Fall Blog Hop: Lantern Light Quilt Tutorial

 

Welcome to my leg of the Fall blog hop hosted by SewCalGal.  Today I'm going to share with you another way to use a tumbler block.  This is also another way to make the traditional Lantern Light Quilt Block.  The difference is that instead of paper piecing lanterns onto a background, you will be interlocking the lanterns by making them with tumblers.  I made 15 rows of tumblers, each row containing 16 tumblers. I like using 1/3 yard cuts with the 3.5" tumbler die because the die is about 12" high. Perfect fit, less waste!

Requirements:

• Assortment of 10 prints or so cut in 1/3 yard increments (240 tumblers).  Most of these need to be in matching pairs (like socks!).
• 1/3 yard stop border (2"unfinished)
• 1 1/8 yard outer border (6.5" unfinished)
• 1/2 yard binding
• 3 3/4 yard backing
• Accuquilt GO! 3.5" tumbler die or any acrylic template in that size.  You can also make your own templates out of cardboard, template plastic, or even worn out cutting mats. 

Finished Size: 59"x60"

First lay out a row of 16 tumblers.

Since I had multiples of each print , I just left my row on the table for visual reference and sewed the actual pieces from all the extras still sitting in piles.  This really helped me to stay organized.

Sew the pieces side by side (fat side to skinny side, RSF).  I like how the accuquilt gives you the little flat spots for matching your tips: less bulk, easy to line up.

Press to one side (you will alternate pressing directions each row)

Now lay your sewn row down and  place a matching tumbler to each "fat" edge to create the lantern shape.

Fill in with other prints and sew that row together.  Repeat until you have all 15 rows sewn together.  I trimmed off my uneven tumbler sides.  Your pieced section should measure about 44"x 45".  I threw on a 1.5" finished stop border (1/3 yard of a chunky black/white prison stripe) and a 6" finished outer border (1 1/8 yard of my Peanuts Halloween fabric) to make this a nice 59"x60" quilt.

Yes, I did make a boo-boo on the bottom row!

My husband is not all about Halloween and really neither am I.  I just wanted to make a Great Pumpkin quilt for my Peanuts loving children.  On a whim I added some cute Eerie Alley by Michael Miller and then I started to think these lanterns looked like coffins, probably because the fabric had actual coffins on it.  Whoops!

I did a giant spiderweb with my walking foot.

 

And I tried the pumpkin patch motif from the Free Motion Quilting Project.  It was pretty easy even though you can see I didn't do a perfect job.  My kids were extremely impressed, though, which is what really matters.

I hope you liked this tutorial.  If you make one I'd love to see it in the flickr group!  Too see my other quilting tutorials (including a few accuquilt tutorials), go check out my tutorials page.

You may have seen my accuquilt tutorial for the Roly Poly Owl Block....

Well I cut out four kits of this 14"x14" wall hanging to give away to four lucky quilters.  Each kit includes eyes, beak, & mostly American Jane fabric to create the complete top for this wall hanging.  The background fabric in the kids are various American Jane navy prints instead of the light blue shown.

The giveaway is open to US residents (this is just so I can use the automated postal machine...our post office is maddening and is a minimum 30 minutes wait every time I've been there).  I will announce winners some time Monday.  If you are a no reply blogger, please leave an email with at least 1 of your comments.  If there is no want to contact you through a blog or email,  I'll pick another name (sorry, I've had my fill of redraw drama!) 

Chances to win:

1. Leave a comment on this post  telling me your favorite fall memory from your childhood (or the childhood of your kids & grand kids). 

2.Bonus Entry for new OR old followers of the Tulip Patch (just leave a comment stating you are!)

3.Bonus Entry for new OR old followers of SewCalGal (just leave a  comment under this post stating that you are).

Thanks Darlene at Sewcalgal for hosting this HOP.  Tomorrow check out the last stop, Aunt Polly's Porch ...and try not to get too jealous of her sewing area (I know I  am!).