QST Rainbow Quilt

 I started this quilt back in January I think.  I was inspired by this rainbow quilt, but decided to make it out of quarter square triangles (QSTs) instead of half square triangles (HSTs).  The solids are a mix of Micheal Miller Cotton Couture Solids that I got on clearance last fall.  I Love them.  They are so soft and have a much finer weave then some solids (K---).

Each QST is 8" square and the quilt measures 56" x 72" - almost bed sized.  (After some piecing issues I had to trim the blocks smaller than I had planned.)  After more pondering why the QST units didn't turn out well (not all of the seams run exactly from corner to corner) I think I have figured out why.  I had made HSTs and cut them in half (on the bias) and then laid all of those units out, moved them around and made my final layout.  Then they got all mixed up and I had to do it again.  I think that handling them so much might have distorted some of the units and contributed to their wonkiness.  That and I was in a hurry when I was sewing.

Since it was fairly large and had the thicker flannel backing, I rented time on a long arm machine (specifically made for quilting).  I thought briefly about changing out the thread color as I went across the quilt, but decided it was too much trouble.  So I decided on a light gray thread.  I wasn't sure about it at the time, but it is perfect.

I Love this quilt.  It is so happy.  I had planned on giving it to my sister, but now I am not so sure.  Maybe it will just live on our couch for now and if I am feeling less attached and more generous at Christmas time and if she Really likes it, then I will gift it.  :)  It is nice to make something that I really like.

I bought some fabric this week for a new quilt.  I usually shop from my stash when I am making quilts and buy what I don't have on hand, but I really wanted a specific look, so I splurged.  I cut out some blocks yesterday and hope to be able to sew them together this weekend.  If it turns out as well as I imagine it is going to be great!

I hope you have a great weekend and get some sewing in too!

That Quirky Scrap Quilt (along): Making the Quarter Square Triangles

Well, after a bit of a delay we are back on track.  This week we are making the quarter square triangles (QST) for That Quirky Scrap Quilt (along).  (See a list of other posts here.)  We will use the twenty 5 1/2" squares we cut earlier to make the QSTs.

First, pick out the 10 lightest value squares.  On the wrong side of the fabric, draw a line from corner to corner on each of the 10 light squares.  Place each light square right sides together with a darker square.  Then, sew a quarter inch away from the line on both sides.  Cut on the line.  Set seam and press towards the darker fabric.

 

Cut in half from corner to corner perpendicular to the seam.  Switch halves with another set.  Arrange squares as illustrated.  Match seams and sew together.  Press.

Trim to 4 1/2" square.  Place the ruler so that the 45 degree line runs along the seam and the intersection in the center is at the 2 1/4" mark.  Trim exposed edges.  Rotate the block and trim the remaining sides.  Repeat to make 20 QSTs.

Now that we have made all of the 4-patches, half square triangles, and quarter square triangles we can start putting it together next week.  I think it is going to be Amazing!

My QST Rainbow Quilt

   
I have a few things that I would really like to do, two of which are to have something published in a magazine (money and glory!) and have a quilt in a quilt show (but once that happens I will probably want to win a prize or something).  I recently had a quilt accepted for publication and it should be coming out soon (!!!) and decided that I wanted to make another "magazine quilt" and this quarter square triangle rainbow quilt was going to be it.

It all started with a stack of Micheal Miller Cotton Couture  that I got on sale at Pink Castle Fabric.  I had recently seen this quilt and knew that I also wanted to make a quilt with solid fabric with a rainbow gradation.  I decided to make it with quarter square triangles (QST) instead of half square triangles (HST).

I knew it was going to be totally cool and had visions of the magazine wanting to make kits for it or something, but then I got lazy while chain piecing the QSTs.  I thought, "No big deal if the seams aren't totally perfect.  I'm going to trim them down to size anyway."  What I had forgotten is that trimming works when you are working with HSTs, but QSTs have two diagonal seams and it is almost impossible to line up the seams at all four points if your piecing is sloppy.  Really, if I had want to submit something to a magazine I shouldn't have be sloppy at all, but I was.  So....some of the points are 1/4" off (or more!  ouch!)

And that is really embarrassing to admit but at the same time it was really freeing to realize that I wasn't going to try to make something perfect to submit.  It made the trimming easier (I had frozen when I realized that trimming wasn't going to make the QSTs perfect) and now I am less stressed about doing cool quilting.  It is rather nice to not have to be perfect, but embarrassing to admit that I am not perfect.  Not that anyone (including myself) thought I was.

I already have the backing - some cool coral floral flannel (say that 5 times fast!).   I am excited to finish it up.  I love how the colors play together.

Waiting on the banister to be quilted.
8 inch blocks
56" x 72"