Another update on the Riley Blake Design Block Challenge Quilt with a plan for this sampler quilt layout. I made this in patriotic colors for my first patriotic quilt.

We are at the end of the Quilt A Long and I hope to get this done before Malaysia’s Independence Day on 31st August. If you’re wondering why. the colors are the same as the American flag (Americana colours) except for the yellows, you can read about the beginning of this quilt HERE>

Patriotic Sampler Quilt

As with all the sampler quilts, this one was definitely an enjoyable one to make. 

I get bored when piecing or cutting 100’s of the same size units, hence sampler quilt is my go-to quilts. 

But this time, I decided that it was going to be in patriotic colours. 

Related post:

• Sewcial Bee Sampler Quilt
• Sewcialites Quilt
• Community Sampler Quilt
• Blue Barn Sampler Quilt

Here is a little update on my Moda Block Heads 4 Quilt. 

This is a free quilt along hosted by Moda Fabrics and the blocks are designed by different Moda designers. You can access the Free Patterns for each of the quilt blocks HERE>

The pattern for the blocks comes in two sizes, and I am making both since I am planning to do the finishing setting layout 3.

There are a couple of different settings provided on the archive page as well as the requirements for the quilt. 

I am working with Kate Spain’s older line layer cake plus some extra fabrics from my stash.

I am a little behind with this quilt along, but I just want to keep at my own pace and catch up whenever I can. 

Is quilting with the ruler for beginners?

Another quilt is completed, and this time I quilted clamshells! This is my first time doing so, and oh boy, I love it. 

There are affiliate links within this post in which I may make a commission from. Find my disclosure here. 

This is a quilt I made last year, following the quilt along, All The Trimmings.

You can find the free patterns for this quilt here>

The fabric line I used for this quilt is Dear Stella’s “Baby, it’s cold outside” 

It was a very fun quilt along and I love the row-by-row sampler. I find it fun to make repeats of the same block in a few different prints and yet keep me excited as it is not just a single block on repeat for the whole quilt.

I get bored quickly and love to make samplers like this.

Since it was a row-by-row quilt, I thought the horizontal repeat of quilted clamshells would look perfect for this quilt. 

Quilted Clamshells using Quilting Ruler Template

There’s a tutorial on how to do clamshell quilting with a domestic machine using ruler HERE>

Here’s what I used for quilting the clamshell on my home machine:

• Clamshell Ruler. I love this one. Really sturdy and makes beautiful clamshells in various sizes. It is really easy to use too.
• I popped on a Pop Socket on the ruler to make it easier for me to handle the ruler while moving the quilt. 

Here’s a quick time-lapse video of me quilting this. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Amira – Quilting And Sewing (@amira_littlemushroomcap)

I have done ruler quilting before, but I have never done an allover repeat of something like this. It was a pretty quick finish. 

It was a pretty small quilt, but I was surprised that the whole quilting process only took me two sittings. Which is about 20 minutes per sitting.

I was chasing time when it was close to the end, I wanted to get it done at least before my little one woke up that morning.

Surprisingly, I got all the binding done and was taking photos already when she woke up. 

So, she had to be in the photo, it’ll be a great memory for me to come back to these someday. Please excuse the sleepy face.

Overall, I love the finished look. I am definitely going to be trying this motif again in future quilts, maybe next time I’ll layer more for an echoed look. 

As for the backing, the quilted clamshell look great too.

Quilt Labels

I have used one of the labels I have in my stash ready to go. 

The backing was pieced with the leftover fabrics and and the label is pieced in the center. It got quilted together when I quilted the quilt. 

You can make your own custom label easily too, I have had many who told me that they loved that they can now make their own labels after they took Quilt Label Wizard Course. It is a pretty quick course and you can easily get them done in a day. 

Check out Quilt Label Wizard HERE>

Tips for quilting with a ruler?

Well. that’ll be for another post. I have yet to edit the video for that.

So, I’ll be posting another post with tips and things I’ve learned from this quilting with clamshell ruler process, so be on the lookout for that.

Update: There’s a tutorial on how to do clamshell quilting with a domestic machine using ruler HERE>

Till next time, have a lovely quilty week!

Here is some progress on my very first patriotic sampler quilt. 

You want to read till the bottom of this post cause I have a confession to make, and maybe you can spot what I meant as we go through this post.

I am a sucker for a sampler quilt. I just love the idea of making different blocks and they keep me excited to come to my sewing room. 

There are times when I do love just mundane repetitive piecing but I think I could get those feeling when I’m doing all over quilting. Hence, when I piece, I really like something that is challenging or at least requires a little more brainpower.

Hence, I have been enjoying making Sampler Quilts. 

Related post:

• Sewcial Bee Sampler Quilt
• Sewcialites Quilt
• Community Sampler Quilt
• Blue Barn Sampler Quilt

Free Motion Quilting with no presser foot. Can all machine free motion quilt?

How do you quilt without a free motion quilting foot

But, you can actually free motion quilt too without a foot and that is what I’m going to share in this post and video below.

A little update on my progress in quilting the Aviatrix Medallion Quilt in which I decide to do custom quilting with a home sewing machine. 

Was it a good idea?

At this point, I am doubting my choice. 

Custom quilting is fun, but I think if it is too large of a project, it can be draining to think about all the designs that should go into it. 

I personally have learned a hard lesson when I thought I was going to quilt a different design for every center of my wedding ring quilt.

But I think I’m doing it again this time. 

Less intense maybe. 

Can we do custom quilting with a home sewing machine?

Progress update and a little note on the making of the bed size quilts. 

While I love making small projects for the quick feeling of accomplishment and the fun joy it brings, in the end, the most satisfying quilted items to use is the big old bed size quilts. 

To me, it just make sense to make a bed size quilts rather than small ones if I was were to think about the practicality of things.

My recent bed size quilt finish: Sewcialites Quilt

How about you?

I mean, when we make something, we always have in mind why we’re making it right?

If it is just purely for the joy of making, I really don’t think much of how big the quilts is gonna turn out. I am simply having fun making. 

An odd size quilt up here: my Sewcial Bee sampler. But I did enjoy making and learning from this a lot!

I have made many odd size quilts around the house that really does not get used as often. Either it was too big for displaying here and there or too little to be used on the bed. 

Happy National Quilting Day! Saturdays full of quilting will be a dream and even if you don’t get to quilt all day, let’s celebrate the day by admiring all the quilts you’ve made or are in the process of making.

While we enjoy those if you want to get some treats or want to build your stash, enjoy these sales while you’re at it. 

There are affiliate links within this post in which I may earn comission from the links. Find full disclosure here.

1.  Enjoy 20% entire order, quilting fabrics, books, notions

this one is even valid for items that are already marked down, I’ve been eyeing some of the books that were up to 60% off and some threads. This is a great time to stock up. 

Use this link and code: LOVE2QUILT

If you’ve read my previous blog post, 10 ways to be more organised with your quilting project or if you’ve been following my quilting project progress, you’ll know that I absolutely love and vouch for the portable design board!

DIY portable design board for patchwork

You can DIY or buy ready-made ones here.

If you want to DIY, you can use cut out cardboard boxes or artboard like this one here.

I made my first set of these DIY portable design boards 5 years back, and they are still very good to use. Some are even made of just cut-out cardboard boxes.

I made random sizes in sets of 3s or 5s, and I find them really useful for different stages of the patchwork piecing of a quilt.

Particularly I love the small ones to chain piece smaller units as I can easily bring them around and they don’t take much space. 

But I find that I need to layout larger blocks easily without overlapping and I haven’t got anything larger than a 10″ board, so I made some new ones!

These are roughly 14″  square which makes it perfect for laying out 12″ blocks before piecing them together. These are also made from cut-out cardboard boxes. 

You can opt not to put the fabric “binding” on these boards. Simply cover a cardboard piece with batting and it should work as a charm for holding on to the little pieces of patchwork. 

But, the fabric binding made these boards so cute!! Hot glue gun mess was definitely worth it. 

For the full tutorial on how to make these board, click HERE>

If you don’t want to DIY,

you can also purchase ready-made design boards here.

I absolutely love using mine, and I find myself using them in every single quilting project. They keep everything organised and make it easy for me to transport my little pieces from one place to another. Especially from the cutting table to the sewing machine. 

And because of the sticky batting, we can put the pieces up and pick the board up to get a better view of it. Hence the name, design board. 

Are you already using them too?