Browsing "Designers’ Showcase"

Winner of Thistledown & Co Patterns

The second pattern giveaway is over, but we have one more group of patterns by Thistledown & Co to giveaway.  Check back later today for details…. and for a discount code good all week long on any patterns from Thistledown.

The random number generator selected Jocelyn’s comment.  Toy Box Treasures and Boo-Dazzled will soon be on their way to Jocelyn. 

Happy quilting Jocelyn!

Water Please.

Do you have a water cooler in your office? in your kitchen?   Don’t miss the opportunity to personalize it and add a decorative touch.  Thistledown & Co has four patterns for water bottle caps. 

Bubbles is swimming around with his friends, right at home with all the water.  This would look great with batiks or hand dyed fabrics.

 

Don’t forget the water bottle when you are decorating for the holidays.  Rejoyce! features the wise men as they follow the star to Bethlehem.

 

It’s a long way off, but when It’s Springtime you’ll be ready with this garden, complete with yo-yo flowers, embroidery and button embellishments.  Flowers galore!

 

For the summer holidays, you can add a patriotic touch to your water bottle with God Bless America.   Uncle Sam is flanked by two kittys waving flags.

 

 And for smaller water bottles…. It’s A Wrap

Do you take your water bottle in to meetings or sew-ins or anywhere else and then wonder which water bottle is yours?  These cute wraps will solve that problem and will brighten things up!  Pattern includes four designs plus a ready-to-trace alphabet so you can add your name or any words you choose.

 

So you can see, Linda’s patterns really are varied and these are an example of the fun practicality I mentioned earlier in the week. 

Don’t forget to leave a comment on our earlier post to have a chance to win two of Linda’s patterns.   Like us on Facebook so you don’t miss anything.  And stayed tuned…. more patterns to be given away next week and a discount on Thistledown patterns – come back to the blog for the discount code.

Tea-lightful… In Progress

All the teacups are constructed.  Pretty quick and easy.  I have a little trouble with angle pieces when paper piecing but if I take my time I usually get it right.  The teacups look so pretty and delicate, don’t they?An extra little bit of fabric on each side of the bottom of the cups makes them look a bit rounded which I think makes the difference between a boxy looking cup and a delicate one.

The center block is finished too.  It’s a large piece of white fabric surrounded by a narrow strip of soft pink, then another strip of white.  It’s perfect to show off some quilting - I need to choose just the right quilting motif.  Any suggestions?

Next I get to play with the teacups, placing them around the center square until the most pleasing layout appears.   A little more sewing and I should be sandwiching and quilting later this weekend.

 UPDATE:   This is the Tea-lightful pattern by Thistledown & Co.   I’m working on it as we showcase Linda Zokan’s patterns for two weeks, along with giveaways and, in the second week, a discount on Thistledown patterns.  Plus Linda is hosting a “Quilt-a-long with Linda” on her blog.  Like us on Facebook and you’ll know right away when something new happens on the blog!

Thistledown & Co Pattern Giveaway!

We’re giving away two patterns by Thisledown & Co.   

THE PATTERNS:

 Toy Box Treasures is a redwork and pinwheels pattern with full size redwork designs.  Suitable for a beginner, with lots of hints and tips, this would make a great new baby gift.

 

 

There’s still time to make this Halloween wall hanging.  And if you don’t finish before the holiday…. call it an early finish for next year!  Boo-Dazzled measures 39″ x 33″ with instructions for easy fusible machine appliques and paper foundation pieced corners.

 

WHAT YOU MUST DO:

Leave a comment on this post with the answer to this question:  Who is watching the action in the Thistledown & Co studio?    If you haven’t already read our interview with Linda, check it out.  You’ll find the answer there!

THE NITTY-GRITTY:

Deadline is midnight (central time) Saturday. 

Open to US residents only. 

We’ll pick a winner at random from all the correct comments.

An Interview With Linda Zokan of Thistledown

I’ve been “chatting” with Linda for the last week or so.  She is a creative, upbeat, friendly person.  Just the kind of company you’d want if you sat down to quilt for a while.  Join us as I ask her a few questions about her life quilting and designing patterns….

Your patterns are many and varied.  Do you have a favorite type of quilting… piecing, applique, paper piecing… or are you like a mom and ‘love them all equally’? 

That’s a tough one.  I know that many quilters and designers have a defined style or favorite type of quilting, but as you can see by looking through my designs, I enjoy a wide range of styles and techniques.  I enjoy working with both cotton and wool and I enjoy machine piecing, hand applique, fusible applique and hand embroidery.  I really like hand blanket stitching.  I’m also not afraid to use color.  When asked to name my design style, I guess my response would be playful.  Or perhaps I should call it QADDD style (quilt attention deficit design disorder).  My playful style can be seen in many of my designs, such as Peek-a-Boo Puss, Whoo’s Hanging Out, and Tag Sale,

but especially in my BFF (best friends forever) paper doll quilt pattern series.  Everyone is having so much fun with these patterns. 

The fun is not only in being able to sort through your stash for just the right fabrics but from being able to dress and re-dress the best friends using my Swap-plique technique.  My simple swap-plique technique allows you to create repositionable appliques.  All of the paper doll patterns are designed so you can swap outfits, hairdo’s and accessories between all four patterns.  They are too much fun and a real delight to make and to give to a special little girl in your life.

What is your favorite part of the quilting process?

As a designer my favorite part is seeing a finished quilt or project that someone made from one of my patterns.  I enjoy inspiring others and hopefully some of my designs will inspire new quilters and crafters to become a part of this wonderful creative community.  I love sharing my enthusiasm and that’s why I am hosting a “Stitch-a-long with Linda”.  It is just beginning to get underway so I encourage everyone to join in.  The quilt that we’ll be making is going to finish at appox. 40″ x 60″.  I have the yardage requirements and my fabric picks posted. 

(You can find the “Stitch-a-long with Linda” on her blog Thistledown & Co. )

I really do enjoy all phases of designing and making a quilt – even the binding!  I do wish I had time to do more handquilting.  But I am not ready to give up sleeping.  Cleaning maybe, but not sleeping.

Quilters always like to hear about other quilters’ sewing areas.  I guess it’s our version of a ‘man-cave’…. but so much better!  Can you tell us about your studio?   

You mean at this moment – oh gosh it’s kind of messy at the moment because I am working on several things right now.

  Actually I love my studio.  I am blessed with a very sweet and supportive husband.  He agreed to the complete takeover of what was once our living room, so I could turn it into my current studio. 

Now mind you, we never used the living room much because we do our living in the family room, kitchen and out on our large deck.  we live in Florida so we use the deck a lot.  My work space consists of a long counter (from the home improvement store) with file cabinets underneath, a cutting table, an ironing table, a small drawer chest, and bookcases that house my fabric collection, etc.

 I do need to add some more overhead lighting and I want to paint one wall a bright fun color.  Other than that and the pins in the carpet hazard, it works for me. 

I have a view out the patio doors to the deck area and there are several other large windows so I can keep an eye on the butterflies and squirrels outside.

What comes first for you – the design or the fabrics?

That depends…. sometimes there may be a particular fabric that catches my eye and inspires me to design a new pattern.  Garden Terrace, Peek-a-Boo Puss and Take It or Leave It were designed around the fabric when I was designing quilts for Cranston Fabrics for Quilt Market. 

I would have to say that more often than not however, an idea for a new pattern  or product just kind of pops into my head when I least expect it.  The idea for my printable fabric CD Push-button Prints came to me in the middle of designing my Florida Album patterns.  Like that wasn’t keeping me busy enough – Hahahaha. 

Then I designed the mini quilts Lenny the Lizard and Bertie the Butterfly that use the fabrics that you can print from the CD.   My line of Earthknit patterns came after I decided to “upcycle” or repurpose my leftover batting into yarn to knit with – waste not, want not.  So there’s always something percolating in my head.

My real life BFFs also are a great source of inspiration.  We get together regularly and just talk creative, laugh, and share.  Not only do our play dates bring out my muse, they keep me centered too.  Lucky is the person that has quilters as friends.

You are so right, Linda.   There is something special about a quilter friend.   Thanks for spending some friendly time with us talking quilts!

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