A year-long quilt project
Welcome to the seventh step in the 2024 quilt project. (You can find the first one here, the second one here, the third one here, the fourth one here, the fifth one here and the sixth one here As I explained in the New Year’s post here, I’ll be making a quilt this year and inviting you to join with me, here on the blog. This is what to expect:
- a new appliqué block each month
- a new embroidery stitch each month
- cheerful bright colours (but of course you can choose your own colour palette!)
- a quilt celebrating the seaside
There will be instructions at the end of the year on how to put the different blocks together to make quilt measuring 72 x 72″. However, you are welcome just make the individual blocks each month and use them in a different way.
Please note: All the instructions are free and available for your personal use. They cannot be used for commercial purposes or for teaching. I do run a small business, so if you enjoy making the quilt please consider also purchasing one of my patterns from the Etsy shop (link below) and/or tell your quilting friends about Amanda Jane Textiles. Thank you!
July block: The Fish and Chip shop
The block is made up of a green shop shop, with grey door and windows and a large sign above, featuring a grey fish on a white background and the words ‘Fish & Chips’. The shop is framed by a blue print border. The featured embroidery stitch is a French knot which will provide the centre of the on the fish and the dots for each letter i in the shop name. The rest of the shop name can be stitched in backstitch or chain stitch (already covered in previous months. The block measures 14½ x 14½” (14 x 14″ finished in the completed quilt).
Materials
You will need:
solid colours or low-volume prints in 100% cotton fabric: 3 x 5″ dark grey; 5 x 6″ pale grey; 5 x 11″ white; 7 x 11″ green; 16 x 11″ blue print
stranded cotton for embroidery in green and in black
grey sewing thread for appliqué and piecing
Cutting
1 Download the templates for the central panel of the block using the pink button below. Set your printer to print at A4/letter with narrow margins. This month there are two parts in the download. Join the two pieces along the dotted lines so the shop name lies above the shop.
2 Trace the outlines, including all the shapes on the shop wall and the shapes and letters on shop sign onto tracing paper.
3 Pin the fish template to the grey print fabric and cut out.
4 From the white fabric, cut a piece 4½ x 10½” for the shop sign.
5 From the green fabric, cut a piece 6½ x 10½” for the shop wall.
6 From the grey fabric cut one piece 2 x 4” for the door and two pieces 2 x 2″ for the windows of the shop.
7 From the blue print fabric, cut two border strips 2½ x 10½” and two 2½ x 14½”.
Making the block
1 Pin the grey door and window pieces onto the green shop wall, positioning them according to the template. Small appliqué pins are very helpful for holding fabric pieces in place.
2 With grey thread in your machine and a regular machine foot, set your machine to zigzag, with a stitch width of 3 and a stitch length of 1.5. Stitch around the outside edge of each shape. Take the threads to the back and finish them off with a knot. Press.
3 Transfer the letters for the shop sign to the white fabric with a water-soluble pen. One way of doing this is to tape the template to a window with masking tape, tape the white fabric on top and then trace over the letters with your pen, as shown below (where the bright light behind the fabric mades it look dark rather then the white on white print actually used).
4 Use two strands of green embroidery thread to stitch the name of the shop. You could use backstitch (see instructions here) or you could use chain stitch (see instructions here). For the dot at the top of the letter i use a French knot. You can find see the tutorial in the YouTube video here
5 Pin the fish in place to the right of the shop name and pin it in place.
6 Stitch the fish is place with a zigzag stitch as before.
7 Mark the position of the centre of the eye of the fish with a water-erasable pen and complete a French knot, finishing it off well at the back. Once the knot is in place, mark out the circle around the outside of the eye as shown.
9 Stitch the circle with a backstitch.
10 Thoroughly remove all the water-soluble ink markings. Join the shop sign to the base of the shop, pressing the seam allowances downwards. Attach the two blue side borders, pressing the seams outwards. Attach the top and bottom borders, pressing the seams outwards.
Press the block from the back. The fish & chips shop block is complete. Set it aside and look out for the next block in August!
This pattern ‘Dachshunds and Dolphins’ – available here in my Etsy shop – is a pretty cot quilt, featuring various creatures. Some of the the fabrics in the quilt – including dachshunds, dolphins, peacocks, swans and cows are designed by me and can be found in my Spoonflower studio here.
Thank you for reading my blog. Quilt Patterns are here, Fabrics are here, Classes are here
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