String Quilt Revival Trunk Show-what a blast

Monday was one of those days you look back on & {sigh…best day…..sigh}

Fabrics N Quilts welcomed sisters, Barbara Sanders & Virginia Baker to the shop for an afternoon Trunk Show.  The sisters have just released their first book that includes a companion CD with Nancy Zieman, String Quilt Revival. 

We have 3 signed copies of the book left.  Click now!

Unsigned copies are also available here, once the autographed copies have been sold.

The key to the beautiful piecing, besides the skill of these wonderful quilters, is the Sheer Delite stabilizer (available here).

The unwrapping of each quilt brought a new round of ooohs & ahhs.  Here are a few we were able to snap some photos of.

A couple quilts were very “log cabin-y”":

Striking Civil War Reproductions:

 

This quilt was from their grandmothers old feed, sugar & flour sacks:

We thank all who joined us & of course to Bobbie & Ginger for making the afternoon one we’ll remember forever.

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The Good Life-New Riley Blake fabric designed by Deena Rutter

This beautiful panel, coordinates & rolie polies are now in the shop!

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September Snap Sack is Pretty as a Posy PLUS Blog Hop Giveaway

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.  CONGRATULATIONS TO KELLI!

Our weather is feeling a little more like fall every day.  I am sure there is a final burst of summer hiding in the wings, but I, for one, am ready for the cool months ahead.  Not because of summer, just because it’s quilt show season & sewing season. 

Posh Posies is just the project to think warmer colors & cooler temperatures!

All Snap Sack patterns are written by Joan Ford, author of your favorite Scrap Therapy & Cut the Scraps books. 

I free motion quilted this wall hanging in 4 colors of Aurifil thread, matching the fabric.  What a breeze it is to match colors with all the choices Aurifil offers!  We can’t wait to see how you finish yours! 

Remember, our Snap Sacks are complete quilt kits.  This wall hanging is sure to warm up your table or hearth this fall. 
Everything you need for the top, the batting, backing, binding,  and of course the pattern is included.  Just add needle, thread & YOU (I tried to get you in the bag too, but you wouldn’t fit)! 

The applique in this kit is “your favorite method” and does not include any specific instruction on how to complete the flowers.  I did my flowers raw edge & flower centers finished edge, using Ricky Tims’ Stable Stuff (which in my sewing circle, we just call Ricky Tims.  As in, “how did you do your applique; what’s in there?”  answer “Ricky Tims” –like I stuffed Ricky right in my little flower).

Perfect for gift giving (or treating yourself)!  This kit is available in the shop or online HERE!
A new kit comes out each month. Check out all of the kits right HERE.

We are unveiling our kit a little early this month in partnership with the Blog Hop Party!

 

As we have in the past, we will give away a free kit of this month’s Snap Sack to one of you (though without the bag)!

Leave a comment telling me your favorite quilt block or quilting technique.  Our giveaway is open to all blog followers, so if you get our updates via email or rss, be sure to put that in your comment too.  I will draw a random winner on Tuesday, September 4th. 

PLUS right now, you have another chance to win!
We are inching toward 3000 likes on our Facebook page.  Go here, like our page, and share our giveaway.  All who share are entered to win!

Go ahead & share the love (you know you want to )…use the share button below to tell those in your online quilting circle about this giveaway & the Blog Hop Party!

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More pictures from the cotton field

As mentioned last weekend, I have grown a cotton plant.  Yeah, just one, but it’s just entranced me all week.

Here are some pictures of some new blooms.  How cool that some are pink & others buttery cream yellow

Those venus fly-trap looking things will be flowers one day!

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Mondo Bag has a new little sister-the Midi Bag

The Mondo Bag is one of the most popular tote kits we have ever seen.  It is great for overnight, day at the beach, or off to the gym (see our Mondo bag here).  But it is way to big for most folks to use as a daily purse.  Enter the Midi bag, Mondo’s little sister!

Both the Mondo & Midi use pre printed fusible interfacing to construct the bag.  The humongous benefit is that you fuse all the squares to the interfacing, then sew long seams.  You are NOT sewing individual squares together.  Since the squares are on the same long seam, your points have to match-there’s really no way they can’t.

ALSO, Mondo & Midi use the same pattern, so if you have already purchased a Mondo kit, you’ll only need the Midi interfacing panel (a whopping $4.15). 

Dimension comparison: the Mondo bag has a 12” bottom & is 16” tall, Midi has an 8” bottom and is 12” tall.

I added a pocket to my bag, but that is obviously optional.  I also made my straps longer, just to show it’s possible.

I used the new French General collection, Chateau Rouge mini charms.  Moda’s new mini charms are 2.5” precut squares.  So, yup, I only had to cut lining, fusible fleece & straps for the bag….the good folks at Moda did all the rest!  We have mini charms in the shop, so check it out!

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Hopscotch Lap Quilt

I love to match fabrics.  Love to see what will (& what won’t) work together.  This quilt was an adventure to see how I could bring very different designers into one fun lap quilt for a young girl.

Using the Pat Speth pattern, Hopscotch (love it, 2nd quilt I’ve made-check out Dr. Seuss here), I combined some Me & My Sister Birdie with some Deb Strain Meadow Friends and some Lila Tueller Spirit. 

The atoll blue marble is a perfect compliment.

As I mentioned, this pattern is a Pat Speth design.  Pat is the author of all the Nickel Quilt books & patterns.  This pattern is both Charm & Fat Quarter friendly.  I prefer to use Fat Quarters since it cuts so quickly.

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The last in the Orca Bay mini series

It’s been nearly a year in the making…oh my!

As seen previously, I used my Quiltville Orca Bay mystery pieces for several projects instead of the revealed quilt.  I did use more scraps this way, so there is that positive.

My last challenge was to come up with a quilt from the purple string blocks made here.  I will admit, I didn’t really stretch my imagination too much on this quilt, but I do like how it turned out. 

A small baby quilt with alternating squares.  I like that the string blocks are wonky & not all 45 degrees.  I also like that the white is also scrappy.  To make my blocks, I attached a HST to each side of the string block, white on 2 opposite sides & the purple batik on the other sides.  The squares were then about 5” & I just strip pieced them together. 

One last scrappy pat on the back, the batting, border & backing were also in my scrap stash.  the only off the bolt new fabric was the batik & the binding.  GO SCRAP BIN!

I free motioned with a YLI variegated purple thread.  I also bound it by machine.  I have not done this in years & now wonder WHY?  Maybe the answer is time, experience & a better machine made this so much less stressful.  I also used monofilament in the bobbin for the binding, so lack of perfection was not so obvious.

 

Don’t forget, time is drawing near to get your scrap quilt project uploaded to flickr for the Scrap Quilt Challenge!  Check out all the details here: http://fabricsnquilts.blogspot.com/2012/06/scrap-quilt-challenge-2012.html

Scrap Quilt Challenge Deadline

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I did it! I grew cotton!

Last year, thumbing through my favorite gardening magazine I saw a little ad for cotton seeds.  I thought, why not?  It’s just $9 for a pack of seeds (high for seeds, but more seeds than I would have room to plant in 1 year anyway).

I cleaned out some weird mums that I never really liked from the store’s front flower bed & planted 10 or so seeds.  Then the unexpected dry months followed.  I tried to be diligent to water my little experiment, but thought I had failed.  Then, one day, a new plant emerged & I let it grow, hoping I wasn’t growing just a big weed.

Today I noticed a first bloom.  A butter yellow flower, tightly coiled.  I had to check the pictures on the net just to be sure, but alas, I HAD grown cotton in the hills of Tennessee!

There are buds still forming & one large one about to pop (bottom in this pic)

I can’t wait to show you more as my cotton moves from pretty flower to whispy boll.  I had hopes of having it spun, but I doubt one plant will yield enough to fool with.  There’s always next year!

So, we can grow cotton!  I’m not much on fertilizer or insect spray, so I would say my cotton is even organic (please don’t pile on me here…I’m just making commentary, not certifying or defining organic).

Stop by today & visit our cotton & us too!

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Little Jelly Bags-5 adorable bags, just 6 strips or less

This follow up pattern to the larger Jelly Bag tote were a blast to make…and quick too!

I used some leftover strips from Martinique (3 Sisters, Moda) to make both my bags.  I made the Small & Extra Large sizes.

 

You can obviously customize your strap length, but I like this for an across-the body, hands-free look.  Perfect for shopping!

The jelly roll strips make up the inside & outside of the bags, so no liner is necessary.  The pattern does not provide for pockets, but they would be easy to add, if you didn’t mind the stitching to show on the bag’s exterior.

Great gifts and also a great beginner project to work with the kiddos.  Pick up your pattern today! http://shop.fabricsnquilts.com/Little-Jelly-Bags-BHD-1054.htm

I’m linking up with Sarah!  Go see what others have done this week!

 

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Come see us at these upcoming quilt shows

Who doesn’t love a quilt show?  Well none of my blog readers, I can tell you that!

We are taking the Shop on the Road, well a piece of it anyway, to meet you & enjoy the quilting at:

Contented Hearts Quilt Guild Show  http://contentedheartquiltguild.org/index.htm
Monticello, KY
August 31-September 1
Aspire Center

Piecemakers Quilt Guild Show  http://athenspiecemakers.com/
Athens, AL
September 14-16
Athens State University

Mountain Laurel Quilters  http://www.mountainlaurelquiltersclub.org/
London, KY
October 19-20
Optimist Club Sports Center

Cookeville Crazy Quilters    http://tvqa.info/guilds/display_guild.php?g=CC (meeting info)
Cookeville, TN
November 2-3
Jefferson Ave Church of Christ

We really enjoy vending at guild shows & having the time to talk & visit with the show goers.  You can check our list of upcoming shows anytime on the Visit Us page of our website, www.fabricsnquilts.com !

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Scrap Quilt Challenge deadline approaching

 

Deadline to upload your picture to the flickr pool is

Scrap Quilt Challenge Deadline

 

Challenge Guidelines:

• 60” x 60” minimum size
• Entries must be completed quilts (patchwork, applique, rag quilt are all fine.  It just must be a completed project)

Scrap, Strip or String quilts are historically a way to use up the smallest scraps & strips of fabrics from other projects. Quilters would put every string of fabric to use, in those times when there was no room for waste.
Even in our times, we all have a scrap bin that overflows or a collection of fat quarters stashed away longing for a project.
There are no design limitations on your challenge piece, other than overall size and that the quilt should utilize scraps of fabric in an obvious way/be the focus of your quilt, and the quilt must be finished (quilted).


So gather up your scraps & start designing your masterpiece!

• Quilt pictures must be uploaded to our Flickr group by August 31, 2012. http://www.flickr.com/groups/fnqscrapqc2012/
• Voting will take place from September 1– September 15, 2012 and take place on http://www.fabricsnquilts.com. Voting open to all, but limited to 1 vote per computer. Any tie will be broken by staff vote.
• Grand Prize Winner will receive a prize pack of goodies PLUS a $30.00 gift certificate to www.fabricsnquilts.com, not to mention bragging rights for the next year!

Be sure to grab our button & place it on your blog, or add an html button to your sidebar using the code on our sidebar
Join our facebook group to share ideas & pictures along your scrappy journey!

Let’s get scrappy!

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Coquette - Pineapple Table Runner

I had to dive right into that new yumm-o Coquette fabric!

I have pieces cut for a queen sized quilt, but had to make a small something right away

I love paper piecing, but it is time consuming.  I used EQ7 to design & print my templates.  I went with 7” blocks since they print on a single page (lazy, I know) and the cut strips were not some off the wall width (1.25”).  UPDATE: I’ve been asked about the pattern in EQ7.  I  searched the block library for Pineapple & chose Pineapple 11 for my runner.

I used a combination of embroidery machine & free motion quilting.

On a side note, we have added solid coordinates for the Coquette fabric too!

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Chez Moi Coquette just arrived!

Beautiful, bright & like a ray of sunshine.  I just love this collection!

3 shades of Moda Bella Solids will be in early next week to compliment these prints.

I already have my plan for this yummy fabric line (see them here: http://shop.fabricsnquilts.com/Coquette_c347.htm).  What’s yours?

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The August Snap Sack is truly Hearth Warming

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Congrats to our winner, bairdmtn

The “Dog Days” of August are ahead, but I think we should focus on the colors of fall that will follow! This month, we present you with Hearth Warming, a beautiful fall table runner kit.

I don’t think I mentioned before that all the Snap Sack patterns are written by Joan Ford, author of your favorite Scrap Therapy & Cut the Scraps books.  You will love the way she did the mitered corner on the first border.  What a breeze!

We used a quilting design from emblibrary.com for the pinwheel’s quilting & stitched in the ditch around the borders.  We can’t wait to see how you finish yours!

Remember, our Snap Sacks are complete quilt kits.  This table runner is sure to warm up your table or hearth this fall. 
Everything you need for the top, the batting, backing, binding,  and of course the pattern is included.  Just add needle, thread & YOU (I tried to get you in the bag too, but you wouldn’t fit)!  This goes together in a jiffy.

 

Perfect for gift giving (or treating yourself)!  This kit is available in the shop or online HERE!
A new kit comes out each month. Check out all of the kits right HERE.

As we have in the past, we will give away a free kit of this month’s Snap Sack to one of you (though without the bag)!  Leave a comment telling me your favorite season & why.  You must be a blog follower to win, so if you get our updates via email or rss, be sure to put that in your comment too.  I will draw a random winner on Monday, August 6th. 

Go ahead & share the love (you know you want to )…use the share button below to tell those in your online quilting circle about this giveaway!

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