Santa's Journey BOM

 Come and join the fun January 1, 2023! Help spread the word and tell all your quilting friends about this fun wintery block of the month! Each month we will work on a new section of this mystery quilt. There's basic piecing, some applique and other fun embellishments. As always, the monthly directions will be free during that month and then available for a small fee after that.

Finished measurements of the 2023 BOM quilt is 60" x 70"

Quilt kits will be available, make sure to pre-order yours now so you have your fabric in time for our quilty adventure. Kits have been shipped out, there was a delay with the fabric. My fabric order went to another shop, I'm glad that it was located and sent to me! Fabric is 100% cotton and from Marcus Fabrics by Quilt Doodle Designs.

Pre-order your kits HERE

Grab the button and link it to the Quilt Doodle Blog and help spread the word! 

Want to use your own fabric.... Here's what you'll need

This year's BOM will have some pieced blocks, and some applique. You will also need some heat n bond or Flexifuse for fusible applique. The kit uses the leftover fabric from cutting for the applique pieces. You can also sublimit with fabric from your stash for the applique. I'm looking forward to seeing you January 1st for the first section of the Santa's Journey Mystery BOM 2023!

Happy Quilting,

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 15

Welcome to Day 15

Whew, it's already day 15! Today we will work on noses... snowman noses. I pulled a fat quarter out of my fabric stash.... I had already cut into it from a previous project so it was more like a fat eighth. We will make 13 noses for our snowman blocks. In the pattern I have you do your noses using a fusible method using Heat N Bond fusible web. In this method you will trace all of your noses onto the paper side of the fusible web. Iron this onto the wrong side of your orange fabric. Then cut all of the noses out, peel off the paper and then fuse the nose onto your snowman block following placement from the pattern pictures. To finish the raw edge off, you then machine applique stitch using orange, brown or black thread, around the edge of the carrot design. I like to use a fairly small applique stitch. It is easier to do this before you assemble your quilt top.

Let me show you another way to make your carrot noses using fusible interfacing. This method will give you a finished edge of your carrot noses without having to do needle turn applique by hand.

Here is what I used for the fusible interfacing. I found this a Hobby Lobby, but I'm sure you'll be able to find it or something like it at your local sewing store, or quilt shop.

For this method you will trace your nose on the 'untreated' side. The fusible side will be right side together with the orange fabric. DO NOT IRON OR PRESS.

Using orange thread. sew on the line. The clip a slit in the center of the interfacing making sure not to cut the orange fabric.

Turn right side out thru this opening. The fusible side of interfacing is now on the outside.

Make 13 of these cute noses!

Iron the nose in place on the snowman block.

Then stitch in place, I used a buttonhole stitch on my machine. If you don't want the stitches to show, you can also hand stitch around the edge using a blind stitch and orange thread.

One carrot nose done, 12 more to go!

Let's talk snowman eyes.... If you don't want to sew on buttons for your snowman eyes.... you can embroider them onto your blocks following the placement on the pattern cover. Or if you have an embroidery machine, you can machine embroider them on using dark brown or black thread. Button eyes are sewn onto the quilt after all of the quilting is done on your quilt.

 See you tomorrow! We will work on the flying geese border! Remember to share your progress 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.

 

Scrappy Hats QAL Day 11

Welcome to Day 11

Whew, it's already day 11! Happy Friday everyone! Doing a little quilting or stitching is a great way to kick off the coming weekend! Today's block strip is made up with scrappy triangle squares. The scrappier the better. It will take about half an hour to complete. While working on mine, I used all of the fat quarters I had set aside for this quilt excluding the fabric that I used for this hats 'top'. I love the scrappiness of this block and love how it ties all the colors together in one block. Like I've said before, this is a great pattern to use your fabric stash with. Using up some of your fabric stash makes room for new fabric! I am a huge sucker for fat quarters and can't walk into a shop without purchasing a stack of fat quarter fabrics. I rarely have a project in mind when I buy them but it's so much fun to rummage thru my bins and drawers looking for the perfect colors and fabrics for a project that I may be starting. I hope that you are also having fun pulling fabrics for this quilt too!

~ Scrappy Triangle Squares 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.