Quilting Techniques: holiday star quilt blocks, free quilt block patterns

Holiday Star Quilts
and October Free Quilt Block Patterns

Greetings -

Log Cabin Christmas Tree
Wall Hanging

Oh, I know - it's not really time for the year end holidays, yet!

And I know there is still Thanksgiving.

But, still, it doesn't hurt to start thinking about quilts or wall hangings to decorate the halls for the end of the year.

Below you will read about some star quilt blocks you can create in holiday colors to include in your quilts.

Tree quilt block patterns are also great for the holidays. Many tree quilt block patterns are easy to sew, and simply by using holiday colors, the result will be a fabulous holiday quilt or wall hanging.

One other thing that is good about holiday quilts is that you bring them out once a year - and each year it's either a brand new adventure, or like bringing back an old friend.

During the rest of the year, though, be sure to store them safely.

Photo Quilts (Memory Quilts)

I'm putting together some information about transferring photographs onto fabric for use in quilts or quilt blocks.

I'd love to know what type of information you are interested in getting, so I have put together a short survey: Photo Fabric Quilts

Happy Quilting!

penny halgren quilter

Master Quilter

LAST DAY!

Who Else Wants to Make a Quilt - With NO Complicated Math?

Using this convenient little tool, you will never again need to be
some kind of math whiz or guess how much fabric to buy,
how many strips to cut, how wide to cut your strips or
how much your fabric will cost.

Happy Birthday, Bubba!

Everything about quilting should be easy and fun. Enter a fabric shop and soak in the creativity and inspiration. Fabric in every color imaginable.

Designs to appeal to sports fanatics, children, animal and nature lovers, and people dreaming of going to the moon.

Books of patterns and instructions from the beautifully traditional to the zany contemporary and everything in between.

But then there's the question of "how much fabric do I need to make my quilt?"

If you are like most quilters, you just guess, grab fabric and then either run out or have loads of extra fabric left over to add to your stash.

It's not the extra fabric that is a problem - but when you run out in the middle of your quilt and the fabric shop is out, too - that might be a problem!

With the FabriCalc, you'll never worry about running out of fabric again.

And to celebrate Bubba's Birthday, m. mouse is giving away 15 free quilt block patterns, and we've arranged for the creator of the FabriCalc, Susie Blades, to teach us - online - exactly how to use this handy quilting tool.

Tell me more - - -

Star Quilts

Since the star is a traditional symbol of Christmas, star quilts make great decorations and gifts for the Christmas season.

If you want to make a special holiday quilt, you will discover that there are many star quilt patterns from which to choose. Simply integrate your Christmas fabrics and colors into any traditional star pattern and you are certain to have a quilt that will delight your family or its recipient for many years.

The Ohio Star quilt pattern is very popular among quilters. The Ohio Star quilt pattern is a nine patch. The center is a square. Patches to the top, bottom, left and right of that center square are pieced to form the star’s points.

Another star quilt pattern has the center square with two triangles on each corner stitched together to make the points. This traditional star quilt pattern would be beautiful in any number of fabrics and colors, but is especially gorgeous in Christmas fabrics since the star is such a big part of the Christmas season.

The Lone Star quilt is another popular star quilt design. The star looks as though it is made up of tiny diamond shape pieces of fabric. The diamonds alternate from the center to expand the large star out. Again, this very detailed quilt is remarkable in any fabric. Holiday inspired colors and prints will make your Lone Star Quilt a treasured holiday heirloom.

If you see a Lone Star quilt and think it looks like one you’ve seen before that had a different name, you are probably right. The Lone Star quilt is also recognized as Star of Bethlehem and Morning Star.

Another popular star quilt pattern to try is the Eccentric Star. Be creative when you piece this one. You could use a fabric with a Santa, manger scene, angel or other theme for the center square of each star. Or maybe you could tell a story though the series of center squares.

For example the first star’s center would be a child looking out the window waiting for Santa. The second star would be a stocking hanging near a fireplace. The third center could be Santa coming down the chimney. The fourth could be Santa putting out presents. The fifth could be Santa going back up the chimney. The sixth could be the sleigh taking off. The seventh could be a child waking up to find his toys. Stars eight could say “Merry” and star nine could say “Christmas.”

There are many options for the Eccentric Star quilt. Let your imagination take lead!

Your holiday star quilt patterns do not have to be full size quilts. While they would certainly make festive holiday bedding, smaller versions would make great wall or door hangings to celebrate the holiday.

Decorate your mantel with star quilt runners or make a wall hanging to place over it.

Tables look extra festive during the holidays with place mats and table runners made from star quilt patterns.

Don’t limit your star quilt blocks to home décor. You can also decorate clothing with them. Try stitching your favorite star quilt block to the front of a sweatshirt to make a fabulous gift for another quilting buddy. Star quilt blocks also make nice additions to the backs of jackets. Surprise your favorite mother and daughter with matching star quilt shirts or jackets.

You might also use your star quilt blocks to make holiday tote bags and purses. No matter which star pattern you choose or which item you decide to make, you know you will have a popular item when you piece star quilt blocks.

These and more quilt block patterns are available at QuiltBlockLibrary.com:


Ohio Star	Eccentric Star	Christmas Cheer	Empire Star

Quilting Tips about Pre-Washing Batting

Tips – from H.D. Wilbanks, batting expert from Hobbs Batting

Most battings are pre-washable. You have to, in varying degrees, handle them gently. You should not agitate any battings you are going to pre-wash. You can put them in your washing machine just as a vehicle for water. You can spin out the water, spread it out to dry or put it in the dryer on gentle.

You should pre-wash them in the same temperature water you would use after you quilt it. If you’re going to throw it in the dryer after, you should throw it in the dryer before.

On occasion, I see a bag that says, “No need to pre-wash.” It will be a cotton bat. Quilters need to understand that, if they wash it in hot water and throw it into the dryer after they finish quilting, it will shrink 3% to 5%. As long as that doesn’t bother them, they don’t need to pre-wash.

If you don’t want 3% to 5% shrinkage after you make your quilt, you need to pre-wash your batting. If it is Hobbs Wool, which doesn’t shrink, or anybody’s polyester, you don’t need to preshrink them.

If you want an antique-looking quilt, you would not want to preshrink the batting or fabric. If you don’t want shrinkage afterwards, and it is cotton, then you will need to preshrink it.

Help Wanted - Join the How-to-Quilt Team!

learn how to quilt

This could be a fabulous opportunity for the right person!

I need help. After all these years doing my own web work and writing the quilting how-to articles, I am realizing how much more information I could provide to you, if I had some help.

I could just go hire a random web person, but I am hoping to find a quilter among us who can do the work.

And, if I could find someone who could write quilting how-to articles as well as post the information to the web, that would be fabulous!

Here is what is involved:

writing 300-500 word articles demonstrating how to do specific quilting techniques. An example is this article about chain sewing blocks
- articles could include experiences about quilts you have made or be simple demonstrations and explanations of a technique with photographs
- topics could be chosen by you, or I can provide a list of possibilities - there is a wide range (obviously!), and I have a list of the articles I have already written
writing 300-500 word articles about ideas for quilt tops. An example is this article about a Double Irish Chain quilt.
- these articles can about your quilts, or other quilt designs. They need to be about quilts that are not copyright protected (patterns from books, magazines, or individual patterns you buy online or at a store cannot be used).
- the idea with these articles is to give quilters inspiration for their quilts, and can include a general description of how to make the quilt, or something special about the colors or fabric in the quilt
posting pages to the website - once the articles are written, they need to be posted to the website:
- formatting the pages as well as articles that are written by others
- adding search engine optimization per specific criteria which I will provide
- designating the URL according to criteria which I will provide
other website work - yes, there can be more! I have several auto-responders which could use some attention, and there are videos and articles to post in TheQuiltingCoach.com. That site is a template-based cfm site, making it easy to post.
EQ6 or EQ7 - I am also looking for someone to create and post quilt block patterns for the QuiltBlockLibrary.com. This is very straight forward, and requires the ability to make multiple page pdf files.
- each pdf file includes:
  - a color picture of the block (sized to fit on one page)
  - full-size templates
  - appropriately sized rotary cutting layouts

This work could be done by several different people - there is no requirement that one person be able to do everything!

And, if - for example - you are interested in doing articles about techniques but not about quilt ideas, just let me know; there may be another person who is interested in articles about quilt ideas but not techniques.

The web person does not need to be a quilter, but there will be some keyword research involved, so it helps to know something about quilting and quilters - and how they search for information online.

If you are interested in writing articles, please write one and submit it to me at: help-penny@how-to-quilt.com and put "Article" in the subject line. Of course, if you have a website you could post it to as an example, that would be excellent.

If you are interested in the website work, please send an email with a description of your experience and some examples of your work: help-penny@how-to-quilt.com. "Website Work" in the subject line.

If you are interested in the EQ6 or 7 project, please send an email with a quilt block pattern attached: help-penny@how-to-quilt.com. "Quilt Block Design" in the subject line.

Thanks and Happy Quilting!

Postcard Quilts for the Troops

Christmas Roundup Next - Deadline November 18!

Home for the holidays?

Those soldiers who are still in the Middle East will be missing the holidays, and you can do something about it - create a tie to their homeland by making a tiny fabric quilt.

That's right a fabric postcard in keeping with the year-end holidays is all it takes.

A few minutes of your time can make a world of difference to a soldier who is hanging out in the middle of a foreign country.

Diane sends these cards to soldiers who don't get much mail from home, and they are much appreciated.

We want to keep Diane doing the Penny's Postcard Posse project, but she is terribly allergic to smoke. So, if you can be sure that your fabric postcards are smoke-free, it will be much appreciated!

Check out the postcard patterns on www.QuiltBlockLibrary.com I will continue to add designs, and patterns for the fabric postcards are always free.

To make the Holiday deadline, get your cards to Diane by November 18

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

October Free Block Patterns

Last week, the Sugar Bowl quilt block pattern was left out of the packet - whoops! It's there now - so if you missed it, just click to download again.

These free October FREE quilt block patterns will make your summer quilting fun. These quilt blocks include easy blocks as well as some that are a little more difficult.

Click here to download your October FREE quilt block patterns