Once a week, on Mondays, I'll be doing a tutorial on how to put that week's block together. There are nine blocks, so this will take us through to April 2, when I'll upload the final block plus finishing instructions.
I've posted the full set of templates and layout diagrams for pre-sale in my Craftsy shop. Starting today, you can pre-order [and receive immediately] the entire set of blocks for $10, for one week. On Monday, Feb. 5th, the full set will be taken down and each block will be uploaded separately and weekly for $1.50/each. There will be a link in each pattern for the tutorial on the blog. You can get the full set here: Garden of Contentment full set
Again - the patterns in the shop will be for templates and layout ONLY. The instructions will be on the blog.
The general instructions and finishing instructions will be free, posted here and in the shop in pdf form. Today, I'll be sharing the general instructions and fabric requirements.
First, the backstory.....
Reading through scripture, absorbing it, and allowing God to change my heart through it has been one of the most enormous blessings I've ever known. . Jesus said (John 17:17) "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." And he really does. (Hebrews 4:12) "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Quick, meaning alive! The Holy Spirit is with us when we read God’s word, convicting us and renewing our minds.
When I started to ponder the blessings that followed, all
these words stood out to me – so I’ve used them in this quilt. They are gifts of God. I imagined each as a flower, blossoming in my
life. One of my favorite scriptures is (Isaiah
58:11) "And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy
soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered
garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not." *
As I look upon the gifts of God, I feel like a garden, blossoming and becoming fruitful by God’s
grace. I can’t wait to hang this quilt
on my wall, as a daily reminder of His gifts to me!
And so, on to the general requirements to make this quilt….
Finished size of quilt is approximately 47” x 50”
Printing templates and layout diagrams:
Make sure your pdf print settings are set to print “actual
size”.
Materials List:
2 yards white fabric for block background, sashing, and borders
[you’ll be cutting your sashing and borders before beginning – you’ll want to
make sure you have long enough pieces after cutting out blocks].
2 yards fusible interfacing – I’ve used Pellon’s Shape-Flex,
as I wanted a stiffer interfacing since this is a wall quilt. Pellon’s Ultra-Weft is a good choice for a
more pliable and softer interfacing [not to mention easier to stitch through!]. Interfacing only comes 20” wide.
Variety of scraps – this is a scrappy quilt, although I
opened a fat quarter bundle for it. I
used 19 different fat quarters, although by no means used them up! The strips in the quilt measure 1 ½” x no
more than 15”. If you don’t have scraps
long enough, why not piece them! That
would give an even scrappier look, and I’m sorry I didn’t do it myself.
Another option for framing the blocks – frame them like I
did, then use larger rectangles of the same fabric [such as white] to bring
them up to size. The blocks all start
out different sizes, then I added fabric to make them all the same size. I didn’t calculate yardage for that, but I
think 2 yards might do it.
Marking pen – A red Frixion pen is my choice of marking tool
for white fabric – but only white fabric.
Use your favorite, heat-erasable, water-erasable, or permanent.
Fusible web
Embroidery floss to match appliqué fabric, and one color a
shade darker for stitching the lettering.
Binding – 210”, or ½ yard if cutting strips width of fabric
[selvage to selvage] .
Backing – 3 yards if piecing together. I’ll be using a vintage sheet.
Batting
Pre-washing Fabric
I always pre-wash, just because I like to get the chemicals
off before I handle the fabric. I’m glad
I did this time, the dark blue in the fat quarter bundle bled, although I used
a Color-Catcher! I ended up not using
that fabric. Because you’ll be
appliquéing the pieces with fusible web, it’s a good idea to wash the fabric so
the sizing doesn’t interfere with it adhering.
Don’t use fabric softener or a dryer sheet, that will also interfere
with adhesion.
Cutting Borders and Sashing
We’re cutting the borders and sashing first to make sure we
have long enough pieces before cutting the blocks. Cut these now, then set aside. From the white fabric:
Borders:
Cut 2 – 4” x 44”
Cut 2 – 4” x 54”
Sashing:
Cut 6 – 1 ½” x 13”
Cut 2 – 1 ½” x 44
A word about the scrappy fabric strips – I used them in a
“log cabin” style, adding them until the block measured at least 13”x14” and
trimmed down as needed. The blocks are
all different sizes, basically trimmed after appliqué and embroidery to ¾”
around the design before adding the scrappy strips. To put them together I added fabric to make
them uniform in size. Each block tutorial
will have full instructions on how to do this.
I’ve created a page [see above the post] for the
Stitch-Along. (If you’re reading this on
your phone, you may not see it.) That will be a permanent page – so if you
want to collect the blocks, but not start right away, you can easily get to all
the instructions. And every pdf of the
pattern templates will have a link to that page as well.
You can gather your supplies and cut out your borders and
sashing this week, then next Monday [Feb. 5] we’ll be starting the first
block! Our last block will be uploaded
on April 2, along with finishing instructions.
If you have any
questions, you can either email me, or leave a comment here [make sure to leave
your email address – I get a lot of no-reply bloggers that I can’t email
replies to, usually Google+ users – I can’t even comment on Google+ blogs!]. You can also come to my facebook page,
Allie-oops Designs.
My prayer for every one of you that join in the Garden Party
is that God will richly bless you through His word and through the work of your
hands. Actually, that’s my prayer for
you even if you don’t make the quilt with us!
And how lovely is it that we’ll be gardening in the bleakest of winter
months, for those of us in the northern hemisphere – this will carry us right
into spring!
(Psalms 34:8) "O taste and see that the LORD is
good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him."
This page has been turned into a
pdf, available in my shop for free download.
Click here:
Love,
Allie
*I loved that scripture so much I had to stitch it - it is included in my set of free Scripture stitcheries - click HERE
