Frequency Quilt Tutorial

Here it is folks - the tutorial for my Frequency Quilt (a wonky zig-zag/chevron quilt), also known as the Fat Really Off Kilter quilt!  It's the first quilt I've made just for me and I'm going to love snuggling up under it this winter (at the rate I'm going I hope it will be quilted in time for winter.) Most of my quilts are tucked away or given away so I can't wait to enjoy this one. I've even been dragging my husband around the house showing him how great it looks on different couches and our bed (to his credit he ooohs and ahhhs appropriately.)

I fell in love with Saffron Craig's Banksia Bloom fabrics as soon as I saw them, and (how lucky am I?) Saffron generously sent me a lovely bundle of the complete range! Kookaburras are my favourite bird, and so I was particularly thrilled when I saw how beautiful the fabrics looked (and felt) up close. I must admit, I was nervous cutting them up as many of them are bigger prints and I wanted her designs to shine, but I think they look fabulous against the Kona Ash background. I've kept back some of the large kookaburra fabric to make a couple of matching throw cushions for the couch.

So I've pushed myself to get this tutorial out before easter as a little present to you. I even made up a short video explaining a quick way of putting the blocks together. At the bottom of this post is instructions on how to modify the pattern for a baby sized Frequency quilt.

This throw size quilt its actually bigger than intended. I meant to make 10 patterned zig zags, but accidentally made 11. For the tutorial I'll use my original size of 10 zigzags (size: 60" x 77",  153cm x 195cm).

What you need:

• 10 fat quarters of patterned fabric (if using american fat quarters - 18" x 22" - you will need to cut carefully as you will only just have enough). Alternatively you could use 13" (35cm) each of 10 patterned fabrics - you will have quite a bit of fabric left over for the back.
•  75" (1.9m) of plain background fabric
• neutral thread for piecing, rotary cutter, ruler and mat, sewing machine with 1/4" foot

Cutting:

• from each of the 10 patterned fabrics cut eight 6" x 6.5" rectangles (if cutting from an american fat quarter cut three 6" x 22" strips and then cross-cut these into eight 6.5" x 6" rectangles.)
• from the plain background fabric cut 12, 6" strips, selvedge to selvedge, and then cross-cut these strips into 80, 6.5" x 6" rectangles.

Note: It is important to use a 1/4" seam to end up with a square block.

Putting the blocks together:

Take a patterned and a plain rectangle (they should be exactly the same size)...

Put the patterned fabric on top, right side facing up (if the background fabric has a right side make sure that is facing up too.) The rectangles should be positioned so that the longer edge is lying horizontally. Make sure all of the edges are lined up so you can't see the background fabric underneath. Using your rotary cutter and ruler make a diagonal cut, slanting to the right, through both layers from bottom to top (pictured below). You can vary the position and angle of the cut, but have this first cut slanting to the right.

Then take the top patterned fabric from the pile on the right and put it under the plain fabric (still facing up, keeping the same orientation.)

Sew the top two peices together along the diagonal edge, right sides facing. As you do this make sure the top and bottom edges cross over where the 1/4" seam will go, so you will have little triangular 'ears' at the top and bottom of the block, as shown.

Then sew the bottom layer of fabrics together in the same manner. Iron the seams towards the patterned fabric. We will call these "R" blocks (to the right.) They should measure 6" x 6" raw edge to raw edge. If not you may need to adjust your seam a little. It is important to make sure your completed blocks are square so you don't have to trim them before sewing them all together.

In the same manner, layer another patterned and plain rectangle and make a diagonal cut, but this time slant it to the left. I like to make my blocks random by varying the angle and position of the cut.

Continue to put the blocks together as described above.

We will call these "L" blocks (to the left.) They should also measure 6" square raw edge to raw edge.

So, now you have two R blocks and two L blocks. Continue in this manner until you have 8 R blocks and 8 L blocks (16 blocks using the same patterned fabric.)

I like to cut multiple blocks at a time by stacking and cutting through two pairs of fabric to speed up the process.

To see an alternatively (even quicker) way to cut and put these blocks together check out this little video I put together. A couple of things I forgot to mention in the video:

• Arrange the rectangles so that the longest edge is horizontal.
• If your background fabric has a right side, make sure the first piece you lay down is facing down and the second one is facing up.
• It doesn't matter which way you cut the fabric (slanting to the right or left)

Using this method you will end up with two R blocks and two L blocks.

Once you have sewn 16, 6" square blocks with each of your 10 fabrics (160 blocks in total), you will be ready to put the quilt together.

You can organise the blocks in a number of ways to make your quilt but I have shown two here. For a more subdued look you may like this way - alternate R and L blocks (you can see how it looks in the baby size here.)

For a slightly more random look you may like it this way (this is the way I arranged my quilt - ordered randomness!)

Or you could go completely random. Which ever way you choose to arrange your blocks, lay out your 16 blocks in a row (I have only shown 10 blocks across.) Then lay out another row of 16 blocks to make the next zig zag.

Keep going...

until you have laid out 10 patterned zig zags (the photo below shows 11 zig zags).

Starting in one corner sew the blocks together into diagonal rows.

And then sew the rows together being careful to match the seams, especially where the patterned fabric meets up. Iron well.

You may like to pin the rows together to increase accuracy.

Once you have sewn all of the rows together it should look something like this:

Trim the triangular edges off and your quilt top is complete!

If you're tempted to make your own "Frequency" quilt using Saffron Craig's gorgeous fabrics you can pick up your own bundle here.

It's really easy to adjust the pattern to whatever size you like. You can change the size of the blocks (just make sure one side is 1/2" longer than the other) and/or change the number of blocks.

If you would like to make a baby sized quilt like the one pictured above (37.5" x 43", 95cm x 109cm) you will need:

• 5" (13cm) each of eight different patterned fabrics
• 33" (85cm) of plain background fabric.

Just cut

• seven 4.5" x 5" rectangles from each of the eight different patterned fabrics and 
• 56, 4.5" x 5" rectangles of plain fabric (cut seven 4.5" strips, selvedge to selvedge, and cross cut into 5" x 4.5" rectangles.)

Follow the instructions above, using the photo as a guide to put this little cutie together. I arranged this one pretty randomly.

I hope it all makes sense. Happy Easter everybody!

Sewing for my girls

I don't sew clothes for my littlies. Clothes are much trickier than quilts, and once I've gone to all that effort my kids are likely to get them horribly dirty the first time they wear them. But... I made an exception for these super simple sun dresses for my girls. I used the pattern from Prints Charming's book, and even found the exact fabric that they used in the book! Because the fabric's so bright and busy you wont even notice the stains :)

 
Sarah is back to school. Last year I offered to make Sarah a library bag, but she didn't want a home-made one, she wanted one the same as everyone else at school (a plain cloth one). This year, when I asked her again, she decided that a home made one would be nice - but it must have a shoulder strap. I quickly whipped this up, using my Heather Ross fabric, before she could change her mind. I told her that every time she looked at it she could remember how much I loved her.

I couldn't help myself and made her a pencil case too (modelled by Gracie.)

Using some lovely Rockdots fabric by Umbrella Prints for the lining.

It's nice using up these precious fabrics on my precious ones.

"Frequency" quilt top

As you can see I went with option 3 - Fat really off kilter (that could describe me on a bad day... haha). I've named it "Frequency" because the zig zag is a little random like a frequency wave (and to be honest, "Fat Really Off Kilter" sounds a little offensive.)

I like it! And it didn't waste a scrap of fabric (except the bits trimmed off the edges, but I'm considering using those on the back.) Now I'm ready to start on my quilt with Saffron's fabrics.

I'd like to try the skinny version too (of me and the quilt!)

Anyone interested in a tutorial of how to put this super simple wonky chevron quilt together?

By the way, Gracie has a fat lip because she fell over three times this morning. She's always going at full speed!

What I'm Reading

All incredibly inspirational in their own way!

Quilt for Tasmanian Bush Fire Quilt Appeal

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on my 'off kilter' chevron design. It has still been difficult to make a decision on which one to use though, because there are so many different favourites (can you please all get together first, and then let me know which one you've chosen :)). My original favourite was option 4 "Skinny really off kilter", but quite a few of you made a valid point - that the fat design will show off Saffron's fabric much better, so it's down to design 1 or 3.

Yesterday I also got an email from Jess (from The Elven Garden) who said:

"In the last week, we have had some major bush fires in Tasmania, and over 200 homes have been destroyed or severely damaged. I'm organising a quilt appeal to donate quilts to the kids who've been affected by the fires."

All the pertinent information is in this blog post: http://theelvengarden.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/tassie-bush-fire-quilt-appeal.html"

 

Fantastic work Jess! I've been waiting for someone to organise something like this. The fires continue to burn around Australia and there is a great need out there. I want to donate something, so I thought I'd make up a baby quilt for the quilt appeal while trying out my design. 

Here's the first option using some of Aneela Hoey's fabrics with  a pale pink background.

And then by just switching some of the blocks you get option 3, a more zingy, random design.

The first one is more calming and the other more fun I think. I might be leaning towards the first.

My thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the devastating bush fires. If you would like to donate a quilt or money please go to Jess' blog to get all of the information.

Opinion on my chevron design?

I've finally decided to make myself a quilt.

The fabric: Saffron Craig's gorgeous organic Banksia Bloom collection. Kookaburras are my favourite bird and I love what Saffron has done with this range, the colours, the designs... all of it.

As for the quilt design: I want to keep it simple, and I thought I might give chevron a go, but you know me, I can't just leave it alone. I've had a play in my EQ6 program, coming up with some stack and slash designs that are a bit off kilter (I wouldn't want to waste any of this fabric). These diagrams will give you a rough idea. The finished quilt will measure about 60" x 76" - a nice size to throw over the couch (and me when the weather cools down.)

1. Fat off kilter.

2. Skinny off kilter

3. Fat really off kilter

4. Skinny really off kilter

 

There's one I'm leaning towards. Do you have a favourite?

The scary snake story

The snake in the picture above was not the scary one (this photo was taken last week on our fabulous huge family Christmas holiday at Kangaroo Island.) I don't have a picture of the scary one that lurks in our backyard. The truly scary one is brown and about 5 feet long and the second deadliest snake in the world. When we first moved up to the hills we sat the children down and told them that they had to wear gum boots in the yard, and had to stomp around when they walked to alert any sleeping snakes to get out of the way. If they saw a snake they were to stop still and then slowly back away. 

Well, a week later while Todd was cutting the back paddock our six year old, Sarah, decided to lie down in the long grass that he hadn't cut yet. Yes, that's right LIE DOWN in the long snake infested grass! A few moments later a brown snake slithered straight over her chest. Thankfully she lay perfectly still and told me later that she didn't even breath as she didn't want to disturb the snake. Todd saw the snake but wasn't able to get to it in time to kill it. Sarah was so excited she wanted to go and lie down again in the grass in the hope that another deadly snake would slide over her again! Needless to say, we've now added to the snake safety tips 'not lying down in long grass'. Then a couple of weeks later the whole family was in the back paddock and we saw another brown snake. Todd said "everyone stand still!" Which they all did... except me who screamed and ran away - it was coming for me!

Despite the deadly snakes and spiders, I love living amongst so much wild life. I've counted 4 bird nests around the house and we've watched cute little baby birds grow up right under our noses.  We play 'spot the koala' on the way to school, and have even seen a kangaroo hopping down the road slowing up the cars. The kids love walking up the road to feed the horses and goats, and we have sheep and chickens next door.

And now to share some pics of our family holiday at Kangaroo Island. All 31 of us went away together and had such a wonderful time in the middle of nowhere, 4 wheeling, sand boarding, kayaking, swimming, eating ourselves silly, playing board games and generally just reconnecting.

I made some sock monkeys for the nephews.

They went down quite well...

even with the older boys.

Most of the photos are courtesy of my sister Ellen. You can see lots more pics of my big crazy family here.