Balderdash Quilt Sew Along Week 6 Welcome to Week 6 of the Balderdash Quilt Sew Along. I know there wasn't meant to be a week 6 but I wanted to announce the Week 6 winners and also share my quilting tips.Buy the Balderdash PDF Pattern Here.Buy the Balderdash Printed Pattern Here.Before I get into my quilting tips I just wanted to say WOW to everyone that participated in the sew along, your quilts are amazing! Thank you so much for joining in the fun and making this my most successful sew along. I am so happy that you loved the pattern and that many of you said you would make more.If you haven't already, do yourself a favour and check out the hashtag #balderdashquiltSAL. You will see so many stunning quilts made from so many different styles of fabrics. Your quilts are truly inspiring! QUILTING I have quilted my Balderdash quilts in a couple of different ways. The first quilt I made was done using diagonal lines, creating a cross hatching pattern. I think this looks really modern and suits the style of the quilt. For this version I just did horizontal lines. There is a trick to getting the lines straight and with no distortion of the quilt. I'll share my tips shortly. For my Anna Maria Horner version I just quilting it with straight lines going horizontally and verticaly, creating a grid. It's simple, easy and really effective. Once again I decided to just do a grid on this quilt and how good does it look! Below I have added some basic information on quilting that I previously included in my sew alongs. TOOLS OF THE TRADEAs this is the last newsletter, I thought I might talk a little about quilting. I love to use straight lines in all my quilts and I have discovered a few things that might help you too!Firstly, what you'll need:Walking Foot for your machine - you may have to purchase this separately as most machines don't come with one, unless you’re a lucky duck and have bought a quilting edition - sometimes they include these as part of the package. A walking food basically does the same thing as the feed dogs on your machine, except from above. It helps to feed the three layers of your quilt through evenly so that the fabric doesn’t bunch up.40wt Thread - now this is just what I like to quilt with, so if you prefer something else, go for it! I like it because it's a little stronger and it also makes the quilting a bit more of a feature. I like to use Aurifil Thread, 100% cotton.Basting Spray and/or Safety Pins for basting - I like to use both. I don't have a large sewing table to work on so all the help I can get, I take! The safety pins are stainless steel, size 2. There are some fancy curved pins on the market which are great too. The basting spray is called 505 Temporary Adhesive. I like this brand as it has hardly any smell and stays stuck!Hera Marker - A Hera marker is an awesome piece of plastic that allows you to mark your quilt without using a pencil/washout marker. The Hera marker places a fold in the fabric when your quilt top is basted that stays for a good amount of time. I love it because there is no need to wash out line markings afterwards. Just use your quilting ruler to get lovely straight lines. BASTINGThe first thing you’ll need to do is baste your quilt. Once you have pieced your backing, lay it down with the right side to the floor. Some people baste on their kitchen table, some on the wall and others on their dining room or lounge room floor. It’s totally up to you!I lay my quilt backing on my lounge room floor and tape down the edges to keep the backing taut. Then I layer the batting on top and baste it to the backing using the basting spray. Next, I layer the quilt top, right side up and baste it to the batting and backing. Finally, I plonk myself down in the middle of the quilt and start pinning from the centre out, every 3 inches of so! QUILTINGAfter you’ve basted your quilt, you need to do is increase the stitch length on your machine. I usually sew using a 2.5 length and then up it to 2.8 when quilting. My machine is a Bernina, so check yours as every machine is different. The quilt above has been quilted with ¾" spaced lines.The best way to explain how I do this is with a diagram.My approach for this quilt was to begin in the middle of the quilt. I quilted the first red line (marked with 1 on the diagram) and then continued sewing the rest of the red lines to the right hand side of the quilt. Then I went back and quilted all of the yellow lines in between the red lines. Once all the yellow lines were done I went back and did the blue lines.Then I went back again and did the green lines. The idea is that the red lines anchor the quilt. Then you go back and fill in the gaps. If you tried to do the ¾" quilting from the first row, your quilt would end up distorted and no-one wants that!Just remember, after you’ve completed all the red lines, you need to flip the quilt around, so you’re quilting from the other side and working from the middle to the right, before you go back and do the yellow, blue and green lines. To get the quilt into position to feed through the sewing machine you need to roll it up. It makes it must easier to handle and to fit through the throat of your sewing machine. See the pictures below.Please note the space at the end of the table, this allows the quilt to hang off the end as it passes through rather than getting bunched up. The other style of straight line quilting I like to do is cross hatching like on my first Balderdash quilt. This is done in the same way as the previous quilt. Start with your anchor lines of quilting and then go back and slowly fill in the gaps.Please note that my lines are not perfect, they never are. I wobble and move around with the best of them, but the wonderful thing about this style of quilting is it doesn't matter. Once it’s all done you notice the effect - not how straight the lines are. If you’re not comfortable quilting using just the force, that's where the fabulous Hera Marker comes in handy. This white piece of plastic creates a fold or indentation on the fabric that lasts for ages. Using your quilting ruler to keep the lines straight, run the Hera Marker along the fabric pushing down firmly. You’ll see that it leaves an indentation on your quilt which you can use as your guide for when you’re quilting. I used it in the quilt below. Just note, I did all the anchor lines first so I could then remove the pins. It makes it much easier to place a ruler on the quilt once the pins are gone. I also mark up with the Hera Marker on the floor. It's a bit hard on the back but unless you have a large table (I don't) the floor is the best option. So that's it my fellow Dashers!I’ve had an amazing time sharing my quilt with you all and a few tips and tricks along the way. I also love this little community we have created and I hope you keep sharing your EJJ creations on Instagram and in the Facebook group. I would like to say a big thank you to you all. Obviously this would not have been possible without you purchasing the pattern and sharing your photos on Instagram. I am so grateful for all the support and I’m hoping you got just as much as I did out of the sew-along.Until next Sew Along,Emma

Balderdash Quilt Sew Along Week 5 Welcome to Week 5 of the Balderdash Quilt Sew Along.This week we are sewing all the blocks into rows and completing the quilt top.If you have just joined the SAL, welcome! Be sure to grab the pattern, read up on all the details and choose your fabrics soon so you can catch up and join in the fun! Buy the Balderdash PDF Pattern Here.Buy the Balderdash Printed Pattern Here. SHARE ON INSTAGRAM Don’t forget to post a pic of your completed quilt tops to IG and be sure to the use the #balderdashquiltSAL and #balderdashquilt hashtags to make it easier for others to find your photos.Check out these amazing quilts in progress. I am so excited to see these blocks sewed together to make amazing quilt tops! ASSEMBLING THE QUILT TOP This week we are sewing all the blocks into rows, then piecing them together into a finished quilt top. EEEEEKKKKKK We are nearly finished. Make sure to follow the pressing guide in the pattern, this will ensure the seams nest together nicely and make matching the points much easier.Once the quilt top is together, step back and admire your fabulous quilt. Now I was going to share with you my quilting tips this week but as I have to announce the Week 5 winners I thought I would put it in an extra newsletter.Just in case you win the amazing prize from The Quilt Rookery and don't have to quilt your quilt! How cool would that be!However, next week I will be sharing all my tips for straight line quilting on your domestic machine in case you don't win. I love the look it creates and it's easier to achieve than you think. I hope I can give you enough confidence to try for yourself. I will be stalking the #balderdashquiltSAL hashtag all week to see your finished quilt tops. I hope you had an awesome time and love your finished quilt!Emma x

Balderdash Quilt Sew Along Week 4 Welcome to Week 4 of the Balderdash Quilt Sew Along.This week we are making all the Nine Patch Blocks, Side and Corner Blocks.If you have just joined the SAL, welcome! Be sure to grab the pattern, read up on all the details and choose your fabrics soon so you can catch up and join in the fun! Buy the Balderdash PDF Pattern Here.Buy the Balderdash Printed Pattern Here. SHARE ON INSTAGRAM Don’t forget to post a pic of your finished blocks to IG and be sure to the use the #balderdashquiltSAL and #balderdashquilt hashtags to make it easier for others to find your photos.How good are all the quilts looking so far! If you want to see just check out the hashtag #balderdashquiltSAL on Instagram for some fabulous quilty inspiration. ASSEMBLING THE BLOCKS Next up we need to make our blocks. If you are working off a design wall you will just be able to visually work out what needs to be pieced. You can also use your colouring/planning sheet as a guide.The blocks are a combination of the centre Nine Patches, Sides Blocks and Corner Blocks. They are made up using your chosen cross fabrics and your Half Square Triangles.Complete all the blocks required for the size quilt that you are making.No tips are really needed this week. I'm sure most of you have made Nine Patches before. My only advice would be how to press your block. You can see in the picture below I pressed the seams towards the spotty white fabric. I think the Half Square Triangles sit much flatter this way.How cute is that little girl playing the guitar in ther centre!! Next week we will be sewing all our blocks together to make our quilt top. We are definitely on the home stretch. I hope you have been enjoying yourself and having heaps of fun sewing this quilt together. I love sharing my tips with you and I hope they have helped you along the way. Emma x

Balderdash Quilt Sew Along Week 3 Welcome to Week 3 of the Balderdash Quilt Sew Along.This week we are making all the Half Square Triangles.If you have just joined the SAL, welcome! Be sure to grab the pattern, read up on all the details and choose your fabrics soon so you can catch up and join in the fun!Buy the Balderdash PDF Pattern Here.Buy the Balderdash Printed Pattern Here. SHARE ON INSTAGRAMDon’t forget to post a pic of your Half Square Triangles to IG and be sure to the use the #balderdashquiltSAL and #balderdashquilt hashtags to make it easier for others to find your photos.Don't worry if you’re ahead, or you see other people sewing blocks already, this is supposed to be fun. If you feel like sewing, go for it. This sew along is all about enjoyment so there are no rules, stick to the schedule or move ahead, do what's right for you.I have been enjoying all your photos of neatly stacked fabric. It makes my heart smile. There is nothing better than freashly cut fabrics. Check out these gorgeous piles! HALF SQUARE TRIANGLES Next up we need to make Half Square Triangles or HSTs. If you have your own way of making HSTs, go for it, just make sure you trim your blocks to 3.5".If you participated in any of my sew alongs you will notice I have used the same step by step photos. I hope you don't mind, but running around after a 4 year old and organising a sew along can fill my days pretty quickly. This was a little shortcut that gave me heaps more time!!I usually like to make all my HSTs at the beginning of my quilt but with this one I did a block of a time. I found it much easier to keep track of which fabrics go with which block, however do whatever feels right for you. I will be adding a little video on Instagram and Facebook for you to check out. It's an explanation of my method for piecing the HSTs and also working with directional fabrics. PREPARATION Once you’ve paired up your squares, the next thing you need to do is mark the back of half of your squares. One from each pair.One of the best ways to get a straight line on the back of your fabric is to use a sandpaper board underneath. The sandpaper stops the fabric moving, which makes it so much easier to draw the line. How cool is that! I have a fancy sandpaper board but you can just use a sheet of sandpaper from your local hardware store.I like to use a mechanical pencil with a chaco lead to mark my fabrics. The chaco lead marks the fabric easily and is erasable later on.Take one of the fabric squares and mark a diagonal line on the wrong side of the fabric. Repeat for all your pairs! SEWING TIME Take one pair of squares with the marked square on top.Sew either side of the marked line with a ¼” seam.Repeat for all the pairs. CUTTING TIME Now take your rotary cutter, ruler and mat.Cut down the centre of all the blocks on the drawn line from before.Press the blocks. I like to press to the dark fabric, AKA the dark side! TRIMMING TIME The blocks you have just made will be a little big, they also might be a little wonky. I suppose it will depend on how much quarantine wine you’ve been drinking! Don't worry, that's where the trimming comes in.Using a square ruler (or a bloc loc ruler if you have one), line up the 45 degree line on your ruler with the seam through the middle of the block. Trim the block down to 3.5" square. Check out the pics below for a visual on how to trim your HSTs. • Please note these blocks were trimmed to 4" for another quilt, just remember yours need to by 3.5" trimmed. DIAGONAL SEAM TAPE I have recently been using this Diagonal Seam Tape by Cluck Cluck Sew to make my Half Square Triangles. It makes the process much quicker because there is no need to mark the fabric. The tape is stuck onto your sewing machine and you use the printed lines to make sure you sew in the right position.You can read all about the product here - Cluck Cluck Sew Diagonal Seam Tape. Bloc Loc Ruler Another tool I am very late in getting on board with is a Bloc Loc Ruler. These fancy little gadgets make trimming up your Half Square Triangles so much easier. They have a little ridge that grips on the centre seam so as you cut, it dosen't slip.You can read all about them here - Bloc Loc Half Square Triangle Rule. Next week we will be sewing our Nine Patches, and it's at this stage you start to really see what your quilt will look like. Exciting!!If you have any questions, you can always email me!Once again thank you so much for joining me on this sew along. I hope you are enjoying the process and meeting some other sewers from around the world.Emma x

Balderdash Quilt Sew Along Week 2 Welcome to Week 2  of the Balderdash Quilt Sew Along.This week is all about planning your quilt layout and cutting the fabric.If you have just joined the SAL, welcome! Be sure to grab the pattern, read up on all the details and choose your fabrics soon so you can catch up and join in the fun! Buy the Balderdash PDF Pattern Here.Buy the Balderdash Printed Pattern Here. SHARE ON INSTAGRAMDon’t forget to post a pic of your cut fabrics to IG and be sure to the use the #balderdashquiltSAL and #balderdashquilt hashtags to make it easier for others to find your photos.Don't worry if you’re ahead, or you see other people sewing blocks already, this is supposed to be fun. If you feel like sewing, go for it. This sew along is all about enjoyment so there are no rules, stick to the schedule or move ahead, do what's right for you.There have been some fabulous fabric combos popping up on Instagram and in the Facebook group and I'm excited to watch these quilts come to life. Check out some inspiring fabric pulls CUTTING TIPSThis quilt is made up of squares, rectangles and Half Square Triangles. Make sure that blade is sharp and get those fabrics ironed, then brace yourself for lots of cutting.To speed up cutting I like to cut 4 layers at a time. I know this can be a bit daunting but I promise if you have a nice sharp blade it's easy. Just remember to concentrate because if you make a mistake, you will make it 4 times!!If you are making a quilt using my fabric requirements from the pattern, just follow the cutting out instructions for the size quilt you are planning to make.If you are making the quilt from Layer Cakes or are using fat quarters for the large throw, keep reading below for your cutting instructions. PLANNINGLAYER CAKE:If you are planning on using Layer Cakes (10" Squares) to make any of the 3 sizes in this pattern, your first job is to plan your layout. The best way is to use the colouring/planning page which is included in the pattern.This will help you determine what needs to be cut.Here's a re-cap of the number of 10" squares required.BABY SIZE:12 - 10" Squares2 of each design for a total of 24 SquaresSMALL THROW SIZE:24 - 10" Squares2 of each design for a total of 48 SquaresLARGE THROW SIZE:40 - 10" Squares2 of each design for a total of 40 Squares Once you have decided on your layout you will need to cut your Layer Cake squares using the cutting guide below.To achieve the same look as in the original design you will need 2 x 10" squares of each fabric. FAT QUARTER LARGE THROW CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS:You will need 24 Fat Quarters to make the large throw.Once again you will need to plan your layout first. I know, this quilt has so much planning but I promise once it's done, the quilt comes together so quickly.Use the cutting guide below.Once you get your head around how this quilt is assembled you could use fabric from your stash to make it. You just need enough fabric for a large square or large rectangle and the matching HSTs.I'm planning a scrappy quilt next and I can't wait to dive into my stash and create a fabric pull.If you had smaller amounts of fabric you could match by colour and that would work too! Next week we will be making our Half Square Triangles. I will be covering the method used in the pattern plus a new technique that I have started using.If you have any questions, you can always email me!Once again thank so much for joining me on this sew along. I hope you're enjoying the process and meeting some other sewers from around the world.Emma x

Balderdash Quilt Sew Along Week 1  Welcome to Week 1 of the Balderdash Quilt Sew Along. This week is all about choosing your fabrics, and also some tips on how to use charm squares and also fat quarters for the large throw. GETTING STARTED: Make sure you’ve purchased your Balderdash Pattern. The Balderdash SAL will be taking place on Instagram, so be sure your account is set to public so we can all see your posts using the #balderdashquiltsal and #balderdashquilt hashtags. If you are more of a Facebooker, there is a private Emma Jean Jansen Sew Along Group which has recently grown to over a 1000 people. I still can't believe there are over a 1000 of you that want to make my quilt patterns! The group is lovely and we're a very encouraging bunch of peeps. Post a photo of your fabric selection - In this newsletter we will be talking all things colour. Once you have chosen your fabric, post a photo and introduce yourself to all the other “dashers”, this is a great way to meet like minded craft folk! Pre-Cuts - I know a lot of you are interested in making the large throw size in fat quarters. This is totally possible and I will talk a bit about it this week and elaborate more in the cutting week. There will obviously be a bit more wastage but if you are fine with that, use up those fat quarters. I have also had a look at making the quilt in layer cakes - 10" squares, and it is possible, you just need lots. PLANNING YOUR QUILT: Your first step is to decide what size quilt you are making. The Balderdash Quilt comes in 3 sizes, Baby, Small Throw, Large Throw. It's not my usual larger range of sizes but as this quilt has a large repeating pattern, it's just the way it is. Hopefully there's a size to suit everyone! Emma Jean Jansen Sew Along Facebook Group CHOOSING YOUR FABRICS:This week we are concentrating on choosing fabrics. The original quilt was made using a mix of fabrics, mainly Ruby Star Society. There is a bit of Little Darlings, some Honey and the rest were just fabrics from my stash. I decided to make the crosses from my large collection of low volumes and I really love how it turned outMy second quilt was again made from fabrics that I already had. Now this quilt has some older fabrics that were actually designed by me back when I was designing fabric. The magpies are from my Melba range and then a number of other fabrics are from my Eureka range. Both of these ranges are still available from Patchwork with Gail B in Melbourne. The two florals are from Sally Kelly and Tula Pink from their ranges that are both called Eden. The big stripe was by Jodie Carleton from her range Bug City. The cute typewriters are from Little Darlings by Ruby Star Society and the yellow sun print and animals are from Cotton and Steel. So, you can see I have used a real mix of fabrics but I think they work. Large novelty prints are perfect for this quilt design and pairing them with stripes and spots can make the quilt really sing!I knew that as soon as I had finished this design that I needed to make one with Anna Maria Horner fabric. Her large scale florals work so well together with my quilt, it's like they were made for each other. I used a mix of of designs from a number of Anna's ranges and paired it with one of her low volume prints for the crosses. I think this shows how well large florals can be showcased and the fabulous possibilities that this quilt design gives. This fourth version, (can you believe I have made four of these quilts, I can't, well actually I can because they are very quick to piece) I made for my hairdresser who retired late last year. I choose a mix of soft pinks and grey and paired them with a gorgeous woven gingham. These are Leanne's favourite colours and it was fun to work out of my usually bright palette. The prints that I used are a mix, there is a Liberty quilting weight, and Dashwood Studio's floral, a spot from Tilda and also some prints from Yuwa. I also used a number of basic checks and stripes to complete the look.Black and white check - Handworks Yarn Dyed Medium CheckLarge pink and white floral - New Beginnings – In BloomPink Tulips - Liberty Quilting Weight Tulips In PinkThe softer pink floral is by Juniko Matsuda - Taupe-ism TS101395Strong pink gingham - Yuwa medium scale pink and peachFeathers - Jennifer Sampou Time to Fly CollectionFor this sew along I'll be making the small throw size using a selection of Heather Ross novelty prints and some basics I had in my stash. I'm going to fussy cut the white background novelty prints to use for the centres of the crosses. In my stash I had a fun tone on tone spot that I will use for the rest of the crosses. I am looking forward to watching this quilt come together and I'm itching to start sewing. Next up are some mock ups from current fabric ranges. Parisville by Tula Pink in the large throw size using 8 - ½ yards.I just added some solid pinks in my design program but I'm sure there would be something very similar out there that you could use.Now how super cute is this mock up using Petunia by Sarah Watts for Ruby Star Society? This kit was put together by Wendy from the Next Stitch and if you're lucky she will still have some left.I've always loved the range Florida by Sarah Watts so I definitely had to include a mock up of this one in the newsletter. Again the larger sized prints work so well and how about that colour pallette. So good.This is another range designed by Sarah Watts called Reign for Ruby Star Society. I used one of the darker colours for the crosses and don't they just pop. This range also features some sparkly gold and because the blocks are large enough you can see all the people hanging out. That's a pretty cool print.Last up, I had some requests for a Kaffe Fassett mock up. These are from Kaffe's 85 and Fabulous range. Once again his colours are so vibrant and delish and I see this design working with all of them. I had some fun adding the lighter colour in the centre of the squares. It shows you can have a bit of fun with the crosses too just by changing the up the centre square.LAYER CAKEI have had a number of requests asking if this quilt can be made from a layer cake. The simple answer is yes, so here you go.BABY SIZE:12 - 10" Squares2 of each design for a total of 24 SquaresSMALL THROW SIZE:24 - 10" Squares2 of each design for a total of 48 SquaresLARGE THROW SIZE:40 - 10" Squares2 of each design for a total of 40 SquaresHow amazing is this Balderdash quilt? All I can say is, goals.Made by Maria @quiltmomoffiveLARGE THROW - FAT QUARTERSI've also had a number of people ask if they can make the Large Throw using fat quarters and the answer is again, yes!There is a bit of wastage so that's why I didn't include it in the pattern but if you don't mind, here's what you need:24 Fat QuartersHere are two examples of using fat quarters for the large throw size. This is Heather Bailey's lastest range, Local Honey. How yummy!This quilt mock up has been done using Reverie by Melody Miller for Ruby Star Society. I am totally head over heels and love the print that has been used for the crosses. It's called Spark in Dove, also by Ruby Star Society. I just need to save up so I can buy all the fabric to make all the quilts!!Now check out this stunner. Made by Josephine @josephinek74 and she deep dived into her Cotton and Steel stash to make this quilt happen.This quilt is a bit of fun and it was made by Simone @piecenriot, and it features the crosses more than the squares. It makes me think that this quilt could be stunning in solids. Fingers crossed one of you make one so I can be inspired.Last one I promise! This amazing quilt has been made by Vanessa @_vanessa.griffin_ and I just think it's just the perfect mix of fabrics.Next week we will be cutting our fabric, so clean up your work space and change those rotary cutter blades! It's cutting time!Thanks so much for joining me on this super fun patchwork adventure. Whether it's your first or 20th sew along, I hope you get some joy from making alongside fellow creatives.Emma x