It's December, and it's my month to be Queen Bee for my NYC Metro Mod Guild Bee. I want to keep it simple because December is such a busy month for everyone so, although my choice for the month involves making 5 blocks, there're only 4 fabric cuts and 20 straight sewn lines! Then while I was putting together the tute for my Hive Bees it occurred to me it would be good to share it with my readers too - so here's my tute to make a Sliced Improv Block. A Sliced Improv Block Tute To make 5 blocks you'll need 5 fabric squares, you can adapt the block to use any size squares you like - so this would be a great block to use up a layer cake. In the packs I'm sending out to my Bees I include 5 x 10" fabric squares per person. Take 1 block and mark 2.5 inches from the end on each edge. Place your long ruler on the left-hand edge of the marked block at any point between the two 2.5" markers (going closer to the edges will create pieces that are small, difficult to sew together and look lost in the final block) and draw a line across to any point between the two 2.5" markers on the top edge of the block. Go back to your starting point on the left edge and mark out two more lines, this time, over to the right-hand edge of the block - again stay within the 2.5" margins on either end of the right-hand edge. Now go back to your starting point on the left-hand edge and mark a point to the bottom edge of the block - (remember your 2.5" margins). Make a 'perfect' pile of the 5 blocks (well as 'perfect' as you can!) and place the marked out block on top of the pile. Take your ruler and cut through all 5 blocks on your 4 marked lines to create 5 triangular sections on each block, each cut identically to the block above it. Take 1 different piece from each block to create 5 blocks with a slice of each fabric. Sew the pieces of each block together using a 1/4" seam. The fabric is cut on the bias so try not to stretch it as you work. These pieces aren't the easiest to line up but pressing each seam as you sew makes the process easier. The finished block can be quite uneven at the edges, but there should be enough play in the fabric to allow you to trim the blocks down (in the case of my 10" fabric I can trim them to approx 8.5" squares). (Reminder note to my fellow Bees - please don't trim the blocks just send them back to me as they are :D) And here are my 5 trimmed blocks. I'm looking forward to playing around with the blocks when I get them all back and deciding on a layout for them, they're such versatile blocks. Just by changing the direction of the blocks here are 4 different design example layouts. I'll be receiving 5 completed blocks from 11 Bees, and then there're my 5 blocks as well so I'll have 60 x 8.5" blocks. I'm thinking an 8 x 7 block quilt possibly with sashing (56 blocks) and maybe I'll incorporate the last 4 blocks into the backing or make a cushion cover. All the fabrics I'm using are in the blue/grey/beige/brown colour palette - this will be another quilt for my lounge to sit alongside my Juice Box Sofa Quilt that you can see in my Blog Header photo, and I wrote about that quilt here too. I'll be sure to update you with another post once I make the quilt :D Featured on: Clicking on an image will take you to a new page of crafty goodness :) Disclosure: This post contains Amazon and Craftsy affiliate links for which I am paid compensation on click-through purchases (at no additional cost to you). Otherwise, the post is for informational purposes only, and all opinions are my own. Copyright: Uncredited reproduction of all content, text and images on this site is prohibited. All content, text and images must be credited to Chris Dodsley @made by ChrissieD and include a link back to this site. Follow

No Irrigation Raised Bed Gardening System (Hugelkultur): Approximate Project Cost can be anywhere from free to $100 per bed. Here is a detailed cost breakdown based on Lowes pricing in 16066 and bolts from Tractor Supply (by weight) http://bit.ly/H8tdh5 UPDATE (2014) - Note: the above pricing is based on …

In case you haven’t yet heard, raised garden beds come with a plethora of benefits - especially our very own Vego Garden Raised Garden Beds! They make it easier for you to reach into the soil and tend to your plants, plus they allow for better water drainage than a traditional lawn bed or ground-level garden plot. They are also incredibly easy to maintain: just add compost every couple of months and voilà! And best of all? Our Vego Garden Raised Garden Beds save you money by allowing you to grow food at home rather than having to buy groceries from the store. Keep on reading to learn about the cost benefits of growing your own vegetation in our Vego Garden Raised Garden Beds! How much does it cost to grow your own produce? Getting started with growing your own produce is one of the best ways to easily cut down on your long-term expenses. First, you will need to set up your garden bed! Our Vego Garden Raised Garden Beds are made from a durable steel substrate coated in Zinc, Aluminum, & Magnesium - a combination that will last you for over 20 years! That means that our 17” 9-Way Garden Bed Kits priced at $199.95 are truly affordable, averaging roughly $10 per year over those 20 years! In addition to the garden bed itself, you will also need soil! By filling the bed using the hugelkultur method, you will need to use far less soil, and you’ll be repurposing yard waste for free. High quality raised bed soil for the top layer of your bed will cost roughly $30, and will last you over 20 years of growing. On average, that’s just $1.50 per year. Finally, the only remaining costs of growing your own garden are water (under $5 per year) and of course, seeds! The cost of seeds will vary depending on the vegetable and how much you want to grow, but on average, seeds will roughly cost you $5 per year. In total growing your own garden veggies will cost you under $20 per year! (You can cut costs even more by saving and propagating the seeds leftover from produce you consume!) How much money can you save by growing your own food? So, how much can you save when you opt out of store-bought produce? The answer is… a lot! First, the cost of fresh produce can be very high. For example, the average price for a pound of tomatoes is $3.07. If you buy 2 pounds every week and eat them in salads or pasta sauce, that’s $6 per week—$25 per month—and that's only one vegetable! Once you include other common items like cucumbers, beans, and broccoli (which are just as expensive), it’s easy to see how quickly your grocery bill adds up. On average, a yearly bill for a common collection of store-bought vegetables costs $400 and up. So, by growing your own produce, you are saving at least $380 per year! Why choose Vego Garden over other garden bed options? Typically, most garden beds are made from a lower-quality steel material that will commonly last for 5-6 years before needing replacement. Alternatively, another common garden bed material is wood, which similarly lasts 5-6 years before beginning to decompose from natural causes. Our Vego Garden Raised Beds are made with VZ 2.0, a specialized material that combines a steel substrate with an Aluminum, Zinc, and Magnesium coating, plus durable USDA-certified paint developed for the agriculture industry.This combination of durable materials helps our beds to last over 20 years! That’s right folks, this makes Vego Garden one of the most long-lasting raised garden beds on the market! This durability helps to make the price of your raised garden bed lessen with each year that goes by. So, is it worth it? When it comes to growing your own vegetables, there are plenty of benefits - and biggest of all, cost! While the initial upfront price of starting your own garden may seem daunting, remember it's an investment - these prices will save you hundreds of dollars over the course of 20+ years compared to purchasing your produce at the grocery store. Still have questions? Get in touch with us and let us help you decide what the best garden setup is for you!

Welcome to Part 1 of the Sophie's Universe CAL 2015. This is a mystery crochet-along for a continuous square blanket based on my Sophie's Garden Square.

I used an old crib to make an Up-cycled Garden Trellis. It was easy and I did it in just 5 minutes with nothing more than zipties. My beans are so happy.

Update March 2016: I now have a video tutorial for Girlie Grunge Twine Flowers showing how to create the loom and twine flower using Donna Salazar's new bakers twine for Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L. The process is exactly the same for jute twine or hemp cording. Only the size of the loom you use would change. A chart for suggested loom sizes and twine lengths can be found HERE. (scroll to the bottom of that post for the chart) My VIDEO TUTORIAL can be viewed HERE. Our son, Joseph, wrote a love letter to his bride, Rachel, and sent it to her with a rose while she was waiting for the wedding ceremony to start. This photo is of her reading his letter. The list are some of her responses to his love letter. I have seen some fabulous twine flowers on Pinterest, but have not been able to locate a detailed tutorial to create them. After some experimenting, I've come up with these lovely gems and have written a step by step tutorial for you to recreate them as well. Twine Flower Tutorial *** A video tutorial for my twine flowers can be viewed HERE.*** ***An updated version of my tutorial can be found HERE.*** Now I'd like to share a tutorial on how to make these beautiful twine flowers. I got the idea from a tutorial at The Bug Bytes. I made several changes to her flowers, so I'm posting a tutorial here for my version of her twine flowers. Please don't be intimidated by the number of steps. I wanted to make sure the directions are clear, so I would rather err on the side of giving you more information than you might need. The tutorial I learned from had fewer steps, and I found myself doing some trial and error, that hopefully will be avoided for you. Once you have made your loom and have a couple flowers under your belt, these little beauties only take about 10 to 15 minutes each to create. *** A video tutorial for my twine flowers can be viewed HERE.*** SUPPLIES: a) Twine - any kind of thin hemp, jute, or baker's twine will work nicely ~ about 7 feet of twine for a 2 inch loom. b) Two same size chipboard circles ~ I used 2 inch circles. c) Glue ~ any kind of glue that will hold the two chipboard circles together will work. I used Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive. d) 12 Straight pins ~ Mine have plastic balls on the ends, but any pins you have will work or even small finishing nails if you don't have straight pins. e) Large eye tapestry or yarn needle The needle doesn't have to be flat on the end with a curve like mine, as long as the eye is large enough to thread the twine and a rounded rather than sharp pointed end, it will work. f) A pencil or pen and ruler (not pictured) are needed to draw lines on the top circle. MAKING THE LOOM: Step 1. Cut two identical chipboard circles ~ I used 2 inch circles cut on the AccuCut machine at my LSS. They could also be traced and cut with scissors. Don't worry if your circles aren't exactly perfect. The petals aren't going to be exactly the same even with perfect circles. St Step 2. Draw 6 lines evenly spaced on the front of one circle ~ This will give spacing like the numbers on a clock. Step 3. Spread glue on the back of the circle you drew lines on and adhere to the other chipboard circle. Step 4. Once the glue is dry, push your pins between the cardboard pieces in line with your pencil lines. If you don't let your glue dry first, a pair of pliers will be needed to pull your pins out the first time. (Go ahead, ask me how I know!!) If you turn the chipboard on its side, it will look like this: ***Note*** My loom has held up well. I've made over 20 flowers, and the pins are still nice and tight. MAKING THE TWINE FLOWERS: *** A video tutorial for my twine flowers can be viewed HERE.*** Step 1. At first you will be working from your spool of twine. Don't cut anything yet. Think of your loom like a clock. Leaving about a 4 inch tail, hold the twine at 7:00. Wrap the twine up to the left side of the pin at 12:00 and wrap over and behind the 12:00 pin, moving from left to right, then wrap straight down to the right side of the pin at 6:00. Wrap the twine behind the 6:00 pin from right to left. Step 2. Now wrap your twine back up to the left side of the 11:00 pin, wrapping over/behind the pin from left to right and straight down to the right side of the 5:00 pin, wrapping behind the 5:00 pin from right to left. Step 3. Continue this pattern until you have one loop around each pin. Step 4. Continue wrapping around the pins in the same pattern until you have two loops around each pin. Step 5. This was the confusing part for me, so I changed out the twine to a contrasting color to help illustrate the remaining steps. Your final wrap will be back around the 7:00 pin where you started. My loom is rotated in the photo, so it is no longer in the 7:00 position, but this last wrap goes around the pin that was in the 7:00 position when you started wrapping. You will leave the starting tail at the 7:00 pin. On the working end of your twine, cut about a 20 inch length of twine. That's 20 inches from the last wrap on the loom. The amount of twine needed will depend on the thickness of the twine you are using. A thicker twine will require more and a thinner twine would require less. The twine I used is about the thickness of bakers twine. I also made a flower with a thicker jute which you can see in the photo at the end of this tutorial. That twine required about 24 inches to do the center weaving in the flower. When it doubt, cut a longer piece that you think you might need and then you will know how much to cut for your next flower. Thread the twine onto your large needle. Step 6. Now you are going to start weaving around the center of the flower. This will secure the flower petals in place and give the decorative stitching around the flower center. You are working from the back of the flower, so you won't see the pretty decorative stitching until the end when you remove your flower from the loom and turn it over. Move your 7:00 pin so it is now at 12:00. You will start weaving behing the "petal" to the right of your final wrap. So, take your needle and go underneath the 4 strands of twine wrapped around the 1:00 pin and push the needle all the way behind the 5 strands at the 12:00 pin, (the 4 petal strands and your starting strand of twine - this is the only place there will be 5 strands of twine.) As you can see on the photo, your needle will be under a total of 9 strands of twine. Step 7. Pull your needle through. For this weaving stitch only leave a little slack in the end of your twine. Notice what the yellow twine is doing. The last wrap around the pin is now at the 12:00 position only goes to the center of the flower, so when you take your next weaving stitch with your needle you will secure that half thread in place. Moving to your left, push the needle under all 4 strands of the 12:00 petal plus starting tail and keep pushing it under the 4 strands of the 11:00 petal. Step 8. Pull your woven stitches tight, pushing them towards the center of the flower with the tip of your needle. This is the only place where you may need to work with your stitches a little bit to get them nice and tight. Sometimes after I pull the stitches tight, the first stitch is too loose, if that is the case, I use my fingers to pull on the second stitch to take the slack out of the first stitch. Your stitching should look like the stitches in the photo below. Step 9. Continue weaving by stitching under the petals, moving to the left in a counter clockwise direction. Please note, now that you are past the starting tail at the 12:00 petal, you will continue going behind two petals each time, but now for a total of 8 strands of twine. Step 10. Continue this pattern until you have 2 stitches around each petal, coming back around to where you started. Your last weaving stitch will still go behind 2 petals ~ 8 strands of twine. Pull the working twine on your needle down between the petals and between the stitches to the center of the flower. Notice how the yellow twine in the photo is pulled to the center of the flower between the 12:00 and 1:00 pins. Step 11. Use your needle to weave the end of the thread under the top layer on the center stitches until it seems secure. I take two to three stitches to secure, usually going under about 10 or so threads all together. I start the needle under a thread that is right where I am pulling the thread between the petals and stitching so I don't distort the woven design on the back side of the stitching, which will actually be the front of the flower. After weaving the end of the twine to secure, cut it close to where it is exiting the flower center. Step 12. Pull the starting twine to the center and secure it in the same way. Step 13. To release the flower from the loom, pull the pins out one at a time to release each petal, then put the pin back in place to be ready to create your next flower. Turn your flower over to admire the beautifully stitched border around your center. I created a 2-inch loom. You can change the size of your flowers by using different size circles, but keep in mind that the center of your flower will be determined by the thickness of your twine, and will stay the same regardless of what size circle you use. You can see that my jute flower has a much larger center than the twine flowers. If I make another jute flower, I will probably use a larger loom so it will look more daisy-like. Because this jute was thicker than the twine, the center turned out larger, giving more of a sunflower appearance. You can also dress your flowers up with a button or other bling like I did for my layout or even layer them with other flowers. *** A video tutorial for my twine flowers can be viewed HERE.*** I hope you give these flowers a try. Here are a few more examples of how I've used these flowers in my projects: Thanks for stopping by! I treasure your comments. ~ Blessings ~

Welcome to Lovecutething. This is Sturdy Cotton Wrap Jumpsuits For Women, Washed And Soft Simple Romper, Leisure Cotton Button Overalls With Pockets, Kimono Sleeve Jumpsuits. We only use natural, comfortable fabrics. You will love it here. Also this is a shop full of love and we love custom requests. If you have any questions feel free to contact us to discuss. Cheers! SIZE LIST: Lenght:119CM/46.8" Bust:128CM/50.4" Shoulder:46CM/18.1" Sleeve:49CM/19.3" ************************************************************************************ Choose size recommendations: If your height is less than 5 feet 6, you choose "size normal" will be fine. If your height is greater than 5 feet 6, you choose "size add length" will be fine. If you weigh more than 180lbs, you choose size "plus size" will be fine. If you have any questions you can always contact me, I am glad to help you. ************************************************************************************ Shipping Policies: All orders will take the fastest express delivery no extra shipping. Usually 6-7 days to arrive US. To Europe usually 8-12 days. Other countries usually 10-15 days. Safe and quick. Return Policy Kindly cntact us for returning address. You can return the item to my address. When we receive the item may refund for the price of items. Thank you for your love:-)

Photinia Robusta is a small fast growing tree with glossy red foliage turning to green. It has small white flowers in Summer with red fleshy fruit following. With a dense growth habit it's great for screening.

Here is a tutorial and it is very picture heavy but you know what they say a picture is worth a thousand words. This is how I put on a neckband on a knit garment. Start off by measuring the neckline of your pattern. Turn the tape measure on the side to get an accurate measurement. Take this measurement and subtract the seam allowance, in this case the seam allowance is 5/8". Kwik Sew patterns are probably 1/4", just check your pattern instruction sheet. Then I always write this measurement down on the pattern front, it is your pattern, mark it up. Now if your front pattern piece is cut on the fold, you have to multiply this new measurement (less the seam allowance) by 2. Then you have the full front neckline not just half. Once again, write it down. Now measure the back pattern piece the same way. Subtract the seam allowance and mulitply by 2. Write it all down. Now back to the front pattern piece. Write down the front measurement and the back measurement and add them together. This number is your finished neckline measurement. Now just for fun I measure the neckline binding to see what the pattern piece has allowed. The pattern I am making isn't just for knits, it is for woven fabric too. So the two measurements aren't that different. A pattern designed only for knits might vary more. Now subtract the seam allowance, in this case there is 5/8" on each side of the neckline binding. I multiplied the 5/8" by 2 for the 1-1/4" total seam allowance. This pattern I was using had a 1:1 ratio for the neckline and the neckband measurements. See above for the front and back pattern measurements. Now here is the tricky part and I don't have a set way I figure the neckband I want to cut. I change it according to the stretch of my knit. Lay the knit out next to a ruler with the stretch going the length of the numbers. I pulled from the 4" mark and my knit stretched to the 6" mark. Not too much stretch in this case. I meaure the neckband pattern piece for the width and then cut my neckband piece with the rotary cutter. I get a much straighter piece, which results in a better looking finished neckband. This number isn't set in stone, you can adjust the length to whatever you want. My pattern called for 1-3/8" width, I cut this width the first time and decided it was just too narrow, so I cut another piece 1-3/4". Now back to what length I am going to cut my neckband. I decided to use a 20" piece including seam allowances (18-3/4" is the finished length). I want the garment to pull toward my body. Usually with a pattern piece, the neckband is too long and the garment doesn't hug the body. I always cut my neckband shorter than the pattern piece. Attaching the neckband to the garment Meet the shoulder seams Put a pin in the center front and center back Now match up the center front and center back pins. Then mark the fold with pins. These pins will be in the front of the garment, not at the actual shoulder seams. In the case of this pattern the front pattern measured 11-1/4" and the back 10-1/4", not much difference. So my pins will be 1/2" from the shoulder seams on the front piece. Note: Most knit patterns have a lower front neckline so your pins at the side will be more toward the front. Here are all 4 pins Sew the neckband into a circle and press it in half Mark center front and the seam will be center back. Then match the center front and center back and place pins. The neckband will have 4 pins and essentially be sectioned into quarters, just like the neckline. I start by matching the center back of the garment with the center back of the neckband and pin. I pin the neckband on top of the garment. Once matched, remove the pin from the garment and use the pin from the neckband to pin the two pieces together. Continue around the neckline and attach all four pins. Here is a good time to check out much your neckband will have to stretch, if it pulls too much and distorts out of shape, the neckband might be cut too short. Then in the same sense, if the neckband really doesn't stretch much, then it is too long. Now it is time to serge. I adjust my differential feed on my serger to help ease in the fabric of the garment. Start at the center back, stitch for just a bit 1/2" or so, locking the neckband to the garment. I then stretch the neckband to the next pin and sew. Continue this for the entire neckline. Now press this seam flat Lay flat on ironing board, wrong side up Press this seam, then turn garment over and press on the right side, too. Now take it to your coverstitch machine or your sewing machine for topstitching around the neckline. I have to remind myself to watch the presser foot and not the needles. If I remember this, my coverstitching is much straighter and neater. Then one final press The finished neckling A little closer view I hope this makes sense and isn't too confusing. It is a bit of trial and error to figure out some knits. It really depends on the amount of stretch. I have to thank Anne of Needle Nook for helping me with my knit sewing. She is the best

You can't grow healthy tomato without a tomato trellis or cages. Read this if you need plans and ideas to build a DIY tomato cage.

Introduction to Hardy Cyclamen My first encounter with hardy cyclamen was in the garden of the late Rachel Dunham of Cary, NC in the 1960s. I was amazed to see what I thought was a rare perennial, seeding all through her woodland lawn and was immediately struck by how tough cyclamen were, and obviously, how easy they w

Kits are available for this project from Handcrafts Online – Biscornu class. You can see some of my finished biscornus at my personal blog. Material List: Biscoru Kit (see above link for de…

Explore David Feix Landscape Design's 9207 photos on Flickr!

White oil is among the most effective organic ways of controlling many pests in the garden. The best thing about white oil is that you can make it yourself!

Storing Garden Tools With Style (aka Zombiewall): Storing shovels, rakes, and all the other tools used in the garden can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. An artistic flare is often missing.

 The Summer Garden Pattern is now available in my shop! When my old college roommate asked to make a quilt for her baby girl, I started sketching out some flower ideas. I prefer traditional piecing to appliqué, so I was playing with a traditionally pieced flower with a sawtooth star center. And that's how Summer Garde

Hi there! Are you guys ready the reveal of our Garden Path Mystery Quilt?! This one has been so much fun! Thank you to all of you that sewed along with me on this one! We will be debuting a new Mystery Quilt next month! So keep an eye out! If you are following along on instagram - use #gardenpathmysteryquilt so we can see your progress! Do you need a kit?! You can purchase one here! Are you ready for the final reveal?! Scroll down for the reveal: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Here it is! I love how this one turned out! It is so fresh and perfect for Spring time! My favorite part of the quilt is that center block! I just can't get enough of that block enough! I really do have to make a whole quilt from that block! I did some simple Loopy Loops for quilting. I love the dark binding - I think it just frames up the quilt nicely! **Download instructions HERE** *Links may take some time to load depending on your internet connection. Also if you have pop-ups disabled, you may have a problem downloading the PDF file. To fix this you will need to allow pop-ups for our blog.* Previous Blocks: Cutting Instructions April 4th - Pinwheel Block April 11th - Butterfly Block April 18th - Springtime Star Block April 25th - Assembly I hope you guys had fun sewing along with me! :)

Yesterday, some readers asked if I had any tips for growing great carrots, so I thought I’d share a few things that work well for me. I’m by no means an expert carrot grower and sometim…

So many of my projects start with this same basic construction. I am reposting this because if you master this, you will be able to build many things! First, decide what you are using for your top. I have been using two 2x6's, which make mine about 18"x11" (these shown area little smaller--they were a special order to fit under one of the tables I had made). Then cut 2 pieces of trim board or 2"x4"s 2 inches shorter than the length of your top. I set these on the top and then measure what I need for the shorter side pieces. I have not been doing mitered corners because I use trim boards and it is too thin. I assemble the apron or frame with the nail gun. Since I screw the legs in from both sides, this doesn't need to be solid at this point. Then cut 4 2x4s for legs, mine have varied in height, but they are usually 12 inches tall. Lay frame upside down on a flat and level surface. I screw legs in with 2 screws in the front and one 3 inch long screw from the side. I paint and sand all pieces separately. Because I use trim boards I have a very narrow space to drill through to attach the top. I set the top pieces on there to get them in the right place and then take 1 piece off so I can see exactly where to drill. And there you have it, a simple, sturdy stool, and for me, all made from reclaimed wood!

Hello again everyone....here i am with some springlike pictures today..... this is my cottage garden quilt... .......inspired by cottage gar...

It’s going to be a busy summer but one of the absolute highlights for me will be to join James Gurney, artist-in-residence, as well as over 20 plein air painters on June 19 at the New York B…

Tips and resources to help you create your own Mary Garden at home or at your parish, complete with ideas for plants and symbols to include.

I was really excited to have the opportunity to design a block for Jane's Desperate House Wives quilt. And then I got stressed (I've never designed a block from scratch before). And then I went into denial about having to do it. And finally last night I was mucking around with Touchdraw (using Lynne's fantastic tutorials) and came up with this: I'm calling it Woven Chevron block (cos I'm so great at coming up with creative names for things!). Why woven? Well, if you put multiple blocks together, you'll get something like this: That's only four blocks, but you get the idea... So how to make this little pretty? I used solids for mine (Kona Ash, Kona Orange and Kona Surf) but you could use any combination of solids/prints. I'd probably avoid directional fabrics cos it would be quite tricky to make it all line up. I did actually take photos for the first part of this tutorial, but then my camera died, and we didn't have ANY batteries around. So you'll have to bear with descriptions for the first part sorry! Anyhoo, you'll need to cut: From background fabric (Ash): * Four 2 1/2" squares * Four 3" squares. * Two 3 1/2" squares From colour 1 (Surf): * Four 3" squares * One 3 1/2" squares From Colour 2 (Orange) * Four 3" squares * One 3 1/2" square. Right. Lets deal with the cross-over squares first (the woven ones). I'm sure these have a proper name, but I'm going to call them cross-over squares cos that's what they are in this block. 1. Take your 3.5" squares (two background and one of each colour). Pair a coloured square with a background square, and draw a diagonal line from one corner to the other on both the background squares. 2. Sew along both sides of the line, 1/4" away from the line. 3. Cut along this line, creating two half-square triangles from each of your pairs (total of four HSTs) 4. Press your seams open (or to the side, I prefer open) 5. Trim your HSTs to 3" squares. You should now have four HST squares - two surf/ash and two orange/ash. 6. Pair each of your surf/ash squares with an Orange 3" square, and pair each of your orange/ash squares with a Surf 3" square. 7. Draw a line diagonally through each of the solid 3" squares (ie two orange and two surf). When you pair these with it's HST partner, make sure the drawn line runs PERPENDICULAR to the HST line (see below). 8. Again, sew either side of the line, 1/4" away (as per #2) and cut along the line. 9. Press your seams open. You'll end up with eight squares (two pairs of each of those below). You will only need to use the two like that at the top left, and the bottom right. 10. We'll be trimming these to 2.5" squares. First, line up the 45 degree line on your ruler with the long diagonal seam on your block, and trim off the side. Then turn your square 90 degrees to the right, and line up the 45 degree line with the short diagonal seam, and the 2.5" line along the bottom of the square. Trim this side. Continue turning your square and trimming until you have a 2.5" crossover square. Repeat for the remaining three crossover squares. Right, now the tricky stuff is done, we can make the other HSTs. 11. Pair your remaining 3" squares as per the photo. Follow steps 1-4 and make a total of eight HSTs. 12. Trim them to 2.5" squares. All the preparatory work is done now. So you can lay out your HSTs, background 2.5" squares and crossovers like so: 13. Sew the squares in each row together: 14. Sew your rows together, and you're done! Please ignore my awful points - I promise not to leave these things to the last minute again! UPDATE: this is bugging me so much, I'm going to rip it apart and resew it together. Better block to come (hopefully!) :o) I hope you enjoyed my tutorial! Thanks again to Jane for inviting me to design a block :o) xx Jess

Here are 20 Old Clothes Recycle Ideas that are all you need to upcycle your old wardrobe items.

One of our most loved/used quilts in our house is the Prairie Picnic quilt I made several years ago- it has the perfect amount of simplicity, crinkly goodness, and coverage. It was no question that…