Cars and Trucks, Oh My...a Quilt for Kids

At long last, a new quilt design to share. I've been working on this fun wall hanghing for babies and kids since July of this year, but it was sidelined as the seasons changed and I took on new editing work in addition to my part-time office job at a pre-school. I had such fun designing this new quilt for kids, featuring vehicles that kids love. Wouldn't it be the perfect wall hanging for a child's room? Toddlers will love this bright and colorful quilted wall hanging...and it's a great teaching tool for words and colors, too!

The pattern is designed for raw-edge fusible applique and many of the pieces in the each of the nine blocks (finished size, 8" square) are large so doing machine-blanket stitching around them is an easy way to add details and protect the raw edges. For smaller pieces, especially those with curves, I prefer a short, narrow zigzag stitch. With the exception of the sashing pieces, border, and binding, and the block background pieces, you can use scraps, fat quarters and fat eighths for the appliques. Follow the pattern to a T for the colors, or choose your own colors for each of the fun blocks.

Little Red Car

Ice Cream Truck

Green Tractor

Black-and-White Cruiser

Yellow School Bus

Orange Delivery Truck

Red Fire Truck

Big Blue Dump Truck

Purple Pick-up

 As with all of my patterns, this one is available as a PDF download for sale at Craftsy. 
www.craftsy.com/quilting/patterns/cars-and-trucks-oh-my-a-quilt-for-kids/470692

Until next time...hopefully not so long,
Keep smiling and sewing...and Happy Holidays from me to you!

Zoo Babies Quilted Wall Hanging Pattern

Zoo Babies Quilted Wall Hanging Pattern

My newest quilt pattern is now available at www.craftsy.com. This darling quilt is perfect for a zoo-themed nursery or child's room, complete with nine of the most popular animals at the zoo. Meet Ellie Elephant, and Lucas the Lion, along with other favorites, including Penny Penguin and Molly Monkey, all done up in easy fusible machine applique. Although there are lots of pieces for each animal, their size is deceiving in the quilt illustration, since the blocks finish at 9" square within the sashed quilt top. Make it to use as a play mat or as a wall hanging and help baby learn all about the animals in the zoo...use the blocks to teach them animal names and colors. Colorful sashing and cornerstones make the blocks pop in a simple but easy setting. Nine animals are featured in the quilt pattern, which is available for sale as a downloadable PDF pattern at www.craftsy.com AND, a tenth, interchangeable block...Zachary Zebra, is available as a FREE download, also at Craftsy. Easy-to-trace, full-size templates are included for each animal in the patterns.

Zach the Zehra FREE PDF Download

Ellie Elephant

Jerry Giraffe

Harry Hippo

Lucas Lion

Polly Panda

Penny Penguin

Ruthie Rhino

Molly Monkey

Til next time, keep smiling and sewing,

Barbara

At Long Last My New Pattern...The Bold and Beautiful Quilted Tote Bag

From March 2015 until now May 2016), I have been in a long process of personal transition and change. My art and sewing projects were set aside for more than a year while I moved twice and finally resettled in Longmont, Colorado. I'm home again in Colorado, after all my moves across the US for my career, and it's lovely to be near my family and participate in family activities whenever I can.

Today, I'm happy to introduce my first new pattern in over a year. The Bold and Beautiful Quilted Tote Bag has finally made its debut at www.craftsy.com, where I sell my tote, accessory, and quilting patterns online as PDF downloads.

Just as I went through major transitions, this pattern did too. It started out as an entirely different shape, but when I couldn't seem to get my first idea to work last summer, I put the pieces aside for another day. After I settled in my new apartment in February and my sewing room was "open for business," I found the time to rethink the design. The second design didn't work either, so out came the seam ripper. The third time was a charm, as they say!
I'm really pleased with the final design and hope you will enjoy making your own version. The tote is made of fabric I quilted myself. That's become one of my trademarks, since I can't seem to find double-layer pre-quilted fabric that I like. And, because you can choose two fabrics you love instead of settling for what's available, the resulting tote bag is truly one-of-kind, expressing your personality and your personal color palette.The bag pieces are cut first, then quilted and trimmed, making it easy to quilt them before assembling the bag..

The tote has contrasting front and back shaped panels that hold the contrasting pockets in place. The panel and the upper edges of the pockets have a bound-edge finish. The wider binding at the upper edge of the finished bag also holds a zip-top panel in place inside the tote. The panel unzips so you can drop it down into the bag when you want to use it with an open top.

The roomy tote will stand up when you place it on a flat surface, but when you unload it, it lies flat due to the hidden tuck that creates a non-traditional boxed bottom, which you can see in the photo below. I love this feature for easy storage and also because it is easy to pack into a suitcase on my travels...to tote home treasures!

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There are also two divided pockets on the inside for stashing small items, including your cell phone.
The straps appear to have bound edges, but the faux binding is created by a really simple flat sewing method. For a truly polished finish the side and bottom seams are bound inside the finished tote.

I hope you'll find two fabrics you love to make this tote your own. You can purchase and download the pattern at www.craftsy.com

Until next time, keep sewing and smiling,
Barbara