Archive for July, 2008
July 30th, 2008
New designer Eve Paige has lots of Christmas patterns from which to choose. Beth Helfter is the force behind Eva Paige and her patterns are unique; they are not your ordinary one block over and over. Highlighted below are a few of her patterns that are suitable for Christmas and winter time…
Syncopated Christmas breaks the rules! It’s made without exact measurement and with angled piecing. Make two and there’s no chance they will look the same. This quilt is finished off with an appliqued bow. Of couse, you don’t HAVE to add the appliqued bow, but it sure finishes the quilt nicely, doesn’t it?
Winter Whites is a beautiful wall hanging that allows you to use your creativity. The background is piecied and the white pointsettias really shine. Or use cream for your background and make red pointsettias. Whatever color scheme you choose, you can add beads, embroidery, buttons… let your imagination run loose. If you enjoy this pattern, Eva Paige has a similiar summer design, Sunflower and Sky. 
Remember those paper snowflakes you make in grade school by folding the paper and cutting along the edges? It made you feel sooooo creative and talented didn’t it? Well, check out Snowflake Sizzle. These snowflakes are included in the pattern but get out that freezer paper and start making it snow!
When you are finished creating with scissors but still looking for snowflakes, there’s another Snowflake Sizzle pattern. This one has more sedate snowflakes at first but then you can jazz them up with embellishments.
Eva Paige has much more than just Christmas patterns, and her designs are unique. Have fun with your last jump into Christmas in July. When you are ready to give Christmas a rest check out Eva Paige’s other designs and take a look at the others designers and their quilt patterns.
July 24th, 2008
Try one of the new
quilt patterns featured this week and if you like it, try another by the same designer. It’s like finding an author you like and a whole new world opens up to you.
Just Like Sunshine by Toadusew Designs will use your scraps, or grab a bunch of fat quarters. Four sizes are included, from Baby to Queen. The quilt is strip pieced and should go together quickly.
Just Like Sunshine
If, after you make this quilt, you like this designer, you might want to try another by Toadusew.
Garden Gate would be a good choice. You don’t need to be very experienced to make this quilt but it’ll look impressive when you are finished. The blues and tans look pretty as shown, or try rose and greens, or gold and cream, or…
Garden Gate
Summer Fun by QuiltWoman is new this week. Here’s an on-point layout that doesn’t require you to sew setting triangles. Try reversing the white and black fabrics for a different look.
Summer Fun
And if you like this method of making an on-point quilt another one to try is Contra Dance by QuiltWoman. Again, you will not need to sew any setting triangles. What a great way to make your first on-point quilt. This pattern includes instructions for six sizes, from Baby to King. Fair warning, if you like this designer you are going to be sewing forever – so many, many patterns from which to choose!
Contra Dance
These were just to get you started; try any other new pattern and then explore all the patterns by that designer. Oh, the patterns you will find!
July 17th, 2008
Time to make a quilt. Now that’s always an easy decision. Then comes the hard part… choosing which size, pattern, fabric, etc.
Did you ever stop to think how many different kinds of quilts there are? Art, applique, pieced, crazy quilts, quilt-as-you-go, embroidered, cross stitched, T-shirt quilts, photo, BOM, mystery quilts are a few. Can you think of any others? And within each of these types, there are so many, many different looks, different patterns. Have you ever heard of Fraser Smith? He makes quilt sculpture from wood. His pieces are very colorful and, at least in the photographs, look so real.
Then there’s all the different sizes… baby blanket, crib, wall hanging, miniature, throw, twin, full, queen, king, quiltlet. Even an EXTRA LARGE one - a quilt of North Dakota with each of its’ counties. The quilt measures 85 feet by 134 feet – it’s so big they can’t find a place in North Dakota to put it on display.
And the different ways to finish the quilt when the top is complete… tie it, hand quilt, machine quilt, random quilt pattern, in-the-ditch, shadow, leaves, flowers, lines… it’s impossible to name all the possibilities!
Now thinkabout the fabric choices, the thread choices, to embellish or not.
It just kind of boggles the mind to think about all the variables. There’s no end to the experiences to be had with this hobby. At least there is one other decision to make that really easy… where to go for your pattern. Quilter’s Warehouse is sure to have what you are looking for even if you’re not yet sure what that is! Enjoy browsing the quilt patterns.
July 14th, 2008
These quilt patterns will be new later this week at Quilters Warehouse.
Card Tricks All Around is a twist on the traditional ‘card trick’ block. Almost all quilts change with the fabric choices you make, but this one looks like it would change dramatically. It looks very pleasing with the monochromatic fabrics – even more closely matched fabrics would be interesting. Wildly different colors would change the look entirely. How about a wall hanging for a new college student in the school’s colors?
The Blue Cross Quilt will use up your scraps, or it works great with Jelly Rolls. (mmm, brb, gotta refill the coffee n get a jelly donut) Wouldn’t it be fun too make this quilt for that same college student with the same college colors. It would be the perfect throw for the end of the bed, and it’d be great to take along to the football games. A little piece of home while they are away.
Any new babies expected, or already here? Baby Elephant Walk would make a great gift. And no need to choose a pink or blue color scheme. It’s works for either. This is a paper pieced pattern – looks like a good one to learn with – you’ll get practice with the same shape. The warning says it could be addictive!
Ready to learn a new technique? You’ll learn to thead paint with Painted Wreath. You can test run all those decorative stitches on your sewing machine that you haven’t tried yet. You can also add embellishments. Go for it!! If you like it this pattern could be used to make a wreath for each season.
There’ll be more new items later this week… USB wallet (sounds cute), a Carol Hopkin’s mini- quilt for your scraps, a table runner, and more. Enjoy!
July 10th, 2008
Quilt designer Ruth Powers is the force behind Innovations. Her quilt designs are anything but usual. They are very artistic and even when they start with a traditional block they make a surprising finish. Just as in life, a step at a time is the answer to completing even the most complicated quilts. And even the simplest of designs doesn’t look simple when it’s done, it has a “wow” factor. Here’s a sampling…
Goose on the Loose. A simple block, flying geese, but what a way to fly. And into the borders too!
The inspiration for this quilt, Starburst was Ruth’s AQS prize winning quilt called “Starmageddon”. This design went on to become a prize winner too! You can see the bright stars emerge from the pile at the bottom of the quilt. There are two options to choose from for the background. This will make a nice quilt for laying under the stars, even on a cloudy night.
Traditional Tricks is made with nine patches, log cabin blocks, some squares, some half square triangles. Back to basics really, but WOW! Quite a statment for all it’s simplicity. Match the colors to your decor and you will have an outstanding piece of art to hang on your wall (better be a large wall) or turn your bed into the showcase.
Repetitions of one 12″ block make this scrappy beauty, Scrapmajic Stars. Start with the baby size so you can see the magic happen fast. You’ll have a gift that will be treasured by mom now and baby later. Then move on and make one of the bed sizes for yourself. (That is if you don’t get inundated with requests to make a quilt just like the one you gave the new mom at her shower!)
There are so many more projects by Innovations. Also be sure to check out all the other quilt patterns at QuiltersWarehouse.
July 8th, 2008
… and there’s an elephant chasing them!
9 Lives is a wild looking quilt designed by Phil & Lisa Girard of Tivoli Quilt Creations. You’ll be able to use up even your tiniest scraps. Make a few single cats and they’d make an interesting grouping on the wall in a child’s room. Make all nine cats and you’ll have a fun lap quilt. Just the kind that a child would love to look at and “explore” when they are having some quiet time or laying down for a nap. It’d be fun to make up names for each of the “crazy cats.”
But look out… here comes the elephant! This wall hanging is done in reverse applique but no need to do any of it by hand. Quite a dramatic looking elephant.
Wonder what she’d look like with painted toenails?
Enough with the animals – here’s a Christmas project. Christmas Express is an advent calender. Each car on the train, including the locomotive, is a pocket ready to hold a small surprise for the countdown. If you have any scraps left after making those cats, they’ll be put to good use here.
Now that your scraps are used up, grab a bunch of fat quarters and here’s a simple quilt… Reversible Lap Quilt should make up quick. There are even quilting designs included so there’ll be no hesitation to finish while you try to figure out what’s the “best” way to quilt the project.
Lots of choices for the two sides: light/dark, winter/summer, spring/fall, bold/muted, cats/dogs… hey, who let the animals back in?!
Next, for a challenge and a stunning finish, try Serpentine. Again, with the scraps. Designers Phil & Lisa Girard say it’s not as hard as it looks, but they agree, it’s stunning.
These should keep you busy for a while, but they are just a few of the many, varied designs by our featured designer, Trivoli Quilt Creations. There are also a few more advent calendars, tote bags, full size quilts, and more. Check out all of their projects and all of the other designer’s quilt patterns at QuiltersWarehouse.
Previous Posts