#948, #949, and when your done with the blocks #394 and #388

So today block is refered to as Peek Hole (948), Necktie(949), and Bowtie(949). There is a tutorial here that I posted on my other blog and it is a 3 dimensional version but still has the same finished look.
The finished quilt I am featuring in today's post was purchased at an estate auction in Pepin Wisconsin probably more than 10 years ago now.

The quilt has got some really great fabrics.  I am thinking 30's and 40's fabrics.  Some are feed sacks.

How about those yellow setting squares.  I know that was yardage as there was some of that in the fabric box I bought at the same auction.  It is only 36" wide.

The stripes, plaids and florals all blend together very well.

just another view of some more of the great fabrics. 

Finally a view of the full quilt.  Sorry it was very over cast on picture day.  This quilt is a summer quilt, meaning it has either a very light blanket or a flannel sheet for the filling.  It is hand quilted in the ditch.  I believe the quilt was never used.  I remember that it smelled like the cedar chest when I bought it.    When the blocks are put together the way these are, it is refered to as Joseph's Necktie (388,394).  I hope you enjoyed this bright cheery quilt today.

Here is a sneak peek at number 602.  I am working on the tutorial for this block.  I was also thinking this would make a great quilt along for those who need to work on perfecting their 1/4" seam allowances.  Any input or suggestions would be great for planning.  I know that a wonky version of this block was just done as a quilt along on quilt dad's blog, but mine will give exact measurements.

#400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, an answer about the book, and my entry into BQF

I had a question about the book yesterday pertaining to the patterns.  Well the book doesn't have patterns exactly.  It has drawings of the block and names the blocks go by.  It is really a reference book.  Some of the quilts or blocks I show will will be ones that I have worked up myself, like today's and the previous peekaboo, while others maybe antiques I have in my colection.  You will have to wait and see as my adventure evolves.

Todays quilt is the one from my blog header on my other blog, Adventures of Bear Creek Quilter.  I call it JaAmy L. The name came about as the quilt is made with Amy Butler fabrics, the Jacob's Ladder block and quilted with a pattern I learned from Jamie Wallen. 

Sorry about the lighting, it is a rather gray day here.  This quilt is my entry into the fall BQF, a wonder internet quilt show.  Now let me get back to explaining the pertainence to this blog.  The block used to make this quilt,

it is a variation of 6 different block explainations in the book, 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, and 405.  While I called it a Jacob's Ladder block when making the quilt, it also goes by the names Road to California, Stepping Stones, Tail of Benjamin's Kite, Underground Railroad, Trail of covered wagons, Wagon Tracks, Rocky Road to California, and Rocky Road to Oklahoma.

This quilt is mine, I love it use, I wash it in the wash machine and throw it in the dryer.  The backing is a large piece of muslin that I hand dyed purple.  It gets better with every wash.

You can kind of see some of the quilting in the next few pictures, I tried my best to be able to share it with you.  The quilting is done all freehand with no marking.  It is just right off the hip, what ever comes into my head next.  Hearts that are feathered, echoed, filled and swirls.

Enjoy and Thanks for visiting.




a close up of one of the hearts

some more of the texture created by the quilting.

Peek-a-boo finished and tutorial

I have finished the quilt from the last post. I was able

to use some fabric that I had purchased for another
baby quilt.  I had to use two fabrics for the border,
but that worked out ok.  The quilt finished 44" square.  A great size for a baby quilt.
To make the quilt you will need 3/4 of a yard of 3 different fabrics. This will make a quilt with a border that is all the same fabric.  If you like the two color border 1/3 yard of two different colors will work.  For the explaination I will use the fabric colors I have used in my quilt.

This block will finish 12" in the quilt and you will need the following

2 blue squares at 6 7/8" for each block.  You will be making 5 blocks for the quilt so you need a total of 10 squares.

Cut them in half diagonally, for a total of 20 triangles.

Now you need to cut 5 squares at 9" each.  Using the technique described here on my other blog. Sew the blue triangles to the 9" squares.  Make your 5 blocks.  They should measure 12 1/2" at this point.

Now for your other block, you will need 4 of these. 

You will be cutting your rectangles at 4 1/2" by 12 1/2"

You need 8 from the fire truck (focus) fabric

and 4 from your blue fabric.

Assemble blocks as pictured above.

Your block should measure 12 1/2"

Assemble your 9 blocks as shown in the center of this picture.

For the borders you need to cut 4 - 4 1/2" strips from the border fabric, they will need to at least measure 40 1/2".  The center of the quilt should measure 36 1/2".  Since most fabrics are narrower than 44 1/2",  I chose to use a little different technique to sew on the borders to eliminate having to piece two of the borders.

You will start to sew your first border on as you normally would.

Stop sewing the border about 5 inches from the end

Press the border as you normally would.  Now leaving the border you just sewed on at the bottom, add the second border to the right side of the quilt.

As shown here, continue stitching

when you have finished stitching the second border on it should look like this before you press the border.  After you have pressed the border leave it at the bottom of the quilt top and sew your next border on the right side again. Continue until you have sewn on all four borders.

Once you have sewn the 4th border on and pressed it, your quilt top should look like this.

Fold your first border back over and finish sewing the seam you started when you first added the border.  Press and trim.

You have now finished your quilt top.  It should measure 44 1/2".  Finished top is pictured above.

I used a 1 1/3" piece of fabric that I had for the backing.  I made a cut parallel to the selvage about 15" from the selvage.  I used left over 4 1/2" wide pieces from the front to add a strip to the backing to make it large enough so that I had the extra I needed for quilting.

Here is a picture of the back.

Here is a close up of the quilting.  I used a simple loop de loop meander.

The binding was cut at 2 1/2" and sewn on completely by machine.  I needed 5 strips to complete the binding.

If you have any questions or I need to make something more clear, please leave me a comment.

I hope you enjoyed the first of my renditions of blocks from the Key to 1000 quilt patterns.  That means I have 999 to go. I have been playing with some 2 inch strips and have a few more blocks in the works.  This will be scrap oriented, so check back soon.  If you make any projects from my blog please link back to my blog.  I also ask that you honor my copyrights and not publish these works as your own.