From octagon to square

For every octagon we need 2 squares cut in half diagonally.
The four triangles are stitched in four corners.

I covered the center of the block with an octagon.

Octagons...

... to cover the center of my blocks.

Happy (sewing) weekend,
Geta

New Quilt Pattern

Thank you all so much for taking the time to send me "Happy Birthday" wishes - you all made my day yesterday!

Do you remember this quilt...

and this quilt ?

 

If you have asked for a pattern, here is:

Happy Sewing!

Geta

43!

I am turning 43 years old today. How time flies!
25 years ago I thought that people over 40 are so old! We were still under the communism and the young/cool people wore jeans (the fortunate ones, of course, at the time jeans weren't for everyone). The old people wore ugly pants made out from boring fabrics (at least this is what I was thinking).

I did not even dare to think about me at 40! But today I don't feel I am old! I am happy with myself and with what I am doing. I don't have too many regrets, one of them is that I lost many creative years of my life because I discovered quilting when I was 32 years old.

Here is the present I made myself. A few more solid fabrics added to my stash. I hope I will find now those 21 colors I need for a new quilt.

I enjoy fabric more than anything else. I am not like the woman in the below cartoon, but I always dream of fabrics! My sisters gave me money today to buy something nice but they did not mention not to spend them on quilting!

source:Pickledish

This is such a funny cartoon. I found it on the blog of Pickledish, the home of Kansas City Star Quilts (Mary, you must know them!).I browsed today almost the entire site to see all the cartoons.
There is even a book - I put it on my wish list! Do you think our husbands would enjoy it ?

I hope you are having a happy day!
Geta

PS. Thank you all for the lovely comments about my raw edge applique quilt! It was so much fun to make it!

Raw Edge Applique

Here is my latest quilt. I made it for a baby girl.
I enjoy raw edge applique more than I expected.

I enjoyed playing with dots...

and making trapunto under all the center flowers.

I love the look of the edges after washing.

I love everything about this  40''x 40'' quilt.

Pattern available here.

I hope you are having a great week!

From circle to octagon

Or how to turn dresden fan blocks into octagons.

I wanted octagons because it is easy to turn them into squares.
My dresden fan blocks have 24 wedges. I use a 15 degre fan ruler to make them.

An octagon has 8 sides so all I have to do is to turn 3 sides of the dresden block  into 1.
The first step is simple.

Step2  Rotate the block counter clockwise and cut the next 3 sides.

Step 3 (picture below).  Rotate again. This time keep the first side you created aligned with a vertical line of the cutting mat and be sure the new side you are cutting is aligned (parallel) with an horizontal line of the cutting mat. It is easier to place the block with the corners/points that have to be cut on the horizontal line of the cutting mat.
This step is important and you have to keep it in mind while you cut the other sides. It assures 90 degree angles to the final square blocks.

You can see below the vertical and horizontal sides aligned with the lines of the cutting mat.

Repeat until you cut all the sides.
Below is the finished octagon.  Love, love, how it looks and I did not waste too much from the original block.
The sides should be all equal in size. Not all of mine are but the differences are minor, I don't think I will have problems when joining the blocks. 
Now I have to add triangles in the four corners and I will have  a square.

What to do if the dresden block doesn't have a number of sides divisible with 8 (the number of sides of an octagon).
Example: 20 wedges dresden plate block.
Here is what you can do:

Fold the dresden block in half.  Mark the 2 half points onto the edges.
Fold in half again. Mark the 2 points onto the edges (you have now 4 points).
Fol one more time, you will have now 8 points marked onto your block.  Using the ruler, cut between 2 adiacent points.

Or , you can make a template. Use the same technique described above. Start with a circle and make the octagon. Place it on top of the dresden block in the position you want and cut around it.

I just found  here a calculator for different regular shapes, in case you need it.

I am busy now piecing 16 more dresden blocks for my quilt.
Happy Sewing!
Geta

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See also:
From octagon to square
Finished quilt

My assistant

I managed to change the shape of my blocks. I took pictures but I need to edit them and write a few words. It is almost middle of the night, at this time I  don't think I could write something  clear so I show you a few pictures of one of my assistants.

I can't do anything without their knowledge/approval.

New Project

Thank you so much for the love you sent me through your comments and emails about my book.
One year ago I finished the last quilt for the book. It is hard to just work, work, work for months... Then,  for other months, you have to wait, wait, wait... Still a long  wait...

Meanwhile, I started another quilt. I love, love this pattern.

I would love to keep the shapes of these blocks but I have never pieced circles. And I don't want to try something new now... And I don't want to applique them. So I have to make something with them... I will show you tomorrow.

These are the fabrics/colors I will play with tomorrow.

 

I Wrote a Book!

Dear quilting friends,

I am so happy I can finally share with you the secret I kept during the last 18 months: I wrote a book! About my shadow trapunto quilts - some of you know that this is my favorite quilting technique.
The book will be released in February 2012 by C&T Publishing.

Ten years ago when I started learning quilting I was exactly like a child learning the alphabet. I would not have imagined that someday I could write a book. 

I still recall the day when I read the first quilting book. I wrote down on a piece of paper the difference between "batting-backing-binding-basting", because I did not know how to translate these words in Romanian and it was so confusing (more about the beginning of my quilting journey here).

Quilting is an unknown craft in Romania to most people. During my first two years of quilting, I made quilts, but I was not sure whether they were really quilts or not because I hadn’t ever seen a real quilt - only pictures in a book and on Internet.
I remember how amazed I was when I received my first fabric order from the USA and I saw how fine the quilting fabric is. I made my first quilts from decorator fabric.
Or how I studied the pictures in the book with a magnifying glass to understand what "stitch in the ditch" is and how perfect the free motion quilting or piecing should be.
Or how excited I was about the cotton batting. When I asked in our shops about cotton batting, the angry answer was: "Lady, don't you know, the batting is made out of polyester!".

I love many quilting techniques but it happened that I enjoy shadow trapunto more than anything else. My shadow trapunto technique is about what I love most: contrast, circular designs, repeats and symmetry. I also love using computer to draw my designs.

I learned what shadow trapunto is and because I could not find here what is usually used for this technique, I had to improvise.
Seduced by the technique, I looked for materials that make it easier.
And so it became my biggest love in quilting.
Then I wanted to share it with many quilters.
This is the story. So when I am feeling sorry that I live in Romania, far away from the quilting world, I remember that even this thing brought me on this road.

All my love for quilting is in this book. I gained so much experience working in the last four years and all I learned is there.
You will find in the book:
- a step by step tutorial for shadow trapunto technique, with lots of tips and tricks;
- 30 projects with patterns, in a wide range - from postcards to pillows, table runners and wall hangings. There is something for everyone.
- full size patterns on CD.

The book is available for pre-order on Amazon.
The book cover will be up on Amazon within the next few weeks.

I hope this book will reach a special spot in your heart!

I will share more from the book with you in the next months.
-Geta

Out of my comfort zone

I am still here! After too much play at the computer with new designs, I finally chose one to work with.

I am making applique. I am not too happy. But it could be worse. Fortunately, the pattern is symmetrical and I can cut two and even four pieces at once.

At this point I would have liked a serious reason to give up! But I spent way too much time with the pattern so I felt that I have to go on.
 

What do you think I am doing here ? Yes, I am that crazy! I am gluing the applique pieces on the background fabric- on the floor. It looks like I am basting a quilt. And it is 9 PM.

 

I am lazy. For applique I don't transfer the pattern to fabric. I tape the paper pattern on the window and on top of it I tape the background fabric. Then I glue the pieces on the background, on the window.

But where to find natural light at 9 PM, when I finished cutting the applique pieces?
I especially drawn the pattern with thick lines  so it can show up more easily through the fabric. And because I work with white fabric, I noticed that I don't need natural light and window to see the pattern through fabric. So I taped the paper pattern to the floor and on top of it I taped the background fabric.

And I did it! And it worked!  But I used too much glue and the paper glued to back of fabric!

Now I am wondering: should I add trapunto under the applique or not? We will see! 

Happy weekend to you all!

Geta

Special Quilts...

A few days ago, Ms. Lilly Doggendorf (www.lillypad.tk) from the US and originally from Romania  wrote me and sent in my email box many pictures of lovely quilts. I found out that she has established a non-profit organization to help needy children in Romania (Ortisoara, Timis).  She wanted to share pictures of the quilts made by a few quilters in the USA especially for the kids who attend a free after-school  program.

Then I found out more about the quilts. Nina Godfrey, one of the quilters, wrote me a short message:

"I felt that I could do something to help out with the skills that I have, so I decided to make quilts for the after-school kiddos in Ortisoara. Two of my friends agreed to help me and we managed to make enough for every child in the program. I think it is probably the best project I have ever taken on.  It has been very satisfying, and also fun, to work on quilts that young children might like."

Thank you all for your hard work and for bringing joy to those in need! I am sure the kids appreciate your effort and feel your love stitched in every quilt!