Monica Curry Quilt Design

Make your HST blocks faster with these two simple methods for making multiple HST squares. 4-in-1 HSTs Instructions  Place squares right side facing.  Stitch 1/4 inch around the outside of the squares.  Make pencil lines dividing the squares from corner to corner.  Cut along these two lines.  Flip HST and press. Square Up if necessary. 8-in-1 HSTs  Instructions  Place squares right side facing.  Draw a line from corner to corner.  Stitch 1/4 inch away from the lines you drew.  Make pencil lines dividing the squares in four parts.  Cut along these two lines.  Cut from corner to corner being careful not to cut the stitch line.  Flip HST and press. Square Up if necessary.

White background fabrics make stunning quilts. The high contrast makes the colours pop. However, there are a few pitfalls when using white fabric that can be frustrating and even ruin your quilt. I made this featured quilt for my mother-in-law and almost didn't give it to her. But, I was in a crunch for time so I decided to gift it to her anyway and hope she didn't notice too many of the flaws. If she did notice, she never said anything. TIPS FOR QUILTING WITH WHITE FABRIC 1.  USE A LIGHT COLOURED BACKING FABRIC Because I was in a hurry, I used the quilt-as-you-go method to assemble this quilt. To make it "reversible" I used a variety of scrap layer cakes for the backing. I don't know if it was the batting ( Hobbs Heirloom Fusible White Cotton ) but the coloured background, as you can see below, showed right through to the front! Try using light coloured backing when using white. 2.  BUY ENOUGH WHITE FABRIC FROM THE SAME BOLT When you buy your white fabric, purcha...

INSTRUCTIONS I discovered this technique for making scrap checkerboard blocks several years ago. I used it to make my grand-niece a doll quilt (above). With these few easy steps, the results are so worth it. When you're finished, every square will be aligned perfectly and you'll have a strong base to join the blocks so they won't stretch out of shape. Finished Block: 12"x 12" (30 cm x 30 cm)) 1.  First, you'll need a non-woven, lightweight, single-sided fusible interfacing. I purchased this very inexpensive one on Amazon . 2.  Cut [18] 2½-inch (6 cm) colour squares and [18] 2½-inch (6 cm) light colour squares. 3.  Cut [1] 13" x 13" (31 cm x 31 cm) square of interfacing. 4.  Place squares 1/2" from the edges on the adhesive side of the interfacing. Butt together the squares as shown below alternating between light and dark colours. 5.  Place a piece of cotton over the squares and press to adhere them to the fusible web. 6. Fold the first row righ...

I love Mary Ellen's Best Press Spray . It helps my blocks press crisp and there's no starchy residue. The only downside is that it's way too expensive, especially here in Canada. Also, I don't like the smell of most of their scents; the lavender-scented spray smells like cheap men's cologne. I thought of using the scent-free Best Press, but it costs more than the scented. So, I decided to try making the homemade version of Best Press and I was pleased with the results. I wanted my spray to have a nice scent but most of the recipes I found called for lavender essential oil and I didn't care for it. So, I tried the citrus essential oils (i.e. lemon, lemongrass, bergamot, orange, etc.) and loved the fresh citrusy scent. I use bergamot exclusively now. Bergamot is a fresh, uplifting Italian orange oil used for cosmetics and perfumes. Below is the recipe for the DIY Citrus Best Press that works just as well as the real deal.        DIY CITRUS BEST PRESS (Makes 3 cu...

This post is a supplementary tutorial for the Quick Block Calculator . When using the shortcut methods to make Hourglass and Pinwheel blocks, you often have to " square up " the block to the correct size you need. If these blocks are not squared up properly, you will end up with very wonky looking squares that will only be good for the scrap pile. In this post, I'll show you a simple method for squaring up Hourglass, Pinwheel, and Half Square Triangle blocks that doesn't require a special ruler. MATERIALS Square quilt ruler at least 8" x 8". Rotary cutter Masking tape or transparent quilt ruler tape . INSTRUCTIONS Hour Glass Divide the desired block size in half, e.g. 4½"÷ 2 = 2¼" Find this number on the ruler. Place a piece of tape horizontally and vertically on the ruler to mark the center of the block. Line up intersecting point of the tape with the center of the block. Line up the 45º angle with angle of the block. 6.  W...

Apple Cider Market Tote aka Winslow Market Tote I first saw this tote pattern in the 2018 issue of Make It! Patchwork. It was designed by Kathy Mack and was showcased on the Quilting Arts TV Episode #601. It was originally featured as the Winslow Market Tote and has since been renamed the Apple Cider Market Tote . Apple Cider Market Tote made by Monica Curry Pattern Design by Kathy Mack I haven't made many bags, but I fell in love with this one as soon as I saw it. I wasn't sure, however, what fat quarters to use for it. When I finally dug through my stash, I found the perfect fabric for this tote ─  Into the Garden by Amanda Herring for Riley Blake. I bought this fat quarter bundle several years ago and loved it so much I didn't want to cut it! I also wanted to make pretty matching straps for this bag, but I wasn't sure how to make bag straps. I heard you could use quilt batting for straps and thought that this would be a great way to use up my batting scraps. After...

French Fold binding is one of the most popular quilt bindings and for good reason. Because the fabric is doubled, French Fold binding creates a durable edge for your quilt. It's particularly good for quilts and quilted items that are going to get a lot of laundering. It's a very simple binding to make. I use it on all my quilt projects. If you want to add a little flair to your French Fold binding, see my tutorial on French Fold with Flange binding. HOW TO MAKE FRENCH FOLD BINDING 1) DETERMINE THE BINDING LENGTH YOU NEED   EXAMPLE : Finished quilt size = 54" × 60" (54" × 2) + (60" × 2) + 10" = 238" (10" extra is added for finishing the binding). (238" ÷ 36") = 6.6 yards You will need 6.6 ≈ 7 yards of binding for a 54" × 60" finished quilt. If making bias binding, cut your fabric strips on the diagonal before making your binding. 2) DETERMINE THE BINDING WIDTH YOU NEED Decide on the binding width you need, then refer t...

I love flange quilt binding. It gives quilts an elegant and finished look. I don't use it on all my projects, but sometimes a quilt needs that extra pop. Flange binding takes a little extra work, but it's well worth the effort when you see the finished result. I made the following tutorial as comprehensive as possible and hope it will help you give flange binding a try. INSTRUCTIONS 1)  CALCULATE THE LENGTH OF BINDING YOU WILL NEED FOR YOUR QUILT EXAMPLE: Finished quilt size = 54" × 60" (54" × 2) + (60" × 2) + 10" = 238" (10" extra is added for finishing the binding).  (238" ÷ 36") = 6.6 yards You will need 6.6 ≈ 7 yards of binding for a 54" × 60" finished quilt.  2)  WIDTHS TO CUT FOR FLANGE AND MAIN COLOUR STRIPS Decide on a binding width you need. Use the chart below to get the widths to cut the strips for main colour and the flange. 3)  ASSEMBLING & ATTACHING BINDING Sew both strips together lengthwise with a 1/4...