Quilter's Pie

High heat calls for a cool, creamy dessert.....
Mocha Cheese Pie, I'm calling this one  Quilter's Pie.
    1 graham cracker crumb crust---ready made makes it easy
    8 ounces of cream cheese---softened
    3/4 C powdered sugar
    1 Tablespoon instant coffee plus 1 1/2  Tablespoon of hot water
    1/2 jar of chocolate sauce (or ice cream topping, I used Hot Fudge Sauce)---calls for 1 C in recipe
    2 Cups of Cool Whip---whipped cream is better, but more calories
Cream  the cream cheese in bowl with mixer until smooth and fluffy.  Add powdered sugar and mix till blended.
Combine the instant coffee and hot water. Leave it out if you don't like coffee and use vanilla instead.  Add to the chocolate sauce.  Mix till smooth.
 Add 1/2 of  chocolate mixture to the cream cheese and blend.
Add Cool whip and blend.
Place about one half of mixture into the crust.
 Pour the remaining chocolate mixture over the bottom layer of cream cheese mixture.  Then top with the remaining portion of the cream cheese mixture.
 I added some shaved Hersey's candy bar to the top.  Refrigerate till set.    Excellent!

Tip:   Another type of Quilter's Pie----the math kind, the confusing kind, the don't mess with my brain kind.  I should have learned this in high school, or college, but it never made sense until a few years ago.  I think that's because I had a reason to apply the principle when quilting and remember it.  So, here's a quick tip to help when you are planning a quilt layout with blocks set on point.  I thought it was good enough to share.
 From an article by Robin Strobel that I received from Martingale Publishing.  

".......there are a couple numbers of which I am fond.   My favorite number is 1.414.

That’s because 1.414 is the number they never told me about in that long-ago and best-forgotten geometry class. ...... I’ve since discovered that 1.414 is a quilter’s magic number.   It is how you know the width of a block if you set it on point.   It is how you know the size to cut setting triangles for on-point quilt patterns.   It is how much longer the diagonal of a square is than the sides.

  You can also use the magic of 1.414 to find out how to calculate setting triangles for your on-point blocks.   (Yes, there is a setting-triangles formula!)   Quilters usually make corner-setting triangles from half-square triangles, and side-setting triangles from quarter-square triangles. (This keeps the fabric’s straight of grain on the outside edges of the quilt and makes it less likely the edges will stretch and ripple.)   As always, make all your calculations using the finished measurements and then go back and add the seam allowances.   This is because the amount you add for seam allowances depends on the shape you are cutting.   Add 1/2″ for squares and rectangles, 7/8″ for a square from which you cut two half-square triangles,  and 1 1/4″ for a square from which you cut four quarter-square triangles."

    Deana  came up with a very neat knitting  project bag design.  I think it would be a great quilter accessory bag too.   I love the way she put the zipper on the outside for the pocket.  Too cute.  


  More mystery game hints or clues tomorrow.
Happy stitching.

Borders..how wide do I go?

This year I have had emails asking  how to determine the size or width of the border on a quilt.  I have researched it over the years and even have a couple of books on borders.  A lot of inspiration and how to info, but not a lot of help in planning the width or how to decide.   Finally I researched  the principals of design in art, since quilting is my visual art form.   There are 6 main topics here:  unity, variety, balance, contrast, proportion and pattern/rhythm.  From  these I figured out "my formula" that pleases my eye. 

First:  I like to use a narrow sashing--usually 1 inch--to stop the  block pattern and for contrast.  Often in my quilts it is black or a strong accent color to bring out a color in the body of the quilt.   Also for unity the narrowest border should be closest to the center of the quilt.  For my watercolor quilts because they are much smaller in size, I will usually use an inset  "piping style" piece that ends up 1/2 inch. 

The inset piping piece is cut 1 1/2 inches and folded in half wrong sides together.  It is sewn to the body of the quilt top with the raw edges matched and the folded edge toward the center.  The folded edge is not sewn down.  It gives the effect like a  mat on a framed picture.     This photo shows a cream inset piping and  a very narrow dark red sashing and then a dark border. The contrast stops the eye and the color of the piping puts the eye back in the center.   This was a round robin poster project from last year.  Four different quilters created  1/4 of the center, using a variety of techniques. 

Second:  The  width of the  border should be at least one-half to two-thirds the size of the quilt block used in the quilt.  This proportion keeps the eye on the center of the quilt which is the most important.   The overall finished width of the border should not be larger than one quilt block.
 In the scrappy mountains quilt top the finished  blocks are 8  inches by 9 1/2 inches.  So  to be pleasing to my eye, the overall border should be no more than 8 inches and the outer fabric no more than 5 inches.   I finished adding the borders today and very pleased with the result.  I used a black sashing--1 1/2 inches wides to stop the pattern, and a 5 inch outer border.  That makes a total border about 5 1/2 inches when finished.   I promise to quit blogging on about this quilt and get it quilted soon.

The photo on the left shows a scrap quilt I love, but the border is too narrow overall.  Its just not one of my most successful quilts.  The quilt uses 2 blocks, a snowball block and 9 patch variation.   Both were 6 inch blocks.  The first border (the zig-zag area) is 3 1/2 inches and I used a 3 inch final border of floral fabric.  My thinking was the border would be almost equal  to the block size, and I should not make the outer any larger.  Wrong!  When I look at it now, it seems unfinished, out of proportion, off-balance.  Because I did not stop the design with a sashing, the out border needed to be larger than the inner one. Just one more thing to keep in mind.
Third:  There are always exceptions to the above because each quilt tells its own story and has its own rhythm.    See the above photo and description to understand this.  If  I was adding applique (or a type of pieced border)  to the quilt, the outer border  should probably  be wider to keep the overall appearance in balance.  

So, my general rule/formula is a border about 2/3 the size of the block used, and be prepared to rip it out or add to it if needed!  When I find the absolute for border width, believe me, I will write the book.  Until then, happy stitching.