How to Quilt: The Goose Tracks Quilt Pattern, binding techniques, needle threaders for quilting, Free Quilt Block Patterns

The Goose Tracks Quilt Block and November Free Quilt Block Patterns

"The sewing machine joins what the scissors have cut asunder,
plus whatever else comes in its path." ~Mason Cooley

Greetings Quilter -

Finished Fat Quarter Quilt

Fat quarters lend themselves to so many great projects, not the least of which is a quilt.

Last month the Fat Quarter quilt project was finished, and now I am gathering all of the video, charts and notes into a DVD Quilting Mentor.

This package is going to have some amazing information included:

how to choose fat quarters for your quilt
how to make templates of a quilt block in the size you want, without quilt design software
how to figure out how many fat quarters you need for your project
how to lay out the patches on your fat quarters so you don't waste any fabric
how to design your machine quilting pattern
how to machine quilt with ease
how to bind the quilt using stuffed binding
and much, much more

The thing is, I want to be sure that all of your questions are answered in this Fat Quarter Quilt DVD Mentor, so I was hoping you would do me a favor and post your questions on my blog:

Post a Question about the Fat Quarter Quilt DVD Mentor on Penny's Blog

This week, I chose a quilt block for the Stack'n'Whack quilt project. It is called Broken Rainbows, and seemed like a great pattern for Stack-n-Whack:


Broken Rainbows Quilt Block	Broken Rainbows - Patch 1	Broken Rainbows - Patch 2

To make cutting the fabric easier, each of the patches will be 10 inches square. An alternative would be to cut the Layer Cake squares into quarters and then cut the 4 patches from the 5 inch squares of fabric.

Since the idea of a Stack-n-Whack quilt is to make cutting the blocks easy, easy, it seems to me that using one full square of fabric for each patch is the easiest.

Once the patches are cut, I will sew them together, and then sew 4 together to create one block. This will also give me a greater variety of fabric in each block. Plus, because there will be fewer cuts, the fabric will go further - translation, my finished project will be slightly larger than if the block were 10 inches and each patch were 5 inches.

We'll see how it works.

In last week's newsletter, I showed a picture of the fabric I would be using for this project. It is a Civil War Layer Cake collection from Moda.

Rosie has set aside some of the same Layer Cake Fabric for us, so if you are interested in using the same fabric, please contact her:

Rosie at Rosie's Calico Cupboard - rozgonzalez@cox.net

We'd love to see you in www.TheQuiltingCoach.com for this project - it should be really fun!

In the video below, you will see how I separated my fabrics by value and which block I will use for my Stack'n'Whack quilt:

And now for the rest of the news - -

Happy Quilting!

penny halgren

how to bind a quilt

Featured Product of the Month - Creative Binding Techniques DVD

Striped binding is just one of the techniques you will see in the Creative Binding Techniques DVD Quilting Mentor.

Are you secretly looking for some out of the ordinary way to finish your quilt that will impress your family and friends so they will finally know that you really have some quilting skills - and that this isn't some trial and error thing that you are still trying to figure out?

For some quilters, binding is even more difficult that choosing the fabrics for your quilts – and we all know how hard that can be!But, creating binding just got easier.Last year, we introduced The Ultimate How to Bind a Quilt DVD Mentor, and since then binding quilts got much easier for thousands of quilters.

Quilters were so pleased with their new-found binding skills that they began asking for other techniques for binding quilts.

We are pleased to formally announce The Creative Binding Techniques DVD Quilting Mentor.

In this fabulous How-to-Quilt.com video, you’ll see how to bind a quilt using:

French Fold binding where you add the binding on one side of the quilt at a time.
A technique for adding Prairie Points using one piece of fabric on each side. This method is really easy and fun, since you don't have to keep track of all those little individual Prairie Points.
A technique for adding Prairie Points so they face inside your quilt.
Striped binding - sew strips of fabric together and cut it on the bias - this fun way to bind a quilt is
easier than it looks and very forgiving because it is so "busy."
Binding quilts with curved edges - this will make any quilt with curves easy to bind. And you will learn a technique for figuring out how to cut the curves on a quilt that might otherwise have straight sides.
Binding quilts with hexagons, or any other kinds of inside and outside corners. This technique is great for Grandmother's Flower Garden, Tumbling Blocks or other kinds of quilts with many edges.
Double fold straight grain binding. One of the basic and simple ways to bind a quilt. You'll see how to miter perfect corners and stitch the binding on so it is smooth.
And as a Bonus method, you will see how to create reversible binding - where the binding is one fabric on the front of the quilt and a different fabric on the back of the quilt.
- - - making 8 techniques for binding quilts, in all!

For a limited time, we are paying shipping for this fantastic product. But, time will run out - so Get all of the details about the Creative Binding Techniques DVD Quilting Mentor.

Tools for Quilting - Needle Threader

Frankly, I was skeptical.

When I looked at this homely, little tool hanging in my local quilt shop, I thought "Now, that's something only it's mother could love."

Standing a short 2" high and proudly sporting a long neck, the notion of that being a tool to thread a needle intrigued me nonetheless. And, since I was in the market for something to make my needle-threading life easier, I decided to add it to my purchases for the day.

Even as I removed it from it's package, I couldn't figure out how it could possibly work. Finally, I decided to look at the instructions on the back, which were very helpful.

It's actually as easy to use as its 4 steps implies, and its pretty effective - a great combination for easing the challenge of threading those tiny quilting Betweens.

To read the step-by-step about how it works, visit: Dritz Needle Threader and Cutter

Needle Threader and Cutter from Dritz

Dritz also makes an upscale version of a traditional wire needle threader. This one has a more substantial handle and a metal plate to protect the wire and to guide the thread through the wire and ensure that the needle ends up being threaded.

I have often wondered whether the wire would be too big to go through the eye of a Between - since Betweens are so small.

The answer to the question is "Yes, the wire does go through the needle and the needle will get threaded."

Dritz wire needle threader with needle. Click on the picture for a larger image.

Rosie at Rosie's Calico Cupboard, can help you with the tools you need for your quilting - rozgonzalez@cox.net Be sure to let her know that you are a How-to-Quilt.com newsletter subscriber.

Postcard Quilts for the Troops

Christmas Roundup Next - Deadline November 18!

It’s November already! Most of the year as flown by and now we’re facing the busy holidays. This holiday season, don’t forget to show our military men and women how much we appreciate their dedication to our country.

While many of us are home enjoying traditional holidays with our families, they will miss their own families and traditions.Why not start a new holiday tradition of your own this year – one that says thank you to our service members in a unique way?

Work a few fabric postcards into your holiday season. Use some scrap fabric and create a special fabric postcard to send to our soldiers. The directions are very easy. You’ll find free designs to get you started at www.fabric-postcards.com.

Last Christmas, more than 2,200 postcards were sent to American soldiers in the Middle East. Send yours in soon and they’ll be part of the 2009 shipment of Christmas fabric postcards.

The deadline to submit your Christmas postcards for the troops is November 18

You'll find tons of free fabric postcard patterns at: www.QuiltBlockLibrary.com

Please send your cards to:
Diane Malaznik
14215 Westmore St.
Livonia, MI 48154-4149

Diane is doing a fabulous job keeping the pictures updated, and if you have sent cards in, let your friends and family know that they can see pictures of them here: www.Fabric-Postcards.com

Remember you can get FREE postcard patterns at: www.QuiltBlockLibrary.com

Special Note - we are in the process of changing the Picture Gallery on the Fabric-Postcards.com site. It may take a few days, so bear with us. Not to worry - We have all of the pictures and will get everything squared away soon.

Featured Block in Video - Goose Tracks Quilt Block

goose tracks quilt block pattern

No big celebration this week quite yet. With Thanksgiving and Goose season coming up, I thought I'd celebrate with a Goose Tracks quilt block.

This block can present some interesting challenges since there are so many pieces. The video will show you how to sew it together.

Visit www.QuiltBlockLibrary.com to see other quilt block videos and get free patterns, including free fabric postcard patterns for Penny's Postcard Posse.

Enjoy!

Download the Goose Tracks Quilt Block Pattern

November Quilt Block Patterns

The November selection of free quilt block patterns includes a variety of 4 patch quilt blocks, ranging from the easy to make to some that are a little more complex.

Click here to download your November FREE quilt block patterns