J.N. Harper Continues to Generously Support the Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS

We are so grateful to J.N. Harper, our Canadian distributor, who is once again the presenting sponsor of the Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS, contributing $2500 toward research to help find a cure!

     JN Harper is a fourth-generation Canadian business which began in 1924. Harper’s converts and distributes fabrics ranging from fine apparel, exquisite Italian shirting’s, a full range of interfacings, as well as a full complement of products for the quilting industry – batiks, cotton prints, excellent basics and batting. For more information on the fabrics we carry and distribute please visit www.jnharper.com or follow us on social media @JNHarper1924. 

     JN Harper continues to support ALS and the Hopes & Dreams quilt challenge because of our dear friend Kathy Thompson. Kathy has known the Harper family for many years and has not only been a great business partner but a wonderful friend. When hearing of her son’s story and battle with ALS we knew we had to step in and help build awareness for ALS across the country.

Erin's Space Quilt: Part 1

When I started working for Quilters Dream Batting I knew that I had to sew a quilt. Being around our Batting and learning about quilters and their art, it was only a matter of time that I would be elbows deep in a new project. Sewing is something I've always loved; costumes, alterations, and applique work are all in my wheelhouse. Having fairly decent sewing experience, I decide to go big! I made a Half Hexie Minky Space Quilt!!

**WARNING* I am not an expert, and most of the time I'm just winging it. Quilters Dream Batting is not responsible for any quilt crimes that were committed in this blog post**

Like most crafters, I scoured the internet to find the perfect tutorial. Pinterest led me to a blog from Polkadot Chair, the perfect guide to help walk me through my very first quilt. The first step (and my favorite step) was to pick out my fabric and plan the top of my quilt. Luckily I had all the fabric I needed to create the quilt top. My son was the person receiving the quilt, so he choose a navy blue minky fabric for the backing.

My closest fabric store didn't have the half hexie stencil I needed. So my wonderful husband ran out to Home Depot and bought a small acrylic sheet and made me a half hexie stencil. He used a router and cut out a half hexagon shape (he modeled the shape from the Lori Holt Half Hexie ruler in 10” above).

Motivated to start this quilt, I cut the fabric into 5 inch strips. To cut the hexies I first folded the fabric in half and held the stencil steady as I cut diagonally along the stencil. It will create more hexies when you cut them side by side and use the end pieces for the sides of the quilt.

Once I had the pieces cut I laid them on the floor in a pattern the looked random. Matching two hexies together to make a whole hexagon and switching them around so an even amount was used. I really liked this part of the quilting process...

Until your kitten uses your pieces as a slip and slide...

I managed to keep the cat away long enough to stack the pieces from left to right by rows. I used a scrap square of felt to make tags numbered 1-12 and pinned them to the corresponding rows.

It made sewing each row "sew" much easier and I didn't have to leave the hexies laying around on the floor for the cat to play with them.

Starting with my first row, I sewed each hexie together on the diagonal side. That created one long row of hexies that alternated up and down. I did that for each row, making sure to attach the tag back on so I didn't confuse the order.

After all the rows of hexies were sewn, I sewed the rows together. It's finally starting to look like a quilt!

Originally I was going to leave it borderless, but it looked a little small to me. I used fleece with a space theme as the boarder and cut it into 5 inch strips. Total size of the quilt top was 62x50.

To be continued...