Ornament Swap

Welcome back to another exciting guild year! We're going to start everybody off with the first swap of the year, so get your holiday fabric stash out.

 

The first swap will be quilted ornaments! In order to participate in the swap, you must submit an ornament. You're welcome to submit more than one!

A few guidelines to ensure a consistent swap:

• The ornament must be made from fabric, with some sewing recommended. (Other materials can also be used along with fabric. For instance, styrofoam, stuffing, pins, buttons, etc)
• Keep it simple! Please submit ornaments (not wall hangings, not table runners) that are small and can be hung up.
• Please include a hanging loop.
• Christmas and holiday fabrics are welcome, but not a must!
• Finished size should be 3-4 square inches (roughly the palm of your hand)

 

I've collected a few tutorials and ideas from across the internet. Feel free to use these, or any fun ideas of your own. If you're unsure, reach out to me and we can chat.

Kaleidoscope Star Quilted Christmas Ornament by Hello Sewing

Fabric Christmas Ornament by I See Stars Quilting

A Bit of Cheer by Ann Hermes Mini Quilts

Scandinavian Star Ornaments

Make sure to wrap it, use a gift bag or envelope and submit it to me. Your options are:

• at the October meeting,
• at the guild retreat
• or drop it at Lee's house by November 16.

 

Please include your name and email address. If you do not submit an ornament, you will not receive one. We will do the swap at the November meeting, so that we can display our ornaments during the holidays.

 

Have fun!

September Block Lotto: 9-patch Warm Up

Due: Bring your blocks to the October 27 event

Techniques and concepts: Precise cutting and piecing, colour values, twirled seams

New to block lotto? Learn about it here

Welcome to the block lotto for 2025-2026! 

We’re kicking things off with a back-to-basics block to ease into the new guild year. This month’s block is inspired by cozy autumnal plaids and golden afternoons. It’s a straightforward 9-patch block, so it’s a good opportunity to pay extra attention to techniques and accuracy, and to the use of colour to give the blocks a glowy look.

Fabrics and cutting

You’ll need dark, medium, and light values for this block. You can pick three shades of the same colour or mix it up, but please keep it warm. There are a couple of ways that you can check that you’ve got enough contrast between your fabrics:

• Use a Ruby Beholder or similar tool
• Take a photo and use a filter to make it monotone:

Cutting tip: If you’d like a refresher on accurate cutting (I know it’s something I always struggle with), check out Lee Heinrich’s Quilting 101: Accurate cutting. 

Fabric A

Choose a warm dark colour, in either a solid or near-solid.

Cut 1 - 3.5” square

Fabric B

Choose a warm medium colour, in either a solid or print.

Cut 4 – 3.5” squares

Fabric C

Choose a warm light colour, in either a solid or near-solid.

Cut 4 – 3.5” squares

Steps

Before starting, consider testing whether you’re getting an accurate ¼” seam. For instructions, I’d recommend How to Perfect Your Seam Allowance from Lo and Behold Stitchery. 

1. First, make the center row. Take the dark fabric and sew a medium square on two opposite sides. Press the seam allowances in, towards the dark fabric.

2. Next, make the other two rows. Take the medium fabric and sew a light square on two opposite sides. Press the seam allowances out, towards the light fabric.
   

   

3. Join the rows together. Because the rows are pressed in opposite directions, you can nest the seams together tightly. When aligning the seams, slide them into place so they butt up against each other.
   

   

4. To finish the block, there are two options for pressing the rows. You can press the rows away from the middle row, like this:
   

   

   Or, to make the block lay flatter, you can twirl the seams. At the intersections, carefully remove a couple of stitches from the seam allowance. Note that the last two seams joining the rows stay intact. You're only undoing a couple of stitches from previous seams, in the seam allowance.

   
   
   The goal is to allow the seams to lie in opposite directions, like this:
   
   
   Tip: Be careful that you don't end up pressing the seams open -- the seams are pressed to one side. Releasing the stitches in the seam allowances allows you to press in opposite directions.
5. Here's what the back of a twirled block looks like:
   

   When you’re finished, the block should be 9.5” square, which will finish at 9” when the quilt is assembled.

   
   
   

That’s it! Admire your new block, maybe make some more, and share photos with others using #ottmqgBOM.

Here’s a mockup of what a quilt made with these blocks could look like, though keep in mind that if you win the blocks, you can make anything you’d like with them. Maybe slice them up into a disappearing 9-patch instead?

May Block Lotto - Inspired by Gee's Bend

 Block #8 - Celebrating Sadie Bell Nelson

The last block in our celebration of the quilters of Gee’s Bend features the centre medallion from a quilt by Sadie Bell Nelson (1936-1981), circa 1965.  The medallion is a Monkey Wrench block, also known as Churn Dash.  I am staying true to Sadie’s colour choices, but reshaping the block into a square rather than a rectangle.  The block finishes at 12 inches square.

Fabric requirements

Peach, grey, pumpkin orange, turquoise, dark brown, and green solids (or near solids).

Cutting

From the grey 

1 - 5.75” x 5.75”

From the pumpkin orange

1 - 5.75” x 5.75”

From the turquoise

1 - 6.5” x 6.5” 

From the peach

8 - 2.5” x 3.5”

From the dark brown

2 - 2.5” x 3.5”

From the green

2 - 2.5” x 3.5”

To make the block:

Use a ¼” seam throughout.

Start by making four at a time Half Square Triangles (HSTs).  

1. Stack the grey and the pumpkin orange squares, right sides together. 

Sew around all four sides of the square.  

Cut along one diagonal. 

Without moving the block, cut along the second diagonal.

Open each HST and press seams to one side.

Trim to 3.5” square.  Set HSTs aside.

2. Sew a 2.5” x 3.5” peach rectangle to each side of the dark brown 2.5” x 3.5” rectangles.  Press seams away from the centre.

3. Sew one of the above units to each side of the turquoise square.  Press seams away from the centre.

4. Sew a 2.5” x 3.5” peach rectangle to each side of the green rectangles.  Press seams away from the centre.

5. Sew an HST to either side of the above units.  Press seams towards the centre (so that seams will nest in the next step).

6. Sew the above units to the top and bottom of the turquoise square unit.  Press seams away from the centre.

You are done!  The block should measure 12.5” square.