A Visit from Scotland!

We were so excited about this pair of friends who were shopping in Hamilton today that we wanted to share their story with you!

Meet Margaret Digance from Kingseat, Scotland. She’s a retired School Assistant for special needs kids ages 11-16 years old.

She’s never quilted, though she first “bumped into” quilting 12 years ago. She and her husband were staying in a hotel in Canada and all of the rooms were full because of a quilting convention. (Easy to imagine, right?! Ha!)

According to Margaret, people don’t quilt in Scotland. They knit, crochet and embroider because of all the wool.

margaret 2

Margaret had never heard of Missouri Star or Jenny until her friend Julie, who lives in Kansas City, brought her up today.  They sent the men to the golf course, too! Can you believe the men thought the ladies would only be here for a few hours?! Haha!

These photos are from the Penney’s Quilt Shop store (which we’ll profile in the next Hamilton Visitor’s Guide post).

Margaret said “it was like sweet shoppe” and she was “gob-smacked” at all of the color. So cool! She says she loves the pale pastels like duck egg (the American equivalent would be “robin’s egg” blue. Ha!) She fell in love with the dresden bag and the modern patterns in the shop.

We LOVED meeting you, Margaret and Julie! Until we see you again, happy stitching!

An English Affair

I am in love with Downton Abbey and was so excited when the I heard we were going to be getting the fabric in the shop. A customer service gal and I squealed like little girls and talked about Downton throughout the day! There is fabric from most of the main female characters: Mary, Edith, Sybil and the Dowager Countess. What do I make with this fabric is always the big question?!Downton Abbey Ladies

After a bit of consideration I had an epiphany, a Union Jack, what else!

DA-British-Flag

MSQC has a really cute pattern for a Union Jack quilt, but I wanted the whole thing to be one giant flag. I found a website that told me how to draw a Union Jack and so I took their instructions and have edited them for a 40″x80″ quilt. And BONUS, it’s a quilt with no weird angle cutting!

Set your tea and biscuits aside, cause I’m going to tell you how I did it!

Here’s what you’ll need:

3 different shades of fabric for the quilt top: a light, medium and dark. This is what I used,

fby10322Light = 1.5 yards

fby10294Medium = 1.5 yards

fby10291 Dark = 2 yards*

*(This also includes enough to bind the quilt)

Backing:

The backing amount is a bit tricky. 2.5 yards is just enough to cover the back, but talk to your quilter before hand to see how much you’ll need for leaders cause you might need to get 5 yards and back stitch.

Step 1: Cut everything

Start with the dark fabric –

Cut 4 rectangles at 13.5″ x 33.25″. The rest will be for binding later.

Medium fabric –

Cut one (1) strip at 8″ x 40″ and two (2) at 8″ x 35″. Next cut four (4) strips at 2.75″ x 36.5″.

Light fabric –

Cut four (4) strips at 2.75″ x 35 and four (4) strips at 2.75″ x 13.5″. Now cut four (4) strips at 8″ x 36.5″.

Step 2: Start Sewing

Break out the pins because they will be your best friends!

Take one of the medium strips that is 2.75 x 36.5″ and pin it on top of the light fabric that measures 8 x 36.5″ so that one side has a 1.25″ border and the other  is 4″ border. Sew them together, right on top of each other. Repeat this 3 more times.

Next, you want to pin and sew your new strips to your dark rectangles. Use the link here, to eyeball where the strips should line up. Pin and sew. Trim off the overhang and repeat 3 more times.

Congrats you’ve just created the Cross of St. Patrick!! Now let’s create the Cross of St. George!

Double check yourself that you have each rectangle facing the right way, two of them should have the large light strip up and two has it down, and sew on the light strip of 2.75 x 13.5″. (Don’t be afraid to pick if it’s the wrong way, I did!)

Proceed to sew the light strip measuring 2.75 x 35″ to the top of two and the bottom of two.

This is what your pieces should look like right now:

Union Jack

Add the medium fabric of 8 x 35″ in between two of the rectangles (horizontal). Double check that your rectangles are going the right way with the link above. Repeat for the other side.

Now all you have to do is add the vertical bar of medium fabric, 8 x 40″, to connect the two sides.

Voila! A Union Jack with no angle cutting! Beat that govna!

Step 3: Put the kettle on and enjoy a cup of tea!

Don’t be afraid of the imperfections, mine has them all over the place but that makes me love it even more!

DA-Precuts

Don’t forget to check out our line of precuts! Downton Abbey Precuts

DA---Flag

Cheers!

Kate

Precut Tuesday!

Ducks in a Row by American Jane for Moda

Ducks in a row

Ducks-in-a-row-Collage

 

1. Kona Cotton Solids – Bone Yardage 2. Kona Cotton – Canary Yardage

3. Kona Cotton – Tomato Yardage 4. Kona Cotton – Peridot Yardage

Hapi by Amy Butler for Moda

Hapi-(fs)-Collage

1. Kona Cotton – Peacock Yardage 2. Kona Cotton – Jade Green Yardage

3. Designer Solids – Manatee Yardage 4. Designer Solids – Black Yardage

Weeds by My Sister and Me for Moda

Weeds

Weeds-Collage

1. Bella Solids – Betty’s Red Yardage 2.Bella Solids – White Bleached Yardage

3. Bella Solids – Pewter Yardage 4. Bella Solids – Black Yardage

Happy Matching!

Kate

Fabric Friday!

Middleton Place by Whistler Studios for Windham

Middleton Place-FF

Mormor by Whistler Studios for Windham

Mormor

Winter Wonderland byBunny Hill Designs for Moda

Winter Wonderland-FF

Have a great day!

Kate

Float Your Boat!

Sum-, sum-, summertime is here!!  Let’s get the boat out on the lake for some fishing, water skiing and other fun boating activities. Come and learn how to make the adorable Sailboat quilt with Jenny Doan in the morning then spend the rest of the day assembling your quilt-top fleet!

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Check-in for the event opens at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, 28 so you’ll have plenty of time to visit the store, purchase your supplies and get your sewing space all set up. The store opens at 9 a.m. and our class will start at 10 a.m. You can stay and sew until 5 p.m. if you’d like!!

QUESTIONS? Contact us at retreats@missouriquiltco.com or call 888 571-1122 from 8:30am to 5:00pm (Central), Monday through Friday.