Cut out one piece of interfacing to 6” x 9” and iron it onto the back of one of the pieces of fabric.
Cut elastic into two pieces measuring 7” each.
Place the two pieces of fabric right sides together.
5. Measure a 3 inch opening in the top so you can turn it right side out when you are finished sewing.
6. Sew the top and bottom edges only.
7. Place the elastic inside the mask and pin it to the top and bottom of each side, keeping it entirely encased in the fabric. It will be on the outside when you turn it later.
8. Sew each side completely closed, back-stitching on the elastic.
9. Turn the mask right side out from the hole you left in the top.
10. Press the mask flat and add 2-3 pleats.
11. Pin the pleats flat.
12. Stitch all around the edge of the mask to enclose it and lock the pleats in place.
Now your mask is ready! Wash it thoroughly and use it or donate it to those in need.
Tips:
Be sure to use new fabric, not vintage, that is tightly woven. You can even use polyester or moisture-wicking fabric.
If you wish, you can finish the top edge before you stitch the mask together and leave a small opening in the top so that a filter can be inserted into the mask.
If you don’t have elastic, you can attach ties to the sides of the mask so that it can be tied on rather than looped around the ears.
This mask is not as effective as the N95 or P95 masks used by healthcare professionals, but it can help.
If you want to donate your masks, go to “One Million Mask Challenge” or “Deaconess” and check your local needs. If you wish to donate, follow instructions for drop off, keep social distance, and do not drive up to the hospital unauthorized.
Running out of elastic? Watch this tutorial to learn how to create a face mask using fabric ties!
Adding curves into a quilting project has generally been considered a daunting task reserved only for the most skilled and experienced quilters. Curves don’t have to be a challenge anymore though! Jenny has stitched up some beautiful projects that include curves, but as always she has made them easy, approachable and fun!
Push your quilting skills a little farther and challenge yourself with some of these lovely projects, all of which feature curves that will make your quilt stand out from the rest. If this week’s Triple Play proves anything, it’s that curves don’t have to be impossible anymore. Don’t let the challenge overcome you though! Just remember, finished is better than perfect!
Jump right in and let those curves shine with the Easy Clamshell Quilt! These fabulous design features nothing but curves, but is made incredibly simple by the Missouri Star Drunkard’s Path Circle Template Set. The layered clamshell effect created by this template is absolutely stunning and gives the finished quilt both depth and character.
The movement in this quilt is so pronounced, it’s almost as if you’re standing on the beach watching the waves crash against the shore! Break out your Missouri Star Drunkard’s Path Large Circle Template Set and get to work capturing the ocean!
With all the talk about waves, it’s almost impossible not to think of a nautical theme for this project. Give your Waves Quilt the full treatment with Deep Blue Sea 10″ Stackers by Jen Allyson for Riley Blake. These adorable squares feature nautical motifs, stars and sea creatures that will better assist you in capturing the vast waves of the oceans!
We all love traditional, vintage quilts here at Missouri Star Quilt Co. The Old Mill Path Quilt is no exception either, as it draws it’s inspiration from an antique 1929 pattern by the name of The Mill Wheel! The curves in this project are just beautiful and are again made so simple by the inclusion of a template!
Keep this one traditional by using vintage fabrics including florals and flour sack designs. You won’t regret the classic, time-honored look created by this simple tip! If you’re needing just a little more inspiration, check out Hat Box Sundaes by Andover Fabrics. These delicate 10″ squares feature flowers, paisley and leaves on soft and rich backgrounds that will make you long for days long forgotten!
There’s so many curves in the Cornered Drunkard’s Path Quilt it’s unbelievable! The real twist is however, how easy this gorgeous quilt is to create! For this project, you’ll need the Easy Circle Cut Ruler for EZ Quilting as well as some basic applique skills, but have no fear, Jenny explains everything in her video tutorial so that anyone can create this masterpiece!
Solids play a big part in the wonder of this quilt. The contrast of the background fabric behind the highlighted color makes the design pop! If you haven’t had a chance to make a quilt this year featuring the Kona Color of the Year, now is the opportunity! The Kona Cotton 2020 Color of the Year Enchanted Ten Squares are the perfect choice of 10″ squares to make this quilt a real enchanted treasure!
The Forget-Me-Not Quilt was designed to show support for Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and is dedicated to Jenny’s sweet mother-in-law, Irene Doan, who lost her life to Alzheimer’s in 2020. This incredible quilt is not only a phenomenal dedication to the memory of a wonderful person, but an elegant design to promote awareness for a worthy cause.
We can’t think of any way to make this project better. Jenny gave this one her all and we think it’s just perfect as it is. Pick up the Missouri Star Petal Template and two packs of Wilminton Essentials Amethyst Royale 5 Karat Gems and you’ll be ready to stitch together one of the most beautiful projects Missouri Star has ever created.
Join Jenny, Misty and Natalie in the latest Triple Play from Missouri Star Quilt Co as the trio each creates their own custom design based on the classic Drunkard’s Path block! These three patterns all include curves, but each is so uniquely different it’s incredible to know they’re all from the same inspiration!
Writing to you from the comfort of home is a privilege in this fast-paced world. I often find myself between places, driving long distances or flying to far-off locations to visit quilters around the world. It can be hard to feel comfortable in such circumstances, but I’ve found out something incredible about the quilting world. No matter where I go, as long as I can find a quilt shop, I feel right at home. After all, home is where the quilts are!
Home is such a lovely place to be. I recently dug into my sewing studio for some spring cleaning and unearthed some truly vintage finds! It’s been a pleasure to sort through my treasured fabric stash and remember what I really love about quilting…
…the feel of the fabric, the joy of selecting a stack of prints and sewing them together without a pattern. Cutting, stitching, pressing, and repeating the process over and over. There’s something very comforting about it and I look forward to spending time with these simple creative pursuits whenever I get a spare moment.
This spring, let’s dig into quilting with renewed vitality! Do what is necessary to start fresh, whether it’s a bit of light cleaning and dusting or a major fabric stash overhaul, and you’ll be amazed to find yourself itching to get back behind a sewing machine again. Celebrate the art of quilting by treating your machine, your fabrics, and your space with gratitude and you’ll be rewarded every time.
Love, Jenny
“Home is such a lovely place to be!” This message from Jenny is truly comforting as many of us prepare to stay indoors. As we watch the bustling world around us wind down, we notice the incredible way people have worked together to keep one another safe, educated, and inspired during these trying times.
Here at Missouri Star, community is something very close to our hearts and BLOCK Magazine is a big part of that. This “idea book” is a way for us to share with you how quilting has impacted our little part of the world. When you open an issue of BLOCK, you become apart of our community as we connect with you through authentic stories and photos and the sharing of ideas.
We recently redesigned BLOCK Magazine into something we feel is a better visual representation of who we are and what we value: YOU and our ability to educate and inspire you to create. We still have all the same content you love, but we’ve added more for you to truly experience and feel the joy that creativity brings to us all!
Things like…
The Ruby Sensation Sew-Along which comes in FIVE parts! A new sew-along block will be featured in each issue that comes out this year. (If you’re not subscribed, you’ll want to do so now so you won’t miss a step!)
A mix and match of patterns and prints (Unique, modern patterns meet traditional prints, and vice versa)
Educational articles with helpful tips and tricks and even, fun articles like celebrating local history!
10 step by step quilt patterns, bonus mini projects, and gift ideas!
Jenny’s Journal (See what Jenny’s working on. You may see something you’d like to try!)
And as always, there are NO ads and your subscription ships free!
Take a look behind the scenes and get a sneak peek of what’s inside our upcoming issue:
In the next issue, you’ll discover how to turn your adventures into a quilt filled with your favorite appliquéd states with the Road Trip pattern. Choose your own or embellish them for a customized quilt (or pillow!)
BLOCK’S photo-stylist, Jennifer Dowling, and sister, Maggie proudly display their favorite appliquéd states next to the Christopher S. Bond Bridge in Kansas City, MO.
BLOCK Magazine’s creative director, Christine Ricks, stands atop the National WWI Museum and Memorial displaying patriotic colors in the Luminary quilt. This is a great spot to take a good look at Kansas City’s gorgeous architecture and Union Station!
Alongside the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Christine cozies up with the Wonder quilt, a design by Katie Larson.
This center, located in Kansas City, MO, only 60 miles from Missouri Star, is a place where people from all over come to discover culture and community through theater, art, music, and history.
Over $50 worth of information is packed into each bi-monthly issue of BLOCK Magazine for just $7.99! ($9.99 bi-monthly for Canadian subscriptions.)
We’re quilting with curves, but don’t you worry! The Drunkard’s Path block has just one simple seam, and when you master that curve…the sky’s the limit!
Jenny’s Design
For this month’s Triple Play tutorial, Jenny, Natalie, and Misty each designed a brand new Drunkard’s Path quilt. (I can’t wait to hear which is your favorite!)
Quilts are an incredible thing. Whether they’re hanging on the wall or tucked safely upon a bed, they add an artistic flair to the room. Clean, colorful quilts with plenty of white space can brighten up the room, but sometimes a darker touch can really add a comfortable and cozy ambiance.
Quilts that utilize bold color choices complimented by black and dark space aren’t just for the Fall season! These beautiful quilts draw attention and focus to the complimenting colors, creating a wonderful effect that makes the designs pop. Check out these five darker quilts and find some inspiration to break from traditional choices and make a bold statement!
Warm yourself with the Here Comes the Sun Quilt! This fabulous Dresden plate quilt creates rising or setting suns among dark backgrounds. To make this even easier, Missouri Star created the Large Dresden Plate Template for 10″ Squares so that this quilt can be created by any level of quilter! Grab yourself some Layer Cakes (10″ Squares) and quilt until the sun rises!
Can’t decided between Layer Cakes or Jelly Rolls? Don’t want to go too bold when muted backgrounds still compliment the focus colors? The Rising Star Quilt is the best of both worlds! Pick up both precut fabrics and create a lovely star pattern using more prominent colors against a muted grey background for a quilt that both pops and still feels traditional and conservative.
Not a fan of Layer Cakes? How about a simple, beginner’s Jelly Roll Quilt! The Town Square Quilt uses Jelly Rolls (2.5″ Strips) pieced together with a black background to make a beautiful quilt that is full of traditional elements coupled with modern flair. We LOVE Jenny’s choice of colors on this project and there is no doubt that the Town Square Quilt would change the dynamic of any room it’s found in!
Create an optical illusion with this take on the Disappearing Hourglass Quilt that we like to call the Disappearing Hourglass Crazy Eight Quilt! By piecing together Layer Cakes (10″ Squares) you’ll be able to create a stunning effect hidden within the beauty of this design. Look closely and maybe you’ll see the hidden hourglass design in this amazing quilt!
Grab the Missouri Star Small Tumbler Template and three Charm Packs (5″ Squares) and you’re ready to create an easy Sashed Tumbler Quilt! There’s no limit to the incredible color combinations you can create with this pattern and think how gorgeous those colors will be with a dark background fabric! Highlight your favorite Charm Packs or create a themed quilt with this simple quilt tutorial!
