International Sun Bonnet Sue Quilt Block Tutorial

Posted for Llewellyn W.

Ready For A Challenge

 

 

     Okay ladies here you go---First of all I apologize for the lateness of my quilt pattern.  I had surgery in April and afterwards had 2 months of physical therapy. I never remembered that my month was in June.  It is all good and I'm back in the swing of things again.

 

     I have always wanted to do this quilt, but it seemed overwhelming to do by myself - so why not get my friends to help me out.  The different countries that I have selected to do are all meaningful to me or my family.  We have either visited, lived or worked in one of them.  This will not be a quilt to use, but one for the wall.  So, if you need to use embellishments, buttons, bows, or fringe then that would be great.  Use material from your won stash or find some that you think appropriate for the country.  I would like all the ladies to face the right, after being put on the background material that I have furnished.  You can applique the pieces by hand or machine, whichever you choose.  mix your applique techniques if you wish.  As I said earlier you can embellish as much as you want.  The more color and pizazz the better!  I have sent the small picture for ideas.  when you send the finished block back I would like to have the picture back too, so I can save with the original pattern.

 

     The first step in doing the block is tracing the pattern onto some type of wonder under.  The pattern can be traced easier with the use of a light box if you have one.  If you don't have one you can simply use my low budget method:

 

 

 

     Tape your pattern to any window in your home that gets good sunlight.  Remember to turn your pattern over so that the girl faces the left for tracing.  When you get ready for appliqueing to the fabric she will be facing the right!

    

     After you have traced all your pattern pieces to the wonder under, place the patterns on the wrong side of the fabric.

     Remember as you are tracing the pattern pieces that you will have pieces that overlay.  Go ahead and draw out the full pattern (i.e. the full hair, the full dress, etc.) to help make sure you don't get gaps as you are putting this together.

 

     I used the clear pattern as a guide when it was time to place the pieces on the background material.  This helped me center the girl on the background block.

     Once you have your girl centered you can place a pattern piece down, carefully lift the plastic and iron the fabric onto the background.  Remember to start with the bottom most layers, then iron top layers over the connecting pieces.  I hope this makes sense to all.  If you have any questions just give me a call.  This is what your block is going to look like once you get your layered pieces ironed on.

 

     Once you have reached this point you can sew the outlines and embellish or accent pieces.  Once you return the blocks I will be embroidering the name of the country on them so you will not have to worry about this.

 

    I hope you all have fun with this!  Be on the lookout for your packets!





A Very Late Progress Report

I finished some squares some time ago and have not been able to post them.  I have a wonky house for Jennifer R.

The colors don't really show well in this picture but they are vibrant in real life!

I have a red,black and white square for Sherri D.

I will deliver Jennifers and mail Sherri's very soon.

for Jennifer R

here's my wonky house for my friend, Jennifer R!

I used a Christmas Village pattern that I LOVE (see the house on the bottom left?).  

That was fun!

em

September House for Jennifer R.

1.  Put away your kona white.  Pull out your bright colored scraps.
2. Think Gypsy sister meets Dr. Suess.
3.  Use appliqué or a combination of methods of your own choosing and build your little piece of heaven on a 12.5" by 12.5" block.

You may use a lighter color combination for the background, but please use bright colors for your house.  You may add trees, bushes, a garden, a car, a dog, a mailbox, a turtle, the SUN or anything else to your house block.  Also, you don't have to use a blue colored background for the sky.  Remember all of the different colors that you may see... yellows, purples, oranges, you name it, it's been there!

I have been searching on the web and looking at houses for a year.  If you search "houses quilt block" and then choose to look at images... you will be overloaded with ideas.  Please steer clear of the plain log cabin looking block that is out on the web.  If when you are finished, it looks like a 9/10 year old girl designed it, it is PERFECT! Wonky is perfect. Unrealistic is perfect.

Remember, please don't used plain white fabric.

There are many things I am offering you:

1- If you would like some wonderunder or other double sided sticky stuff to help adhere your house pieces to your background, I would be MORE THAN HAPPY to mail it to you!  Just leave a message for me on this post OR shoot me an email or a text!  I have heard/seen some people use glue stick to temporarily adhere your fabric to the background.  It is up to you.  I've used it before and it get's you a little sticky... but it may simplify the process slightly.

2- If you would like for me to provide you a 12.5" x 12.5" block for your background to build your gypsy sister's Dr. Suess styled luxury dream home, I would be MORE THAN HAPPY to send that background piece to you.

3- If you would like a piece of my wood printed fabric (THANKS Emily Sigler!) I would be happy to include that to you in an envelope.  If you would like a cute stack of "little apples" scraps that may include turtles, children, trees, squirrels, shoes, I would be happy to include that to you as well.

Here is a close up shot of my clothesline.  It's not perfect.  That's okay.  You can see here that when combining my two fabrics for my background I sewed them right sides together, ironed open, and trimmed down to 12.5" by 12.5".

Here is a closeup shot of my chimney.  I had planned to hand stitch whimsical smoke.  But sitting behind my machine is so much easier.  ;-)  You can also see in this picture that I appliquéd the house onto the background but did not use the appliqué method for attaching my roof to my house.  I sewed it right sides together then ironed it open and trimmed.  You can "build" a house like this using a log cabin style method.  I only used this method a couple of times.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me!!!  Also, I'd be happy to host a sewing day to help you all out.  Does anyone want to come to my house the Tuesday the 24th or Wednesday the 25th?  Say 10a-1p.  Just leave a post to this message or contact me!

Thank you ladies!  Oh, and of course, I don't expect to see this block by the end of September.  But, I'd be happy to have you over and help you bring your wonky, gypsy colored, Dr. Suess styled dream house to reality (on a block of fabric.)

Hint:  If you draw out your plan to size, you may use this drawing as a pattern to cut your fabric and wonder under.  It works very well!!  Hope you enjoy this month's quilt block!!

Llewellyn: This one is for you.

My black and white block is complete.  I SO hope you like it.  I modeled it after the "Appliqued Fall Pillow" from Cluck Cluck Sew.

Surely, it goes without saying.  I am so sorry it is tardy.

-Jen

square for Llewellyn

Here's my square for Llewellyn.  I think the design is called Joseph's Coat.  I delivered it in person... in my pajamas... since she lives next door.  ;)   The pic is a little blurry - sorry.

Sew Beauty-ful

Sherrie Dillon sent me this beautiful Dresden today in the mail.  Look at these other lovelies!  I'll post a closer-up one soon.

Circles....in time.

Here are the destructions...Better late than never?????
There are 2 GREAT ways to get a perfect center circle for your Dresden.  The first method is using a used dryer sheet  The second a cardboard circle.
#1 Dryer sheet

  

Trace your template on the used dryer sheet. (NO seam allowances.)

Place on RIGHT side of fabric and stitch with a smaller 2mm stitch length ON THE LINE.  Trim  to 1/8".

Separate the two layers and make a snip large enough to turn the fabric through.

The bud is forming into a beautiful flower center.

A center is born!  Now put your finger inside and finger press all the way around.  Take it to the iron and  press it from the fabric side.

 #2. Cardboard template.

 Soooo I cut my circle out awhile ago and lost it, however the negitive space made a great stencil to trace my circle onto my high tech hot dog box.  I suppose you could use ANY cardboard, but my sponsor Oscar Mayer won't allow me to recommend it.

GUESTAMATE a 1/4" seam allowance all the way around and cut on that line.

Use the old needle and thread trick to make a gathering stitch all the way around this bad boy.

Turn the RIGHT side of the fabric DOWN and place the cardboard template on the WRONG side of the fabric.

pull the two ends of your gathering stitch and secure with a knot or stitch, or both.

 Take it to the iron and give it some heat.  Steam or startch or both or dry, doesn't matter just get it flat.

Now carefully take that fancy cardboard out.

Viola'

Here are the two methods back sides side by side so you can compare.

Here is their "better" side.  The top one is the cardboard template the bottom is the dryer sheet.

Secure with pins and sew it down.  You can use a decorative stitch, zig zag or straight.  If straight I would use a longer stitch length.  I LOVE using shinny thread.

Have fun!  I know I did!!!!

Sherrie's Bio and completed blocks-

We have really enjoyed putting together the Jan, Feb, and the March squares.  I am posting for my sister Sherrie T., my mom Vee, and myself.

Sherrie's Bio

The first picture is of my sister, Sherrie Torgerson.  She lives in Dardanelle, AR.  She was so sweet to join our quilting group when I shared with her that we were going to need to fill some vacancies this year.  She's a busy girl.  She works part time for a book distributing company and finds herself traveling many days a week to visit public school libraries across many counties in Arkansas.  She usually holds a couple of callings at the Danville Branch in the North Little Rock stake.  Their branch has just celebrated their 20 year anniversary.  She and her hubby have played an integral part in the existence of that branch since the first meeting or before!  She has her last baby, who's 16, still at home.  February has been an exciting month for her.  She has welcomed her 4th grand baby into the world.  Her daughter, Genevieve, had her first child.  She named him Eric, after a son Sherrie lost to cancer in 2000.  Sherrie is mother to 5, including that special Eric who we will see again when we cross the veil.  Her hubby surprised her with a new brother sewing machine at Christmas (what a good man!).  She has forever sewn, making her kids pj's, costumes, etc.  Having said that she, like the rest of us, feels like she has much to learn from this quilting bee.  But, look at her first two squares!  They are beautiful.... 

Just like my sis!

Sherrie and her Dresden Plate for Jennifer S.

This is Sherrie's Christmas tree block for Marnita.  They are so cute!  I love them.  The zig zag appliqué gives the impression that the trees may be fir or pine.  I've got this square, Marnita... if you find yourself in the area of my house again, please stop by.

Sherrie's Christmas Tree block for Marnita
Vee's March Block

Night and Day

Mom's block was SO fun!  And it was quite easy to put together after a few minutes of study!  Mardie and Sherrie D., your fabric and templates were put into the mail yesterday.  Please let me know if you don't see them by the weekend.

Jennifer R's Block

Mom's Block 

Hope you are all enjoying this as much as I am!  Don't forget to try to come over to my house the morning of the 12th.  Sherrie D.- I know you are a busy momma!  But, if you find yourself needing a road trip from Iowa, you are welcome to stay with me!  Ladies, please don't forget your paper templates and both fabrics.  Oh- I thought I may provide some Chicken Salad Croissants for us to snack on.  If you'd like to bring something, i.e. fruit or something you may, but you don't have to!  

Yummy Yummy Quilts by Julie, square by Emily S.

Prepare to gasp in awe and delishiousness. These are a few of my favorite things.

Inscription:  "Jennifer, The sister I never had.  Twenty-eleven. Love Julie."  I am soooo blessed to have Julie as my sister.

Isn't this pattern gorgeous!  Dainty, modern, timeless.  Thank you Julie!!!!!  Julie has a long-arm Gammel and has the best prices in the country for quilting.  Email her for info today.  

Sooo fun.  I remember going to the fabric store with Julie and picking out my "someday I'll make a quilt out of these yummy fabrics while HUGE pregnant with Joseph."  -Little did I know.

Chocolate and caramel too!

SEW fell in LOVE with this print and style of quilting.  Thank heaven for friends and sisters.  I have both all in one.

Merry Christmas. Twenty-eleven.  Love, Julie

Emily S.  This is beautiful!!!! Or should I say Bloom-a-ful!  Thank You!