Dream Wool by Quilters Dream Batting available at QuiltersWarehouse.   This wool batting is made with a Scoured and Super Washed Domestic & Fine Merino Wool that has been blended, carded, crosslapped & thermally bonded.  The wool is scoured and super-washed for superior cleanliness and to eliminate shrinkage.  Quilters Dream’s unique processing creates wool batting with exceptionally soft drape, uniformity and strength.  Dream Wool is a beautifully consistent batting that is truly a ‘cut above’.  Soon we will also have case lots available.  Shop now for the entire line of Quilters Dream Quilt Batting including our newest addition, Quilters Dream Wool Batting.

A fabric panel and just the right border and tah-dah! a quick quilt!

Surround the Basketball Court panel with a narrow white inner border, then add a wide border of the Love of the Game Oak w/ Basketballs fabric and you’ll have a quick quilt that any basketball fan will love!

Use the Seeing Stars fabric as a border for Tinkerbell to create a magical throw for a child’s room.  Then make mini quilts with the smaller panels to hang on the walls.  Instant room makeover!   Who doesn’t love a magical fairy tale?!

Summer Basket Flowers would look great surrounded by Amber Floral Gingham and then a deep red binding to set it all off.  Just right for a kitchen or breakfast nook wall hanging.  Oh, I just love this particular pairing!  If I go missing it’s probably because I’m in the sewing room whipping up one of these!

Look at this beautiful bird!  Down on the Farm Rust Chicken fabric panel is fat quarter size.  Border it with blue Beauty Shop (I’d never pair these together by the names!) for a quick, small wall hanging.  What do you think – binding in black?

There is nothing like the satisfaction of completing an intricately pieced quilt, but sometimes you want a break and a quick finish.  Fabric panels are great for that.  Did you see any here you liked?  What panels would you use, with what fabrics?

Are you ever disappointed with your quilt when you are finished?

Ooops! Now this was just a case of going too fast!  The trusty seam ripper and a flip of the fabric will fix the problem.

But sometimes the problem is a little more, and harder to fix – it’s not square, there are tucks or gathers, it’s not the size it’s supposed to be, it’s just generally wonky.  It might be time to go back to basics.  Even if you are not having trouble, it would still be a good idea to revisit these important habits.

1. Prewashing. Now that’s a whole debate on it’s own (LINK TO PREWASHING POST), but whatever you decide to do, it’s a good idea to do the same thing with all the fabric in a particular quilt.  Either wash it all before you start, or don’t wash any of it.  Otherwise when you wash your completed quilt, the parts that were prewashed have preshrunk; the parts that weren’t prewashed may shrink more that the rest and skew the whole project.

2. Cutting. If you need to cut several strips, be sure to square up your fabric after every few strips.  It’s not uncommon to be just the tiniest bit off on each strip and then that adds up.  The next thing you know you are 1/8″ (or more!) off. It’s also a good idea to keep change your rotary cutter blade as soon as it gets the slightest bit dull.  A sharp blade means smooth and even edges.

3. Quarter inch seams – make sure they really are!  Being off by just the smallest fraction on every seam can really add up!  There are several ways to ensure you are sewing consistent quarter inch seams.  Choose your favorite way, then stick to it!

4. Pressing. That’s right. Pressing. Not ironing. Always lift your iron as you move to a new section to be pressed. Pushing your iron around the fabric and result in fabric that is stretched out of shape.  Even worse, it can stretch your finished blocks out of shape!

5. Pin your borders.  When sewing long lengths of fabric together one of them can stretch or get “gathered in” as you go, thereby throwing your quilt out of whack. After you have measured and cut your borders, lay them on your quilt and use several pins.  This will ensure that both the border and the center of the quilt will load through your machine evenly.

Do yourself a favor and review these before you next project. Then reap the rewards of a quilt well done!

Time for a new purse!  Well, when isn’t it time for a new purse?!  I spent some time choosing patterns and then fabrics that I thought would work well with the patterns.

Purse-O-Nally Yours bag and Wander Blossoms fabric: the flowers for the body of the bag, plaid for the top and bottom borders and for the handles, and the blue polka dot fabric for the trim on the flap pocket.  Or would you use the stripes in place of the plaid?

Twin Pocket Tango bag and Zest fabric: the gray flower circles for the bottom corners with yellow piping, the flowers for the two curved pieces with grey piping, and the yellow flower circles for the center of the bag.

Margo Handbag by Lazy Girl Designs and Petite Odile fabric: Red for the main body of the bag and for the handles.  The darker fabric for the pocket background.

Quattro Purse and Flying Colors II fabric: the colorful butterflies on the black background for the main body of the purse, the light background with the hummingbirds for the first pocket, and the stripes for the last pocket and for the handle.

Now it’s time to pick a favorite.  That might be a little harder!

Happy, fluffy, friendly bunny doll patterns… what’s not to like?!

This adorable bunny says Welcome! Holding bunches of carrots and flowers (which you can either paint or make from fabric) bunny hangs out at your front door or on a wall, putting a smile on guests’ faces as they enter, and delights any children that come to visit.

Old MacBunny has a farm and it looks like he is planting carrots.  Smart bunny!  The pattern for this adorable semi-jointed doll also includes the wire for his glasses.  And, since every farmer needs a wife . . . .

Enter Ester MacBunny!  Her apron is on and it looks like she’s ready for anything, maybe gardening or baking some cookies for after lunch.  Who knows what the day will bring when you are a farmer’s wife?! Mary Kerr’s easy to follow instructions include several cute ideas for Ester’s accessories. And, again, the wire for Ester’s glasses is included with the pattern.

Blossom Bunny is so very ready for Spring (me too! how about you?!) with her beautiful jacket sporting button and yo-yo flowers, embroidery, and applique.  Her hat has flowers, too.  The 8″ x 10″ inch “no stitch” sampler has a friendship poem and is embellished with yo-yo flowers.

The Bunny Stuff pattern make a bunny doll holding a nice size bag that’s perfect for filling with treats.  Leave a bowl and decorate at the same time.  Or you can use the bunny as an Easter basket and fill it with candy and toys for your favorite little one.  Once they are finished with the contents, they can use the bowl to hold any little treasures they want to have handy.

Time’s a wastin’!  Hop to it and make a bunny doll . . . . or two, or three!

Have you ever made doll clothes or accessories?  They are so cute, and are relatively quick to make, and they sure make the dolls’ mommies happy!

My Camping Gear has instructions for a zippered sleeping bag and a backpack, both sized for an 18′ doll.  The backpack is so cute!  It has a zippered top, pockets on the side and a flapped pocket on the back.

The Backwoods Bungalow works for “camping trips” in the backyard or for pretending in the bedroom.  Window flaps roll up for “air circulation” (and so you can peek inside).  There’s room for two, so dolly can invite a friend to go camping with her.

For the more style conscious doll, here’s a case that will hold her wardrobe when she travels.  It measures 20.5″ x 12″ x 8″ and has an elastic pocket for those loose items.  Also included in the pattern are instructions for an accessories bag with 12 pockets for shoes, purses, etc. and instructions for a garment bag.  Again, so cute!

You’ll find several patterns in Child’s Play.  The doll sized wall hanging boasts (in embroidery) “My First Quilt”.  Two more quilt patterns are sized at 22.5 x 26.5 and 11.75 x 15.75.  Plus there are instructions for pillows, a rope bed, mattress, and tea party napkins.  Lots of little projects to delight the little ones in you life!

So many of us learned to sew by making doll clothes, before graduating to full sized clothes and quilts.  Have fun with these patterns, reminisce about your first sewing days, and share the fun with a new sewer.