P is for Play includes instructions for games pieces and a soft die.   A soft quilt to sleep under but first play a quiet, educational game all about the alphabet.  Just the right kind of slow-me-down, relaxing game . . . the next best thing to reading before bedtime.

Now little girls (and boys) can play a favorite sidewalk game indoors with the Hopscotch Mat. Chalk hopscotch was never this colorful! Roll up the mat and take the game anywhere.   Sew a few washers inside fabric pieces for “stones”.

Checker Game Twin Size quilt will lend a playful look to any bedroom.  Or spread it on the floor and play a really large size game of checkers, with room at each end of the playing board for the players to sit on the quilt.  Make checker pieces from leftover fabric and a coordinating pouch to hold them when play is over.

Just by its design this quilt is visually interesting, but when you “Think Inside The Box” and add novelty fabrics it gets even better.  Make pairs of blocks and you can play a matching game.  Or make each on different and a game of “I Spy With My Little Eye” is possible.

While you can’t really play the games on this quilt, Learn To Play is a fun looking quilt.  It would look great hanging on the wall in your family room, or the kids’ playroom.

Making quilts is already fun.  Make a game quilt and double your fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Quattro is 12″ x 9″ x 5″ and, wow!, there’s a lot packed into this purse!  There are two wrap-around side pockets, a really convenient front pouch (holds those odd shape items), and a back zippered pocket.  But best of all this bag is perfect for really playing with fabrics.  Stretch yourself and really have some fun mixing things up.

See the handy pouch on the front?  It can blend into the look of the bag if you aren’t using it, but if you need it… so handy!  I’m guessing you won’t be tucking a yardstick in there but it would be perfect for a small umbrella or pull your scarf (no, not a winter scarf – we’re done with that, aren’t we?!) through it.

Check out the wrap-around side pockets – they are so convenient and roomy.  The construction of them really adds to the fun layered look of the bag.

Here’s the zippered back pocket.  Put your keys and cell phone in this pocket and you’ll have no worries about them falling out.

Kathy Southern is the purse obsessed designer of StudioKat.  You can tell by her designs that she loves a good purse!  They are practical and snazzy fun.  Visit her blog, StudioKat Designs: A Work In Progress, to get some behind-the-scenes info about her design process.  She also hosts a Purse-of-the-Month contest.

Welcome Bunny greets your visitors with an armful of carrots and flowers.  My guess is that he’ll surrender the flowers before he lets go of those carrots!  He’d also make a great wallhanging inside the house.

Blossom Bunny is dressed in a beautiful jacket and hat embellished with yo-yos, embroidery and buttons.  Instructions are also included for the embellished friendship poem sampler.

These bunnies on a Carrot Top would look adorable lined up in a planter box or even just one in a flower pot would look so cute on your front porch.  Have fun playing with different fabrics for their bowties…. let your bunnies express themselves!  There’s anothe pattern for Cabbage Top bunnies.

These little helpers will hold all your Bunny Stuff.  Fill with candy and give one to your grandchild.  Or fill his basket with hand towels and let him hold court on the sink in the guest powder room.

Ester Macbunny has seen a few Easters in her days.   You’ll have lots of fun making her and then even more fun making her clothes and accessories.   The pattern has easy to follow instructions and includes the wire needed for Ester’s glasses plus lots of ideas for her accessories. 

 Have you seen anybunny you like?

 

I was fortunate enough to spend some time speaking with Evonne the other day.  Here’s a bit of our conversation….

You have several patterns designed for grandma and a grandchild to use together.  How did that come about?   The coloring bag was the first pattern for kids.  I realized that grandmothers enjoy making something for their grandkids as opposed to just buying a gift. 

As a designer, what comes first for you… the fabric or the design?  Well, I owned a quilt shop for about ten years. Then, it was the fabric that came first.  The patterns were designed with the fabric in mind.   Now, the pattern is where I start… actually for the Civil War Battle Series research is done before the pattern is designed.  When I began the series I selected twelve battles from the Civil War.  For each quilt I would read about the battle, the location and the generals involved. I select a block that seemed appropriate.  For instance, the blockade block for the New Orleans quilt.  The quilt would then be designed around the chosen block.  In each case I discovered that the finished quilt always somehow also formed some reminder or representation of the battle.  As an example, in the battle of Gettysburg the soldiers charged so close to the enemy that they were actually under the cannon fire… the enemy was in front of them and cannonballs were falling behind them.  If you look at the quilt, there is an open section in the middle surrounded by a darker area. 

You say your business is based in your farm home.  Do you have a certain time of day that you prefer to work; do you need to fit your work in between chores?   If I could, I would work on my quilting and designing from morning ’til night.  I find that when you are so interested and involved that it’s necessary to force yourself away from time to time.  So I do make sure that I take weekends off .  But I love my work and happily spend as much time as possible at it.  I am sometimes asked to give presentations but I don’t do it very often as I would much rather be at home working. 

What are you currently working on? Do you have anything new coming out?  I have a new series Civil War Generals.  Lee and Grant will be the first in the series.  These will first make an appearance at Quilt Market in May.  In fact, while I am in the area I will be giving a presentation on my Civil War quilts for a local quilt guild. 

The Civil War patterns all include a brief history about the battle and a fictional letter from the battlefield.  They can be made in two sizes… a lap quilt or a full size bed quilt.  I wish I could be at that guild meeting presentation - hearing Evonne speak about her quilts was fascinating.

 

Sweet Season Quilts

The designs look complicated but they really are not.  Paper piecing makes for straight lines and sharp corners.  Fusible applique adds the extra touches.  And traditional piecing pulls it all together.  Sue’s patterns are very clear, with simple step by step instructions and they include full size templates and applique patterns.  Diagrams and tips provide additional help.

These are from the Painted Lady Series…

The Quilt Shop has quilt blocks on the window shades and on the door.  Do you see the kitty in the window…. seems quilters and kitties go together.

After shopping you can stop in for some refreshments at the Bakery & Cafe.  There’s a table for two on the balcony. And a bright cardinal sits at the top of the shop.   

You will also find a Flower Shop and a Boutique in this series.

The individual patterns in this group measure 16″ x 34″ and can be made to stand alone or to be grouped together.

Another group, the Shop Ladies Series, has several more shops.  There are ten in all. 

Sweet Season Quilts

Measuring 10″ x 22″ each of these patterns can stand alone as a wall hanging.   Or you can make as many as you want and put them together for an entire street scene.

So start shopping…. I mean quilting!