Dresden Sunflower Coaster Tutorial

So I finally got around to writing the tutorial for my 

Dresden Sunflower Coasters! 

To make the sunflower coasters, I cut strips of yellow fabric 2” wide. Using the easy dresden ruler by Darlene Zimmerman, place on strip of fabric at the 2” mark and cut. You will need 20 petals for each sunflower.

To make each petal, fold piece in half lengthwise and stitch ¼” seam across top (widest end). I like to string piece these to make them faster.

Cut them apart and turn them. I used my bamboo point turner. Once turned, press so the seam is centered. This makes your point centered.

Take 2 petals and match top edge with raw edges even and stitch ¼” seam. *It is more important that the top edge is aligned as the bottom will be covered with the center circle.

Continue adding petals until you have sewn all 20 petals. Sew the 20th petal to the 1st petal to form a ring.

Press seams all in one direction.

To Make the Center:

Cut a 4 ¼” circle from brown fabric. Baste ¼” around edge. Place a 3 ¼” cardboard circle template on top of your fabric circle and draw up the basting threads. Press, then carefully remove the template.

Pin center to sunflower.

Again, using the 3 ¼” circle template, cut a circle from batting. (I used Warm and Natural.)  Center on back of sunflower and pin (from top) in place.

Using my circle cutter, I cut a 6” circle from muslin. Applying the same technique as for the center circle and a 5” cardboard circle template, I formed a large circle and pinned it to the back of the sunflower over the batting. It should cover the raw edges of the petals. (This is where it is important that you pinned the batting circle from the top side.) I hand stitched in place.

Turn over sunflower and stitch around center circle, close to edge. Quilt as desired. I used a crosshatch to resemble the seeds.

You Are Done! Enjoy!

This tutorial is for personal use only. Please respect my design. Thank you.

If you make some coasters, please email me a picture as I would love to see your creation. If you have any questions, please email me Ü

Here is the link to Google Docs in case you want to download the tutorial.

Something for the kitchen...

Tomorrow I will be a guest blogger over at Sew We Quilt! I am so thrilled to be back. Thank you Madame Samm for inviting me! 

The tutorials featured throughout the month of April will all be about the kitchen. 

Now I am not the expert when it comes to the kitchen. I much prefer to spend my days/nights in my sewing room. So if something for the kitchen can be made simply, I am all for it! 

I had this idea mulling around my head for a while. I decided to go ahead and prepare this tutorial for all of you. Pot holder covers are very simple and quick to make, inexpensive and can be sewn together without the usual need for Insul-brite heat resistant batting. 

If you want to learn more, stop over at Sew We Quilt tomorrow, April 11th for my tutorial. I would love to hear what you think.

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On another note, I finished the 5th book in the book challenge. This book was to have a topographical feature in the title. I chose to read the book The Angels of Morgan Hill by Donna Van Liere. 

 It is set in the small town of Morgan Hill, Tennessee. It is the story of the life of Jane and her brother John during the year 1947. After the death of their alcoholic father, Jane dreams of the possibility of a 'real' father.  That same day, Jane and John see for the first time a black boy, named Milo Turner, who recently moved to Morgan Hill with his family. This brings many challenges to this small community and tragedy soon strikes.  The story holds onto a promise, hope for a better life, friendship and understanding in the midst of change. 

This novel is an easy and enjoyable read. If you want to read other books with a topographical feature you can find some here. 

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I am almost completely moved back into my sewing room. I have a few things to organize before I am settled in. I'll post a few pictures soon.

What did I work on...

for the Friday Night Sew In? 

After a very unexpected dinner invite and fun evening with our very close friends, I came home and started sewing. I already planned on working on a tutorial that I will be sharing soon. So I got to work sewing and taking pictures of the process for the tutorial. (I like tutorials with lots of pictures). I will only share some peeks today so stay tuned for the whole process. 

some strip piecing and scrap busting...

finished....

I also stated working on another vintage dresden. 

before removing from the soiled backing fabric

ready for a new project ♥

Now off to see what others have worked on...won't you join me here?

My first tutorial

In the spring, I featured this red herringbone quilt in the Spring Blogger's Quilt Festival. YOu can read more about it here.  

I was asked for a tutorial and I promised I would work on one after my busy summer... so here it is...my very first tutorial!   I first made this quilt in a class at a LQS which is now closed. The tutorial is written (and fabric requirements figured) for 5 bands like the flannel version at the end of the post.  I added a 6th band to the red herringbone above to increase its size. 


Be aware that this tutorial is picture heavy because I am a visual learner :D

Tutorial for Herringbone quilt  

finished size approx. 50” x 56”

All seams are scant 1/4”

Fabrics:

1. Between 6 - 12 different fabrics, fat quarters in pairs of at least 2 of each fabric or 1/4 yard cuts, totaling  3 yards. 
2. 1/4 yard for end triangles - could be a fabric from group A or a coordinating fabric. 
3. 3/8 yard for small squares to coordinate or contrast with fabric from group A.

Organize:

Determine how your fabrics transitions from one to another. Arrange them in desired order.

Note: From each 1/4 yd cut (0r pair of fat quarters) you will get 10 pairs, enough for 2 herringbone strips across the quilt. Therefore your order of fabrics will repeat once along the length of the quilt.

Cutting:
        Group A:   If you have 1/4 yd cuts, cut each piece in half as if cutting into fat quarters (9” x 20”).

        Group B:   ~Cut 5 - 8 1/2" squares*

~Cut each in half diagonally to make 10 

triangles 

~Cut 5 of these triangles in half to make 

10 smaller triangles.

You should have 5 large triangles remaining.

*NOTE: if you can’t get 5 - 8 1/2” squares from your WOF, cut the last 

2 squares 8” but use the 8 1/2” squares for the 3rd step above - see diagram

    Group C:  ~Cut into 6 - 2” X WOF

                    ~ cut each into 2 - 2 x 20” strips 

Sew and Subcut: 
~For each pair of 9” x 20” fabric, sew a 2” strip from Group C onto one of 

   the pieces matching the 20” sides. Press seam toward C strip. 

~Subcut both pieces into 2” strips. You will have 10 - 2” x 9” pieces and 

   10 - 2” x 10.5” pieces.

~Pair one strip of each ~you will have 10 sets.

~Arrange into 5 piles in the order that you want them to go together 

    - See  Organize.

Sewing:

You will be using one of your piles of strips, one large triangle and 2 small triangles.

       ~With the large triangle arranged with its point facing up, sew the 

          strip without the small square to the left side of triangle 

        - see picture. Press seam toward triangle.

~Sew matching strip with small square to the right side of the triangle, matching seams carefully ~see picture. Press seam toward strip.

~Continue in this pattern in the order you arranged your fabrics until 

   you have used all your sets.

~Add a small triangle to each each side ~ left first, then right. 

Picture for illustration only. You should have 24 rows.

You have finished the first band of the herringbone.

Trimming:

~Lay your band out flat on your cutting mat. Using your ruler and rotary cutter, measure 5 1/4” from the center of the small diamond to each side and trim. 

Picture for illustration only. 

Follow the directions for each of 5 bands making sure you keep your fabrics in the same order.  

Once all 5 bands are sewn and trimmed, sew bands together, matching seams carefully. 

Quilting:

Sandwich, quilt and bind as desired.

Enjoy!

If there are any questions or something is unclear, please let me know and I will try to clarify.  I have made this quilt in flannel and in homespun cotton with lam′e triangles and squares. Both with beautiful results.  If you make this quilt, I would love to see it!  Thanks!

Edit: Click here for a PDF link to my tutorial.