Quilting Linda: A Quilting Blog by Linda West

Nov

15

Zelda: The Quilt-Along — Link (Part 4)

Posted Sunday, November 15th, 2015 in QAL | Read More

For the second in a series of four blocks we are working on Link, with this being our eleventh block of our Zelda: The Quilt-Along. Find all of the blocks associated with Link here: Link (Part 1), Link (Part 2), Link (Part 3) and Link (Part 4). As a reminder, our full list of fabric and tool requirements are located here, which includes yardage for fabric for the entire quilt.

The eleventh block that we will be making is Link, who is a young swordsman who is asked, after rescuing Impa, the royal nursemaid, to save Hyrule and Princess Zelda from the evil Prince of Darkness, Ganon, who is seeking out the shards of the Triforce of Wisdom. Link collects the pieces of this Triforce and enters Ganon’s lair in Death Mountain. There he defeats Ganon with a Silver Arrow, secures the Triforce of Power, and saves Princess Zelda from Ganon’s clutches.

The Link block will be constructed in the same manner as the other blocks, The Candle, The Fairy, The Key, The Bomb, The Blue Wizrobe, The Red Darknut, Princess Zelda, Sword and Shield, and Bow and Arrow however the size is different. The Link (Part 4) block grid is 15 squares across and 16 squares down and it uses the following colors of fabrics:

Nov

10

Zelda: The Quilt-Along — Link (Part 3)

Posted Tuesday, November 10th, 2015 in QAL | Read More

For the second in a series of four blocks we are working on Link, with this being our eleventh block of our Zelda: The Quilt-Along. Find all of the blocks associated with Link here: Link (Part 1), Link (Part 2), Link (Part 3) and Link (Part 4). As a reminder, our full list of fabric and tool requirements are located here, which includes yardage for fabric for the entire quilt.

The eleventh block that we will be making is Link. Within each Zelda game there is an incarnation of Link, all of which share both physical and non-physical characteristics. The connection of all Link characters, whether they are the same character or an ancestor of Link is unknown. Link only speaks three times throughout all of the Zelda games and by gamers that enjoy the series, this is seen as a misstep. Not typically hearing Link’s voice allows gamers to immerse themselves and be Link.

The Link block will be constructed in the same manner as the other blocks, The Candle, The Fairy, The Key, The Bomb, The Blue Wizrobe, The Red Darknut, Princess Zelda, Sword and Shield, and Bow and Arrow however the size is different. The Link (Part 3) block grid is 15 squares across and 16 squares down and it uses the following colors of fabrics:

Nov

5

Zelda: The Quilt-Along — Link (Part 2)

Posted Thursday, November 5th, 2015 in QAL, Quilt Blocks | Read More

For the second in a series of four blocks we are working on Link, with this being our eleventh block of our Zelda: The Quilt-Along. Find all of the blocks associated with Link here: Link (Part 1), Link (Part 2), Link (Part 3) and Link (Part 4). As a reminder, our full list of fabric and tool requirements are located here, which includes yardage for fabric for the entire quilt.

The eleventh block that we will be making is Link, who interestingly enough often shares a lot of similarities to Peter Pan. He wears green clothing, has an elf-like appearance, hangs out with a Fairy and battles evil with a sword. In some games, Link even fights his shadow or dark self. The creator of The Legend of Zelda has revealed that he did indeed take inspiration from Peter Pan when creating our hero.

The Link block will be constructed in the same manner as the other blocks, The Candle, The Fairy, The Key, The Bomb, The Blue Wizrobe, The Red Darknut, Princess Zelda, Sword and Shield, and Bow and Arrow however the size is different. The Link (Part 2) block grid is 15 squares across and 16 squares down and it uses the following colors of fabrics:

Nov

1

Zelda: The Quilt-Along — Link (Part 1)

Posted Sunday, November 1st, 2015 in QAL, Quilting | Read More

After a little hiatus we are back and tackling the big man and main character of the Zelda Games, Link himself, in our tenth block of our Zelda: The Quilt-Along. As a reminder, our full list of fabric and tool requirements are located here, which includes yardage for fabric for the entire quilt.

The tenth block that we will be making is Link, our main hero and the character that is played by the individual gamer. Link is typically depicted as a young boy or teen in green clothing that is called upon to leave his home and save Hyrule (the world within our Zelda games) and Princess Zelda.

As Link is the main character of the Zelda games, we are making him significantly larger compared to the other items and characters on our quilt. For that reason, Link’s quilt block has been divided up into four separate blocks to be sewn together after they are individually completed. Find all of the blocks associated with Link here: Link (Part 1), Link (Part 2), Link (Part 3) and Link (Part 4).

The Link block will be constructed in the same manner as the other blocks, The Candle, The Fairy, The Key, The Bomb, The Blue Wizrobe, The Red Darknut, Princess Zelda, Sword and Shield, and Bow and Arrow however the size is different. The Link (Part 1) block grid is 15 squares across and 16 squares down and it uses the following colors of fabrics:

Aug

16

Zelda: The Quilt-Along — Bow and Arrow

Posted Sunday, August 16th, 2015 in QAL | Read More

Our next block includes two more of Link’s weapons, his Bow and Arrow, in our ninth block of our Zelda: The Quilt-Along. As a reminder, our full list of fabric and tool requirements are located here, which includes yardage for fabric for the entire quilt.

The Bow and Arrow is a combination that Link uses to defeat his enemies within the Zelda games. Link begins with just a sword and shield and eventually picks up other weapons including the bow and arrow to progress through the game. In the first Zelda game, the bow and a silver arrow is required to finish off Ganon, the main and last boss of the game.

The Bow and Arrow block will be constructed in the same manner as the other blocks, The Candle, The Fairy, The Key, The Bomb, The Blue Wizrobe, The Red Darknut, Princess Zelda and Sword and Shield, however the size is different. The Bow and Arrow block grid is 18 squares across and 16 squares down and it uses the following colors of fabrics:

Aug

1

Zelda: The Quilt-Along — Sword and Shield

Posted Saturday, August 1st, 2015 in QAL | Read More

Our next block is two of Link’s weapons against evil, his Sword and Shield, our eighth block of our Zelda: The Quilt-Along. As a reminder, our full list of fabric and tool requirements are located here, which includes yardage for fabric for the entire quilt.

The Sword and Shield are two central pieces of Link’s weaponry within the Zelda games. Link begins each game with a Wooden Sword and Shield and can purchase a stronger Magical version of each. The Magical Sword and Shield were actually only used in the first two Zelda games. In newer Zelda games Link upgrades to the Master Sword, typically by finding it after defeating a particular part of the game.

The Sword and Shield block will be constructed in the same manner as the other blocks, The Candle, The Fairy, The Key, The Bomb, The Blue Wizrobe, The Red Darknut and Princess Zelda, however the size is different. The Sword and Shield block grid is 18 squares across and 16 squares down and it uses the following colors of fabrics:

Jul

5

Twisted Blossom – Block 1

Posted Sunday, July 5th, 2015 in QAL | Read More

Sew Kind of Wonderful is hosting a free QAL, July 1-August 31, using the Quick Curve Ruler. This was of great interest to me because I bought the ruler when I saw a demo at the local quilt shop last spring. I have wanted to try it but was not ready to start the larger project for which it was purchased.

I had to purchase the Metro Twist pattern to make this block. I went to my LQS  where I bought the ruler but they did not have it in stock. They offered to order it but I didn’t want to wait to start my block. I ordered it online and did the digital download to have it instantly.

I looked through my fabric stash and found a small bundle of fat quarters that I bought but didn’t have a plan for its use. I divided it into 4 colorways and added some fabric to it. I cut into the reds before taking the following picture. You will see them in the finished block.

This is the first block.

This is the first time I have used the Quick Curve Ruler. I liked the way it was constructed. It was easy to cut the curve with my 45 mm rotary cutter. It was very sturdy which made it stable while cutting.

The pattern seemed a little complicated. I read through the entire pattern before starting. I went back and concentrated on just one step at a time and it was not difficult to follow. Because the pieces are right and left sided, it is important to cut half of them right side up and the other half right side down. The other important direction to follow is where to start sewing the curved piece. One side starts 1/4 inch from the top and the other side starts 1/2 inch from the top. The illustrations are very good and give you this information.

The curved pieces are VERY EASY to sew without using any pins. I did use tweezers to hold the end while sewing.

I hope this encourages you to join me in the quilt along! Happy Sewing!

Jul

1

Zelda: The Quilt-Along — Princess Zelda

Posted Wednesday, July 1st, 2015 in QAL | Read More

We are finally hitting the namesake behind our Zelda Quilt-Along…Princess Zelda. We’re starting on our seventh block of our Zelda: The Quilt-Along. As a reminder, our full list of fabric and tool requirements are located here, which includes yardage for fabric for the entire quilt.

Princess Zelda, the princess that Link is attempting to rescue within the game as well as the namesake of the game itself. In every game of the Zelda series, Princess Zelda is captured or put in danger by evil forces — generally led by a villian boss named Ganon. It is up to Link to save her. Many people unfamiliar with the game series incorrectly refer to Link (who is the main character in the games) by the princess’ name “Zelda”, as they assume that the title of the game is referring to the main character and not the damsel in distress.

Princess Zelda will be constructed in the same manner as the other blocks, The Candle, The Fairy, The Key, The Bomb, The Blue Wizrobe and The Red Darknut, however the size is different. The Princess Zelda block grid is 18 squares across and 16 squares down and it uses the following colors of fabrics:

Jun

28

Cut, Sew, Press, Quilt!

Posted Sunday, June 28th, 2015 in My Projects, Quilting tools | Read More

I have been so busy with the family that I have not posted some of the projects that I made this spring. We are loving the fact that we live so close to our family now. It is amazing to watch the babies grow and learn. (Although I doubt Eli would like to be called a baby. He is three years old!)

My daughter gave me a bundle of batik fat quarters, “Bobbins and Bits” by Pat Sloan, for Christmas last year. She also gave me a pattern by Lori Holt, Cut. Sew. Press. Quilt.. I had so much fun making these quilts. I was happy that I had “Alphabitties” to help me keep track of the pieces. I won them last year when doing a quilt along with Lori Holt.

I haven’t quilted them yet. I am still trying to decide if I want to quilt them or frame them. They will all be hung near the appropriate area in my new sewing room.

Don’t forget to come back for the next “Zelda: The Quilt-Along” block later this week!

Happy Quilting!

Linda

Jun

1

Zelda: The Quilt-Along — The Red Darknut

Posted Monday, June 1st, 2015 in QAL | Read More

Can you believe it? We’re starting on our SIXTH block of our Zelda: The Quilt-Along. We have our full list of fabric and tool requirements are located here, which includes yardage for fabric for the entire quilt..

The Red Darknut was a type of enemy that Link would encounter inside of dungeons within the game. Darknuts essentially are caped knights, carrying a shield in front of them that prevents Link from doing any damage to them head on and a sword used to attack. In order to attack a Darknut, Link must quickly attack them with his sword from behind. Red Darknuts are slightly easier enemies than the Blue Darknuts, who move much more quickly and deal more damage to Link when they hit him with their sword.

The Red Darknut will be constructed in the same manner as the other blocks, The Candle, The Fairy, The Key, The Bomb and The Blue Wizrobe, however the size is different. The Red Darknut block grid is 18 squares across and 16 squares down and it uses the following colors of fabrics:

May

16

Spring 2015 in Columbus

Posted Saturday, May 16th, 2015 in Fabric Stash, My Projects | Read More

Wow! It has been a long time since I posted anything except Zelda blocks. This has been a week of finishing some of my projects.

Jen and I took a  class at Quilt Trends this spring using a Judy Niemeyer pattern. Judy’s patterns are paper pieced and that was never very high on my list of things to do. I do have to say that I really enjoyed the class and am ready to make another PP quilt.

Quilt Trends made up kits of fabric for this class. We purchased the kits and I loved the fabrics they selected. Jen and I have identical fabrics but we chose to pair them differently. This week I put the final border on my “Island Sunrise” quilt from the class. My plans are to hang it in my entrance way when it is quilted. The colors in the quilt are more intense than they are in the picture. (This was taken with my phone.)

Last fall I bought a pattern to make a wall hanging for my kitchen. The pattern was purchased at Quilt Beginnings in Columbus and is from Fig Tree Quilts. I bought two red FQs but the rest of the fabric I used is from my stash.

I wanted to find another pattern to go with the pears but could not find what I wanted. When I received the “Farm Girl Vintage” book that I had ordered from Lori Holt, I found a cherries block that was just what I had in mind for the second wall hanging. I used the leftover scraps from the pear quilt and added a few more red fabrics from my stash. I designed the quilt using the cherries blocks to be similar in size to the pears quilt.

I have several other projects to show you but they will have to wait until I take more pictures.

Apr

30

Zelda: The Quilt-Along — Blue Wizzrobe

Posted Thursday, April 30th, 2015 in QAL | Read More

We are now ready to make the FIFTH block of our Zelda: The Quilt-Along. We have our full list of fabric and tool requirements are located here, which includes yardage for fabric for the entire quilt..

The Blue Wizzrobe was a type of enemy that Link would encounter inside of dungeons within the game. Wizzrobes shoot magic bolts at Link to hurt him and could disappear and reappear elsewhere, making them a tough enemy to kill. Blue Wizzrobes (as is shown in our block) are the most difficult type of Wizzrobes. They can fire continous spells at Link while they chase him around the room and can can cross areas that other Wizzrobes typically cannot.

The Blue Wizzrobe will be constructed in the same manner as the other blocks, The Candle, The Fairy, The Key and The Bomb, however the size is different. The Blue Wizzrobe block grid is 18 squares across and 16 squares down and it uses the following colors of fabrics:

Apr

15

Zelda: The Quilt-Along — The Bomb

Posted Wednesday, April 15th, 2015 in QAL | Read More

We are now ready to make the FOURTH block of our Zelda: The Quilt-Along. We have our full list of fabric and tool requirements are located here, which includes yardage for fabric for the entire quilt..

The Bomb was an item that Link would use to attack his enemies. He would find these items throughout the world or could purchase them from a character that sells helpful things. Link would set a bomb down near one of his enemies and quickly get away quickly or he would also be hurt by the explosion. Bombs are also used to get to new areas on the map of the game, which Link could access after blowing up specific rocks or doors.

The Bomb will be constructed in the same manner as the other blocks, The Candle, The Fairy and The Key, however the size is different. The Bomb block grid is 9 squares across and 15 squares down and it uses the following colors of fabrics:

Apr

1

Zelda: The Quilt-Along — The Key

Posted Wednesday, April 1st, 2015 in Quilting | Read More

Happy April’s Fools Day – but we aren’t fooling you! Yes that’s right, we’re ready to make the THIRD block of our Zelda: The Quilt-Along. We have our full list of fabric and tool requirements are located here, which includes yardage for fabric for the entire quilt..

The third block that we will be making is The Key, which was an item that Link could use to unlock doors within dungeons in the The Legend of Zelda game. Link would need to find the key before progressing through each dungeon, often right before facing the main enemy of the dungeon or “boss”. There were a total of eight dungeons within the first Zelda game.

The Key will be constructed in the same manner as the other blocks, The Candle and The Fairy, however the size is different. The Key block grid is 15 squares across and 15 squares down and it uses the following colors of fabric:

Mar

15

Zelda: The Quilt-Along — The Fairy

Posted Sunday, March 15th, 2015 in Quilting | Read More

Are you ready to make The Fairy — the second block of our Zelda: The Quilt-Along? We have our full list of fabric and tool requirements are located here, which includes yardage for fabric for the entire quilt.

The second block that we will be making is The Fairy, which was an integral part of The Legend of Zelda game. The Fairy was an item that Link, our hero, could use to replenish his health or even bring himself back from death. Throughout the game, Link would battle his enemies and often lose his health, sometimes even dying to these foes. If Link came across a fairy within the land, he could use it to replenish his health fully. If Link captured a fairy and kept it in his backpack, he could bring himself back from death should he die in combat.

The Fairy will be constructed in the same manner as the first block, The Candle, however the size is different. The Fairy block grid is 9 squares across and 17 squares down and it uses the following colors of fabric:

You can download the pattern which contains the layout of the individual squares for The Fairy (Block 2) here.

Mar

1

Zelda: The Quilt-Along — The Candle

Posted Sunday, March 1st, 2015 in Quilting | Read More

Grab your fabric and additional tools — we’re ready to make the first block of our Zelda: The Quilt-Along! (We have our full list of fabric and tool requirements here, which includes yardage for fabric for the entire quilt)

The first block we are making is The Candle, which was an item that Link (the hero of The Legend of Zelda) could use to light up dark caves in the Zelda games. While there are different Zelda games that have been created, all of the items, characters and enemies that will be included within this quilt are from the very first game: Legend of Zelda.

The Candle block grid is 15 squares across and 17 squares down and it uses the following fabrics:

You can download the pattern which contains the layout of the individual squares for The Candle (Block 1) here.

Feb

21

Zelda: The Quilt-Along – List of Fabric & Tools

Posted Saturday, February 21st, 2015 in Quilting | Read More

Are you ready for some Zelda? If you are a video game buff and this quilt is for you to keep, I can already imagine that you’re really anxious to see the design of our Zelda: The Quilt-Along quilt. If you’re making it for a friend or relative and they know about it, make sure to send them a link or a screenshot and let them know all about the really incredible quilt that you’re making for them. If you really want to make them excited, you can throw around some of the characters in it like Link, Princess Zelda, a Red Darknut, a Blue Wizzrobe and the Triforce. Finally, if you’re saving this quilt as a Christmas present for the video game buff in your life, just know that you are going to be bigger than Santa this year.  Here it is:

Below are the fabric requirements for our Zelda: The Quilt-Along and some of the tools that I used to create the first Zelda quilt that you can see here on this post. Please note that some of the tools are marked as optional.

Fabric Requirements for Zelda: The Quilt-Along

	Color	Usage	Yardage
	Dark Green Kona: Kiwi	Border, Binding and Block Background	3 yards
	Light Green Kona: Sour Apple	Link and Arrow	¾ yard
	Black Kona: Black	Border and Background	3 yards
	White Kona: White	Candle and accents in other blocks	3 yards
	Yellow-Orange Kona: Cheddar	Link, Darknut and other blocks	3 yards
	Brown Kona: Earth	Shield, Link, Bow, Zelda	1 yard
	Red Kona: Red	Zelda, Darknut and Others	¼ yard
	Light Blue Kona: Lavender	Wizzrobe and Bomb	¼ yard
	Dark Blue Kona: Deep Blue	Wizzrobe and Bomb	¼ yard
	Yellow Kona: Canary	Triforce	¼ yard
	Gray Kona: Medium Grey	Bow	⅛ yard
	Interfacing Pellon 911FF (20 inches wide)	Used as backing for all squares	15 yards

1. Quilting Fabric(s): Kona Cotton Solids – I used all Kona Cotton Solid fabrics. They are available at Fabric.com, Amazon.com and JoAnn Fabrics & Crafts (only some of the colors below are available here).  I will give you the names of the fabric colors in the fabric requirement list. There are a couple colors that need a very small amount. You may want to check your scrap basket or buy a fat eighth or fat quarter. I will note this on the list.

All fabric for the blocks will be cut into 1.5″ squares. Please note that the fabric requirement list above includes yardage for sashing and borders. The sashing and borders will not be cut into squares. There is a notation above on the colors that will be kept back for sashing and borders.

2. Interfacing: Light Weight Fusible (Pellon 911FF) – I used a light weight fusible interfacing (911ff by Pellon) for the grid. You do not have to use interfacing but it speeds up the process and helps keep the squares in the correct order while sewing. I bought the thinnest interfacing I could find because it does add some bulk to the blocks.

Rather than buying more expensive interfacing with the grid printed on it, I made my own on white or cream duck fabric and simply laid the plain interfacing on top. It works just as well, as you can easily see through the interfacing to the grid below and it saved me quite a bit of money.  I’ll be explaining how to make the grid on March 1st, along with how to make the first block.

Tools Needed for Zelda: The Quilt-Along

1. Notions: Rotary Cutter – To cut the fabric into 1.5″ squares, you will need a sharp blade in your rotary cutter. Now would be a good time to replace the blade before you begin cutting strips. To cut the squares, you will cut 1.5″ strips and then cross-cut the strips into squares. We recommend using both the OLFA 45mm Rotary Cutter and OLFA 60mm Rotary Cutter.

2. June Tailor Shape Cut Ruler (Optional) – In order to speed up the process, I used a June Tailor Shape Cut Ruler (find one here at Amazon.com). This allowed me to stack up to four layers of fabric at once and then cut several strips without moving the fabric. This is not necessary to complete the quilt blocks, but is a big time-saver and more accurate option. It is definitely a worthwhile purchase if you are intending on doing any other similar quilts or quilts in which you are cutting strips.

3. Fabric-Covered Board – You will need a board to use under the grid and also to layout and press the blocks. I went to Lowes and had them cut a 30-inch square from a MDF board. Rather then waste the remainder of the board, I had them cut the leftover piece into several smaller boards to share with a friend or use yourself. I used a scrap of batting for padding and covered the board with a piece of duck cloth. You could draw your grid directly on the covered board. I chose to use a separate piece of duck cloth for my grid. Again, I will be sharing how to make this grid on March 1st.

4. Container for Individual Squares (Optional) – A container to hold your cut squares is very useful. Any container will be fine. I used an empty square tupperware box.

These are all the tools (other than a sewing machine or needle and thread) that you need to make the blocks. The sizes of the blocks will vary according to their location in the quilt. Each month (or half month, in the case of the first few patterns) we will release a new pattern on my blog that will show a grid for all the squares and also give you a little information about what character, enemy or object from The Legend of Zelda video game that you will be making. Feel free to use this information to really tease that special someone about their new Zelda quilt!

Feb

16

Coming Soon: FREE Zelda
Quilt-Along

Posted Monday, February 16th, 2015 in Quilting | Read More

In 2012 I made a “Zelda” quilt based off of an old Nintendo game, The Legend of Zelda. My daughter Jennifer designed it and I created it for my son-in-law (her husband) for Christmas. It was a big hit not only with my son-in-law, but with my website visitors as well — many of whom were interested in a pattern or tutorial on how to make it.

Now that I am living closer to my daughter, Jennifer and I have decided we can now put together a FREE quilt-along on the blog featuring Zelda. For this new project, which we are calling Zelda: The Quilt-Along, Jennifer has changed the design slightly from the quilt I originally created, making the new Zelda quilt smaller and changing some of the blocks. Zelda: The Quilt-Along will be starting March 1st, 2015 and will involve a new block each month, with a few of the first months featuring two smaller blocks twice a month. We’ll be providing not only a free design PDF each month, but will also provide helpful photos and tips that I learned along the way to really help streamline your piecing and make the entire process easier. We will finish up with our last block and finishing instructions in November, so this could be a great Christmas gift for the gamer in your life.

Jan

24

A “Just for Fun” Quilt!

Posted Saturday, January 24th, 2015 in Accuquilt Go cutter | Read More

I have had this quilt on my to-do list for about a year. I purchased a layer cake and plain white fabric and auditioned it on my Accuquilt Go die early in 2014. Before I could cut it out, we decided to move. This quilt was put on the “back burner” until this month.

I used the 3 1/2 inch drunkards path Go cutter die to cut it out. Each of the 20 blocks has 16 little drunkards path blocks to make a  total of 320 blocks. The most difficult  part of making this quilt was the color placement. There are a couple of places where the same colors touch.

And here it is!

I had enough pieces leftover to make a bonus block. I am going to make a pillow cover with it.

Jan

5

Grand Illusion – Reveal

Posted Monday, January 5th, 2015 in Grand Illusion | Read More

On New Year’s Day, Bonnie revealed the final clue to the mystery quilt. With this clue, she shows how to use all the parts that we have been making for the last five weeks.

This is the first block for my quilt. There will be a total of 25 blocks. The green checkerboard block is the sashing that will go between each block. When the blocks are all joined, I will make a pieced border from the blocks I made in clue 4.

Some of the quilters have finished their quilt tops. Click here to see Bonnie’s finished quilt. Stay tuned for my finished top  next week!