BaconAlong: Cutting and Strip Piecing

To view the main Bacon Quilt-along post and find links to all of the steps click here.

Okay, time to start making some bacon!

Today we'll just cut the fabric strips that will go into the bacon strips. We'll worry about cutting the background fabric later.

Note: including Kona Espresso in your bacon is OPTIONAL. It will finish as a 1/4" wide dark edge on the bacon. If you don't want to bother with such a thin piece, you can leave it off.


                                         Bacon Strip One                            Bacon Strip Two
Kona Espresso                       (2) 3/4"                                           (2) 3/4"
Reddish brown #1                 (2) 3 1/4"                                         (2) 3"
Light bacon fat A                  (2) 2"                                               (2) 2 1/4"
Reddish brown #2                 (2) 2 1/2"                                         (2) 2 3/4"
Light bacon fat B                  (2) 2"                                               (2) 2"
Reddish brown #3                 (2) 3 1/2"                                         (2) 3 1/4"
Background Fabric                (4) 2"                                               (4) 2"

Strip Piecing:
For Bacon Strip One you need to sew two identical sets of strips. Sew them in the order above, except for with the background fabric you will sew one on each side of your strip set. Press all seams on one strip set up, and all seams on the identical strip set down.
Repeat for Bacon Strip Two.

Make sense? Please let me know if not.

Check back on the 20th for instructions on how to make your bacon wavy!
Although I have to admit I am up to my neck in quilting for Quilt Market, so there's a chance the next post may get delayed. I'll do my best.

Bacon Quilt-along: Fabric Requirements

To view the main Bacon Quilt-along post and find links to all of the steps click here.

Are you in? Do you want to make a BACON QUILT? Here's what you'll need.

The finished dimensions for this quilt are 60" by 86", so it is a generous throw. Great for a guy, especially if he's tall.

First, please think about how you want to do your applique letters. If you want to use heat'n'bond or something similar, two yards of that will be plenty. I used Roxanne's Glue-Baste and did a raw edge applique.

The colors above, from top to bottom: Kona Brick, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Gold, Paprika, and Espresso. The Espresso was used for both the letters and a very thin edge on the sides of the bacon strips. For the background color I used Kona Raffia. My second choice was Kona Sand, which is quite a bit lighter. These were my original planned colors, and I actually didn't order enough fabric so I had to pick up some near-solids from my local quilt shop so my colors are slightly different.

For a Bacon Quilt with regular binding:
Three reddish browns: 1/2 yd each
Two light bacon fat colors: 1/4 yd each
Background fabric: 3 3/8 yd
Very dark brown for letters and dark crispy bacon edge: 3/4 yd
Binding fabric (2.5" strips): 5/8 yd
Backing with a vertical seam: 5 yd
Backing with a horizontal seam: 3 3/4 yd

For a Bacon Quilt with Bias Bacon Binding (which is quite fun to say out loud):
Three reddish browns: 5/8 yd each
Two light bacon fat colors: 3/8 yd each
Background fabric: 3 3/8 yd
Very dark brown for letters and dark crispy bacon edge: 3/4 yd
Backing with a vertical seam: 5 yd
Backing with a horizontal seam: 3 3/4 yd

Remember, you also need a dresden ruler. I used an EZ Dresden ruler, but any 18 degree ruler should do.

Now for the bacon fabric giveaway winner: comment #11, The Full Meal Alchemist! I've sent you an email. I loved reading all of your comments! Some of them especially made me laugh. It's fun what bacon can bring out in people.

For those of you quilting along, please let me know if you have any questions!
Now one last question for you--is next Wednesday too soon to start cutting? Do you need more time for fabric to ship?

Announcing the Bacon Quilt-along!

When I was making my rainbow Dresden Ripples quilt this spring, as the first two rows were assembled they looked remarkably like bacon. I decided that a bacon quilt had to become a thing, and it's here!

 I'm still hand-stitching the binding on mine, because I'm slow and it takes me DAYS, but we need to get started on this so anyone quilting along has time to finish before Christmas. Because I'm sure you have at least one man (or anyone, really) in your life who loves BACON. If you choose to participate you can either make the whole quilt, one bacon strip for an eclectic table runner, or any other variation using my method to make your own bacon. Be sure to tag your progress on Instagram with #baconalong so we can see what you're making!

Just FYI: You will need an EZ Dresden Ruler to make this quilt. Every seam is straight and it's so easy to make!

So here's where you can find the posts for each step:

Post 1: Announcement and schedule
Post 2: Fabric requirements
Post 3: Cutting instructions for bacon strips and strip piecing
Post 4: Turning your bacon from straight to wavy
Post 5: Cutting/adding background
Post 6: Applique letters and Quilting 
Post 7: Bias Bacon Binding

So I mentioned a giveaway, right? Here are the details: I'm giving away enough fabric to make two strips of bacon and your own bias bacon binding! You'll need your own fabric for the background and letters.

There are two ways to enter. First, leave me a comment here telling me who you'd like to make a bacon quilt for. Second, check out my feed on Instagram and repost your favorite Bacon Quilt photo, mention the giveaway, and be sure to tag me @thequiltingmill and use the hash tags #baconalong and #baconfabricgiveaway. I'll randomly choose one winner either from the blog or the #baconfabricgiveaway hash tag on October 8th. The giveaway is open to all US residents. (Sorry, international friends!)

So who's excited to make some bacon?