With my love of all things checkerboard, I knew a quilt would be a perfect addition to my growing collection of all things checkered. I wanted the quilt to be sweet and cheery and I had a budding suspicion my new Farm to Table fabric would be perfect for this quilt. I found a checkered quilt tutorial by Red Pepper Quilts. I worked with Amanda on this quilt (she’s @rustedsilostudio on Instagram). It was my first time working with Amanda and wow, did she do an AMAZING JOB!!! (Like seriously, if you need a quilt made reach out to Amanda on Instagram @rustedsilostudio)
In addition to the prints from my Farm to Table collection, I picked out some soft, pastel Kona cotton solids. The solids helped with the sweet factor I wanted. For the binding, I couldn’t make a decision and literally took a few weeks to decide. I even did a poll on Instagram for help in selecting which binding to use. Finally, I realized that picking a binding is really about your preference. The yellow binding, pink binding, etc. all looked good. In the end, I went with what I liked the most . . . a scrappy binding. I LOVE it and feel it’s so fun. Enjoy the pics below. And a special thank you to Amanda for making my checkerboard quilt dreams come true!
(all photos by Kelle, except the 6th and 7th photo by Amanda)
Say hello to my new fabric collection, Farm to Table. There’s nothing like taking a leisurely stroll through a local farmers market. We have several neighborhood farmers markets throughout Nashville on different days of the week. (When traveling I like to go to their local farmers market, too!) The fresh air, talking with the vendors, while being surrounded by all the colorful vegetables, fruits and other unique goodies. It’s the best! When designing this fabric collection, I thought of my favorite fruits and vegetables, and trips to the farmers markets. Fresh eggs, vegetables, fruits, bread, milk, homemade jams and so much more. Most of the prints, I created especially for this collection. But, some I drew several years ago, like the bananas and ants on a gingham. The ants print is what I think of when I think of a picnic 😉 I’m so happy they found a home in this new fabric collection. I had a lot of fun drawing this collection. I worked on the collection for quite awhile because I wanted to include ALLLL of my favorite veggies and fruits and I kept thinking of more things to draw. It went something like: I can’t NOT include asparagus because they’re my favorite! Oh, and what about red peppers?! I have to include beets, as well. Bottled of milks would be cute and they could have faces on them . . . And on and on. Ha! We actually had to narrow it down because I had so many ideas. Farm to Table is available for fabric stores to order now. It’s set to ship to stores in November 2021. I hope you enjoy this collection as much as I had dreaming it up and drawing it!
My new fabric collection, Bright Days, started arriving to fabric stores this month. In celebration, I have a fun sewing project to share with you. I first saw Megan Collins‘ work on Instagram and was immediately drawn to her amazing, playful quilt patterns. (Like, WOW!) I knew her modern rainbow “sunshowers” quilt would be a perfect match for my Bright Days fabric collection! We used Bright Days prints, along with Kona solids.
I LOVE everything about this quilt. I adore how Megan placed the children’s print under the rainbow arches. (So cute!) We used my Bright Day rainbows print as backing. And the ‘cloud’ quilting is icing on the cake. It’s such a cheery quilt. Thank you, Megan for making this special quilt. This quilt is a forever keepsake.
If you’d like to make this quilt, Megan is hosting a Sunshowers Quilt Along next week. I’m also hosting a fabric giveaway of the fabrics (prints and solids) that we used in making this quilt. You can read the entry details here. Enjoy the photos below!
I’m so excited to share with you my new fabric collection, “Bright Days.” There have been some incredibly disconcerting, dark days in our country and world. I drew this collection in hopes that it would make you smile. Colorful kites, friends holding hands, dancing, flowers for friends, cartwheels, being silly, jumps for joy – all happy things. Whether it’s remembering the happiness of a past memory or looking to future hopes, brighter days are there and still yet to come.
“Bright Days” is available for ordering for fabric stores now. There are 21 prints in the fabric collection. Lots of options with colors, sizing of artwork/characters, etc.. The collection ships to fabric stores in April 2021. (Just in time for Spring!) Enjoy the photos. Brighter days are ahead!
It’s here! My newest fabric “See Us. Hear Us. Love Us.” At the beginning of June, I shared a drawing on Instagram. It was a drawing I had down a few days earlier as I was processing hurt and pain towards racism and the racial injustices in our country. I captioned the post “See Us. Hear Us. Love Us.”, which was/is both my heart’s cry and hope. It felt very personal to post, but I did it anyways. I wasn’t expecting any response from the post. Well . . . I was completely blown away by the response. Wow! It was totally unexpected, but so appreciated. (Thank you to each of you!) After receiving many requests, one of the things I did was make it into an art print available in my online shop. And now it’s also going to be on fabric! And it gets even better, Robert Kaufman Fabrics is also donating the proceeds to a scholarship fund for aspiring Black textile students. My heart is in this artwork. Each kid in the artwork has a story. The “See Us. Hear Us. Love Us.” fabric is shipping to stores this month (September!). Thank you for all the support around this drawing. (Oh, and you can also purchase the art print here.) Love to you all! – Kelle
Merry-Almost-Christmas! It truly is one of my favorite times of the year. I saw these ADORABLE ornaments Kimberly of Crafting Cheerily made with my I-Spy fabric panel. When Kimberly sent me a set of the ornaments, I almost cried. (Ha!) Make yourself a set using the free tutorial here. For my set of ornaments, we mixed and matched two panels (Spring and Bermuda colors). It created the rainbow color theme I wanted. Enjoy the pictures!
I am so excited to share this tutorial! Playing with matchbox cars as a kid was one of my favorite pastimes. So, this tutorial may be one of my favorites. I teamed up with Beth Tobin again for this tutorial. I wanted to use a mix of my Sate to State fabrics on the front to create a rainbow hue of the prints. It turned out so cute! On the back is the map panel. I used fabric chalk on the front to add lines to the streets. (You could also stitch lines.) Find the free tutorial here.
Now that my State to State fabric collection is in stores, I thought I would share a few sewing tutorials. I reached out to fellow sewer, Beth Tobin, to brainstorm ideas. She thought of this fun matching map tutorial. It will keep your little one (or even yourself!) happily busy for some time. You’ll need to purchase two of my state map panels for the front. For the back, we used several of my State to State coordinating prints and even included a little pocket to hold the map pieces. Happy Sewing! Find the free tutorial here.
Happy News! We’re releasing new Girl Friend dolls. Four new girls will be joining the Girl Friends crew. The new doll panels ship to stores this month. Just in time for the Holidays! Since creating the Girl Friends, I’ve found that character development is something that I really enjoy. It was a treat drawing and developing their personalities. So, pull up a chair and let me introduce you to the new girls.
Books, books, and more books. Bailey is the official Girl Friends bookworm. Super smart and wise. That’s our Bailey! When she is not buried deep in the pages of a book, Bailey uses her knowledge to explore and voice her passions.
Shy and quiet, yet creatively bold, Kensie is a budding artist. She uses her love of art and design to sew her own clothes. Her most treasured accessory is her doodle sketchbook found in her backpack.
Meet Piper. Piper is tenderhearted and dedicated to helping others. The youngest of the Girl Friends, Piper can be found volunteering at a shelter or conducting a neighborhood cleanup wearing her big heart.
Jules is our wide eyed wonder. She enjoys exploring the world around her. Jules has an curious spirit about how things work. This curiosity usually leads to tinkering, creating and experimenting. Future goals? To be a scientist and invent something grand.
Let’s discuss the panels. We kept the overall layout of the doll panels the same as the first set of set. There’s four characters per panel. One of the BEST things about the dolls is dressing them in different clothes. So, we also included a second panel with accessories for your dolls. There’s a little something for everyone – super hero capes, mermaid tails, a football, skirts and even pizza. Be sure to read about her sewing faqs and tips here.
(All photos by Mary Craven Photography, except for photos 6, 11, 14, 20, 25, 27-31 & all animated photos).
My Penned Pals are going to be on FLANNEL! Perfect for Fall weather. I added three new designs: bunnies, crosses, and kitties. My favorite thing about this release is that there are so many colors for you to choose from: pink, yellow, mint, blue, gray, black and white. There’s something for everyone. To read about the cotton Penned Pals, head here: Part 1 and Part 2 .
I have been meaning to share this quilt with you forever. My quilting friend, Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts, made this gorgeous quilt for me. Julie was one of the first friends I made in the quilting industry. I was new to the quilting community (a bit shy) and kinda felt like the new kid in school that didn’t know where to sit at lunch time. Well, Julie, reached out to me almost immediately with support and encouragement. So, having my very own Jaybird Quilt is pretty sweet in my book! This quilt was made using her “Toes in the Sand” pattern. It’s such a fun quilt. Enjoy the pics! And thank you, Julie!
When making the quilt, Julie asked for my favorite three colors. I chose pink (duh), yellow and blue.
I have a quilt in just about every room of my house. I keep this quilt in my living room for sofa snuggling. (more…)
We’re adding more of my Urban Zoologie prints to flannel! These flannel prints are great for cozying up to during the colder season. Also, check out this FREE quilt pattern featuring the new flannel prints. I got to visit this little quilt last week while in LA and I noticed that flannel really makes for an extra soft and cozy quilt. This fabric ships to stores today, October 20th!
Kelly made this adorable quilt. Kelly came up with the design of the quilt. We used the Ballerinas (“sweet” color way) as the primary fabric, mixed with coordinating Kona solids.
I’ve come across some really yummy fabric bundles that you’ve made. They’re so yummy, in fact, that I’ve decided to start a new column showcasing them. First up, is this bundle featuring my chevron prints by My Heart and Sew. I love the combination of colors she chose for this bundle. Reminds me of summer.
Lookie at my new quilt! Isn’t it the most happiest little quilt? When I first saw the Retro Flower Quilt by The Sometimes Crafter I loved it! It reminded me of Orla Kiely . I worked with Brooke to sew this beauty. All the prints used in this quilt are from my Remix fabric collection (listed below). If you love this quilt and want one yourself, Christina is offering the patternHALF OFF through May 5th. (Enter the code: retrolove).
Here is the breakdown of the prints used in the quilt:
I’m pleased to introduce to you a new fabric collection, Woodland Pals. This line has eleven prints. This fabric collection is set to ship to stores the end of April 2013.
I created this imaginary place deep within the woods where all the animals are friends.
They bounce on top of mushrooms for fun. And play woodland games, like leap frog. Laughter is heard throughout the wooded area.
The trees, which are adorned with stripes and dots, are held in high esteem.
At the end of each day, the animals slumber beneath the watchful trees and all is good.
I’m so happy to share with you a new fabric print that is coming out in 2013. Big and chunky chevrons. They’re something I hoped for the Remix fabric collection from the very beginning. So, I’m giddy. There are ten different colors, including two that are multi colored. This fabric group starts shipping to stores February 20th, 2013. Can’t wait to see what you make with them!
American Patchwork and Quilting is hosting a One Million Pillowcase Challenge Blog Hop the entire month of September. They have a challenge to have one million pillowcases donated to local charities. Pretty sweet, right? I was excited when my friends over at Shannon Fabrics asked me to participate. I designed a pillowcase showcasing my Izzy Cuddle prints. Pat Wodskow kindly sewed it up, along with another one. The pillowcase I designed has three things I love about it: rainbow colors, stripes and it’s uber comfy! The perfect little pillow to snuggle up to. I’m donating the pillowcases to a local nursing home.
To learn more or participate in the One Million Challenge head here.
Sewing Instructions from Pat:
– The Floral Pillowcase with piano keyboard strip was made using pattern #16. The piano keyboard strips were cut 3″ x 11″ and I used a 1/2″ seam allowance. The body was cut 26 1/2″ x 41 1/2″ to accomate the larger seam allowance.
– The Strips Pillowcase was made using the precut strips pattern #26 as our inspiration, but I choose 11- 3 1/2″ strips cut wof. After sewing all of the strips together I trimed the section to 26″ x 41″. This allowed the strips to run verticle around the pillow. Our solid color cuff was cut 11″ x 41″. All seams were sewn using a 1/2″ seam allowance.
Follow along to see other blog posts during the month-long blog hop here:
My friends over at Shannon Fabrics are kindly hosting a giveaway for an “Izzy” Cuddle Strip Throw Kit. Included in this kit are eleven approximately 5″ strips of assorted cuddle fabrics, as well as the instructions for making a cuddle strip throw. To enter, leave a comment. And if you really, really want to win this kit, tweet, facebook, or blog about the giveaway to get extra entries. (Just leave a separate comment letting me know what you’ve done). A random winner will be selected on Friday, July 28th at midnight.
{Today we have an interview with Pat Wodskow of Cuddle Soft Quilt Kits. She’s going to talk to us a bit about cuddle fabric, and even share a recipe with us}.
Tell us a little about yourself? I love to sew. I have made everything from my children’s clothing to quilts. I currently work for Shannon Fabric as a designer and consultant. It’s a great job; I get to make sample quilts at home and go to Quilt Markets to teach and work in their booth. I also have my own web store where I sell quilt kits made from Shannon Fabric’s Cuddle fabrics. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family. I have seven children and 28 grandchildren.
Tips on sewing with cuddle? Cuddle Soft fabrics (sometimes called Minkee) are slick and stretchy. This makes them a little harder to work with unless you understand a few rules. Here are a few tricks that I have found to be very helpful:
1. Using the spray adhesive, fuse the back and the batting together.
2. After you have secured the backing and batting together, trim so the edges are clean.
3. A size 90 stretch needle works the best.
4. A walking foot really helps.
5. The key in making this blanket look so great is the spray adhesive.
6. Use a 3/8”-1/2” seam allowance.
7. Freezer paper is a great protector when using the spray glue.
8. Cuddle soft fabrics are really washable. Don’t be afraid to wash and love your quilt.
9. When using a batting the “sew and flip” method works best using an 80/20 cotton batting.
10. To make a soft snuggle blanket use the same “sew and flip” method, but leave out the batting.
Where can we find more information? My web site is www.cuddlesoftkits.com. In my shop I sell all kinds of kits. While I focus on babies I also offer some beautiful quilts for everyone in the family. These quilts are so washable and easy to make that it is fun to make one for everyone in the family. On the web site I offer some great teaching videos in the Learning Center that will help even the beginner make a beautiful quilt. I offer everything you need to make your quilt; the kit, the backing fabrics, the batting, the spray adhesives and even the needles.
Totally not quilt related, but what’s your favorite dessert? Raising seven children requires a lot of cooking! I learned to love cooking as much as I do sewing. We made all kinds of wonderful meals. One of our favorite desserts is Soft Gingerbread. It came from a blender recipe book that I bought when I had my first baby. We love to serve it with warm applesauce and whipped cream. It is also really good with this caramel sauce. Find the recipe here.
I made little gift bags for Valentine’s Day. I filled them with small silly things, like heart erasers, gum balls and fuzzy critter dudes.
The critter dudes must have been pretty excited about the bags because while I was working on the filling the bags, I turned around to find these guys having a little conversation.
