Monkey Ladders Quilt from Sweet Dreams by Sarah

Love this darling quilt from Sweet Dream by Sarah...and it's a tutorial!  Yay!  I definitely love a pattern that lends itself to showing off your favorite prints, and that's what she did here.  Super sweet and simple, great variation on a coin quilt.  Make sure to check out Sarah's shop, her finished projects and some more great tutorials.  Thanks Sarah for sharing!

These little monkeys had me at hello!  I had no idea what I was going to do with this charm pack when I first spotted it, but I had to have it. 

I wanted to do something simple, that would show off the cute prints in the line, but still feel fun and whimsical.  I've made coin stack quilts before, but I wanted to do something a bit different... 

So here we have, monkey ladders!  The "coins" reminded me of rungs of a ladder for some reason, and the name just stuck in my head.  This is a very versatile pattern that you can make using really any charm pack you might have, and finishes up as the perfect size for a baby or crib quilt!  Here's what you need... 

Materials

1 Charm Pack (I used Grow with Me by Deb Strain & Daughters by Moda) (note: you only need 40 of the charms, so pick out two, and add them to your stash, or save them for the back) 

1 1/4 yards background (I used Kona White) (the cutting instructions require exactly 36 inches of cut strips, so you will want a bit extra for squaring up when you cut, etc.) 

1 1/4 yards backing (I used the white monkey print from the Grow with Me line)

3/4 yards for binding and to piece the backing (I used the green solid from the Grow with Me line) 

Cotton batting, approx. 45" x 45", to give you a little room while quilting. 

All measurements assume you use a 1/4 inch seam! 

Cutting

Charm pack:  

• Take the 40 charms that you'll be using, and cut them in half, so that you have 80 strips that are 2.5" by 5". 

• Don't worry about keeping them in any particular order, since you'll actually want them to be randomized in your quilt.  

Background:  

• Cut 8 strips from your background fabric that are 3.25" wide by WOF (width of fabric from selvage to selvage - assumed to be 42" - you will need to make adjustments if yours is different!).  
• Subcut these strips into 10.5 inch lengths, so that you have 32 pieces that are 3.25" x 10.5".  
• Cut an additional 5 strips that are 2" by WOF. 

Backing: 

• Cut your backing piece along the fold so that you have two pieces that are half the WOF by 1 1/4 yds long.  

Binding/Backing: 

• Cut two strips 5" by WOF for inserting in the backing (alternatively, you can cut one 5" strip, and attach those two leftover charms to either end!) 
• Cut 5 strips 2.5" by WOF for binding strips.  

Piecing the top 

Your goal is to make 16 sets composed of 5 strips each.  Pair up the strips and sew along the long edge. 

I recommend pressing after each seam, but the great thing about the way that this quilt is pieced is that it doesn't matter which way you press the seams - there won't be any matching up of corners or points here!  Press the seams toward darker fabrics where necessary.

Keep sewing the strips together, picking out the strips to use so that the colors and patterns are fairly randomized and distributed.  You should end up with 16 strip sets that look like these: 

Next, we add the white 3.25" by 10.5" strips on the sides to finish out the blocks.  

Take one strip and align with one of the sides of your strip set.  

You can pin this, if needed, but if your seams are ironed nice and flat, it shouldn't move around on you too much.  Stitch these pieces together.  

Hint:  chain piecing here can make this step go by very quickly! 

Once one side is sewn on, flip the block around, and sew the strip on the other side.  I would recommend NOT pressing before this step!  Keeping the first strip right where you sewed it will help you to get the second strip aligned and will help to keep the block nicely square. 

Once both sides are sewn on, go ahead and press those strips out!  

Now you've got your 16 blocks ready to go! 

Note: this picture of the block was taken after the others were sewn together! That white strip on top is actually from the adjacent block. 

Lay them out in alternating direction, keeping an eye out again for the randomness of the fabric placement.  Arrange the blocks in a 4 by 4 arrangement.    

Once you've got your blocks set out in the arrangement you like, start stitching them together.  I'm not a fan of long seams, so I usually sew the blocks together in quadrants, and then sew the 4 quarters of the block together.  

Once the 16 blocks are sewn together, it's time to add the border.  Take the 2" background strips that you cut earlier, and snip off the selvage ends.  Sew one strip to the edge of the quilt, and then use a ruler to trim off the edges, to keep the quilt top square.  Do the same on the opposite side of the quilt.  

You'll need your border strips a bit longer on the other two edges - approx. 45".  If your WOF is long enough, just sew those on the two remaining edges, and trim to square up.  If your WOF isn't quite long enough (mine wasn't!), take one of those 2" strips and cut it in half.  Sew one half of that strip to each of the two remaining strips to make it longer.  Then go ahead and sew the border strips on the remaining edges of the quilt.  (I'm so sorry, I don't have pictures of this step!) 

That finishes up the quilt top!

To prepare the backing, we're going to insert that strip that you cut from the binding fabric into the backing fabric so that it's wide enough.  You can either sew 2 5" strips from the binding fabric together  to make one longer strip, or you can sew the two leftover charms on either end of one 5" strip to make a longer strip.  Sew this strip along the cut edges of the backing fabric, so that it's inserted right in the middle.  Press the seams out, and make sure your backing fabric is well pressed for pucker and crease free quilting!  This is how my quilt back looked, on the finished product: 

Sandwich up your quilt - backing, batting, and quilt top.  Baste, and quilt as desired!  I used an all over meander on mine.  Stitch together your binding strips, and bind the quilt using whichever method you prefer, and you've got yourself a quilt!  

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As a side note, my version of this quilt is currently for sale over at my Etsy shop!  

Lola's Quilt and a Winner!

First and foremost, 1000 followers?!?  This has been such a highlight in our busy schedule.  We can sincerely say THANK YOU!  We appreciate all of you who read daily (or often), who've submitted and let us feature your quilts, who've commented on all the pretty features, who link-up and participate in Fabric Tuesday, THANK YOU!  We are so happy this blog is thriving, it's achieving so much of what we wanted which was to bring quilters together and share the amazing stories behind quilts.

As promised I have a tutorial for you of this quilt:

Finished Quilt Size 30.5" x 40.5"

Let me clarify, I received a Go! Baby fabric cutter from Accuquilt to review, but it doesn't mean I have to give a positive review.  I made this entire quilt using the fabric cutter, but you do not have to have one to make it...just may be faster if you do.  Especially the circles.  If you're using the Go! Baby I used the 2.5" die strip cutter and the circles die, 2", 3" and 5".

Materials needed:

Twenty strips (whichever colors and patterns you choose), 2.5" x 44" (see below)

Six white strips, 2.5" x 40.5"

Three 5" circles (main flower)

Three 3" circles (middle flower)

Three 2" circles (center flower)

2 green fabrics, 3" x 5" (large leaves)

3 green fabrics, 3" x 3" (small leaves)

*I provide a template for circles and leaves in a moment*

Edited to add: Some very smart readers had some good insight.  You DO NOT need 44" in length (I am so used to yardage I didn't consider otherwise!  Ha!)  You only NEED 20.5" in length.  So a few options, you could make two quilts and cut double white strips.  You could use fat quarters.  Or you could take 10 strips 2.5" x 44" sewn together as show below, cut down the middle and sew top to bottom.)

Step 1:

Sew the twenty strips together, top to bottom.  The finished piece should measure 40.5" x 44".

*shown are cut measurements, not sewn or finished measurements

click to enlarge

Step 2:

Now cut this piece into strips, three 2.5" x 40.5" pieces and two 6.5" x 40.5".

*shown are cut measurements, not sewn or finished measurements

click to enlarge

Step 3:

Sewing side to side, alternate strip pieces and white 2.5" x 40.5" pieces as shown below.

*shown are cut measurements, not sewn or finished measurements

click to enlarge

Step 4:

Applique the flowers and leaves.  I used Steam a Seam Lite that I got at Joann.  It worked really well, and didn't gunk up my machine.  I like that it is thin, I haven't washed it yet but I think this will be my new applique method on quilts.  The circle and leaf shapes can be found here.

I have not quilted mine yet, I am waiting until after Market.  I will share it as soon as I do! 

We would love to know if you use this tutorial.  If you see any mistakes or have questions let us know.  Please only use this for personal use and not for re-sale.  Please include a link to us if you mention this tutorial on your site.  Thank you for understanding!

FINISHED QUILT HERE

Meg's Quilt and a Go! Baby GIVEAWAY!

Here is the quilt I created using the Accuquilt Go! Baby fabric cutter.  I originally blogged about it here.  This is for my "someday" baby girl.  I am not pregnant, nor will I be anytime soon, but I would love to have a little girl and name her Lola :)  Although honey is not on board with the name, I have my ways ;)

I've really wanted to use that citron green with grays and aqua, such a cool color combination.  Although the fabrics are girly, I needed to add the appliqué flowers to really make it pretty.

It's the prefect crib size, measuring 31" x 41".  

There's all sorts of fabrics in there, Heather Bailey, Michael Miller, MoMo for Moda...

I used a blanket stitch around the flowers.  Not quite sure how I'll quilt this, but I do know that I will not quilt it until after market :)

Next Thursday, May 5th I will be sharing a tutorial so you can make one too!  All of the piecing was cut with a Go! Baby fabric cutter, but you do not have to have one in order to create this.  I hope you'll come back and see :)

And the GIVEAWAY!

Your very own Go! Baby Fabric Cutter!  

$139.00 value

PLUS 3 dies of your choice!!

for mine I chose circles, 2.5" strips and the tumbler

How to win? You know the drill!

we've had so many giveaways lately!!

1. Leave a comment with your favorite die cutter, just go here to see more...
2. Comment if you follow us (or tell us you already do!)

That's it, let's keep it simple this time!! :) 

This giveaway is now closed.

Spinning Coins Quilt Tutorial

This is a quilt I finished up over Christmas, and today I'm giving you all the details so you can make one too!

I really really super adore this fabric, all of it.  How can you look at it and not be happy??  Seriously, whales, polka dots, argyle (oh argyle), owls...pears...I love it all.

I got this gorgeous fabric from Jody

It is a combination of fabrics from designer Ann Kelle for Robert Kaufman

Remix, Metro Market and Urban Zoologie

Materials Needed:

• 6-8 fat quarters for the coins and pinwheels (the colored strips)
•  1 yard white cotton for sashing and borders
• 2/3 yard for binding
• 2 yards for backing

Any Nigel fans?  He's checking you out from the left, half-way up :)

this tutorial is assuming 44" width fabric and 1/4" seams

Step 1: Create 4 (or more) pinwheel blocks, finished size 8 inches.

Step 2: Cut fat quarters to 8 inches wide and a variety of lengths.  I just eyeballed it and made three piles of short, medium and tall strips.

Step 3: Sew three rows together using pinwheel blocks and fat quarter strips, each row should finish at 51 1/2" long.

the measurements above are from the finished quilt, figuring in the 1/4" seam

Step 4: Cut 5 inch strips in fabric width (44") from the white cotton.  Using the photo as a guide, sew coin rows to the white strips, one on each side and all together.

Step 5: Sew a 5 inch white cotton strip to the top and bottom of your quilt top.

And you've got your quilt top!  Easy Peasy!

Jody sent this fabulous pink polka dot backing, and trust me this quilt is going to a home with many many girls, it'll be a hit :)

I used straight line quilting pattern for this. On the coin strips I stitched approx. 1" apart, and on the white sashing I stitched 2-3" apart.

And this binding, I need more. I have never been more pleased with a binding!  See these rainbow stripes??  It's already inspired me for another quilt.

Finished Quilt Size: 40 1/2" x 60", lap size

Fabric line: Remix, Metro Market and Urban Zoologie by Ann Kelle for Robert Kaufman and 100% white cotton

I got all of this gorgeous fabric from Fabric Shoppe

Quilting: Straight-line

Who is this quilt for?: You!  This is a perfect beginners quilt, especially if you want to challenge yourself by trying more piecing (ie pinwheels) but not so much piecing it's intimidating.  This is a great quilt for scraps.  This is a great quilt to finish in a weekend.

*Please let me know if you have any questions or if anything is unclear.

*Please send us pictures of your finished quilt!  We'd love to see!  Send us an email myquiltstory{at}gmail{dot}com

*Please give us credit if you do use this pattern and post about it.  This is intended for personal use, making this as a gift is okay, but please do not to sell the pattern or quilts.

Thanks mommy for your beautiful home as a backdrop!

(and dad, but let's be honest, he doesn't even know what a blog is)

Fluff and Nonsense Baby Quilt

Today Leslie from Fluff and Nonsense is sharing a quilt made for her soon-to-be-arriving sweet baby girl.  This is such a perfect little pattern for a baby, and I love the fabrics that Leslie chose.  So put your feet up and enjoy a good quilt story!

I did it!! I checked off another finish before the baby comes....this baby girl quilt(using Oh Fransson's pattern, inspired by Emily) turned out better than i had hoped.

I had the flimsy finished last week in time for sew and tell...however it took me a little longer to complete the rest of the steps...piecing the back, basting, quilting and binding. You know, all those things that make a bunch of fabric that you cut into tiny pieces a real quilt.

I even gave it the good old wash and dry. I was fighting with myself about this, as usual, but in the end i forced my own hand and it was just fine. Thank goodness for color catchers...i use them even when i probably don't need them, because it makes me feel better. I was worried that the nicey jane fabrics and the osnaburg would shrink differently, but they were surprisingly the same! Hooray!

I quilted it with my standard straight line method using my walking foot and some thread that i had stashed away for just the right project. I used a king tut brand variegated thread that had most of the colors in this quilt and just a hint of pink. This was my first time working with variegated thread and it looks really cool. I like it. I am not sure if you can see it in any of these pictures, you might just have to take my word for it.

Many thanks to my little quilt holder. I chose these pictures, above, because i loved the shadows of her in each shot.

I am so flattered to be featured and included in your blog along with the other amazing quilters that you have shared before....people whose blogs i read and i never consider myself at the same quilting caliber as they are. this is so amazing to me. thank you.

Thank YOU Leslie for letting us share!  This quilt is beautiful.

Fresh Lemons Stepping Stones Quilt

Today we've got a darling and happy quilt by Faith from Fresh Lemons.  It is called Stepping Stones Quilt.  She has so many darling finished quilts, so fun to gaze into.  She even sells these in her cute Etsy shop, so make sure to check it out.  Here's her finished quilt:

Believe it or not, I finished the Stepping Stones quilt ahead of my weekend goal. I stitched on the binding last night while we were in the basement under tornado warnings. Not a horrible way to spend an evening of threatening storms.

This quilt was inspired by the “Just Sweet Enough” quilt in the book Last Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. The version in the book uses soft almost-solids and wider white sashing between columns. But when I saw it I was struck by it’s beauty in simplicity. It is similar to a coin quilt.

I had a pretty good variety of Anna Maria Horner’s Little Folks fabrics and thought something similar would be a great way to showcase those tiny prints. I’m not sure anyone can resist the softness of these voile fabrics. They have such a luxurious feel to them….almost like silk as I move them from the washer to the dryer. The rectangles are cut in random lengths, with a width of 2.5″. The white rectangles between them are 2″ x 2.5″. The white columns are 2.25″ wide.

The patterned strips I made ended up being too long for the width of the quilt, so I cut off the bottom and incorporated it into the back of the quilt. I added large sections of voile on either side. It is beyond soft, the perfect cuddle blanket.

It is quilted free motion with Dream Cotton Request Loft batting, leaving it completely lightweight and crinkly. It measures 36″ x 54″ and is available in my Etsy shop.

Thanks Faith!!