Create More “Magic Inch” Quilts
Join Nancy Zieman for part-two of Magic Inch Quilts on Sewing With Nancy with modern quilters and husband/wife team Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr. Often we think about quilting with squares and rectangles of fabric. In these new modern quilting designs, the piecing technique and the color choices are equally as important as Weeks’ and Bill’s improvisational 1-inch strips of color!
“We enjoy working with color, but also incorporating 1” pieces into quilt designs. The piecing technique and the color choices are equally important.”
Whiskers Quilt
Bill shows how this Whiskers quilt features a square block that is updated by adding three Magic Inch strips. Using solids for the blocks and a yarn-dyed stripe for the strips, this quilt can be customized for a baby, a teen, or even a quilt for grandpa. Use a basket weave layout for the blocks to add additional interest and repeat the stripe fabric in the binding.
Pickup Sticks Quilt
Pickup Sticks is the original Magic Inch Quilt that Bill and Weeks designed in 2000. Inspired by the children’s game, these colorful sticks appear to be lying on top of one another as a result of this unique piecing process. For each block you’ll decide how many cuts and where to make them for your one-of-a-kind improvisational masterpiece. Watch online as this quilt is created.
Local Hero Quilt
First-responders are among the local heroes in every town. Weeks and Bill made this quilt for their local firehouse where the firefighters and emergency medical technicians rest when not on call. This improvisational technique creates a patriotic block that can be made by adventurous beginners and veteran quilters alike.
See how we create these quilts with sewing demonstrations on Sewing With Nancy. Watch it online, today. Find your copy of Magic Inch Quilts at Nancy’s Notions.
Watch Magic Inch Quilts Part One and Part Two on Sewing With Nancy online.
For a chance to win a copy of Magic Inch Quilts from Nancy’s Notions, leave a comment sharing your answer to: What is smallest fabric scrap you save?
Happy Quilting,
Team Nancy Zieman
Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.
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Lorna DeSantis
One inch is my smallest scrap size I save.
Mary O.
I save strips down to just under an inch. Love the Magic Inch designs.
Pamela A McPherson
I don’t throw any scraps away and reuse them on a variety of sewing designs/projects. The smallest is 1/2″ x 1/4″ – they can be used as ‘tools’ for any sewing project, ie, reinforcing elastic used in waistbands. The latter use was a tip I learned on Sewing with Nancy!
Jennifer P
The smallest I’ve ever saved is about an inch. If less than an inch it can get lost in the seam allowance but there was one project where I put a 1/4 inch strip of metallic around a shape and, even though I had to sew slowly and it was tiny, it did make a big impact on the project.
Linda Kernodle
I guess you could call my smallest scrap a snippet. I save the tiniest scraps for crafting.
Lauren S.
I save them all! I love to us the tiniest ones to modge podge to Christmas ornaments with my daughter! This book looks great! Thank you!
Linda
Probably about an inch-but it’s hard to throw any away!
Julie Kill
2 Inches x 2 inches and selvages.
Carol L
One inch is the smallest I save. I do lots of paper piecing!!
Jeanne Brown
I think an inch , I also save little triangles .
Genevieve
I also save scraps. They are good for many uses. You just never know when you will need a “piece” of one color or print.
Mary Green
I keep my strips according to sizes and 1” is the smallest there, but I “make fabric” for scrappy blocks so use oddball pieces for that.
Becky C
The smallest I have is 2″ x 2″
Martha
Save ALL of any size ~ I cut scraps so 1.5″ strips and squares are kept in divided boxes by dominate hue and anything smaller than 1.5″ (including thread snips) is put into a bag to be used to stuff soft toys and pillows.
Jade
I keep lots of little pieces, as small as one inch squares, to use as leaders in chain piecing, or for small paper piecing projects.
Mindy Washburn
I’ll save strips of all sizes down to an inch and I save 1.5 inch squares for a friend making a postage stamp quilt, but for my use, 2×2.
Debbie Dorombozi
I save scraps 2″ x 2″
Clovis
I save my fabric & interfacing, also. With interfacing, you never know when you might need a small strip to fuse to fabric.
Bonnie Cotton
I don’t save real small pieces as I’m not a fan of scrappy, nor quilts with lots of little pieces. Anything significant I give to my sister as she keeps down to about 1 1/2″ and she’s much more advanced then I’ll ever be. I do however, keep special selvages for small projects.
Marie Kozma
I find it difficult to throw any fabric scraps away. Although I haven’t found a use YET for the really small pieces, I believe that someday I will. Love, love, love all my fabrics!
Marianne From TN
There is no scrap too small for me at all!
I keep everything from big to small!
But separated by color and size so I can cut and piece away till just threads remain for my final RIP basket destined to stuff a treasured teddy bear some day.
Becky Gilliam
I save strips down to 3/4 inch and squares to 1.5 inches. I am in the process of creating a patriotic sweatshirt using small squares/strips/pieces created by sewing small chunks to the sweatshirt. I love the idea of the ‘Magic Inch’ randomly created quilt for children.
MoeWest
I save strips 1 inch or wider. The smallest square I save is 2.5 “
Beverly
I will save squares as small as 2×2, but width of fabric strips as narrow as 3/4 inch. You just never know what can be done with these little bits.
Janet johnson
I save most scraps. The smallest goes in a big bag and they are used to partially stuff doll and teddy bears. It gives they weight and makes them “sit” better. I love the aqua quilt.
Donna W
My smallest scraps for piecing are an 1 1/2 inches. But for applique I save all sizes, especially batiks, since they do not fray.
Patti L
I save selvage strips of 11/2” but have a system, like Bonnie Hunter, of “logs” & smallest squares of 2”
Susan Melgaard
My smallest is probably 1 1/4 inch.
Teri
I save most scraps down to a little less than an inch.
beth d.
I usually save 2 in. strips and squares. would definitely use these designs in my quilts.
Mary Brock
One to 1.5 inches by 5-6 inches
Barb K.
I save even inch size scraps.
jane gustinis
I usually save 1 1/2 inch scraps.
Cindy K
I have scraps as small as 3/4″ I use for miniature quilts
Lorraine
I save all scraps including the selvages. The color chart on the selvage edge makes for interesting inserts in quilt squares. I’d like to use some in “Magic Inch” quilts.
Suzanne Gross
I have a drawer full of 1.5 in. strips and 1.5 in. squares.
Carol Martineau
Oh would love to win Magic quilt book…
I miss Nancy shows. thats where i learn my love for sewing..
Lillian K
Smallest I save and use is one & half inch squares.
Juanita Decquir
I love scraps and especially strips. Strips narrow or wide , I love them all.
Rosie
Usually, I save 1 1/2 inch pieces.
Cindy Mills
I pretty much save everything.
Bronda
I save as small as one inch strips and two inch squares. That’s why my stash is overwhelming, but I have recently challenged myself to make scrap quilts and have completed several.
Bridget
The smallest scrap I save is a 2by2.
Kim Davis
I keep those pesky little dog ears. They are great for landscape quilts!
Kim Davis
My smallest scraps are those little dog ears and corner cuts. They are great for landscape quilts.
Charlotte Dunn
Well, while I have several pieces smaller than 1 inch in cotton, I have “Zillions” of smallish crumbs of my wonderful wools. You always need a snowman eye and other random things. It feels so wasteful and a sin to get rid of beloved fabrics!!
Leigh Knox
Small scares me but this looks like a great way to overcome that fear, lol. Thank you for the videos and the chance to win this book.
Anne Z
The smallest scraps I save are 1″. They are great for fusible applique. They are also great for “Starter strips” when I am sewing triangles, sometimes my machine wants to “chew up” the tip of a triangle.
Diane L. Putzer
My smallest scraps are usually one inch squares.
Jackie Shulsky
I save anything bigger than 3/4 of an inch. Those doubled can be used as leaders and enders.
Lorraine Williams
I no longer toss ANY scraps. The itty bittiest bits make great pillow and pet bed stuffing. I also have this fantasy where I drum card suitable scraps into roving and spin into new yarnd that I weave on my loom. Now if I could just get the money tree to bloom so I can get the carder and spinning wheel!
Corinne D.
In cotton, I save 2 inch squares. In silk and wool, I save everything.
Susan
Scraps only 1/4 wide and about an inch in length are saved because they can be valuable for small pieces needed in applique.
Camille
I generally save pieces 1.5″ and larger. However, I have been intrigued by the make your own fabric from scraps movement. I must try that idea soon.
Ellen
Nancy was such a trailblazer. Inspirational . I save scraps, but not tiny ones.Usually about 2″ ,but I do save narrow strips ,1″ wide , even have some narrower. We miss you, Nancy. Loved your book.