Stitch Easy Circle Quilt Blocks with our I See Spots Quilt Tutorial
Watch Stitch it! Sisters Program 206, I See Spots Quilt!
Watch Stitch it! Sisters Program 206, I See Spots Quilt! with hosts Deanna Springer and Dana Casey from Team NZP! In this video, the Stitch it! Sisters share how to make our I See Spots Quilt.
In our Quilting Tutorial below, we’re sharing step-by-step how to make our I See Spots Quilt with 18″ blocks, 9″ blocks, and 9″ x 18″ rectangles. The focal point of this quilt is the circles or ‘spots’! Create circle quilt blocks without ever cutting a circle!
Cast aside traditional curved piecing techniques and learn Nancy Zieman’s easy way of creating circles in quilts with our I See Spots Quilt Pattern! Our I See Spots Quilt is an ideal project for beginning quilters and seasoned quilters, alike!
Purchase the Exclusive I See Spots Quilt Bundle Box featuring eight Cotton Solid Fabrics by Riley Blake Designs, in an assortment of lights, mediums, and darks, quilt batting, quilt backing and Team NZP’s Exclusive I See Spots Quilt Pattern – with full-color step-by-step instructions and illustrations! Now available exclusively at ShopNZP.com!
I See Spots Quilt Tutorial
by the Stitch it! Sisters
I See Spots Quilt Supplies Listing
• Rotary cutter, mat, and ruler
• 45mm Rotary Cutter Pinking Blade
• 7-3/4″ Bordeaux Ultimate Shears 200
• Clover’s 5-in-1 Sliding Gauge
• Fine line fabric marking pen or pencil
• Clover’s Point 2 Point Turner
• Clover’s Heart Shaped Straight Pins
• Clover’s Roll ’n Press
• Coordinating thread
• Monofilament thread
• Quilter’s Starch Savvy
• 1/4″ Quilting Presser Foot
• Open Toe Presser Foot
• Optional: Circle Template from Clover’s Carefree Curves Trace ’n Create Template Collection by Nancy Zieman
• Optional: Templar Heat Resistant Template Material
Fabric
Select eight fabrics in various shades of light, medium, and dark. If you’d like to personalize or change the color scheme, make certain to follow the standard rule of thumb for quilting and choose light, medium, and dark shades. The featured fabrics are Confetti Cottons from Riley Blake Designs.
Three light shades:
• 1-1/3 yd. Off White (light) cotton solid
• 1-1/4 yd. Pale Aqua (light) cotton solid
• 1-1/4 yd. Pale Green (light) cotton solid
Two medium shades:
• 7/8 yd. Lime Green (medium) cotton solid
• 1-1/2 yd. Dusty Aqua (medium) cotton solid
Three dark shades:
• 1-1/8 yd. Navy (dark) cotton solid
• 1-1/8 yd. Purple (dark) cotton solid
• 1-7/8 yd. Dark Olive (dark) cotton solid
Backing:
• 2-1/2 yd. 108″ Wide Back Cotton Quilting Fabric or 5 yd. – 2 panels 40″ x 90″
Batting:
• 80″ x 90″ or one Queen Size Natures Touch Batting 90″ x 108″
Interfacing:
• 3-1/4 yd. White Sof-Shape® Interfacing (fusible)
Pre-shrink fabrics by steaming and pressing, and steaming and pressing a second time, and then spray press and starch fabric with Quilter’s Starch Savvy — press and starch, press and starch.
I See Spots Quilt
Approx. Finished Size: 80″ W x 88″ H
I See Spots Double/Queen Quilt Pattern
Cutting Instructions
Off White fabric (light):
• Cut one 9-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
• Subcut four 9-1/2″ squares.
• Cut two 18-1/2″ crosswise fabric strips:
• Subcut from one strip one 18-1/2″ square and two 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangles.
• Subcut from second strip one 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangle and one 11-1/2″ square.
Pale Aqua fabric (light):
• Cut one 9-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut four 9-1/2″ squares.
• Cut one 18-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut one 18-1/2″ square and one 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangle, and one 6-1/2″ square.
• Cut one 11-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut two 11-1/2″ squares and two 6-1/2″ squares.
Pale Green fabric (light):
• Cut one 9-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut three 9-1/2″ squares.
• Cut one 18-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut one 18-1/2″ square and two 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″rectangles.
• Cut one 11-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut one 11-1/2″ square and three 6-1/2″ squares.
Lime Green fabric (medium):
• Cut one 18-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut one 18-1/2″ square and two 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangles.
• Cut one 11-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut one 11-1/2″ square, one 9-1/2″ square and two 6-1/2″ squares.
Dusty Aqua fabric (medium):
• Cut two 9-1/2″ crosswise fabric strips.
– Subcut from one strip four 9-1/2″ squares.
– Subcut from second strip two 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangles.
• Cut one 18-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut two 18-1/2″ squares.
• Cut one 11-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut one 11-1/2″ square and three 6-1/2″ squares.
Navy fabric (dark):
• Cut one 9-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut four 9-1/2″ squares.
• Cut one 18-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut one 18-1/2″ square and one 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangle.
• Cut one 11-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut one 11-1/2″ square and two 6-1/2″ squares.
Purple fabric (dark):
• Cut one 9-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut three 9-1/2″ squares.
• Cut one 18-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut one 18-1/2″ square and one 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangle.
• Cut one 11-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut one 11-1/2″ square and two 6-1/2″ squares.
Dark Olive fabric (dark):
• Cut one 9-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut three 9-1/2″ squares.
• Cut one 18-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut one 18-1/2″ square and two 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangles.
• Cut one 11-1/2″ crosswise fabric strip.
– Subcut one 11-1/2″ square and two 6-1/2″ squares.
• Cut nine 2-1/2″ crosswise fabric strips for binding.
White Sof-Shape Interfacing:
• Cut one 11-1/2″ lengthwise fabric strip.
– Subcut into nine 11-1/2″ squares.
• Cut a 6-1/2″ lengthwise fabric strip.
– Subcut into seventeen 6-1/2″ squares.
Lengthwise fabric strips are cut parallel to fabric selvedges.
Create the Circles/Spots
• Separate 11-1/2″ and 6-1/2″ fabric squares.
• Place one 11-1/2″ fabric square to one 11-1/2″ fusible interfacing square – matching smooth side of the fusible interfacing to right side of fabric. Pin.
The fusible interfacing is the key to the construction of this design. Avoid choosing a heavy fusible interfacing, light is best! This quilt is made using Pellon’s White Sof-Shape Interfacing.
• Position 5-in-1 Sliding Gauge on interfacing, centering the compass to pivot on the fusible interfacing square.
• With fine line fabric marking pen or pencil, mark an 11″ circle onto the fusible interfacing square.
Note: Repeat steps above for the 6-1/2″ fabric squares – marking 6″ circles onto the fusible interfacing squares.
Optional: If you happen to have Clover’s Carefree Curves Trace ’n Create Template Collection by Nancy Zieman, use the Circle Template for this project!
• Position Circle Template on interfacing, centering the template on the fusible interfacing square.
• With a fabric marking pen and Circle Template, trace an 11″ circle onto the fusible interfacing square – tracing along the blue outer line, including outer edge notches.
• Repeat process for 6-1/2″ fabric squares – tracing along the yellow line of the die cut openings.
Optional: Make your own template!
• Position 5-in-1 Sliding Gauge on Templar Heat Resistant Template Material, centering the compass to pivot on Templar rectangle.
• With pencil, mark a 6″ circle onto the Templar rectangle.
• Position the new 6″ Templar template on interfacing.
• With fine line fabric marking pen or pencil, mark a 6″ circle onto the fusible interfacing square.
• Repeat the process above for marking 9″ circles onto the fusible interfacing squares by creating an 9″ Templar Template by taping two rectangles of Templar together, flat.
• Set sewing machine for a straight stitch, 2.0 mm stitch length.
• Stitch directly on the marked line using a slightly shorter stitch length.
It’s always easier to stitch smooth curves with a shorter stitch length, such as a 2.0mm setting.
• With a 45mm Rotary Cutter and Pinking Blade, trim away excess fabric, leaving about a 1/4″ seam allowance on the outside of the stitching line.
• Carefully cut away the center of the fusible interfacing, leaving about 1″ of fusible interfacing at the inside of the stitching line.
Save interfacing scraps for a later project when making, perhaps, smaller circles.
• Use the rounded end of Clover’s Point 2 Point Turner to smooth curved edge as interfacing is turned to the wrong side.
• Press curved edge, from interfacing side, ensuring seam is pressed along the edge – creating the circle/spot appliqué.
• Repeat steps for remaining 11-1/2″ fabric and interfacing squares.
• Separate background fabric squares:
• All 18-1/2″ squares.
• The following 9-1/2″ squares:
– One Pale Aqua 9-1/2″ square
– One Dusty Aqua 9-1/2″ square
– One Purple 9-1/2″ square
– One Dark Olive 9-1/2″ square
• Pair circle appliqués to background squares.
• Fold background square in half, then in quarters to determine the center, use Clover’s Roll ’n Press or ‘finger press’ along folded edges.
• Unfold fabric square. Position right side up.
• Fold circle appliqué in half, then in quarters to determine the center, use Clover’s Roll ’n Press or ‘finger press’ along folded edges.
• Unfold circle appliqué, with right side facing up.
• With right sides facing up, layer 6″ circle appliqués onto 9-1/2″ background squares; and 9″ circle appliqués onto 18-1/2″ background squares, matching the pressmarks. Pin.
• Separate the following thirteen 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangles:
– Three Off White 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangles
– One Pale Aqua 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangle
– Two Pale Green 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangles
– One Lime Green 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangle
– Two Dusty Aqua 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangles
– One Navy 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangle
– One Purple 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangle
– Two Dark Olive 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ rectangles
– Pair the circle appliqués to background rectangles.
• Fold each rectangle in half, meeting long edges. Use Clover’s Roll ’n Press or ‘finger press’ along the folded edges.
• Unfold background rectangle, with right side facing up.
• Using Clover’s 5-in-1 Sliding Gauge, measure down 1-3/4″ from one end of each rectangle.
• With right sides facing up, layer 6″ circle appliqués onto 9-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ background rectangles, matching the pressmarks of circle appliqués with vertical pressmarks on background rectangles. Pin.
Stitch Circles to Background Squares and Rectangles
• Thread sewing machine with monofilament thread in the top of sewing machine, and regular all-purpose sewing thread in the bobbin.
• Stitch circle appliqués to background squares and rectangles using a narrow blind hem stitch, blanket stitch, zigzag stitch, or straight stitch to “machine appliqué” circles to backgrounds – using an Open Toe Presser Foot.
Stitch circle appliqués to background fabric using a narrow blind hem stitch, blanket stitch, zigzag stitch, or straight stitch. You’re the designer!
Assemble Quilt, and then layer, quilt, and bind using your favorite quilting techniques.
Find Nancy Zieman’s favorite binding method at the Nancy Zieman Productions blog!
Make our I See Spots Quilt to display on a bed or hang on a wall! Learn Nancy’s method of sewing circle quilt blocks without ever stitching opposing curved seams. The supersize quilt blocks make this a fast piecing project!
- I See Spots Quilt! Bundle Box includes everything you’ll need to make this quilt – available exclusively at ShopNZP.com!
Purchase the Exclusive I See Spots Quilt Bundle Box featuring eight Cotton Solid Fabrics by Riley Blake Designs, in an assortment of lights, mediums, and darks, quilt batting, quilt backing and Team NZP’s Exclusive I See Spots Quilt Pattern – with full-color step-by-step instructions and illustrations! Now available exclusively at ShopNZP.com!
Watch Stitch it! Sisters Program 206, I See Spots Quilt Video at YouTube.com/StitchitSisters
Happy Quilting!
Team Nancy Zieman
Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.
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