This quilt was an excuse to improve my hand sewing skills and try out 25 different fabric manipulations. Often fabric manipulations look hard to do but in fact they are quite straightforward. The manipulations on this quilt are 5″ square. That satisfies my 2 main criteria: the piece, while small, it’s large enough to learn the technique and it’s quick to make too.
I have been asked many times how the quilt will withstand wear. I made this quilt in 2012 or 2013 and it’s still in good shape. I had it on a wall for a couple of years, and it’s been on a couch since I took it down. It survived a transcontinental move.
It’s true, I don’t handle it much and I haven’t washed it either.
You can see for yourself on the video that the fabric manipulations are still in very good condition.
a 10 1/2 inch x 6 inches rectangle in cream tones for the centre square
two 3 x 6 1/2 inch strips
two 3 x 10 1/2 inch strips
Block size
10 1/2 inches
Lozenge smocking diagram
There are two kinds of stitching for this pattern. They alternate along each row of smocking. The first type is when you pull two stitches together as per a and b on the diagram. The next stitch is when you go from b to c but do not pull the stitches. In this case you double stitch on c so that there is no pulling.
Learn in 3 minutes how to make this origami flower block:
Block type: log cabin
Block size: 11 inches
Fabric needs
a 10 1/2 inch square in red tones for the centre square.
two 5 in x 3 1/2 in rectangles and two 11 in x 3 1/2 in rectangles for the border
You add this block to your quilt as a feature or make a full quilt with this block.
Textured blocks tutorials
This is the 20th block in a series of 25 exploring texture in fabric.
Each block is made out of a centre 5 inch square featuring some fabric texture such as pin tucks, smocking, shirring and the like. Then a 3 1/2 wide border encloses each centre square.
The colour scheme is red and white/cream alternating reds and white/cream for the centre square and border.
Some of the textures show better on plain colours than on heavily patterned fabric.