Everywhere a strip, strip! 

Simply Stripes…. it’s simply strips.  Sew the strips, add border, done!  Use as many different fabrics as you like, or just a few.  The interest comes from the varying width of the stripes as much as it does from the fabrics. 

Strip Easy Quilt Pattern was a favorite in one of our recent newsletters.  Designed by Pat Bruce of Daisy & Dell, all the work of deciding where to put which strip is done for you.  A diagram shows where each strip should go.  The edges get sewn on along with the rest of the quilt and are made to look like a border, without the work of adding one!

Your favorite gradation fabric gives this quilt pattern its pizzazz.  It’s a bargello design without all the piecing. The detailed instructions also include pressing guides and quilting suggestions.  Crescendo is a fast, easy, and striking quilt.

Strips of a focal fabric with accent strips sewn in between creates the Streakers quilt.  Keep the same focal fabric, change the accent fabrics, and you’ll get a much different look.

Easy As 10…11…12 includes a strip quilt designed for 2.5″ strips.  Use a jelly roll, or get cutting!  And you get two other easy patterns for when you tire of stripy, stripey quilts.

So. No excuses. No time to make a quilt?! Give me a break:) You’ll finish these in “no time”!

 And, of course, there are plenty of patterns that make use of the rail fence block, which is just three strips sewn together and then cut into sections. 

Strip away!

Do you need a few more Easter decorations?   Here’s a few patterns….

 One of The Wooden Bear’s Straddling series, Straddling Bunny is a fun applique project.  The instructions are clear and all the pattern pieces are full size.  This is easy enough even for a first applique project.  And it’s so cute when it’s finished!  Isn’t he adorable?!

Easter Morning Surprise is a penny rug design by Bonnie Sullivan of All Through the Night.  Pastel colored eggs surround a basket full of Easter candy and flowers.  A few strands of squiggley Easter grass are spilling out of the basket and a couple chicks are in the foreground.

The little ones in your life will love these bunnies holding generous sized baskets.  There’s lots of room for goodies!  Bunny Stuff would also make a great hostess gift. 

Everyone loves a mug rug.  It makes taking a little break extra special. There’s room for your beverage and for a snack.  Bunny Snacks pattern measures 6″ x 10″.  Make one for yourself and one more for your co-worker.

My Bunny Quilt combines piecing and applique for an adorable wall hanging.  The pattern calls for button eyes…. you could use colorful buttons for the centers of the flowers, too.

Browse the rest of the Easter patterns.  Winter will be gone and Easter will be here before you know it.

Do you have an I Spy quilt on your to-make list?   The hardest part about an I Spy project is finding and collecting all the different fabrics.  Check out our I Spy quilting fabric category to find lots of fabrics that would work great.    Once you collect all your fabrics, here’s a few projects to try.

Several nine patch blocks separated by some sashing will make a large lap quilt.  Include an extra wide sash and applique your child’s (or grandchild’s) name on the quilt to make it extra special.

Make an I Spy banner for your kitchen eating area, or for a child’s room.   Use a solid fabric for the back of the banner pieces.  From 10 I Spy squares cut 10 triangles.  Cut 10 triangles from a solid fabric.  With right sides together sew along each long side.  Turn right side out and press.  From the same solid fabric, cut a 3″ wide strip about 60″ long.  Press in half and then fold each side in to the center and press again.  Tuck each I Spy triangle inside this strip about an inch apart and sew right along the open edge the entire length of the strip.  Fold over each end of the strip a few inches and tack it down to make a loop for hanging.

I Spy placemats can create a fun activity for the kids as they are waiting for their meal to be ready. 

Many patterns can be modified to create I Spy quilts. 

In Patch of Posies, replace the color centers of the squares with I Spy fabrics.

Ribbonworks will frame your fabrics nicely.

The charm pack pattern, Baby Charms, is ideal for I Spy squares.  It would make a great quilt for tummy time.  

A fun way to collect enough different pieces is to find a swap – or start one yourself.  Search yahoo groups, or blogs, or suggest it at your next guild meeting.  If you want to start one yourself, here’s how it works:  Find 10 quilters (including yourself) that are interested.  Each person selects 10 different fabrics and cuts 10  4″ squares from each.   You should be able to get 10  4″ squares from one fat quarter.  One person (you?!) collects all of these squares, deals out one of each of the 10 fabrics into 10 separate piles.  When finished each of the 10 piles should contain 100 4″ squares of different fabrics, which are then distributed to the participants.  You may get a few duplicates but most of your fabrics should be different.   Then you are ready to choose a project and sew!

Don’t you just love a good sale?!   Leap years are special and so are our customers, so here’s a great Leap Year Sale to celebrate….

On Feb 29th every 4th item you purchase is FREE.  Yup, FREE.  Not 10% off; not 20% off; not 50% off; but FREE.  It doesn’t get any better than that!  All you have to do is fill your cart.

Here’s how it works:

• Complete an order dated February 29th .at QuiltersWarehouse
• Place at least 4 items in your cart
• Before final billing & shipment, a customer service representative will determine the lowest priced item on your order and change the price of that item to zero dollars !!! Your credit card will then be charged this newly calculated amount and your order will be shipped.

With the exception of sewing machines, everything is included in this sale.

Quilting Fabric? Yes!

Quilt Patterns?  Yes!

Quilting Supplies?  Yes!

Quilt Jigsaw Puzzles?  Yes!

Quilting Books?  Yes!

So get started.  Mark your calendar and make your list so you are ready when February 29th rolls around.  And save BIG!

Purses and bags are like shoes… we can never get enough.  But purses are better because we can make them, and in doing so make them in our own style.  And have fun doing it!

Olivia is the newest bag from Me and My Sister Designs.  It’s super easy to sew and will look great in a wide variety of fabrics.  Doesn’t it look like it would be oh so comfy to wear, too?

This simple look is so striking…. and useful, too – the accent triangle is a pocket!  Inside the Candice bag you’ll find LOTS of pockets and compartments.  It’s from Lazy Girl Designs, so you’ll get lots of tips for easy construction with the directions, and you’ll probably learn a new trick or three!

Whether you are traveling across the country or just out and about town, the Baggalista is just the right bag to carry everything you’ll need to have handy.  There are five zippered storage areas, four interior storage pouches, a large zippered back pocket AND it works perfectly with the PortaPockets Insert.

This bag is the one to grab when you are running out for just an errand or two.  Grab the Bare Necessities, toss them in, and go!  You’ll whip either one of these up right quick.  Maybe both!  The larger bag is 9″ x 9″ x 3″ and the smaller one is 8″ x 8″ x 1.5″.

These are just a few of the newest patterns.  Check out the rest of the purse and bag patterns.  Grab a cup of coffee first - there are over 300 to browse through!

Our holiday section of quilt patterns includes a selection of Valentine patterns.

 Time for Romance is perfect for Valentine’s Day, but would also make a great anniversary quilt.  Appliqued heart blocks and redwork embroidered heart blocks combine with pieced hour glass blocks for a 24″ square wall hanging.  Personalize this quilt by adding initials in the arrow pierced hearts.

For My Tweetheart…. a cute wallhanging with a cute name.  The two lovebirds have gone “out on a limb” for each other.   I love the “heart smoke” coming out of the chimney.  This is part of the Tiny Treasures series of twelve projects, one for each month. 

These sweet Crazy Quilt Valentines have pockets to hold little notes.  Each pattern includes a story too.   They look like such fun… any little girl (big girls, too!) would love these and treasure them for years.

Hearts In Bloom is a 18″ tote pattern with simple piecing and easy applique.  It’s a bright, cheery tote you’ll love, and you’ll probably get lots of adoring comments…. better be ready to make a few as gifts!

A smorgasbord of Ribbons & Hearts…. this Bacon Bits ‘N Pieces pattern includes applique drawings and piecing guide, plus instructions for both hand applique or fusible; you can choose which method you prefer.  Did you notice the “key to my heart”?  Cute, huh?!

Check out the rest of the valentine themed quilt patterns… many of them are appropriate for year-round use.