5 FAT Quarters Giveaway...twist or chunky pinwheel

It's a Mystery to Me...all the many ways there are to TWIST

How many ways can YOU twist?

This could be a "Valentine's Twist"

Do You know who these two are? (Hint: Viva Las Vegas)

Have you ever played this game?  Yikes...not

a game for an "oldy-moldy" like me!

Some really twist their backs...OUCH!

I'm thinkin' that twisting fabric is easier on mee old bones.

And, I LUV to play with fabric!  So...how about we talk

fabric...quilts...and rulers, instead of body-twisting?

Twister / Chunky Pinwheel QUILTS

(1)

(2)

(3)

Did you know that there is more than one way to make one of these fun

twister- chunky pinwheel quilts?  I'd never made one before last Saturday and it's

been a MYSTERY to me for quite sometime just how they were made.  I knew

 about the special ruler called Twister Ruler.  Of course, you know me...I had to

 have one even tho I had no idea how to use it.  O, but it looked cool!  I end up

many rulers and gadgets...just because they LOOK "important"

 To help solve my MYSTERY...A couple of weeks ago I went to a

demonstration using the Twister Ruler by CS Designs

To view a similar demo to the one I watched in person, you can go to

 Heirloom Creations blog (twister ruler).  It just seems to me after watching

the demo at the store...that this method wasted a LOT of fabric. 

This last Saturday, I took a class on how to make a twister/pinwheel quilt at our

local quilt shop Thimbles and Threads.   And, we were taught a SECOND way

...using just a regular quilt ruler that has a 60 degree angle marking.

                               

I used the longer 12x24 because I was doing the 10" squares of fabric.

You can use other rulers with the 60 degree angle, but this one has more

                        pronounced angle lines and was easier for me to figure out where to

 place the ruler to get the proper cuts.  And...we used this pattern

It's by Catherine Timmons

If you would like to purchase this pattern, you can contact

Thimbles and Threads.  Ask for the Chunky Pinwheel pattern.
They will do mail order.  =)

The basic idea to this second method, is that you cut squares, slice the squares at

a 60 degree angle.  Then you "shuffle" one half-slice to the bottom and sew all slices

 back into a square...then, you slice another 60 degree angle, shuffle 2 half-slices

and sew back. Trim all sewn squares to the same size.  Arrange your pinwheels

in rows according to how the pinwheels come together.

My MYSTERY is solved!  But, is yours?

... and I'd like to share/compare the differences between the two methods.

Please, tho...keep in mind what my opinions are worth...

...exactly what you "paid" for them...zip, zero, zilch...nada  =)

Twister Ruler method

Pros ~ It is easier...I have to admit, there is very little thinking when using this ruler

        ~ There is a very clear border around your center pinwheel section

            (pics 1, 2, 3 above are made with the Twister Ruler method)

        ~  Placement of pinwheels in the quilt are just as you sewed the  squares

            together in the top before cutting. (very little thinking)

Cons ~ The ruler can only be used for this particular quilt type (that I know of)

         ~ There are only 3 sizes that you can make and for each size you need a diff

              size ruler (10", 5", and a mini)

         ~ As you can see in the YOUtube video link above, you have to sew a

              complete quilt together with border...then you cut square "holes out of

             the middles, where seams come together.  This is where I see lots of waste

Regular Quilt Ruler method

Pros ~ You can use a ruler that can be used for lots of other applications

        ~ A LOT less fabric is wasted when cutting, slicing and trimming up

        ~ Any size square can be cut to make any size pinwheel.  Pinwheels

            end up approx 1" smaller than original square, depending on your

            seem allowances

Cons ~ There is some quite a bit of thinking.  You have to keep things in order

             or it is considerably more difficult to place your pinwheels.

         ~ There isn't the same type of distinction with the pinwheels and the

              border.  This second way...the pinwheels are more random and there

             the edges-spokes of the wheels before the "stop" border are vague.

             You can see the difference on the picture from the pattern vs the

             numbered twister-pinwheel pictures above.

=======================

So meee sweeet blogeee friends, to enter to WIN the

Five Fat Quarters (of your choice) just be a follower

and leave a comment about...

Have YOU ever made a Twister/Chunky Pinwheel with the Twister

Ruler and/or with the regular ruler?  Please, tell us what YOU

 think about this type of quilt and YOUR opinions on the methods

to make one.

~~entries closed Saturday February 18th Midnight MT~~

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Our winner for last weeks Mystery Monday is

PIPPA
who lives in FRANCE!

you can visit her on her blog...HERE