Cuddle Quilt workshop 2016

Thanks to our fabulous Cuddle Quilt Coordinator, JoAnn, and the CQ committee, the annual Choo Choo Quilters Cuddle Quilt workshop this Saturday was fun and productive.

JoAnn (left) and Martha cutting strips sets at the August Cuddle Quilt Saturday.

In addition to working on Cuddle Quilts, those attending also discussed and pondered the great mysteries of the world: the Single Sock Syndrome, why "bra" is singular and panties are a "pair," and the invention of the "Needle Trip Meter" to notify quilters when to change the needle in their sewing machines.

Saturday's activities started with kits for the "Summer on the Beach" strip quilt. The majority of the strips were cut from the Choo Choo Quilters CQ stash of donated fabrics. However, a few packages of strips were needed to have enough for the kits. The additional pre-cuts were purchased at local area quilt shops: Chattanooga Quilts, Hyderhangout and Pins and Needles Quilt Shop. Note: the Choo Choo Quilters shop local! 

Step-outs for the quilt top.

JoAnn had examples of various steps in the process and gave demonstrations throughout the day. Everyone sewed, sewed, sewed... chain-piecing strips together.

Janice (left) and Teresa sewing strips.

 Look at those piles of strips behind the sewing machines!

Cristy chain piecing.

Then to the irons to press the seams...

Ironing the pairs of long strips.

After hours... and hours... and hours of sewing strips, the cutting went quickly. Using the diagonal line on the ruler, the blocks were quite easy to cut from the strip tubes. Each strip set yielded 6 blocks.

Martha cutting strip sets into blocks.

The fun part was seeing all the colorful blocks emerge and arranging them into a quilt top.

Veronica laying out the blocks.

This is one example quilt layout using batik fabrics.

Batik blocks in a diamond pattern.

Then we decided to swap a few blocks and introduce polka dots, checks and prints to the mix.

Blocks from different strip sets makes a fun, scrappy quilt.

When cut, these blocks are approximately 8.5" or 8.25" square (about 8" finished). The quilts can be rectangular or square, in any design. To make a child size lap quilt at 40" x 48", use a 5 x 6 layout. Alternate plain blocks might also be an interesting setting.

Quilters should bring any unused or leftover blocks to the next guild meeting so they can be combined to make additional quilts.

We missed those guild members that could not attend the CQ workshop. We didn't solve all the mysteries of the universe, but we enjoyed fabulous door prizes, food and beverages, and we got a huge pile of quilt blocks made!

Be sure to visit the Choo Choo Quilters Facebook page for more photos.