Sunday, June 30, 2013

Quick Update - BOM & Winners!

Hey there!

Hope you've all enjoyed a great weekend so far!  I have been really busy packing block of the month kits, destashing my sewing/craft room and hanging with the fam.  What have you been up to?

Speaking of our Block of the Month, I have two winners to share ....


We had a link up for the first block and Mary Jo is the winner.  Congrats!  Mary Jo will get a little something special in her kit mailing.  Thanks to everyone who linked up their block - its so fun to see them all!

And ... almost a month ago (ack!), we asked for your feedback before we met with our Moda rep to select fabrics for the Fall.  I drew a winner for that as well as the winner is ...

Congrats, Kate!  You'll be added to our Block of the Month pattern subscription list. :-)

Speaking of the Block of the Month ... Block #2 patterns are coming to email boxes tomorrow!  Yay!

Happy Sewing!  :-)

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Shop Updates: Mini Charm Sale + New Precuts


Stash some "Moda Candy" this week - save 20% on all mini charm packs now through Sunday, 6/30. Discount will automatically be taken when mini charm packs are added to your cart. No coupon needed!

We have new precuts available for S'more Love by Eric & Julie Comstock



We also recently got some new notions in - including Aurifil thread, the Bloc Loc ruler, and more.  


And ... Winter's Lane yardage is also now available!

Happy Sewing! :-)

Flag Bunting Tutorial

Hey everyone!  I have a quick and easy tutorial to share with you today.  One of the things I love seeing in July are those big buntings that are often on old houses or ones with big front porches. So, I came up with a fabric version to hang in my house.  :-) 


Supplies Needed: 
  • 1/4 yards red fabric (two 2.5-inch wide x WOF strips and one 2-inch wide x WOF strip)
  • 1/2 yards white/cream fabric  (or one 2.5-inch wide x WOF strip + 1 FQ for backing)
  • fat 1/8 yard of blue star fabric
  • 9-inch paper plate
  • Fray-Check & Stitch Witchery (optional)
  • basic sewing supplies (thread, scissors, etc) 
Order a Flag Bunting Kit here - includes all the fabric & interfacing needed to make one flag.  Available while supplies last.

Finished flag measures approx 20" wide x 15" tall. 

Instructions: 
Use a 0.25" seam unless noted.


Sew the red and cream WOF strips together as shown to make long pieced strip. 


Then, carefully pleat the pieced strip by making a fold every inch or so and press with a hot iron. 


It should look something like this when you are finished.  Try to keep your pleats straight so the strip seams match up along the whole piece. 


Next, grab your paper plate.  Use a ruler to mark the center of the plate and then draw a line 1 inch above the center. Cut along the line. 


Lay your plate face down and arrange your pleated piece around the plate.


Overlap the lip of the plate, using the bottom as a guide for curving the fabric. 

Then press the pleats really well with a hot iron.


Next, pin the curve in place.  Use a lot of pins - pinning at least on every pleat.


Then stitch around the inside of the curve with a 1/4" seam. 


Next, cut a piece of interfacing a little larger than your plate and trace the plate shape on the non-adhesive side of the interfacing. 


Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the blue star fabric.  Cut out the half moon shape using the line you traced as your guide.  (I like to Fray Check the edges, but this is my personal preference.) 

Position the blue star piece on top of the red and white curved piece, centering it.  It should overlap by about 1/2 an inch (depending on how wide the lip is on your paper plate template).  

Use some stitch witchery (fusible web) to tack the piece down. 


Add some pins as well before using your favorite machine applique method to stitch down the blue piece.  (I use a tight zig zag stitch.  See machine applique tips here.) 


It should look something like this.  :-) 


Next, lay the flag face down on a fat quarter of the solid.  Pin heavily all the way around the curve, including on all the pleats.  For now, leave the top open. 


Stitch around the curve with a 1/2 inch seam.  Carefully clip the curves. 


Fold the bunting in half and trim the top.


Then, pin the top leaving about 3-4 inches in the center open so you can turn it right sides out in the next step.  


Stitch across the top using a 1/2 inch seam.  Clip the corners (careful not to cut the stitches!). 


Turn the bunting right sides out and carefully press the edges and push out the top corners.
 

Top stitch all the way around the bunting. 

Now at this point, you're almost done.  I chose to add ties to the top, but you may wish to add a hanging sleeve or leave it as it is for table decor.  Below are instructions for ties. 

Take one 2" x WOF strip of the red print and cut into two pieces (approximately 21" long).  


Fold and press the strip in half lengthwise and then fold the edges to the center and press. 


Open up the strip and fold over the edge about 1/2 and inch on both ends.  Press well and pin.


Stitch the tie closed on the short ends and long folded side. 


Then stitch the ties back of your bunting, hiding the stitches in the top stitching. 


I tied mine up on the blinds the other day (sorry for the funny lighting) ... now I just need to make a few more!  :-)

I also thought about making one but adding another row of cream and red to make it a little bigger and then adding ties for a festive apron.  

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!  If you have any questions, please leave a comment or send me an email.  If you make one, I hope you'll send me a link or photo to check it out! 

Happy Sewing!  :-) 

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Bloc Loc = Block Love

Hey y'all!

This past weekend, we went to explore the Sewing Expo in Raleigh and we found a great new ruler!  Like, really great.

I had heard about the Bloc Loc before in blogland and I thought it sounded neat, but when I saw the demo I was sold.  So sold, we bought some for the shop before we left the convention center!  :-)

Of course, I felt obligated to do some research for you.  And I was thrilled when my pinwheel block came out perfectly.

(Excuse my dark instagram photo.  :-)

We picked up the 6.5" ruler for the store because you can do so many sizes with that one.  If you're making 12.5-inch bee blocks, you can accurately trim four 6.5" blocks or nine 4.5" blocks, or sixteen 3.5" blocks, etc.  You can even trim down to 0.5" blocks (if you're feeling really adventurous in your piecing).

To use it, you just make your HST however you normally do and press to one side (usually the darker print/fabric).  Then place the ruler on top of the HST.


Slide the ruler to line up the groove with the seam.   (Don't put it directly on the seam to begin with ... put the logo on the white/light side and then move the ruler toward the seam.)


And then you can slide the ruler up and down the seam to trim the sides.


The ruler just rides the seam and stays put.  It's super easy.  And so accurate.

This will definitely change my thoughts on making things with HST.  I really hate the trimming process and when there are lots and lots of pieces (like in a Swoon block or zig zags), it just gets tedious.  This ruler definitely makes that process easier, and more importantly, more accurate.

See y'all tomorrow for a tutorial ... can't wait to show you what I whipped up on Sunday!

Happy Sewing!  :-)

Monday, June 24, 2013

Hop, Skip & Jump BOM - Block 1 Link Up

Hey there!  Are you participating in our Hop, Skip & Jump Block of the Month?  If so and you've finished your first block, link it up below.  We'll pick a random participant for a little prize.  :-)

Happy Sewing!

(Linky closes for entries on 6/28 at 11:59 PM EST.)

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Drunkards Medallion Along

Just stopping in to share an update on my Drunkard's Medallion Along progress.

This is a swap that developed from Sew South and 7 of us made a center (see mine here) and we're sending them around for borders.  Fun, right?

Christen sent me her center.  It's a pretty amazing star....


She's using linen and brights (actually neons) in yellow, orange, and pink.  I can't show you all of what I did, but here's a sneak peek at what I added...


Have any of you made a medallion quilt?

Happy Sewing!  :-)

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

New Collections in the Shop

Just a quick update to share what's new on our shelves ....


In From the Cold by Kate Spain.  You can't go wrong with her Christmas lines. Too cute!


And The Boo Crew by Sweetwater.  Fun monsters and Halloween text prints.  Super cute. :-)


We've also organized many of our Low Volume prints in one spot on our website.  Can't get enough of projects with low volume prints!

Happy Sewing!  :-)

Summer Stash Sale


Save on everything in the store (including sale collections) now through Sunday, 6/23!  Details here. 

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Easy as ABC QAL


Hey there friends!

We're really excited to be partnering up with Alyce over at Blossom Heart Quilts for her "Easy as ABC" Quilt Along.

Alyce has a 6-month program of rotary-cut letter and number blocks lined up and the mock up looks super fun.  Go check it out here.



We've partnered up to offer monthly prizes for those playing along as well as offering kits for the blocks.  Kits include FQs of bright, modern prints for the letters.  Additional fabric is needed for the block backgrounds and sashing.


You can order the kits in a monthly subscription or pick up the first two months of FQs here.  (FQ bundles for months 3-4 and 5-6 will be available next month.)

Happy Sewing!  :-)


Sunday, June 16, 2013

FQ Frenzy : Craving Cupcakes & Simple Patchwork Pattern

Hey there friends!

We have another FQ Frenzy bundle to share with you this week.  AND, over the next few weeks I will be sharing a quick quilt design to show you how to whip up something pretty with just 10 fat quarters.

First, let's talk about this sweet bundle - Craving Cupcakes.


We've selected a delicious combination of pink, yellow and blue prints from Cherry on Top along with a few coordinating Bella Solids. Simply sweet!

For this week's FQ Frenzy pattern, we're sharing two ways to arrange these in "Simple Patchwork."

First, cut each of the 10 fabrics into NINE 6-inch squares using the cutting diagram below.


Then you can arrange the 90 squares in a 9 x 10 format (finished size approx 50" x 55") in either a random mix or a diagonal pattern.

Just arrange your squares and sew them in ten rows of nine blocks.  Then stitch the rows together.  Quick and easy!

Of course, this Simple Patchwork pattern can be used with any of our FQ Frenzy bundles.  How's that for an entire quilt top for just $20 bucks?!

Backing & Binding:  You'll need 1/2 yard for binding and 3 yards backing.

Happy Sewing!  :-)