Innholdsfortegnelse for March - April 2018 i McCall's Quilting

This time of year always inspires me to dig deep into my sewing room to dust the hard-to-reach spots, vacuum the corners I regularly avoid and straighten and organize my fabrics, threads, books and quilting supplies. As I thought about where I want to start, I was curious about the origins of spring cleaning—is there something about spring that triggers our desire to spruce up our homes? Why spring and not some other time during the year? Spring cleaning has an interesting history. In climates with cold winters, spring cleaning got rid of the soot and dirt left behind from coal or wood stoves and kerosene lamps. It also has a religious background in the Jewish and Catholic faiths, among others. Per Jewish custom, homes were cleaned of any yeast…

Quilt Designed & Made by Scott Flanagan Skill Level Intermediate Finished Size 85" x 85" Finished Blocks 9 Blocks 21" x 21" NOTE: See end of pattern for foundation masters. Planning Just like its namesake gemstones, this design doesn’t need anything extra to be impressive. Scott’s sophisticated quilt features large, dynamic blocks in a limited scrappy palette. The contrast between the pale background and the cool blacks and sparkling reds in the piecing give the quilt a graphic, modern look. Foundation piecing makes the units accurate and easy to sew. Use an accurate ¼" seam allowance throughout to ensure all elements of the quilt fit together well. Fabric Requirements • Cream batik 9 yds. for blocks, sashing, sashing posts, border and binding • Assorted black batiks 1⅛ yds. total for…

Pillow Designed & Made by Wendy Sheppard Skill Level Easy Finished Size 15" x 15" NOTE: See page 33 for embroidery motif. Planning A cute little bunny decides to turn Easter into a holiday eggstravaganza by decorating a tree to celebrate! Wendy based her adorable embroidery motif on a drawing done by her young daughter. Take a cue from this enterprising rabbit and make some Easter decorations of your own, starting with this charming pillow case, finished with an easy envelope backing. Use a light box or a lamp placed under a glass tabletop to trace the motif onto the white solid fabric, then embroider over the traced lines. Wendy used the Marmalade Meadows embroidery floss collection she curated for Aurifil to embroider the motif. Do likewise, or refer to…

Quilt Designed & Made by Paula Stoddard Skill Level Intermediate Finished Size 18" x 18" NOTE: See Pattern Pull-Out Section for applique templates, which are printed without seam allowances. Planning We would welcome this adorable, flower-loving visitor into our garden anytime. Paula captured two symbols of spring in this small appliqued wall hanging or table topper, and her use of felted wool to make the rabbit and flowers lends it a tactile, dimensional appeal. Our instructions call for standard binding strips cut across the width of fabric. Paula cut her binding strips on the bias to show the stripe fabric on the diagonal. If you wish to do likewise, you will need ½ yard of fabric; cut a square 15" x 15" and cut bias strips 2½" wide. Note that…

• your photos • ideas • stories Monica Gilliland of Modesto, California credits Super Strings* (McCall’s Quilting, March/April 2016) with sparking her love for quilting. Although it was the first quilt she started making, she completed three other quilts before finishing this one. Pat Haas of Hinsdale, Illinois was intrigued not just by the name of Pixie Sticks* (McCall’s Quilting, March/ April 2016), a candy she’d always loved, but also by Debby Kratovil’s design. She changed the border a bit and says she just loves how her version turned out. Ellen Lewellen of Manitowoc, Wisconsin increased the block count from 81 to 100 to make a king-size version of Romance* (McCall’s Quilting, March/ April 2017) for a wedding gift. She added some green fabrics to the red, blue and cream…

The cut size for squares is the desired finished size of one side of the Quarter-Square Triangle unit plus 1¼”. For example, if the QST units should finish at 3” as in the example shown, cut 2 contrasting squares each at 4¼”. Each set of 2 contrasting squares will make 2 QST units. These units will finish at the correct size with no trimming needed. 1 Draw a diagonal line across the lighter of 2 contrasting squares. Layer on remaining square, right sides together. Stitch ¼” on both sides of marked line. 2 Cut apart on the marked line. 3 Open and press to make 2 Triangle-Square units. 4 Mark diagonal line on one unit, intersecting seam. Layer on remaining unit, right sides and contrasting patches facing. Stitch ¼” on…

Quilt Designed & Sewn by Wendy Sheppard Machine Quilted by Darlene Szabo of Sew Graceful Quilting Skill Level Intermediate Finished Size 74" x 94" Finished Blocks 7 Block T 10" x 10" 7 Block U 10" x 10" 8 Block V 10" x 10" 7 Block W 10" x 10" 6 Block X 10" x 10" 4 Block Y 10" x 10" 2 Block Z 10" x 10" NOTE: See Pattern Pull-Out Section for foundation master. Planning No matter how hot the sun shines nor how roughly the winds blow, you can capture the perfect temperate day with this one-block design. The asymmetrical layout in horizontal rows lets you arrange your eternal summer garden as you please. Use an accurate ¼" seam allowance throughout to ensure all elements of the…

Quilt Designed & Made by Pam Nourse Skill Level Easy Finished Size 54" x 63" Finished Blocks 14 Block X 9" x 9" 14 Block Y 9" x 9" 14 Block Z 9" x 9" Planning From kite-flying gusts to the first soft breeze of the season that invites you to open the windows, spring is marked by changing winds. The pinwheels within windmills in this quilt turn what is essentially a one-block design into something that looks much more complex than it is. Use an accurate ¼" seam allowance throughout to ensure all elements of the quilt fit together well. Fabric Requirements • White solid 2⅝ yds. for blocks • Purple texture 1½ yds. for blocks and binding • Purple/black print and green texture 1 yd. each for blocks…

Getting Started About our Patterns We recommend that you read all of the instructions before starting a project and that you cut and sew one block before cutting all of your fabric. Using a rotary cutter, mat and an acrylic ruler, cut the shape to the size indicated in the cutting list. Our patterns list finished block sizes, which are typically ½" smaller than unfinished block sizes because they do not include seam allowances. Basic Quilting Supplies • Rotary cutter and mat • Acrylic ruler: Many shapes and sizes are available; a good one to start with is 6" x 24" with ¼" and ⅛" markings • Scissors: A separate pair for paper and fabric • Sewing machine • ¼" foot • Walking foot • Darning foot • Pins •…

Quilt Designed & Made by Elaine Theriault Skill Level Easy Finished Size 64" x 72" Finished Blocks 72 Blocks 8" x 8" Planning Extra large pinwheel blades get a bit more space in which to spin! Elaine’s modern take on the classic pinwheel makes for a cool, stylish throw quilt that’s so easy to sew. Fabric Requirements • White batik 3⅞ yds. for blocks • Blue batik 2⅜ yds. for blocks and binding • Backing 4⅜ yds. • Batting 72" x 80" NOTE: Fabrics in the quilt shown are from the Sophie and White on White collections by Banyan Batiks for Northcott Fabrics. Cutting Instructions Patches are lettered in order of use. Cut largest patches first. Measurements include ¼" seam allowances. • White batik 36 squares (A) 6⅞" x 6⅞"…

Quilt Designed & Sewn by Nancy Halvorsen Machine Quilted by Catherine Timmons of Cat’s Attic Quilting Skill Level Intermediate Finished Size 54" x 54" Finished Blocks 4 Block X 18" x 18" 4 Block Y 18" x 18" 1 Block Z 18" x 18" NOTE: See Pattern Pull-Out Section for applique templates, which are printed reversed and without seam allowances. Planning Nancy’s cheerful throw quilt bursts with color, joy and timeless style, just like a big bouquet of fresh flowers. The center applique block reminds us to live every day to its fullest. Take a moment to study the color placement. It’s scrappy, but not random. Each flower contains several assorted bright prints from the same color family, and each flower center is made from a single assorted bright print.…

Share your high-resolution digital photos of your McCall’s Quilting projects. Email to mccallsquilting@fwmedia.com. Include people in your project photos. Submitted materials cannot be returned and may appear in print or online. If your submission is used on this page, The Warm ™ Company will send you a complimentary queen-size batt, and we’ll send you 2 free copies of the issue in which your contribution appears. *A digital pattern is available for purchase at QuiltingCompany.com…

Quilt Designed & Made by Pam Boswell Skill Level Easy Finished Size 64" x 58" NOTE: See page 66 for applique templates, which are printed without seam allowances. Planning “We pass this wall in historic DeRidder, Louisiana, every time we travel to my in-laws’ house,” says Pam of the inspiration for her quilt design. She replicated the old brickwork in gradations of warm tones ranging from creams and pale pinks to burgundy and brick red prints, then added an appliqued climbing vine to one side. The pattern has been simplified for ease of construction. Our instructions call for a variety of patches in different sizes arranged to result in rows that finish at 48" wide. Use a design wall or other large, flat surface to experiment with different layouts as…

Even with its mixed techniques, the flower bud block that Wendy used in Darling Buds of May is easy to make and can showcase a variety of fabrics and values to their best advantage. For this 15½" x 50" table runner, I made four blocks using purple prints for the buds and the same green print for the stems from Jan Patek’s Lilac Ridge collection for Moda Fabrics. Then I rotated and offset them with narrow strips of the background fabric to lend a windblown appearance to the layout. Mary Kate Karr-Petras, Associate Editor…

Quilt Designed & Made by Maria Umhey Skill Level Easy Finished Size 60" x 60" Finished Blocks 20 Block Y 7 ½" x 7 ½" 16 Block Z 7 ½" x 7 ½" Planning Who says a two-color quilt can’t allow for creative fabric choices? Subtle variations and deliberate placement of matching prints in the nine-patch variation blocks create an engaging secondary design that’s tailor-made for getting the most out of your scraps or fat quarters. Study the quilt photo and note how Maria used light blue prints in matching sets of 4 in the sashes to create the illusion of 9 large blocks. These “large blocks” are separated from each other by sashes all cut from the same large-scale blue/ white floral. Note also how she mostly placed triangle-squares…

Quilt Designed by Carolyn Beam Sewn & Machine Quilted by Peg Spradlin Skill Level Intermediate Finished Size 54" x 54" Planning The lush, lovely prints by William Morris have enchanted and inspired creative people for over a century, so a new fabric collection will be warmly welcomed by quilters! Carolyn’s medallion quilt pattern combines the prints in the prettiest way. Use an accurate ¼" seam allowance throughout to ensure all elements of the quilt fit together well. Handle all bias edges carefully to avoid distortion. Fabric Requirements • Cream dot ½ yd. for center piecing • Red texture ⅛ yd. center piecing • Blue texture ⅞ yd. for piecing and border • Red dot ½ yd. for piecing and border • Cream texture ½ yd. for piecing • Sage texture…

Quilt Designed by Flavin Glover Sewn by Eileen Fowler Machine Quilted by Kim Waite of Dreamcatchers Quilting Skill Level Intermediate Finished Size 70" x 70" Finished Blocks 1 Block O 5" x 10" 1 Block P 5" x 10" 1 Block Q 5" x 10" 1 Block R 5" x 10" 1 Block S 5" x 10" 1 Block T 5" x 10" 1 Block U 5" x 10" 1 Block V 5" x 10" 4 Block W 5" x 10" 2 Block X 5" x 10" 8 Block Y 5" x 10" 20 Block Z 10" x 10" Planning This striking quilt by Flavin Glover originally appeared in our July 1994 issue, and we decided to remake it and share the pattern again to celebrate our 25th anniversary. Made…

Quilt Designed & Sewn by Bev Getschel Machine Quilted by Lynette Gelling Skill Level Intermediate Finished Size 69 ¾" x 85 ¾" NOTE: See Pattern Pull-Out Section for piecing template and foundation masters. Planning Bev’s feathered star medallion composition is the life of the party in red, white and blue! The feathered units are made with foundations to ensure accuracy. They’re joined to the red background patches with partial seams, indicated on the diagrams with a dot. Read the pattern and study the diagrams carefully before beginning to ease construction. Note the Template Cr is the reverse of Template C. The center star is surrounded by a series of 8 borders. Note that all the top and bottom borders finish at 3", while the side borders all finish at 2".…

Nancy Halvorsen of Salt Lake City, UT, has been designing quilt patterns and project books since 1992 and designing fabric for Benartex since 1996. “I have always been interested in creating, drawing and sewing since I was a little girl,” she said. “I sewed by hand, before I was old enough to use a sewing machine, to create dolls and accessories. As I got older, I sewed my clothes and things for my home.” It was by pure chance that she got involved in quilting, and very soon after she began designing her own patterns. “A friend who was teaching a class on hand piecing introduced me to quilting,” Nancy recalled. “It didn’t take long before I was having fun designing my own quilts and projects and pulling together my…

Quilt Designed & Made by Carol Moellers Skill Level Intermediate Finished Size 58" x 70" Finished Blocks 32 Block Y 6" x 6" 31 Block Z 6" x 6" Planning Even though Carol’s cozy flannel lap quilt design is scrappy, she took control of the different prints by placing them very deliberately throughout the quilt. Each assorted pink is paired with the same assorted black, and matching blocks are arranged alternately in diagonal rows. Our pattern calls for 32 matching sets to use in the Block Y’s, but feel free to make multiple matching blocks and arrange them as Carol did. NOTE: Fabrics in the quilt shown are from the Welcome Home Flannel collection by Jennifer Bosworth for Maywood Fabrics. The cream solid used in the Block Z’s and the…

You can determine the dimensions of the fabric square you will need for cutting bias strips to make a long vine with a little math. First, multiply the total length of the vine needed by the cut width of the strip to find the total area, then find the square root of this amount. Round up to the nearest whole inch then add 1" to find the size of the square you should cut. 1 Make your first cut by aligning a 45-degree guideline on your acrylic ruler with the cut edge or selvage of the fabric. Cut from the bottom edge to the upper corner. 2 Aligning your acrylic ruler with the new bias edge, rotary cut bias strips the desired width. 3 Sew the strips together end to…

Quilt Designed & Sewn by Barbara Eikmeier Machine Quilted by Theresa Ward Skill Level Easy Finished Size 72" x 72" Finished Blocks 13 Block Y 12" x 12" 12 Block Z 12" x 12" Planning Barbara’s traditionally inspired two-block pattern uses a juxtaposition of similar-yet-different pinwheel blocks to create a dynamic composition with lots of diagonal movement. The pleasant journey of making the quilt will take you to a welcoming place you know and love. Barbara recommends pressing seams toward the sage in the unit 1’s and toward the blue floral in the unit 3’s, so that when the blocks are joined the seams are nested perfectly. Use an accurate ¼" seam allowance throughout to ensure all elements of the quilt fit together well. Fabric Requirements • Blue floral 2½…

• your questions • our answers Tricia Patterson Managing Editor My husband asked me several months ago, “What are you doing differently now that you didn’t do before starting work with the Quilting Company?” I had two answers: 1) I use our Yardage Calculation spreadsheet to figure out yardage and fabric cuts, and 2) I sort my fabric according to prints, solids and tone-on-tones, by color. My latest clean-up was separating my stash into these categories and placing the organized bundles into plastic tubs. I also separated the seasonal and theme fabrics into individual tubs. I’m very impressed with how it helps me find the fabrics I’m looking for much more quickly. Anissa Arnold Technical Editor Organize your projects. I always have multiple quilts and other sewing projects in progress…

• free pattern • staff faves • blog fun As a natural course, an I Love This Quilt assignment requires me to reach back in time to search the McCall’s Quilting archives for a pattern that immediately captures my attention. I look for a pattern that triggers some special significance, a block I adore, a pleasing arrangement of blocks or an overall design that catches my eye. I chose the Tumbling Blocks pattern, designed by Leslie Tallaksen for McCall’s Quilting February 2005, because of its significance to our family. I also fell in love with the Muse fabric collection by Alice Kennedy for Timeless Treasures about the same time as my pattern search. The Flower Field and Watercolor Floral fabrics remind me of the brushstrokes on a Claude Monet impressionist…