This is the fifth block in a series of 12 that make the Semi-improv 9-patch quilt.

Materials

• 1 charm pack (a charm pack is typically a 42 x 5 in squares)
• cream cotton fabric for the background
• cotton solids scraps in matching colours

All blocks are a variation of churn dash or monkey wrench, a 9-patch block.

The finished block size is 12 1/2 inches. The finished size will be obtained after 2 improv patchwork iterations.

Block 5

Red = pattern charm square

White = background fabric

Cut

• trim one charm square to 4 1/2 in for the centre of pattern fabric
• four 4 1/2 in x 2 1/2 in of the pattern fabric
• four 4 1/2 in x 2 1/2 in of the background fabric
• two 4 7/8 inches for the corners in the background fabric
• trim two charm squares to  4 7/8 in squares for the corners in the pattern fabric

Important: Keep the tiny bits when trimming the charm squares to 4 1/2 inches. They’ll be used later.

Making the corner triangles

Place both pattern 4 7/8 square and background square with right sides together.

Pin.

Mark a diagonal as per picture.

Stitch 1/4 in from the line on both sides of the diagonal.

Cut through the diagonal.

Open and press.

Place the cut pieces as per diagram above.

Stitch together on rows and then the rows together.

The fifth block is done.

Do you want to make this quilt?

Follow the tutorials

This is the fourth block in a series of 12 that make the Semi-improv 9-patch quilt.

Materials

• 1 charm pack (a charm pack is typically a 42 x 5 in squares)
• cream cotton fabric for the background
• cotton solids scraps in matching colours

All blocks are a variation of churn dash or monkey wrench, a 9-patch block.

The finished block size is 12 1/2 inches. The finished size will be obtained after 2 improv patchwork iterations.

Block 4

Red = pattern charm square

Black = contrasting fabric

White = background fabric

Cut

• one charm square to 4 1/2 in for the centre of contrasting fabric
• four 4 1/2 in x 2 1/2 in of the pattern fabric
• four 4 1/2 in x 2 1/2 in of the contrasting fabric
• two 4 7/8 inches for the corners in the background fabric
• trim two charm squares to  4 7/8 in squares for the corners in the pattern fabric

Important: Keep the tiny bits when trimming the charm squares to 4 1/2 inches. They’ll be used later.

Making the corner triangles

Place both pattern 4 7/8 square and background square with right sides together.

Pin.

Mark a diagonal as per picture.

Stitch 1/4 in from the line on both sides of the diagonal.

Cut through the diagonal.

Open and press.

Place the cut pieces as per diagram above.

Stitch together on rows and then the rows together.

The fourth block is done.

Do you want to make this quilt?

Follow the tutorials

This is the third block in a series of 12 that make the Semi-improv 9-patch quilt.

Materials

• 1 charm pack (a charm pack is typically a 42 x 5 in squares)
• cream cotton fabric for the background
• cotton solids scraps in matching colours

All blocks are a variation of churn dash or monkey wrench, a 9-patch block.

The finished block size is 12 1/2 inches. The finished size will be obtained after 2 improv patchwork iterations.

Block 3

Red = pattern charm square

White = background fabric

Cut

• one charm square to 4 1/2 in for the centre
• four 4 1/2 in x 2 1/2 in of the pattern fabric
• four 4 1/2 in x 2 1/2 in of the background fabric
• two charm squares to 4 7/8 inches for the corners
• two  4 7/8 in squares in the background fabric for the corners

Important: Keep the tiny bits when trimming the charm squares to 4 1/2 inches. They’ll be used later.

Making the corner triangles

Place both pattern square and background square with right sides together.

Pin.

Mark a diagonal as per picture.

Stitch 1/4 in from the line on both sides of the diagonal.

Cut through the diagonal.

Open and press.

Place the cut pieces as per diagram above.

Stitch together on rows and then the rows together.

The third block is done.

Do you want to make this quilt?

Follow the tutorials

This is the second block in a series of 12 that make the Semi-improv 9-patch quilt.

Materials

• 1 charm pack (a charm pack is typically a 42 x 5 in squares)
• cream cotton fabric for the background
• cotton solids scraps in matching colours

All blocks are a variation of churn dash or monkey wrench, a 9-patch block.

The finished block size is 12 1/2 inches. The finished size will be obtained after 2 improv patchwork iterations.

Block 2

Red = pattern charm square

Black = contrasting fabric charm square

White = background fabric

Cut

• one contrasting fabric charm square to 4 1/2 in for the centre
• four 4 1/2 inch squares of the pattern charm square fabric
• two contrasting fabric charm squares to 4 7/8 inches for the corners
• two  4 7/8 in squares in the background fabric for the corners

Important: Keep the tiny bits when trimming the charm squares to 4 1/2 inches. They’ll be used later.

Making the corner triangles

Place both pattern square and background square with right sides together.

Pin.

Mark a diagonal as per picture.

Stitch 1/4 in from the line on both sides of the diagonal.

Cut through the diagonal.

Open and press.

Place the cut pieces as per diagram above.

Stitch together on rows and then the rows together.

The second block is done.

Do you want to make this quilt?

Follow the tutorials

This is the first block in a series of 12 that make the Semi-improv 9-patch quilt.

Materials

• 1 charm pack (a charm pack is typically a 42 x 5 in squares)
• cream cotton fabric for the background
• cotton solids scraps in matching colours

All blocks are a variation of churn dash or monkey wrench, a 9-patch block.

The finished block size is 12 1/2 inches. The finished size will be obtained after 2 improv patchwork iterations.

Block 1

Red = pattern charm square

White = background fabric

Cut

• one charm square to 4 1/2 in for the centre
• four 4 1/2 inch squares of the background fabric
• two charm squares to 4 7/8 inches for the corners
• two  4 7/8 in squares for the corners

Important: Keep the tiny bits when trimming the charm squares to 4 1/2 inches. They’ll be used later.

Making the corner triangles

Place both pattern square and background square with right sides together.

Pin.

Mark a diagonal as per picture.

Stitch 1/4 in from the line on both sides of the diagonal.

Cut through the diagonal.

Open and press.

Place the cut pieces as per diagram above.

Stitch together on rows and then the rows together.

The first block is done.

Show your semi-improv 9-patch quilt pictures at the Semi improv 9-patch quilt tutorial group.

Why semi improv and not just improv patchwork?

The reason for the “semi” part is that the quilt starts with 6 traditional blocks, all of them a variation of churn dash or monkey wrench. Then after 2 improv patchwork iterations we obtain 12 improv patchwork blocks.

The size of the quilt is approximately 36 1/2 in x 48 1/2 in.

Materials

• 1 charm pack (a charm pack contains typically  42 x 5 in squares)
• cream cotton fabric for the background*
• cotton solids scraps in matching colours
• fabric for the backing (the backing will use some 5 in squares and background fabric)

* I cannot give you an exact amount of background fabric I used. I have several metres of Moda Bella snow and I just keep using it in my projects as I make them.

Next post block 1.

If you make this quilt you can post pictures on the Semi-improv 9-patch quilt pool.

I have now made 6 iPad accessories for my 2 iPads. Most of them are easy and quick to make.  Most tutorials can be adapted to e-book or ipod sizes.

Just in case you missed the tutorials here they are again:

iPad stand

This is the second stand or iPad beanbag I made. Useful when you need to use the iPad for long periods of time.

iPad carry bag

When you want to take your iPad with you.

iPad holder for the car

This iPad holder can equally be placed on the headrest of a car.

Patchwork iPad beanbag

I use my iPad stands for reading mostly but they´re useful to watch movies or for when you are following a recipe.

iPad slipcover with wrap around pocket and iPad slipcase with pocket

Choose your design. The first one opens on the side and the second one through the top.

This bag was designed to carry a small notebook as the largest item but you can adapt it to any size. It can even be turned into an iPad or e-book reader bag.

It has two external zippered pockets and 3 internal ones. It was designed to carry a sketch notebook and a number of swipe cards without needing to take them out of their pockets. It has also a key holder.

Instructions

This project can be made with scrap fabrics.

Seam allowance is 1/4 in.

To customise the size, you need to measure the largest item all the way around, height and width. Note down the figure.

Divide each figure by 2 and write down.

Now add 1 inch to each figure. This will give you the size of your outside and inside panels.

I used the following measurements:

Fabric

• 2 outside panels: 8 in x 10 in each
• 2 inside panels: 8 in x 10 each
• 43 in x 2 1/4 in for the strap
• one inside pocket: 8 in x 8 1/2 in folded in half and stitch into a tube
• front pocket: 2 pieces measuring 8 in x 4 1/4 in

Interfacing

• 2  panels for the outside panels: 7 3/4 in x 9 3/4 in each
• 1 in x 43 in for the strap
• one 7 3/4 in x 4 1/4 in for the pocket and one 7 3/4 in x 2 1/2 in for the pocket opening

Other

• 1 x 7 in zipper
• 1 x 8 in zipper
• 11 in piece of ribbon for the key holder
• 2 small pieces of wider ribbon for the strap accent

Making the inside pocket

Take the inside pocket piece and fold it in two.

Pin and stitch along the wide side.

You have made a tube. Place the seam on the back of the tube and press with your hands.

Stitch along the top twice, first very close to the edge and then at 1/4 in from it.

Take one  piece of lining and place the pocket at about 1 1/2 in from the bottom edge.

Stitch very close to the pocket’s edge.

Then stitch along the short side at your chosen intervals. For instance I made 3 pockets, one for the keys, then one for a swipe card and the third for a mobile phone.

Prepare the bag

Fuse the interfacing to the outside panels.

Make the strap

Centre the interfacing strip on top of the strap sticky side up, fold both sides of the fabric in as per picture and iron to make the interfacing stick.

Now, to cover the opening where the fabric sides meet, place a ribbon all along the stap and pin.

Stitch on both sides of the ribbon.

The strap is made.

Prepare outside zippered pockets

Fuse the larger piece of pocket interfacing to the inside of the pocket piece. Then fuse the smaller piece of interfacing to the top edge. This will reinforce the zipper area.

Now mark the zipper opening by centring the zipper on the top of the pocket and make two marks, one on each side, where the zipper ends and starts (see picture).

Now draw a line from mark to mark at no more than 3/4 in from the top edge. And then two more lines at 1/4 in from the centre line. Draw two small triangles on each side. This will be the zipper opening.

You can cut the opening now. Cut the middle line and the triangle sides.

Attach outside zippered pockets

With the right sides facing together place the pocket piece on top of one outside panel. Align both bottom edges together as the pocket is in the bottom part of the bag.

Stitch all around the outside rectangle.

Now cut through the lines across the outside panel. The opening will be used to insert the pocket piece through.

Insert the pocket piece through the opening.

Once you have turned the pocket piece inside you will have a window opening like the one in the picture below.

This is what it looks from the inside.

Iron well.

Sew zipper

Place the zipper through the opening as per picture.

Pin.

Stitch around the rectangle very close to the edge.

This is what the other side will look like.

Now take the other pocket piece and place right side down.

Stitch all around the pocket.

I stitch the pocket pieces separated from the outside panel as much as I could.

Divide the pocket now if you want to make two pockets or more.

Stitch along the lines.

Put the bag together

Attach the top zipper to one side first.

Place the outside panel right side up. Then place the zipper on top  with the wrong side up. And then place the lining fabric with the right side down as per picture.

Stitch along the top.

Repeat with the other side.

Do the same on the other side

You will end up with both pieces attached via the zipper as per picture.

Now place both lining panels together and both outside panels with right sides facing together as per picture.

Stitch all around the edge leaving a 3 inch opening on the bottom of the lining.

Once you have stitch all around you’re ready to turn the bag inside out through the opening.

Turn inside out.

Flatten the bag well.

Top stitch the opening in the lining.

Put the lining inside the bag.

Attach the strap

Pin the strap on each side at about 1 inch from the edge.

Wrap a wide ribbon around the edge hiding the edge of the strap and pin.

Stitch to the bag.

Stitch the ribbon to the key holder and then to the inside pocket.

The bag is finished.

• Lattice smocking
• Diamond smocking
• Smocked tucks
• Smocked diamonds and puff gathering
• Lozenge smocking
• Lotus flower smocking

These fabric manipulations are part of a quilt. The quilt has 25 blocks. Each block is made out of a centre 5 inch square featuring some fabric texture such as pin tucks, smocking, shirring and the like.

I also used lattice smocking to add some interest to a notebook cover.

If you are interested in fabric manipulations check out the 25 different fabric manipulations I did for my Textured quilt sampler.

Add your photos to the Textured quilt blocks Flickr pool.

I have so far completed around 72 blocks of the Farmer’s wife quilt sampler.

More information about how I am making this quilt.

View all the blocks I have done so far.

Postage Stamp

Practical Orchard

Prairie Queen

Puss in the Corner

Railroad