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Sunday, July 15, 2012

Lazy Days of Summer - Red, White & Blue Hop!

Yeah!  It's my stop on the Red/White/Blue hop today!  I've been so impressed with everyone's imagination and skill showcased - this was a great idea!  A big thanks to Madame Samm and Jane for hosting/organizing this fun hop.

Oh, the lazy days of summer.  Watermelon days.  Popcycle days.  I've come to the realization that I am a lazy quilter.  There.  I admitted it.  Well, maybe an impatient quilter.  It's the truth.  If there's an easier way to do something.... well. 

When I saw Karen's adorable flag block on the 4th of July - I thought it was great!  I wanted to whip up a quick pillow cover for a cute addition to my holiday decor, but then I counted 108 half-square triangles and I was just not willing to work that hard!  Lazy quilter!!  Then I found a fat quarter of red and white chevrons.  And made this:



And since I have been playing with Chenille recently, that was also a great lazy easy technique for the star and finished edges.

Here's a quick tutorial to make a 12-1/2" block.

Supplies:



Make Chenille strips.
Fold the white square diagonally in half.  Stitch lines 1/2" apart.  Cut between your stitching lines and make a couple of 1/2" chenille strips.  See → TUTORIAL or VIDEO ←

Stitch 1/2" lines

Cut chenille strips

Fold a 5-Point Star (←tutorial/video) and cut with the paper scissors,  NOT Mom's Ginghers.  :) 

Trace the star onto your blue print.  For that matter, you could just draw a star, but I wanted you to see how cool this little folded star can be.  It's probably how Betsy Ross made her original stars.  :)

Trace star

Cut chenille strips to size

Stitch strips to background one at at time
(be sure to backstitch both ends)

Sew squares together

Add rectangle at bottom

Use brush to fray chenille

♪♫  Oh say, can you see by the dawn's early light?  ♫♪

Be sure to hop by and see everyone's creations today - Click here for the the list:


 

A collection of all of this hop's blocks and projects can be found on Madame Samm's Pinterest page too! 

Happy (LAZY) Quilting!

58 comments:

  1. I don't call that lazy at all - creative is more the word. I like fewer steps, too. And it doesn't take away from the look. Thank you for sharing with us today.

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  2. Beautiful block Deonn! I will have to try your tutorial. Creative....Judith, Texas

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  3. Oooh I love the block - great tutorial too. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Sweet little block with an excellent tutorial! Great stuff!

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  5. ohhhhh I just love this...did you know I have every colour of those chenille packages..years ago, a friend of mine was selling her store and I bought everything...let me know if you want yellows, pink , greens, blues white...I have them all...great idea for some future projects....love the pillow..

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  6. ohh Deonn, can you put the other bloggers list links on your post today...thanks...otherwise the last one, won't have anyone visiting her lol

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  7. What a great tutorial, thank you. I love the chevron look and your block is awesome...

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  8. What a great tutorial, thank you. I love the chevron look and your block is awesome...

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  9. I think we all love to find shortcuts every now and then as long as it still creates a fabulous block! And yours does just that! I love how you used the chenille around the outer edges as well! Well done!

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  10. This is fabulous and ingenius - leave it to a quilter to figure it out - thanks for sharing your wonderful block. Judy C

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  11. making a 3D star is wonderfully creative. Thanks for sharing.
    quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

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  12. Great idea making the chenille star, Deonn! I need to put making chenille on my to do list...just too cute! Thanks for participating and inspiring!

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  13. Hehehe! I'm chuckling at your shortcut. Smart move. The block is great.

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  14. Great block. Love your economical use of time! I can't do chenille. As a child I had a bedspread of chenille. Loved pulling out each thread. Irresistible urge to this day-so I must admire from afar.

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  15. Deonn I love this idea! I tried chenille once but I didn't have the brush and it didn't fray as much as yours. I think that brush is a must-have! blessings, marlene

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  16. Looks like a smart and talented quilter to me. Thank you for the tutorial. I would never have tried chenille before now.

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  17. That is a very cool block.. Thanks for all the links and the tutorial.

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  18. Love the chenelle star, I will have to try your technique, great tutorial!

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  19. Great idea and thanks for the link to the star tutorial.

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  20. Chevron stripes & chen.ille embellishments make a great flag. Thanks for the excellent tutorial.

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  21. Oh my gosh, that is just the cutest block! I have some precut chenille strips I've never used. Your tutorial makes me want to use them--thanks! :O)

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  22. Great block, thanks for sharing!

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  23. Great block and faun way to make it . Thanks for sharing .

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  24. So wonderful. I have never tried making chenille.

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  25. Oh my... isn't that wonderful : ) I learn a new way to make a pillow. I totally love you chevron + star pillow. Thank you for sharing : )

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  26. Thanks for sharing! I have the tool and the strips (pre-packaged on SALE) and have them tucked away somewhere! Time to get them out and make a flag! Thanks for the inspiration!

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  27. I am back, i watched your video, i thought you were using purchaed chenille.....lol. Here is a tip that i found worked for me, when you are ready to brush the fabric, lightly spray with water, they will chenille quicker.....

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  28. Love your pillow....awesome way to use chenille strips....thanks for the inspiration and sharing in the blog hop. Have a Happy Day!!

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  29. Nice choice of fabric, your block looks great...so nice to hop with you!

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  30. Happy Hop Day, I like tips and I have some Chevron too! Great idea! Never worked with chenille but now I want too. Thanks for sharing and playing.

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  31. Deonn ~ You've given yet anoher awesome tutorial. Thank you so much. I really love the added texture of the Chenille and the tutorial to create that chenille too. I had seen the tutorial you did to make your own Chenille and really loved that because I never realized how easy it was to create your own.

    Way back when I got my first embroidery machine, before getting interested in quilting I purchased a ton of the premade packages of Chenille and the brush. It's all still sitting in the small storage bin I am storing it in after only using one or two packages. Now I can make my own which is awesome and so much cheaper so thank you.

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  32. Wow, I didn't know you could make chenille. Must have missed that gadget at the store. What a great job you did. You more than made up for the chevon's with the star. Great job and thanks for the tutorial. Both, the star and the chenille.

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  33. I have never tried to make chenille, but with this pillow you have convinced me I need to try it out! Super job and I love your intelligent fabric choices!!

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  34. What a fun block...love the chenille star...thanks for the tutorial!!!

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  35. AWESOME!!! I love the pillow . I am for sure going to look for the fabric to make a new yard flag for next year! I think the one I have hanging that I made for the hop will be faded by the end of July!! I have signed on as a follower and bookmarked this post. This was my first time as a hostess for the hop. I love it!

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  36. totally fun block! I love the use of chevrons--it really makes this star spangled banner a beauty!

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  37. I love this! And I don't think its lazy at all - you only have so much time to spend, and if you can simplify things that's a-ok in my book. The chevrons are fun & modern. Love it!

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  38. This is a really fun idea! I love how simply cute it turned out!

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  39. Great shortcut with wonderful result! I must try the chenille now. Thanks for the links.

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  40. Your pillow turned out so cut with the fabrics you used.

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  41. Your pillow turned just gorgeous.Thanks for sharing!

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  42. Look how clever you were with a bit of "laziness"! :) I love the use of the chevrons for flag stripes. And I love that you made a pillow. Way to go.

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  43. Very cute! ^^
    I love the star..

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  44. What a super cute pillow. I wouldn't say you were lazy, I'd call you working smart! hehe.
    Thanks for a tutorial on the star. Great job!

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  45. Oh I love it!! So easy, but so effective!! Love it!!

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  46. Oh I can see myself making a couple of these pillows to go with the rwb quilts I'm 'going to' make from this blog hop!

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  47. Love the chenille!!!! Very cute.

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  48. Well, I'm glad I was able to inspire efficiency! I never even thought of using chevron material. I'll have to keep that in mind for the next time I want to fight with so many HSTs! :) Thanks for sharing!

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  49. Fantastic! I love your chenille star. Looks smashing with the red and white chevron fabric. Clever and cute, Deonn.

    Thanks so much for sharing with us.

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  50. Sometimes just sitting at the sewing machine and trying to make something is the effort! Thanks for sharing!

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  51. Super Cute, Deonn! Looks like fun!

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  52. Love that block!! Great looking Chenille.

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  53. check out her bucket list, sewIquiltnow.com

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  54. wow Deon - love that cushion - great way to use the chevron fabric - thanks for the tutorial :)

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