Hollow's Eve FREEBIE!!

All the ghouls will be walking about as Halloween will soon be here!  I designed this sweet little treat, called Hollow's Eve, that may come to you FREE with a qualifying order!!

Here's how this will work:

**Place an on-line order for at least $15 to get the pattern FREE.

**Place an on-line order for at least $35 or more and receive the pattern AND the fabric kit FREE!!!

(Note: Qualifying total does not include shipping)

~ Qualifying orders placed Friday, October 5th through Sunday, October 7th are eligible.

~ Your freebie will be added to your order when we package it up.  The Hollow's Eve quilt is not found on my website, so don't worry about having to place it in the shopping cart.

~Similar fabrics may be substituted.

~One offer per person.

There's lots of stuff on my website to tempt and inspire you!  

Check out the notions section
I have lots of patterns 
Fabric in Color Bank bundles and Fat Quarter Bundles
My new Vintage Patchwork book is available! 
Primitive Threads kits and yardage along with lots of my fabric prints with Marcus Fabrics are available as well.  

If you're in the mood for autumn sewing, Autumn on Maple Lake will wrap you in fall leaves...

Or, perhaps the Tokens of the Past: Autumn Sampler trio is perfect for your home!  

I still have a few Autumn Sampler kits - all with original fabrics.  

Thank you for your continued support of my quilt designs, patterns and fabrics.  You make it possible to continue doing what I love and I appreciate it more than you know! 

Click here to shop Heartspun Quilts!

Happy Shopping!

Primitive Threads Visits My House

After much anticipation, my brand new Primitive Threads quilt returned home....for a short visit.

This lovely quilt traveled to Las Vegas so Val Kreuger could add her talents with mine to create what I think is one spectacular quilt (I say very humbly!)

I don't know about you....but I think Val outdid herself as her quilting is stunning!!

I really could not be happier!!  Thank you so much, Val!!  I'm so proud of our combined efforts.

Last week, I had a four day trip out of town, and when I came back, my co-worker and friend Debbie, had the quilt all trimmed and bound.  Just in the nick of time, too!

Primitive Threads was home for just a few hours.  Here it is all bound and ready for photography.

I had about two hours to drop the quilt off with my photographer to take the cover photo.  Then I packed it up and FedEx took it for shipping to Portland where it will be on display in the Marcus Fabrics booth at quilt market.   We had a quick visit and it was gone again.

As it sometimes happens with best made plans, there is a hitch to my story.  Unfortunately, there is a problem with the photos my photographer took of the quilt.  They are unusable and therefore I can't complete the pattern cover.  Ugh!!!  But...stuff happens to everyone and I have to wait about 2 weeks for the quilt to return home to be able to take new photos and get the cover all done.  What can you do?  As soon as we have the cover done, the patterns will be up on my website.

I am busier than a chicken being chased by the Colonel!  Travel, while loads of fun, makes lots of catch-up work when you get home, as I'm sure it is for you when you're away.  Along with Primitive Threads, my new Tokens of the Past: Yuletide Greetings quilts and patterns are very nearly complete.  They turned out so, so good and can't wait to share!  And....I'm still rising early every morning to continue work on my super secret scrappy project which will be announced in November.  Oh...and work is already under way for my second book with Martingale!  Several new fabric collections are in production and some brewing in my head.

Needless to say....as with all quilters....we're never bored!  

Be sure to look for my Primitive Threads fabric collection at your local quilt shop!! 
Click here to see all the prints in the collection. 

Be well and stitch with a happy heart.....

Primitive Threads Progress

I wanted to post a few photos of my new Primitive Threads quilt in progress.  The quilt center is pieced and the borders are next.  

Laying out all the blocks on the design wall is so exciting because you really get your first look at what the quilt will really look like.  

I am really loving how the prints and colors are blending.  Some of the neutrals are colored way more yellow in the photos than what they really are.  

I didn't have much time to play with lighting and angles as we just had to get it pieced and off to Val for quilting.  Once it's quilted and back home, I will do a better job with photos.  I can hardly wait!

Primitive Threads will be delivered to your local quilt shop late May/early June!!  

The three quilts for my new Tokens of the Past pattern, called Yuletide Greetings are now all quilted and bound.  I hope to have (good) photos of them for my next post.  

Be well.....and happy stitching!

Everyone's A Ripper

In just a few days, my hubby and I will set sail with about 100 soon to be quilting friends on a quilting cruise to the Western Caribbean!  I am beyond excited to escape this dreadful winter weather we're still having here in suburban Chicago, not to mention spending our days at sea with quilters, and fellow teachers Julie Hendricksen of JJ Stitches and Carol Hopkins of Carol Hopkins Designs!!  I'm so jazzed about the fun week ahead.

If this sounds like fun to you, too, please join us next year as we will again set sail for a Civil War cruise to new and exciting destinations!  Joining me next year are fellow Marcus Fabrics designer and friend, Paula Barnes of Red Crinoline Quilts, and Connie Tesene of Country Threads!!!  What a terrific line-up!!  

We will sail the Western Caribbean starting from Galveston, TX, then onto Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Jamaica!  Three awesome quilt projects for you to create while at sea.  

Click here for all the 2019 Civil War cruise details from Stitchin' Heaven Quilt Shop and Travel.

In between ordinary business, putting the finishing touches on my 2019 BOM and final Vintage Patchwork book edits, I've been working with my friend and co-worker Debbie to piece my Primitive Threads quilt.   I'm presently working on the Flying Geese border and was merrily sewing them together.  I always measure my units and to my horror, discovered none of them measured what they should!  UGH!!!  No, no, no, no, no!  What is wrong??  

I determined it was the rulers fault (liar liar pants on fire) and not the maker, that all the gorgeous taupe squares were cut 1/8 inch too small.  Uh huh.  Needless to say, I spent an evening with my seam ripper and a glass of Pino Noir.

After having a talk with my ruler to set it straight, new taupe squares were cut and piecing the Flying Geese has resumed with a much better end result.  All quilters...all of us....spend time ripping.  It's part of the experience, albeit one we'd rather not have.

If you've been thinking about making my Primitive Threads quilt for yourself, you still have until tomorrow morning to PRE-ORDER the quilt kit and get the pattern free and reduced shipping.

Click here to view Primitive Threads quilt kit details.

Orders will be shipped when the fabric comes in, now scheduled for late May or early June.  That is the same schedule when you can look for it at your local quilt shop....and please do look for it there!!  

As soon as I can post photos of the quilt I will.  We have to have it done before I leave for the cruise so we can pass it along to Val to be quilted.  So...that means I better get back to my sewing machine.  

Hope you are able to spend some time with your sewing machine and NOT your seam ripper! 

Special Offers On Primitive Threads Quilt Kit & Bundles

It won't be too long now until my new Primitive Threads fabrics will be delivered to your local quilt shop!!  So jazzed and excited about this very special collection, and it seems many of you are jazzed about it as well.  I've had a lot of email inquiries and requests for a kit for this quilt.

First of all.....please, please ask for this fabric collection and quilt pattern at your local quilt shop.  You know I want you to always shop there first!!!  It's very important to support our quilt shops because we want them to be around for years and years to come.  Many shops will be kitting this quilt, too.  Primitive Threads is due to arrive in your LQS in May.  

For many of you, your LQS is hundreds of miles away from home and/or doesn't carry historic prints...so...with that in mind, I have two special offers for you!

I am taking ***PRE-ORDERS*** for both the Primitive Threads quilt kit and Fat Quarter bundles!

Click here to place your order for a Primitive Threads Fat Quarter bundle.  You'll only be charged $5.50 shipping....anywhere in the U.S.!!  

My special for the Primitive Threads quilt kit is....with this PRE-ORDER only....receive the quilt pattern FREE and pay only $5.50 shipping anywhere in the U.S.!

Click here to read more details about the Primitive Threads quilt kit.

Special offers are for a limited time.  Order no later than Tuesday, April 17th to be guaranteed a quilt kit and/or bundle.  

Your order will ship in May as soon as I receive the fabric.  I know how anxious you are to receive your quilting goodies (I'm the same way!) so I do my best to get your items to you as soon as possible.  

Thank you for your continued support of my patterns and fabric.  Because of YOU I am able to continue to bring you traditional quilt patterns and historic fabrics through Marcus Fabrics!

I can finally share the first quilt in my new Tokens of the Past: Yuletide Greetings pattern called Deck The Halls.

This was great fun to design as I played with the different colors and shades of each fabric.  I added a twist throwing in the black triangles and set the quilt center on point.  Love, love how it turned out!!  

And now...the quilt top is off to my quilter, Ronda.  This is quilt two of three included in the Yuletide Greetings pattern, and hopefully, when I return from my trip to Massachusetts,  the third one will be complete as well.  

The quilts feature my Pieceful Pines fabric collection and are made using one 10" x 10" precut plus additional yardage for blocks, borders, and other fun stuff.  The pattern and precuts will be available in May....I think.  It won't be too much longer!

My Primitive Threads sample yardage arrived on Monday and I've begun starching the yardage in preparation of making the quilt.  I won't be able to begin piecing the quilt until I return from MA which is kinda killing me!  I am so looking forward to the trip...but...I have brand new fabric and want to play with it!  Sigh.....too many good things all happening at once....champagne problems, Pam!

Look for special offerings for Primitive Threads in my next post!!  

Until then....don't worry...stitch yourself happy!

More Primitive Threads

Primitive Threads quilt and fabrics designed by Pam Buda ~ Heartspun Quilts
for Marcus Brothers Fabrics

As promised....I wanted to share more of what inspired my new Primitive Threads fabric collection and more of the prints in the line that I hope you'll be asking for at your local quilt shop.  

One of the perks of fabric designing is having a collection of antique quilts and this one sure is a cutie!  

It's hand pieced and hand quilted and loaded with Make-Do blocks....which to know me it to know I love Make-Do quilts!!  (Read more info about Make-Do quilts here.)

A closer inspection of the patchwork reveals this super cute little star flower....perfect for Primitive Threads!

This little print is made in three colors....a neutral, a brown and blue multi-color print.  So super sweet!  (Truth is...I would have loved it in every color!!)  I call this print Star Flower Toss.

As you might imagine....you can't find everything you want in antique fabrics.  Sometimes, you have to design them from scratch, and that's the case with the star print above.  I love the old iron stars you see on the outside of old buildings and used that star as inspiration for the print above called Starry Skies.  (Another print I would have dearly love in every color!)

Having a collection of folky~prim neutrals was important as well, and I recolored this print (an absolute favorite of mine) in a warm beige background and super soft taupe.  It looks prim and vintage and is called Picotage Petals.  (Picotage is the name for all the tiny, fine dots you see in the leaves and stems, and is a common design element in vintage fabric.)

The last print I want to share with you is another print I designed from scratch.  I have long wanted to have a fabric like this and Primitive Threads was just the right collection for it!  This print is called Primitive Linen.  Produced in two versions of beige background, it gives just the softest crinkle-y vintage look to patchwork.....oh so yummy!!!  I wanted a fabric that would give patchwork a wonderful aged feel.  The crinkle pattern is so subtle, and yet the fabric does not look flat like a solid or muslin would.  Playing with it in sample blocks.... it made the other fabrics in the block look even better!  I am so happy to finally have Primitive Linen - I'm doing a dance of JOY on the front lawn.  (Well...not really because it wouldn't be pretty.  Just sayin'!)

I hope you have enjoyed seeing a little of the fabric design process in these two posts about Primitive Threads and you like what you see!!  My sample fabrics will arrive soon and I'll post some sewing progress while making the quilt.  Watch Facebook and Instagram for some photos, too.

Primitive Threads should arrive at your LQS in April!!  Click here to see all of the Primitive Threads fabrics.

Counting the days until Spring arrives!!  Be well.....stitch happy.  

First Peek At Primitive Threads!

Primitive Threads quilt ~ Designed by Pam Buda for Heartspun Quilts
and Marcus Brothers fabrics.

Introducing my Primitive Threads quilt!  

Boy...this feels so good!!  I tell ya....working in secret is hard sometimes, so when it's finally time to share....I can hardly contain myself!

This quilt features the entire Primitive Threads fabric collection (for Marcus Fabrics) and uses a black print as the neutral background.  I designed two taupe fabrics that I used in the pieced border of the quilt and another I used in all of the blocks.  (I have plans for even more quilts using these taupe fabrics.  I'm so in a taupe mood these days!)

When choosing fabrics for a primitive collection, I knew I wanted darker, muted colors....prints that had a folk art feel to them, and absolutely had to have some stars!  What's primitive without stars??  I also wanted the prints to fit in nicely with other historic prints.  So....let's take a look at some of the Primitive Threads fabrics and the antique fabrics that inspired them.

Several years ago, I acquired parts of a potholder quilt.  Just holding it is so sweet and dear.

I have several long pieces with six blocks, a couple of twin blocks and some single blocks...all with the same red binding print.  I'm not sure how old they are.  I think the fabrics in the blocks may be older than the binding, but I'm not sure.  All I know is.... they're old!  

This brown print has been one of my favorites since I've owned these historic pieces, and I thought it fit into the folk art theme I was going for.  I just love the whimsical feel of the flowers.

It was the perfect choice for the main black background print of the quilt I designed because that print needs to read as a 'solid', and could not have any direction to the pattern.  Yet...I didn't want a true solid....I wanted something more fun and interesting.  It was perfect!  It turned out so great, we printed it in four colors.  For the black version, the actual floral print is in a soft brown so it will be seen just a bit, but doesn't change the overall color of the black fabric.  The red is actually a darker cranberry color, blue is a navy and the light is a soft warm beige.  The red, blue and beige are all tone on tone and are much prettier than this photo makes them to be.  (You know me and my camera....sigh....so hard to capture what the colors really are!!)  This print is called Folk Art Flower.  

I used another print in the potholder quilt that I am just wild over!!  It's so faded, but you hope you can see how sweet the little star flowers are.  It just screamed folky and primitive to me!

Here's how that sweet print turned out!  I LOVE IT!!!  Honestly....please see these fabrics at your local quilt shop.  My photos just don't do them justice.  This print is called Folk Art Garden.

I thought I'd add this photo of the back of the potholder pieces for those of you who like to study old quilts.  The blocks do not have any batting in them, and the quilting is just along the edges of the crazy piecing.  I think it's just precious.  

Any guesses how old the potholder quilt pieces are??

I'll show you more Primitive Threads fabrics and their antique fabric inspirations in my next post.  Hope you like what you see so far.

Primitive Threads fabrics should be arriving to your local quilt shop in April....so please....be sure to ask for them there.  It's so very important that we support our quilt shops!!  

Better get to work on the new things I'm dreaming up for your stitching pleasure.  Be well....

Introducing My Primitive Side

When, in my last post, I hinted that my next fabric collection was something kinda new for me, did you think primitive?

Yes!!  Primitive Threads is my next collection for Marcus Fabrics!!  

Actually, primitive is not out of character for me at all when you know from where the inspiration for the collection came.

Antiquing is one of my passions with emphasis toward nineteenth century antiques.  I have several antique shows I attend where all items for sale are from the eighteenth and nineteenth century.   I thoroughly enjoy admiring the hand-crafted workmanship of the antiques as most of them are handmade.  Our early American ancestors were big time "Makers".

The book above is a favorite of mine.  American Country is a series of books published in the 1990's by Time-Life publications.  (I've found the books at antique shows and shops, and on eBay.)  This one is all about American folk art and I just love browsing the pages.  The cover is a lovely collection of hand made and hand painted items of true Folk Art.  The colors are dark but soft and warm.  I'm smitten!

Among the many items showcased in the book are hooked rugs. The designs and the colors speak to me.  Oh....to own one of these beauties!!  I'll have to admire and not acquire!!

Of course quilts are a huge part of folk art....as is the color black.  Black seems to be the perfect neutral to show off all other colors.  Even if you're not as fond of black as I am, a little black in a room really sets things off.  

Like the book's cover photo, this photo of shelves of folk art sums the look perfectly.  

I am fortunate to own a few true handmade pieces of American folk art....treasures to be sure.  I am smitten with the makers desire to create beautiful things from ordinary everyday items.  They dipped brushes in paint, carved wood, cut paper and put needle and thread to work to make a truly unique class of art, although I don't believe they thought of it as art the same we do now. 

Items such as nineteenth century game boards, whirlygigs, Tole and Fraktur painting, wood carved and painted toys and banks, Sgraffito pottery, painted furniture, samplers, homemade dolls and pieced and pictorial quilts all serve as inspiration for this new primitive collection.

In my next post, I'll show you the fabrics in the collection and some of the original nineteenth century antique fabric prints that I chose to replicate.  I'll also share the quilt I designed featuring the entire collection.  I'm so jazzed for you to see it!!

In the mean time, you can click here to visit the Marcus Fabrics website for a sneak peek at the fabrics!!  

I am very happy to honor our American Folk Art heritage with the Primitive Threads collection!