If you’re a quilter, then you’ve seen a churndash block. It has many names because it has been around forever, but today, we’re putting our own spin on it. Jenny’s new tutorial is the Freestyle Churndash Quilt and it’s just so fun to make!
Here’s what you need to make it. Just some 10″ squares and contrasting background fabric!
Feed sacks are the perfect example of a utilitarian product turned into something beautiful. Our friend Janine Vangool (creator of UPPERCASE magazine) recently introduced us to a forthcoming book from UPPERCASE, written by author Linzee Kull McCray, who explores the history of the humble feed sack, from a plain burlap or cotton sack to exuberantly patterned and colourful bags that were repurposed into frocks, aprons and quilts by thrifty housewives in the first half of the 20th century. Extensive imagery and at-scale reproductions of these fabrics create an inspiring sourcebook of pattern and colour—and offer a welcome visit to a slower-paced way of life.
We just love to hear your stories of quilts and quilt tops made by mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers, and so many of these heirlooms are made from feed sacks. They were often made from scraps left over from sewing clothing for their children. This makes them gorgeous artifacts of a time gone by, when women found a way to make something beautiful from every bit of leftover fabric they had.
While there’s plenty of history on feed sacks and the ways they were used, we’re looking for more personal stories from the people who experienced them firsthand. We’d love to hear your stories and answers to the following questions:
Do you have a feed sack quilt made by a female relative?
Did you or someone you know ever wear a garment made from feed sacks?
How and where did they get the sacks?
What kinds of things did they make with them?
How did they feel about feed sack clothing/household linens?
Do you have any connections to historical feed sack manufacturers, designers or things of note?
To answer these questions and have your story included in this publication, please fill out the survey form HERE! We can’t wait to hear from you! The form will close on July 25th, so don’t wait!
If you’d like to know more about the book, check it out HERE!
Hello and Happy Fourth of July! My name is Christopher, otherwise known as The Tattooed Quilter, and I’m coming to you from Times Square in New York City! I grew up in a family of traditional quilters including my great grandmother, my grandmother, and my mom. Today, I’m proud to carry on this family heritage and American craft through my modern spin.
It’s no secret I’m a fan of 2 ½” strips (check out my Light Box quilt in the latest issue of ModBlock) and this quilt is the perfect project for those jellyrolls you have collecting in your stash.
TIP:LintRoll before you UnRoll your JellyRoll.This will save you from becoming covered in fuzz balls.
Working in the fashion industry by day, I’m completely surrounded by color and prints and one of my favorite combinations is tonal color on color.This simply means you pick different shades of colors in the same color group (i.e., grey: dark grey, light grey or pink: dark pink, light pink).Tonal colors are the complete opposite of contrasting colors.Mixing in prints is an easy way to build a tonal color story, especially if they’re as beautiful as Alison Glass’ Sunprints!I also love combining a neutral color such as white, grey, navy, or black with my colors—it’s a great way to ground the color.
I kept my color palette to whites, greys, pinks, and blues.I like to think of this a big ole’ slice of mixed berry cobbler.Yum!
I love how straight forward Jenny’s tutorial is!This block is fun to make and if you’re a fan of chain piecing, this one’s a dream.
I made the block exactly as Jenny did, even down to snowballing my edges.I chose to make one block with my darker color on the inside and one block with my darker color on the outside.Mixing and matching is fun!
To shake things up a bit I made one larger block simply by doubling the size of my finished smaller blocks.Enlarging a smaller block is a fun way to add drama to your project.For this project, I used a couple of Sunprint 2016Collection fat quarters that I had in my stash.
Have fun with your block placement, balancing color and print.Then join your blocks together, row-by-row until you have your finished quilt top.Layer your quilt back, batting, and quilt top together and quilt as desired.This quilt block is so easy peasy that anyone from a beginner to an advance quilter could bring it to life.
I hope you enjoyed my version as much as I enjoyed sharing it!Now, let’s go, grab the hot dogs, potato salad, a quilt, and watch the fireworks!Have a happy and safe holiday everyone!
Here’s where you can find out more about my work and me:
The courthouse is an imposing figure in any town, and if you happen to make the trek up those stately front steps, chances are you’re about to experience something memorable. From a brand new marriage license to a triumphantly contested traffic ticket, the courthouse is the place to get things done! (And hopefully you’ll walk out those doors with a new ring on your finger and not cuffs on your wrists! Ha!)
This week’s new tutorial, Courthouse Steps, is a jelly roll pattern similar to a Log Cabin. It’s easy to put together, but so pretty and eye catching.
Click on the button to watch the tutorial and get everything you need to make your own Courthouse Steps Quilt!
Fashion is a fickle thing. Just when you get used to the idea of high waists, platform soles, and billowy ruffles, the fashion world has marched on to the next big thing. The good news? If you hold onto that burnt orange double-knit lounge suit long enough, chances are it will come back into style, and your grandkids will be super impressed with your trendy digs! Of course, quilts never go out of style, they just become vintage classics!
The Susannah quilt is an old block, and today we’re making it new with fresh, modern colors. This is a quick design that packs a punch with snowballed corners, easy sashing, and cornerstones. Here’s what you need to make your own vintage-fabulous Susannah quilt!
