Summer Fun Sizzix Quilt Tutorial

Hello my quilty friends!! 

I have another fun project to share with you today! 

I did a quilt tutorial over on the Sizzix blog.  I called her Summer Fun because it sort of reminds me of beach balls! 

The things that I love the most about this quilt is that it is super easy to put together and the design can be for a male or female with the right fabrics!!

The fabrics I used here are from Emma's Garden.  A line by Patty Sloniger for Michael Miller. :)

Hop on over to the Sizzix Blog and have a look! 

If you make one please be sure to share it with me!! I love to see all the projects made with my patterns!!! 

Much Love!!!

Mini Quilt Tutorial - Sizzix

Hello my fabric loving friends!! 

Remember when I told you that I am a Design Team member for Sizzix and I would be doing tutorials a few times a month?  

Well today is Tutorial Numero Uno (#1)! 

I just want to say that I am sooooo excited to be working with Sizzix.  What an amazing group of people and the company is amazing!! 

Also, they gave me a coupon code for you to use on their site!! It is good for 15% off of your regular priced purchase on Sizzix.com.  They can not be used in combination with other discounts. Just plug in the coupon code SZ9B and the discount will show!! This code is good until the end of the 2014 year so purchase away! 

Fabric is Emma's Garden by Patty Sloniger for Michael Miller Fabrics

My first tutorial is a simple and quick one! I did it as a mini quilt to use as a table topper but you could easily make this into a pillow too! Or a doll quilt or add more blocks to make a baby quilt.. the possibilities are endless!!! 

Lets begin by what you will need for supplies.  

1.  Sixxiz Big Shot

2.  Sizzix Bigz L Die - Circles, 2", 3" & 4"

3.  Sizzix Bigz L Die - Square, 4 1/2" Finished (5" Unfinished)

4.  Two fat quarters of fabric for the background

5.  16 Scraps at least 4.5" square for the circles

6.  Backing that is at least 20" x 20"

7.  Binding strips

Project finishes at approximately 18" x 18". 

Step 1: Take the fat quarters and cut out 16 squares that are 5" using the die in #3. I used two different yellows. You could use any combination you want. :)

To do so, lay a standard cutting pad, then the die (face up), then the fabric, and then another standard cutting pad

REMEMBER:  You can cut up to 8 layers of fabric using this die.  Fold your fat quarter in such a way to get 8 layers, and you will only need to make 2 cuts/passes in the Big Shot! Awesome time saver!!!

Step 2:  Lay them out in a 4 x 4 grid and sew them into rows using a 1/4" seam.  Press each row seams in opposite directions.  (Example: Row 1 press seams to the right.  Row 2, press seams to the left.  This will allow the seams to next when sewing together.) Sew the rows together.  Press well. 

Step 3:  Cut out 16 circles using the die listed as #2 in the supply list.  Use the larger 4" circle and your scraps or you can do as I did and use fabrics from the same line. 

Step 4:  Lay a circle in each square so it is pleasing to your eye.  

Step 5:  In this step, I used Elmer's Washable School Glue to glue baste my circles on my background.  I also used an ultra fine tip to produce a very thin line of glue.  

Lay down a fine line of glue about a quarter inch in from the edge of the circle.  Lay the circle back in its place ensuring it is centered.  Then heat set with a DRY iron.  You only need to keep the iron on for a few seconds.  

Note:  You can also use pins in place of glue or any basting method you prefer. 

Step 6:  Once all the circles are tacked down, sew 1/4" around the inside edge of each circle.  Make sure you back stitch at the beginning and end of your stitching!  This is raw edge appliqué so after some time, the edges will be come frayed giving it a "worn" look.  Don't worry, the stitching will keep your circle in place though! 

Step 7:  Layer your top, batting and backing and baste using your favorite method.  

Step 8:  Quilt as desired.  

Step 9:  Add your binding and display to your liking! 

I thought it might even be fun as a display mat for my Big Shot!! After all, it matches quite nicely and I think she deserves her own mat! ;)

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial!  If you make one of your own, please do share with me! I love to see projects that you make using my tutorials!! 

Much love!!!

New Kids on the Block

Good day my friends!! 

I am so excited to share my two new patterns with you today!!! I have so enjoyed the process of designing and making each of these quilts!!! I've actually made Cosmic Delight twice and I could make Harmony a hundred times over!! 

Let me show you both, then I will tell you a bit about each. 

Cosmic Delight....

Cosmic Delight is a pattern I made that offers SIX different sized quilts in baby to king sized.  The pattern is in full color no matter if you purchase the PDF or the paper booklet (coming soon).  I made mine in Ansonia by Denyse Schmidt for Freespirit Fabrics with Kona Snow as the background fabric. This does require the ruler, Wrights®/EZ Tri Recs Quilting Ruler, which can be purchased at a lot of local quilt shops and tons of places on line! It is a very versatile ruler so you won't only use it for this quilt. :)

and Harmony ... 

Harmony is another quilt I designed with multiple sizes included.  This one has SEVEN sizes ranging from baby to king!! This pattern is also in full color no matter if you purchase the PDF or the booklet (coming soon).  This quilt I wanted to be fun and cheery so I chose to use Vintage Happy by Lori Holt for Riley Blake and I love this quilt so much!! 

This quilt also uses a ruler, Easy Circle Ruler by EZ Quilting, OR I have included a template in the pattern that can also be used if you don't want to use the ruler.  Normally this would be pieced using templates for each piece and then curved piecing.  I've chosen to alter it by using raw edge appliqué for the half circles so it will have a bit of a scruffy look once washed! So cute! 

I hope you love these quilts as much as I do!!! They were so fun to make!! 

As always, Darla Padilla quilted them for me!! She is such a gem! Love her!

Here are the covers so you can also see requirements for fabric and available sizes in each. 

PDF Patterns available in my shop HERE. 

PRE ORDER the paper copies in my shop HERE

Order PDF on Craftsy Here. 

Or if you like Etsy, you can get it HERE. 

Much Love!!!

Baby's Breath - New Pattern

Good Monday Morning Friends!!! 

I have a little sumthin' sumthin' to share with you this beautiful morning!! 

I teamed up with Connecting Threads to make a project for their Gifty Galore 2014 and designed a quilt for it.  My quilt is the first project in the series!! I am soooo excited to see this posted today!! 

Let me tell you about her.  Her name is Baby's Breath.  I originally designed this quilt to only be a baby/youth sized quilt, hence the name, but as I was making this quilt I enjoyed it so much, I expanded the pattern to include FIVE sizes!!!! 

You can read a little bit more about her over on the Connecting Threads Notions blog and if you want to purchase the pattern, you can also find that HERE for download. 

I hope you like her as much as I do!!! 

Much Love!!!! 

Guess What?

Happy Sunday!! 

Have you recovered from the Holiday? I sure hope everyone had a happy and safe Holiday! 

Fireworks have always made me nervous, much to my son's dismay.  I've never had a personal experience that was bad, but even as a kid I never really liked them.  I think they are pretty to look at.  That part I don't mind at all.  Its the big booms and the possibility of getting limbs injured that makes me a nervous Nellie.  

Anywho, back to my "guess what?"

If you have noticed my sidebar you may already have guessed it.....

Plug your ears while I squeal with delight!!! 

Yeep! As of July 2014 I am a member of the Design Team for Sizzix! This makes me so giddy and I can't wait to share so many things with all of you! I will be doing at least TWO sewing tutorials a month.  One here on my blog and one on the Sizzix blog so make sure you check back often and also over at Sizzix! 

There are SO many other great designers on this team and I am honored to be working with them all!!   If you get a chance, go check out the TEAM and be ready to be inspired! :)

Much Love!!!

Generosity and Family

Hello everyone!!

I come to you today to tell you about something very special!  

My good friend Sarah is doing a giveaway on her blog.  It's not just an ordinary giveaway either.  

Let me tell you a bit about it.  

Sarah's daughter and her family are in the process of adopting a little boy from China. His name is Nathaneal. We all know that having children are not inexpensive but with adoption, the cost comes all up front plus the 18 years (and then some) afterwards.  

So, you see, Sarah is trying to help her family in this wonderful and joyful process by doing a giveaway/fundraiser in the form of a quilt raffle!! This will help raise the money to bring him home. 

I've seen the generosity of the quilting community and I'd really like to help Sarah and her family bring their child home to them.  Please join in with me?  

Head on over to Sarah's Blog, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and you can read more about it there like how to donate, and how to enter the giveaway.  

Let's see if we can top Sarah's goal!! I know we can do it!! 

Much Love!!!