Homework and Prework for Classes

You will need 33 fat quarters (or the equivalent in scraps). Pattern calls for 32, but the “extra” fat I’m including is because the pattern calls for ¾ yard for a binding, which also includes fabrics for the blocks. And you still really need ¾ for a binding, because the quilt is big. You also need the equivalent of 4 ¼ yards of background. I used a variety, but I kept the background of the stars all the same color, a more tone on tone white. The rest of the backgrounds were cat prints, bumble bee prints and polka dots.

Cutting, if using the Creative Grid Flying Geese ruler: From 13 of the assorted fat quarters (prints) cut 1 strip at 3 ½” X 21”. Cut into 5 squares of 3 ½” X 3 ½”. (just as book says). (Center of your star. You need 60 stars)

From the same fat quarter, cut 3, 2 ¾ X 21” strips, cut into 20 squares (you will need 240 total, and if using the ruler, make sure you have 4 of the same color). (these are your star points. They should match the centers)

From 21 fat quarters, cut exactly as the book says. These are for the “squares” in the quilt.

From the white, the only modification for using the Creative Grid ruler is the cutting line that starts with 8 Strips: Cut 8 strips at 4 ¾” X 42”. Cross cut into 60 4 ¾” x 4 ¾” squares. (these are for the stars)

NOTE: The book has you make the flying geese in the same manner as the Creative Grid ruler, but the ruler has you cut things just a bit bigger. If you are using the same fabric for all of the background for the stars, make sure you cut the 4 ¾” X 4 ¾” squares and 240 2” X 2” squares from the same background. If you are using a variety of backgrounds, then cut the rest of the backgrounds anyway you want.

If you get this far, you can get your flying geese little squares (the 2 ¾” X 2 ¾” squares) ready for sewing (draw your lines across the diagonal).

A new pattern with the proper cutting instructions can be found HERE!! Do not use the sheet from class!!

10 Fats Plus One Quilt

10 Fats Plus One

This quilt is 3 X 4, 4 X 5, 5 X 5. Your choice. If you go beyond 5 X 5 you may need more fabric. I also used a panel for parts of my quilt (both the one in the window and the one in the classroom).

The main pieces for each block are one 8 ½” X 8 ½”, one 4 ½” X 8 ½”, and three 4 ½” X 4 ½” squares.

What we will do in class is make some extra blocks to substitute for the 4 ½” X 4 ½” squares. We will make flying geese, half square triangles and hourglass blocks.

Cutting for the flying geese: 4 ½” X 2 ½” rectangle and two 2 ½” X 2 ½” squares. Make 2 for each substituted block. Can you use the flying goose ruler? Absolutely, but you will get more variety by making these individually.

Cutting for half square triangles: Cut two squares at 5” X 5”. Draw a line from corner to corner, sew on each side of the line, cut apart, press, square to 4 ½” X 4 ½”. You will get two half square triangles.

Cutting for quarter square triangles: Cut two squares at 5 ½” X 5 ½” (bigger than you need). Cut on diagonal twice. Sew the various triangles back together to form the hourglass block. Square to 4 ½” X 4 ½”. Also, you can use any method you like to make these blocks.

You are welcome to substitute any other block that finished at 4” X 4 “.

We will make the big blocks (12” finished). You can make as many as you like. You can substitute the special blocks (half square triangles, quarter square triangles, and flying geese) for any of the 4 ½” X 4 ½” squares. I would not put more than one special block in each big block. And I would make some big blocks without any special blocks.

Your choice.

A new pattern with the proper cutting instructions can be found HERE!! Do not use the sheet from class!!

Sweater Class

You can choose any pattern you like, so long as the pattern is an in-the-round pattern. You can choose top down or bottom up. Top down sweaters have you separate for the sleeves (leaving a hole where they will go) and then you finish the sweater down to the bottom hem. Then you go back and pick up the sleeves and knit the sleeves to the sweater.

In bottom up patterns you start from the “hem” and the bottom and work your way up to the armpits, where the sleeves go. You then separate for the sleeves (leave a hole) and finish up to the ribbed neck line. With bottom up sweaters, you typically knit the sleeves separately and set them aside. Some people try out their gauge by doing a sleeve—it’s easy to start a sleeve over if the gauge isn’t right.

Gauge will be important! My suggestion is that you cast on 30-40 stitches and knit back and forth (knit across, purl back) for about 6-7 inches. Best gauge swatches are bigger than what you need (usually gauge is measured over X# stitches to inch, both row and stitch (20 stitches = 4 inches, 22 rows = 4”). Gauge is dependent on both needle size and yarn weight. You can change gauge by switching needle size and yarn type. Gauge is important. If you are one extra stitch to the inch, and if your sweater is 52” around, you will have (about) 14 extra stitches, which could equal 2 + extra inches to the sweater.

Pattern suggestions: For colorwork, the Afmaeli 20-year Anniversary Sweater is free and well written in multiple sizes. It calls for LettLopi yarn, which is a heavy worsted weight, almost an Aran weight. If you use a worsted weight to make the sweater, be sure to check gauge. You may want to go up a size (from M to L). We can make those decisions in class, if you have your gauge done.

Southwood is a great pattern (for purchase). It has a crew neck and is top down, all in one color, in worsted.

Linden Sweater is done with 2 yarns held together, a worsted weight and a lace weight (like a mohair). If you want to try to handle 2 yarns, this is a nice choice. Neckline is like a crewneck, but just a little higher. This sweater is bottom up. Need to purchase.

Felix Pullover is top down and has a little different sleeve treatment, easy to do, but it creates almost an eyelet design. You can make it as long as you want (it is shown cropped). This is worsted weight, but can be done with 2 yarns, worsted and mohair.

A new pattern with the proper cutting instructions can be found HERE!! Do not use the sheet from class!!

Christmas Wreath

Please cut as directed in the book. This quilt is intended to be scrappy, so all the pieces, even the little ones, are cut separately. Keep individual pieces in baggies according the pattern piece.

The “wreath” part I made with 2 different greens: Dark green as a substitute for the black and medium green for the blue floral. The half square triangles are also made from these two green fabrics.

The rest of the quilt (other than the background white) is made from reeds and Christmas colors. My suggestion is that you use mostly red for the rest of the pieces, and sprinkle in some other Christmas colors, even some lighter or brighter greens. I used blues, purples, yellows, gold and greens. Novelties can be used in this section as well.

Please cut as much as you can before class, so that you can use class time for sewing. You don’t need to cut the entire quilt by class time. You just need enough of all of the pieces, so you can make the blocks. The goal will be to make 4 blocks (there are 80 in the quilt). Four blocks form the pattern, so being able to put one big block together would be great.

May 2026 BOM CORRECTION

One more correction: Piece A on the 8" square. The square should be cut at 2 7/8" X 2 7/8". Please make that correction and I apologize for the error. It will work if you cut the larger size, but you will have difficulty getting it "squared" to the right size.

MONTHLY MINIS September 5

Monthly Minis

Fabric requirements: Background total is about ¼ yard. Scraps of many colors for the rest of the quilt. Scraps need to be at least 3” wide, but for many pieces even smaller sized scraps will work. Borders, depending on how wide you cut them, you’ll need less than ¼ yard, same for sashings. You don’t need to cut anything before class, just bring your bags of scraps in the colors you want to use.

TOM TURKEY October 17

Turkeys

12 fat quarters (2 yellows, 2 purples, 2 pumpkin/orange, 2 browns, 2 greens, 2 reds). They can be the same 2 reds, for example, or you can use 2 different reds. Wool scraps will be provided for wattles. NOTE: The fat quarters are for making the turkey, including the background. Which means sometimes the fabrics will be in the background and sometimes they will be in the turkeys. Don’t worry—it will work.

It would be helpful to have an unused X-large pizza box or other storage container.

A long ruler, the 6 ½” X 24” ruler. You can also use the ones at the store. A sharpie for drawing. Pencils also work. A rotary cutter with a new blade, which means you don’t want to rely on the store cutters.

PAPERBAG LOG CABIN September 19

Paperbag Log Cabin

Yardage for the Log Cabin is app. 5-6 yards of darks and 5-6 yards of lights, depending on how many blocks you want to make. The darks can be all colors, or you can choose to do a more controlled pallet. Lights can be assorted, or only 1 fabric. The idea behind this quilt is to help you make a very scrappy quilt. With that in mind, just cut strips (1 ½” wide by as long as you’ve got) from all of your left over fabrics you have on your shelves. For your centers, choose either 1 color or assorted colors. You will need a 2 ½” X 2 ½” center for each block. Cut as many of the strips as you can before class so we can concentrate on making blocks.

FALLING LEAVES September 26

Falling Leaves

You will need multiple colors for fall leaves—30+. You can use all different colors/fabrics or repeat colors. But you don’t need much: a 3” strip will get you most of the leaves. You will need about 2 yards for background—you can use a cream, gray, blue. Just make sure your leaf colors stand out against the background.

It will help to have the Corner Beam ruler, which we have set aside for class members. A small 6 ½” X 6 ½” ruler is also helpful.

Liz will provide cutting instructions in class—so no precutting for this quilt.

Borders are optional and will be discussed in class.

Also, you might want to bring some plastic baggies to store each leaf. You will label each leaf, so the bags can hold multiple leaves.

Socks, Knitting 101

Knitting

We will be doing a toe up sock. Or....you can do a cuff down sock. Or.....you can do a fingering weight sock (toe up). Or.....you can do a worsted weight sock, cuff down. You have options. The cuff down worsted weight sock pattern we're using is called Simple Campling Socks. You can get the pattern on Interweave. vanilla Sock with Gusset and choice of Heel is two up and uses fingering weight. There are also many sock patterns, so you can choose one you like, and whichever yarn weight you want. Choose needles to match yarn weight. Techniques will include magic loop, double points and 2 at a time.

Beginning Quilting starting September 13

Beginning Quilting Starting September 13

Please bring your sewing machine to the first class. You will also need a piece of fabric, like a fat quarter, that you can cut up. If you have favorite cutting tools, you may bring them. Or you can just use what we have at the shop.

You will need to get the book, You Can Quilt by Leila Gardunia. You can purchase an ebook on her web site or find a copy on Amazon or other new/used book sites.

All other tools will be discussed in the first and second classes. Fabric requirements will also be discussed in class. You will not need fabric until after the first class. You will need a sewing machine in good order, and you will need to know how to thread it and wind a bobbin. If you have a new machine or haven’t used your machine in a while, please take it out, make sure it works and make sure you know how it works. In other words, please make sure it is threaded and ready to sew before class.

Bringing something to write on is helpful. You can take notes in your book, but you may want to take notes separately in a notebook.

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