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!

Chain of Hearts Baby Quilt

Chains of Love

A new baby is always a celebration of love in our family. My newest Grand-Niece, Ella Rose, arrived in October 2014 so I've spent a few weeks creating a new quilt for her and a pattern for you to create quilts for the new babies in your life! Here's Chain of Hearts, the newest "baby" in my pattern store.
http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/chain-of-hearts-baby-quilt/124154

I did the basic design a few years ago in my Electric Quilt software but never used it, so I checked there first for possible candidates It's nice as a lap quilt for cuddling and rocking, or you can also use it as a wall hanging in baby's room---just add a hanging sleeve. 

Two different 12" blocks alternate across the surface of this sugary sweet quilt, creating chains of love for little Ella. I used pink polka dots on white for the background print that the hearts float across, but a pastel tone-on-tone print or one with a small motif would work, too. If the baby is boy, use a medium blue for the large hearts and scraps from your stash to make a lively blue-and-white version, instead. Substitute red for the pieces of the large heart and use blue scraps on white to turn this into a Fourth of July wall hanging.

You'll make two different heart blocks (Heart and Heart Chain), which were carefully designed and colored to create the chains and float on the background. The piecing directions are arranged so that you can chain-piece the required units wherever possible. The 12-page pattern includes colorful step-by-step illustrations, so you can't go wrong. And, you make the blocks in two sets to keep things organized.

Make more blocks and you can increase this design to any size you want.

Any intermediate quilter will find this an easy quilt to make and a confident beginner who has perfected the 1/4" seam could make it too. Accuracy is the key when blocks have lots of seams!

Like all of my quilt and tote bag patterns, you'll find this quilt in my pattern store at www.craftsy.com

Here are few more baby quilts from my store, to consider for your next baby quilt project. Look for them at Craftsy as well.

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/oh-my-stars-sampler-quilt/1987

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/pretty-parasols-quilt/26376

 http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/hearts--tied-up-with-love/12035

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/barnyard-babies-quilt-/1951

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/sail-away-sailboat-quilt-pattern-/1990

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/some-bunny-loves-you-quilt/1988

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/building-blocks-quilt/1995

Until next time

Keep sewing and smiling,  And Happy Holidays, 2014!

It's About Time!

I can't believe it's over a year since I last wrote a post. No excuses other than busy with life. Since March, I've been working exclusively on my pattern line. Since I learned to design in Electric Quilt 7, I've been playing a lot with quilt designs and have developed a few new patterns. The very latest one is 'Tis the Season...A Holiday Wall Hanging. I've done it in my favorite colors--pink and green--but think it would be wonderful in a two-color theme, too, such as shades of blue and silver.. Or for a more modern twist, try teal and coral! It's quick to make because it's all done with fusible applique. I stitched around each applique after fusing using the blanket stitch on my wonderful Bernina artista 730. I've loved using it for quiltmaking this year, but embroidery is fun, too, and it does a superb job at that!

Since I last posted, I added a shopping cart to my website (www.joyofsewing.com) so you can purchase my patterns with ease. I've updated all of my older patterns and added new ones. You'll find patterns for tote bags, quilts, and placemats. Many of them are no longer available at quilt shops but they're really wonderful (at least I think so). And almost all of them are available as PDF downloads so you don't pay shipping and you can have your copy in a matter of minutes. Technology sure makes life easier! I hope you'll visit the website and go to my online store for a look at the twenty patterns that are available there!
More to come!