Sew With Me: Seasonal Pathways

Today I invite you to sew with me.

In October, I designed and made a table topper for the Island Batik Ambassador Pumpkin Fest.
Some readers expressed an interest in how it was made, asking if there was a pattern. In October, I created it as I sewed. Today I am giving you the details on how I made it, with measurements, steps and photos. I am sharing it with everyone as a Christmas table topper. I named it Seasonal Pathways.

It is a simple, straight-forward pattern. Scraps can be used, or strips cut from yardage. In fact, in today's share, I cut some strips from a striped Christmas fabric. (Change out the fabrics for a different season.) All the fabrics I used have some shiny gold in them.

Let's start!

• Round up 12 pieces of fabric that work well together. Cut 12 strips  1-1/2" x 12-1/2" and 24 strips 1-1/2" x 6-1/2".
• Cut 2 squares (6-1/2" x 6-1/2") of fabric for two opposite corners that will stand out from all the strips. (My corners read as a solid with some gold.) 
• Cut 2 binding strips 2-1/2" x WOF.
• You will need basic sewing supplies, including a rotary cutter, ruler (6" x 24" is good), maybe a 12-1/2" squaring ruler or a mat with graph lines.
• Thread that blends with your fabrics for sewing.
• Thread for quilting. 
• Batting piece (scrap will work) 14" x 26"
• Backing fabric (14" x 26")
• A design to fuse to the 2 corner squares OR an embroidery design (machine or hand). 
• Fusible for the design. 

If you are using an embroidery design, embroider on a larger piece of corner fabric (to account for any pulling in with embroidery) and trim down to 6-1/2" square size. 

The fabrics are cut, so on to sewing:

Arrange the 12 long strips in a pleasing plan.

Sew the long edges of the strips together. 

You can press after each seam; but, I have The Strip Stick which allows me to press one seam at a time and not interfere with any other seams. I get no curving or distortion when pressing the seams. (I have no affiliation with the company.) Press the seams in one direction.

Lay out 6 shorter strips as shown below. In each set, I did not want the short gold strip adjacent to the long gold strip on the left, or the greens touching on the right side. I arranged them that way first and the joint stuck out like a sore thumb! I put green next to gold on each side. 

Sew. Repeat for the second set. Press.

Sew the 6-1/2" squares to each 6 strip set as in photo below. 

I added a fused embellishment, but I could have used a fussy cut square of fabric and made a little less work for myself. I used a soft gold rayon embroidery thread and a tiny zig-zag stitch around the flower. 

Layer backing, batting and top. Stitch on the side of the seam, opposite the pressed seam, starting in the center block. I went down one seam, turned the piece and stitched through the next seam, toward one end of the topper. 

Sew the shorter strips, starting at the edge, pivot where the strip joins the center, stitch along the center seam. 

Turn the piece and sew back toward the edge. Continue along all strips. Repeat for the other side. 

I did not quilt in the corner sections, but one could.

Trim so the topper edges are straight. Add binding.

If one sews the center section and one side, a placemat could be made for the table. 

I hope you like the pattern and make a table topper. 

Blog Winner and More

During the Island Batik Seaside Summer Blog Hop, I posted a giveaway. 

It was a selection of 5-inch squares from some of the Island Batik fabrics
I have been using as an ambassador.

Rafflecopter chose the first winner, Edith G. who lives out of the USA,
she received a PDF of the pattern I designed and used to make the quilt. 

I had Rafflecopter choose a second entry, which was Mary F.,
who does live in the USA,
and I will be sending her the fabric squares. 

Congratulations to both these individuals.
And thank you to everyone who hopped with us in the blog hop.
a Rafflecopter giveaway 

COMING UP

Tomorrow The Road Home Row Along begins. It is hosted by Marian of Seams To Be Sew and Amy of Sew Incredibly Crazy. There are so many designers who have created a variety of patterns. The patterns are offered FREE to those who hop with us during September. And, WOW! Marian has gathered some many sponsors for giveaways (too many to mention is this short post). Begin at SEAMS TO BE SEW tomorrow and Marian will have information as we begin a busy blogging month.  

On September 7, come back here as I show an easy construction method for tablerunners usng 5-inch squares and fusible interfacing. Our guild went about making this variation of Memories of Sochi quilt using this method. 

The Island Batik Ambassadors will be making table toppers to show you during September. Check out what is being posted at the Island Batik Blog and on Facebook. Mine is almost quilted, so that will be posted next week. 

And speaking of Facebook, Patchwork Breeze is now on Facebook HERE.

Tutorial: Sandstones In The Sea Mini Quilt

Thanks for your visit. 

Today I have a tutorial for my mini quilt, 

Sandstones in the Sea, for the Island Batik Mini Madness. 

I used charms from the French Roast fabric collection charm pack.

I chose 4 tans, 4 browns and 8 blues from the French Roast charm squares pack.

I layered the tans and browns (nicely and evenly) and cut the squares, as shown in the photo below.

I rearranged the colors as the blocks would be sewn. 

I sewed the blocks and set them aside.

I layered the blue charm squares and cut diagonally, twice, as shown in the diagram below. 

I don't like to have the same colors next to each other so I arranged the blue triangles where I liked them with the blocks before sewing.  (I don't have a photo, but this layout photo shows what I came up with).

I sewed the long edges of 2 triangles to opposite sides of the 9-patch blocks. 

After pressing and trimming the little dog ears, I sewed the other 2 triangles to each blocks. 

After sewing the squares together 4 across and 2 down, I sewed only one 2" border strip of a blue (from a different manufacturer) to one side of the quilt. But I knew it needed a bit more to add pizzaz. 

I call this thin white strip a piping (without the cording in it). I cut the strips of white fabric 3/4" wide by the width of fabric and pressed in half, lengthwise. 

I cut a length a little longer than I needed for the long edges. Pinned it in place and sewed with a 1/8" seam allowance. 

The sides were done in the same way, and I made sure the end overlapped the previous pipping strip. 

I added all the piping strips.

I finished sewing the blue borders on the piece to finish the top.

I want to share with you a method I use to get ideas for quilting small items. I use tracing paper over some of the blocks and sketch out ideas. I decided to use the star on the 9-patch. 

 It was easy to use an erasable fabric marking pen to put some dots on the quilt top and sew with my home machine from dot to dot. I use a walking foot to feed all the layers through evenly--no back puckers.

I marked the waves with a chalk marking pen and stitched in lines that curved on the ends with Guttermann thread (I had it on hand and it was the only blue that worked with the colors.

I do hope you gleaned a tip or two from your visit. Perhaps you want to make a mini, go for it. The Island Batik fabrics are great to work with. I was able to finger press my shorter seams, which saved loads of time.

A different Blog Hop to tell you about and a discount code.

Briefly, I am participating in the 

Quilt Qwazy Queens Blog Hop 

which begins TODAY. 

My post date is March 23.

During this blog hop, you can shop at 

Fat Quarter Shop through March 25 

and get 10% off with this code:

seamstobe316

Hop on over to SEAMS TO BE SEW to find out all about it and the great giveaways that are happening daily. Island Batiks has a giveaway!