I am currently working on a CW in the traditional technique. I do, however, put my blocks together by machine and hand-sew the windows. It is much easier than some may think. At first glance, it looked so daunting but hence have broken it down to find that it's not bad at all.

Whether you are in the middle of a CW project or have contemplated the idea... hop on the journey! We can learn from each other as we share info, techniques, pictures and the such. Whether you are just wanting to try a block, pillow case, table runner, or full blown quilt, it will be exciting!

I look forward to sharing this journey with all of you! :)

Do you have the link so we will know how to make one and can you give us tips and tricks along the way (I just sent you a private message)

Craftybear

The following links will give you an idea of the process, but I will also be giving tips and how to's to make things much easier for everyone! Even a beginner can do this!

http://hyena-in-petticoats.blogspot....-tutorial.html

http://static.quiltingboard.com/uplo...ff020_2513.pdf

Please let me know if you decide to take the ride. I will keep a running tab of those hopping on the journey so we can keep in touch w/out getting lost. I look forward to sharing with all of you! :)

Here is the link for this thread incase you want to make note of it: http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-133552-1.htm

This is the way I was taught to make them; the hand sewing is so relaxing but I like joining them with the machine because I feel they'll stay together better. I use the small applique pins to turn the windows and by the time I start hand quilting they stay pretty flat. I also include the secret gardens block to change the style.

I will break things down for you so it won't seem so daunting. Therefore there will be several posts by me:
1. Materials Needed: Cutting board, Rotary Cutter, Needle threader (if you are blind as a bat like me :) ), Needle, Pins, Thread (I use Coats & Clark Dual Duty), Ruler (I use a 9.5 inch square & a smaller one), Seam Allowance Gauge (not required, but I have found it makes it much easier) Iron, Ironing board, Sewing Machine (not required), Solid Material, Print Material.

2. About Material: Traditionally Muslin was used for the solid (which is cheaper) but you can use cotton if you would like. In addition in a traditional CW quilt, the print fabric was from different scraps that were left over from other projects.
What I am using: Unbleached Muslin and one type of print.
With the muslin, you can hold it up to a window or light and it has a stained glass effect. It is really neat.

3. How Much Material?: This will depend on what you are wanting to make. Ex: just a block, pillow case, table runner, quilt. I will give you the approximate amount for quilt sizes.
Crib (45" X 60") 9 yards Solid Color
Twin (60" x 96") 19 yards Solid Color
Double (75" x 96") 22 yards Solid Color
Queen (80" x 100") 25 yards Solid Color
King (100" x 100") 30 yards Solid Color

4. Sizes to cut? Solid you will cut 9 1/2 inch squares
(you will need 4 to make one block unit)
Print: 2 1/2 inch squares. (you will need 4 to make one block unit)

craftybear has joined our journey! We are so glad to have you!

Have faith, you can do this! You will feel so accomplished even after just one block! As I said earlier, even a beginner can do this! I have to go tend to supper, family obligations and the such. More "how to's" to come!

I think I will make a block and then maybe a table runner

And don't forget Eddie's tutorial on this board!

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-35742-1.htm

Thanks so much! All tutorials for this are welcomed! People can grasp the concept when it is presented in different methods. What works for one may not be clear to another. When I get settled down for the evening, I will combine all of the tutorial links on my page for this project & post that link. If there are any other links that have been used for tutorial, please let us know :)

I am so excited & doing the happy dance, lol. I look forward to seeing everyone's fabric choices!

I've already finished a queen by hand for my daughter and in the middle of a queen by hand for me, so I won't be joining in, but I'll be eagerly reading along on everyone's progress!
They really are wonderfully fun . . . Happy stitching everyone :)

please show us yours

Here ya go, craftybear.
I sewed them together in separate diamonds of purple and green. She really likes purple :) Please ignore the fold lines - it has been stored away for quite a while.

Absolutely gorgeous! Thank you so much for sharing! Feel free to jump in any time for a visit, we are glad that you plan to keep stopping by!

With the blocks I have done thus far, I have not gone all the way through. I am starting to rethink that decision. I did not prewash my muslin because I am wanting the wrinkled vintage look after i wash once completed. I know it is a matter of personal preference, but I am still undecided. I am wondering if the effect I am looking for will be as pronounced if I do not go all the way through. Your thoughts on this would be welcomed?

I am attaching a picture of one of my blocks so you all can see what material choice I have made. Please keep in mind, this is one of my first blocks :)

Here is the link for the page I have started for this project. It has a list of those on this journey as well as tutorial links. More info will be added as we go.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/user_page.jsp?upnum=4669

There are several tutorials and different techniques to make this so I would read through them to see what you think. Personally some seem more difficult to me than others, but that is just me.

For this project, I will go through the method I have found the easiest to understand and accomplish but still trying to stay in the traditional technique.

Note for those who have never done a CW: there is no batting or backing needed. The concept is fold, press, & sew. You will end up with several layers of folds in your blocks which will make it heavier. This is a quilt as you go. We will work in 9" block sections for ease.

Decisions to make before hand:

1. What fabric do you want to use? Muslin, Cotton, etc. (solid) and your print. Do you want to only use one print or several? Are you wanting to create an effect? Holiday colors? Let the creativity flow!
I personally have chosen to use contrasting colors and using only one print. My fabric type is unbleached muslin for the solid and cotton for the print.

2. What size do you want your finished block? I'm going to be honest and say I'm still learning the figuring out the measurements for different size blocks.
For this project, we are going to end up with a 9" finished block. Then we will connect blocks together to the desired size you are wanting. Therefore, cut 4 (9.5 inch squares out of your solid) and 4 (2.5 inch squares out of your print)

3. Do you want the wrinkled vintage look when done? If so, do not prewash your solid. I recommend pre washing your print, though and ironing it before you cut your small squares. With that being said, if you are planning to use something other than white, cream, or muslin as your solid, I would highly recommend pre washing it as well. I would be afraid of color bleed. This is just my opinion.

4. Do you want your stitches to show on the back? I believe this will also aid in the wrinkled vintage effect once washed. i have not completed to be able to confirm or deny this.

5. Do you want your stitches to visually stand out on your windows? Or do you want them to blend with your background color?

Think about your answers to these questions and I will close for now. Let your creativity run wild! I look forward to hearing what you have decided!

Hey everyone! How are your decisions coming? I am anxious to hear what everyone has come up with! Remember: there is no right or wrong way to do this. What works for one may not work for another. If you search the forums and the internet, you will find many different methods. I am no expert by any means! I am a beginner and have so much respect for all the talented people in the quilting world! I have a thirst for knowledge and encourage everyone to voice their input whether it be constructive criticism, tips, advice, opinions.. all are welcomed with a :) I have a whole lot to learn myself!

With that being said, the reason I had started this thread/project was to share a method that I found easy as a beginner. I was so excited to be able to accomplish this. I used to think it was impossible for someone w/as little knowledge of sewing as I to be able to do it. Needless to say, my finished product may not be as beautiful as the more experienced quilter, but I am proud of myself :) I want to show other beginners that they can do this, too!

Let us know if you are joining the journey or just following along. We are more than glad to have all of you and welcome your input with tons of gratitude :) We are going to take it nice and slow.. one step at a time.

Todays to do: Cut 4 (9.5" square of solid) and 4 (2.5" square of print) Iron using steam.

Tip: I used a 9.5 inch square ruler to make that size cut.

I will have pictures posted tomorrow of the folding process. I have to update my photo program and pull them off of the camera.

thanks, I need to go to my sewing room and figure out what fabric I am going to use

what a great idea as I have been thinking of making a cathedral window for a while...my question would be this: I would like to make a handbag (or purse I think you call it) and use the cathedral window blocks in it. Would denim be too heavy a material to sew through? I have a blue batik with fish on it which I know my friend would love but have nothing else but denim to go with it.

I was given several nice panels and someone suggested I do CW but when I looked at a pattern I was scared of it!

I was given several nice panels and someone suggested I do CW but when I looked at a pattern I was scared of it!

What a cute idea! Personally, I don't think the denim will be too bad to get through with this particular method. You can do one block and see how it goes. I would recommend not going all the way through to the back when we get to that part. I will show you how to accomplish that :). You are more than welcomed to hop on our journey to try it out :) We would love to have you!

Come on the journey with us! I have definitely felt that way until I found this method. Try one block with us and see what you think. If you are happy with the method and results, the possibilities are endless! We would be glad to have you! :)

I am reposting the link I used to learn this because I think her pictures are much clearer to understand in her folding process.
http://hyena-in-petticoats.blogspot....-tutorial.html

Tip: I do not use the 9" template b/c I find it difficult but feel free if you find it easier. I use a 1/4" seam gauge or ruler and press as I go down each side.
If someone has an easier/more accurate way to do this please let us know :)

Tip: Make sure you use steam through the whole process to better set your folds.

Fold 1: 1/4" seam allowance all the way around your 9.5" squares

Fold 2: With seam allowances to the ceiling, fold in half for a guide crease. Then open back up so that seam allowances are towards the ceiling again.

Fold 3: Bring all 4 corners to the center. Press with steam. (seam allowances should not be visible now)

Fold 4: Fold all 4 of these corners to the center. Press with steam. (Your block should be 4.5" now)

Do these folds to all 4 of your 9.5" squares.

Tip: Re-press and steam as you go to maintain the crispness of the folds. This will help to keep things straight.

If things still aren't clear, feel free to PM me or ask here on the thread :)

Tomorrow, I will go over putting these 4 blocks together. In the photo below, they are just laying side by side, they are not sewn together.

Hello to everyone! Checking in to see how everyone is doing so far. Let's do "roll call" (giggle) I am anxious to hear what fabrics you have chosen and if you are finding the "how to's" easy to understand at this point. We have a lot of silent readers that have sent me PMs who tell me they are following along. They are just as excited to see what all of us come up with.

Most of us have busy busy lives so that is another reason I have taken this tutorial slow. I plan to post all of the steps to this on my blog once we get done here. This way you will be able to view/print in order if you would like for later reference. Being new to these boards, I probably should have posted this thread under "tutorials" instead of "main"... Ooops :) Actually the "how to" part was an after thought being I was asked by several in a PM. I was happy to oblige. :)

I'm trying to get my wife/mommy things done so I can come play, lol. Next steps and pictures will be posted this evening (hopefully!).

As promised, here I am. I will forewarn you that I was having issues w/my machine but went ahead and got the shots in case any have been waiting. I am very critical of what my end product looks like so not sure this one will be a keeper. We will see.

Pin & Sew 1: Put 2 blocks side by side, take the wing from each one that are next to each other & pin. Do the same for the next 2 blocks.

Lift them up & lay back down to where it looks like 2 arrows laying there.

Sew together as you follow the fold line on the wings that are pointed outward. This can be done by machine or hand.

Please let me know if this doesn't make since.

Once sewn together. Remove pins, open them back up, finger pressing open what you just sewed. Lay back together like it was a finished block.

Pin and Sew 2: Do the remaining inner wings the same as above. Once pinned, lay them as to have 2 arrows. Sew down both arrows following the fold line. (machine or hand)

See photos for better understanding. Again, feel free to PM me or ask here on the thread if these instructions are not clear.

Remove pins & open these back up, finger pressing open what you just sewed. All 4 of your squares should be connected at this point. Press with steam. Pin your outside corners as shown in the photo.

I hope to get started on the "windows" tomorrow for you. Apologies for spreading this out time wise. I am having to fit my play time in my busy schedule. Until then, Happy Sewing :)

Your 4 corners should be pinned at this point. You should have 4 "window panes" in the center.
Tack & Pin Some of your corners on your panes will be loose.

1.Tack these loose corners down.

2.Place your print squares in the center of each pane & pin.

3.On each side of a print, fold the pane over & pin all the way around your print square. Pinning only through the part you folded over your print. The pane will taper itself at the corners. (See photo) Remove the initial center pin once you have all 4 sides of the panes pinned.

4. Do your stitching at the edge of your pane (solid) all the way around your print... only going through the layer that you pinned to your print & your print. (See photo for clarification)

Your block is complete. Make more blocks just like this one. Take out the block corner pins & attach in the same manner that you attached the 4 initial 4.5" blocks. Add print the same way as the initial blocks to create more "windows"

I hope you have found this easy. If you have any problems, feel free to ask. There are other great tutorials & different methods to do this on the boards. I am a beginner, as you can see from my photos, but I still felt accomplished. :) The more that I do, the better they will look I'm sure. As I might have mentioned earlier, I was a bit reluctant to do this tutorial. There are so many talented & knowledgable people here. Their work looks like perfection in my opinion. I just wanted to show other beginners that a fellow beginner can do this.:)

I'm pretty sure it would be too heavy as well, but I found this pattern which would give you the CW look and is made from jeans. I started cutting pieces for this but ran out of jeans and sewing machine needles. I want to do this so I'll get back to it eventually!

http://www.straw.com/equilters/libra...gallbaros.html

thanks for that idea sararachel I had seen that before but forgot about it..the more I think about it the more I think denim will be too thick to try and sew through to make the cathedral windows so I am still looking through my fabrics to see what would look good. Hoping to maybe start on Monday to sew if I can decide.. on what fabrics to use....I forgot to mention I like your color choices Teresapendino. Also looking forward to seeing what others create...

Please forgive the photo quality. Bad lighting and I wasn't using my good camera. I also cropped too much on the left, but those are whole windows, too. I was trying to hurry up and get it done before company arrived. Just wanted to give you an idea of how it looks when you put the blocks together.

Happy Quilting to you all :)

those are really pretty. Did you use lace around the windows; it looks like it. If not I think that would be a great idea.

Thanks! Was reluctant to share due to me being a super beginner even on the sewing talent :) No lace, probably just poor photo quality. I used contrasting thread color for interest :) Did a basic running stitch. I love the lace idea, though!

How has everyone been? Anxious to hear and/or see your ideas! It seems like the more I try to set time aside to work on my project, something always comes up. Therefore, it has been slow progress on my end. I imagine it is that way with most. :)

This is almost more than I can bear. I have 2 quilts I need to finish before I start one of these.

I love the running stitch in the contrasting color. It really does make it look lacy and ultra feminine.

Every CW tutorial I look at gives me another great idea. I can't wait to get started, but it will be a month or so.

Thanks so much to you and Eddie and everyone who has posted pictures and added bits of info. I'm pretty sure I can screw it up, but it will be nobody's fault but my own.

I love your fabric choices for your cathedral window. Unfortunately I havent had a chance to start mine as the day I planned to sew a friend I dont see often rang and wanted to catch up. Not sure when I will be able to start now :-( but when I have some progress i will let you know!

My machine is evil! I had to take it apart. Thought i'd stop in here a minute before I attempt to put it back together. Might have to get my 15 yr old son to help me out. He is the more mechanically inclined one, lol.

I am just about to put my 2nd 4 block unit together. Have figured out another tip to share. When you are at the point of pinning your pane over the sides of your print, take your finger and fold your pane over and press. It makes it easier to keep it in place to the point that I am only pinning the print instead of the panes. I am able to hold the fold over part in place as I hand stitch the window.

Random thought: My creativity is flowing. I was thinking of putting a blue border around my 4 block units to help them stand out. Here is the problem: I wouldn't know where to start. I hadn't planned on adding batting & backing. Any thoughts or advice on this delima would be appreciated. :)

@BigDog & blahel: thank you both so much and you are more than welcome for the tut. I hope it has been easy to understand :)

you can just use the batting on w/the sashes. I did that with a quilt as you go and even finished it off with decorative stitches on top so that I didn't have to do any handwork.

Since I've never made a CW, take this with a big grain of salt:

What I've read is you don't use batting or backing. You already have 4 layers of fabric, which should be thick enough for warmth. Somewhere, maybe here, I've read you can sew your "glass" (print fabric) to a slightly smaller piece of batting or fleece if you want extra warmth or if you want to add a slightly poofy dimension.

As far as adding a border to each 4 piece, it would add color but I think it would take something away from the beauty of the individual panes. That's strictly my opinion. If you decide to do that, please post a picture. I would love to see one done that way.

Question for anyone who is "in the know"... I ended up having to completely hand sew my blocks together. I am using Coats & Clark® Dual Duty Hand Quilting thread and back stitching. Should I be doubling my thread?
For those wondering what happened w/my machine... I need to get some more needles. I have found that my work looks much straighter when doing it all by hand, though, lol. Machine and I aren't a good pair being I have a lot to learn about machine sewing. I can control things better by hand. Thinking I might continue all by hand even once I get my machine needles.

Anyway, enough of my rambling. Thanks any advance to anyone with an answer to this thread doubling question. :)