Have you seen the Stonehenge Fabrics?  They are beautiful, full of color and texture.

Elisa Wilson of Elisa’s Backporch Design paired the medallion style pre-printed panel available in the Stonehenge fabric line with a border of blocks to simulate a garden walk of tiles in her French Garden quilt pattern.   The quilt finishes at 49″ x 67″; large enough for a snuggle-on-the-couch lap quilt. It would also look great as a wall hanging.

The French Garden is also available as a quilt kit.  The kit includes the pattern, all the fabric for the top and for the binding. 

Stonehenge Stucco wide backing (108″) will make finishing a breeze.  And, if you are careful, you can back two quilts with just 2 yards of the backing fabric.

 Another option for the center is the Stonehenge Brown Panel.

 Or use the same pattern and go for a regal look with the Imperial Collection 8 panel.  Beautiful varied blues on an indigo background are enhanced with silver metallic thread throughout. There are several coordinating blues in the Imperial Collection that will work well for the borders.

 If you’ve never made a panel quilt before this pattern is a great one to try. 

Happy quilting!

You won’t mind “brown bagging it” with this fresh looking lunch bag that can be used over and over.  And it’s easy to make!

Sew along both sides.

Cut out square.

Manipulate one of the bottom corners that you cut so that sewn seam touches the start of the bottom fold – you should have raw edges of fabric on each side of this point – sew together to form one side of a square bottom.

 

 Repeat with the other cut corner.

Step 4. Construct liner

Same way you constructed the exterior…

Topstitch ric-rac just below the edge of the top.

Make flower by tracing a circle (I use a small coffee container) and sewing the two 5″ squares together on the circle.  In the center of just one of the circles cut a small opening. 

Pull circle through this opening so the seam is inside.  Hand stitch (with large stitches) a circle in the center of the flower; leave long thread hanging.  Stuff the center of this little circle with bits of batting. Pull on the long thread to gather circle - this will ruffle the outside edges of the large circle and will form the flower.  Hand stitch to the bag around the edge of the little circle.

Load and go!

 

Now isn’t that a pretty little bag?!

 

Are you heading to the beach this summer?  Not, and wish you were? 

Trade your normal commute to work for Rush Hour Traffic, Beach Style.  Dig into your stash to make these fish that don’t seem to mind the crowd.  All the gentle curves add wavy motion, and the button embellishments add dimension and whimsey.

                                                                                           Here’s another stash project.  Over a dozen flip flops surround the beach blanket that holds everything a beachgoer might need. Linda Zokan of Thistledown used batiks in Beach Walk and they look great!

How about a giant Fancy Flip Flop Pillow?  The kids will love these!  Take it to the beach (the straps make it easy to throw it over your arm or shoulder leaving your hands free to carry all your other stuff) or use it inside on the rainy days.  There are endless design possibilities!

 If you are going to the beach, you’ll need a way to carry all your stuff. My Beach Bag is a simple drawstring bag that you can whip up in no time at all.  The extra layers at the bottom add a little personality, and the rest of the pizzazz will come from the fabrics you choose. Go bold!

Want to try a different kind of piecing?   The whole family can spend time piecing Seaside Summer Jigsaw Puzzle.   Stay at home and still enjoy the beach.

Whether you are beach bound, wishing you were, or remembering past trips, I hope you are enjoying your summer.

It seems if we quilt, we can appreciate country style.  Janet Miller’s projects, whether they are crochet, stitchery, or quilts all have a country flavor to them.   Many of The City Stitcher quilt patterns are samplers or incorporate folk art, or both.

Olde Floral Bouquet is sitting is a plaid country vase.  Layers of fabric and frayed edges give this wall hanging dimension.  Silk ribbons are used for the stems, adding another texture. 

Thankful Harvest can be made with either the frayed edge technique, or with traditional applique.  Silk ribbon is machined stiched to form the berry vines and fruit stems. 

Like cats?  Know someone who does?  Scrappy Cats has two options.  One has strippy backgrounds and an inner border that sports buttons all around.  The other option has solid backgrounds and no inner borders.  The scrappy borders are foundation pieced.

Quilted Village can be purchased as a complete set or, just like a village grows, one building at a time.  If you buy them one a time be sure to start with the Schoolhouse as it includes the fabric requirements for the center village green square (which is a gorgeous quilt all on its own!) and for all the backgrounds. 

Circle Of Friends would make a great anniversary quilt.  The star blocks offer room for signatures and the center displays a short poem.  With a sampler look, this personalized quilt will be a treasure that is passed down through generations.

Well, that was a sampling of the City Stichers quilts.  We haven’t even touched on the stitchery patterns or the crochet patterns.  Soon!

A friend recently told me that she wished her mother had taught her to sew, not just so that the knowledge of sewing would be with her now, but also so those memories would be available to cherish.  My friend wants to teach her daughters to sew; she’s now learning to sew and quilt so she can do exactly that.  I’m sure she and her daughters will make some wonderful memories along with their sewing projects.  My friend may have to wait a couple years before her girls are old enough to start but she is looking forward to it!  

If you have a daughter, summer is a great opportunity to take some time with your daughter and sew together.  

This reversible Double Fun Skirt would be a good pattern to start with… it’s very quick to put together.  Imagine how fun it will be for her to be able to wear her first sewing project. 

Bloom Where You’re Planted is a wonderful mini quilt project that will give a youngster a chance to really play at the art of quilting.  While you are both “playing”, you can talk about the advice in the name of the quilt…. a great life lesson.

Totally Awesome Mini-Tote is a fun, practical pattern that offers a challenge or three for a new sewer.  Guide her through adding a pocket, installing a zipper, and putting in a snap closure.  Then enjoy her pride each time she uses the tote!

It doesn’t matter what pattern you choose or what fabrics you use, the real point is spending the time sharing the craft.  Long ago, I took an after-school class and learned to sew an apron and a blouse.  My two older sisters help me finish each of the projects.  I don’t remember the class at all, but I have wonderful memories of stitching with each of my sisters.

Lori Allison of Allison Quilt Designs uses her home ec teaching experience to write patterns for novice quilters.   The instructions are clear and detailed and are paired with lots of illustrations.  Her designs take simple blocks and make an amazing impact with the use of vibrant color or selective value placement.  The wow factor in many of her quilts will also draw more experienced quilters.

Candy Queen is a 92″ x 92″ quilt.  Strip piecing (three blocks at a time!) makes construction quick.  So full of light – it looks like the sun is shining through the middle of the quilt.  I’d love to do this one with blues… very, very light blue in the center and deepen to violet blue at the edges.

The skill level is easy for this fun, Funky Stripes quilt!  Perfect for a teen’s room or for that new college student’s dorm room.  Instructions are included for three sizes: Lap 46″ x 60″, throw 60″ x 75″, or twin 75″ x 90″.

As the skill level for this one is very easy, it will be a piece of cake to make – Fruit Cake!  You can use  layer cakes or yardage of big beautiful prints.  And by the time you are finished with this twin sized quilt you’ll be a pro at making prairie points.

Color My World is made from lots of Trip Around the World blocks.  Construction is a breeze so you can concentrate on having fun playing with color for each of the “trips”.  Adjusting the size of the quilt is easy, too – from throw to king, whatever you need.

Allison also has patterns for table runners, totes, placemats and even a feathered (quilted feathered, of course) vest.