Showing posts with label Finish A Long 2016. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Finish A Long 2016. Show all posts

Saturday, 9 July 2016

Finish A Long 2016 - Quarter 3 Proposed Finishes Link Up

2016 button 250 best

I'm in complete denial at how quickly this year is speeding past. And somehow we are already at the beginning of the third quarter of the 2016 FAL. This means 2016 is half way over!!! As you are already aware, the 2016 FAL has gone global - a community of bloggers across the world, jointly hosting the FAL. Our hosts are:
For those of you who are new to the FAL, it is a place to find motivation and encouragement to complete those unfinished projects that are hanging about becoming UFOs. Every quarter you post a list of projects you hope to finish in the next three months, and then at the end of the quarter, you post a link from your blog, Flickr or Instagram of each successful finish from your original list. Each finish is an entry for wonderful prizes from our sponsors. There is no penalty for not finishing a listed project, so feel free to make your list long or short, as you wish. The 2016 Schedule and Rules for the FAL are on my permanent FAL page, please let me know if you have any questions.

 Here are the fantastic and generous sponsors for Q3 of the FAL - you can see each of their prizes listed under their logo (think about visiting them and saying thank you):


As you may recall from the previous, there was a return of tutorial week at the end of each quarter, between the opening of the link for finishes and the day that link closes. We have had a great range of tutorials shared by our hosts so far this year, so if you haven't done so already it's worth checking them all out. These tutorials will take place each quarter. Each host works hard to put these together so I hope you are visiting their blogs to encourage them. If you have a tutorial that you would like to share, please let me or another host know.

 It's time to round up those projects you want to finish over the next three months, take a photo of where you are now, and make your list. Please ensure that you have at least started your projects - pulled fabric with a pattern or plan, and remember that it is finished projects that will get you entry toward the above listed prizes. So while we love to see your bee blocks, the "finish" is when they are a completed, usable project.

If you are linking up via Instagram, it is very helpful if you tag your Q3 list as #FALQ3yourname. The 2016 Q3 link for your list of proposed finishes is now open below on my blog and on each of the hosting blogs. You only link your list once, on one blog - and that link will show up on all of the blogs. If you are using Flickr or Instgram, link a mosaic and put your list in the description. Katy of The Littlest Thistle has a great tutorial on how to link-up if you have need it. We also ask that you become part of the FAL community. Please check out the links of others and visit and comment on their lists. We all need encouragement to get those finishes done, so please share some of your own too.

 When creating your list there is one thing to remember - there are no deductions for not completing something so aim high! I'll be sharing my Q3 list in a few days, and no doubt it will include a few more quilts than I actually expect to get finished ;o). I would encourage you to do the same - who knows what you'll feel like working on this quarter?

So, get those lists together and get linked up. The Q3 linky party will stay open until 11 pm EST, July 16th - as we are global, you might want to check your time zone to determine your last possible time to link. Remember: you only need to link up on ONE hosting blog and it will automatically show up on all hosting blogs.




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Friday, 1 July 2016

Adding Mitred Borders to Quilt Blocks {A Tutorial}

I've been working on a quilt top over the last month or so, that has involved adding mitred borders to each of my blocks. These can be a little intimidating, so when I had to decide on what my tutorial as part of the 2016 Finish A Long would be, I decided it would be a great topic to cover.



Mitred (or mitered, depending on your country) borders are borders that are joined at a 45 degree angle at the corners of the block or quilt. They can be really effective - especially if you use a directional fabric, such as a stripe.

To add mitred borders to a block, you will need to do a simple calculation to figure out what sized borders you need to cut.

1. Decide what width borders you want to add to your quilt block. 

For example, if you want an 8" x 8" quilt block to finish at 12" x 12", you will need to add 2.5" borders to each side. This calculation is:

(Desired Block Size - Current Block Size)  +  0.5"
                                                                             2

which is:

(12 - 8)    + 0.5"
                                                                          2

2. Calculate the length of the border strips.

 Your border strips will be cut with enough overhand on both ends to enable you to sew a 45 degree angle. This calculation will give you strips that are a lot longer than you'll need, but it's far easier to

To calculate the length you'll need

(Current Block Size) + (Border width x 2) + 2"

So for the example above, the calculation would be:

(8") + (2 x 2") + 2 = 14"

Adding Mitred Borders

Once you've cut FOUR border strips, you're ready to add them to the quilt block.


  1. First take your block, and mark a point 1/4" in from both edges at all four corners. 



 2. Take your block, and finger press a small crease at the centre of all four sides. Take one border strip, finger press a small crease at the centre of the strip, and align this with the crease on the quilt block. Sew between the points marked on the block, leaving 1/4" unsewn on both ends of the seam, keeping the block on top as you sew the border strip. Stitch a few reverse stitches at both ends of this seam.


3. Continue around the edge of the block, adding border strips and aligning the centre as per step 2. You will need to fold back the edge of the first strip and take care not to catch it as you sew each subsequent strip to the block.


4. Once you've sewn all four border strips on, you'll have an interesting looking piece, with bits hanging out at the corners... Don't press anything yet!


5. Take a ruler, and line up the 45 degree line along the outer edge of your border strip, and align the edge of the ruler with the mark 1/4" in from the corner of your block.

Mark this line on all 8 ends of your border strips.


6. At each corner, fold the block diagonally in half, and carefully align your drawn lines, and pin.


7. Starting right at the point where the seams around the block meet, sew along the marked line, securing the start of your seam with a few reverse stitches. Repeat for all four corners.


8. Take your ruler, and trim 1/4" away from each of these seams.


The wrong side of your block should look something like this after trimming.


9. Now it's time to press your block! First, carefully press the corner seams open.



And then carefully press the borders away from the block.




And there you have it, a block with mitred borders! I'm hoping to properly share the quilt I've been working on using this technique very soon - but this is a sneak peek...



Hopefully it won't be so long between blog posts from now on - I have quite a few things to share, once I get my shit together and take some decent photos!

xx Jess







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Saturday, 9 April 2016

Finish A Long 2016: Quarter 2 Link Up

2016 button 250 best

I know I've said it before, but this year is speeding by at a slightly scary pace. My kids have just started their end of first term holidays, and I'm finding it hard to grasp that the school year is a quarter over already! Not only that, as we are into April, the Q2 of the Finish A Long is starting as well.  As you are already aware, the 2016 FAL has gone global - a community of bloggers across the world, jointly hosting the FAL. Our hosts are:
For those of you who are new to the FAL, it is a place to find motivation and encouragement to complete those unfinished projects that are hanging about becoming UFOs. And seriously, it is such an amazing community! We had over 800 finishes linked up in the first quarter, which is absolutely incredible - so if you have WIPs hanging around that you would like to finish, it's a brilliant way to keep motivated and get encouragement from other quilters.

I have quite a few projects I'd like to finish this quarter - firstly my improv quilt I've been sharing over the last few weeks. I'll be teaching this as a series of classes starting in June, so I really do need to get it finished quite soon.


My other priority is another class sample I need to make - I'm teaching this amazing Modern Sampler quilt, designed by Yoshiko Jinzenji. I do have a pile of fabric I've pulled for this quilt, but I haven't had a chance to take a photo yet. Lots of Suzuko Koseki and low volume will go into this one!



The third project I'd love to complete (but honestly, it's probably a long shot with the other two quilt I want to get done!) is the quilt I started in my workshop with Kaffe Fassett back in February. I need to cut a bunch more pieces, piece it, quilt it and bind it - so honestly I think this will be a Q3 finish, but you never know!



Every quarter you post a list of projects you hope to finish in the next three months, and then at the end of the quarter, you post a link from your blog, Flickr or Instagram of each successful finish from your original list. Each finish is an entry for wonderful prizes from our sponsors. There is no penalty for not finishing a listed project, so feel free to make your list long or short, as you wish. I've been known to make ridiculous lists in the past - there is no shame in carrying projects over from one quarter to the next!

The 2016 Schedule and Rules for the FAL are on my permanent FAL page, please let me know if you have any questions.

Here are the fantastic and generous sponsors for Q2 of the FAL - you can see each of their prizes listed under their logo. We are so grateful to have such a brilliant bunch of sponsors - and it's certainly great motivation to get projects ticked off your Q2 list. Please think about heading over and checking out our sponsor sites and saying thank you!


As you may recall from Q1, there was a return of tutorial week at the end of each quarter, between the opening of the link for finishes and the day that link closes. The first quarter tutorials were fabulous, so I encourage you to check them out (the list of tutorials can be found in my end of Q1 post). This tutorial week will take place each quarter. If you have a tutorial that you would like to share, please let me or another host know.

 It's time to round up those projects you want to finish over the next three months, take a photo of where you are now, and make your list. Please ensure that you have at least started your projects - pulled fabric with a pattern or plan, and remember that it is finished projects that will get you entry toward the above listed prizes. So while we love to see your bee blocks, the "finish" is when they are a completed, usable project. It is very helpful if you tag your Q2 list as #FALQ2yourname on IG so that we can find it at the end of the quarter.

 The 2016 Q2 link for your list of proposed finishes is now open below on my blog and on each of the hosting blogs. You only link your list once, on one blog - and that link will show up on all of the blogs.

If you are using Flickr or Instgram, link a mosaic and put your list in the description. Katy of The Littlest Thistle has a great tutorial on how to link-up if you have need it.

 We also ask that you become part of the FAL community. Please check out the links of others and visit and comment on their lists. We all need encouragement to get those finishes done, so please share some of your own too. When creating your list there is one thing to remember....No deductions for not completing something so ..... Aim High! Nothing to lose!!!

So, get those lists together and get linked up. The Q2 linky party will stay open until 11 pm EST, April 16th - as we are global, you might want to check your time zone to determine your last possible time to link. Remember: you only need to link up on ONE hosting blog and it will automatically show up on all hosting blogs. I'm looking forward to another amazing quarter of finished projects!


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