Sheila's Quilt Party 2024 is open for enrollment!

Announcing the Hemisphere Quilt Along

COMING SOON - STARTS JULY 9TH

I'm really excited to announce the Hemisphere Quilt Along which is starting next month.

This is a 6 month project, with a new block to make each week. You can choose to make a Lap or Queen size quilt, and it's free to take part.

REGISTER NOW

All you need to do is register on my new Website, and you will receive an email with a link to download the needs list. Each week I will send you the block pattern, and I will be doing a demo of the block on Facebook in the Triangle Block Party Group.

I'll be using Carolyn Friedlander fabrics for my sample quilt. I love Carolyn's modern aesthetic, these fabrics have great patterns and I'll be combining them with Kona Cottons.

There will be Giveaways throughout the Quilt Along, and it's going to be lots of fun to see what everyone makes.

This is a great chance to learn my Triangle Patchwork techniques, so I hope you will join me!

 

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Binding 101 - Part Three - Mitred Corners

Welcome to my binding tutorial. If you haven't done so yet, make sure you read parts one and two before moving on to this step.

Ok, so now we have reached a corner.

Take your quilt over to the ironing board.

Take the binding strip and fold it out to the right, making a 45 degree angle like this and press:

 

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Fold binding to the right

 

Keeping this fold in, fold over to the left and press.

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Fold back over to the left

 

Continue sewing from the top edge of the quilt.

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Start sewing again from the top

Carry on all the way around, repeating this method for each of the corners.

This is what the corners will look like from the front:

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Once you reach the final side, stop sewing at least 12" from where you started. Don't cut off any of the binding strip yet, we will use it in the next step when we make the mitred join.

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The orange pins show where I started and stopped sewing

Join me next for part four - my mitred join technique.

 
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Binding 101 - Part Two - Attaching the binding to the quilt

Welcome to part two of my binding tutorial!

We are starting with the trimmed quilt and binding strip that we prepared in part one.

Now we are going to attach the binding to the front of the quilt by machine.

First you need to set up your needle position. I like to sew my binding on with just over 1/4" (about 5/16") allowance.

Use your ruler to work out where your needle needs to be. If you have a machine where you can adjust the needle position, this is easy.

If you can't adjust your needle, work out where you need the edge of the quilt to be as you are sewing. You can mark this with a bit of masking tape.

I use my walking foot when attaching the binding.

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Set up your needle position between 1/4" and 3/8"

 

Now lay the binding on top of the quilt with the raw edges together.

Make sure you leave a really generous allowance of binding free - at least 10" for joining at the end.

Start sewing your binding about halfway down one side of the quilt. Stitch length about 2-2.5mm.

...

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BINDING 101 STEP 1

Here is part one of my step by step binding tutorial.

I always find this the hardest part of writing instructions and patterns, so I decided to take step by step photos as I did the binding on the Modern Triangle Sampler. There are many different approaches to binding but this is the method I have tweaked over the years to suit me.

Binding 101

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Part One - Trimming your quilt

Once the quilting is complete, trim your quilt. If there is a handy seam close to the edge, I use a ruler and measure from this seam to the outside so that I can keep this distance the same. Cut with a rotary cutter. Here I can see that if I use the 4 1/8" line on this border, I can trim the outside edge close enough so I won't see any batting when I sew on my binding.

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Line the ruler against the border seam and trim

When you get to a corner, use the ruler to keep everything square. Square corners will be your friend!

 

2. Preparing the binding strips

First you need to work out how many strips you...

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COMING SOON!

I am so excited to announce my Quilt Party!

Sheila's Quilt Party is my membership subscription site where you will be joining a community of quilters, all learning and growing as they try out new techniques and make exciting projects.

I want my members to feel like they are coming to class with me, so even though we won't be in the same place, we will be working together to help YOU develop your quilting skills in the way you want to. I love to experiment with different techniques, and try out new ideas. I hope I will inspire you to do the same.

Memberships are quite a new development in the online world, and there are some great benefits to you with this one:

  • LEARN AT YOUR CONVENIENCE. Classes are on video and available to view at any time.
  • GO AT YOUR OWN PACE. Progress through the steps when you are ready.
  • MEET LIKE MINDED PEOPLE. Join the group discussion, share your work and chat to other quilters around the world.
  • TAKE LESSONS FROM ME WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THE WORLD. No travel...
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Get ready for my Quilt Party!

COMING SOON!

I am so excited to announce my Quilt Party!

Sheila's Quilt Party is my membership subscription site where you will be joining a community of quilters, all learning and growing as they try out new techniques and make exciting projects.

I want my members to feel like they are coming to class with me, so even though we won't be in the same place, we will be working together to help YOU develop your quilting skills in the way you want to. I love to experiment with different techniques, and try out new ideas. I hope I will inspire you to do the same.

Memberships are quite a new development in the online world, and there are some great benefits to you with this one:

  • LEARN AT YOUR CONVENIENCE. Classes are on video and available to view at any time.
  • GO AT YOUR OWN PACE. Progress through the steps when you are ready.
  • MEET LIKE MINDED PEOPLE. Join the group discussion, share your work and chat to other quilters around the world.
  • TAKE LESSONS FROM ME WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THE...
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Come along to virtual class with me

Tomorrow I will be teaching another free class in my Triangle Block Party facebook group. These classes are always available in the group after the facebook live, just go to the video section to view them.

Wonderland Runner

In Lessons 1 to 3 I teach you how to make this Wonderland Table runner, using my triangle patchwork techniques. Once you have taken these lessons you are going to want to make more triangle based projects!

I hope you enjoy the classes.

Here's where to join

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Become a Trendsetter

Are you ready for a new Adventure?



Every year since 2013 I have designed at least one Mystery Quilt, and this year is no exception. Since last year, as well as my traditionally pieced Mysteries, I have a special Mystery pattern that includes my triangle piecing techniques. I call these Mysteries 'Trendsetters', and they are quite different from anything you will find in other Mystery quilts. You will be using my Creative Grids Half Sixty ruler and the CGRT60 ruler, and learning my triangle patchwork techniques, with lessons, hints and tips included along the way.

Here's Alex Anderson and I in my Quilt Show episode last year, in front of last year's Trendsetters Mystery.



Filming was done in August, and because the Big Reveal isn't until November, we had to ban the audience from photographing the quilt!



This year I am making my sample quilt from Alison Glass fabrics. I love saturated colours, but you could choose any fabric from your stash or go out and find a beautiful range to pick...

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Free online classes

While we are all stuck at home I've been experimenting with doing some online classes.

It's been lots of fun and the classes are now up online (free of charge) and available to view. All you have to do is click on the images below and join the facebook group for each class. You will find the first videos in the groups already.

Back to Basics is a beginner course in making a simple quilt. So far I have covered information about choosing fabrics, selecting tools, cutting and getting a good 1/4" seam. Next Tuesday 7th April 2020 at 10am (New Zealand time) I am doing the second session on sewing on your sashings and borders.

Back to Basics ad 2 72

On Thursday 9th April at 10am NZ time I will be teaching the second class in my Triangle Block Party. Join me to learn my triangle patchwork techniques.

Triangle ad 2 72

 

To get the correct time for your location, here is a link to a world clock

As well as the classes, the patterns for each of the class projects are included and can be downloaded from the Units sections of...

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I love big blocks and I cannot lie! (plus a smaller option for Topsy)

Do you love big blocks and big quilts? I love a quilt that covers the bed and doesn't get fought over on a cold night!

Topsy is a quilt that is great fun to make and comes in two lovely big sizes, but if you're not into big quilts  I have drawn up options for making it in a smaller format (see below for two bonus formats).

 This was one of the few quilts of mine that got it's name really early in the process of making. The blocks grew so fast I was reminded of the saying 'growing like topsy'

Topsy Image

This is a great quilt for mixing and matching unexpected prints. Stripes look great as the 'petals' in the blocks, and they also work in the sashings. Bright pops of colour for the central parts of the blocks are fun as well. Try combining spots, stripes, large and small prints. The important thing is to get contrast in each block.

I used a half yard pack of Art Gallery fabrics from various lines for my quilt. The teals and pinks worked beautifully together and there are stripes,...

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