I made
one for
Amandajean in my Sew Connected virtual quilting bee, but once you get started, one is not enough. I was inspired by my little house for her and by her
inspiration quilt. I made these to celebrate two commissions completed!
They're all free pieced. Each one unique. I want to keep mine simple and let the shapes and the fabric take center stage. I'd love this to be a bed sized quilt. I don't think that's going to be a problem.
If you've never made free pieced houses before, Tonya, of
Lazy Gal Quilting is the queen and her
tutorial for 'wonky' and 'wacky' houses will teach you everything you need to know. (Look in her sidebar under houses.)
Here is a mini tutorial for one way that I do a little house. Cut a square for the body of the house and a rectangle for the roof. Sizes aren't that important, but you might want your roof to extend over the sides of the house so keep that in mind. Cut pieces of background fabric the same width as your house. Cut two squares of background fabric the same width of the roof piece. For example, if the rectangle is 2" wide, cut 2" squares.
Sew the background pieces to each side of the house and place the squares on the roof rectangle as shown, sew diagonally from the centers to the outside corners.
Cut off the outer triangles leaving a quarter inch seam.
Press the background triangles up and you've got a roof!
Add some background fabric and sew the roof to the body of the house and you're done. With the basics of Tonya's instructions you can add doors, windows, tilt the roof, add chimneys...the sky is the limit. I bet you can't make just one!
For those of you who asked...this is the commission spiderweb quilt. It's 63 x 95 and will be used primarily as a tablecloth. It's going to a lovely home, one of those houses that you might find in Country Living magazine. The house has exposed wood beams and is filled with unique, beautiful antique furniture and country decor. My client chose the fabrics to coordinate perfectly with her room. It's going to be beautiful in her house. My favorite part is the scrappy binding.
They're all free pieced. Each one unique. I want to keep mine simple and let the shapes and the fabric take center stage. I'd love this to be a bed sized quilt. I don't think that's going to be a problem.
If you've never made free pieced houses before, Tonya, of Lazy Gal Quilting is the queen and her tutorial for 'wonky' and 'wacky' houses will teach you everything you need to know. (Look in her sidebar under houses.)
Here is a mini tutorial for one way that I do a little house. Cut a square for the body of the house and a rectangle for the roof. Sizes aren't that important, but you might want your roof to extend over the sides of the house so keep that in mind. Cut pieces of background fabric the same width as your house. Cut two squares of background fabric the same width of the roof piece. For example, if the rectangle is 2" wide, cut 2" squares.
Sew the background pieces to each side of the house and place the squares on the roof rectangle as shown, sew diagonally from the centers to the outside corners.
Cut off the outer triangles leaving a quarter inch seam.
Press the background triangles up and you've got a roof!
Add some background fabric and sew the roof to the body of the house and you're done. With the basics of Tonya's instructions you can add doors, windows, tilt the roof, add chimneys...the sky is the limit. I bet you can't make just one!
For those of you who asked...this is the commission spiderweb quilt. It's 63 x 95 and will be used primarily as a tablecloth. It's going to a lovely home, one of those houses that you might find in Country Living magazine. The house has exposed wood beams and is filled with unique, beautiful antique furniture and country decor. My client chose the fabrics to coordinate perfectly with her room. It's going to be beautiful in her house. My favorite part is the scrappy binding.
Since I saw Amy's (Park City Girl) little house block, I've been thinking about the little houses all day!! I think I need to make one too :) The spiderweb quilt is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on all that real estate! You'll have a queen-sized neighborhood in no time. And, congrats on completing such a large commission, too. As always, beautiful work. -Krista
ReplyDeleteI just made a little house for our bee, and I wish that I'd seen yours. I don't tend to do things the easy way without help!
ReplyDeleteYour cluster of houses are so fresh and appealing. I love how you have hung them along your window so you can enjoy them.
ReplyDeleteI bet your client is thrilled with her quilt - the colours are so rich and festive.
loooks quite Christmassy to me
ReplyDeleteThey are just delicious - I saw Amandajean's post too and checked out the quilt that was at the show on flickr - it's lovely - it may be a use for some of the building stack of scraps in the corner basket - looking forward to seeing the finished top
ReplyDeleteThe spiderweb quilt is just lovely... I really like it. Your client will too.
ReplyDeleteAnd the little houses are so cute! And apparently addictive... have fun and happy sewing!!
Those houses are lovely, can't wait to have a go at them. The quilt you have made is wonderful too, very inspiring.
ReplyDeleteI just love your little houses - it is going to be a wonderful quilt.
ReplyDeleteAt first glance I thought those darling little houses were curtains! What a gorgeous spiderweb quilt. Love the rich reds.
ReplyDeletethose little house blocks are adorable...and seeing as you have such a good start you'll be finished with a bed size in no time...
ReplyDeletethe spiderweb quilt is gorgeous!!
Tonya's free pieced houses are terrific. That is what I used when making my wonky houses for Jane's Halloween Swap. They were a lot of fun to make and I couldn't stop. The spider web quilt is just fantastic, I love it and I am sure they will cherish it. You did a great job!
ReplyDeleteThe house blocks are just too cute!
ReplyDeleteThese little houses are very, very cute! Have fun!
ReplyDeletethose house blocks are stuck in my head too! They look lovely all hanging above the window. Wouldn't they make cute cafe curtains?
ReplyDeleteI can just picture the spiderweb quilt in a house in Country Living, or an old English cottage. It's beautiful, I'm sure it will a treasured family possession.
The houses are very cute. And yay for rewarding yourself for completing your other work!
ReplyDeleteOhmygosh! I love your houses -- they are just too cute! And thanks for all the info -- I'm in a little group that is just getting ready to start these houses!
ReplyDeleteThe house blocks are just darling! I love them. Love that red spiderweb quilt, too. Stunning.
ReplyDeleteYour spider quilt is stunning and the little houses are making me smile, they're sooo cute!
ReplyDelete;o)
Carolyn*
This post is fantastic!!! Oh my love love love your spiderweb. I can see that perfectly in a "Country Living House!"
ReplyDeleteThat was my favorite mag for a long long time!
The house tutorial- well that is just too much! Little houses are all the rage, so this is perfect.
Thank you!
jenn
Cute! I think I need a little houses quilt myself. And it's my month at SC3. Hmmm....
ReplyDeleteThe spiderweb quilt is stunning!
everything is wonderful...houses, spiderwebs...you've been busy!
ReplyDeleteI love your little houses, they also look great as curtains!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the great tutorial!
I love making houses and I love yours. You do yours a bit different that I do. Your method is very interesting. I think I will try it. Thanks for the idea.
ReplyDeleteThese houses are popping up everywhere! We're going to have quite the neighborhood in blog land! LOL. LOVE your houses and a great little tutorial! LOL Your word verification is rent!
ReplyDeleteI have loved AmandaJean's block since I first saw it. You have a done a wonderful job making many. I just might have to make a few myself. In my spare time. hee hee.
ReplyDeleteyou sound like potato chips.. i can't eat just one.. and now i'm hungry!!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right and I probably wouldn't be able to make just one - must hold off on trying this until my current quilt is finished.
ReplyDeleteThe spiderweb quilt is fabulous, and the houses very cute. My frist thought was: what fun and creative curtains!
ReplyDeleteI have to make some little houses! Yours are great! Thanks for the tutorial and link!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your commission piece. I hope you will send the link when it makes its debut in Home and Garden. That reminds me that a recent Pottery Barn catalog had several quilts that looked ALOT like some of your modern work. I really love seeing how interconnected ideas flow. Your ideas are out in the forefront, for sure.
ReplyDeleteheck with making a quilt right now I like the "housees" as a curtains!!!
ReplyDeletelol
As always you inspire me. I feel the same way about houses! Love the spider web.
ReplyDeleteI love how your little houses on their wood hangers make a perfect curtain. I love how you can see the seams from the back. I could see these used as a curtain, just the way you have them hanging. Thank you so much for your inspiration. You make me think outside of the box, and that is good!
ReplyDeleteHave a great day.
The houses are terrific! I really love the photos too...how they make the perfect curtain.
ReplyDeleteThe spiderweb quilt is gorgeous, too.
Hi Jacquie! Wow! You're really getting a lot done. I'm loving those little wonky houses, I've had Tonya's instructions for them sitting on my desk for a while now. One day I'll get to them. Beautiful spiderweb quilt, love the red/black. Oh, and congratulations on your two finishes and on winning Sheree's giveaway!
ReplyDeleteack. all that work for a tablecloth. okay. now i really really hope you charged a lot of money :) yay for finishing the 2 commission quilts and love those cute little houses; i definitely like them more with lots of space around; looking at gwen's work i wasn't too sold on wonky houses but this version is pretty inspirational. thanks!
ReplyDeleteYour houses are super cute! Have to give them a try sometime... I love the spiderweb, too. It is a bit "grown up" and very interesting colors and fabrics. You did a great job! And I love the way you quilted it, too. I have one in the making, but there haven't been much progress on it for a long time. Happy sewing, Jacquie!
ReplyDeleteadorable blocks! Thanks for posting the tutorial
ReplyDeleteI love the spider web quilt, it is beautiful! The houses are so fun, I love making wonky blocks.
ReplyDeleteI actually love them as curtains, though I am sure they will make a wonderful quilt as well.
ReplyDeleteThe spiderweb quilt is great. I have stalled out somewhat on my spiderweb. It just seems to take so long to make a block. It doesn't feel like it will ever be done.
Love that commission quilt--it's very striking!
ReplyDeleteThe houses are so cute--just as they are!
wonderfull blog
ReplyDeletethe houses make a great valance!! would be wonderful in a family room.
ReplyDeletei don't think anyone could make just one little house, either. yours look amazing! and congrats on the spiderweb finish.
ReplyDeleteyour houses are so much fun. I'm not the queen - Gwen Marston is. I'm more like the court jester. congrats on the spider web finish!
ReplyDeleteWOW! Those are very lovely curtains. Hope I can make too for my house.
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