Arkansas Crossroads Quilt - A Favorite

Choose your battles means to be selective of the problems and issues you get involved in.  Instead of fighting every problem, save your time for the things that matter - letting go of the rest. This is my motto for quilting.  I quilt for fun in my garage, not for profit or competition - which means I can choose my battle of what is important to me. 

Over the years what matters to me is a consistent size of a square or block ... even if it distorts the perfection of the pattern.  While not all quilt patterns allow for this type of manipulation, those that do are my favorites.  I want the overall look to be good and ease of assembly for overall enjoyment of my hobby. 

The block for this quilt is supposed to be 8.5" x 8.5" square.  I find it frustrating to have uneven edges, to tug and maybe have wavy rows when I assemble.  I like starched flat and square units to sew together. (I don't know if this wonkiness is the result of bad sewing or if I am just neurotic!) For this Arkansas Crossroads quilt pattern I trim everything to 8" x 8".  

I trim the edge units to 8" wide and also square up some inside bits for good measure. (pix below)

Now, all this trimming will alter the final design.  As you can see from the 'dreaded' red arrows below - my little triangle cap units do NOT extend to the edges of the squares below them. 

And I have no idea what I did a few years ago when I made some of these snowballed units - but they don't line up either. 

However ... this quilt is absolutely beautiful in it's entirety. 

A fun pattern that has only 2 blocks and can be made with charm packs or scraps if desired.

A soft shade of lilac minky and matching binding from Hawthorne Supply Co.  makes it 'meditation' ready for my friend's daughter.  

For more details, diagrams and links to other sources on how to make this quilt - my post from 2016 HERE is helpful. Remember though, I trim down everything which distorts perfection, and is NOT the correct/proper way according to official patterns. 

Artwork: xunantunich

Take my blog posts not as ultimate guidance but one point of view on how to make something.  Choose which battle you will fight when you quilt.  Move on from the aspects that tweak you - and enjoy the rest. 

Materials:

Good Fortune by Kate Spain

White Kona

Warm & White batting

Lilac minky and Lilac Candy Stripe from Hawthorne Supply Co.

Aurifil 50wt. thread #2024 (white) #2560 (lilac)

Size: 54" x 69"

November 2020

Snowballing a Corner

Snowballing is a technique of adding a triangle of fabric to the corner of a square.  You don't actually use a triangle shaped piece of fabric - but that is the illusion that occurs once you are finished. A smaller square is sewn onto a corner, trimmed and voilà - a snowballed corner.

At the end of this post are 4 really good links to various blogs and the different techniques one can use to make this block - as well as a tutorial from the Missouri Star Quilt Co. 

  I have done all of these methods but tried something new this time -  the Creative Grids Folded Corner Clipper Tool. The video (HERE) from Shabby Fabrics is all about this tool and helpful to watch.

I am making another Arkansas Crossroads quilt and it has a lot of "X" squares.  Each background fabric square (white) is 4.5" x 4.5" - and all colored fabric squares for snowballing are 2.5" x 2.5".  

Put the Corner Clipper Tool on a 2.5" x 2.5" square as shown above and trim off the right corner. 

Put the Corner Clipper Tool on the 4.5" x 4.5" square as shown above and trim off the right corner.  Notice that the position of the ruler marking at the 2.5" line is flush with the right side of the square.  

Turn the fabric around and do the same thing for the opposite corner of the 4.5" square.

Select two smaller trimmed units and sew them on the background fabric (white) on each corner using a scant 1/4" seam.

Here is the first piece that makes the "X" block.  You will need 4 of these to make the complete block.

Notice the not so perfect corners - just trim those so everything is even on the sides. 

Sew the top squares together and then the bottom two squares.  Join those to make an "X" block that is 8.5" x 8.5".  

Whether you make just a quilt with "X" squares or combine them with a 16 patch to make a Crossroads quilt - this little ruler is fun for 'clipping' corners.  You don't have to make any pen/pencil lines on small pieces of fabric and there is an opportunity to make multiple sized 'snowballs' for future projects. 

As always there is a very good tutorial with Jenny from Missouri Star Quilt Co. that shows how to assemble and make this quilt - it's a fun one with pre-cuts or scraps.  Video is HERE. 

Here are a few links that explain alternative snowball techniques.  

The Cloth Parcel - drawing a diagonal line

Sharon Keightley Quilts - using tape to guide fabric

Cluck Cluck Sew - tape method

Corner Pop by Deb Tucker - oversized corners and trim 

Materials:
Creative Grids Corner Clipper Tool
Good Fortune by Kate Spain

November 2020

Noteworthy Arkansas Crossroads Quilt (#53)

Déjà vu ... obviously I really like Sweetwater's Noteworthy collection ... this is my third quilt using it and I have two more to go! 

Noteworthy is a modern and none traditional group of fabrics.  Combining their love of Pinterest (a pre-occupation with "Bucket List's") and memories of doodling - Sweetwater designers incorporate swirls and scribbles to perfection.

Every muted color of the rainbow is here, making it the perfect quilt to sew for friends ... it's so easy to like.  Quilted with Aurifil 50wt. Light Sand on the top, Mint Ice on the bottom - this wavy line grid pattern gets all crinkly after washing and still looks good on the minky back.

What is also fun to see is how using different colors in this "Arkansas Crossroads" quilt pattern changes the vibe of each blanket - below is Terrain by Kate Spain, Noteworthy & Oh Deer by Moda. 

 Whether the colors are strong or soft - this pattern is my favorite.  For tutorial links and tips how to make an Arkansas Crossroads quilt: HERE  is my earlier post. 

Materials:
Noteworthy by Sweetwater (Moda)
Aurifil 50wt. Light Sand (#2000) &  Mint Ice (#2800)
Dimple Dot Minky in Aspen (Hawthorne Threads)
Warm & White batting
Size: 58" x 74"
April 2016

Arkansas Crossroads Quilt in Oh Deer (#51)

My love affair with the Arkansas Crossroads quilt pattern continues. 

Made with one Oh Deer layer cake cut into 2.5" squares - it is the perfect pattern for intense colors when paired with Kona white.

For tutorial links, diagrams and my tips on how to make these fun blocks, my earlier post has is all HERE.

Oh Deer is a unusual mix of colors and designs released a few years ago by Japanese designer, MoMo, for Moda. 

Materials:
Oh Deer by MoMo for Moda
Kona white
Warm & White batting
Aurifil 50wt. White & Light Sand #2000
Size: 58"x 73"
April 2016

Arkansas Crossroads Quilt (#49)

This Arkansas Crossroads quilt is my new go to pattern.  It is made up of two simple blocks - a 16 patch and an "X".  Combined, they create a truly amazing design that looks complicated ... a beautiful final effect.

     Tutorial on how to make this quilt:

Printable instructions with pictures:

                         England Street Quilts - jelly roll friendly

  

 Two videos from The Missouri Star Quilt Company:

   1) how to sew & cut charm squares for the 16 patch here

        under the headline of "Scrappy 4 Patch"

 2) how to make the 'x' portion and assemble here

I used Kate Spain's Terrain left overs for this quilt and cut my squares with the Accuquilt 2.5" die - but rotary cutting is fine too.  I lay out my blocks with 16 individual squares (helps to balance color and I find it fun) -  but the tutorials above  explain how to sew a 16 patch faster - as well as how to assemble your "X" blocks.

This pattern is perfect if you don't have a design wall.  A few blocks here and there and then it's back into a plastic box until you are ready to lay it out - very easy to keep track of and tidy up.

Keeping true to my minky backed lap blanket size of 60" wide by 72" to 75" long - here are some numbers to help you:

1) Main Blocks:
24  16 patches:
  * using charm packs - that's 96 charm squares  or...
  * cutting fabric from scraps, that's 384  2.5" squares

24  "X's"
  * Cut 96 background pieces  4.5" x 4.5"  plus ...
  * 192  2.5" squares for the "X" blocks - or 48 charm squares

The edges:
 * 56 background pieces 4.5" x 4.5"   plus...
 * 56  2.5"  colored squares  - or 14 charm squares

4   4.5" x 4.5" background squares to fill in the corners
So, for a lap quilt this size (60"x74") you can use 4 charm packs or 1 layer cake for your main color - very cool! 

Can't give specifics for background fabric since I used my stash but assume a few yards (2.5 to 3.5) which would include the 4" border.

2) After sewing together your blocks: 
     Trim the 16 patches to 8" x 8" square
     Trim the "X"s block to 8" x 8" square
     Trim the edge blocks to 8" wide so they will 'fit' on top of the 
     patches & "X's"

3)  Size before adding a border will be: 52.5" x 67.5".  I add a 4" border all the way around - cutting the fabric on the lengthwise grain (parallel to the selvage edge so there is less stretch).

4)  For 60" wide minky backing - you only need 2 1/4 yards - but I get 2.5 yards in case it stretches funny when its being cut off the bolt.

 My bad advice is this:  I love steam and starch and that does distort your block - so measure carefully before you go hog wild cutting like I do.  Trimming down is always a good thing - and if there are a few mis-matched seams in this quilt with 632 small squares - no big deal!

Good advice is this: Use a scant 1/4"  and make a practice 16 patch before you start the assembly line no matter what technique you use. This will guide you how much wiggle room you have when you trim.

Lastly, quilting is always easy and fun with Aurifil 50wt. A wavy line grid following the squares with white on top and a lovely cobalt blue thread on the bottom. Go medium slow speed with a walking foot and 3.0 to 3.5 stitch length and this is how pretty it washes up.

UPDATE 11/2021 - to see other quilts in this pattern - go to the right sidebar and click on "Arkansas Crossroads".  In a 2020 blog post I show in more detail why I trim my blocks a certain size, even though they might not line up as perfectly as others who make this same quilt.

Materials:
Terrain by Kate Spain
Kona white
Dimple dot midnight blue minky Fabric.com
Aurifil 50wt. white & #2470 (dark cobalt)
Accuquilt 2.5" square die
Warm & White batting
Thanks to England Street Quilts & Missouri Star Quilt Co. for their tutorials.
Size: 58" x 74"
March 2016