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  1. #1
    coffeebreak's Avatar coffeebreak is offline Senior Member
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    Cool Need help and advise on this American quilt I am designing....

    I am trying to find a good pattern for an "America" theme/style quilt for my son. FInished about 60x60. I have 2 packs of the Battle Hymn charm packs from MSQC, and have picked out those I want to use (I don't want to use any with flowers on it). I can get more charms if I need to.

    Well I found this pattern....

    http://www.connectingthreads.com/Pat...__D991255.HTML

    and it says I can get 12, 9" blocks from 8 fat quarters. Is there a way I can use charm packs instead of fat quarters? I see the measurements there and it is four sections, each section uses 1, 2,3/4" sq and 1 2,3/4x5" sq. I think I need 2 of each fabric print charm and then have part of one left over...but what would the math be? I'm sure it is right in front of my face, but I can't figure it!

    and then this one

    http://www.fonsandporter.com/articles/flag_it

    I like the 9patch square as I can use the charm packs, but I know that using the charm pack for the strips blocks will drive me to drink and I'll never get it done, so what else could I substitute for the strip block?

    And also if you know of a brand of charm packs or jelly rolls or I guess even fat quarters that has a good "american/americana" theme print...please let me know. I figure I will use dark blue and dark red and a dark cream for the solids. And if you have any other suggestions that would be helpful, please...suggest away! Thanks, everyone!

  2. #2
    BellasQuilts's Avatar BellasQuilts is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: Need help and advise on this American quilt I am designing....

    How about a simple civil war soldier's cot quilt? I just made one but I think you could modify some easy block and make one.
    Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.
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    ~Megan~

  3. #3
    coffeebreak's Avatar coffeebreak is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: Need help and advise on this American quilt I am designing....

    Quote Originally Posted by BellasQuilts View Post
    How about a simple civil war soldier's cot quilt? I just made one but I think you could modify some easy block and make one.
    Not heard of that before...can you elaborate? He is a Civil War buff so it might be a good idea....

  4. #4
    Sandy Navas's Avatar Sandy Navas is online now Senior Member
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    Default Re: Need help and advise on this American quilt I am designing....

    Be warned. I am BORED.
    This could be dangerous.

    When you get cold just go stand in the corner.
    They are usually 90 degrees.

    A giraffe's coffee would be cold by the time it reached the bottom of his throat.
    Ever think about that? No? You only think about yourself??

  5. #5
    coffeebreak's Avatar coffeebreak is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: Need help and advise on this American quilt I am designing....

    Quote Originally Posted by Sandy Navas View Post
    That is beautiful! I love the colors and it does shout Civil War era. But..like you said..not so simple. That is rather above my ability at the moment! I am not even sure I could gather the proper fabric for one with that many colors! I love seeing those like that tho...gives me a goal. Thanks for sharing.

  6. #6
    alwaysinmyroom's Avatar alwaysinmyroom is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: Need help and advise on this American quilt I am designing....

    The Prairie charms are very Americana!

    You can use charm packs but since they are usually 5 inch squares, you could cut out the 2.75 x 5 from one charm and the the 2.75 square from another matching one...it would be a lot of waste because you would have a 2.25 x 5 piece from the first charm and a weird L-shaped piece from the other...that is, if you just cut the square...you can't get two squares because 2.75 + 2.75 is 5.5.

    What I would do is use the pattern and make each of the finished squares 1/2 inch smaller...you would have a bunch of 4.5 x 4.5 squares to sew instead of 5 x5 squares but you would be able to make two squares from every two charm pieces and the cutting would be way easier...

    for each 2.75 x 5 piece you need in the pattern, cut each charm off .5 inch(4.5 inch)...then cut in half (2.5)...this will be your 2.5 x 4.5 piece...

    for each 2.75 square in the pattern, cut each charm in half (2.5)...then in half again (2.5)... this is your 2.5 x 2.5 square (save the other half for another project--it will be 2.5x 5)

    when you sew your little squares together with a quarter inch seam, you will get 2.25+2.25 =4.5

    when you sew a square to your first piece with a quarter inch seam, you will get your 4.5x4.5 square.

    When you sew the squares, they will be 4 inches...you might need an extra set of blocks to make the size you want but you really are only losing about 3 inches for every six squares!

    I would rather make extra blocks rather than fussy cut and waste fabric...

    Please please do a test square first using icky fabric, not your charms!! I just did hurry up math in my head...with pen and paper...

    and now, that I have done it, I think I am going to use that pattern for a quilt for the fire department!

  7. #7
    Alana's Avatar Alana is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: Need help and advise on this American quilt I am designing....

    Eleanor Burns has a lot of nice Americana type quilts in her videos. Try there. She's a very good teacher...if you can get by the voice.....
    http://quiltinaday.com/theater/library.html
    Alana
    To live a creative life we must lose our fear of being wrong.
    alanashideaway.blogspot.com
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