Dacha Quilt :: What Shade Are You?

I'm so excited to finally be able to share my Dacha quilt. It was made for the RJR Quilt With Love blog and features their beautiful Cotton Supreme Solids. For more photos and information, you can find the original blog post HERE.

I've also written a tutorial for this fun quilt made of simple house blocks. Click HERE for the tutorial.

Quilted by Utah Valley Quilting.

Dacha Quilt Tutorial

It was such a privilege to make this Dacha quilt for RJR's "What Shade Are You?" blog. Working with all of these bright fabrics was so much fun! Don't you just love the way that they stand out against the freshly fallen snow? You can find the original blog post HERE on the Quilt With Love blog.

I've had several people ask me if I was going to make a pattern for this quilt. That wasn't my original plan, but I decided to throw together a quick tutorial, for those who might be interested in making something similar.

Although I love this quilt in solids, I can also imagine this as a scrappy quilt, so I'll give directions for an individual house block, and will also include basic guidelines for making the quilt as it is shown.

For each house block you will need the following pieces:

House

• One (1) - 3.5" x 6.5"
• One (1) - 2" x 2.5"
• Two (2) - 5.5" x 2.5"

Door

• One (1) - 4" x 2.5"

Background

• Two (2) - 3.5" x 3.5"

To make the roof, draw a diagonal line on the back of each background square. Sew on the line, as shown below. Press back to make sure your blocks is square, then trim. Repeat on the other side to make one flying geese...or is the one flying goose? Haha.

Sew the small house piece to the top of the door piece.

Assemble the block as shown below. Block size is 6" x 8" (finished).

You will need 49 blocks to make the quilt as shown. It measures approximately 57" x 72".

For this design, I selected the 12 house colors from primary, secondary, and tertiary colors of the color wheel, in deep saturated shades. I used RJR Cotton Supreme Solids, which are listed on the Quilt With Love blog.

IMPORTANT: You will need 1/4 yard of each fabric. Please note that 1/4 yard will allow enough to make 4 houses. If you do the math, you'll realize that only gives you 48 houses, so make sure that you have a little extra of one of the colors to make the 49th house.

The cutting requirements for the house fabrics are pretty tight, so be mindful that you have a full nine (9) inches from which to cut.

FABRIC REQUIREMENTS:

HOUSE FABRICS - 1/4 yard - 12 different colors 

From each solid, cut the following.

One (1) 3.5" strip, subcut into:

•  Four (4) 6.5" x 3.5" (roof)

Two (2) 2.5" strips, subcut into:

• Eight (8) 5.5" x 2.5" (house)
• Four (4) 2" x 2.5" (house)
• Four (4) 4" x 2.5" (door)

BACKGROUND FABRIC - 2.5 yards

Nine (9) 3.5" strips, subcut into:

• Ninety-eight (98) 3.5" squares

Nine (9) 1.5" strips, subcut into:

• Forty-nine (49) 6.5" x 1.5" (horizontal sashing)

Eight (8) 1.5" strips (vertical sashing)

Note: you may be able to get by with only seven (7) cuts, if you use leftovers from the horizontal sashing.

• Cut and piece together to fit

Seven (7) 4" strips (borders)

BINDING - 1/2 yard

I hope that you find this tutorial helpful. If you make your own Dacha quilt, please use the hashtag #dachaquilt and tag me on Instagram (@kairleoaks). I'd love to see your work!

Quilted by Utah Valley Quilting.

Kitty Caddy Clutch :: Fat Quarter Shop

I love when I have the opportunity to refresh new skills and learn new ones. This Kitty Caddy Clutch by Fat Quarter Shop and Stacy Iest Hsu gave me all sorts of opportunities! It's been a long time since I've made my own bias tape, and even longer since I've done hand embroidery. It was nice to discover that, with a little bit of practice, my abilities came back nicely.

Rather than using velcro or a traditional snap, which the pattern calls for, I knew that I wanted to use a magnetic snap for a more professional look. I was surprised how easy they were to use. The most important part is making sure that you have everything lined up correctly, because once you make those little cuts into the fabric for the brad attachment to go through, there is no going back!

Although the pattern was originally designed as a sewing caddy, with a sweet little mouse that acts as a pin cushion, I made mine to use as a wallet. It's just the right size to hold all of the necessities when you're on the go. I have "feline" that my cat obsessed daughter is going to love it!

You can find the Kitty Caddy Clutch pattern on the Fat Quarter Shop blog.

En Pointe Bag :: Moda Bake Shop

Who doesn't love a great fall bag? This one is made using those adorable mini charms that we simply can't resist. Hop on over to Moda Bake Shop for the tutorial. You'll be happy you did!

Mini Charm Chocolates Quilt :: Fat Quarter Shop Shortcut Quilt

It's always so much fun to test out a new pattern. This Mini Charm Chocolates by Fat Quarter Shop was quick and easy to make. I love how the Moda Bella Solids gives a modern feel to this baby quilt.

I went with straight line quilting, which is easy to do on your home machine, especially on a quilt this size. This baby size finishes at 30"x38".

This is the first time I've ever used purple for binding, but I think it was the perfect choice for this quilt.

I'm happy with how quickly this quilt went together, and I know I'll be using this pattern again when I need a baby gift in a hurry.

Fat Quarter Cobblestone :: Fat Quarter Shop Shortcut Quilt

Today I'm happy to share my Fat Quarter Cobblestone quilt, which is part of the Shortcut series by Fat Quarter Shop. This quilt is great for those of us who enjoy instant satisfaction from time to time. The blocks are big, which showcases your fabrics, the pattern is precise, and all of the pieces go together quickly.

When I chose my fabrics back in August, I wanted to add to my Christmas quilt collection. This MerryBerry line by BasicGrey for Moda Fabrics was the perfect selection. This fabric line combines updated prints with traditional color and feel.

And the stripes from MerryBerry are perfect for binding!

I absolutely love this holly and berry quilt motif, done by Utah Valley Quilting, which really adds to the charm of the quilt.

If you're looking for a fun and simple quilt that looks great and goes together quickly, look no farther. This is the pattern for you! Pop on over to the Jolly Jabber for more information on this quilt along.

Maypole Quilt :: Blogger's Quilt Festival

This quilt is another submission into the Blogger's Quilt Festival, hosted by Amy Ellis of Amy's Creative Side.

From the first time I saw the Maypole quilt by Suzy Quilts, I knew that there was one in my future. I love the modern look of this quilt made in solids, but this one is for my new granddaughter and I wanted to add some fun prints. The Lil' Red line by Stacy Iest Hsu for Moda is a favorite of mine. I used one print on the front and another for the backing.

This red plaid fabric that I used for the binding is by Lori Hold for Riley Blake. I've used this fabrics for several different bindings, and it never disappoints.

I'm happy for a quilt tester who is always willing to help me out in a pinch. Bruno's definitely my guy!
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