April's Snowmen Blocks

Happy April! A little over a week ago, mother nature played an early April Fool's joke on us and slammed us with eight plus inches of snow and super cold temperatures. Most of the snow is gone now and we had warm temperatures for Easter weekend. We had a wonderful weekend filled with family celebrations. Last evening, while relaxing I watched the Ten Commandments, the 1956 version with Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner. I grew up watching this every Easter.

We are anxiously awaiting arrival for our second granddaughter. We are hoping to meet her very soon since mom is a week overdue. It's such an exciting time for our family. Our family is growing, and we couldn't be more thrilled. 

Here's a quick recap, if you are just discovering this year's block of the month, it’s sort of a mystery and I am encouraging everyone to use fabric from their stash. You will want the same background color for the quilt to tie it all together but, other than that the sky’s the limit. So, to begin with go dig thru your fabric stash and look for the following.

Fabric Requirements

Blue background fabric- 2 yards

white fabric (snowman faces) - 1/2 yard

green (trees) - 3/4 yard

pieced border - red- 3/4-yard, pink - 1/2-yard, light green- 1/2-yard, light blue- 3/4-yard

orange- snowman noses

scrappy hats- 10 plus fat quarters or a combination of fat quarters and fat eights in a variety of colors such as red, blue, yellow, pink, green, purple. 

Now let's get stitching!

Snowman Hat Rectangle- Sew a background 2” square onto the top two corners right sides together corner to corner. Trim excess fabric leaving a ¼” seam. Press.

Trace 2 noses onto the paper side of the Heat N bond fusible web. (Or whatever fusible brand you prefer) Iron onto the back side of the orange fabric. Cut out all the carrot noses. Iron on carrot nose onto the snowman block using the quilt on the front cover for placement. Applique stitch using orange or brown thread around the raw edges of the carrot design. I like to use a small buttonhole stitch.

We will wait until the quilt is completed and then quilted before we put on the snowman faces, which will use either buttons or yo-yos.

 

Tell your friends! Spread the word! Post the button on your blog!

 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.  

If you don't have a printer, you can purchase a PRINTED copy of the monthly patterns.

HERE

 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'm now off to my sewing room to do some sewing, I've got a quilt to piece together along with some embroidery to do!

Have a wonderful day,

Cindy and Josephine

Scrappy Hats Quilt!

I'm a little slow, but I finally have my Scrappy Hats quilt done! I got hung up on doing the binding, my least favorite part of completing a quilt. I also decided to make a flanged binding instead of the traditional binding method I wrote in the pattern. I'm really happy with how it turned out. In time to display for Christmas. I'll actually have it out all winter long since we'll have snow until March, it's Minnesota. I love how happy and bright it turned out. It'll brighten up those winter days when it's dreary outside. How is your quilt coming along? Would love to see pictures! Remember to share your progress on Instagram #scrappyhatsqal @quiltdoodledesigns

I used tiny black buttons for the snowman eyes.

My happy face when all those buttons are finally sewn on. 

For the binding I did a flanged binding out of green and red to finish the edge of my quilt off. I do like making flanged bindings, it just takes a bit of extra time. 

I took a quick picture outside in the snow. Do you see the snowflakes I quilted in the plain squares. I have an embroidery machine and found some quilting files that were perfect for this quilt.

~ Scrappy Hats ~

 I hope that you enjoyed this little mini QAL. I'm off to my studio to get some more holiday sewing done. It's that time of year that Santa's workshop is in full swing.

Have a great day and I hope you find some time to do some stitching.

Happy quilting,

Cindy and Belvedere

The PDF pattern for Scrappy Hats can be found in my Etsy Shop.

Scrappy Hats QAL Day 16

Welcome to Day 16

We are coming close to the end of our QAL and today's section will take a little time, a few hours, maybe less. Today I will show you how I completed the flying geese border. I really think it sets the quilt off nicely and is a fun way to finish it off. I love flying geese! I used 4 colors for my flying geese border. If you want to make it scrappier that's up to you. If you do you will need to make a total of 116 flying geese rectangles. The method that I use to make flying geese in the pattern make 4 flying geese rectangles at a time. It sounds like a daunting task but they really do go together quickly with this method! I like to use the no waste flying geese method. So grab a snack and let's get going on making some flying geese!

Following the pattern directions I cut out my squares for my no waste flying geese. I'm making two color combos for my border. the pink and blue and then the red and green. For each set of not waste flying geese rectangles/blocks you will need 1 larger square and then 4 smaller squares. Keep this in mind if you are making your border scrappier.

To begin with draw a line from corner to corner diagonally on the smaller fabric squares as shown.

With right sides together, lay two of the smaller squares on the larger square as shown.

Sew a scant 1/4" seam on each side of the line.

Cut apart on the drawn line. Press the seams outward.

Add a small square, right sides together on the sewn unit. Sew a scant 1/4" seam on both sides of the line.

I like to chain sew....

Cut apart on the drawn line. Press the flying geese units open. Square up to measure 2 1/2" x 4 1/2". Make 60 using each color combo for a total of 120 flying geese rectangles. (This will be more then you need, you will have 4 extra.)

Following the pattern sew together the flying geese blocks for the border.

I'm just in love with how festive this looks! I'm all ready to assemble my quilt.

I'll post one more time to show you the finished quilt. Feel free to assemble your quilt at this point and get it quilted. It'll be ready for this winter and perfect for a special gift. Stop back again in a week to see my finished Scrappy Hats quilt. Remember, November 1st is the next installment of the Garden Sunshine quilt. Hope that you are able to join me.Remember to share your block on Instagram #scrappyhatsqal @quiltdoodledesigns

Happy Quilting!
Cindy and Belvedere

You can also click on this link to purchase the instant PDF Download of the Scrappy Hats Pattern.

 

Scrappy Hats QAL Day 14

Welcome to Day 14

Whew, it's already day 14! Today we will complete the last snowman block. It's gone so fast! I hope that you have been having fun creating the scrappy hats for your snowman blocks! I've enjoyed seeing your blocks so far on facebook and Instagram.  Today's block will be the most challenging because the pieces are small but it is well worth the effort! Today we will make a star brimmed hat! It's one of my favorites in this quilt. Since this is the last hat, you can have fun and make it as scrappy as you want. I made each star out of the same fabric but you can add extra scrappiness by cutting the center block out of a different color/fabric. In the pattern I've written it for this option. So let's make some stars!

Following the directions for Hat Brim #13 cut out the pieces that you need to complete this block. I am making a red, green and pink star. I have chosen to make the stars all the same color instead of cutting the center square out of a different fabric.

To make the star I begin by make 4 flying geese blocks using rectangle B and square A. Place the square on top of the rectangle, right sides together and sew corner to corner. Trim away the excess fabric leaving a 1/4" seam allowance. Press. I like to chain sew.....

Repeat on the opposite side of the rectangle, placing the square on the rectangle, right sides together and sew corner to corner. Trim the excess fabric leaving a 1/4" seam allowance. Press. Make a total of 4 flying geese blocks for each star block.

Following the block chart in the pattern, sew the block together and press. 

Here are my three adorable star blocks for my hat brim. Sew the blocks together end to end. Press. Finish strips measures 3 1/2" x 9 1/2"

Sew the hat block to the top of the hat brim strip and then sew the snowman face onto the bottom of the hat brim strip. Press. The finished block measures 9 1/2" x 11 1/2"

~ Star Snowman Block ~

Remember the carrot and eyes are not added to the block yet!

Isn't it fun making snowman blocks! I just love them! If you feel extra ambitious, you can make extra ones for an adorable table runner to match your quilt! See you tomorrow, we will work on the carrot noses and I will talk with you about a couple of different ways that you can make them. Remember to share your block on Instagram #scrappyhatsqal @quiltdoodledesigns

Happy Quilting!
Cindy and Belvedere

You can also click on this link to purchase the instant PDF Download of the Scrappy Hats Pattern.

 

Scrappy Hats QAL Day 13

Welcome to Day 13

Welcome to day 13 of the Scrappy Hats QAL! As you read this I am flying home from Houston. It was a very quick visit to International Quilt Market. If you follow me on Instagram you've gotten a sneak peek of what I was up to while I was there. I'm looking forward to being home again and getting back to stitching. But today is football day! I'll be home in time to relax and watch my team play! Woot! Woot! Today's snowman block won't take too long to make, so if you're a football fan too you'll have time to get your block done today before or even after the big game. Although it'll take a bit longer to complete compared with our first few blocks. I hope you are having fun making your snowmen with their scrappy hats! Let's get going on todays hat.... a uneven nine patch.

This hat brim will use a total of six different colors. Two for each uneven nine patch block. Label you fabric colors 1 thru 6. Following the pattern directions cut out all of you uneven nine patch pieces. Remember not to repeat the same color as the top of the snowman's hat.

The pieces are small but oh so cute! I find it helpful to lay the shapes out to form the block so I know what gets sewn together. There's also a 'chart' in the pattern to follow for stitching together. Sew the nine patch together using 1/4" seams. Press. Repeat and make two more nine patch blocks using colors 3-4 and 5-6.

Sew the blocks together end to end to form the hat brim strip. Press. Finished strip should measure 3 1/2" x 9 1/2". (This includes the seam allowance.)

Assemble the snowman block as pictured, sewing the hat block to the top of the hat brim stripe and the sewing the snowman face onto the bottom of the hat brim strip. Press. The finished block measures 9 1/2" x 11 1/2"

~ Uneven Nine Patch Snowman ~

Remember the carrot and eyes are not added to the block yet!

Isn't it fun making snowman blocks! I just love them! If you feel extra ambitious, you can make extra ones for an adorable table runner to match your quilt! See you tomorrow for the next snowman quilt block! Remember to share your block on Instagram #scrappyhatsqal @quiltdoodledesigns

Happy Quilting!
Cindy and Belvedere

You can also click on this link to purchase the instant PDF Download of the Scrappy Hats Pattern.

 

Scrappy Hats QAL Day 12

Welcome to Day 12

Whew, it's already day 12! As you read this I will be running around Houston checking out International Quilt Market... so excited to go. It's a quick trip, I flew in on Friday and I'm heading home on Sunday, so a quick trip and I have grand plans on all that I'm going to do while in Houston. I'll be doing some Instagram posts from market so check it out after you get your block done! Today's block is called 'Friendship Stars' very fitting since I'll be seeing some of my quilty friends in Houston! I would allow an hour to complete today's block. You may not need a full hour.... enjoy your sewing time today and make sure to make time to work on other projects too! I'm sure I will come back from market with all sorts of inspiration and the itch to lock myself in my studio to sew. The bummer is, I'll have laundry and those other household items to catch up on. Plus I'm sure Belvedere will insist on sitting on my lap to nap. He's so cuddly and sweet and will follow me around as soon as I walk in the door.

Remember there is no set colors or fabrics for the snowman blocks. I want to encourage you to make the quilt your own. If you don't want to think too hard about it you can follow the colors I have illustrated in the pattern.

I am using yellow for my background color and then I'm making a blue, pink and green star for the hat brim. Following the pattern, I have all my items cut out and ready to sew.

On the 1 7/8" x 1 7/8" background squares, draw a line diagonally corner to corner on the wrong side of the fabric. Then pair these up with the squares that are cut for each star. (I like to chain sew).

Sew a scant 1/4" seam on each side of the drawn diagonal line.

Cut apart on the diagonal line. Press the seam towards the darker fabric. Square these up to measure 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" . 

Lay the half square triangles with the background and star center squares following the diagram in the pattern.

Sew the block together using a 1/4" seam. The Friendship Star block will measure 3 1/2" x 3 1/2".

Then sew the Friendship Stars together to make the hat brim.

To complete the block, sew the hat brim strip to the hat rectangle and snowman face block. Press.

~ Friendship Star Snowman Block ~

Remember the carrot and eyes are not added to the block yet!

Isn't it fun making snowman blocks! I just love them! If you feel extra ambitious, you can make extra ones for an adorable table runner to match your quilt! See you tomorrow for the next snowman quilt block! Remember to share your block on Instagram #scrappyhatsqal @quiltdoodledesigns

Happy Quilting!
Cindy and Belvedere

You can also click on this link to purchase the instant PDF Download of the Scrappy Hats Pattern.