Moda Love Quilt Along and Coloring Page

You've probably heard of the Moda Love quilt pattern. It's a classic! You can find the free PDF pattern for it here, and Moda is hosting a fun sew along for it right now called Moda LOVEin'. You can check out the Instagram hashtag to see some examples, there are lots of pretties there. Here are some of my favorites.

This beauty is a mix of Lella Boutique fabrics and was made by Karinda of @kmrainwater. I adore it.

The fun thing about this pattern is that it can be made using either a Layer Cake for a throw sized quilt, a Charm Pack for a baby quilt, or a Mini Charm Pack for a 12" block. The pattern includes instructions for all three. This is a throw size in Fig Tree fabrics by Joanna herself during the blog tour kickoff for the pattern.



Many people have put the fabric in color order, which always turns out pretty. I love this one by Whitney of @southernmakings. She did hers in Vintage Picnic by Bonnie and Camille, one of my very favorite fabric lines!

It's very striking in just two fabrics as well, like this clever little thing by Jessica @sawitloveditmadeit.

I'm thinking it would be fun to use this chambray dot as a background with different values of red.

Since I wanted to explore options for this quilt, I made a blank block that I could print out. I thought I'd share it here in case anyone else is wanting to plan theirs out.

Click here to print the coloring page. 

I can't wait to see what beauties are made during the sew along!

I'll be back shortly with the promised rainbow quilts tutorial, as soon as my foot feels better from dropping an Instant Pot on it (ouch) and the sun comes out for pictures! Hoping for Saturday. See you soon!

Christmas Medallion Quilt- Bambino Pattern

Hello! Merry December! I'm happy to have finished another Christmas quilt- this time the throw size of my Bambino pattern. I've put it on sale to celebrate!

(If you're wondering about that pillow, you can read about it here- Crochet Trim Pillow.)

I don't know why my photos are uploading blurry today, but I'm going to ignore it and carry on!

This pattern is designed to use precuts for the "dot" or snowball border- 3.5" Treats for the baby size, and 5" Charms for the throw size. Now before you ask what line I used for mine- I didn't! I love to make my own fabric combinations and I cut this custom Christmas charm pack a couple of years ago from my stash. I promise it will be cute in any Christmas line though! Or, you can cut your own favorites like me :)

I used Moda Crossweave in Black for the background and I always love the texture and contrast that provides. The binding is from Bonnie and Camille's Handmade line a few years back, and the backing is their new shiny silver dots from the Vintage Christmas line.

I loved making this quilt because I never got bored- each new layer makes it fun and exciting! Plus, Christmas quilts are always my happy place.

This one comes out to 63" square, a nice little throw size. You'd better believe we are using ours this weekend for Christmas movie night! The baby size is 42" square. You can see my baby one here, or check out some that other people have made. It doesn't have to be a Christmas quilt by any means, and I think it's especially cute for little boys.

The quilting was done by Emilee Hathaway. I'm not sure the name of the pattern, but I picked it because it sort of looks like Christmas lights on a strand. Right?

Grab the pattern while it's on sale for the next few days, and merry Christmas sewing!

Teacher Gift Ideas

It's that time of year when I start thinking about what to give my children's wonderful teachers for Christmas. We had parent teacher conferences this week, and I was reminded how much I appreciate these angels who are so patient and kind to my children.

I really like this free paper pieced apple block. I printed off the pattern at 50% (the original is 6" and I wanted it smaller), and went scrap diving for some appley colored fabrics.

Depending on specifics, I might try to incorporate one little apple into this cute new pouch pattern by Knotted Thread.  My paper copy of the new Cove Clutch should be coming any day!

The apple pattern was very simple. This was my 3rd time doing foundation paper piecing, and the first time I didn't have to look up how to do it to remind myself! I used some beautiful light blue linen that I got from Cottoneer. It looks like she's out of this color at the moment, but all the linens are on sale until Friday!

I love these apple pillows that Ashley of Mommy by Day Crafter by Night made. Everything she makes is adorable!

Image via Mommy by Day Crafter by Night

Ashley also made some really sweet stuffed apples for librarians and other special school staff. The pattern by Retro Mama is meant to be pincushions, but it would be a cute little doodad for their desk, or even a Christmas ornament.

Image via Mommy by Day Crafter by Night

If free time grew on trees like apples and could be plucked off by the bucketloads (!) I would make them each a rainbow quilt like this one. It's a super easy, free pattern!

I'd love to make another quilt just like this one, but with a brighter rainbow this time. Something like these solids with Swiss Dots that I've been gazing at on my desk for the past few weeks. It is such a cheerful stack!

Last year I was really sick with first trimester pregnancy and had absolutely no energy or motivation, so I kept it simple as can be. I made these key fobs, tied one to a treat baggie with pretty ribbon. Add a gift card to the mix if you want, and any teacher would be thrilled.

Here's the recipe for the Saltine Toffee I put in the treat bags. Don't knock it until you've tried it, this stuff is completely delicious, and SO easy to make!

Image Via The Girl Who Ate Everything

The last idea that I would absolutely love to make if time allowed would be a quilt with their name in a banner on it. Something like this alphabet pattern, worked into banner flags like in Celebrate by Cluck Cluck Sew, but in a different layout. I'd put the flags a little close together and all in a line to spell "Mrs. So and So". Tell me you can imagine the cuteness! Maybe some flower blocks along the bottom? Oh it would be fun.

Anyway, best of luck to you as you try to show you love and appreciation for these wonderful teachers through gifts. At the end of the day, a heartfelt note from you or your child would go a long way I'm sure. 

Honest Fabric custom fabric panels

This fall I've had the fun opportunity to become a designer for a new company called Honest Fabric. The founder, Karlee Porter, is known as a fantastic free motion longarm quilter. Her work is incredible! Her new company sells printed fabric panels- ready to quilt, no piecing required!

Each panel comes in different size and color options, and the fabric is high quality. I've had such a fun time thinking of different color options for my designs.

Some of the panels I designed to look like traditional quilts I love, but ones that use methods of piecing I don't love as much, like English Paper Piecing. I know so many people who love to do this, but I just can't make myself! And that's ok. These panels give the look of hexies without all the glue and papers :)

I had the same thing in mind when I designed the triangles. No point matching!

Other designs aren't meant to look like quilt piecing at all, just a fun motif that would be cute as a blanket, like these nesting dolls. There's also an option to have one of the designers make something custom just for you. I would love to do that!

Karlee has a coupon code right now if you check her Instagram page. I am still deciding which one I want to get, I'm exciting to work on my free motion quilting skills with one of these cute panels!

Celebrate Quilt with Tasha Noel, and Pixelated Heart Quilt

Hello! It's been a while. Today was one of those days where the sun was shining, the kids played nicely, and I finished multiple things that were already 98% done. You've got to love those days when they come!

This quilt has been finished for a while, maybe even a year (!), but I finally got around to photographing it. The pattern is "Celebrate" by Allison Harris of Cluck Cluck Sew.

The fabric pull was inspired by this navy Amy Butler print. I'm not sure what it's called, sorry! I got it on the destash of course. I pulled navy, raspberry and mint from my stash to coordinate with it. That's the easiest way to do a fabric pull I think- build around a favorite print!

I quilted it with (wonky, ha) lines, alternating directions each row. Then I added some big stitch quilting to make it look like the pennants are strung together. I had fun fussy cutting little Tasha Noel scenes for some of the flags.

The backing is an older V and Co. print, one of my all time favorites. The binding is Swiss dots in navy by Riley Blake.

Here's another old finish that I photographed this week. You have to take advantage when you actually clean your kitchen floor, know what I mean?

This quilt has a funny history. I started it with a friend when we heard about a tragedy and wanted to make a quilt for that person. Then we found out that someone else was already making that person a quilt in this exact pattern. So we agreed to abandon that plan and I finished it myself. Next I decided it would be perfect for a friend whose dog was going to die, but the dog made a miraculous recovery! Ha! That's ok though, I know it will find the perfect purpose eventually.

The backing is tiny pink scallop from Little Ruby by Bonnie and Camille. The binding is an old one from Baby Jane. It was fun to scrap dive for the aqua and low volumes, this project pretty much wiped me out of the latter. I've still got aqua for days though :)

I had it quilted by Crinkle Love and I just love this little design, it's called Wiggle Worm.

Thanks for stopping by today. I'm hoping to squeeze in a few more finishes throughout the holiday season and can't wait to share!

Shiny Brights Quilt for American Patchwork and Quilting

Today I get to introduce a new quilt design- Shiny Brights! It's featured in the latest issue of American Patchwork and Quilting, which is on shelves starting today.

Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting® magazine. 

©2018 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.

It features one fairly simple star block on repeat in solids. I adore solids! Did I ever tell you the story of when I was in a quilt shop in another state, and I asked the owner what kind of solids she carried and where they were, because I didn't see any at all, and she said "solids are against my religion". I was so surprised I was speechless, and we both just stared at each other for a minute. Ha! We ended up having a really good chat, but had to agree to disagree on that point for sure. To each her own!

This one was quilted by Emilee Hathaway. I had her choose the design and she picked just the perfect thing. I was in such a hurry to send it off that I didn't get any pictures myself, so I will have to share more when I get it back. It's going to travel to quilt market first!

I've started a yearly tradition where I challenge myself to do something scary in quilting- a new technique or way of doing things that intimidates to me. Then when I've thought of the scary new thing I want to do, I contribute it to a magazine so that I'll be bound by contract to actually follow through and do it! Ha! No backing out of that. Last year it was curved piecing with this quilt. Before that it was just submitting to a magazine at all. This year, I wanted to challenge myself to use LOTS of colors in one quilt, and to try new color combinations.

I pulled out my Kona color card and started picking colors that stood out to me. I didn't worry too much about how much they would work together, just colors that were appealing to me at the time. You can see I'm rather fond of aqua shades :) Then I ordered them from Fabric Bubb, (she has kits for this!) cut them up, and started to match them willy nilly. Some of the combinations made me cringe, but I powered through! I would never think to put lavender with mustard by myself and it makes my a little uncomfortable, but I like it. This way of doing it led to some fun new-to-me combos.

To be honest I wasn't imagining it as a Christmas quilt at all. My tentative title for it was "Circus", but the beauty of collaborations is letting other minds make your idea into something more, and I couldn't be more pleased with how the clever people at APQ styled it! The blocks really do look like those cute vintage ornaments. (By the way, they are giving away that cute pink tree, you'll have to check out the magazine for details on how to enter.)

The cover looks like this, in case you want to keep your eye out for it. There are some other wonderful things in there, including a spotlight on Tara Faughan, who is the coolest, and a wonderful quilt design by Sherry McConnell. I always love her patterns!

Lastly I just have to share the gorgeous photos that Fabric Bubb took of the bundle for the kits. Kristina sure has a knack for making fabric look pretty. This is a quarter yard bundle and would be a fantastic stash builder for solids even if you're aren't planning on making this quilt.

Thanks for stopping by today and Happy October!!