Feb
21

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

Posted Saturday, February 21st, 2015 in Quilting | Tags: , ,

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:

Sketch of The Zelda Quilt-Along

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!


Comments

Liz says... February 21, 2015 | 11:30 am

Wow Linda, this is a wonderful project you have undertaken. I will not be making the quilt, but the technique will be useful in making clergy stoles that use 1″ finished squares. Hope you have many followers.

admin says... February 21, 2015 | 11:35 am

Thanks Liz! I hope this info will be useful to you. I plan to do more of these projects in the future. Jennifer has an idea for another quilt using this method.

krislovesfabric says... February 21, 2015 | 11:54 am

Evan says…”oooh, Zelda so cool” 🙂

Amanda says... October 26, 2015 | 10:34 pm

I found your blog googling “Mario Quilts”. I am a novice quilter, working on my 6th quilt. I’m definitely bookmarking this Zelda quilt-along for a next project. Thanks for a great blog, gaming-quilts and non!