Calico Cowgirls Fabric Tour

Happy Monday - welcome to my stop on the Calico Cowgirls Fabric Tour - thank you so much for stopping by for a visit. I am thrilled to be sharing these bright and vivid fabrics from Poppie Cotton. I have a couple very special projects lined up, created with the new Calico Cowgirls fabric collection designed by Lori Woods for Poppie Cotton. I enjoyed putting on my quilt designer hat and playing with these colorful prints. This brand new fabric collection (shipping to quilt shops this month) has a happy and vibrant feel to me. As with all Poppie Cotton fabric lines, the entire collection is filled with tiny details and the sweetest little motifs. There are lovely florals, succulent strawberries, a whimsical paisley, and unique vintage wallpaper prints. The color palette is bursting with bright reds, pinks, corals, fuchsia, yellows, teals and purples - perfect for brightening up your project pile!

First, I created a fun and funky "Cheerful Chicken" mini quilt. Normally, a chicken quilt would be out of my comfort zone (and not really my style), but I challenged myself  and I couldn't be happier with the results. This project doesn't have a pattern - it was just me playing around in my studio. My happy chicken mini measures 12" x 12" and has rick rack around the perimeter. It is traditional piecing and machine appliqué. I used HeatnBond Lite Iron-On Adhesive to adhere my chicken shapes and used a machine blanket stitch to appliqué them in place. I adhered HeatnBond Fusible Fleece to the back of my mini quilt top, then quilted it before adding rick rack and backing fabric. I thought this tiny quilt turned out super cute!

Next, I thought this fabric collection would work perfectly with my Big Blooms Table Runner pattern. This patchwork and machine appliqué runner measures 24" x 64" and does a great job of showing off the 32 colorful prints in this fabric collection. It is fat quarter and 5" precut (charm square) friendly - perfect for this large assortment of fun prints. I used Country Confetti (also from Poppie Cotton) for the background and binding. This bold runner fits my large farmhouse table - it would also be a lovely bed runner or wall hanging. The pattern contains basic machine appliqué instructions, appliqué templates, and comprehensive/detailed instructions with all sorts of color diagrams. 

I created this runner with a fat quarter stack of Calico Cowgirls - plus, ¾ yard Country Confetti (Marshmallow New White) for the background and ⅓ yard Country Confetti (Sea Glass Mint) for the binding. I used HeatnBond Lite Iron-On Adhesive, backing fabric and batting. The pattern gives a nice breakdown of materials, should you want to use a charm pack or precuts...or change fabric collections.

Paper Pattern: https://blueribbondesigns.etsy.com/listing/1611372045
Digital Pattern: https://blueribbondesigns.etsy.com/listing/1597211682

I hope you have enjoyed this stop on the fabric tour and are feeling inspired - thank you for visiting with me today. For more creative projects using the Calico Cowgirls fabric collection, visit the Poppie Cotton Blog. If you love this fabric collection, be sure to check out your favorite quilt shop and request it - Calico Cowgirls is shipping this month.

I already have my projects in progress for the next Poppie Cotton Fabric Tour in November - my day is November 12th. That tour will be showcasing the fabulous, upcoming "Home Sweet Home" fabric collection by Elea Lutz (click to see a preview). Plus, I will have a new project tutorial posted on the Therm O Web Blog on October 28th…so, be sure to stop back soon for more creative inspiration...

Big Blooms - New Pattern Available

Greeting friends! I am back today with yet another new quilt pattern release...and I still have three more new designs I am working on. I want to thank you for your enthusiastic response to my "Big Blooms" large table runner (or bed runner) design. To those who commented and contacted me with such kind and positive words, you made my heart happy (once again!). I have written a pattern and it is available in my Etsy Shop in both paper and digital format...

“Big Blooms" is machine appliqué with traditional piecing and assembly. It measures 24" x 64" and fits my large farmhouse table - it would also be a lovely bed runner or wall hanging. The pattern contains basic machine appliqué instructions, appliqué templates, and comprehensive/detailed instructions with all sorts of color diagrams. This 13-page pattern is designed to use your favorite fabric collection and works great with precuts.

The model was created with a fat quarter stack of Hide & Seek by Snippets of Whimsy for Poppie Cotton (available at quilt shops now) and 1-1/4 yards Country Confetti (Heavy Cream Cream) from Poppie Cotton, plus HeatnBond Lite Iron-On Adhesive, backing fabric and batting. The pattern gives a nice breakdown of materials, should you want to use a charm pack or precuts...or change fabric collections.

Paper Pattern: https://blueribbondesigns.etsy.com/listing/1611372045
Digital Pattern: https://blueribbondesigns.etsy.com/listing/1597211682

This runner brings so much happiness to my kitchen table...and I can envision it created with several other fabric collections (I better get busy!). I hope you will spend a little time in your sewing space making a "Big Blooms" runner that fits your personality and decor.

For now, I am back to the design table - I have several more quilt patterns in the works and a cross stitch model in progress. I will be back later this week with my latest tutorial for Therm O Web...and it is a quick and easy holiday project you won't want to miss!

Geometric Gems

Hello friends - happy July! It's a hot and humid Iowa afternoon - the calm after the storm and flash flooding. I am just about ready to settle into my sewing nest for a marathon project bag session (the piles are overwhelming)...but before I get started, I thought I would quickly stop by and share some of my quilting designs. These six AccuQuilt patterns/projects were created as companion patterns for six cutting dies. For those of you unfamiliar with the AccuQuilt GO! Fabric Cutting System, every cutting die includes a free pattern in the packaging to help you get started. Each of my quilt designs shown below accompanies a corresponding AccuQuilt GO! Cutting Die...not only did I design each pattern, but I also created each sample. Today, I am sharing the projects I created for the GO! Circle-6", the GO! Circle-8", the GO! Strip Cutter-5" (4 1/2" Finished), the GO! Strip Cutter-3" (2 1/2" Finished), the GO! Strip Cutter-4" (3 1/2" Finished), and the GO! Rectangle-4 1/2" x 8 1/2" (4" x 8" Finished).

If you purchase the GO! Circle-6", inside the packaging, you will find a free pattern for the GO! Circle in the Square Wall Hanging. This unique, modern quilt uses basic patchwork and machine appliqué...and the sample uses lovely fabrics from the Mix Bag 2017 Collection by Studio M for Moda. It finishes at 40" x 40".

The GO! Circle-8" includes a free pattern for the GO! Petal Power Table Topper (which also works well as a wall hanging). Measuring 32" x 32", this cheerful project sample was created with Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton Solids. Blocks are created by sub-cutting the circles into quarters and using machine appliqué to apply them to basic patchwork - this design may look complicated, but it is actually obtainable for a beginner!

Inside packaging for the GO! Strip Cutter-5" (4 1/2" Finished), you will find a free pattern for the GO! X Marks the Spot Baby Quilt. This quick and easy baby quilt is the perfect gift for an expectant mother and would look great in a variety of fabric prints! For the sample, I used the Sew Cherry 2 Collection by Lori Holt of Bee in my Bonnet for Riley Blake Designs. With a finished size of 40.5" x 40.5", using basic strips and squares, this baby quilt can be put together in just a day or two...

If you add the GO! Strip Cutter-3" (2 1/2" Finished) die to your collection, you will find the free pattern for the GO! Mind Over Matter Table Runner inside the packaging. This is the perfect summertime table runner when using the same red, white, and blue color scheme as the sample (I used Andover Fabrics for the model). I can see this runner in a variety of holiday and seasonal fabrics. It measures 16" x 45", but could easily be adjusted to fit just about any length!

One of my favorites is the GO! Chains of Love Bed Runner that I designed for the  GO! Strip Cutter-4" (3 1/2" Finished). This comfy bed runner finishes at 42" x 84" and the sample was worked up with soothing Island Batiks. Rows could be added to make this a bed quilt...or subtracted to make this a table runner...and it would look lovely in solids or prints....

Finally, here is the GO! Give it a Whirl Throw Quilt that I designed for the GO! Rectangle-4 1/2" x 8 1/2" (4" x 8" Finished). This sunny lap quilt finishes at 48" x 64" and the sample was created with Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton Solids. You could easily add more blocks to this quilt to increase the size...and it would look great using a variety of fabrics. Although it may look complicated, it is quite easy to create with this large rectangle and can be pieced rather quickly...

All six of these AccuQuilt GO! Cutting Dies are quite versatile and would be nice additions to any collection. For more information on the GO! Fabric Cutter, GO! Cutting Dies, or other AccuQuilt products, visit their website: https://www.accuquilt.com/ 

Love Is In The Air

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, my thoughts were actually on Valentine's Day, as I was designing three Valentine themed projects for AccuQuilt and sewing/quilting the samples. Today, I am excited to share the GO! Lovebirds Apron, the GO! Hugs and Kisses Bed Runner, and the GO! Sweetheart Wall Hanging. I really enjoyed creating these three projects and you can read all about them on the AccuQuilt Blog, where I did a guest post...that's right, today I am a guest blogger on the AccuQuilt Blog - and I am sharing the details on these three projects...

The GO! Lovebirds Apron is made using a kitchen towel as the base (which makes this a super quick project), then adding seasonal machine appliqué! You can find out the type of towel I used and some fun tips by visiting: http://www.accuquilt.com/blog/
AND...this pattern is FREE for a limited time: http://www.accuquilt.com/go-lovebirds-apron-pattern.html

The GO! Hugs and Kisses Bed Runner was such a delight to work on and only uses TWO cutting dies to make the Xs and Os...to find out just how simple this project really is, check out my guest blog post on the AccuQuilt Blog: http://www.accuquilt.com/blog/
AND....this pattern is FREE for a limited time too!!: http://www.accuquilt.com/go-hugs-and-kisses-bed-runner.html

Finally, here is the GO! Sweetheart Wall Hanging - a combination of simple strip piecing and machine appliqué. Visit the AccuQuilt Blog to find out my tip for making the applique shapes stitch up crisp and flat: http://www.accuquilt.com/blog/
AND...of course, this pattern is available for FREE for a limited time, as well!!:
http://www.accuquilt.com/go-sweetheart-wall-hanging-pattern.html

I hope you take a moment to read my guest blog post...then go download these special Valentine projects...and I would love to see/read about your Valentine's Day creations - please share them with me!

For now, I am back to work on some springtime quilt designs (always months ahead of the game!)...and then this evening I will be in my stitching nest working on my special October project for Just CrossStitch magazine.

I will be sharing my Bitty Blocks finish soon, so be sure to visit again later this week...