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!

Oh My Stars...A Wonderful Quilt to Sew for Baby

If you are looking for a special design to sew for a baby, consider Oh My Stars! It makes a lovely wall quilt for baby's nursery, stitched up in pastels or in brighter colors. The quilt pattern is available as a downloadable PDF at my Craftsy pattern store: http://www.craftsy.com/user/153303/pattern-store

Oh My Stars Sampler Quilt by Barbara Weiland Talbert

My original design features nine different star blocks--great for a beginner to make as a sampler quilt while learning basic quiltmaking techniques.

Each block is surrounded by sashing strips and then assembled to make the center of the quilt top.




The fun and finishing touch is the piano key border with small star blocks at each corner.













 Last year, I received an email from a customer who had purchased my pattern and was making it for her new granddaughter, due in January 2014. Chris needed help because she wanted to change the design by adding a fourth row of star blocks and wondered about how much more fabric she might need. We had several lovely e-mail exchanges and I asked Chris to share photos of the quilt when she had finished it. Yesterday, she sent me photos of her beautiful quilt and said I could share them here with you! I love this first "atmospheric shot" she took outdoors. She did an outstanding job of choosing bright cheery colors and her workmanship is beautiful. I am sure her granddaughter will treasure this bit of stitched-up love!

Oh My Stars Sampler by Chris Wenzel 

This view more clearly shows all of the colorful fabrics Chris combined, plus the three extra (and different blocks she added, which are all in the bottom row (if my eyes are not tricking me). Star blocks are similar but different, so it's difficult sometimes to tell "which to which" as my cousin said when he was young! Kudos to Chris for this beautiful quilted keepsake! Lucky baby!

If you love applique quilts, you might want to consider this design. Barnyard Babies been a popular pattern with quilters looking for a baby quilt to stitch. The sashed setting is fun and fusible applique makes the blocks easy to stitch up. Of course, you can do hand applique if you prefer! As with all of my patterns, this one is also available at my Craftsy pattern store: http://www.craftsy.com/user/153303/pattern-store

Barnyard Babies by Barbara Weiland Talbert

As always, I would love to see any quilts you make using my patterns! My email address is featured in all of them!

Until next time, keep sewing and smiling!
Barbara