.000-07:00

Week 14 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler quilt is the Fox and Geese block.

The block is eminently Inklingoable in both sizes.
You may want to consider not to print on the darker of the two fabrics for both the small and the large HST used in the block. If you're machine-piecing, printing on both is not really necessary, but ... check Linda's Triangle Tips. Scroll down the page and locate the (FREE) pdf. file called 'Inklingo Sawtooth', read and learn :-)

Brackman's post here.
Printing-table here.

Sunflowers

2011-03-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

Two new collections and a FREE design-book of Sunflowers.
This is a block / quilt I've been wanting to make for years, so I got it immediately. And to help the rest of you, I've made printing-tables for both the 6" and the 12" size.

There are two printing tables for each. Cutting out the 6" size I found that Layout 1 for both the inner and outer triangles of the Sunflower were surprisingly fiddly to cut out, so I've made two printing-tables for each size : one with Layout 1 for both inner and outer triangles, and one for Layout 2 for both inner and outer triangles.

Printing-table for one 6" Sunflower.
Printing-table for one 12" Sunflower.

If you want to make the Double Sunflower shown in the design-book, you need both collections, and you need to print most of both Sunflowers; the bits you do not print are : Background for the 6" Sunflower and Centre Circle for the 12" Sunflower.

And then pictures of back and front of just the flower part.

One of the advantages of hand-piecing (at least to me) is, that I don't press as I go. I more-or-less stitch one block all the way to the finish before I press. However, with the Sunflower, I would recommend that you press before adding the background (which transforms the round flower into a square block).
Press all the outer seams in one direction, and all the inner ones in a different one. You can then twirl the many seams that meet at the middle of the diamonds, and it will help you to keep the block flat.

(if you have trouble seeing what I mean, try clicking on the picture, it will take you to a larger version where my point might be easier to see.)

Little Blue Basket

2011-03-26T07:14:00.000-07:00

The block for week 13 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler is called Little Blue Basket.

I'm sure you can make it in any colour you want :-) But the story about 'Little Blue' on her blog is very interesting.

Unfortunately, the block - as shown by Brackman - is on a 5x5 grid (is based on a 25-patch, if you will) and that grid does not translate well into a 6 or an 8" block. It does translate quite well into a 5" and a 7.5" block, so that's what I give printing-directions for. And for the log-cabin strips you need to add all the way round to make the block into the correct size.

When I finally got around to actually sewing the block, I saw my way to make it a true 6" block ... and I added a handle too. There are printing-tables now, both for Brackman's and for my version of the block.

Rather than the 3" strip used in the original, this version uses a 4" strip, which is trimmed after joining it to the basket proper of the block.

Brackman's post, with piecing directions.
Printing-table 1. (for the 5" version that is visually like Brackman's)
Printing-table 2 (for the emended, 6" version shown in the pictures of this post.)

P.S. If you're doing the 8" blocks, you can make the smaller triangles (that 'should' finish at 1.6", with the 1.59" HST found in the Storm At Sea, 6.75" collection and in the Feathered Star 30" collection. OR you could use the 1.625" HST found in the (relatively) new HST 00A-collection.
You're on your own (or rather : with Brackman) on the rest of the bits then.

Louisiana

2011-03-20T00:12:00.000-07:00

The block for week 12 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler, is called Louisiana.

This block is eminently Inklingoable, both in the 6" and the 8" format.

You need to make some Flying Geese, so, go check out Linda's fast and easy way to do it with Inklingo. Go to the Inklingo Triangle Tips page, and then scroll down a bit and download the FREE pdf on how to do it.

Printing table here.
Brackman's post here.

Octagon Star

2011-03-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

Another 'out of order' block.
Julie asked a question on the Inklingo Yahoo-group (come and join us, we're a friendly and helpful bunch for all things Inklingo). She asked whether this quilt was inklingoable. (the quilt is shown on Bonnie Hunter's blog, in this posting)
It is and it isn't.
It is inklingoable in as much as you can use Inklingo-shapes to make it, it isn't, in as much as you need to manipulate some of the shapes to make it work.

The block (without setting) uses the Free Collection.

To avoid bias on the outside of each block, I would recommend printing from Layout D, even if it is the least economical of the four layouts in the FREE collection. Each block will finish at 4.88” from straight side to straight side, and each side of the octagon is 2.02".

Printing :
Print 12 diamonds in each of two colours. I have chosen Layout D, because that one gives me no bias on the outside edges of the Octagon Star block.

Printing table here.

Manipulate 8 diamonds from each colour (click on picture to get a larger view, if you have trouble seeing the lines):
Draw a new stitching-line from corner-point to corner-point on each of the 8 diamonds (red line on picture)
Draw a new cutting-line, o.25" from this line (green on picture).
Cut at the new cutting-line.
Discard the smaller bits

Please note, that since I have printed my diamonds in two interlacing rows, I am able to cut-off 8 diamonds for manipulating, draw the new stitching-line on all 8 and just cut across (look at the picture !)

Add a cut-off diamond to each side of each complete diamond. Use Colour 1 triangles with Colour 2 diamonds and vice versa.
If you're machine-piecing, press between all seams.
Make sure you press all seams on the triangle-diamond-triangle unit to the same side ! If you do that, all the outside seams will twirl in one direction, whereas all the centre-seams will twirl in the other direction, thus minimizing bulk.

Make a total of 8 units, 4 in each colourway.

Join the units two and two. Again, press after each seam, and make sure you join them the 'same way', that all four sets are identical when opened.

Join units two and two.

Join the two halves.

Finished !

So, yes Julie, the Octagon Star is inklingoable :-)

Interlacing Block - Log Cabin collection

2011-03-14T06:15:00.000-07:00

Linda has made a new collection. The Log Cabin-collection, which is basically lots of rectangles, all 1" wide (finished size) and all in increments of the same 1" width. Perfect for making Log Cabin-blocks.

There are other blocks that one can make with this collection, though. One is the True Lover's Knot (which is also called Interlacing Block, and I've also seen it referred to as Carpenter's Square).

I haven't actually pieced the block shown on the right side. It is the same block Linda shows on p. 5 of the Log Cabin / Rectangle collection, and it is a variation on the 'True Lover's Knot' version that Barbara Brackman has in her Encyclopedia. As you can see, this variation 'weaves' the red (dark) fabric ... a feature that could look seriously cool in a striped or otherwise directional fabric. It doesn't make for very comfortable machine-sewing in my book, though, since this version will require loads of partial seams.

HOWever, I've written up printing directions for it. I'm sure there's someone adventurous out there who's very good freinds with her sewing-machine and can whip it up in no time flat :-) I can't.
The printing table is for two blocks, since most printers have a policy about not printing anything slimmer than 3".

Printing Table.

London Square

2011-03-12T10:51:00.000-08:00

The block for week 11 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler Quilt is called London Square.
It is mostly Inklingoable in both the 6" and the 8" format.

The larger triangles are not Inklingoable. For the 6" format, and if you have CD 2, you can Inklingo them, but really, HST that size are not all that difficult to make the old-fashioned way :-)

Follow Brackman's directions for sewing the block.

Printing table. Updated June 1st, 2011

Lincoln's Platform

2011-03-05T04:41:00.000-08:00

The block for week 10 is identical to the Churn Dash block shown on this blog back in august 2009.

If you want to make the 8" format, it isn't inklingoable. To divide an 8" block into 3 equal parts (which is what is required with this block), you end up getting some seriously weird measurements, and these sizes do not exist in Inklingo. However, as a 6" block it is eminently inklingoable.

Brackman's directions here.
Printing-table here - updated May 28 - 2011

Birds in the Air

2011-02-27T01:23:00.000-08:00

Week 9 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Quilts Sampler is Birds in the Air

I've given printing directions for slightly more shapes than you need. Makes it easier to machine-piece that way.
Do not print the Focus 1 fabric, but layer it with your printed background-fabric and stitch from the BF-side.
If you hand-piece, print all (possible) fabrics.

The block isn't really Inklingoable in the 8" format, so you're on your own there, but it is eminently Inklingoable in the 6" format.

added on March 20
Took my own advice from another post (duh!), and went to Linda's wonderful page of Triangle Tips on inklingo.com.
Open the Triangle-tips page.
Scroll down.
Find a version of Birds in the Air that is eminently Inklingoable and how to make it.
To make things even better : Linda's version makes the 8" block inklingoable :-)
end of addition.

Do not print the Focus 1 HST. The size of fabric given in the printing-table is for layering with half of the printed Background Fabric HST

Machine-piecing : Make a total of 4 squares from background- and Focus 1 fabric. Discard one.
Join them as shown by Brackman.
Add the large, Focus 2 fabric HST.

Finished.

Link to Brackman's post and her directions.
Link to the printing table.

Cotton Boll

2011-02-19T08:06:00.000-08:00

Week 8 of Barbara Brackmann's Civil War Sampler quilt is called Cotton Boll.
She works with a rectangle and HST (Half Square Triangles), but the rectangle isn't Inklingoable.
What is Inklingo'able is to print squares, and then put Inklingo-printed corners on them exactly as described in the Bow Tie block and the Garden of Eden block on this blog.

So, print 4 squares, put corners on them on two opposite sides (as with the Exquisite block), trim away the surplus material below the HSTriangles, join the squares, and ... finished :-)

Link to Brackman's post.

Link to the printing-table.

Log Cabin

2011-02-13T07:13:00.001-08:00

Week 7 of Barbara Brackmann's Civil War Sampler quilt is a Log Cabin.

Correction to first post :

Eminently Inklingoable in the 6" format, with the new 1" Log Cabin collection. However, since this collection doesn't print less than 2 strips well, the printing table is for the making of two (!) blocks. I'm sure the other one can easily be transformed into a nice coaster :-)

For the 8" block, just follow Brackmann's directions to the letter :-) or use the 1" Log Cabin collection and make more logs than the ones Brackman does. That's what the printing table does. Shows you how to make an 8" Log Cabin block with logs that finish 1" wide.

Brackmann's directions here.
Printing Table here.

Richmond

2011-02-13T06:58:00.000-08:00

Week 6 of Barbara Brackmann's Civil War Sampler quilt is called Richmond.

It's a lovely block and mostly Inklingoable in both the 6" and the 8" format (since the HST 00A collection came out)

In the 6" format, the only size that isn't perfectly there, are the small squares that make up the 4-patches between the star-points. For a 6" finished block, those squares should be 0.7". Inklingo has an 0.75" square in both the Octagon / KISS 103 collection and the Storm At Sea collection in the 4.5" size.
Use that.
My suggestion is, that most of the 0.05" difference will be eaten up if you stitch just inside the Inklingo stitching-line, rather than on it or just outside it. If that is too much, use the HST you border it with to give you the right size, using the same technique shown with the Bow Tie block and the Garden of Eden block shown on this blog.

Link to Brackmann's post.
Printing-table. Updated on May 23, 2011.

Kansas Trouble

2011-01-29T01:00:00.000-08:00

Week 5 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War sampler quilt is Kansas Trouble
Please note that you only make a total of 16 squares out of the 0.75" (for the 6" block) or 1" HST (for the 8" block) The remaining 8 small HST are placed at the end of the unit/s.

Check how to make the Block at Barbara Brackman's 'Civil War Quilts' blog.

Direct link to the block.
Printing-table. Updated on May 23/2011

Texas Tears

2011-01-23T01:00:00.000-08:00

This week's block on Barbara Brackman's Civil War sampler is called Texas Tears.

The 6" format is inklingoable, but the larger sizes might need the sold out Collection 2 on CD. You can get far with the HST 00B collection, though.

The 8" format is mostly Inklingoable, IF you have the sold-out Collection 2 on CD. That one has HST and QST up to 4.5", and you need the big sizes for this one.
If you 'only' have the HST 00B collection, however, the 8" block is not really feasible to do with Inklingo.

Printing Table here. Updated on May 23, 2011
Piece the block as shown by Brackman on her blog.

Seven Sisters - Seven Stars

2011-01-16T01:00:00.000-08:00

This week's block on Barbara Brackman's Civil War sampler is an applique 7-sisters.
I don't do star applique, end of story :-)

I do, however, do hexagons and 60-degree diamonds, so ... I've taken the other option, and am doing a hexagon-transformed-into-a square version.

There will be borders all the way round, because 6" (or, indeed 8") square for this block calls for some weird size in hexagons, and I'm not going there :-)

If you want to keep it a hexagon, it will have a 3" finished side.
Another option is to use only the 0.5" diamond collection, follow Linda's directions in that collection for making a Seven Sisters block, and then log-cabin it until it has the right size :-)

(I've edited this following paragraph, because there is no need for anyone to mess around if they don't want to)
If you want to have a block closer to the 8" square in size that Brackman uses on her blog, you can use 0.75" shapes (Collection 3), and then head over her, to Cathi's blog, where she has a lovely, and very easy to follow tutorial on how to make the 'other version' of the Seven Sisters block.

Cathi's blog here.

If you want it square : Add corners (as shown in this post, and in the 0.5" diamond collection), and then ... log-cabin it until it has the right size. Remember that an 6" (finished) block, is actually 6.5" unfinished.

There are two (main) variants on the Seven Sister's block, the one I'm showing you here is also called Seven Stars. Brackmann doesn't show it in her Encyclopedia, but it is found with Jinny Beyer # 395-1

Printing-table here.

Background
0.5 x 1" half elongated hexagons, 12
0.5" hexagon, 12

Focus-fabric
0.5" diamond, 42

Making the block :

Make 7 stars (see how to make a 6-pointed star, here).

Take one star, and add 6 hexagons to it between the points. If you are hand-piecing, this can be done with one, continuous thread. (Continuous stitching)

Add the 6 stars around the circle of hexagons; again, you can use one, continuous thread to do that.

Add another set of hexagons between the circle of stars (you can't do continuous stitching any more here)

Join the half, elongated hexagons two and two on the short sides so they form a (fairly) open angle.
Add them between the star-points, over the hexagons.

Finished !

North, or Evening Star (again)

2011-01-09T01:00:00.000-08:00

Barbara Brackman's Civil War Quilts sampler, block two is up.
That's easy :-) We've already done that here on the sampler-blog, but it was called Evening Star.
You can go there and check it out. The directions for making it as a 6" block are the same.

BUT, here are the printing tables. As for last week, the one for the 6" block is fully written up, the one for the 8" block, you need to calculate size of paper on your own.
Download printing-table here.

Remember the Inklingo Index of Shapes for checking what collection/s (if any) has the shape you seek, in what size/s.

Catch me if you can

2011-01-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

A week late, but - hopefully - not a dollar short :-)
Barbara Brackman has a Civil War, block of the week, sampler-blog up. I am behind with everything ! so I hadn't noticed. Never-the-less, I would like to follow it, and - when possible - give the directions for Inklingo.
Ms. Brackmann makes 8" blocks, but I will - when possible - stick with the 6" format that has been the norm on this blog.

No pictures today, as I haven't (yet) have the time to actually make the block. I will. Eventually.
Brackman's first block is 'Catch me if you can'.

Find the printing-directions here .

For the 6" block you need :

Background fabric
12 HST, each 1.5"

Focus-fabric 1 (medium)
12 HST, each 1.5

Focus-fabric 2 (dark)
8 HST, each 1.5"

Making the block
Make the HST into squares
Background and focus-fabric 1 : 4 squares
Background and focus-fabric 2 : 8 squares
Focus-fabric 1 and 2 :4 squares

Lay the squares out to match the picture.
Join row-by-row.
Join the rows.
Press.
Finished !

To make an 8" block (like ms Brackman), us 2" units rather than 1.5" units.

Kaffe Fassett projects

2010-10-05T13:09:00.001-07:00

I have (finally) gotten around to look at Kaffe Fassett and Liza Prior-Lucy's new book 'Simple Shapes, Spectacular Quilts' with Inklingo in mind, and here are the results :

Perfect :

Clay Tiles and Indigo Points : 2" HST template.

Target Log Cabin : The setting Windmill blocks can be made with 1.5" HST template.

Damask Quarters : Drunkard's Path collection.

Bow Tie Circles : The pattern calls for 2 and 3" squares (check them out in the index, quite a few collections have these sizes), but you can get the same effect with 3" squares and 2" HST (you can see the general technique here).

Floral Snowball : Using the same technique as above on the BowTie Circles, and, again, the 2" HST for the corners.

Bounce : For the border use 3" squares (again, check the index), and 0.75" HST.

Good approximations :

Circle of Stars : The original uses templates that seems to have 2 5/16" size basic measurement. Use the 2.25" template from Collection 3 and get a very slightly smaller quilt.

St. Marks : Same as the above. Same basic side for the templates. Do the same trick :-)

Not at all, but still ....

Belts and Braces : 2" square (several collections, see the index), 2" HST and 2" QST (but the bias will be all over the place if you do it)

Striped Donuts : Not even close to the size given in the book, but you can use the POTC-hexagon and triangle to get the same effect in your own quilt.

Haze Kilim : The block itself is not difficult to make, but (again) the measurements are not easily compatible with Inklingo. The 'small' triangle seems to be 4.25" QST, which means the sold-out collection 2. If you're willing to work with a different size block, the general pattern is very easy to Inklingo :-)

Not-so-Lone-Star : Not even close in size, but the general pattern can be made with either the Free Collection (and you have a finished quilt approximately 40" square, or use the 6" Le Moyne star collection and get a finished quilt that is approximately 54" square.

And an Old Maid's giveaway !

2010-05-22T02:00:00.000-07:00

OK. Just to get this thing back on schedule, here's an incentive to get you (back to) stitching some of these sampler-blocks.

I'm giving away a charm-pack of Robyn Pandolph's "Beach House"-collection.
To qualify for a chance of winning it, you need to do ALL of the following (you have two options on # 2 and need to choose one of them)

1. Make one of the Old Maid's Puzzle blocks that have been posted since the beginning of April.

2. EITHER post a picture on your own blog, with a link to the Inklingo Sampler blog
OR send me a picture of your block. You can mail me at miz_pal /at/ hotmail / dot/ com.

3. Leave a comment on THIS post :-) With contact-information on it

You have a week !
Drawing of the prize will take place on the 29th of May, when I get up in the morning, which is close enough to midnight on the East-coast of the US to be fair :-)

Old Maid's Puzzle 5

2010-05-22T00:12:00.000-07:00

This is probably the most horribly wonky block I have presented on this blog ! and I apologize. I am still not good enough freinds with my sewing-machine to be able to sew miniatures.

The block is BB 1317, which - when you join 4 of them - turns into BB # 1149. Both called Old Maid's Puzzle.

6" block :

Background Fabric
0.75" HST : 40
0.75" Square : 16

Focus Fabric
0.75" HST : 24
1.5" HST : 8

I used two different focus-fabrics, one for the smaller HST and one for the larger, but you can easily make it with just one Focus Fabric
The Printing Plan has printing-directions for both a 6" and a 12" block.

Start by making 24 HST-squares

Press the seam-allowance to the background-fabric !!! (yes, I know, but it makes for an easier journey further down the road)

Add a HSTriangle to each side of 8 of the HST-squares forming a larger, composite, HSTriangle
Add the larger, composite, HST to each of the 8 larger printed HST

Make 4-patches from the remaining HST-squares and the un-pieced squares

Join the squares to form a block

What you have now, is BB # 1317

Make four of these (and that's what the printing-plan aims at), and join them to make BB # 1149

And this is where you can see how seriously wonky the block is. No matter :-) It will go into my finished Inklingo Sampler quilt, and will work well there, giving joy to me as part of the pattern, and joy to any quilt-police-person who will have her/his day brightened considerably by dint of enabling her / him to point out the un-pointy points, the um-mathing seams and the sheer ... wonkiness of it :-) S/He will have a field day :-)

Magazines !

2010-05-15T03:24:00.000-07:00

This week there is no single block, but a reference to one of the Magazines to which I subscribe. I have just received the most recent issue of Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting and there are several great quilts that are eminently Inklingoable ! I am only going to give the sizes of shapes that you need. If you want the pattern, buy the magazine :-)

IF you want to make any of the quilts, I can recommend that you download Monkey's Cheat Sheet and use it to note down all the sizes and shapes that you are going to need, AND fill it out with the relevant shape and size of Inklingo template.

... and PLEASE note that this magazine usually makes HST by using full squares ! This is not necessary with Inklingo. You can see pictures of most of them at the Fons and Porter home-page, because they have kits for most of these quilts

Watermelon & ShooFly (p. 18 ff)
Make the ShooFly blocks with 2" HST in Collection 2 or the downloadable HST 00B collection, and 2" squares found in MANY collections. Check the Index of Shapes on the Inklingo page.

Cottage in May (p. 43 ff).
Instead of cutting 2.5" squares for quick corners, print 2" HST with Collection 2 or the downloadable HST 00B collection.
Instead of cutting 3.5" squares for quick corners, print 3" HST with Collection 2 or the downloadable HST 00B collection.

Kinkame (p. 52 ff)
This quilt can ALL be made with the shapes in Collection 3. The triangles used are 0.75", 1.5" and 2.25". All found in Collection 3. Remember that the Inklingo-size is the finished size of the shape.

Cambridge Stars (p.72 ff)
The basic unit is 2.25". So print 2.25", and 4.5" HST and cut (free-hand), 2.25" (finished size) squares. The smaller HST is in the downloadable collection, both sizes are in Collection 2.

Elizabeth's Garden (p. 80 ff)
The following can be printed :
3" HST (triangle A), 1" squares (for the centre 9-patches) Again the downloadable HST 00B collection, and MANY other collections. Check the Index of Shapes at the Inklingo home-page

Variable Star (p. 86 ff)
Is made with 6" (finished size) Variable Star blocks. These blocks have already been shown on this blog, under the name of Evening Star.

Meadow Brook (p. 92 ff)
Uses 3" HST from either Collection 2 or the downloadable HST 00B collection, and 3" squares from either the Drunkard's Path collection or the 9" Storm At Sea collection

Grandmother's Daisy Garden (p. 100 ff)
I think this one is meant to be simple, using Paper-Piecing and the cutting of 60-degree angles. I think I would rather just make the hexagon flowers using the 1.5" hexagons in Collection 3, and "rectangle" them up.

Old Maid's Puzzle 4

2010-04-30T00:08:00.000-07:00

This block is 10.5" square. Much larger than the 6" that is the most common format on this blog, and it uses both the Drunkard's Path collection and Collection 2.
If you do not have Collection 2, most of the triangles can be made with the HST 00B collection, but you will need to make the large HST by hand.

Barbara Brackman : ”Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns” #2225
Jinny Beyer : ”The Quilter's Album of Patchwork Patterns” p. 329-12 (sort-of)

Download Printing-table here.

Background fabric
28 HST, 1"
4 (unprinted) rectangles, each 1 x 2.25" finished size (cut size : 1.5 x 2.75")

Focus fabric 1 (dark)
4 HST, 4.25"
28 HST, 1"
1 Drunkard's Path centre-unit (shape C, from the Drunkard's Path collection)

Focus fabric 2 (medium)
4 quarter-circles (from the Drunkard's Path collection)

Making the block

Start by making the centre-square, joining the 4 quarter-circles to each side of the DP centre-shape.

Add the 4.25" HST to the sides.
IF you have printed the 4.25" HST from Collection 2, make sure that the centre matchpoints ... match.
Join a triangle to two opposite sides.
Press
Add a triangle to the remaining two sides.
Press
If you have printed the 4.25" HST (rather than hand-prepare them), your square will now be slightly larger than the block requires, so trim down your centre to 8.25".

Make the HST squares. If you are uncertain on how to, check out Linda Franz's Triangle tips.

Lay out the block, with the 1" HST around the centre.
Join the 1" HST into 4 strips of 3 units, and 4 strips of 4 units.

Make sure they are placed right in relation to each other and to the centre of the block. This is facilitated by your laying out the block as it should look in the end.

Join a 3-unit set to each side of two of the 1 x 2.5" rectangles
Join a 4-unit set to each side of the two remaining 1 x 2.5" rectangles

Join the two shorter strips to the centre.

Add the remaining, longer, strips to the centre.

Finished !

Old Maid's Puzzle 3

2010-04-23T00:10:00.000-07:00

BB # 1913

Block finishes at 5.25"

Download printing-table here.

Background Fabric
24 HST, 0.75"

Focus Fabric 1 (medium-light)
4 rectangles, each 0.75 x 2.25" finished size

Focus Fabric 2 (dark-medium)
12 HST, 0.75"
1 square, 0.75"
4 HST, 2.25"

Making the block

Make 12 HST-squares, using BF and FF2

Add a Background-fabric HST to 8 of the squares (see picture, left). Take care to add it to the right side of the HST-squares.

Make 4 units, where you add another background-fabric HST to the other side of the square-with-triangle unit.

Make 4 units, where you add a HST-square to the top of a square-with-triangle unit.

Join the two units to make a new triangle, composed of a total of 6 background-fabric triangles and 3 focus-fabric triangles.

Join each of the pieced triangles to one of the focus-fabric, 2.25" HST, making 4 squares, each 2.25"

Lay out your block, with the rectangles and the centre square.

Add a pieced square to each side of two of the rectangles, and add a rectangle to each side of the small square of focus-fabric, making 3 "strips".

Join the strips.

Finished !

This block finishes at 5.25" square. If you want it to go with the 6" blocks, log-cabin it.
Cut 2 strips that are 1 x 5.75", and join them to two opposite sides of the block. (if you are a marvel at precision-piecing, the strips need only be 0.825" or 7/8" wide, but .... I'm not that confident, so I cut it bigger, and chop off what is not needed in the end)
Then cut two strips that are 1 x 6.75" and join to the remaining two sides.
Trim down to 6".

Old Maid's Puzzle 2

2010-04-16T00:07:00.000-07:00

Barbara Brackmann # 1314a
Jinny Beyer # 73-10

Download printing-table here.

Background-fabric
4 squares, each 1.5"
4 HST, each 1.5"
2 HST, each 3"

Focus-fabric
4 HST, each 1.5"
2 HST, each 3"

Making the block :

Make 4 HST-squares, each 1.5"

Make 2 HST, each 3"

Make two identical 4-patches, using the 1.5" HST-squares and two 1.5" squares

Lay out the block as a 4-patch

Join the 4-patch, and you are finished !

Old Maid's Puzzle 1

2010-04-09T00:05:00.000-07:00

There are many blocks with the name "Old Maid's Puzzle", and the next few blocks will be some of the blocks thus named.
This block is BB # 3220 and JB 75-12. It can be made with Inklingo, exactly as it is shown in both collections, however, for ease of making it, I have added a few seam-lines.

Print-table in pdf.format here.

Background-fabric
1 square (unprinted) 4.25"
2 QST, each 3"
4 HST, each 1.5"

Focus-fabric
12 HST, each 1.5"
2 QST, each 3"

Make 4 HST-squares, each 1.5"
Make the centre 3" QST square
Make 4 Flying Geese units, using the fast, no-waste method from Linda Franz's Inklingo homepage (here)

Lay out the block. It is a basic 9-patch once the units are joined, but make sure they turn the right way in relation to each other.

Make two units, each with a Flying Goose, and a 1.5" HST-square on either side of it.
Make one unit of the 3" QST-square, with a Flying Goose on each side of it.
Join the 3 strips
Finished

Wild Goose Chase

2010-04-02T23:00:00.000-07:00

Barbara Brackmann # 2905a; Jinny Beyer 165-7

This is probably the block that most people associate with the name "Wild Goose Chase".
Uses either Collection 2 OR the downloadable HST 00B and QST 00B collections. If you do not have Collection 2, but "only" the downloadable collections, you need to make the large QST the old-fashioned way.
If you have the POTC / Inklingo Lite 4 collection, that comes in useful too.

Fabric-printing table here (click the link, and download a pdf-file)

IF you are iffy about downloading from box.net, download Monkey's Cheat Sheet from Linda Franz's page, and fill in the appropriate bits yourself.

Fabric 1 (background)
1 square, 1.41"
16 HST, 1"

Fabric 2 (focus 1, medium)
4 QST, 4"

Fabric 3 (focus 2, dark)
4 HST 1"
32 QST 1"

Since the Geese in this block finishes at 0.705 x 1.41", and are on the diagonal, you need to make them the old-fashioned way, rather than Linda's Fast method. The good thing is, that by using the HST and QST required, you will have straight-on-grain the right way, and you will not need to mess around with measurements like 0.705" :-)

Making the block

Make 16 Flying Geese the old-fashioned way, adding two dark, 1" QST to each of the background-fabric 1" HST.

Make 4 strips, each consisting of 4 Flying Geese.

Add a dark fabric, 1" HST to the background-fabric end of each of the strips.

Lay out the block.

Make two units, each consisting of one strip, flanked by two 4" QST, so the dark end of the strip forms the corner.

Make one unit with the square, flanked by two strips.

Join the 3 units.

Finished !

Northumberland Star

2010-01-22T01:00:00.001-08:00

Barbara Brackmann # 2201 b : "Northumberland Star or Eight-pointed Star"

When blocks have Flying Geese on the diagonal, and you want them to finish at a certain size (e.g. the 6" that this blog aims towards), it isn't possible to make the geese the fast way that has been used in the previous blocks.
The Flying Geese in this block measure 1.06 x 2.12". This - happily - coincides with the diagonal measurments on the 1.5" HST (2.12" on the diagonal) and 1.5" QST (1.06" on the diagonal).

Fabric-requirements

Fabric 1 (Background / Light)
4 HST, 3"
5" square

4 squares. 1.5" - not printable
4" square (cut each square 2")

4 HST, 1.5"
3 x 5.25"

Fabric 2 (medium)
2.12" square
Either cut 2 5/8" (2.625") or use the diagonal of the 1.5" HST for "ruler"

Fabric 3 (dark)
16 HST, 1.5"
5.75" square

Making the block :
When making the component parts of this block, be careful. You have bias all over the place, but that is so you can have the grain the right way in most of the pieces of the block once it is finished.

Make 4 Flying Geese the old-fashioned way, using one 1.5" HST of background-fabric, with two 1.5" QST

Join two 1.5" QST to two adjacent sides of each of the four background-fabric squares.

Join a Flying Goose to each of the square-with-QSTriangles units

Lay out the block

Join a 3" QST to each side of two of the Flying Geese units.

Join a Flying Goose unit to two opposite sides of the fabric-2 square

Join the three units

Finished !

Chain and Bar

2010-01-15T01:00:00.000-08:00

Barbara Brackmann # 1961

Uses Collection 2 or the downloadable Inklingo HST 00B collection

Fabric 1 (background)
4 HST, each 2.25"
3.75 x 6.75"

16 HST, each 0.75"
3.75 x 5.25"

Fabric 2 (focus)

3.75 x 6.75, to layer with same size Fabric 1

Two squares, each 2.75" to make a total of 8 Flying Geese

Two rectangles, each 2 x 2.75"

Make a total of 4 squares, using the printed 2.25" HST background-fabric, layered with the same size Focus-fabric.

Make a total of 8 Flying Geese, using Linda's method of making no-waste Flying Geese.

Make two strips of Flying Geese, each with 4 geese "flying" in the same direction.
Join the two strips, points meeting.
Make the two outside strips, each consisting of ; HST-square, rectangle, HST-square
Make sure that the HST-squares are mirror-imaging each other around the rectangle.

Join the 3 strips.

Finished !

Flying Geese

2010-01-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

Flying Geese are extremely simple to make with Inklingo, so, this month I'll be doing a number of Flying Geese blocks. The first one is Barbara Brackmann # 1967 which is simply called "Flying Geese"

Block uses Collection 2 or the new, downloadable HST collection 00B

Fabric 1 (Background)

1 square, 1" finished,
cut 1.5"

24 HST, 1"
6 x 8.25" printed landscape

Fabric 2 (Focus 1, light)
3.25" square for making 4 Flying Geese
unprinted

Fabric 3 (Focus 2, medium)
3.25" square for making 4 Flying Geese
unprinted

Fabric 4 (Focus 3, dark)
3.25" square for making 4 Flying Geese
unprinted

Make the 3 sets of Flying Geese, using Linda Franz fast method.

Make 3 strips, as shown on picture to the right.
Please note, that the background-fabric square goes between two light Flying Geese, pointing in each their direction.

Join the strips to form a finished block

If you want the block to finish at 5", cut 2 strips that are 1 x 5.5", and join them to two opposite sides of the block.
Then cut two strips that are 1 x 6.5" and join to the remaining two sides. If you - like me - are not good freinds with your sewing-machine, you might want to cut the strips 1.25. It is easier to trim than to add :-)

Happy New Year !

2010-01-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

And I'm so sorry.
Today is the first Friday in 6 months where you do not get a new block, BUT, I need some time off, so that I can do my paid work.
I will be back, never fear !

A Sampler Blog Button

2009-12-28T01:55:00.000-08:00

Linda has made me a button :-) So now you can show on your blog or home-page, that you are following this Sampler Blog.

You can copy the html-code in the side-bar, and paste it into your own blog.

Nearly Insane !

2009-12-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

Yes, Nearly Insane, or - as I would have it - Definitely Bonkers :-)

I've gotten Liz Lois' permission to share this block with everyone. She is the lady who wrote the book "Nearly Insane". The block with the most pieces in that truly amazing book, is block # 18.
It has 218 pieces !
And my love of precision battled mightily with my decision to try and machine-piece all the blocks on this blog. The decision won over the love, which is why it is not (nearly) as precise as I could have done it by hand. HOWever, I know that there are machine-piecers out there who can do it precisely with ease.

There are many (MANY) blocks in the "Nearly Insane" book that can be Inklingo'ed. All you have to do is decide whether the unit you want to Inklingo is a QST or a HST. Then measure the size of the unit in the book and pick the same size Inklingo template.

In this case, the majority of units are HST (Half Square Triangles), and they are all 0.5". Your measurement in the book, as well as the size of the Inklingo template, is the finished size.

I recommend you down-load Monkey's Cheat-sheet, and write down the requirements on one, before embarking. It is much easier to follow the printing-directions when written on the cheat-sheet, than it is on what can be written up for a blog, (and I have not yet mastered the art of embedding a pdf-file on a blog)

In the original block, there is no "background-fabric", I have, however, chosen to use the background fabric that I have used throughout the sampler-blocks. For ease of reference (since this is a many-pieces block), I have written the colour of the fabric I have used in the printing-directions too.

The block is made, either with Collection 2 or the new, downloadable HST collection and QST collection.

Fabric-1 (background, white / light)

96 HST, 0.5" - uses the square layout, (which is both on the CD and in the downloadable collection)
6.25 x 11.5" printed Landscape AND
6.25 x 11.5" printed Landscape
4 QST, 0.5"
2 x 4" (use smallest size your printer will accept, for mine it's 3 x 5")
4 squares, 0.5", (not printable).
Cut each square 1" for a finished size of 0.5"

Fabric-2 ( Focus 1, pink / medium)
3.25 x 11.5 to layer with Fabric-1, (do not print), giving a total of 32 HST-squares
2x 4" to layer with Fabric-1, (do not print), giving a total of 4 QST-squares
9 squares, 0.5", (not printable).
Cut each square 1" for a finished size of 0.5"

Fabric-3 (Focus 2, brown/ dark)
6.25 x 11.5" to layer with Fabric-1, (do not print), giving a total of 64 HST-squares
4 squares, 0.5", (not printable).
Cut each square 1" for a finished size of 0.5"
2 rectangles, each 0.75 x 1.5", (not printable).
Cut each rectangle 1.25 x 2"
2 rectangles, each 0.75 x 3" (not printable).
Cut each rectangle 1.25 x 3.5"

- - -

Make all the HST and QST units. See Triangle Tips, or in your collection, OR in the Inklingo Handbook for tips and hints on how to do it.
This step will take quite some time, since you will need to trim off all the points. The bits in this block are so small, that everything that can be trimmed, should be trimmed. FORtunately, with Inklingo, you have lines along which to trim, so it isn't hard at all, just somewhat time-consuming.

Take the QST-units, of the Fabric-1 and Fabric-2 bits.
Make a star, exactly the same way you did the Ohio Star. The only difference between the two is the size !
Border the star with the rectangles made with Fabric-3, adding first the two short rectangles to opposite sides, then the two longer to the remaining sides.

Next comes a number of rows of HST. They are not difficult to make, however, to get the block to look as it should according to the book, it is important that you look closely at the pictures, and add them as they are there ...
Another option is to live with it looking different from the original pattern, and rest at ease, since only NI-buffs with a strong leaning towards QuiltPolice will ever notice :-)
Disregarding Inklingo, this block is a bear to frog-stitch and to press. Do not expect it to lay flat with ease.

Make 4 rows, each with 6 HST-squares of Fabric-1 and 3
To two of these rows, add a Fabric-2 square to each side.
Join the two rows that have no square at the end, to opposite sides of the centre unit.
Join the two remaining rows to the remaining two sides.

Make 4 rows, each with 8 HST-squares of Fabric-1 and 2
To two of these rows, add a Fabric-3 square to each side
Join the two rows that have no square at the end, to opposite sides of the centre unit.
Join the two remaining rows to the remaining two sides.

Make 4 rows, each with 10, HST-squares of Fabric-1 and 3
To two of these rows, add a Fabric-2 square to each side.
Join the two rows that have no square at the end, to opposite sides of the centre unit.
Join the two remaining rows to the remaining two sides.

Finished !

Free Pattern - Passacaglia

2009-12-21T01:00:00.000-08:00

In the year 1973, the British author Lucy Boston made a quilt for her friend, harpsicordist Colin Tilney.
As all of her quilts, it is fairly simple in it's basic construction, yet very intricate in its execution.

In early August of this year (2009), I was given a copy of Diana Boston's book "The Patchworks of Lucy Boston", and saw the picture of the quilt.

The book has no directions, just a few pictures, but since when has that stopped a determined quilter :-) I fell in love. Hard. Really, really hard :-) And started to make blocks to make my own version of this quilt. As of now (December 2009), I have finished 30+ blocks, all of which you can see on my other blog.

Then, a couple of months ago, I wrote Diana Boston, and asked her permission to make a pattern, and she graciously granted that. The quilt is not in her posession, however, but resides in Canada, with Colin Tilney.

When I started to write the pattern, it turned out to be very, very difficult to make lucid AND comprehensive, wherefore some very hard decisions were necessary. This is why the pattern I'm giving away this Christmas, is a pattern for a table-runner, and not a full quilt. Should you want to make a full quilt of your own, however, it should be possible to do with the information in the pattern.

The pattern turned out to be impossible to write it up for the blog, which is why you need to download it at Linda Franz Inklingo home-page. It is written for the Free Collection, so if money are low, but stash is high, you need not go out and buy anything at all.

You can buy Diana Boston's book direct from her, right here, or, if you are in North America, from Linda Franz, right here. Be aware, though, that there are no patterns in the book, just pictures of the quilts Lucy Boston made.

You can download your free Passacaglia pattern here : http://lindafranz.com/product.php?productId=55

Merry Christmas ! And if you don't celebrate that, then Happy New Year :-)

Puss in the Corner

2009-12-18T01:00:00.000-08:00

For those of you who do not celebrate the season and/or are feeling somewhat fed up with the whole thing, here's a nice, absolutely non-christmassy block.
... and anyway, with winter being in full swing in the northern hemisphere, a warm corner is where my pussies prefer to be.

... and yes, I do know that there are many blocks called "Puss in the Corner" and that this is probably not the one most frequently associated with the name, but I really like it, and it gives those of us who makes this block the opportunity to practice this kind of corner ... which is much used in quilt-blocks.

Uses either Collection 2 or the new, downloadable "Half Square Triangles 00B" collection.
The squares can be printed from either the Inklingo Lite # 4 (the smaller size of POTC), or Collection 1.

Fabric 1 (background)
1" HST (16 needed)
4.25 x 8.5"
2" square
Cut 2.5" square
3.25" square for Flying Geese

Fabric 2 (focus 1, dark)
2" HST (4 needed)
3.5 x 6.75"
1" squares (4 needed)
3" square, cut apart to make 4 squares, each 1.5"

Fabric 3 (focus 2, medium)
1" HST (8 needed)
4.25 x 5"
3.25" square for Flying Geese

Barbara Brackman # 1669

Make a total of 8 Flying Geese, 4 in each distribution of fabrics. Use the Flying Geese method, found on p. 10-11 of the Triangle Tips.

Join the Geese, two and two, to make a total of 4 squares (2" finished, 2.5" unfinished)

Make the 4 corner-units.
Start by joining a 1" HST to each side of the 1" square.
Join a 2" HST to the unit, to form a square (2" finished, 2.5" unfinished).
Make 4.

Lay out and join block as you would a 9-patch.

Finished

Hexagon bonus block # 10 - Poinsetta

2009-12-16T00:05:00.000-08:00

This block is my own design (as far as I know). IF someone out there has information that others have designed the same block previously, please let me know.
In any circumstance, play fair. If you want to share this block with others, refer them to this page, please :-)

This block uses Collection # 3, but if you want it in a different size (4" to the side, 8" from tip to tip), you can use Collection 1, and use the 1" unit as your base.

Fabric 1 (background)
6 diamonds, 0.75" (p. 115)
3 x 5" (printed landscape)
12 triangles, 0.75" (p. 136)
3 x 6.75"

Fabric 2 (leaves)
12 diamonds, 0.75" (p. 115)
4 x 6.5" (printed landscape)

Fabric 3 (flower)
6 starpoints, 0.75" (p. 97)
5 x 6"

Fabric 4 (centre)
1 hexagon, 0.75" (p. 82)
4.25 x 5" (will yield 4, but it is the smallest sensible size)

Make the diamonds that are to be inset between the star-points. Each of these pieced diamonds consists of two triangles and a diamond of background-fabric, and two diamonds of the leaf-fabric.

Make the star-flower, as you made the Texas Star block and inset the sewn diamonds as you did the unsewn background-fabric diamonds on that one.

Mary's Block or Gentleman's Fancy

2009-12-11T01:00:00.000-08:00

Take your choice on the name, depending on whether or not you want to make this into a Christmas-block.

Uses Collection 2, or the downloadable HST 00B-AND the QST 00B collection

Fabric 1 (background)
12 QST, 2"
3.5 x 10.5"

Fabric 2 (focus)
8 HST, 2"
6.25 x 6.5"
4 QST, 2"
3.5 x 5" (my printer's minimum size)
1 square, 2"
cut 2.5" or use the POTC collection or Collection 1.

Make the centre economy-patch :

Take the 2" square and add a 2" QST in Background-fabric to each side of the square.

Add a 2" HST in Focus-fabric to each side of the new square.

Make 4 units, each with 3 QST triangles, BUT the long end.

Add a 3-triangle unit to each side of the Economy Patch.

Add a 2" HST in Focus Fabric to each corner.

Finished !

Joseph's Coat or Scrapbag

2009-12-04T01:00:00.000-08:00

Pick the name depending on whether or not you celebrate Christmas :-)

Uses Collection 2 or the downloadable HST 00B collection. Since there are now two different versions of the same sizes of the bits, I will not note the page on which it is on. Download Monkey's Cheat Sheet, and make your own notes.

Fabric requirements

Fabric 1 (background)
12 HST, 1"
xxx
Two unprinted squares, each 3.25, for Flying Geese

Fabric 2 (focus 1, medium)
4 HST, 1"
xxx
4 HST, 2"
xxx
1 square, 2"
Cut a 2.5" square, or print from POTC or Collection 1.

Fabric 3 (focus 2, dark)
16 HST, 1" (for Flying Geese
xxx

Fabric 4 (focus 3, medium)
4 rectangles (not printed)
Cut each of them 1 x 2.5" for a finished size of 0.5 x 2"

Start by making the corner-units.
Make four 1" squares from Focus Fabric 1 and Background Fabric
Add a Background-fabric HST to each side of the Focus-fabric side of the square, forming a 2" HST.
Join the 2" HST of Focus Fabric 1 to the unit, forming a 2" square.
Do this a total of 4 times.

Make 8 Flying Geese, using the 3.25" squares of Background Fabric and the 1" HST of Focus Fabric 2. Use the method described here .

Cut away 1/4" (the seam-allowance) on the bottom of each of the Geese-units.

Add the rectangle to the side where the seam-allowance has been cut off.

Join a Flying Geese unit to the other side of the rectangle, forming a 2" square.

Lay out block as a 9-patch.

Join as you would a 9-patch.

Finished.

Hexagon bonus block # 9

2009-12-01T01:00:00.000-08:00

Star of the East
Barbara Brackman # 241.1 / 3716

Uses Collection 3

Fabric 1 (background)
6 diamonds, 1.5" (p. 122)
5.5 x 6.25"

Fabric 2 (focus A, dark)
6 half-diamonds, 1.5" (p. 125)
4.5 x 6"

Fabric 3 (focus B, medium)
6 half-diamonds, 1.5" (p. 125)
4.5 x 6"

Join the half-diamonds from the two focus-fabrics, to form a total of 6 diamonds.

Join them as you would a normal 6-pointed star. Make sure that you alternate the colours on the two focus-fabrics.

Add the backing-fabric. If you hand-piece, this can be done with one continuous stitch.

Finished.

Washington Star

2009-11-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

Could be State of, could be George, could be DC. You choose.

QST for this one ! and some Flying Geese :-)

Uses Collection 2

Since this block deals with quite small units, it makes the most sense to me to make not two flying geese in each colourway, but 4, and discard the two surplus. Likewise, it makes most sense to make 6 QST-squares, and discard one.
This is therefore, what the directions are made for.

Fabric 1 (background)
4 squares, each 1.5" (cut 2")
8 rectangles, each 0.75 x 1.5" (cut 1.25 x 2")
10 QST, 1.5" (p. 102)
3.5 x 9.25" (prints 12)
20 HST, 0.75" (p. 60)
5.75 x 7.5" (prints 24)

Fabric 2 (focus A)
10 QST, 1.5" (p. 102)
3.5 x 9.25" (do not print, but layer with the printed background-fabric)
1 square, 2.75" for 2 flying geese units (makes 4, but 2 are discarded)
Fabric 3 (focus B)
1 square, 2.75" for 2 flying geese units (makes 4, but 2 are discarded)
4 HST, 0.75" (p. 60)
2 x 3.5" (do not print, but layer with the printed background-fabric)

Make a total of 5 QST in Fabrics 1 and 2

see Linda's Triangle Tips on Flying Geese
Make the Flying Geese units with Fabrics 1 and 2
Make the Flying Geese units with Fabrics 1 and 3

Lay out the block as shown in picture on the right.
(click on picture if you have trouble seeing the individual units)

Join to form 5 rows, as shown in picture on the left.

Join rows

Finished !

Bonus-block - Spools

2009-11-24T00:01:00.001-08:00

This month the square bonus-block is not made with the free collection or the LeMoyne star collection, but with Inklingo Lite # 4, the one you use if you are making your own version of Lucy Boston's Patchwork of the Crosses.

The block finishes smaller than 6", (actually, it finishes at the weird size of 4.82") but you can log-cabin it, and make it fit with the other 6" blocks.

Also, if you print the 1" squares for this block, you will waste some. You can get around that, by cutting squares, each 1.5". They will then finish at the 1" you need for this block.

As you can see, I have used scraps for centres, and have not coordinated the centre ("thread") part of the spools with the end of them. This is perfectly good with this pattern ... after all, spool-ends and colour of thread are rarely identical :-)

Fabric 1 (background)
8 Long half-hexagons (p. 48)
5.25 x 6"

2 strips, each 1.25 x 5.5" (for log-cabining the block, to make it 6")
2 strips, each 1.25 x 6.5" (for log-cabining the block, to make it 6")

Fabric 2 (Focus A)
4 Long half-hexagons (p. 48)
3 x 6"
4 squares, 1" (p. 28)
3.5 x 5"

Fabric 3 (Focus B)
4 Long half-hexagons (p. 48)
3 x 6"
4 squares, 1" (p. 28)
3.5 x 5"

Join a long half-hexagon of the same fabric to opposite sides of each square.

Inset a background-fabric half-hexagon to each of the remaining sides

Make a total of 4 spools

Arrange as a 4-patch

Join the squares as you would a 4-patch.

Log-cabining it : The shorter strips are longer than the block is. Just sew one on each side of the block, and then cut off the (small) excess.
Add the two longer strips to the remaining two sides.
Trim it down to 6.5". This is the unfinished size. It will finish at 6" when it goes into the quilt.

This is a great way to use your smallish scraps, and if you - like me - are slightly addicted to old quilts and pictures thereof, you can probably find at least one picture of an antique quilt, made from scraps.