I've been working off-and-on this week on a project from Jacquie Gering and Katie Pederson's seriously awesome book, Quilting Modern. Improvisational piecing is just so much fun to do, and Jacquie and Katie do a wonderful job teaching various improv techniques that you can put to use in lots of different projects, not just those in the book.

I'm working on the Swirling Medallion quilt found on page 113 of the book, using some green, gold, gray, and aqua prints, This quilt uses the improvisational stitch and flip technique, which can be super duper versatile. You can use it to make wonky stars, wonky zig-zags, just about anything you could make with a half-square triangle unit. I think a wonky zig-zag quilt might just be in my future, using this method of piecing.

I just finished up the quilt top, but haven't decided on backing or quilting just yet. I am totally in love with this quilt and am half-heartedly trying to find a place in my house I could hang it, I love it so much. Fortunately, I suspect I'm going to be indecisive for a little while about this one, so it can hang out on my design wall for the timebeing, making me smile whenever I look up at it. Next up? While I'm thinking about how to quilt this one, I think I might just attempt to make a dent in my string scraps and work on a string project!

School has officially started, and that means that I've suddenly got lots more sewing time (yay!). I got right to work yesterday after bringing the kiddo in to school, and just played for once. Playing with fabric is positively the best part about being a quilter, and I haven't done much of it lately.

After making a list of the projects that I've been neglecting over the summer, I started working with some lovely charms from Laura Gunn's new Cosmo collection for Michael Miller, due to hit shops next month. I started playing with a new technique that I gleaned from the uber-fabulous Quilting Modern book by Jacquie Gehring and Katie Pederson - they teach an improv version of this double-flip technique, so I thought it could certainly be adapted to be used in a precision kind of block, and sure enough, it worked!

Double Flip Half-Square Triangle

This sophisticated cousin of the half-square triangle unit can be used in any half-square triangle block you can think of, and is made quite simply. Starting with a half-square triangle unit, you add a smaller square and sew along the diagonal using a stitch-and-flip technique, much like you use in improvisational piecing.

For one Double Flip HST unit, you'll need:
5" print square
5" solid neutral square
4" print square

1. Begin by using a clear quilting ruler and tracing a line across two corners of the neutral 5" square, marking the diagonal of the square. Use whatever type of marking tool you prefer.

2. Align the raw edges of your neutral square with a print 5" square, right sides together. Stitch a scant 1/4" on both sides of the diagonal line you traced, then cut along the traced line to separate into two units. Press seams open and trim HST unit to 4 1/2".

3. Using a clear quilting ruler, trace a line across two corners of the 4" print square, marking the diagonal again as you did in Step 1.


4. Place this square at the top of your solid neutral half of the HST unit, making sure that the diagonal line you've traced is parallel to the HST seam in the center. Stitch along the diagonal line, and trim the seam allowance to 1/4". Press.

5. Ta da! A finished Double Flip HST unit.
NOTE: This type of unit can be constructed using any size half-square triangles. Just be sure to cut your accent print one inch smaller than your HST. This will create that skinny strip of solid neutral between your two prints.

For my Double Flip mini, I made a total of 16 of these blocks, and arranged them in a diamond formation.


I really love these gorgeous prints, and I think this was a really great way to show them off. If you follow this tutorial, I'd love to see how it works out for you! Add your projects to my Flickr group, Stitching with Don't Call Me Betsy. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, I sure enjoyed working on it :)

Have you heard about the 100 Quilts for Kids program, co-hosted by  Katie Blakesley of Swim, Bike, Quilt and the DC Modern Quilt Guild? This charity drive has a super simple premise: Make a quilt or two and donate it to a child in need.


I'm working on a twist to my Sliced Coins quilt-along this year to donate, using some Urban Chiks' Hullabaloo charms that I've had sitting on my shelf for a while. It's so relaxing to do some simple patchwork for once! I was pleasantly surprised that I could manage to put together a cute little quilt top using just a charm pack and a little over a yard of sashing.



Last year, I made what is quite possibly my favorite charity quilt to date, for a young woman's 18th birthday, my Drunk Love quilt, featuring some of my favorite pink and green fabrics.



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