Sunday, November 6, 2022

Granny Long Legs

Once upon a time, very long ago, when I was a brand new quilter, I came across the Disappearing 9-Patch Quilt Pattern. Sewing a 9-patch block and then cutting it into quarters for FOUR blocks was mind-blowing. 

Sewing first and cutting later was truly fascinating. It also meant less sewing, easier piecing and improved accuracy. This was a Win, Win, Win!!! Except for one small problem - it created a mindset. I am forever looking to simplify patterns such that I sew first and cut later.

Meet Granny Long Legs - completely strip-pieced. 

A Queen-sized Quilt


Are you smiling at the name? Me too :-)  It looks a tiny bit like Granny Square Blocks, but the block is rectangular (not square). Hence the name. That it sounds like Daddy Long Legs is an added bonus :-D


I began working on this quilt more than a year ago.  The pattern was created in EQ8 in October of last year.  I designed Granny Long Legs for the Island Batik's Spring Summer 2022 Catalog using Prairie Blue,  a Spring 2022 collection designed by Kathy Engle. This collection should be available in stores now.



Granny Long Legs uses 11 out of the 20 fabrics in the collection + Smoke, an Island Batik Foundation fabric. I started cutting fabrics in February of this year.

Slivers Monster :-D

I used my Accuquilt Go! Cutter for cutting and sub-cutting as far as possible.

Accuquilt - Ah yes!

The blocks overflowed my design wall...



And it was a beast to baste it.



It was a bitterly cold Sunday in March, when I took the first pictures. 

Beauty and the Blizzard


I used my walking foot for quilting using Schmetz needles and Aurifil 40wt thread. I wanted the binding color to match the border but dark thread on dark fabrics would be an absolute torture on my eyes. A faux piped binding with a skinny sliver of white was the perfect choice.


Faux Piped Binding


Yesterday, Paul and I went to Meadowlark Gardens where we took lots of pictures. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, complicated only by the fact that we had to deal with the bulk of a queen-size quilt. There is no easy way to photograph a 80" by 100" quilt. 


Granny Long Legs


Quilt in Motion


Sunny Day


An uphill battle


I chose to walk up a hill while hoping that the breeze would lift the quilt just enough to get the full picture. Paul, sometimes the model and sometimes the photographer, shifted effortlessly between the two roles. Here he is struggling in his role as the model.


You and Blue - Ooh!!!

Did you notice how the blues pop in the sun and the navy/darker fabrics stand out in the shade?

I saved the best for the last.

My favorite!


Granny Long Legs is now available as a pattern in my Etsy Store

There are ten pages of detailed instructions with colored pictures for every step.  
A full page of cutting instructions in a tabular form so that you can keep track and check as you proceed.
Strip piecing techniques ensure that cutting and sewing is minimized. 
Two pages of coloring sheets so that you can audition your fabrics/color choices. 

And it is on sale, at 25% off, till Sunday, 11/13/22. 


What is a pattern release without a giveaway? Since Granny Long Legs uses my favorite technique of Strip Piecing, please let me know in the comments, what is your favorite technique for piecing quilts. Only one entry per person. I will draw two winners and announce on Sunday 11/13/22.  I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.








59 comments:

  1. I think chain piecing is something that I do more than any other I do like that you are able to use the accuquilt for this pattern anything that helps with the cutting is a win in my book

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  2. I also chain piece whenever possible. Unfortunately, I do not have accuquilt or any cutter other than my rotary cutter.
    I really like how your granny long legs quilt turned out…blues were a great choice of colors!

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    1. Sorry that my comment comes up anonymous. For some reason, this happens on some of the blogs I comment on from my iPad. I can’t figure it out. Dawn @quiltingbydawn.blogspot.com

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  3. What a beautiful quilt! And what a hard decision. I'd say my favorite quilting technique would be paper foundation piecing since I love scrappy!

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  4. Lovely quilt, great colors and pattern! My favorite technique is just sewing piece to piece at my treadle. I love new techniques that save fabric and time.

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  5. So gorgeous! Paper piecing for me! @somanylegalpieces

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  6. Gorgeous quilt, I love all the blues! I'm a piece by piece chain stitcher most often.

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  7. Always like to use leaders and Enders too. Great for scraps. Blues are beautiful. joanneembury@gmail.com

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  8. Chain piecing is my favorite technique. I lift the string and bring them to the ironing board to press open before cutting apart.

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  9. Another beauty, there is just something soothing about a blue quilt. I love strip piecing and chopping it up and sewing it back together!

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  10. It's a beautiful finish! Love all those blues, very soothing colorway.

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  11. What a fun name! You are always a genius at that. And the pictures in the park are great. Probably a lot more fun than walking around in the snow ;) Good luck with the pattern release. xo

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  12. Love the name , and the brave soul holding that quilt over the water! Argh ! My heart! It is hard to photograph the big ones. I drape them over a chair, artistically maybe! I am going out to the snow to snap mine today. We've had 8 inches so far .Stay safe and sew on !

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  13. I don’t enjoy sewing long rows together, so I always try to piece the blocks together in big chunks or pieces. (Angieholder@hotmail)

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  14. I also enjoy strip piecing, so much faster than cutting individual blocks then stitching them together. I LOVE your quilt! Those blues are so beautiful!

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  15. I enjoy string piecing, crumb blocks, scrappy just about anything! Your quilt is gorgeous. Gorgeous Granny Long Legs!

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  16. It must have been so hard to wait to share this quilt until now. But lucky for us you got to photograph it in two different seasons. You had me at "granny." I have always loved granny square afghans, but crochet is beyond me. Love the name, and I'm sure your pattern is terrific.

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  17. Blue and white, there's no way to be wrong with this combo colors and beautiful batiks. Another lovely quilt Pretti.
    Usually I do chain piecing sewing piece to piece but sure strip piecing saves a lot of time.

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  18. Strip piecing wow. Gorgeous quilt. Love color blue. dorthac at aol dot com

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  19. I really like strip piecing. I recently made a jelly roll rails for Christmas. It needs the final border, but if I can get it long armed I’ll have it for Christmas.

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    1. Same problem as above. SarahsGiftNShip at gmail dot com

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  20. That is a fabulous quilt! So pretty and so intricate.
    I'm another chain piecer, though there is a certain joy in completing on block at a time, and watching them stack up.

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  21. Love this quilt! Big quilts are very hard to photograph, but the overhang option does work best. Great job!

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  22. Beautiful quilt in great colours ......chain piecing would be the way I'd put it together - a really great pattern! mscs@rogers.com

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  23. I enjoy strip piecing. Your quilt is lovely. petuniakr@aol.com

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  24. I prefer chain piecing. Your quilt it gorgeous….beautiful blue. I do admire your cleverness.
    Catherine….august1375.c @ aol dot com

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  25. Chain piecing is my favorite method. Love this pattern. Smithcindyk@gmail.com

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  26. Beautiful blues and pattern! String piecing is my favorite 😻

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  27. Fabulous quilt and I absolutely LOVE the faux piped binding! Piecing? Crumb piecing is my favorite.

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  28. I've never sewed things up and then cut them up again, but I'm willing to try! I see your small pile of scraps, which seems counterintuitive with an Accuquilt. (?) I see you dressed Paul to coordinate with the quilt!

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    1. The skinny slivers you see (monster eyes) are the cuts to straighten the Island Batik fabrics I received. They were fed into the Accuquilt AFTER that step.

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  29. You make quilt making look so easy. I like whatever method, strip, chain, makes it come out the best without complications.

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  30. Granny Long-legs is beautiful, Preeti! I appreciate your wonderful ability to take a complicated quilting idea and turn it into a much simpler construction. You're the scientist of quilt pattern designing! (Or maybe that would be mathematician?!) Great finish, and fun photos, too!

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  31. Cutting strips with the AccuCut before cutting them into other shapes is truly a time saver. Strip piece, chain sew, whatever it takes to get the job done and enjoy the finished product.

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  32. I love your pretty blue quilt! My favorite technique is using precuts. Lots of variety! Is this pattern for 2.5 in strips?

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  33. Hi Preeti! You had me at the name - it does make me smile. And then, you said completely strip pieced. Well, dang it. I.am.in. When the stars align, they align. I just ordered a blue and white jelly roll because I have been jonesing to make a b/w quilt. That's it. I'm on my way to your Etsy shop right this minute. Every single thing about this is FAB. I'll let you know and tag you appropriately when I get going on it. {{Hugs}} a whole bunch! ~smile~ Roseanne

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  34. That's a great name design! I love quilting shortcuts!

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  35. I don't really have a favorite technique for piecing but using precuts speeds up the process and great instructions are a Godsend.....cmberry@lsu.edu

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  36. I don't have a favorite technique. I do chain piece but like to leave longer ends so the seam doesn't come apart or undone. Since my machine has a cutter, I use it and get those ends I like.

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  37. I use Chain piecing, but right now I'm busy paper piecing Christmas ornaments!! Love the new quilt!!

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  38. What a beautiful quilt. And a great photo shoot! My favorite piecing method is piece by piece. It's hard to sew any other way with scraps!

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  39. This is gorgeous! I'm a scrappy gal and love working with a multitude of tiny pieces.

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  40. Lovely quilt! Congratulations on the new pattern. Thanks for sharing it on Wednesday Wait Loss.

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  41. Love how you came to that name!!!! and your photos.. I think you nailed it! My favorite is Paul sitting with it.... looks like he loves it!!!
    My favorite piecing method?? Using my sewing machine???? haha!!

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  42. Diana K. diana.kastelic@hotmail.comNovember 9, 2022 at 2:08 PM

    I love you new Granny Long Legs quilt design, Preeti. Those blues look fabulous in that colour arrangement. I have to agree with AngieSue above: I prefer to piece my quilts into quadrants and then assemble them, rather than sewing long skinny columns. And for ensuring the seams match when they need to, pin-matching works great!

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  43. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  44. Trying to edit my comment. I really like this quilt and its name! My favorite technique is chain piecing. This way I'm working on two quilts at once, like leader/ender sewing.

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  45. I don't know if I have a favorite piecing technique...I think I prefer a variety...something challenging like applique or paper piecing and then an easy strip pieced method. Your Granny Long Legs looks great in those blue Island Batik prints! And the faux piped binding is sweet!

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  46. Strip piecing has been on my brain recently, too! I've been trying to get started on Lo & Behold Stitchery's Deco quilt pattern that is all strip piecing and I splurged on the strip dies in all of the correct widths for that pattern, and now I've got that Star of Bethlehem obsession (probably a quilter's variant form of Mad Cow Disease) thinking about strip piecing diamonds... For whatever reason, strip piecing scares me, like barreling down the interstate without a seat belt! I guess because you are sewing so much faster that you can mess up a lot more in less time. You know, if I sew two little patches together and then I measure them and it's not quite right, I can rip out 2" of stitching and fix it, then continue my merry way. But if I cut up all of my fabric into these strips and then I sew those LONG strips together with a seam allowance that is a smidge too wide or too narrow, then I either have to toss the strips or unpick 44" worth. I am such a baby! I love your Granny Long Legs and I am encouraged to learn that you used your strip dies and strip piecing to construct it!

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  47. What a great quilt. It reminds me of some I've made (much more laboriously with each square individually cut.) Of course you would figure out a more efficient way to work. The tiny faux piping just elevates your finish.
    I love all the places to you your quilts to photograph. And I'm impressed Paul didn't accidentally dip the quilt into the pond of the last photo.

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  48. I love strip piecing….and of course, I have to chain piece whenever possible! Love your quilt!

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  49. This turned out so beautiful, and I just love the colors. The faux-piping is pretty cool, too. That final photo is just awesome!

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  50. I love to chain piece and to web rows together. It speeds up the process. I am thinking of getting the same cutting system but not sure how much I would use it.

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  51. I love this quilt - and the last photo really is great. I love how you have used those blues. I love to strip piece then cross-cut, with my pieced quilts.

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  52. Such a beautiful quilt, and the scenery - and the model ;) - are gorgeous! The last photo is the perfect shot. Pretty pattern, pretty fabrics too.
    Foundation paper piecing is my favorite technique ;)
    Thank you for sharing, and linking up!

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  53. Another beautiful quilt. I really like the colors too. Clever little snips man. It’s always fun to read your blog. I sure know about comments that go rogue — ie anonymous. It’s a pain. Lucky me my iPad isn’t anonymous today.

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  54. holy moly, you've outdone yourself here, Preeti - what a gorgeous specimen, and how exciting it's all strip pieced! I am right now doing some hand piecing to slow down my brain and I have to say, it's very meditative. Probably not the most efficient thing in the world....oh well.

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