Heart Garland Tea Towel

In about a month it's Valentine's Day and I'll be doing a little decorating around the house for the February holiday this week. My boys are all grown up so there's no class parties to plan for or class list to help put together valentines for, so I'm doing a little decorating here around the house. To be honest, I'm packing away the Christmas tree and taking down the socks, twinkle lights and the house will look so darn bleak, I need to hang some pops of red, so these long Minnesota winters don't seem so dreadful. Besides, I love Valentine's Day because it also gives me a really good excuse to buy chocolate.

I have a really good beginner project for those of you who are new to iron on machine applique. (Which most of my designs consist of) It's a garland of hearts and yo-yo's that embellish a tea towel. This cute towel looks adorable draped out of a basket or hanging on a towel rack. I have mine displayed with my all-time favorite kitchen gadget, my mixer. It's a great project to use up those left-over scraps (which I cannot throw away) and makes a great gift. It would be super cute paired up with a brownie mix for a special Valentine.

Isn't it cute in my mixing bowl. I love the red and white combo. So fun and cheerful.

So let me show you how fun and easy this little project is....

Following the directions for the Heat n Bond lite, I traced, ironed, and cut out eight hearts with the Heat n Bond.

Then I evenly spaced them along the bottom edge of the towel and ironed them in place.

Using a dark brown thread, I machine applique around each heart using

a small stitch setting. You can also hand buttonhole stitch this too.

To finish off your heart garland, I made seven yo-yo's using various

scraps of material to sew in between each heart.

So isn't this a fun way to use up some of your red and white scraps? My Heart Garland Tea Towel was super fun to make! Hanging tea towels here and there is a sneaking, easy way to decorate in the kitchen. It doesn't scream, look at me, I'm a decoration.... it's sorta like those cute potholders. Looks adorable, but it's useful too.

Happy Quilting!

Cindy

Winner!

 I want to thank everyone who has been posting their progress while working on their Quilt Doodle Design BOM's. I love seeing the pictures! I had a little giveaway going on for those of you who posted your finished/pieced quilt tops for the 2021 BOM quilt. I have happy to announce that Julie Belz is our winner! She has won a fat quarter bundle of my new Season Sampler fabric, not yet in stores!

Here is her quilt top!

Again, thank you so much to everyone that followed along with me last year! I love sharing my quilt designs with you and look forward to sharing this year's Feather Friends Mystery BOM with you too!

Happy quilting!

Cindy

January's Block 2022!

 Happy New Year!

Hubby and I spent the evening playing cribbage waiting for the fireworks to start on Buck Hill. Poor miss Maddie (our son's lab-rottie, or rotten lab) hates fireworks and spent the evening ringing in the new year running from window to window. She's pooped out this morning and is sleeping in.

 I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season. We did, with a few glitches.... the furnace went out on Christmas.... a new one was installed the next day. We are very happy we have two fireplaces that were able to keep our home warm on Christmas! The garage door opener broke a couple days before and my stove decided to crap out just a couple days after. At least it got me thru cooking the huge traditional ham dinner feast on Christmas. The new year is beginning with a few new upgrades in the Staub home... let's hope the rest of the year goes smoothly! 

This year's Block of the Month will feature some of my favorite feathered friends. It's a secret as to what feathered friends will be featured. This quilt is done with a fusible applique method. Most of my designs are done this way. I hope that you enjoy the process as we work on this quilt together over the next year. This month's block features a Junco. My dad used to also call them snowbirds. These sweet little birds usually show up on my bird feeders right before a snowstorm. I always think of dad when I see them. Although I took some liberty and have drawn the birds on a watering can with some flowers... no snow. So let me show you how I have made this month's block. Go on over to the Website and download the PDF pattern. The links are below towards the end of the posting. Make sure that your email is correct so that the link for the pattern is sent to you. Also, if you don't find it, check your trash or spam folder just in case it ended up in there....

Trace the design shapes on to the paper side of your fusible web.

Cut the shapes out based on 'color'... I group same colors together when I trace a design out. Then match the shapes with your fabric that you are using for the design. Following the manufacturer's directions, iron the fusible web onto the back side of your fabric.

From your background fabric, cut an 8 1/2" x 10 1/2" rectangle. If you want, you can cut all twelve that you need for the quilt top at the same time and set them aside. I find it helpful to store all my fabric for a quilt together in a project bin. You might want to start a project bin for this. 

Then using my OLFA applique scissors, I cut all of the shapes out for the Junco design.

Following the pattern placement page, center your design on your rectangle. Remember to peel off the paper for the design. Following the manufacturer's directions, iron everything in place. I used a dark brown/black thread to stitch around all of the raw edges. I used a small buttonhole stitch. Feel free to practice and try out a couple of different stitch sizes before you stitch on your actual block. Remember to go slow and always pivot with your needle down.

~ Junco ~

Isn't it a fun design? I love it! This would be a cute design on a tea towel too! 

Each month will feature an applique design, I have a stash of basic colors that I use for applique, I bet you do too! You will also need a basic cream or white for the applique blocks. You will need 1 3/4 yards of a cream/white background fabric. It can be a tone on tone or neutral print. This cream fabric will also be used for the top and bottom boarders along with some pieced cornerstones. You can also get scrappy with your cream fabrics! The applique blocks will measure 8 1/2" x 10 1/2" (this includes the seam allowance).

It's an adorable quilt when it is done. The finished size of the quilt is 58" x 65" Each month's pattern is a free PDF instant download. If you miss a month, the patterns are available for $2.50 on my website and also in my Etsy shop.  

 There's also a Facebook Group, please join and post your progress! It's also fun to see everyone else progress too! Make sure to post your blocks so far! I will be ending this year's BOM with some giveaways. Make sure to stayed tuned for that!

Hope that you stop by tomorrow for the first block.  Remember the block will only be FREE for the month of January, after that it will be available for $2.50. All patterns are a PDF download. I suggest getting a file folder and printing up the patterns each month and stashing them in the folder. Especially if you aren't planning on working on it right away. That way you won't miss a thing!

Please help spread the word about the NEW Quilt Doodle BOM! Come and join the fun! Remember to post those pictures! I love to see your progress and it's fun to see everyone's blocks!

Happy quilting,

Cindy 

NEW BOM!

 It's New Year's Eve and I have a new mystery BOM which will be starting tomorrow. There will be no kit this time, I am encouraging you to use fabric from your stash, that is the challenge, I am also using fabric from my Marcus fabric stash that I love. Each month's block will be an applique block. This quilt will also feature a scrappy sashing and a mixed block top and bottom border. The finished size will be 58" x 65". The twelve quilt blocks will be rectangular instead of square, each will feature a scrappy feathered friend's design! Something a little different.... these are the only clues I will give you.... 

Each month will feature an applique design, I have a stash of basic colors that I use for applique, I bet you do too! You will also need a basic cream or white for the applique blocks. You will need 1 3/4 yards of a cream/white background fabric. It can be a tone on tone or neutral print. This cream fabric will also be used for the top and bottom boarders along with some pieced cornerstones. You can also get scrappy with your cream fabrics! The applique blocks will measure 8 1/2" x 10 1/2" (this includes the seam allowance).

It's an adorable quilt when it is done. The finished size of the quilt is 58" x 65" Each month's pattern is a free PDF instant download. If you miss a month, the patterns are available for $2.50 on my website and also in my Etsy shop.  

 There's also a Facebook Group, please join and post your progress! It's also fun to see everyone else progress too! Make sure to post your blocks so far! I will be ending this year's BOM with some giveaways. Make sure to stayed tuned for that!

Hope that you stop by tomorrow for the first block.  Remember the block will only be FREE for the month of January, after that it will be available for $2.50. All patterns are a PDF download. I suggest getting a file folder and printing up the patterns each month and stashing them in the folder. Especially if you aren't planning on working on it right away. That way you won't miss a thing!

Please help spread the word about the NEW Quilt Doodle BOM! Come and join the fun! See you tomorrow!

Happy quilting,

Cindy 

Season's Greetings!

 

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and happy holiday season. The cookies are made, the gifts are wrapped... I am taking a couple days off to celebrate the season and spend some time with my family. I thank you for following me on my quilting adventures and I am looking forward to stitching along with you in 2022! I will see you first of the year for this year block of the month! In the meantime, eat drink and be merry!

 

Happy New Year!

Cindy

Final Assembly for 2021 BOM

I have the final assembly directions posted on the Quilt Doodle Designs website! Thank you for waiting. I hope that you have enjoyed this year's BOM. I had fun sharing it with you. It features a number of woodland animals all of which I have seen either in my own backyard or while up north fishing with my family. There is one exception, the polar bear, I've seen him at the zoo! You wonder about the albino squirrel? Yes, while walking Belvedere this fall, I got to see three albino squirrels at once frolicking in a neighbor's yard. It drove Belvedere nuts.  So, gather all of your blocks that you competed so far, and the flying geese blocks that you have completed. Go download the remaining directions and it's time to finish your quilt top! There's not too much left to do, cut some cornerstone blocks, make four bear paw blocks and the borders. Once you have the bear paw blocks done, assembly will be super quick. Of course, I am assuming you have all the blocks done and the flying geese rectangles finished. If not, it will take you a little longer to complete the quilt. I will be showing my quilt as soon as I have it quilted. I am flying by the seat of my pants again!

 Final Directions are found HERE

Cut 20 - 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" square for the cornerstones on the sashing between the blocks.

Let's make some bear paw blocks! Following the directions, cut 8 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares

Then cut the squares in half diagonally corner to corner. 
Then cut 4 - 2 1/8" x 2 1/8" squares from the gold too.

From the brown fabric, cut 4 - 3 3/4" x 3 3/4" squares. 
Cut 8 - 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares and then cut the squares in half diagonally corner to corner to form 16 triangles.

I like to line all of my pieces next to my machine to sew the blocks. I do a lot of 'chain' sewing. I am also using my quarter inch foot on my sewing machine to insure accurate seams. Since I am using Primo Plaid flannel from Marcus Fabrics, I press the seams open to reduce bulk.

For this quilt you will only need four bear paw blocks. Follow the directions for the quilt layout.

Make sure to download the final directions. It will give you the cutting directions for the borders and final assembly. Since I did my quilt with flannels, I will be backing the quilt with a cotton fabric. If you used cottons for the quilt top, you may want to consider using a coordinating flannel for the back. I love using flannel for backing because it gives the quilt a cozy feel.

It's an adorable quilt when it is done. The finished size of the quilt is 65" x 80". Don't forget, this month's pattern is a free PDF instant download. All of the other month's patterns are available for $2.50 on my website and also in my Etsy shop.  It's not too late to join in on the fun. You would just have a some catching up to do!

Post your progress on the  Facebook Group,!! It's also fun to see everyone else progress too! Make sure to post your blocks so far! I will be ending this year's BOM with some giveaways. I will be giving away a fat quarter bundle of my NEW fabric line, Season Sampler on January 10th. To get a name in the hat, post your finished quilt top and or all of the blocks done. They do not have to be quilted! You can post on Facebook and tag me Quiltdoodledesigns. You can also post on Instagram and tag me @quiltdoodledesigns. I will also count pictures that are posted in the Facebook Group for the BOM.

Happy quilting,

Cindy 

~Woodland Holiday BOM 2021 ~

Woodland Polar Bear

 

It's hard to believe that this is the final block... the year has flown by. Our last block is a sweet polar bear sitting in a woodland sled. Today's posting will only be about the polar bear block. I will be posting the finishing instructions in a couple days in order to break it up a bit. It's a lot of information for one posting. I will also be announcing some giveaways! Not only do I post on the blog, I will also post reminders on the Quilt Doodle BOM Facebook page and also on Instagram when the finishing instructions are posted. The finishing directions will be FREE on the Quilt Doodle Website as a PDF download. They will be posted as soon as the blog posting for finishing is up. This will give you a day or two to make this month's block. 

I have printed up the pattern, gathered my fabric and have cut my final 10 1/2" x 10 1/2" background square.

Following the fusible web manufacturer's directions, I trace the design shapes onto the paper side of the fusible web.

Pair the shapes with the fabric colors. Following the manufacturer's directions, iron the fusible onto the wrong side of the fabric.

Then cut all of the shapes out.

Peel the paper off the back of the cut out shapes and then position everything in place following the placement sheet on the printed pattern. Remember shapes will overlap. Notice how the hat brim is 'behind' the bear's head. Iron everything in place.

Using a buttonhole stitch on my sewing machine I stitched around all the raw edges. I used white/cream thread to go around the bear, hat brim and pom-pom. I used brown thread to stitch around everything else.

I used black #12 pearl cotton to stitch the bear's eyes, using French knots.

~ Woodland Polar Bear ~

It's an adorable quilt when it is done. The finished size of the quilt is 65" x 80". This month's pattern is a free PDF instant download. All of the other month's patterns are available for $2.50 on my website and also in my Etsy shop.  It's not too late to join in on the fun. You would just have a some catching up to do!

 There's also a Facebook Group, please join and post your progress! It's also fun to see everyone else progress too! Make sure to post your blocks so far! I will be ending this year's BOM with some giveaways. Make sure to stayed tuned for that!

I will be posting a couple more times this month showing the construction of the final quilt top. Directions will be available as soon as the postings are up. 

Hope that you enjoy making this month's block.  This design would also be adorable on a tea towel for some holiday gift giving!

Happy quilting,

Cindy 

~Woodland Holiday BOM 2021 ~