Harding Hill Designs

A Holiday Tutorial

It was so much fun reading all of your comments for my last post!  I appreciated all of them! A few questions were asked about the layouts and if I used EQ6. I usually use Illustrator instead of EQ6 to create layouts for blocks or quilts. Im sure there are some bells & whistles that EQ6 has that are limited in Illustrator but I havent made the leap to EQ6 quite yet. Learning to use EQ6 is on my list of things to-do...I just need a few more hours in the day! But, don't we all need a few more hours in the day, right? Also, it was great to see all the fun comments about mayo or miracle whip! I had never heard of Dukes Mayo before reading the comments but now I am eager to try it. I checked out the Dukes website and it looks like it is only available it Virginia. Hopefully someday I'll try it!  

At the end of the post I mentioned a holiday tutorial I was working on. These holiday mug rugs are a fun project that can be done pretty quickly. There are 8 different applique shapes in the complete set. They would make a wonderful gift for someone as a whole set of 8 or you could make a few for a teacher, neighbor, or co-worker.

Fabric:  (Fabric requirements are based on 42" wide fabric)

10- 2.5" strips (8 for binding & 2 for the strip panel)

2- 1.5" strips

1- 1" strip

8- 7" x 7" neutral squares (applique background)

8- 7" x 7" printed squares (applique shapes)

8- 9" x 13" pieces for backing

8- 9" x 13" pieces of batting

1. Strip Panel
With right sides together begin by sewing a strip panel using 2- 2.5" strips, and the 1.5" and 1" strips. Press towards the darker fabrics. The finished panel should be 7" wide. 
Sub-cut into 4.5" x 7" units.  

 

2. Raw-Edge Applique
I didn't use fusible web for the applique shapes in this project. Instead, I used a glue stick. The glue stick method may not be the most popular method but because these mug rugs are used differently than a quilt and the shapes are on the larger side I thought I would be ok without the fusible. It seemed to work out pretty well. After I traced the shapes onto the wrong side of the 7" patterned squares and cut them out, I placed the shapes onto the 7" background squares with a small amount of glue from the glue stick to keep them in place before sewing. If you do use the glue stick method just be careful to keep the glue away from the edges where your needle will go when sewing to avoid getting glue on the needle and in your bobbin. Finish the raw edge with your favorite stitch. I used a wider zig zag. 

3. Assembly
After finishing the applique squares sew them to the 4.5" x 7" strip panel units.

 

4. Quilting & Finishing
Layer and baste the backing, batting, and top. Stitching in the ditch looks great on this project or try some new free motion quilting designs that you haven't done before. Small projects like this are a great way to practice and to try free motion stitching! Use one of the 2.5" strips to bind and finish the mug rug. Finished size 7" x 11".

Enjoy & Happy Creating!

 

Download Holiday Mug Rug Applique Shapes (PDF)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quiltmaker's Blog Tour- 100 Blocks Vol. 4 & a Giveaway

Hello!! 

I am so excited to be part of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks issue! These issues are always filled with so much creativity and inspiration....I want to make everything I see!

I went through a few different variations of my block before the finished product which is below. I played with the blocks layout, along with some different fabric choices. 

B Squared

 

Here is the first draft of the block. I started with all solid fabrics, which I love to use! Some of the new patterns that I am working on are geared specifically for solids....and I love how they are turning out! 

But, I wanted a little more oomph (that's a word, right?!) so I changed the center of the block to give that extra bit I thought it needed.

I love how this block can go so many different directions with the layout. Sashing and borders can change things so much! I put together some different layout options for the block for you to see the many ways this block could go. 

The first layouts are without sashing but some of them have an added border-

 

 

Or, by adding sashing either vertically, horizontally, or both....

Quiltmaker is giving away lots of great stuff during this blog tour. Make sure you stop by Quilty Pleasures to get in on all the fun & giveaways! If you would like to throw your name in the hat to win a copy of 100 Blocks Volume 4 leave me a comment. You can tell me anything in the comments...Do you have a favorite layout? Do you like to use sashing in your quilts? Do you like long walks on the beach? What's your favorite season? Mayo or miracle whip? I love to hear from you!! I will draw the winner and email them on Monday, November 14th. But, if you are not the lucky winner you can always pick up a copy when it hits quilt shops November 15th.

If you are new here thanks so much for stopping by! We are working on lots of new patterns and a fun holiday project with a tutorial that will be posted on the blog soon. You can like our facebook page to be the first to know!

Have a Great Day & Happy Creating!

 

 

 

 

 

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 4

I'm sure you're just like me & look forward to Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks issues! It's so fun to see all the amazing creativity! We are also excited because our block is not only in the new issue but it is also one of the blocks featured on the cover! 

 

We will have some more details for you about our block along with some fun things planned for Quiltmaker's blog tour which starts November 7th. So mark your calendars! 

Quilting Gallery Celebrate Christmas Quilt-Along

 

I'm so happy to be part of Celebrate Christmas Quilt-Along!  We've seen some great blocks so far, along with some great deals! Make sure you stop by and check it all out!  

I love the holidays and all the fun that comes with them. I have so many great memories of hanging out with my Mom in our p.j.'s, cooking up a storm. We usually had the Yule Log playing in the background on television while we cooked, chatted over some egg nog, and wrapped gifts. Some of you may know about the Yule Log and some of you may not. It is basically a looped tape of a fire burning in a fireplace with holiday music playing in the background. If you haven't seen it, it may sound kind of odd...watching on television a fire burn in a fireplace but we loved having it on. We would have the Yule Log playing on the television and a real fire burning in the fireplace a few feet away. It certainly became a great Christmas tradition! Check your local listings for a Yule Log program in your area on Christmas eve, some are even now in 3-D (wow)...or it looks like you can also buy a Yule Log dvd if it's not airing in your neck of the woods. 

(Source)

My block for our fun quilt-along is called Holiday Gifts. It has a great scrappy quality to it along with some punch from the contrasting fabrics.

 

 

For Holiday Gifts you will need

4 assorted Prints: From each print cut a 3" x 5-1/2" unit & a 3" x 3" square

Black Print: Cut 4, 3" x 3" squares and 1, 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" square

Red Sashing: Cut 4, 2-1/2" x 5-1/2" units

 

 Assembly:

1. Begin by sewing a black 3" x 3" square to a 3" x 3" print square.

2. Next, sew the matching 3" x 5-1/2" unit as shown below. Repeat steps 1 & 2 with all the prints to complete the 4 corner units.

3. Layout your corner units as shown below, rotating them as needed. Then sew a red sashing strip between the top row and bottom row units. Next, sew the black 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" square between the remaining 2 sashing strips. Press all the seams towards the red sashing strips. 

4. Sew the blocks rows together. Press seams open. Your block should measure 12-1/2".

Here are a couple of layout variations. I think they all look great, but the on-point layout is my personal favorite. Which layout do you like best?

Thanks for stopping by and letting me tell you a little bit about some of my holiday memories! I would love to hear about your favorite holiday memories! I would also love to know if they also involve the Yule Log! Make sure you upload your block to the quilt-along flickr group!

Cheers & Happy Holidays!

 

Download Holiday Gifts PDF

 

 

 

We got a bingo!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and left us a wonderful comment! It is always so great to hear from our readers!

The lucky winner for our giveaway was #30- sandy. She said her favorite was Block Hop...which seemed to be the most popular choice! 

I hope everyone is getting a chance to enjoy fall & all the great things that come with it. Fall is such a great time of year! Our day for the Quilting Gallery Christmas Quilt-Along is September 27th. Stop back & check out our block, but in the meantime check out the blocks so far. 

 

More New Releases & A New Giveaway

I want to show you some more of our new 2-1/2" strip patterns that we just released & are shipping as we speak.

 

Block Hop is a great, vibrant 2-1/2" strip pattern that works really well with your small to medium scale fabrics. This pattern includes Crib, lap, and twin size options.

 

Square Step is a quick and easy 2-1/2" strip pattern. This quilt can take on so many different looks. One of the many ideas is to use black as your contrasting solid fabric...that would be a great option for this pattern. Included are 5 size options, crib to king. 

 

The Twist is such a festive pattern! This pattern works great with small scale prints and lots of color variety. This quilt comes together with strip piecing, which brings everything together in a snap! The pattern includes crib, lap, and twin size options.

 

Shuffle Block is the last pattern we are featuring. This is another pattern that works great with small scale prints and lots of different color variety. The funky pattern includes 3 size options- crib, lap, and full.

 

To celebrate these new releases we are giving away a copy of all the patterns featured today to someone! Just enter your email address and tell us in the comments which one of these featured patterns you would like to make first. You can also also hop on over and like us on facebook or follow us on twitter for an extra entry or two. You can also check out our Etsy shop here. We will pick the winner and announce it here on Saturday, September 24th. 

 

Happy Creating!

 

Who Won?

It is sooooo great to see all of the comments that people left when they entered out first giveaway! We always love to hear from you & to see what you've created with our patterns!

Now, drum roll please.......    The winner is #60, Garnie. Her favorite was Sunshine Shimmy. One of our favorites too!  Because there were so many great comments & entries we decided to draw one more name for a single pattern! The second winner is #72, Dawn.

Check back later in the week when we highlight some of our other patterns & cook up another celebratory giveaway.

See you then!

 

Our First Giveaway

As I mentioned at the end of the last post there are a lot of fun and exciting things going on here at Harding Hill Designs. The most exciting... is the release of our new 2-1/2" strip pattern series. We have 8 new designs which we started to ship this week! To celebrate the new releases we think a giveaway is in order!  

 

Cupid Shuffle is a great pattern to use some of your larger scale prints! The pattern includes crib, lap, and full size options.

 

Sunshine Shimmy is next up....The fabric in the cover quilt from Robert Kaufman is so cheery & fun! Sunshine Shimmy has 3 size options included- Lap, twin, and queen. 

 

Can Can is a wonderful pattern for solids or prints! This pattern works great for those scrap strips looking for a home, plus there are 5 sizes- crib to king.

 

 

Cha Cha Cha is the last pattern we'll feature today. All you need are some contrasting 2-1/2" strips and you are set to go for this quilt. We used the Bali Pop Pink Lemonade set for our dark strips. The big blocks in this quilt make it come together in a snap!

 

To celebrate these new releases someone will win a copy of all the patterns featured today!  Just enter your email address and leave us a comment...let us know which of the patterns featured you would like to make first. If you've entered here on our blog you can also hop over and like our facebook page or join us on twitter for an extra entry or two. There may even be a few surprise announcements on our Facebook page in the near future! We will choose and announce the winner for this giveaway on Monday, September 12th.  

Next week we will be featuring some more of our designs. There may just be a few celebratory giveaways then also...stay tuned! You can also check out our Etsy shop here.

Happy Creating!

 

 

Orange You Glad?

Its getting closer and closer to fall, which is such a great season! Maybe my favorite season...

Thinking about fall I instantly think about the leaves changing and the brilliant natural colors this change brings. Here is a little collection of orange themed photos inspired by our next season. 

Happy Day & Happy Creating!

 

 

From: http://moxee.ws/       By way of: pinterest

 

From: http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/bright-and-cheery#slide_4   By way of: Pinterest

 

From: http://dirtyprettything.tumblr.com/post/8167900238  By way of: Pinterest

 

 

From: http://thedesignerpad.com/blog/2011/5/15/style-without-rules.html    By way of: Pinterest

 

From: http://pinkwallpaper.blogspot.com/  By way of: Pinterest

 

From: http://www.modcloth.com/Be+The+Buyer/-Sample-790     By way of: Pinterest

 

 

From: http://www.design-seeds.com/   By way of: Pinterest 

There are a lot of fun and exciting things going on at Harding Hill Designs right now. We have some giveaways planned in the next couple of weeks. Like our Facebook page on the top right of the blog to be the first to know! 

 

 

 

New Releases & a Couple Freebies

There has been soooo much going on here lately...like you, most days my head is spinning.

Our first series of patterns have just been released, which is really exciting! Currently they are available as downloads from patternspot.com and our Etsy shop. The files are also currently at the printer and should be ready to ship very soon! We have 9 titles we have just released, here is a look at a few of them. 

We've also got a couple of quilt label downloads for you! You can save these files on your computer and print them on a piece of 8.5" x 11" fabric paper to add the finishing touch to your quilts. Grab your labels here and here!