Jelly Bean Blast II

Hi there! I had so much fun awhile back creating my Jelly Bean Blast II pattern and sharing photos of it with you Instagram, that I figured why not take you through this project step by step? It's so bright, colorful and fun to make, which is what we really love to do here at The Whimsical Workshop. 

The fabric featured in this design is the Cotton Shot collection from Benartex Fabrics.

This is a pattern for sale on our website, Jelly Bean Blast II, and it comes with two sets of instructions for creating the Pineapple Blocks that make up the entire body of the quilt. One version includes traditional cutting and assembly directions, and the other teaches you how to cut, trim and assemble the blocks using the Pineapple Trim Tool from Creative Grids. 

Personally, I prefer to use the ruler from Creative Grids. This quilt is 65" x 75" and it's made up of 30 pineapple blocks. That can take a long time to complete if you're measuring, marking and trimming everything on your own. However with the ruler method, the blocks come together in a snap and I actually find it very relaxing to work on. The ruler works for 6", 8" or 10" blocks, and we'll be creating 10" blocks for this project.

This quilt also includes a pieced triangle border, which adds a really great shape around the outside of such a textured center. Again, I prefer to use a ruler when creating the border, specifically the 2-Peaks-In-1 ruler, also from Creative Grids. However if you prefer to cut and assemble in a more traditional way, the pattern does includes those instructions for you!

If you don't have these rulers yet but you'd like them, the holidays are coming up and I think they make for great gifts to ask for. We even offer Gift Cards on our website now if someone wants to treat you to a full on shopping spree 😀

I've included our video tutorial for making this quilt below. It covers both the traditional and ruler methods for making the pineapple blocks and pieced border, so I would definitely recommend watching it through before beginning on your quilt. In the video, I use a Martelli Turning Cutting Table, available through Amazon and other online retailers, because it allows you to spin the block around while trimming.

Now, let's get into the block assembly!

1. Sew the borders to the first square. When using this ruler, cut all of your strips 1 3/4" and trim down. Line up the centering square in the ruler with the center square of your beginning block. Using the ruler as a guide, turn your block as you trim off the excess part of your strip.

2. Sew on your next round of strips and line up the ruler following the instructions. Rotate and trim using the ruler as a guide. 

3. After adding your strips, use the Round 3 (45 degree) trim line on the ruler, line up the white line with your sewn seam from Step 2.

Note: One thing that I really love about this ruler are the detailed directions that come with it. There are step by step instructions for each round that include pictures so that you're always sure you're using it properly for that step. Creative Grids also offers digital versions of all their ruler instructions online, so you can always reference the instructions even if you lose track of the original printed set. 

4. Add on your strips and cut using the right angle of the ruler.

5. For round five, add strips and use the 45 degree trim line.

Note: What's really nice about these blocks is that you're always sewing and then trimming, before sewing again. This really helps you to stay accurate between each round and creates a beautiful end result when everything lines up perfectly. 

6. Add the next strips and look for the centering square. Then remove the edges following the 90 degree angle line. Use the dotted line for reference to ensure that your seams and edges from previous steps are all lined up correctly. 

7. Add your next strips and check to make sure all seams are lined up with the ruler. Trim as per usual! 

8. Second to last step. Add the strips, find the centering square, and trim along the edge of the ruler. 

9. Add on the final 2 1/2" x 4 strips that will become the corner units. Line up the ruler on the centering square as you did for step 8. Square up the corners to finish the block at 10". 

Make a total of 30 blocks, in as many different color ways as you would like. In this version, we made 15 blocks of two different color ways each. 

Sew the blocks together into 6 rows of 5 blocks each. Because we used the ruler, the block sides are a bias edge, which works in our favor. 

While sewing the blocks together, I didn't pin anything. I simply lined up the colors as I sewed. I didn't stretch or ease a lot, but I pushed the fabric into position which is a lot easier to do with it being a bias edge.

And now for the outer border:

This quilt features a beautiful a pieced outer border. While you can make this border with the traditional templates that come in the pattern, I do prefer to use the 2-Peaks-In-1 ruler from Creative Grids as mentioned earlier. 

To start, lay out the ruler over the template in the pattern to confirm the measurements and finished size of the triangle you're working on. Cut the fabric into 5 1/2" strips for all three triangle templates. 

Because templates 1 and 3 are cut from the same color fabric and are mirror images of each other, you can keep the fabric folded in half, wrong sides together, and use the ruler to cut through both layers. Line up the base line with the bottom of the triangle and trim off the side patch. You end up with a triangle for each template 1 and 3, with half the cutting. 

For template 2, keep your strip of fabric folded so that you can cut out two triangles at the same time. Flip the ruler over and line up the 5 1/2" line with the bottom of the fabric. 

Sew your triangles together, following the pattern instructions. To piece the border together, take your 48 finished triangle in a square blocks and assemble 11 each for the top and bottom borders, and 13 for each side border. Don't forget to press your seams open to reduce the bulkiness at the triangle points. 

Add your borders onto the quilt center, and there you have it; a finished quilt top! Add your backing and binding, and you're all set. 

If you make this quilt, or even just some of the blocks for fun, I would really love to see pictures. The color combinations you can use are endless and they always make each quilt look totally different. 

Links to the rulers and quilt pattern mentioned in this post:

Jelly Bean Blast II Quilt Pattern: https://www.thewhimsicalworkshop.com/shop/c/p/Jelly-Bean-Blast-II---Digital-Download-Pattern-x48261625.htm

Creative Grids' Pineapple Trim Tool: https://www.thewhimsicalworkshop.com/shop/c/p/Creative-Grids-Pineapple-Trim-Tool-for-6-8-or-10-finished-blocks-x48672495.htm

Creative Grids' 2-Peaks-In-1 Ruler: https://www.thewhimsicalworkshop.com/shop/c/p/Creative-Grids-2-Peaks-in-1-Triangle-Ruler-x24575395.htm

Let it Snowfall

 

                 Snowfall

                49” x 49”

    Designed and made by Heidi Pridemore

Can you believe that we’re already less than a month away from Christmas? The holiday season always seems to go by so quickly. For many, it will soon start to snow and turn their towns into magical, real-life snow globes. However, I live in the desert so if I want a white Christmas, I have to make the snowflakes all by myself! Why don’t you grab your favorite Christmas themed fabric and join me?

I will recommend using the 7” Snowflake die and half-square triangle die from Accuquilt for this project to help it come together in a snap. These tools make it so easy, you could make enough for your friends and family as well! But if you don’t want have, or want to use, Accuquilt dies, I did write a version of this pattern with traditional cutting instructions. Both versions are available here. 

This version of Snowflakes was made using an older collection from Henry Glass Fabric, Woodland Retreat, but it’s such a simple and classic pattern that it’s really a great way to use up leftover fabric in your stash or to show off your favorite new fabric additions to your collection.

One thing that’s great about this project is you don’t need a ton of different fabrics and prints. It looks great with a relatively simple color palette. In fact, I only used four fabrics for mine! The background blocks are made up of half-square triangles, with the snowflakes appliquéd on top. 

To begin with cutting the snowflakes, I added fusible web to the wrong side of my cream squares, by cutting it into squares 1/8” smaller than the fabric and pressing it to the back of the fabric per the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Then I used the 7” Snowflake die to die-cut the snowflakes. Part of what I love about the die is that I’m able to lay out all of the snowflakes and it’ll cut through five squares at once, even through flannel fabric. 

To die-cut the half-square triangle units, I layered up the green and red fabric, right sides together. I stacked up 3 sets of squares (6 layers) on the die and ran them through the cutter. And just like that, they’re layered and ready to sew! 

For assembly, let’s start by sewing together the triangles for the HSTs. Press the fabrics to the dark side and lay out 4 half-square triangle units for each block. Sew the units together to make a black and press the seams open. This helps keep the block flat for when we add the snowflakes later on. 

Once all of your HST blocks are assembled, press a snowflake into the center of each one and finish the raw edges with a decorative stitch in a matching thread. I also used a blanket stitch to finish the edges. Check out the video below on how to do this.

To assemble the quilt top, line up all of your blocks. I used the same cream fabric as the snowflakes to create an inner border as it contrasts really nicely with the dark background in my opinion. Then I finished the quilt with a nice, Christmas themed outer border! 

I hope you enjoyed making this quilt with us and wishing you a very snowy Christmas! If there are other holiday projects you'd like to see us make, be sure to send us an email at Heidi@thewhimsicalworkshop.com and connect with us on Social Media to let us know.