*For teachers of quilting, this blog is for you. Others may request the pattern (and perhaps a class) from their local quilt shop.
If you're as tired as I am of seeing the Yellow Brick Road pattern as the ONLY one to start beginner quilters with, take a look at this pattern entitled Kitty Cornered Chain (CLPDHE037)by Deb Heatherly. It allows teachers to add a few more important points in quilting for future avid quilters. Knowledge that may not be gained by the simplicity of Yellow Brick Road which requires no matching seams or challenges outside of cutting a straight line and sewing a straight line. You will still be using a ruler (CGRDH5 Kitty Cornered Ruler by Deb Heatherly), and you will still need perfect 1/4" seam allowances, but the ruler necessary for this one makes the cutting simple and helps to create a block that is oversized to allow for squaring up even if it isn't perfect. Also, it makes choosing fabric easy because it suggests 10" squares that can be purchased already coordinated for you. Maybe you would like this one as your beginners #2 class. Either way, here are some great points to include during this class.
- Explain that you are cutting on the bias for this quilt and illustrate the difference between straight-of-grain and bias edges.
- Show how to nest corners when putting blocks together.
- Demonstrate how to cut mirror images.
- Illustrate how to stand back and look at your block layout to be sure there are no "screaming misplacements".
- Show how to properly measure for borders and not to always trust measurements in the pattern.
- Demonstrate how to piece the borders on an angle to get the correct length.
It may seem like too much for a beginner, but it gives them more of a foundation. So many times students take one class and decide they are good to go and then come back with all the problems they had on their next quilt. Even if they don't pick up everything, they heard it and saw it, and they will remember enough to ask for help BEFORE making mistakes. This quilt gives them a repeated block to practice over and over before doing sashing and borders. Lots of cutting and sewing practice is never a bad thing. You could make it a table runner with only two rows if you wanted to scale it down for beginners. The borders are made the same way- just shorter cuts on the ends. Don't be a Cowardly Lion, you've got the heart of the Tin Man. You can do this!
*The Creative Grids® ruler required for this quilt is CGRDH5- Kitty Cornered Ruler by Deb Heatherly. There are LOTS of accompaniment patterns for this ruler. Be sure to check out www.CreativeGridsUSA.com and www.CutLoosePress.com for more.