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Looking for a way to use up surplus Half Square Triangles (HST)? This might be just the thing you are looking for. Gather up all the HST you have laying around, pick a size, add some low volume scraps, and, before you know it, you have a beautiful quilt to share.

I built my quilt without sashing, and the quilt sizes below assume that. You will likely come up with variations, and I would love to see them all.

NOTE: The quilt above is a 2-1/2″ HST variation using 36 blocks and finishing at 72″x72″.

Ready to practice your modern machine quilting? Try these 2 fabulous free-motion fills and see how you can tweak them to make them your own. Click the video below to watch:

Featured Quilt – Surplus Strips

I turned the bumps from clamshells into a floral swirl design by combining them with a basic swirl technique. Then I quilted it edge to edge on the white version below Grab the Surplus Strips quilt pattern to make one for yourself!

Bonus Video – Quilting Surplus Strips 2 Ways

See how I quilted both of the quilts below using 2 different free-motion motifs. You can ...

Because I needed another new project to work on!

But mostly, because I ran across a random sketch in my sketch notebook, and I happen to have this bucket of strings . . .

. . . and this roll of paper my sister snagged me from somewhere . . .

. . . and I remembered seeing someone post about how they pieced random pieces onto adding machine tape, so I decided to give something like that a try. You can watch that video HERE.

My paper is 4″ wide, so I decided to trim the finished strips to 3 1/2″ when they are sewn, so I did the math ...

This quilt came to be as the result of a personal challenge: to design the most efficient quilt I could using THREE charm packs, and still have it be interesting. I hope you enjoy it.

Three Times The Charm

66-1/2″ x 66-1/2″

NOTE: You could also use a layer cake and give the quilt an additional border set. The finished size of that would be 74″ square.

MATERIALS

3 5″ charm packs of 42 squares each (You will use all but 8, assuming no cutting errors)

2-1/2 yards background fabric

1/2 yard for centers of the ...

Here is my promised three-charm-packs quilt (could also be made with a layer cake or cut from scraps).

Finishes at 66″ square. Great throw, table topper, or even wall hanging (if you have a big wall).

Tutorial coming soon (probably next week).

Hello Sewing Friends, 

Bring on the flowers! Last collection release I sewed up the Ditsy Daisy Block with Midsummer Fabrics and I can’t get flowers out of my brain! So here comes another flower quilt block to add to your quilting resume! The “Tulips Fields” block measures 12 1/2"  x 13"  but surely packs a punch with the linear floral design of tulips lined up in a row just like a tulip field. This block pairs back with the Modernista Fabrics I used so incredibly well. The geometric designs and bold vibrant colors shine in this graphic tulip ...

Hello Sewing Friends, 

I have been sewing with AGF’s 2.5 Edition Binding Fabrics lately and each time it feels like magic and I have barely scratched the surface on how you can use them, not just in binding quilts but in so many other ways. One of my favorite ways yet was sewing up an apron with Midsummer fabrics. Make sure to check it out here: Midsummer Apron. One of my new favorite ways to create with AGF’s 2.5 Fabrics is to make straps. Today we will be learning to make 3 different straps. I chose ...

A while back I asked about “bonus half square triangles,” those pieces that can result from stitch-flip-trim patterns. Many said that they had a lot of them. Many said they weren’t sure how to use them.

I have been thinking about that, and found a number of uses for them. You will see some in upcoming posts.

But I also wanted to create a block that would use them specifically. The block can be created using (at least) three sizes of half square triangles: 2-1/2″, 2″, 1-1/2″. And you can make anything from a mini quilt, to ...

Hello Sewing Friends, 

We are in the thick of summer and going on morning and evening walks are one of my favorite things to do. As I walk I love smelling the sweet aroma of flowers in peoples yards and stopping to admire the colors and shapes and sizes. So it's easy to say I have flowers on the brain which is why this blog post is about sewing up the cutest flower block called Ditsy Daisy! I used Sharon Holland’s newest collection, Midsummer which was the perfect choice of fabrics. Midsummer is filled with different types of ...

Hello Sewing Friends, 

I am so excited to share this Apron tutorial with you using AGF’s Midsummer fabrics by Sharon Holland! The star of the show is the 2.5 Edition binding fabric offered in Midsummer! Using it for my neck ties, pockets, ruffle, and waistband embellishment, it shows how versatile our binding fabric is and how it can also be used in so many different ways other than binding quilts. 

Aprons have been around for thousands of years, with evidence suggesting their use as far back as 1600 BCE. Many people still use this practice today such as ...

Hello Sewing Friends, 

I love the days when sewing projects come out seamless and effortlessly! Definitely makes up for the not so graceful days in the sewing room, like sewing injuries, cutting pieces wrong, sewing the wrong pieces together, etc. Unpleasant sewing days we all can relate to but we all keep coming back each day because of our passion for fabrics and creating! So when we find a fun sewing hack or method our hearts skip a beat with excitement! Which is why I want to talk a little bit about AGF’s 2.5 Binding Fabric and how ...

Hello Sewing Friends,

This year,  let's do things right! The holidays bring so much joy but can also bring extra stress and chaos. So you can truly enjoy the moment and be present to make all those priceless memories. I have found the perfect way to add a bit of homemade into your gift giving with this simple Fabric Stocking Gift Card Holder Tutorial using Adventale Fabrics by Katarina Roccella. 

Save yourself the gift bags and wrapping paper and go smaller in size but not in heart. Skip the department store trips and buy someone something that will just ...

Hello Sewing Friends, 

Decorating our homes for the holiday season inside and out is a big to do each year, but adds to the magic that this season brings. As quilters, making handmade decor to add to our homes makes it even more special because we can revisit are makes each year, passing them down to generations to come to enjoy and cherish. Join me in making a Holiday Door Banner using the “Merry Everything” panel from Adventale fabrics. 

The  "Merry Everything” panel is filled with a ton of different size square and rectangle holiday graphics that can be used ...

Hello Sewing Friends, 

I am so excited to announce 12 NEW Pure Solids to our always growing list of solid fabrics and bundles. Let’s all pause for a moment as we welcome “Ethereal Edition” to our sewing tables! This soft, pastel color palette has got me in a dream-like state! Honestly these fabrics look good enough to eat but I promise they sew better than they taste! 

Colors play a major role in quilting and finding the right colors to match back with all of the prints used in your quilting projects will decide how the overall design will ...

Hello Sewing Friends, 

Nothing is more satisfying for us quilters and sewists than to accomplish a project from start to finish in just one day or sewing session! They are the best projects to do when you're in a sewing rut, in between larger projects or just for a double dose of dopamine! I got the perfect project to add to your sewing list, the Quick and Easy table runner using the “Kercheif Forklore” panel from Anthology by Bari J. You can complete everything from pulling fabrics, cutting, sewing to finished project in the shortest amount of time yet ...

Quilt As You Go (QAYG) is a fantastic quilting technique that lets you piece and quilt at the same time, making it ideal for those who find handling large quilts on a domestic machine overwhelming. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced quilter looking to refine your skills, these tips will help you master the QAYG method for fun and stress-free projects!

Basically, instead of assembling an entire quilt, then quilting the entire thing, for QAYG you quilt smaller sections of the project, and THEN sew it together. It’s SO much easier to quilt a single block than ...

Hello Makers, 

Boho, florals, vibrant colors, maximalist, are just a few words that come to mind when sewing with Bari J’s fabric collection over the years. I started working for AGF back when Bari J’s, Emmy Grace collection came out. It was the first photoshoot I modeled for and it is what made me become the Bari J fan I am today! This past weekend I had the opportunity to sit down with her new collection called Anthology and I was so blown away by the striking, gorgeous designs and the way she put this collection together. With ...

Hello Sewing Friends, 

Raise your hand if you enjoy the binding process of a quilt or sewing project? That's so great if your hand is up but I know for me and many others the binding process can get a bit stressful, tricky, and never come out the way you hoped. For years after I started quilting I was terrified of the binding stage and never actually finished a quilting project. Making quilt tops was my jam, starting a new one before finishing the first one and a lot of times working on 4 quilts at a time. What ...