A Prairie Gathering Quilt of the Quarter ~ Month Three

I can't believe it's already time for month three of our Prairie Gathering program!  My gosh, where has the time gone?  We made it through winter (I hope it's over now!) and spring is popping out all over.  

Your quilt center block should look like the photo above, and we're going to grow the quilt this month, add more pieces and sewn units to our zip bags for our pieced borders.  

The first step this month is to sew the four large setting triangles to the center block.  Take care here as that seam is one, very large bias edge!  The triangles are over sized, but if the fabric stretches out of shape, over sized pieces won't fix that.  

Once you have them all sewn and pressed, you have to trim the quilt center to 26 1/2 inches square.  Don't use the photo above as a guide for trimming your center square!!!!!  Your center may be larger or smaller than mine, depending.  Measure first, and if in doubt, draw lines with chalk, and your rulers, to see where you should cut.  

Measure the center seam and the top and bottom of the quilt center.  Turn a quarter turn, and repeat to understand exactly what size your quilt top really is.  The photo above shows the center block floating 1/2 inch from the raw edge.  Yours may be different!!  In order for all of the pieced borders to properly fit, it is imperative that your center block measure 26 1/2 inches unfinished.  You have a little wiggle room here, and it's perfectly OK to have your block "float" a little from the seam.  Your eye will see that the point is perfect, and will never notice that the point doesn't touch the seam once it's sewn.  

The next step is to add the first border.  I designed this deep red, almost red/black fabric to give depth and definition within all of the different reds in the quilt.  It has a very specific job to do.  This border is very small....only 1/2 inch finished, so be very careful, and take your time sewing it to the quilt center.  

That dark red print really pops, doesn't it??  

This month, you are going to begin making Flying Geese, and....

...Two Patches for your Checkerboard border.  I have been asked why piece the same color patches together for this border?  The answer is easy....for sparkle and interest!!  I could have chosen one red print for a plain border, but honestly.....when you add this border to your quilt, all the different reds, and variety of mediums and darks, will make it just sparkle, and it's a whole lot more interesting to the quilt.   Believe me....it's well worth the effort!!

The only other task you have left this month is to cut pieces for future borders and blocks.  Be sure to do a count of all of the pieces and sewn units you are supposed to have in your zip-bags.  You will find the tally for everything in your pattern instructions. 

Hey...that wasn't so hard, was it??  And, look how far we've come.  Your quilt is already 27 1/2 inches, and you have something pretty to hang on your design wall and enjoy.  I'll be back again next month, around the 20th, for more info as we take this journey together.  

As Quilt Market grows ever closer, I'm very busy preparing and designing new things for your piecing enjoyment.  Here's a little glimpse into what I've been up to, and some new things coming very soon.

The Treenware & Berries fabrics arrived late this week, and we immediately began cutting the quilt kits for all of you who pre-ordered them.  We're working to have those ship to you ASAP.  I'll email you when they're on the way!!  The patterns are all done as well, and will be on my website very soon.

My new Tokens of the Past: Spice Box quilts are very near completion.  I'm just binding the last two, and they're off for photography on Monday, which means they will be available soon as well.  

I will have another Tokens of the Past pattern debuting at market with 3 brand new quilts all featuring the classic, and timeless Nine Patch.  The pattern name is Tokens of the Past: Nine Patch Reverie.  This Tokens pattern is not linked to a specific fabric line, or pre-cut.  The Tokens series was always meant to have a variety of three, classic and fun quilts of whatever inspires me.  I'm love, love, loving the new Nine Patch quilts, and I hope you will, too!!  

The first round of strike-offs for my next fabric line have come and gone.  It's coming together very nicely, and I'm excited to share it all with you, but that will have to wait a little longer.

I am also formulating my ideas for a new sew-along.  This one will be completely different than anything I've ever done before.  You will get to see the quilt design before we sew....no mystery, and it may go on for many months, but will be some of the easiest piecing you've ever done!! Intrigued??  Oh, and did I mention it will be all stars??  

Watch my blog very, very soon for news about a new, original quilt design appearing in a national magazine! It's super, super scrappy, and I hope you'll like it!!

Don't forget that Lynne Hagmeier and I are traveling to Montpelier, ID this coming week, to The National Oregon/California Trail Center, for a series lectures/workshops, so if you're in the area, we'd just love to see you!!

I try hard to post sneak peek pictures of what I'm working on, and you can see them on Instagram and Facebook, so I invite you to follow me if you'd like.  

So, that's a little recap of  some of the stuff that I've been up to.  I do hope you find time to do something you enjoy this weekend....like a little stitching?!!  I'm going to try to do the same.