The Last Piece

And the Winner is...

I've just drawn the winner of the little apple pouch from the 32 is a Bushel Sew Along... and the winner is Tracey Cox! Yay Tracey, I will be in touch shortly to see what colour apple you would like on your pouch :) Congrats, and thanks so much to everyone for sewing along with my mad little apples. Here is a pic of another finished top by Linda Dawson for you all to see. I love how she's turned some of the apples upside down - they look like roses that way!

32 is a Bushel Post 4

Hi everyone and welcome to the last post of our Sew Along - covering how to put the quilt together! 

Oooh she needs a little press doesn't she... poor thing has been sat on by Chippie for the last few weeks on the couch while I've been writing the blog posts!! Sorry quilt.

The first thing to do once you’ve made all your apples and your basket is to have a good look at your blocks, and the layout of my quilt if you need some guidance, and place all your blocks out on the floor or a design wall with some space in between them, in rough rows. Take a photo with your phone, or use a ruby glass or a door peeper, or squint your eyes - whatever is your favourite method of judging colour value. Move the blocks around until you're happy with where the lights and darks are all falling. There is no need to try and place blocks of similar size together OR to make them the same  height at this stage. 

Once everything is laid out, then its time to add some pieces to the top/bottom of each apple so that everything in a row is the same height. Even though the blocks are all different sizes and shapes we are still looking for a basic, straight line patchwork row in the end. This is the point where you're going to be able to estimate the finished size of your quilt - so if you want it to be a little bigger, float a bit more fabric around each apple, or consider putting some little strips in (see the video for what I'm talking about) to add a little more height and sparkle.

Once everything is the same height, its time to start putting some pieces in between if you need to. This is going to determine the width of your quilt so again, add a little extra or shave a bit off if you need to. Remember too that you don't have to have only 32 apples! If you want a larger quilt then just add a few extra, and for a really big quilt maybe two bushel baskets and 64 apples! There's no rules to this, it's easy to customise the quilt to your needs as you go.

Putting the basket row together is the same concept, except that you're going to make all the apples at the left into one "block" thats the same height as the basket, and then stitch that block to the basket.

Heres a pic of Amy's top - see how she's inserted some little bits of apple fabric here and there for fun, but it's also acting as a spacer to make that particular row longer? If you don't have any apples, maybe leaves, or birds (to peck at the apples), or tractors....

Click here for more detail in the video, as well as a few words about the border - so have a little watch, and enjoy putting your quilt together! Here's some more photos of Amy's quilt, she's the fastest gun in the west and she's already got it quilted! (BTW she;s an ACE machine quilter, she's done quite a few of my quilts, so if you're in Detroit and needing your top quilted check her out... Big City Quilting, or @alobsiger on Instagram)

And that's the end of our Sew Along! I really hope you've all had fun making apples with me :)

The competition will remain open until September 30, so if you've made some apples or even a whole top and want to share them with the world make sure to tag me so that I can see them, and use the hashtag #32isabushel as well. each social media post is an entry, and the prize is a little apple pouch made by me, with your initial appliquéd onto it, and with a few fun goodies inside. Happy sewing peeps! x

 

32 is a Bushel Sew Along Post 3

Hi everyone! Today's video talks about making your bushel basket, and then on Friday we will discuss putting the blocks together and finishing your top! Sorry for the slight delay in posting this, we were all ready to go but we went away for a few days and the internet at the hotel wouldn't upload the large file. 

The bushel basket is easier than the apples, its really all about SCALE, so make sure your basket is tall enough before you cut the curve into the bottom. The only tricky bit is the curved piece - you don't have to do that, but its a fun technique to learn because you can use it for so many other things. The video gives you a walk through of the improv curved piecing for the top and bottom edges of the basket - you will find the link to it at the end of this post.

Make sure to take note of the order the basket is pieced together in! It's really important that you piece the centre sticks of the basket first, then the top and bottom pieces, and then start adding the background. It's all in the pattern but just a reminder as you will be quite frustrated with the result if you get things out of order. 

My friend Amy has been powering away at her apple quilt and she's finished the top! 

Don't forget to post on social media about your progress - we would all love to see, and you might just win a prize! All the details for this, to join the sew along and for earlier instructions are in the posts below this one. Have fun everyone :)

CLICK HERE for the video link.

*** Have you joined my Christmas Ornament Swap yet? All the details are on the post below!****

32 is a Bushel Sew Along Post 2

Hi everyone! Apologies for the slight lateness of this post, I was under the weather yesterday.... and thank you also for the many amusing messages about an apple a day keeping the doctor away  ;) you are cards.

If you are wanting participate in this Sew Along, there's two things you need to do! One is to SIGN UP at the link box in the post two below this one.You only need to do this ONCE. You don't get a confirmation or anything afterwards, the link just sends me your email address and IG handle if you have one. That way you are registered to do the Sew Along, and I can email you and let you know when I post new information about the apples.

The other thing you need to do is to buy the 32 is a Bushel pattern from my website. You can't make the quilt without the pattern - all the measurements and the detailed steps are in the pattern. The videos will just be a helping hand, and tips and tricks as we go. 

There will be a prize drawn at random at the end of the sew along (all the details in the below post). To enter to win the prize, all you need to do is to post on social media about the sew along or your progress in it using the tags, and TAG ME so that I can see your post. Every post is one entry.

If you aren't in the email list you will have missed the memo that I have cut some starter packs for apples for those asking! There are a few left, they're $15 AUS for 32 x 5" squares in red, green, blue or orange. To order please email me [email protected], let me know what you would like to order and I will send you an invoice via email. Heres a little preview of what might be inside - remember that these are all cut from my stash so each pack will be slightly different.

Here are a red apple, a blueberry and an orange for you! I know people have made blueberry and orange quilts in the past (if this is you, please send me a photo!)

I didn’t put leaves in my orange or my blueberry, but there’s no reason why you can’t! Note that there’s LOTS of space around them all to be trimmed back once the quilt starts to be constructed. You don’t want to limit your options.

And click here for a link to the little video I've made to help you along. As this video doesn't require a password to view, I must ask you to PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE in good faith - do not share it on Pinterest or Facebook or your own website etc. If you want to tell someone about how to do this method or about the sew along, please post or refer them to the blog posts, and don't take the content intended for the sew along without permission.

Have fun everyone and I can't wait to see your apples!! They're quick and fun and very moreish - my friend Amy started one or two the other day for fun and then had to force herself at nine to stop and make dinner. :)

 

32 is a Bushel Sew Along Post 1

Hi everyone!

This is the first post in the Sew Along for my improv apples quilt, 32 is a Bushel. If you don't already own the pattern, you will need it to participate in the Sew Along - these posts will give you some ideas and information on technique, but no measurements or fabric requirements or anything like that. You can download it here. 

If you haven't already, you also need to sign up using the form on the post below this one. The I Have your email address so I can email you when a new post is live, and to enter you to win a prize for the Sew Along!

The details about how to win a prize are also in the post below. You can enter as many times as you like, but if you aren't signed up or you don't tag me in the post then I can't contact you or see your entry :)

As this is an improv quilt, the measurements and fabric requirements ARE only approximate. What's improv? It's short for improvisational. Its a method of quilting where there isn't a PATTERN per say - more of a recipe you can follow to achieve a similar result to the designer. Your quilt will look sort of like mine, and end up sort of the. same size, but it can. never be exactly the same. I teach quite a lot of improv quilts - and I like to call my method of improv, Improv with Intent. Thats because it's not just make it all up as you go along, there are a few rules and methods you need to know in order to make the patterns. Then you can then break all the rules as you make the quilt your own!

The first thing we need to do is select fabrics, and thats what this post is all about, and then this coming Friday we will start to sew. This will give everyone a chance to get some fabrics together and cut a few things out before we launch into stitching. 

To start on Friday, all you really need is the fabric for one apple (or orange or blueberry), one leaf and stem, and some background. We will talk a little more about that at the end of this post.

All of my apples are made using different fabrics, which is some of what gives this quilt it's quirky charm. All my apples are red apples (my favourite kind), and so the fabrics I chose are PREDOMINANTLY red. That means you can add fabrics that aren't all red, but in the context of your quilt they will read as red. This goes for whatever you choose - green apples, blueberries or oranges will all need the same domination of colour in order to make the quilt successfully fruity.

You can see from the fabrics below, my interpretation of red is strong but it's also not strict. 

The feather fabric has a red background, but the feathers aren't red! When all the red fabrics are grouped together though, the red comes forward and you don't notice the coloured feathers.

This apple actually has a black background, but the red is strong so the black doesn't matter so much.

The same goes for these two apples - the one on the right is quite white really.

You'll notice that all my stems and leaves are more solid greens (although they're still patterned). Those pieces are smaller and less. of the fabric is there to be read, so it's important that the green shows strongly enough for it to be interpreted as a leaf.

The other important thing you need to gather before you start is background. From the photos above, you'll see that each apple has the same fabric around it, but that all the fabrics are different. The trick to successful scrap quilts (and this is very much a scrap quilt!) is having a constant. 

I have 32 different red fabrics, but only two green fabrics. All the apples are RED, all the leaves and stems are GREEN. Those are both constants. I have dozens of white and off white fabrics for my backgrounds, but they are mostly all black and white with no colour, they are all small scale prints, and they all have good contrast with the apples and the stems. You could use any colour you like for your backgrounds, but they need to have GOOD CONTRAST or you won't see apples, you will see the SEAMS in the blocks and no special shapes. 

Playing to your theme will also help to hold your quilt together. My quilt is all apples - I have apple shaped blocks of course, but I also have a few apple fabrics in my "filler" pieces 

And I have an apple border, and even apple backing!

Of course, you don't need to go that far. It's fun though to put some things into your quilt that will make the viewer smile.  After all, these quilts are not serious objects, they're supposed to be a big quirky, a bit fun and a bit off the wall. 

Your pattern tells you how much fabric you need for each apple (these sizes will be the same regardless of wether you make apples, blueberries or oranges). Remember that you can very easily customise your fruits to be larger or smaller, depending on the size of quilt you want to make, and you can add more or make less and the. quilt will s till work out just fine. We will talk more about how to personalise your fruits on Friday, but you might want to have your fabrics cut out for the fruit itself before we start sewing, especially if you want to use 32 different reds as I did! Use the pattern as a guide for the size, but remember that they don't need to be accurate squares, just sort-of sizes!

If you've got any questions for me feel free to drop them in the comments, and otherwise I'll see you on Friday to start stitching! An apple a day keeps the doctor away ;)

 

32 is a Bushel

It’s time for a Sew Along! Would you like to make a bushel of cute apples with me? 

This fun little quilt is very easily customized. Mine is a single bed size but you can make it any size you want by changing the size or number of the apples. Although there are 32 apples on my quilt (did you know a bushel of apples of standard weight is most often 32 apples?) and a bushel basket, you can make more or less apples, leave off the basket, or even make oranges or blueberries instead!

The apples are improv pieced by machine, there is no appliqué. The quilt isn’t suited for hand sewing due to the method of cutting through seams you’ve already stitched. 

To stitch along, simply sign up here so that I have your details for the prize draw. I need your email address, but don't worry if you don't have an Instagram account.

 

and then purchase the pattern from my website

by clicking the green link above!

On Monday September 5 I will post a blog here with some tips and tricks for choosing fabrics etc, and then on Friday September 9, 16 and 23, there will be three posts and some little videos about how to make your apples. the bushel basket, and the quilt assembly. 

Please post your progress on Instagram by tagging me, @sfielke and using the hashtag #32isabushel, or by posting in my Facebook group Sarah Fielke Quilts - EACH TIME YOU POST on either platform about the sew along or about your progress with the quilt you will get ONE entry into the prize draw. Make sure to tag me to that I see! The prize will be drawn from the pool of posts on September 30. You must have posted on Facebook or Instagram to be entered, and you must own your own copy of the pattern. 

Yay I love a Sew Along! I can't wait to see all your gorgeous apples, oranges or blueberries :) See you on Monday for some fabric tips! 

I’m hosting a Christmas ornament swap!

 

 

Here’s how to play along 

1. Sign up using this link.

2. Make or buy (preferably make but ok to buy one if you run out of time!) a Christmas ornament. Or if you aren't a sewer - lots of my FB friends aren’t!! - you can play along too by buying a pretty ornament to send. Remember that you would like to receive something lovely, and so would your partner.

3. Package the ornament up nicely with some wrapping paper, a little extra treat if you’re so inclined, a Christmas card, some cute stickers... just make your package a fun thing to get in the post!

4. Pop it in the post to your swap partner by December 7.

Rules

1. The most important. Please don’t sign up unless you intend to do this!! It’s no fun at all if someone misses out on a package, and way unfair if you get one and your partner doesn’t! Don’t be the Grinch

2. Aussies only, sorry international peeps. With a little more foresight I might run this again next year internationally.

3. You must give me all the details of your address etc that I ask for on the form to be signed up. I can’t send you information or have your package sent to you unless you do! Please read the questions carefully and check your entry before pressing send.

4. You can post pictures of what you’re making etc on social media but PLEASE PLEASE don’t reveal who your partner is!!!! It’s supposed to be a surprise.

Dates 

1. Signups close November 8.

2. Partner information emailed to you.

3. Packages mailed by December 7.

Please join the Facebook group Sarah Fielke Sew Alongs if you want to post what you’re making! Remember not to reveal your partner and spoil the fun.

Please use the hashtags #sarahfielkesewalong and #aussieornamentswap on Instagram if you are posting.

I will be posting some ideas for patterns to use both in the Facebook group and on Instagram using the hashtags above.

I haven’t given myself a partner because I feel like that’s pressure on someone! If you would like to send me a Christmas card instead, I would love that - I never get cards any more! please email me if you would like my address.

Have fun everyone

Coming Up Roses - Block Two

Hi everyone! Who's ready to start piecing their Block 2 pile? Don't worry if you're not, there's plenty of time to get yourself going. I know some people are still waiting for their fabrics to arrive - darn that pesky slow Covid post!

For each Block 2, you will need: 

• 4 squares of scrap
• 8 squares of contrast fabric
• 12 half-square triangles (or 6 squares cut in half on the diagonal)
• 4 stripe triangles

All the measurements are in the pattern. Scroll down to see my earlier posts for information about the Sew Along as well as size adjustments or Block 1. 

Cutting the triangles

First I wanted to talk about cutting the triangles. You can easily cut them from a square cut in half, or you can use a half-square triangle ruler. (Piecing the triangles onto a square and then cutting the square in half is NOT suitable for this block.)

My preferred method is to use a half-square triangle ruler. I have my own brand of ruler that's available here.

This enables you to cut half-square triangles from a strip up to 6 1/2" high. These rulers eliminate the need for the 7/8" on your triangle measurements, which saves you fabric - and one cutting step! They also give you a nice accurate cut with a blunt end that is easy to line up in the correct spot for piecing.

How to use a half-square ruler

I'm going to walk you through how to use a half-square ruler - mostly all brands work the same (I can't vouch for every single one!), and mine works the same way. Here is the strip with the ruler.

 

 

You will see that the dotted line at the top of the ruler is flush with the top of the strip. This is so that you don't have to cut that fabric. For the purposes of our triangles, the bottom of the strip will be on the 2 1/2" mark. If you ever want to use the ruler to cut another size half-square triangle, simply take the finished (sewn) measurement of the triangle - for example 4" - and add 1/2". You would cut your strip to 4 1/2" and that is where the bottom line would go on your ruler. You can cut the strip double, and you can cut several strips at once.

 

 

Here is what they look like cut - see the blunt top?

 

 

Piecing a half block

You need four of these half blocks to make one whole block.

 Scrap, contrast, triangle. 

Contrast, triangle.

Triangle.

 

 

When you have sewn the triangle to the side of the square, make sure to clip the "ears" off the triangle where needed for a neat finish. Then sew the three strips together to make a large half square triangle.

 

​It's ready to be pieced to the striped triangle.

 

Cutting the striped triangles

Cutting the striped triangle is outlined in the pattern, but I wanted to give you an option if you do decide to purchase my half-square ruler, so that you don't also need a 1/4" triangle ruler for this one quilt!

It's a bit of a cheat, but I cut my striped strips to be 5" wide. I then turned my ruler onto its diagonal end, and made sure that edge was straight along the strip. I then cut the triangle, using the tip that's at the top of the triangle to line my stripes up in the same place each time. 

 

 

This results in a triangle that is slightly larger than what you need. Find the centre of the diagonal edges and match them, then sew the too-large triangle to your pieced triangle. Square the whole square up to 6 1/2". This gives you a bit of leeway for making your points perfect.

 

 

MAKE SURE YOU READ THIS BIT!

Don't forget that if you cut your large triangles in this manner to get the stripes matching into the centre, your bias will be in the wrong place on your block. You need to be VERY careful when piecing and pressing so that you don't stretch your bias. 

If you want to use the half-square triangle ruler to cut your large triangles from the strip in the normal direction, you can just cut your strips to 6 1/2" wide.

 

Finishing the blocks 

Sew two pairs of half blocks together (carefully if you changed that bias!) and press. Then sew the two halves together to make a full block.

 

 

I have bought stripes in quite a few colours but, to be honest, when I made a few out of this stripe I'm thinking I might use the same stripe for all of them - it's such a nice colour. I'll make some other testers and see.

 

 Have fun everyone!

Coming Up Roses - playing with blocks

I’ve been having a little play with my Coming Up Roses blocks! I’m thinking a charcoal for the small border and the small triangles around the stripes...

Stay tuned for the post to piece your alternate blocks tomorrow!

How are you going? Have you made any blocks? All your blocks? Leave a comment and let me know! If you’re looking for any previous instruction or information about colours or changing the quilt size, just scroll down through the posts on this blog and you will find them all.

Want to make one? Come and join the Coming Up Roses Sew Along! We’re having a lot of fun. All you need is a copy of the pattern from my (now out of print) book Material Obsession Two or  available via pdf download at my website.

Coming up Roses - cutting from strips

Hi everyone! There are some fantastic and very fun fabric combos being pulled out for chopping up, and some beautiful border fabrics being used. I can't wait to see them start coming together!

Don't forget to post your progress in either the Facebook group, Sarah Fielke Sew Alongs, or on Instagram using the hashtags #sarahfielkesewalongs or #cominguprosesquilt. Or you can email me a pic of your fabrics or blocks so I can post it here on the blog!

I think most people I've seen so far are going down the route of using scraps and cutting single squares from them. If you want to be Speedy Gonzales though, there is another option.

Just remember, if you do choose to use the strip sewing method, you compromise the randomness of your quilt a bit. Even though you will need to sew quite a few different strip sets together, you will always end up with the fabrics in those strip sets in the same order in the quilt, they won't ever be random like a scrappy quilt is. But that's OK too if that's what you're after! 

To sew Block 1 using the strip set method, cut 2 1/2" strips from a bunch of your fabrics, and also from your contrast corner fabric. Bear in mind that you will get 17 strips of squares from each strip set, and that you need TWO sets with contrast squares and FOUR sets with contrast squares to make one block.

Depending on which size of the quilt you are making, that will mean making a different number of strip sets - and that also does narrow down how many different fabrics you will have in the "scrappy" sections of the blocks, as you need less for the smaller quilts.

These numbers are calculated off cutting strips from the full width of the fabric. You can use fat quarters but you may need to make a few more strip sets.

Throw and King Single 

• 100 strips of squares - make 6 strip sets
• 50 strips of squares with contrast fabric - make 3 strip sets

Queen

• 144 strips of squares - make 9 strip sets
• 72 strips of squares with contrast fabric - make 5 strip sets

King (original)

• 196 strips of squares - make 12 strip sets
• 98 strips of squares with contrast fabric - make 6 strip sets

​PLEASE make sure to test your 1/4" seam before you start sewing sets together! It's so easy when sewing this way for the sets to end up skinnier or wider than the 12 1/2" square you need them to be, and then its just a huge waste of time. Sew one set together, check it, and then cut the strips. Sew the next set, check it, and cut etc. to reduce the chance of a whole lot of sets that are the wrong width.

There are two strips of sets you need to make Block 1. One set will have 6 strips of fabric in a row like this - 

 

 

and the other will be exactly the same, except that you will have a strip of your contrast square fabric as the first and the last fabric, so at the top and bottom of this stack.

Start with the first fabric and stitch it to the second along the length. Take care not to pull or push the fabric through the machine, just let the machine do the work or the strips will stretch. You can pin if you like. 

Sew the third strip onto the second, but this time start AT THE OTHER END OF THE STRIP to where you started sewing the first one. Then the next in the other direction, and the next and so on. This will help you not to stretch the strips and end up with a piece that is out of shape. Press all the seams to one side carefully, and make sure there are no pleats in the seams by ironing from the back, and THEN ALSO from the front of the fabric.

Cut 2 1/2" stacks of squares across piece you just stitched. You will end up with 2 1/2" x 12 1/2" pieces of fabric with the squares already sewn together!

Do take note - if you sew the strips from the same strip set all into the one block, you will always have the fabrics in exactly the same places and this will create a block pattern that you don't really want for this quilt. Sew all your strip sets and cut them, and then mix the sets up before sewing the into blocks.

Have fun. 😊

Don't forget to show me how you're going! And tell your friends - the more the merrier! 😊