Beth Ann Doing

Four Patch Quilt from Charm Pack of Two by Two Inch Squares

I love Charm Packs, they are all cut and ready to GO. I seem to pick-up the 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ a lot more than the larger sets. It’s the more is better way….my mind works.

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I needed a little project to take to my quilt group and so here we go ! ! Finished quilt is 36″ x 36″ perfect for a lap quilt.

One Charm Pack of 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ – 42 squares

OR just

Cut 42 assort colors – 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″

White about 1/2 yard

I used Black and binding about 3/4 yard

Border about 1/2 yard

I used all scraps from my closet for everything but the charm pack.

Good shop owner’s always have these at the cutting tables and I always purchase !

making a 4-patch quilt block tutorial free

This is the one I’m using

Cut 2 Strips of 2 1/2″ white fabric or

Cut 42 White – 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″

I like to chain piece these, make sure of your 1/4″ seam allowance

When the row is done, I press and I like to hand cut with scissors.
I’m lazy and don’t want to get up and walk the 3 steps to my cutting board….
You do as you like !

Open and press to the dark side or charm pack side

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Take two of above unit and pin together to form 4-patch block,

I pin, I always have and probably will always, do what you like!

tutorial on how to make a 4-patch quilt block

Open each up and press

You will have 21 blocks, Lay them out and

like there placement

B is for Black

W is for White

You will need

13 with outside Black Borders and

8 with outside White Borders

Move them to your sewing table

Cut black strips OR
Cut 26 Black 4 1/2″ x 1 1/2″
Sew to the sides of 4-patches

Again, press and cut.

Press to the out side,

Strip on top black or
Cut 26 Black – 6 1/2″ x 1 1/2″
Sew to the top and bottom
Press to the outside

Cut white strips OR
Cut 16 White 4 1/2″ x 1 1/2″
Sew to the sides of 4-patches

Strip on top white or
Cut 16 White – 6 1/2″ x 1 1/2″
Sew to the top and bottom
Press to the outside

For the off blocks I used black
Cut 4 Black Squares – 4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″

Cut white strips OR
Cut 8 White 4 1/2″ x 1 1/2″
Sew to the sides of 4-patches

Strip of white or
Cut 8 White – 6 1/2″ x 1 1/2″
Sew to the top and bottom
Press to the outside

tutorial on how to make a 4-patch quilt block free

Lay out as shown

Row 1

Rows 1, 2, 3

Row 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,

Cut 2 Border – 30 1/2 x 3 1/2

Sew to the sides

Cut 2 Borders – 36 1/2″ x 3 1/2″

Sew to the top and bottom

Quilt as you like – Machine, Hand or tie with yarn

Cut Binding 2 1/2″ x 164″

I’m hand quilting now, no hoop, just pinned well and hand quilting.
Not tiny stitches, but that’s just fine for this !

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Write it Wednesday – Facts About Me

I missed last Wednesday….I was on a plane to Dallas and taking care of GRAND’s. Nothing better ! I started two weeks ago with fifteen facts about me, and didn’t get past number one, you can see it here.

Fourteen Facts about me, I am

A Sister – I have a sister 9 years older, (she’s first born). I came nine years later (I am considered first born) and a brother (male, first born) ! Tells a lot about us.

A Wife – I love this guy who decided to marry me. Husband is a keeper, he told me once, it will never be dull and it never has been.

A Mother – I have two grown boys

A Mother-n-Law – I adore my/our two daughter-n-laws

A Grandmother – Each boy gave me two – I have FOUR GRANDS

A Friend – I have friends for forty years, friends new today, friends who have come and gone

A Quilter – I love quilting. I made all my clothes all through school. I took up cross stitch after being married and quilting when the boys were little, so just over 38 years of quilting……

A Photographer – My newest hobby and I LOVE it.

A Cook – Aren’t we all – Or don’t we just have to be?

A Writer – As you can see I am loving this part of me A LOT !

A Good Person –

A Painter – My Dad was a house painter when I was growing up. I think it just stuck to me. I love to decorate and I’m back into watercolors and drawing again.

I am Funny – Nothing makes me happier than Laughter. Loud or soft. I love to laugh and I think it’s part of LOVING to TALK

And Kind – I try hard to be kind, good and in the moment.

This is ME – Beth Ann

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Happy Mother’s Day to All

I love sharing my photo’s and today I’m giving myself a Mother’s Day treat. I have been working on macro photography, (up close photo’s) it’s a little hard to do with a point and shot camera, my camera, but I’m fine with that. I guess it’s my form of macro?? Or close but not too close? Happy Mother’s Day to ALL !

This is Lily….

Lily Photo by Beth Ann Strub

Nature Perfect…

Nature Perfect in peach color

Stop and Pose…

Stop and Pose butterfly photo

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Throwback Thursday – Ask Grandma’s for a Quilt

This is a Throwback because this GRAND just turned Fourteen! One of the first quilt patterns I published, posting from 2011.

One Quilt Block Made Twelve Ways – Complete Quilt Pattern

One quilt block made twelve different ways

Last year for the holiday’s I did three quilts for three of the Grands.

Well, the oldest did not receive one of the new quilts last year ! April at his birthday he asked for a quilt for Christmas.

So, I’ve collected fabrics and this is my starting off place.

Adding the Grandma fun !

No solid background for this one !

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WRITE IT WEDNESDAY – Fifteen Facts

WRITE IT WEDNESDAY – Fifteen Facts about ME (I only made it to the first one my list)

I’m a Daughter – I am a daughter… I have had a couple of questions since my last Wednesday post and typing, I am a daughter, just opened up HUNDREDS of emotions. It’s been a long couple of months and seeing myself type, I am a Daughter….???

My mom is 88 years old and recently fell, a week in the hospital and 4 weeks in rehab. I learned a lot about me… Funny it’s about me and not about her. I have said for YEARS that, “I want to be a daughter.” Plain and simple, “A Daughter.” Not so plain and NEVER simple.

Mom would not come home with Husband and I, or into a home of some kind, she is in her home. I HAD to give up 100 percent of all control. And it’s been SO…..hard for me. (I’m the one who has a list of the lists I make) We have services and helpers etc. The conversation about a “help button” turned into me saying, “it’s that or assisted living” but I’m still on a daily drive over and lots of phone calls.

In all this process my Mom has and will NEVER change. That’s my Mom, she was a 1960’s-70’s-80’s working woman and always put that first. (Looking back even over my father) I remember when my Grandmother moved it with us (my older sister married, she had been on call before that) and I then understood….time. They both gave me time.

It’s funny at my age, 59, when she doesn’t notice a new haircut or doesn’t acknowledge my work, (Ever…) I am upset and try to think somewhere inside her she has to gets it?? But, I really don’t think so.

What I’ve learned, prayer and talking with God is my go to happiness. The saying, “I think I can” runs through my head when cleaning up a mess or accident (better than, “don’t throw up, don’t throw up”) and Husband letting me be 100 percent honest, when I just need to say things I feel in your heart, but they just don’t sound very good coming out of my mouth.

I am a Daughter – Well, I started in our 59th year of our relationship, but….I think I needed this…Write it Wednesday ! I will TRY the next 14 facts about me next?? Hopefully without as many emotions.

If you made it this far…thank you for letting me talk. This is what I need this site to be about…www.bethanndoing.com

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My NEW Quilt Patterns NOW AVAILABLE

I am VERY proud to release four NEW quilt pattern books

ONLY at my Etsy shop – Here

GRAND FOUR YOU ONLY at my ETSY Shop – HERE

Quilt Pattern Book

HoLiDaY Quilt ONLY at my Etsy Shop =- HERE

Holiday Quilt Pattern

Log Cabin MINI ONLY at my Etsy Shop – HERE

Mini Log Cabin Quilt Pattern

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Throwback Thursday – How to make Bias Tape by Beth Ann

Bias Tape is NOT hard to make and you don’t need to purchase anything – you will need

2 Straight Pins

1 Piece of fabric cut 1″ x 3″ approx – Holding Strip

The strip you will make into bias tape, I cut mine large to show, normal cut will be 3/4″ to 1 1/4″ wide.

A dry Iron and Ironing board.

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Iron over your edges, 1/8″ to 1/4″ and Press

Do both sides/edges

Lay your started binding down, press side up.
Take your Holding Strip and lay on top, Pin into your ironing board cover next to the bias tape.

Pull the bias tape

And, with a hot, dry iron press, at first do a bit, and lift iron, pull and iron.

As the tape becomes longer you can leave the iron and pull slowly.
(Other side view)

Pull tape slowly

Good side of bias tape.

I like to roll mine to keep it until I’m ready to use it.
I learned this years ago from a Home Eco. teacher in the 70’s
No need to buy a machine to do this for you ! But, you can if you like !

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WRITE IT WEDNESDAY, Let me Introduce Myself

I had planned on taking a writing class this past semester, but just didn’t make it with everything going on?? A couple of afternoon’s ago I put writing list in the search box of Pinterest and hundreds of lists came up, I noticed I kept clicking through to the ones from Lifeoflovely.blogspot.com Most are on the daily bases and that’s just a bit much for me to do right now. But, I’m going to try and do this once a week….I’m going to try. I need to get a bit more structured in my day to day life.

from beth's desk writing wednesday
WRITE IT WEDNESDAY

My Introduction: (I am doing new, not cut and pasted)

My name is Beth Ann, I am fifty-nine years old and living in central Florida, about 20 minutes for the white sandy beaches we all love and right on a golf course, that I have never played on, but it’s pretty. I was born and raised in Iowa and have lived in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and now in Florida, which I still can’t believe.

I have Husband, two boys, two daughter-n-laws and four Grands, whom all live an airplane ride away. We travel to them, a couple of times a year and I’ve made myself learn and USE text. I was home with the boys for years, working part-time at a library, the home office of a jewelry chain and then at a bank, Husband’s career took up to 10 different retail stores and banks are every place.

We live in a condo with all the things you think you will have when you move to Florida. I always explain to people moving to Florida is like going to college, no one is from here, and everyone has a story and just because people are retired doesn’t change their personalities to the good or bad. Once not nice, retiring will not make you nice.

Over seventeen years ago, I self-published by books, The Quilt Ladies Collection, each book on its own and sold at quilt shows. I added titles and quilts as I went. From all printed at home, to getting them printed in color by a printer to now all twelve titles available on Kindle and Nook, in one book. What a circle of events and how technology has changed everything. My printers cost was 5.95 for one book, sold for 8.95 and I now I sell all twelve for 9.99. It’s so crazy now it’s all changed. You see my tag line always and thank you for purchasing and supporting me through my book, The Quilt Ladies ONLY on Kindle and NOOK

After I had the books done I was teaching and needed quilt patterns of my own to teach with. Little Quilt Ladies Quilt Patterns were launched. I have since changed the name to The Quilt Ladies Quilt Pattern Shop, just easier for me. The Quilt Ladies Quilt Pattern Shop HERE for YOU

So, here I am, living in Florida, (I say again!) which I still can’t believe. Taking care of my Mom, Husband’s parents are here too and doing what I like and need to do daily. From this site here, www.bethanndoing.com and Facebook posts, to quilting, drawing, taking pictures, decorating and everything in between.

In a nut shell that’s me, Beth Ann, One Happy Lady !

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As Light Awakes our Day

Happy Easter sun and water

Throwback Thursday – Picking Quilt Fabric Colors

COLOR is always on Quilter’s mind, And here is the way that I was taught.

1) Start with one fabric. Take this one fabric and work from it. Is that one fabric, a dark, medium or light color?

This is a Dark

Add the light and medium. Move and change it until you like it.

Lay them out in front of you.

Then add, a dark medium, a light medium, until you have the mix of what you like.

2) Choose colors and patterns you love. An average a twin size quilt will take me about a week to piece together, and if hand quilted another, 3-4 months. If tied or machine quilted 3-4 weeks, you have so much time and cost involved you have to love it.

3) Natural or background colors. These are the corner stone. More often than not the background color is your light color. Your background color helps bring the blocks together. It does not always need to be a light either, dark or medium work well to, any color can be used.

4) Color Wheel. I’m not a big fan of the color wheel, I do like when colors pops and on most of my quilts the start fabric is not the most prominent color used it in, it is just a starting point.

5) Make one block. This should always be done, a Quilters practice, cut only fabric for one block and live with it for a few days. Especially, if it’s something you’ve never tried before. Most times you will know right away if you like it or not.

6) Have fun. This is the best way I’ve found to pick colors, enjoy the process, your quilt will be fantastic.

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