Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Homespun Thanksgiving Quilt, Part 2

Okay, on to the piecing directions. (See yesterday's post for fabric requirements and cutting directions.)

PIECING THE FLYING GEESE BLOCKS FOR THE INNER BORDER:

When I made this quilt, I pieced the flying geese blocks first to get them out of the way. The main body of the geese are the 28 4-1/2" x 2-1/2" rectangles. The side triangles are made using 56 of the 2-1/2" cream squares (the remaining 4 squares are corner blocks). I found a couple of websites that have better directions (with illustrations) for block making than I could give you here. So, to make the 28 flying geese blocks, click HERE and follow the steps.

PIECING THE SNOWBALL BLOCKS FOR THE CENTER:

Divide the 49 4-1/2" squares into two piles: 25 of the lightest squares and 24 of the darkest squares. With the lightest squares, you'll attach the darker 2" squares; with the darker squares, you'll attach the cream colored 2" squares.

For directions on making the snowball blocks, click HERE and follow the steps. HOWEVER, note that instead of 9-1/2" squares and 3-1/2" squares as shown in the illustrations, you'll be using 4-1/2" squares and 2" squares. And remember--add the cream colored 2" squares to the corners of the darker 4-1/2" squares, and add the darker 2" squares to the corners of the lighter 4-1/2" squares.

PUTTING THE QUILT TOGETHER:

This is where a design wall comes in handy. If you don't have one, find a space where you can lay out your snowball blocks in 7 rows by 7 columns. Start placing the snowball blocks with a dark-cornered block to begin and alternate dark cornered blocks with light cornered blocks--here's a photo of my quilt so you have a visual reference:


Once you have your blocks laid out and placed so there are no repeats of the same color bordering each other, sew the blocks together, 7 to each row, 7 rows.

For each inner border, sew 7 flying geese blocks together. To the snowball center of the quilt, add a flying geese border to the top and bottom. To the remaining flying geese borders, add a plain 2-1/2" cream colored square to each end; press. Attach these to the sides of the quilt top.

Next, you'll add the final borders. Cut two of the 4-1/2" x WOF cream colored strips 32-1/2" long, and add these strips to the top and bottom of the quilt top. Cut the remaining two 4-1/2" x WOF cream colored strips 40-1/2" long, and add these strips to the sides of the quilt top.

DONE! Well, sort of. To the borders, using your favorite applique method, add the letters that spell your favorite Thanksgiving dishes. (I used wool for my letters and added them by machine as I was quilting the quilt.) Email me if you'd like me to email you a PDF document containing my 4" alphabet--please make sure I have your email address; if you don't hear back from me within 24 hours, it's probably because you've commented and are "no-reply," so I can't contact you.

And don't forget to post your finished quilt to your blog and let me know, or send a photo to me--I'd really love to see it!

P.S.: No time to make this quilt before Thanksgiving? Don't celebrate Thanksgiving? Here's the solution: You could make this quilt in your favorite Christmas fabrics and add the names of your favorite Christmas goodies to the border. This would make a fairly fast, cute Christmas gift as well.

26 comments:

paulette said...

Hi Kim!
Love your little quilt/table topper/wall hanging! I would love a copy of the letters- would save me from doing my own! Thanks for the tutorial and letters!
Paulette
pauletteadoyle@gmail.com

Dena said...

Great tutorial and I love your quilt.

Anonymous said...

I love this quilt, Kim, and thank you for the offer of the letters! Please email to pnf1965@warwick.net. Thank you so much! Florence

Anonymous said...

Hi Kim
I already have my blocks done, I just need to put on the borders and words.
Thanks sew much
Dorothy
grumpy456@aol.com this is my address for the letters.
thanks again

Nancy Near Philadelphia said...

This is one of your cutest efforts yet, Kim. I'd be tickled pink to receive your alphabet at nancymstevens@comcast.net

Many thanks and happy turkey . . .

Micki said...

This project looks like such fun! It is just lovely!
Micki

Jackie said...

Kim, love the quilt and am working on it. Please send the letters. Jhendrickson6@att.net

Jackie said...

Kim, love the quilt and am working on it. Please send the letters. Jhendrickson6@att.net

Shirley--Knot-y Embroidery Lady said...

Holy Moly, power out at my house for over a day and look what I have missed. Well, I will catch up with my reading in the morning.

Hugs!

whistlebet57 said...

Please e-mail the PDF document containing my 4" alphabet. I love your site. it is very fun and informative.
Thanks so much. My e-mail is
whistlebet57@yahoo.com
Thanks, Beth

Julia said...

Love the pattern. Please email me the pdf alphabets. U R so creative. Thanks for sharing.
jlensi424@gmail.com

Cindy said...

Love your Thanksgiving table topper and web site. Could u please send me your pdf letters. Thank you Cindy

email: davidsonmc@aol.com

Patti L. said...

Could you please e-mail me the letters for the Thanksgiving quilt? I have just found this pattern and my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving!!! Thank you so much in advance, Patti Levine

plautumn@yahoo.com

Stan said...

Could you please email the alphabet letters to me? Your quilt is so cute! I have just found your site. Thank you heaps!
Stan

email: capjricho@bigpond.com

Anonymous said...

Love your Thanksgiving quilt. Could you send me the letters. Email: kcpark@cox.net. Thank you!

Domestic Designer said...

I would love the PDF for the letters! You are so kind to share. Thanks!
DD
Iveydrmom@yahoo.com

Pam said...

I would love to have the letters, please! I love this quilt!

pam8909@gmail.com

Unknown said...

This is such a cute quilt! Starting next year, I know it will become a family tradition to have it on the table! Please send me the pdf file for the letters. Thanks so much! karlie_bill@ yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I love the quilt and like the idea of a Christmas version. I would appreciate the alphabet also. My address is babykitty106@yahoo.com

Thank you so much.
Brenda

Anonymous said...

Love this quilt can I have the letters please thanks

Cathy said...

Love the tutorial. This is great. Please email me the letters. Cjpfahl@aol.com. Thanks. Again, I think this is a great project.

Anonymous said...

Hi Kim, Thanks for the tutorial. Great idea for the upcoming holidays and easy to complete. Please email the letters to me at sarena2121@gmail.com. Thanks...again!

Anonymous said...

Hi Kim. I too am looking forward to making this table topper. It's too cute. Please email a copy of the letters to me at kfachner@hotmail.com.

Anonymous said...

Hi Kim, I just found your Homespun Thanksgiving quilt. If available I'd love to have the PDF of the letters. Please send to jmbfarms@fairfaxmo.net

Unknown said...

I would love a copy of your letters please. I want to make a Christmas table topper and maybe a thanksgiving one too, if have time we are trying to move and downsize at same time.
PrincessBrenda106@gmail.com thank you very much for the letters.

Unknown said...

Love the quilt. Would love the letters if you still have them. Thank you. Ypu can send to grammylee@roadrunner.com