Friday, September 5, 2014

Marcus Fabrics Friends & Companions Designer SEW-ALONG


Thank you for joining me and the other Marcus Fabrics friends and designers in our FIRST ever sew-along. By now you are probably itching to see what the final quilt is going to look like. Let me just say that you will not be disappointed. When I saw the quilt I was thrilled with how great it looked--and it had not even been quilted yet!

So, a bit about Nancy Rink Designs.  Obviously, my company is named after me.  But if you have been to my booth at quilt shows, you know that a big part of Nancy Rink Designs is my husband, Oliver, a retired history professor. Here we are in our booth at the Best of the Valley quilt show.
BOV Photo
We have written two books together, both published by Kansas City Star. The first Away From Home: Quilt Inspired by the Lowell Factory Girls and the second El Camino Real: Quilts Inspired by Early California History have feature quilts that were made with Marcus fabric collections designed specifically for each book. Currently, we are in the planning stages of a third book using our formula where Oliver does the research and writes the history and I design the quilts and write the instructions.
When it comes to design, I enjoy working with both traditional and contemporary fabrics. My two most recent collections and accompanying block-of-the-month quilts, Mill Works and Color Love, clearly show the two sides of my "design personality". 

If you would like to join our mailing list and receive information about new fabrics, patterns, and special offers, click HERE.
BOMs

So let's get to this week's installment in our Sew Along. My block is called Plus Four.

Cutting Instructions
From both the Red (1034-0111) and the Cheddar (1033-0128), cut:
     Four 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangles
     Two 2 1/4" squares (NOTE: this are cut oversized and will be trimmed during construction)
From both the Blue (1109-0150) and the Olive Green (1702-0116), cut:
     One 1 1/2" x 13" strip
From the Beige (1038-0188), cut:
     Eight 1 1/2" squares
     Four 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangles
     Four 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangles

Sewing
One
Sew together the Blue and Green Strips. Press toward the Blue fabric.
Two
Cross cut into a total of EIGHT 1 1/2"-wide segments.
Three
Assemble two segments into a Four-Patch. Make a total of four.
TIP FOR ACCURACY: Arrange the segments as shown so that the Blue fabric is in the upper right and lower left corner of the Four-Patch. When segments are oriented with their seams facing as these seams do, they will easily nest/lock together.
Four
On the wrong side of the Four-Patch, press the seam in opposite directions to reduce bulk. A little Four-Patch will appear!
Five
Arrange a Four-Patch, a Beige 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangle, and a Beige 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangle as shown. Stitch rectangles to the Four-Patch. Press seams toward the Beige rectangles. Make a total of four.
Six
Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner on the wrong side of the Beige 1 1/2" squares.
Seven
Position the marked Beige squares on the Red and Cheddar rectangles as shown. Stitch on the drawn line. Trim excess fabric. Make a total of four Red/Cheddar sets.
Eight
Press seams in the directions indicated by the arrows.
Eight copy
Sew together, pressing seam in the direction indicated by the arrow. Make a total of four.

Ten2
Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner on the wrong side of the Cheddar 2 1/4" squares. Position a Cheddar square on top of a Red square, rights sides together. Stitch 1/4" from both sides of the drawn line. Cut on the drawn line. Press seam toward the Red fabric. make a total of four Half-Square Triangles.
TIP FOR ACCURACY: I cut my Half-Square Triangles oversized and trim them to size using a square ruler or a Block Loc Ruler, which I will show in the next few steps. If you wish to use another method, the mathematically correct measurement to cut the Cheddar and Red squares is 1 7/8", so they will be 1 1/2" once sewn.
Twelve
The  Bloc Loc Ruler has a groove on the underneath side that locks on the seam. Position the ruler on a HST as shown. The HSTs will be trimmed to 1 1/2", so make sure to leave enough extra fabric beyond the 1 1/2" markings on the ruler as indicated by the arrows.
Fourteen
Trim.
Fifteen
Rotate the HST and ruler and trim the other two sides.
Sixteen
Half-Square Triangle Perfection!

Seventeen
Arrange four HSTs and sew into a pinwheel as shown.
 nineteen
Arrange the units as shown. Sew together in rows, pressing seams in the directions indicated by the arrows.
Twenty


And here is your finished Four Plus block! Click here for a PDF version of these instructions.

Now it's time for a giveaway. Three winners will be chosen at random from those of you who post a response. If you are looking for a topic, please consider sharing a technique you use to improve your sewing accuracy. On Monday September 8, I will post the winners and the prizes they have won. In the meantime, feel free to do a little shopping on my website nancyrinkdesigns.com. We've put a couple of kits on special just for the Sew Along.

The next stop on the Sew Along Blog Hop is Mary Ellen Robison of Red Crinoline Quilts. Don't miss her post on Friday September 12. Here is the entire list of Sew Along Designers and their websites.  Please share with your quilting friends so they can join us for all the fun.  It's never too late to start!

8/1                        Pam Buda ~ Heartspun Quilts                                  www.HeartspunQuilts.Blogspot.com
8/8                        Paula Barnes ~ Red Crinoline Quilts                     www.RedCrinolineQuilts.Blogspot.com
8/15                      Sarah Maxwell ~ Homestead Hearth                      www.HomesteadHearth.Blogspot.com              
8/22                      Pati Violick ~ Marcus Fabrics                                www.MarcusMentions.com
8/29                      Gloria Parsons ~ Olde Green Cupboard               www.OldeGreenCupboard.Blogspot.com  
9/5                        Nancy Rink ~ Nancy Rink Designs                          www.NancyRinkDesigns.com/blog
9/12                      Mary Ellen Robison~Red Crinoline Quilts          www.RedCrinolineQuilts.Blogspot.com
9/19                      Dolores Smith ~ Homestead Hearth                       www.HomesteadHearth.Blogspot.com
9/26                      Lisa Shepard ~ Marcus Fabrics                               www.MarcusMentions.com
10/3                      Red Crinoline Quilts ~ Quilt Revealed!                www.RedCrinolineQuilts.Blogspot.com

Saturday, August 30, 2014

At the Halfway Mark of Marcus Fabrics Designer "Friends & Companions SEW-ALONG"

We, or should I say "you", are now at the half way mark of the Marcus Fabrics Designer Friends and Companions SEW ALONG. This week's block is brought to you by the team of Gloria Parsons, Vicky Ianuucci, and Heather Lynn at The Olde Green Cupboard Designs. These three talented ladies design some gorgeous quilts along with other great patterns for decorating items like pillows and runners. They also coordinate the Camp Blanding Retreats which I one day hope to be able to attend.
Here is a picture of their block. Aren't those little baskets cute? This is such a clever block--I am itching to stich a few up in fabrics from my stash that I've been hoarding for just the right project. If you click on the block it will take you right to the Olde Green Cupboard blog where you will find the instructions. And be eligible for a giveaway!

Of course, it's never too late to join our sew-along.  I am on deck for next Friday.  Here's the info, just in case you want to catch up and get ready for the surprise at the end!

Here is the designer and blog schedule for our Friends & Companions sew-along.   Be sure to pass this news along to all your friends!  
8/1                        Pam Buda ~ Heartspun Quilts                                  www.HeartspunQuilts.Blogspot.com
8/8                        Paula Barnes ~ Red Crinoline Quilts                     www.RedCrinolineQuilts.Blogspot.com
8/15                      Sarah Maxwell ~ Homestead Hearth                      www.HomesteadHearth.Blogspot.com              
8/22                      Pati Violick ~ Marcus Fabrics                                www.MarcusMentions.com
8/29                      Gloria Parsons ~ Olde Green Cupboard               www.OldeGreenCupboard.Blogspot.com  
9/5                        Nancy Rink ~ Nancy Rink Designs                          www.NancyRinkDesigns.com/blog
9/12                      Mary Ellen Robison~Red Crinoline Quilts          www.RedCrinolineQuilts.Blogspot.com
9/19                      Dolores Smith ~ Homestead Hearth                       www.HomesteadHearth.Blogspot.com
9/26                      Lisa Shepard ~ Marcus Fabrics                               www.MarcusMentions.com
10/3                      Red Crinoline Quilts ~ Quilt Revealed!                www.RedCrinolineQuilts.Blogspot.com

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Mill Works Sneak Peek


It's a Sunday morning and I have to admit that I slept in late today. Last night I stayed up well past midnight, determined to finish hand sewing the binding down on my new Mill Works quilt. This morning, the first thing I did was toss the quilt in the washing machine. Yes, I always wash my quilts once they're done. It cleans off the dust and such that the fabric picks up during construction and any marking lines left behind. It also softens up the fabric and fluffs up the batting to give the quilt that soft puckers look I so love on a quilt.

So here is Mill Works laid out on my living room floor. Now I am blocking it to make sure everything is as square as possible and to make sure the quilt lays flat.



Mill Works is my newest block of the month quilt project and is designed as an 8-month program. It features my new Mill Works fabric collection from Marcus Fabrics. It should be hitting the shelves of your local quilt shops this fall and be available for re-order for about 12 months.





Friday, July 4, 2014

Aunt Grace Dots Strip It

Strip It Three Ways: Series 3 is one of our newest patterns featuring pre-cut 2 1/2"-wide strips. There are instructions for three different quilts in the pattern, so you can get quite a bit of mileage from one pattern.  The pattern front is shown below so you can see all three of the quilts. Next to it is the back of the pattern that shows the fabric requirements.

I made Ribbon Star, shown here on the left using a strip pack of Aunt Grace Dots by Judie Rothermel for Marcus Fabrics. Apparently, these strip packs are in short supply. The good news is, there is a shipment heading my way.  The bad news is, what I get is what I am going to get. No re-orders. Boo hoo. Unhappy face.:(

But the more GOOD NEWS is that you can PRE-ORDER your Aunt Grace Dots Strip Pack now. Just click here.

Estimated ship date is August 1, 2014.




Friday, June 20, 2014

Five Free Quilt Patterns

I love a freebie, don't you?  I just thought I would let you know that we have FIVE free patterns ranging from pillows, to home decor items, to quilts on our website, Nancy Rink Designs. 

Bet your friends would like a freebie, too, so be sure to share these with them.

Have a relaxing summer!

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Quilt Market--Pittsburgh More Photos Part 2

More photos from Quilt Market for your enjoyment!







Friday, June 13, 2014

Quilt Market--Pittsburgh More Photos Part 1

Here are photos from other booths at Quilt Market. Sorry I didn't get more. I was having too much fun soaking it all in.2014-05-18 12.08.592014-05-18 12.09.092014-05-18 12.09.212014-05-18 12.09.262014-05-18 12.09.48 HDR
2014-05-18 12.10.422014-05-18 12.12.052014-05-18 12.13.092014-05-18 12.13.222014-05-18 12.14.54

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Quilt Market--Pittsburgh

IMG 23901Here is our booth. On the far left wall are quilts fron Strip It Three Ways: Series 2. On the back wall, left to right: Playa Del Sol, Bloom Love, Flowering Hearts, Color Love Block of the Month, Amish With a Twist (Lightens Up color way).On the table is a quilt from Strip It Three Ways: Series 3. Playa Del Sol, Bloom Love, Flowering Hearts, and the Color Love BOM are all made with fabrics from my Color Love collection by Marcus Fabrics.

IMG 23851On the far right is El Camino Real Block of the Month andon the end of the table is Love Grows, a beginning paper piecing pattern. Both of the quilts are made with fabrics from my El Camino Real collection by Marcus Fabrics.
2014-05-16 09.34.27
Here is the applique' version of the Color Love BOM hanging in the Marcus Fabrics booth.
2014-05-15 13.49.28
Here is a better look at the new Strip It Three Ways: Series Two quilts. They all feature Marcus solid strip packs.  I got to pick all of the fabrics for the strip packs and design the quilts to go with them.  FUN!