Snack Time - Converting a Pattern to Die-Cutting

Hi all!

Ever since I finished the Night Sky top I felt like making another one of Julie Herman's patterns; so, while I was at my LQS I picked up Snack Time.

 

Isn't it cute!?  I started to really look at it and thought - hmm that looks like it is put together the same way that Accuquilt uses the equilateral triangles to piece hexagons into horizontal rows!  That got me to thinking about this quilt.  

I am often asked by newer die-cutters how to know when they can die cut a project and how to know which die to use.  I will explain my process of how I converted this pattern from rotary cutting to die-cutting.  It is much easier than you think!

Sometimes, it is easy to convert a pattern because it is all in strips and you can figure it out easily; but, sometimes a quilt is made with different shapes, like Snack Time, and you are uncertain how to proceed.  Sometimes you just need to follow the directions and cut one of the shapes and then see if you have the corresponding dies.  Sometimes, it is easier than that!

 

This pattern uses either the templates provided or the Hex N More ruler.  I LOVE it when patterns provide templates!  Look at those shapes - they look an awful lot like some die shapes I own! I used my dies and cut paper shapes and compared them to the template shapes.

 

So I grabbed some of the new Go! die release and the old hexagon die and compared them.  I used my dies and cut paper shapes and compared them to the template shapes.  They were not exactly the same size but close enough that it would still work and because all of these dies work together I knew that the blocks would go together!

The dies I used are:

The Go! Hexagon die

The Go! Half Hexagon die

The Go!  Equilateral Triangle 4.5"

Again, these are not exactly the same size but they work in the end!  When you first start converting patterns you have to sometimes take a leap of faith and try one block - it gets easier with practice.

 

See how pretty they are turning out!  This will be a nice, cheerful quilt when it is finished I think!

Night Sky

Hi all!

It is finally starting to look like spring here!  I can't even tell you how excited this makes me!  I think everyone has had a long hard winter and we're all anxious for some heat.

I have been busy sewing away on my Night Sky Quilt - the pattern is by Jaybird Quilts and uses her Sidekick ruler.  Well, finally the top is finished!!

What do you think?  I am really pleased with the way that it turned out!   I loved the colours in the pattern so we stuck pretty much to them for this quilt and I love the way that the colours sizzle.  It makes me think that spring is indeed coming - someday.

You know that I love to die cut; so, I figured out a way to die cut a pretty fair amount of the project so that I would have to rotary cut!  I was able to use my 3.5" strip die for all of the initial cuts - yey! - and use the same strip die for the diamonds by marking the 60 degree lines - big yey!  However, I couldn't figure out a way to cut the star points without quite a bit of waste :-(  So, for those, I had to use the sidekick ruler.  But, the blocks are framed in 1.5" strips so I was able to cut all of those without and problems. 

I really enjoyed this quilt and the challenge of putting it together.  I love that Julie writes he patterns for the more experienced quilter as well - not everything is spelled out in minute detail - she assumes that we do indeed know a few tricks and that really makes me happy. 

I was so happy with this quilt that i dropped it off at my LQS today, to be a store sample, and, I purchased another one of her patterns called Snack Time.  I think I might be able to die-cut the entire thing!!!  I will keep you posted ;-)