Sherry Cooper of 2 Easy Designs has released four more patterns for the Tiny Treasures series.   With one wallhanging for each month of the year you’ll have something fresh to hang as the year passes.  Several of the quilts will work for more than just one month so you might want to have a few hooks available! 

The Straight-Laced Boot Wall Hanging is rather whimsical.  What an adorable use for an old boot.  And if the boot has a hole in it (or two!) then that’s even better …. built in drainage. 

After you get your flowers planted, it’s time to head to the seashore for some Easy Livin’.  This cute wall hanging is packed with details.  Can you smell the salty air?

I hope Mrs. Ant appreciates it when Mr. Ant says “I’ll Do Anything For You“!   That extra large, juicy watermelon slice sure looks heavy.

The blossoms on the apples trees are gone and the apples are doing their summer job of growing.  Before we know it we’ll be out getting our own Fresh Picked, and enjoying them raw or baking up some apple pies or turnovers.  Yum!

These patterns are each 7 3/4″ x 18 1/2″ so they will fit in a little spot…. maybe your entry, or in a hall, or on that little wall between the bedroom door and the linen closet door.   A door itself might be the perfect spot.  They are also great for office cubicles.  Instant cheer!  If you don’t work in a cubicle, they would make a great gift for someone who does.  Make the summer ones first, then get a head start on the fall and winter patterns. 

Happy sewing!

With the weather warming up you know you’ll be out and about even more.  And you’ll be carrying more stuff.  A new big bag might be a really good idea!

The Pinwheel Pack is a one strap backpack that measures 12′” x 12″.  Pretty handy as we seldom use both straps of a backpack.  Now that extra strap won’t be in your way.

You can fit TONS of stuff in the Totally Awesome Totebag.  Use it for shopping, the beach, picnics.  It’s 14″ x 17″ and has large pockets, inside and out.

My Favorite Duffle Bag Pattern comes with instructions for two sizes: 14″ x 9″ x 9″ and 17″ x 11″ x 11″.  By Lazy Girl Designs, it’s cute and practical, with pockets inside and out, a zipper closure, and choice of handle length. 

Another Lazy Girl Designs pattern, Summer Tote, is 11″ x 15″.  This bag has pockets galore – six outside and four inside!  Carry everything you need and be able to find it, too!

Can’t decide on a pattern?  Try this one, Three Basic Bags.  You’ll get patterns for three different sized bags: a lunch bag, a shoulder bag, and a market tote.  This pattern also includes instructions for cell phone pocket and an e-reader cover. 

More Tote Bag Patterns are available on our website.  Lots more!

I remember the first time I saw a Bargello quilt.  All the motion just stopped me dead in my tracks.  I’ve yet to make one (all those pieces!) but this might be the pattern that get’s me to finally do it. 

I Used To Be A Layer Cake is so named because it just takes one layer cake (you know, those 10″ precut packs of fabric) to make any one of three Bargello designs, each measuring 41″ x 57″.  That’s a nice sized lap quilt.  If you want a larger bed sized quilt, just make 2 or 4 identical quilts and stitch them together. 

Most bargello quits do the wavy thing, but they do it in an orderly manner.  This pattern has so much more freedom to the design.  It rather looks like a flag waving in the breeze.  The variation in the curves gives it even more movement that a regular bargello design. 

Version 1, done in solids, has a bold look.  The small prints in Version 2 give a more blended, smooth look to all the curves.  All the white in between the colors in Version 3 makes the colors look as if they are floating.  The thin lines try to tame the look of the quilt, but it just can’t be done!

With all the options, this pattern will keep you busy for a long time, but you might also want to check out Nancy Altsman’s other bargello quilt, Jelly Bargelly, that she also designed for Black Cat Creations.  This one is made entirely from jelly roll strips.

The real answer is:  You can never have enough!

But, most of us live in the real world.  That means we don’t have unlimited funds (no fair!) for fabric.  So when shopping we have to decide just how much fabric is enough for us and balance that with how much the checkbook can handle.  

When purchasing for a particular pattern, most designers figure for just a little extra, knowing that you will need to trim the edge to a straight line before you start cutting.   But they don’t figure for large mistakes.  If you know you don’t always follow the cutting instructions carefully, buy extra!   If you wind up being careful, and don’t make any mistakes, you’ll have some extra for your stash.  Or you could make a pillowcase with the leftovers, or a mini quilt, or a table topper or….

When participating in a quilt shop-hop, it’s fun to pick up FQs at each shop.  It’s also a good idea to really look at the FQs you are collecting.  Are they in a color that you don’t usually use?  Do you have something in your stash already you can use with them?  You may want to be sure to select FQs that can be used together, or buy yardage of a coodinating fabric. And keep your quilty friends in mind. Maybe you’ll see something you know they’ll love… a dotty choice,

a rocky one for landscape quilts,

an irressistible 30′s fabric.

And check out the selection of wide backing.  Every quilt needs a back but this usually the smallest section of fabric, so if you see something you like – get it!

Many local quilt shops carry different lines of fabric, depending on the owner’s preferences and the local clientele.  If you have driven far and see something you really like, it makes sense to buy a few yards.  Think of it as spending the gas money that you’ll save by not having to drive all the back for the fabric that you decide belatedly you just can’t live without.

At your favorite local quilt shop, it’s easy to think “if I run out, I’ll just pop back up here and get some more”, but if you do that make sure you complete your quilt in a hurry.  Who knows if the fabric you are using will be a favorite and will be gone when you return.  I’ve had that happen more than once.  Now, if I really like a fabric, I purchase twice as much as I think I’ll use.  

I have a few other personal rules:

If it’s very near the end of the bolt, I’ll go ahead and buy whatever is left.

If it’s tone on tone, I take it home.

If it’s blue, I buy two.

Black, white and red?  I go ahead!

And my rule for not buying?  If I don’t love it, I don’t buy it.  That doesn’t happen very often.

I have yet to regret buying “too much” but have definitely regretted not buying enough!  How about you?  How do you decide how much fabric you “need”?

In our neck of the woods it feels like Spring has arrived!  It’s only the middle of March, so we’re not holding our breath thinking it will stay.  There’s still a chance for a snowstorm for just a little longer.  I know you’re thinking “don’t say the ‘snow’ word!”.  Let’s just cross our fingers, and in the meantime we can sew up a Spring table runner…. or two.

Fancy Hill Farm Fabric Collection looks like the ideal fabrics for Spring table runners. 

Isn’t it gorgeous?!  Ivory and soft rose flowers, with sage stems and leaves on a saturated red background.  This same design is available with a green background and an ivory background.  Go take a peek at the rest of the fabrics in the Fancy Hill Farm collection.  I’ll wait.

See?!  Was I right, or what?!

Back to the table runners . . . .

Posie Parade would showcase the large florals and would also make good use of the striped fabrics in the collection.  You could swap that largest outside border with the set in triangles, so the triangles were solid and the border used the floral.  Two pretty looks.

This pattern is the Fat Quarter Table Runner Pattern IV, but any of Out Of The Blue’s Fat Quarter Table Runner Patterns would be ideal for the Fancy Hill Farm fabrics.

Main squares in the red floral with a green trellis; green floral squares with a red trellis; white floral with a tan trellis. Floral Trellis Table Runner will offer lots of options.

These are patterns I thought would look good with Fancy Hill.  You’ll probably find others that you like even better if you browse through the Table Runner Patterns.