Postage Stamp Quilt Build Along
70Join me
I just started a new quilt called a postage stamp quilt because it's made of little squares. I picked 2" squares with 1/4" seams and made a template out of cardboard. Right now I'm sewing the squares into strips by hand, but plan to join the long strips by machine to save time. I'm using fabric that is mostly 100% cotton with a few 50/50 blends. Sometimes I trade with other quilters so I'm not sure what the content is.
So if you want to build along, go raid your fabric stash and we'll get going.
I had already started my quilt before I found this website: http://www.ctpub.com/client/client_pages/free_patterns/postagestamp.cfm
but you might find it helpful to read it first. When you go to do your pressing, press all the seams in one direction to make handling the quilt easier later on.
You will also need batting for the middle and a backing fabric. But you can get those down the road.
sewing the squares together
Update June 23, 2008
I have quite a few strips started now so it was time to pick a size. I decided to make it fit a bed that is 64" wide so each strip needs to be 32 squares long. (Each square is 2" x 2" not counting seam allowances). I set up my miniature ironing board for pressing. Those little boards come in handy & are great for apt. living. I'll switch to the big ironing board when my quilt becomes unwieldy, but that won't be for a while. I'm going to put borders (sashing) around the sides to make the part that drapes over the edges of the bed. The great thing about quilting is that even if you have an unusual bed size, you can still make a quilt that fits just right.
Both of these quilts are in the The Quilting Sourcebook: Over 200 Easy-to-Follow Patchwork and Quilting Patterns (Paperback)
Another quilt Snail's Trail
I'm also working on a quilt known as Snail's Trail but that one will take bigger pieces of fabric. Here is my rough draft of that one. I want to make it mostly dark greens, like pine green or forrest green. But unlike the postage stamp quilt it's not one I can do while sitting at my keyboard. So I'll have to wait until I have more time to get started.
snail's trail quilt
My daily craft blog
- Achoo to You Too
Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I'm fighting off a miserable head cold. Right before it got the better of me I did manage to cut out a new purse and a stuffed elephant out of some cool prints I got at M & L Fabrics near my house. And I already have an idea for another patchwork purse in red with Asian prints. So many projects, so little time. Right now all I feel well enough to do is type on the computer and read novels. I'm behind on Nanowrimo now and haven't written a thing in two days. It's one thing to write a blog post. No pressure there. It's trickier to figure out what the characters in my novel are supposed to be doing next. One is having a baby, one is being held by kidnappers, one is learning to play violin, and they just got 5 new cats for their house. Things are getting more complicated by the minute. I'm not even to the halfway point of 25,000 words and the thing ends Nov. 30. Sigh. The photo is of me last Sunday at the archery gathering writing my novel long hand in my journal. Sometimes I feel bad I can't afford a laptop, but then I remind myself that Shakespeare didn't have a laptop and he did okay for himself.
- Pasadena Bowyers Gathering
Today sure had it's ups and downs. Right now I'm just tired. I took photos at the Pasadena archery range but I won't be posting them tonight. There seemed to be a lot of dogs and horses there today. And tonight when we were driving through Arcadia I saw 2 raccoons by the street. I also heard a bullfrog today. At the archery range I worked on beading a hat and knitting a rug. At one point my hands were too cold to do much of anything. About then we decided to pack it in and go somewhere warmer. My friends Roland and Merikan worked on their basket quivers. Most people were working on bows. We always take way more than we have time to work on. Aimee showed us a beaded medicine pouch she'd picked up at a Fresno shoot. I wish we could go to the Fresno shoot but it's just too far from Anaheim for us to go.
- Four New Paintings
I'm supposed to be working on my Nanowrimo novel, so of course all I want to do is paint. I've done four paintings in two days to try out my new watercolor crayons. I like the little girl in the snow the best. It's called 'Snow Day'. Next time I'll tape the paper down to a board first so it won't curl as much. These were all painted with a combination of watercolor crayons, watercolor pencils and white acrylic paint. They dry quickly. They are in a folk art or naive style. Ironically, once you've learned to paint in art classes, it's harder to go back and paint in a primitive style and throw proportions to the wind.
Thangles Demo
Almost daily craft blog of mine.
- Achoo to You Too
Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I'm fighting off a miserable head cold. Right before it got the better of me I did manage to cut out a new purse and a stuffed elephant out of some cool prints I got at M & L Fabrics near my house. And I already have an idea for another patchwork purse in red with Asian prints. So many projects, so little time. Right now all I feel well enough to do is type on the computer and read novels. I'm behind on Nanowrimo now and haven't written a thing in two days. It's one thing to write a blog post. No pressure there. It's trickier to figure out what the characters in my novel are supposed to be doing next. One is having a baby, one is being held by kidnappers, one is learning to play violin, and they just got 5 new cats for their house. Things are getting more complicated by the minute. I'm not even to the halfway point of 25,000 words and the thing ends Nov. 30. Sigh. The photo is of me last Sunday at the archery gathering writing my novel long hand in my journal. Sometimes I feel bad I can't afford a laptop, but then I remind myself that Shakespeare didn't have a laptop and he did okay for himself.
- Pasadena Bowyers Gathering
Today sure had it's ups and downs. Right now I'm just tired. I took photos at the Pasadena archery range but I won't be posting them tonight. There seemed to be a lot of dogs and horses there today. And tonight when we were driving through Arcadia I saw 2 raccoons by the street. I also heard a bullfrog today. At the archery range I worked on beading a hat and knitting a rug. At one point my hands were too cold to do much of anything. About then we decided to pack it in and go somewhere warmer. My friends Roland and Merikan worked on their basket quivers. Most people were working on bows. We always take way more than we have time to work on. Aimee showed us a beaded medicine pouch she'd picked up at a Fresno shoot. I wish we could go to the Fresno shoot but it's just too far from Anaheim for us to go.
- Four New Paintings
I'm supposed to be working on my Nanowrimo novel, so of course all I want to do is paint. I've done four paintings in two days to try out my new watercolor crayons. I like the little girl in the snow the best. It's called 'Snow Day'. Next time I'll tape the paper down to a board first so it won't curl as much. These were all painted with a combination of watercolor crayons, watercolor pencils and white acrylic paint. They dry quickly. They are in a folk art or naive style. Ironically, once you've learned to paint in art classes, it's harder to go back and paint in a primitive style and throw proportions to the wind.
Rotary Cutting a Quilt
Fussy Cut Ruler
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Comments
Wow... lets see the pics when it's done!
I think I'll take you up on that challenge and start in on my own postage stamp quilt. *grins* I'll enjoy sharing photos with you as work progresses!
Pagan crafter I would love it if you did that. It would be so motivating to me. I just got a selection of white prints to add to the mix. Can't wait to see photos of yours. You could start a hub of your own to it and put the link here if you want to. Now it's a party.
Postage Stamp Quilt Build Along
Very creative














Creativita says:
18 months ago
Dear Moonmaiden, wow, this is an ambitious project. Let us know how it turns out. I enjoyed your description of it. -Creativita