Magic Inch Quilts – Part Two
Join Nancy Zieman for part-two of Magic Inch Quilts on Sewing With Nancy with modern quilters and husband/wife team Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr. Often we think about quilting with squares and rectangles of fabric. In these new modern quilting designs, the piecing technique and the color choices are equally as important as Weeks’ and Bill’s improvisational 1-inch strips of color!
“We enjoy working with color, but also incorporating 1″ pieces into quilt designs. The piecing technique and the color choices are equally important.”
Whiskers Quilt
Bill shows how this Whiskers quilt features a square block that is updated by adding three Magic Inch strips. Using solids for the blocks and a yarn-dyed stripe for the strips, this quilt can be customized for a baby, a teen, or even a quilt for grandpa. Use a basket weave layout for the blocks to add additional interest and repeat the stripe fabric in the binding.
Pickup Sticks Quilt
Pickup Sticks is the original Magic Inch Quilt that Bill and Weeks designed in 2000. Inspired by the children’s game, these colorful sticks appear to be lying on top of one another as a result of this unique piecing process. For each block you’ll decide how many cuts and where to make them for your one-of-a-kind improvisational masterpiece. Watch online as this quilt is created.
Local Hero Quilt
First-responders are among the local heroes in every town. Weeks and Bill made this quilt for their local firehouse where the firefighters and emergency medical technicians rest when not on call. This improvisational technique creates a patriotic block that can be made by adventurous beginners and veteran quilters alike.
See how we create these quilts with sewing demonstrations on Sewing With Nancy. Watch it online, today. Find your copy of Magic Inch Quilts at Nancy’s Notions.
Watch Magic Inch Quilts (Part One and Part Two) on The Best of Sewing With Nancy online.
For a chance to win a copy of Magic Inch Quilts from Nancy’s Notions, leave a comment sharing your answer to: What is smallest fabric scrap you save?
Happy Quilting,
Team Nancy Zieman
Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.
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Susan
The smallest piece of fabric tht I have saved has been about an inch long and wide for the purposes of applique. Small pieces of fabric can become eyes, center of a flower, a window, a door, etc. These little gems can add a lot of design and color into a quilt.
Julie Kill
I save scraps down to about 1/2 inch to an inch square. If they cannot be used in sewing, they can be used as stuffing for a project, or eyes in an applique. Thank you for showing us how to utilize them in a unique way! I really like the Local Hero Quilt and Pick up Sticks!
Lillian K
I save 1-1/2” scraps for scrappy quilting!
Sharon
I save some pretty small pieces of various shapes and probably will never use them!!
lisa polk
I save all scraps! I can use the smallest as fillers for stuffed projects and they are most handy for appliqué and paper piecing projects!
Anne Kambic
Anything I can cut a 2″ square from.
Anne Z
I save all my scraps. The tiniest ones become stuffing for memory bears. The other scraps that are not large enough to use in blocks I use as for fusible applique.
DeAnna S
Oh gosh! I can’t throw any piece out! My smallest is probably a 1 inch by 1 inch
MoeWest
The narrowest piece that I save would be about 1.5 ” for strip quilting.
Clovis
It depends on how small the scrap is for me to use it.
Teri
The smallest scrap I save would probably be between 1 and 2 inches.
Janet
I save most everything. I sort as I go. The larger pieces get folded into a box and the smallest pieces into a bag to use for stuffing the bottoms of large dolls for weight.
cyndy
Sometimes it depends on the fabric. If it’s extra, extra special (beautiful kimono fabric for example) I’ll keep the smallest of scraps for that project that needs just that little ‘something. Otherwise, maybe 1″ squares for a postage-stamp type quilt of the future. Smaller strips? pieces? get put into pet beds made by my guild.
Connie
I save depending on color, type of fabric, & size. Some types of fabric are more desirable than others.
Zina
I have a box of 1 1/2″ squares I have been adding to. Believe it or not, I have dipped into that box a few times for those tiny piecing projects!
Christine M
I have a box of 2 1/2” squares. That is as small as I’ll go!
Bonnye
I save all my scraps. Some times you need that little piece to fill in the space.
Judy Forkner
I sometimes save scraps as small as 1/4”.
Tammie
I save pieces as little as 1 inch by 3 inch . Perfect size for ‘Paper Piecing Quilts or pieces for items that I create or mend . Or even for test of stitches to be made on similar fabric .
Wanda F Lewis
Good Morning, I love this idea. I have many little tiny pieces of material of every texture. If and when I come across any color or texture or even really a heartfelt piece of material I keep it in hopes that I will find a bigger piece of this same or very similar color to use in one of my quilts I hope to make. This has always been a life long dream of mine in the following of my Granny.
Karen King
Normally I do not save smaller than 2 inch wide fabric, but I see I will need to start saving those one inch strips! I like the basket weave but I can also see this would be a great way to make some orphan blocks all of the same size when there are a few too small or disguise some blocks that don’t match as well as I like; just cut and add some strips!
Carolyn T
“Pick em up Sticks” is my husband’s childhood name for its namesake quilt in part 2. For it, I’d save itsy bitsy pieces of fabric!.
Carol Schon
I save scraps 1″ x 1/2″, though I admit I rarely use those that are that small. However, I have more than one project using 1 1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ — and some friends question my sanity 🙂
Jean Fogel
I tend to save everything, especially if I love the fabric!
Heather Miller
I keep everything….little tiny black dots are great for animal patterns (especially eyes!), bigger pieces for bags, quilts, etc.
Pg
I save all scrap pieces- you never know when you might use them or need them for repairs.
Vicki Jenkins
A piece no wider than a half an inch made the save this month.
Mary Nasvik
I save any scrap no smaller than 1″ square. I was taught “Be creative!
Debbie T
I save most scraps for kids to play with and who knows when one might come in n handy.
Karen Tucker
I don’t save tiny scraps, but if looks like I might be able to use it in something unique (like these quilts), I can be convinced to change my mind!
Mary Smith
I can’t believe I keep 1-1/2″ squares. Some day I’ll use them when I’m done with all my 1-1/2″ strips.
Mary Ann Haak
I didn’t know that people throw away scraps – really?!!
L H
I don’t know the sizes, but i have some pretty small pieces
Dixie
I save almost all scraps. May find a use for them some day.
Marian Sayers
The smallest width I save is probably about an inch wide string. I’m currently saving some pretty small waste triangles to make a mini quilt with. Other small scraps get thrown into a shoebox for ” making” fabric occasionally.
Helen E Dziewik
Looks like fun. Easy for quilts, for the children in the Foster Care system, that I donate to.
Peggy V
2 1/2 inch is as small as I save. Would love to win the book!!!
Cindy K
The smallest scraps I have saved were 3/4”. I used them to make a mini log cabin quilt.
Lorraine Alves
Scraps of every size and shape will eventually find their way into a scenic quilt. Half inch pieces can be used to make multiple leaves on a tree or punch up a flower in a field. Save those scraps. You’ll never know their value until the right spot comes along and they will perfectly fit.
Cathy Toplyn
Wow!! Now I know what scrapping means! I have seen clothing, mended clothing, started weaving in a floor loom and Navaho loom. I am a teacher close to retirement in Family Consumer Sciences . I am ready to try quilting too. I like the new patterns that include landscapes. I would love to start my information with a master like Nancy. Miss her and all her creative sewing techniques.