The finished Scrappy Cross Quilt

My Scrappy Cross Quilt is finally finished. It's taken several weeks to get around to stitching down the binding, and longer still to take photos. For the last decade or so I have worked almost exclusively on one project/quilt at a time. It's just how things rolled. But over the last 12 months I've added more and more projects to my steadily growing selection of works in progress, and whilst all that is good and well, I have knuckled down and I am keeping myself occupied by completing those quilt tops, basting, quilting and binding. Done.

Fabrics

All fabrics are from stash. Some are relatively new additions, others are my go-to favorite that I have had on hand for some time, pieces of which have made their way into my scrap bins. The many 2" fabric squares were cut from fabric scraps and collected over many months, and I continue to cut more such squares for future scrap busting quilts.

Finishing

I have finished the quilt by using a light-weight cotton batting called QuiltLite. Quiltlite is a woven cotton fabric similar to a loosely woven flannel fabric; it offers the presence of batting without adding bulk. (See a close-up photo of QuiltLite here).

I have machine quilted the quilt by ditch stitching all seam lines; simple and functional lines of stitching rather than decorative quilting, which at the same time gives the quilt a lovely texture and a soft drape, especially so with the light weight batting. For the back of the quilt I have used my favorite text fabric Newsprint from the Story collection by Carrie Bloomston, and have matched it a red/white stripe binding fabric.

QUILT DETAILS

Scrappy Cross Quilt 

Finished quilt measures 54 inches x 67.5 inches.

Started: May 2020

Finished: August 2020
Machine pieced and machine quilted (domestic sewing machine).

Yellow solid fabric: Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton in Grellow.

This quilt is made from just two blocks that are alternated throughout. 

I have written a tutorial here:

Scrappy Cross Quilt Tutorial

Sadly, I am not selling my quilts at the moment. We're in lockdown(!) and are not going anywhere for the time being. On the bright side, I have all the quilting supplies and time. Lots of time... 

I will make my quilts available again when domestic and international shipping settles into a reliable new normal. Quilts will then be listed in my Etsy Store.

Thank you for stopping by,
Rita

RELEVANT LINKS:
Scrappy Cross Quilt Work in Progress and TUTORIAL
More RPQ Tutorials:
Pickle Dish Variation Quilt Tutorial
Scrappy Quarter Log Cabin Tutorial
Color Wheel Block Tutorial
Economy Block Tutorial

COPYRIGHT: Do not copy or use any content or photos from my blog without my written permission. This is original content from www.redpepperquilts.com.

Scrappy Cross Quilt and Tutorial

Work in Progress

My first machine pieced quilt for the year! It's been so long since I switched on the trusty Juki but having plenty of home time and a significant fabric stash meant there was no excuse for lounging around. Although I did plenty of that too. 

Scrap quilts are my favorite, especially simple designs pieced from small patches of fabric. I have a shoe box full of 2 inch squares that I add to regularly. Whenever I cut fabric for a quilt and have a small scrap of fabric leftover, I cut that piece into 2 inch squares and add it to the shoe box. And if I am using a fabric that lends itself to fussy cutting, I fussy cut a few additional 2 inch squares and add those as well. I think you'll see quite a few fabrics here that I have used before, and fabrics that you too may have in your stash.

BASIC SCRAPPY CROSS QUILT TUTORIAL

This quilt is inspired by a vintage quilt that was more than likely hand pieced. To machine piece this quilt top I broke down the design into simple repeats and a block based layout. This quilt is made from just two blocks that are alternated throughout: Block A on the left and Block B on the right. It doesn't get any easier than that. The blocks are sewn together in horizontal rows of four squares each.

I like to press seams together to one side, rather than open. If you consistently follow the arrows as indicated below all of your seams will nest when you sew the individual blocks AND when you sew the blocks together into a quilt top. So, for row 1 of Block A press seams to the right, for row 2 of block A press seams to the left etc.

Click on any image for a larger view.

TOTAL BLOCKS REQUIRED

Block A - 50*

Block B - 49 

FABRIC REQUIREMENTS
Solid Fabric: 3/4 yards 

Printed Fabric: 1415 two inch squares

*For block A: rather than cut 3 individual squares of solid fabric,
 I have cut a rectangle piece measuring 5 inches x 2 inches.

Once you've made the required number of blocks lay out your blocks starting with Block A and alternating Block A and Block B throughout (eleven horizontal rows of 9 blocks each). Sew blocks together into rows and then sew long rows together into a quilt top. 

The final step to complete the quilt top is to add an additional row of squares along the top edge of the quilt top and the left hand side of the quilt top so that the design is symmetrical - see the rows below as indicated by the arrows (pictured above).

Quilt top measures 54 inches x 67.5 inches.
Solid fabric: Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton in Grellow.

Started: May 2020

Finished: June 2020

I have loved piecing this quilt top together. It's been a long time since I have enjoyed sitting at the machine and I was very pleased to feel so comfortable and back in the zone. I have missed it.

This is a great "leaders and enders" project if you normally used this technique to start and end your seams. I don't use a scrap of fabric to start and end my sewing, but I can see how that would be of benefit if you're having bird's nest issues, or fabric getting jammed into the bobbin area. I do also like the idea of working on a second project at the same time.

I have made good progress on this quilt. It has been basted and quilted. I have even added the binding, but the hand slip stitching of the binding is yet to be done.

Thank you for stopping and browsing through the photos. If you have any questions please regarding the tutorial please let me know in the comments and I will reply there.

Rita

RELEVANT LINKS
More Red Pepper Quilts Tutorials
More RPQ Scrappy Quilts:

Scrappy Irish Chain Quilt - July 2015
Scrappy Irish Chain Quilt - November 2017
Japanese Stash Buster Quilt - November 2019
Economy Block Quilt - August 2013

COPYRIGHT: Do not copy or use any content or photos from my blog without my written permission. This is original content from www.redpepperquilts.com.

A Hand Pieced Trip Around the World Quilt

A Finished Quilt

When I say things are slowly returning to "normal" I mean super slowly ... like snail paced ... but I am good with it. I am embracing slow and as well as being keen to learn new techniques. This quilt is entirely hand pieced. Hand pieced as in - - - - - running stitch with needle, thimble, and thread.

It turns out that I can do slow, I can hand piece and sew secure seams; the quilt top did not fall apart when I picked it up, nor when I pressed the seams! In addition, I thoroughly enjoyed hand piecing the quilt top. Who knew?

I have always enjoyed choosing what fabric to use and where, and this particular traditional quilt design allows for quite some fun fabric play. Choosing what goes next was intense and I planned ahead maybe 3 to 4 rounds at a time, but even so I often changed my mind as each row (or round/trip of fabric) was added. I have cut several rounds of fabric squares that have remained unused! Maybe they're ready cut for the next Trip Around the World Quilt.

Above is a photo of the back of the quilt top. You can see the pencil marked seams, the running stitch, as well as how the seams were pressed. The stitches are far from perfect - they are not all even, nor consistent length - but they do the job. I did a small back stitch at the start and end of each seam, and added a back stitch every 4 to 5 stitches to secure the stitches/thread.

QUILT DETAILS

Hand Pieced Traditional Trip  Around the World Quilt

The finished quilt measures 58 inches x 58 inches.

1625 squares measuring 2" x 2" (includes seam allowances).
Started: 26 December 2019.
Finished: 22 February 2020.
Hand Pieced.
Start with the center square then add a "trip"
around the centre square (ie add 4 squares).
Continue by adding additional trips - each additional trip requires an
additional four fabric squares.

Fabrics

All fabrics are from stash. Some are relatively new additions, others are my go-to favorite that I have had on hand for some time. Choosing fabrics from stash became more difficult once a trip around the quilt required more than a fat quarter of fabric. No single trip of fabric required more than a 1/2 yard of fabric.

Notions / Tools
All 2" fabric squares were cut using a rotary cutter and ruler.
After cutting all squares were marked with a ¼ inch seam allowance.
I use a mechanical pencil with a 2B 0.7mm lead
for ease of marking a line on the fabric.
Jeana Kimball's Foxglove Cottage -Sharps Needle - size 10.
Aurfil 50wt thread (the orange spool) for hand piecing.

Finishing

I have finished the quilt by using a light weight cotton batting called QuiltLite. Quiltlite is a woven cotton fabric similar to a loosely woven flannel fabric; it offers the presence of batting without adding bulk.

I have then machine quilted the quilt by ditch stitching all seam lines; simple and functional rather than decorative quilting, which at the same time gives the quilt a lovely texture and a soft drape. For the back of the quilt I have used my favorite text fabric Newsprint from the Story collection by Carrie Bloomston, and have matched it with my signature black/white stripe fabric for the binding.

I will continue to update my blog with photos of my quilts as and when I have something to share. I am still sewing - oddly I have a second completed hand-pieced quilt top ready for quilting - but I am finding myself easily distracted and ready to start new projects, rather than complete my quilt tops.

Thank you for stopping by and scrolling through the photos. Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions (redpepperquilts@gmail.com).

Rita

RELEVANT LINKS:

More RPQ Trip Around the World Quilts (Machine Pieced):

Giant Granny Square Quilt - May 2016

Giant Granny Square Quilt - April 2017

Scrappy Day Trip Quilt - February 2016

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COPYRIGHT: Do not copy or use any content or photos from my blog without my written permission. This is original content from www.redpepperquilts.com.

Many Trips Around the World Quilt - Work in Progress

Many Trips Around the World Quilt
Click on any image for a larger view.

It's back to basics this week. Squares, Squares, and more squares. I do love traditional quilt design, simple patchwork, and working from stash, so this Many Trips Around the World Quilt design suits me perfectly! It also is an extension on my previous quilt (and quilt pattern) - The Scrappy Day Trip Quilt - this time adding an extra trip for each block.

This Many Trips Around the World Quilt design is a great scrap buster project and represents hours of cutting, puzzling, and sewing together a whole bunch of patchwork pieces. Having said that, I am always determined to find the easiest way to put together a quilt; to simplify the process and at the same to ensure that when it comes to sewing the quilt top together that all the seams nest. 

So I revisited my Scrappy Day Trip Quilt Pattern - which is a block based design with strip pieced sections - and I reworked it for the extra trip - or round of squares - around the center square. This allowed me to work on just one block at a time; cutting fabric, strip piecing and sewing together each block as far as was possible. Once all 50 blocks were ready - plus a whole bunch of half blocks to fill the edges - I could arrange and re-arrange the blocks until I was happy with the layout, and then sew together the quilt top in rows.

Mind you, it was still a bit of a puzzle, and sewing together the quilt top required my careful attention to ensure that all the pieces ended up in the right place. I can look at this quilt top now and say how fun it was to make, but at the time of sewing my inner voice demanded to know why the small pieces, and why so many!!  Of course, when all the quilt blocks are laid out on the floor, and the quilt top is ready to be sewn together, there's no stopping until it is done.

QUILT DETAILS

Many trips Around the World Quilt

Quilt top measures 49 inches x 61 inches.

49 rows of 39 squares.
Each finished square measures 1.25" x 1.25".

Total number of squares: 1911.

Fabric Used:

Approx 100 different small scale prints including

many stash basics - dots, stripes, checks, gingham.

Solid Fabric: Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton in White

I love this scrappy and colorful quilt top, and all the time spent carefully choosing fabrics, cutting, and piecing has been worth it. I have a feeling that there may be more Many Trips Quilts in my future.

Although I am not so much looking forward to basting the quilt top, I cannot wait to start quilting it!

Thank you for stopping by and scrolling through the many photos!
Rita

RELEVANT LINKS:
Scrappy Day Trip Quilt and Quilt Pattern 
Many Trips Around the World - the Finished Quilt
More RPQ Scrap Quilts:
Scrappy Trip Along Quilt - January 2013
Philadelphia Pavement Quilt - October 2013
Single Irish Chain Quilt - October 2015
Giant Granny Square Quilt - May 2016

Follow RPQ on:

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COPYRIGHT: Do not copy or use any content or photos from my blog without my written permission. This is original content from www.redpepperquilts.com.

A Great Granny Square Quilt

A finished quilt.

Great Granny Square Quilt 

This quilt was so much fun to make!  The Granny Square blocks came together really well considering I had chosen to work with 1.5 inch squares - fiddly but definitely workable - and the fabric play was oh so satisfying. 

Once the the nine Granny Square blocks were finished I had set my mind to making a large pillow cover. However, my eye caught the leftover pieces of Melange Yarn Dyed fabric from a previous project, and I couldn't resist the winning combination of these traditional blocks with a linen look wide border. 

Then the quilting began ... I quilted the patchwork blocks by first stitching edge to edge lines (running through the center of each block) both horizontally and vertically, and then I ditch stitched around the center panel and individual blocks, stopping and starting as required, and burying all thread ends into the batting by hand.

For the back of the quilt I have used a single fabric from the Briar Rose collection by Heather Ross. This Stawberry print is darling and a perfect match for this quilt (and a great quality fabric to boot).

Once quilted I rounded the corners of the quilt. I used a dinner plate to mark the curves on the quilt with a permanent marker (not so smart - note to self, use a fabric pen instead), then followed the marked lines with my rotary cutter.  

Rounded quilt edges means that there are no corners to mitre. Bonus! But it does mean having to make bias binding - made from fabric strips cut across the diagonal of a square of fabric - which gives the fabric sufficient ease to hug the curves. It's so much easier than it looks or sounds. 

This quilt is for sale and it listed in my Etsy Store.

The listing details are here: Granny Square Quilt

Thank you for stopping by and enjoy the weekend!
Rita

RELEVANT LINKS:

Red Pepper Quilts Etsy Store

Granny Square Blocks are from the Great Granny Square Book by Lori Holt

A Patchwork Quilt with Rounded Corners

A Classic Patchwork Quilt with Melange Yarn Dyed Fabric