FEATURED – Page 29

Sizzix Quilted Deco Foil Pumpkin Pillow

October 28, 2015 by Amanda Leave a Comment

I am in love with gold polka dot pumpkins! I created a smaller version of this pillow on the Therm O Web blog. This version is a 20″ pillow and it’s actually quilted! Have you used Deco Foils before? They are a great way to add a little pop and pizzaz to a project. To get perfect polka dots I used my Sizzix Fabi and a circle die. Of course I needed a little help from Mufasa who is totally obsessed with the Sizzix Fabi!

Using the Fabi you can cut circles in a snap! I used the Therm O Web Hot Melt Sheets and die cut them.

Draw a pumpkin on a white piece of fabric using a disappearing ink pen. Position the circles all over the pumpkin including partially off the edge of the pumpkin. You can use this pumpkin pattern, I enlarged it a bit so it fit the 20″ pillow. Press using medium heat. Let cool completely. Peel off papers.Cut the Deco Foil into squares that are slightly larger than the circles. Place on top of each hot melt circle. Cover with a pressing paper and press for about 15-25 seconds using medium heat. If I use the highest heat setting it singes the foil.

Let cool completely.

Carefully peel off excess foil leaving gold circles! Yes! It’s magical!!!

Cut the pumpkin out. Cut the stem out.

Cut (2) natural linen/cotton squares for the pillow. Using Spray n Bond basting spray, adhere the pumpkin and stem to the square.

Using more basting spray, baste the square onto a piece of batting.

Sew around the stem and the pumpking 3 times in dark brown thread. Add some swirly vines. Then have some fun with the quilting! I added detail to the pumpkin. I also quilted wavy lines in the background. I really like how it turned out.

To finish the pumpkin, add a zipper in the back 20″ square. Baste in trim, and sew the pillow using 1/2″ seams.

Mufasa needs to be a Sizzix model 🙂

Filed Under: FEATURED, Halloween, Heat n Bond, pillow, sizzix, Therm O Web

All Hallow’s Eve Wall Quilt featuring Penny Rose Fabrics

October 21, 2015 by Amanda 2 Comments

It’s finally feeling like fall here in Southern California! Yippee!!!!! I love decorating for Halloween and I totally needed a new spooky wall hanging in my living room. I like to decorate with spooky neutrals in my living room/dining room. The family room and kitchen get a brighter treatment 🙂 When I saw the huge variety of neutrals and gray/blacks from Penny Rose Fabrics I knew exactly what I wanted to make! I love that this is more subtle Halloween and not so obvious. I hope you love it too! You can download the details of the pattern HERE.

Quilt measures 42″ square.

Most of the black/gray fabrics are from the Civil War Times fabric line. I love the variety! The rest of the fabrics are from Penny Rose Classics.

Here is the finished quilt hanging above the piano. I’m a little giddy right now 🙂

I first made the background by sewing 5″ squares together in 7 rows of 7. Then the applique comes next. You could totally add ghosts and bats, I wanted to keep it simple.

The moon is made by tracing a pie plate.

Here is a little close up of the quilting, with Mufasa’s permission 🙂 I love striped binding cut on the bias – it’s my absolute FAVORITE!!!! The backing is from Penny Rose’s mensware line – I love houndstooth!!!Ok, so this is totally my new favorite Halloween Quilt!

Filed Under: FEATURED, Halloween, Heat n Bond, Penny Rose Fabrics, quilt

Farmers Market Quilt Pattern featuring Riley Blake Designs Vintage Market

October 18, 2015 by Amanda Leave a Comment

I am so excited to share my newest pattern called Farmers Market! The inspiration came from this amazing fabric by Riley Blake Designs called Vintage Market, designed by the super talented Tasha Noel. This fabric has darling images of fruit stands, antique markets, and jam for sale. All things I LOVE!!! Plus the colors are fabulous!!!

This pattern is available to you for FREE! Click HERE to download the PDF pattern. I hope you love making it – it was so much fun!

Don’t my sweet children look like they are having such a lovely picnic! You would ever know they were fighting with each other and I was yelling at them “just look at the fruit!!!!”

Filed Under: FEATURED, quilt, Riley Blake, Therm O Web, tutorial

Happy Haunting Halloween Quilt

October 5, 2015 by Amanda 2 Comments

Isn’t Halloween the best time of year for quilting? I get so excited over orange and black and cats and bats! I can’t have enough quilts! I am so in love with this line from Deena Rutter called Happy Haunting by Riley Blake Designs. It is everything Halloween should be!

This quilt sews together fast and YOU get to pick the layout of each block.

This quilt is also best put together with a friend. Tina from @emilyannskloset and I got together this summer for a Coast to Coast Kitty Quilter Retreat where we sewed about 15 hours each day for 4 days!

Let’s get started!

Finished Quilt 55″ x 55″

Supplies:

fat quarters or quarter yard cuts of Halloween prints

1 yard sashing

3/4 yard outer boarder

fat quarters for applique

1/3 yard for background blocks for applique

Heat n Bond Lite or Heat n Bond Lite EZ Print Sheets

Applique pattern, click HERE

1/2 yard binding

3 yards backing

FOR THE BLOCKS

Begin by cutting the fabric into the following categories:

2.5″ squares

2.5″ x 4.5″ rectangles

4.5″ squares

4.5″ x 8.5″ rectangles

just keep cutting from a variety of fabrics until you have a sizable amount.

Now the fun begins – don’t lay it out! Just be totally random! The goal here is to create 8.5″ blocks by using a combination of 4 patches, strip sets, and larger rectangles. Below are a few examples, the combinations are endless! Just be creative!

Each time we finished a block we hung it up on a clothes line and said “No, THIS is the cutest block!”

For the finished quilt you will need 20 total pieced blocks and 5 applique blocks. We even made a block that was all 2.5″ squares!

APPLIQUE

For the applique background squares, cut (5) 8.5″ white squares. Trace the applique onto heat n bond lite or use the Heat n Bond EZ print sheets. Iron the heat n bond to the wrong side of the fabrics and cut out the shapes. Peel off the backing paper then press in place on the white squares. The spiders have ric rac stitched onto the block and the legs are stitched with black thread. Top stitch around each image.

Once all the blocks are finished it’s time to sash. I love that Tina choose black and white gingham to sash her quilt – it gives it a cozy country look!

FOR THE SASHING

Cut (20) 2″ x 8.5″ strips

you will need to piece the next sashing strips to give you the following measurements

(6) 2″ x 46.5″ strips for the horizontal rows

(2) 2″x 49.5 strips for the sides

Sew the 8.5″ sashing strips in between the blocks forming horizontal rows. Then add the horizontal strips along the top, middle rows, and bottom. Press. Finish by adding the 2 side strips.

OUTER BOARDER
After sashing add the outer boarder. I don’t measure at this point – do you? Cut (6) 3.5″ x WOF strips for the outer boarder. You will need to sew them together end to end to have enough length. Sew the side strips on, square up, press and then sew the top and bottom strips on.

I had my friend use her long arm quilter to sew swirls all over the quilt, even through the applique. I LOVE it! I am totally in love with this quilt. I cut the striped fabric on the bias for the binding. Striped binding is my absolute FAVORITE!!!! I had such a wonderful time putting this quilt together with my friend Tina. Isn’t it fun to sew with friends and family!!!

Filed Under: FEATURED, Halloween, Heat n Bond, patterns, quilt, Riley Blake, Therm O Web

Caturday Sew Along October

October 3, 2015 by Amanda Leave a Comment

Welcome to the Caturday Sew Along! I love cats and sewing!!! I know a lot of you love sewing with your fur babies too! Each month I will post a cat themed quilting project that we can sew together. Post your progress on Instagram and tag it with #caturdaysewalong. For October choose any variation of these three projects that use a cat silhouette and SPOOKY applique. Click the links for the patterns.

This Spooky mini quilt measures 20″ square and uses 2.5″ squares to complete. It’s such a fun way to use up those Halloween scraps you’ve been saving!! Click HERE for the tutorial.

This larger version measures 44″ x 60″ and it uses 5″ charm squares for the center. It’s my favorite Halloween quilt. Click HERE for the tutorial.

If you find yourself pressed for time but still want to sew something SPOOKY, try this quick pillow tutorial! Click HERE

Filed Under: appliqué, cat, caturday sew along, FEATURED, Halloween, Heat n Bond

Spooky Mini Quilt

September 30, 2015 by Amanda 2 Comments

I love Spooky Sewing! Halloween is such a fun time of year and the fabrics are so amazing! This mini quilt pattern is inspired from a larger pattern I created. You can find the pattern for the large version on the Riley Blake Designs website. The fabrics are from last years and this years Riley Blake Designs Halloween fabrics. They are purrrrfect for Halloween!Supplies:

scraps of Halloween prints

fat quarter or equivalent for applique

2/3 yard for backing

1/4 yard for binding

batting

Heat n Bond Lite EZ print sheets

This small version measures about 20″ square. It would make a great pillow too! Begin by rummaging through all your scraps and cut 2.5″ squares. You need 100 total. There are 10 rows of 10. I did mine totally random. I just grabbed 2 fabrics and sewed them together.

I paired all the fabrics then sewed those pairs with other pairs, leaving 10 pairs out. Once you sew the 2 sets of 2, you have strips with 4 squares. Pair those up to give you 10 sets of 8 squares. Then add the reserved pairs to the ends. This was the fastest way I found. I lined up the rows the best I could. I tried to avoid having 2 like fabrics touching. Press all seams.

To add the cat applique, click HERE for the cat and HERE for the Spooky. Print them in reverse. I like to use Heat n Bond EZ print sheets – no tracing!!! Once you’ve got your applique ready, iron it into place and stitch around it with black thread.

All that’s left is the quilting! I quilted orange swirls.

Add the binding and its done! This might take a while if your cat decides to have a nap on it!!! I love it so much!!!!

Filed Under: appliqué, cat, FEATURED, Halloween, Heat n Bond, Riley Blake, Therm O Web

Kids Can Sew! Sizzix Doll Quilt

September 30, 2015 by Amanda Leave a Comment

I love getting my girls involved in sewing! In fact among the requirements for leaving home to go to college are: 1. you must be able to bake a pie from scratch 2. you must be able to successfully make the family roll recipe 3. you must be able to construct a quilt start to finish by yourself! I’m proud of my teenage daughter as she has mastered all of these skills. Sally is 7 and we are beginning to sew on the machine. She LOVES it! I like projects that she can do most of the work; this one is perfect!

I love using the Sizzix for cutting because she is too young to use the rotary cutter. This way, she gets to “cut” out her quilt. She choose all the fabrics and the Sizzix die. The triangle worked great because it was easy for her to follow.

Once she had chosen all the fabrics, I ironed Heat n Bond Lite to the wrong side of the triangle fabric. Then I let Sally loose with the Sizzix Fabi.

I cut a piece of white fabric the size she wanted. She positioned the triangles and I pressed them in place.

She sat at the machine and I had her practice sewing 1/4″ seams along the triangles. If she messed up, not to worry, the triangles would be fine. This was such good experience. She got to where she could start and stop and lift the presser foot and cut the thread all by herself!

Once all the triangles were stitched around, I used Spary n Bond to baste the quilt together. This allowed for easy quilting and no messing with pins! I wanted her to do all the quilting. I put the walking foot on and showed her how the machine can “sew by itself” and all she needed to do was steer the fabric, not push or pull it. Once she saw how fun this was she was off! I encouraged her to do random lines all over. I love how it turned out!

Mufasa was quite a helper, he slept the entire time behind the sewing machine!I let her sew the binding on, and I helped with the corners. I then let her use the binding clips and clip the binding all the way around. Finally we got out the needle and thread and did some hand sewing. She did pretty good. I helped with the hand binding so we could finish sometime this year!

It’s the perfect size for her American Girl dolls and she is thrilled that she made it herself! Do you sew with your kids? Sally is excited to begin a new project!

Filed Under: appliqué, FEATURED, Heat n Bond, sizzix, Therm O Web

Blend Fabrics Luckie Girl Quilt Pattern {free}

September 8, 2015 by Amanda 1 Comment

I am so excited to share this pattern with you! I love theme prints and I am always trying to find ways to make quilts with these wonderful theme prints I collect. This pattern is super fun, it’s a perfect beginning quilters, and it looks a little more complicated than just sewing squares together. The fabrics are from Blend Fabrics Luckie Girl Collection. I am head over heals for these pink, turquoise and gray boots and horse shoes!! I am sharing this PDF pattern with you for FREE! Just click HERE!!!

The boots are the cutest!!

I made this quilt as a graduation gift for a sweet gal who grew up riding horses and competing in Rodeo. She’s off to college in Idaho.

I hope you have as much fun making this quilt as I did!

Filed Under: Blend Fabrics, FEATURED, patterns, quilt

Spooktacular Halloween Towels and Pillow

September 7, 2015 by Amanda Leave a Comment

Kids are in school, mornings are cool and crisp, and I can’t get enough Halloween sewing!! These projects are super quick and easy. The images used for the applique are fussy cut from Blend Fabrics Spooktacular fabric line. I love these big bold Halloween designs!

For the towels…

Supplies

1 yard toweling for each towel, or a finished tea towel

1/2 yard ric rac

Heat n Bond Feather Lite

Desired fabric

Begin by selecting the image you want to applique on the towel. Cut a piece of Heat n Bond slightly larger than the image. Iron it to the wrong side of the fabric.

Cut out the image.

Even up the toweling and sew a rolled hem on both edges.Peel off the backing paper and press into place. Top stitch around each applique piece. Add ric rac or other decorative trim.

These would make great gifts for friends or teachers!!!

For the pillow….

Supplies

quarter yard cuts of the 3 fabrics

1/2 yard ticking for back

Heat n Bond fusible fleece

Zipper

Applique pieces

Heat n Bond Feather Lite

2 .5 yards black pom pom trim

20″ Pillow Form

Begin by using the method explained above to fussy cut each of the potion bottles. Use the cutting guide below to cut each of the 3 fabrics.

Applique the bottles to the center piece

Next, sew the strips together using 1/4″seam allowance. Press seams to one direction.

Cut a 20″ square of fusible fleece and iron it to the wrong side of the pillow front. You can quilt the pillow at this point. I added some straight line stitches along both sides of the seams.

Baste the pom pom trim around the pillow, starting and stopping at the bottom center of the pillow and curving the corners.

I like to put zippers in my pillow backs. For instructions on how to do this, click here.

Sew the pillow front to the pillow back, right sides together. making sure to leave the zipper partially open. Turn right side out and insert pillow form.

Filed Under: appliqué, Blend Fabrics, FEATURED, Halloween, Heat n Bond, pillow, Therm O Web

Spooktacular Eve Big Block Quilt Pattern

August 15, 2015 by Amanda 2 Comments

I LOVE Halloween fabric!!! When I met Spooktacular Eve by Blend Fabrics it was Love at first sight! These patterns have a fun vintage feel which makes them timeless! I didn’t want to cut into the fabrics too much so I created this Big Block quilt pattern just for you!!! It’s a fast and easy way to show off those bold prints!