Monday, December 31, 2012

Lil Twister


My holidays have been a mix of quiet and busy - just as I like it. I found a few minutes here and there to do some hand and machine stitching. On the machine I completed my Lil Twister quilt top made of 2 charm packs and some extra yardage.

You start out piecing the 5" squares into a grid and adding a 3" border-


Every time I use these-  Tag-a-Quilt by Quilt Dance I think I should share them with you. They help me keep my blocks in the correct order.

Use the Lil Twister ruler to cut out little squares by matching the lines on the ruler to the intersections of the stitched squares. There are lots of tutorials online, but I have a few non-quilters who read my blog so I wanted to show a few steps. This is one of those tricks available to quilters where it is easier to do than it looks.


After cutting out two squares, tilt them to the right, match up, and stitch. Then go to the next two and so on.

I think I'm going to use this ruler again to make a baby quilt for my nephew's baby. It'll be pinks and greys.

I have two observations to share. When using this ruler make sure you keep the rotary cutter as perpendicular to the cutting surface as possible. The ruler has feet that grips the fabric, but they also raise the ruler just a smidge off the fabric. I found some of my cuts weren't as straight as they could have been because my blade was finding space below the ruler. Also, as with many of these specialty rulers, it wastes a lot of fabric. Here is what I have left over-
enough for a little quilt.  80 -2 1/2" squares.

The week before Christmas I helped my niece get started on a t-shirt quilt. We have a big family so it was fun spending some one on one time with her. She is a nursing student at the University of Maryland. She went to Texas to celebrate the holidays with her mother's family and hopes to finish up the quilt with another aunt who quilts.

This past year has been a good one and I'm looking forward to January. My youngest went off to college this past summer and it seems like I have much more free time now. I'm doing things around the house that needed attention long ago. It feels good. No quilting resolutions for me this year. Only a crisis would keep me from stitching for long. Happily, stitching has become an almost daily habit. What gets done, gets done! ; c ) With that, I want to wish you all time in the new year to be creative. Cheers!

16 comments:

  1. Your twister is very cheery and cute.
    I'm like you--no quilting resolutions. I work on what I need finished for a gift or what I feel like doing, if there is nothing pressing, but I'm always working on something. : )
    Happy New Year to you!

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  2. Heel veel GELUK in 2013 from The Netherlands!!
    :o)

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  3. Bonne Année 2013 from France, XXXXXXX

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  4. I have this little twister ruler too i should make one too!
    ok so you used 5" charm squares for the blocks. I don't know if I have instructions for the ruler.
    love this quilt!

    Kathie

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  5. Happy New Year Maureen!!!

    I hope you continue to find stitching time every day for 2013.

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  6. Happy New Year, Maureen!
    The Quilt is beautiful.

    Manuela

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  7. I am with you Maureen, just keeping on doing more of the same in 2013. Your little twister looks great and the colours work together beautifully. Look forward to seeing more of your lovely work in 2013.

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  8. Happy New Year, Maureen. Those little twister quilts are so much fun to make! Yours looks great.

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  9. Cute little twister.
    How nice to spend time with your niece - even better with a sewing project.
    No firm plans in 2013 here either ;-)
    Wishing you all the best in the coming year!!

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  10. Love your Twister quilt top!! I have that ruler too, but as yet I have not used it!! I'm probably just complicating the process in my head, something about the cutting out of the pieces & placing them to sew back up again just does not yet click in my mind LOL!!! I'll have to bite the bullet at some stage......I love the results I have to say!!! All the very best to you for 2013!

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  11. your twister turned out so cute!
    Happy New Year

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  12. Maureen - I think my reading list leaves out posts! I missed this one!! Your little twister is so cute! And what a precious time with your niece!! Nice to see the younger generation wanting to learn to quilt!!

    Blessings

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  13. Very cute quilt, and how fun to spend time quilting with your niece. My two daughters both love quilts, but neither is interested in making them. Maybe a grandchild will quilt with me someday??? Happy new year to you, and look forward to visiting your blog in 2013.

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  14. You have been busy even through the holidays is a good thing!!

    I like seeing the special tools others use!!

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  15. Your twister quilt came out so cute! I love that pattern and have made a number of them. I've never been brave enough to use the rotary cutter. I don't have that template - just a home-made one, and I mark with a sharpie then cut with scissors. I haven't figured out what to do with the leftover squares yet - have you?

    Happy New Year! I'm with you - no resolutions. Just more of the same - keep trying to finish up some projects!

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  16. I love the lil twister. Now that I am done with the scrap squad I'm hoping to make a few twister quilts. Your colors are fantastic. Hugs

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