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Thursday, July 30, 2020

Plumberry Is Here!!

Plumberry Is Here!!!

It always seems like such a long, long wait until a new fabric collection finally arrives.  When it's finally here, I want to celebrate!  

Historic reproduction fabrics in shades of purple are few and far between.  It's been a few years now since my first plum collection, Old Plum Calicoes was out, and this one is long overdue!

I can see on social media that Plumberry is also arriving at your local quilt shop, so please....go there and buy a bunch!  They really need your patronage to make up for being closed, and I always encourage you to support your LQS before buying from me.  It's so important!  
There are thirteen purple prints in shades from lavender to eggplant, and seven assorted light prints with plum-colored motifs.  

Even if you wouldn't make yourself an entirely purple color quilt, adding shades of plum to your historic repro quilts is just wonderful.  I love them!  

If your LQS does not carry Plumberry, I have fat quarter bundles and yardage on my website, available now!

Click here to order Plumberry Fat Quarter Bundles.

Click here to shop Plumberry yardage.

To celebrate the arrival of  Plumberry, I'm offering a give-away!  
I have several Plumberry Fat Eighth bundles and my new Nan's Fancy quilt pattern (quilt made with Plumberry, of course) to give away.

Leave a comment on the following question by midnight Saturday.  I'll randomly choose a couple of comments to receive this prize.  

Finish this sentence.....Right after I complete a really big quilt project, the first thing I do is......

In the meantime, everyone....stay safe, keep on stichin because it keeps our sanity!! 
Be well...

Thursday, July 23, 2020

A Little Summer Breeze

I bet you're wondering what a summer breeze has to do with fabric and quilting?  Well....this is a short story about how orphan blocks have saved the day.  

We all can relate to a summer breeze moving things around on our outdoor patio.  No sooner would I clean and set the table with place mats and the breeze would move them around or toss them on the floor. 
An idea struck a solution with some orphan blocks I had laying in a drawer.  I made pinkeep/paper weights out of them!  
Problem solved......and..they're so darn cute on the table!
I bought these 2 glass jars with lids (Hobby Lobby) to store them when not in use.  
They look really good on the patio cabinet counter.  Orphans to the rescue!

Hope this gives you an idea of another way to use an orphan block.  I'll be outside enjoying the beautiful weather we're having at the moment.  I try to be out there at least once a day to experience summer while it's here.  It's gonna really heat up over the weekend.

Hope you're enjoying your summer.  Stay safe and keep on creating!
Be well.....

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Plumberry Coming Soon!

Plumberry is about to be delivered to your LQS!  It's been such a long time since we've had a collection of historic reproduction fabrics in all shades of purples and plums.  The wait is nearly over.
I made my quilt, Nan's Fancy, using Plumberry and am so, so happy with how it turned out.
Here's a bunch of blocks using Plumberry.  It's so nice to see the fabric pieced into blocks.  
The quilt is now quilted and I'm binding it in the evenings.  
I took these photos on my patio in the shade so you can see the quilting.  It makes the colors look darker than they are.
With the Plumberry collection about to be delivered soon, this is the last call for anyone who would like a kit for my Nan's Fancy quilt made with Plumberry.    You have until Friday, July 17th to order the kit with a $25 deposit.  Click here for all the details.

Be sure to ask for Plumberry at your LQS!!  

Stay safe and Be Well......

Monday, July 13, 2020

Introducing ForeverMore ~ My NEW Block of the Month!!

To say I'm excited to finally show you my new BOM quilt is an understatement!  I've been working on this project for so long and couldn't utter a peep.  But I am silent to more!

ForeverMore

My new BOM is a truly traditional quilt with some of the oldest fabrics I've ever had the pleasure to reproduce!  I chose some really fun-to-piece sampler blocks, along with a collection of small blocks, that all surround the Starburst center.

Wait until you see the gorgeous fabrics!  Don't wanna wait?
I completely understand.....click here to see my ForeverMore collection.

I'll also be showing you tons more photos in the coming weeks as I am piecing and writing this program right now.  Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see more behind-the-scenes photos, too.  

ForeverMore begins in January and runs for 12 months.  Please ask for my ForeverMore BOM program at your favorite quilt shop.  

Plumberry is about to be delivered to your LQS!!  My quilt, made with Plumberry, is almost done, so I'll have photos of the fabrics, and the quilt, in my next post.  

Until then, stay safe, be well....and keep on stitching!

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Cardboard Insert Finishing Instructions for any Project

July 4th wool project and Antebellum quilt ~ FREE patterns from Pam Buda of HeartspunQuilts.com
I don't always want my projects to hang on the wall, or become pinkeeps or paper weights.  I often want them to stand up as if they were framed, without the expense of having them framed, so this idea seems to be a good alternative.   Here's the simple method I created to do just that.
I'm using my July 4th freebie project as my sample, but you can do this to any small quilt, wool applique or cross stitch project.  You will want to adjust the border measurements according to the size of the project you're working with.  You don't have to have a border, so keep that in mind as an option as well.

At the end of this post, you can download/print the written instructions for this tutorial, saving you from scribbling notes for these steps.  (Click here to get the July 4th wool project above.)

To begin, I added a 1 1/2" cut border to my July 4th top.  Measure the length and width of your top including the new added border.  Cut a piece of scrap batting to the same size.

Cut a piece of lining fabric the same size as your top.  I used a light print so you can clearly see which piece is which piece for the technique, but you can choose to have the fabrics match the border, and/or backing, or use up scraps.
Cut a backing fabric the same size as your project.  Using a disappearing marker or pen, measure and draw a line 3/4 of an inch along the bottom edge.  Fold the backing, wrong sides together, along the marked line and press.
Sew a top stitch seam 1/4" from the folded edge to give it a nice finish.
Cut (2) 1 1/2" squares (mine are red) and fold each one in half diagonally, wrong sides together, forming a triangle.  
Layer your project components as follows:  
*project top facing down
*batting 
*inside lining face up
*place the two triangles in the bottom corners of the project on the back
*backing face up

Pin all around and stay stitch 1/8" on all four sides of the project.  This will hold all the components in place when you sew the binding.

Prepare the smallest width binding you are comfortable using.  I used (2) strips cut 1 7/8" wide for single fold binding.  

When calculating binding for another project, here is the math formula:

L+L+W+W+10 inches, divided by 40 = how many strips to cut at the width you desire.

Bind as you usually would.




Cut a piece of cardboard or tag board 1/2 inch smaller than your project size.  You don't want to use a box as that is too thick.  I used cardboard that I took from the back of a pad of paper.  You can also use a cereal box.














Insert the cardboard between the lining and the backing.  Tuck the bottom corners into the two triangles.

Voila!!!  Easy, peasy!!  It's ready to be displayed anywhere with a decorative easel.

Click here to download/print my Cardboard Insert Finishing Instructions.

 I hope my tutorial and technique help you find new ways to enjoy your many stitching projects.   The tutorial will remain on my blog for you to reference anytime in the future.

 I encourage you to follow me on Instagram and Facebook for behind-the-scenes posts that don't appear here on the blog.  Share this post with your quilting friends!  


Be well, dear readers....keep on stitching!

Saturday, July 4, 2020

Happy 4th!



Happy 4th of July!!

Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays of the year.  I love decorating the house in red, white and blue from June to September.  I L*O*V*E this country and the people in it!

To celebrate this national holiday, and more to the point, to thank you...my faithful readers, who support me with your kind comments and emails, with buying my fabric at your local quilt shop, and with your orders on my website, I want to THANK YOU!!  

This little woolen design is my 4th of July Freebie gift to you.  You can print the directions here.

In the next few days, pull your scraps together and stitch the top.  On July 9th, I will post a unique way to finish this project, so be sure to stop back here at my blog for all the details.

Until then, celebrate...keep safe, stay healthy and God Bless America!!