Monthly Archives: March 2017

Published – Baby Raccoon Bandit Quilt

Posted in Finished Projects, Gift Ideas, Published by

This little sweet Baby Quilt with the Raccoon Bandit has been published in Fons and Porter’s Easy Quilts Summer 2017 Magazine.  I am happy to share this cozy little cutie with you.

My girlfriend called to say she had received her newest issue and had found my original pattern.  It is always a nice surprise since you make your quilt months in advance for the Magazine and have to wait for the published issue to arrive.

I used EQ7 to design this quilt.  I was able to upload swatches of the actual fabric I was going to use and get a good idea of what the quilt would look like.  Northcott Fabrics generously provided the material which was a gorgeous, heavy weight flannel.  I used prints from TeePee Time by Deborah Edwards that had a super cute little raccoon in the design and I coordinated with Toscana flannels also by Deborah Edwards that has a nice mottled look that blends well with the prints.  These sewed and washed up beautifully and they have a very nice hand feel.

For this quilt, because I had some interesting piecing directions I wanted to try, I made a prototype quilt.  And I made him super modern, a blue raccoon!

I print out the rotary cutting directions from EQ7 and then I adjust them based upon how I want to assemble the quilt using my quilting knowledge.  I like to avoid bias edges and make things as easy as possible to assemble.  So I write up all my notes as I sew.

Here is my Baby Blue Bandit.  It just gives you an idea of how by just changing colors, you can make lots of different styles from one pattern.

I used some simple constructions shortcuts to make this giant 20″ block even faster.  There is only one template for the ears.  I loved this cute little critter, I hope you enjoy making one too!

Thanks for letting me share!  Happy Stitching!

Free Tutorial – Liberty Quilt of Valor

Posted in Charity, EQ Mini, Finished Projects, Home Accessories by

This Liberty Quilt of Valor is the project of the month  with a free tutorial designed with EQ Mini Software by The Electric Quilt Company .  It uses Broken dishes blocks set on point using light and dark blue prints from my stash.  The scattered triangles of red pull it together and add that pop of color along with the candy strip bias binding.  This quilt looks complicated but was easy to design and is easy to stitch together.

I belong to the Stitching Sisters Quilt of Valor group.  The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.  This quilt is made using  the traditional patriotic colors of  red, white and blue.

eqmini-nohole-sm-226x300

EQ Mini is the new scaled down, simpler version of EQ7 quilt design software.  This program was created for quilters who are just getting started using software for quilt design.  EQ Mini will help you create, edit, share, and print patterns and yardage for your quilt designs.

Liberty Quilt of Valor

Finished size is 60″ x 75″.

Materials

  • 1 5/8 yd white background
  • 1 3/8 yd Light blue
  • 2 7/8 yd dark blue
  • 3/4 yd solid red for triangles and thin border
  • 1/2 yard red and blue stripe for binding
  • 4 yards fabric for backing
  • 70″ x 84″ batting

WOF = Width of Fabric

Directions

Cut Fabric:

Light blue

  • 8 — 13″ squares

Dark Blue

  • 10 — 13″ squares
  • 7 — 5 1/2″ x WOF strips  for outside border

Red

  • 2 — 13″ squares
  • 6 — 2″ x WOF strips for border

White background

  •  7 — 12 ” squares

Striped fabric

  • Cut 7 — 2 1/2″ x Width of Fabric strips

Make Blocks

Hint:  Because you need to match seams, be sure to keep an accurate 1/4″ seam allowance and make sure blocks are square as you sew them to keep things in alignment.

  1. Take one light blue 13″ square and one dark blue 13″ square and place them right sides together.
  2. Mark a line diagonally from corner to corner, both ways.
  3. Stitch 1/4″ away from the lines on both sides.
  4. Next mark two lines down the center of the block.
  5. Cut along the solid lines to create 8 half square triangle units.
  6. Press the half square triangle units open pressing to the dark fabric side.
  7. Make 7 more sets of dark and light blue half square triangle units.
  8. Make 2 more sets of half square triangle units using the dark blue and red fabrics.
  9. Mark a diagonal line on each of the white background squares.  Be careful not to stretch the bias edge.
  10. Arrange your pieces using this design as a guide.  There will be a few extra half square triangles.
  11. Sew together the individual broken dishes blocks, then sew the center together in diagonal rows, aligning edges.
  12. Piece together the red border with 45 degree seams.
  13. Cut 2 side red border strips 2″ x 62 3/4″ long.  Stitch to the sides of the quilt being careful not to stretch the bias edges of the white background.
    Hint:  You may want to stitch 1/8″ from the bias edge of the white background pieces to keep them from stretching.
  14. Cut 2 red border strips 2″ x 50 1/8″ long.  Sew to the top and bottom of the quilt.
  15. Piece together the dark blue border.
  16. Cut 2 side dark blue border strips 5 1/2″ x 65 3/4″.  Sew to the sides of the quilt.
  17. Cut 2 dark blue border strips 5 1/2″ x 60 1/2″.  Sew to the top and bottom of the quilt.
  18. Piece together the backing.
  19. Make a quilt sandwich with the backing face down, then the batting, then your quilt top face up.
  20. Pin baste the quilt layers together.

  21. Quilt as desired.  I echoed the seam lines for the half square triangles.  I added feathers for the white background space and quilted a large chain in the dark blue border.
  22. Sew the 2 1/2″ binding strips together and add to the quilt.
  23. Finish the binding and you are done!

Make it scrappy!  I used up light and dark blue fabrics from my stash to give this quilt a scrappy look.  You can too.  Or you can use 8 light blue fat quarters, 10 dark blue fat quarters and 2 red fat quarters for the center blocks.

This quilt meets the guidelines for a quilt of valor, but it would make a great patriotic quilt for your home too.  Change up the colors to match a bedroom or even in your favorite team’s colors.  I would love to see your Liberty quilt, tag me on instagram @lorimillerdesigns.

Looking for the EQ Mini Design Instructions?  You can find them HERE

For more projects and tips and techniques on using EQ Mini, visit my Electric Quilt blog series EQ Mini Friday Fun.

For more information on EQ Mini software, go to EQ Mini.

Published – Steppin’ Up Quilt

Posted in Finished Projects, Home Accessories, Modern Quilt Guild, Published by

I am pleased to share my latest published Quilt, Steppin’ Up in the 2017 issue of Quiltcon Magazine.  It arrived mid-February so I am a little behind in sharing this striking beauty.


I had an idea of a step ladder and all the possibilities of meaning that is could represent.  It could symbolically represent a promotion, taking charge or great success.

I started out designing my pillow with Electric Quilt 7, quilt design software.  It really made it easy to bring my design to life.  I wanted it to be asymmetric to create movement and interest.

I also made it easy with 2 1/2″ strips to put together.  you need to use a good 1/4″ seam.  It is important or you may spend an entire evening ripping out over 100 seams to sew over again.  Don’t ask me how I know.

I opted for just a three color combination of brown, fuscia and green.  They looked so good together.

I used some simple constructions shortcuts to make this block even faster.  No templates!

I found this great print that coordinated beautifully for the backing of the quilt.  And it looks very modern too!

I used organic wavy lines to quilt this throw size quilt.  I used a complimentary green thread and it looked great.

 

I used all of the leftover pieces to make two matching pillows.  Another lovely set for my family room couch.

Thanks for letting me share!  Happy Stitching!