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!

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

Another New Mug Rug Pattern

I just might be addicted--to mug rugs. During the past month, I've designed many and completed 11 patterns. They are such fun to design using Electric Quilt 7, and they're so fast to make--talk about a little piece of instant gratification! I'm pleased to announce that my Turkey Time Quilted Thanksgiving Mug Rug has just joined the holiday parade in my pattern shop at www.craftsy.com.








Because mug rugs remind me of a nice cup of hot coffee, and coffee is always better with a sweet treat, this new pattern also includes two of my favorite harvest-time recipes: Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Pie and Easy Pumpkin Walnut Muffins. So grab your scrap box, search your fat quarters, and stitch up a batch of these fun mug rugs for your holiday table or to give as gifts. Then try one of my favorite recipes for Thanksgiving-time treats. Enjoy!

Until next time,
Keep sewing, quilting, crafting, and smiling!
Barbara

The Trouble with Quilted Mug Rugs...

Just like you can't eat just one potato chip, you can't make just one mug rug. They're fun, cute, easy, and quick to make. I was a little late with Halloween so I bypassed Thanksgiving (for now) and skipped right on to Christmas. With over eight new designs from which to choose, I settled on making my three favorites and have grouped them together in a single pattern. Check out Santa and His Helpers at my craftsy store: http://www.craftsy.com/user/153303/pattern-store

If you prefer, the mug rugs can become oversize ornaments or package gift tags by adding a ribbon tie to the upper edge as shown in the photo of Rudy' Red Nose, above right. Or, if you use a muslin backing to cover the batting and the quilting stitches, you can write a holiday message on the back and add other "artsy" embellishments with stamping, doodling, etc. Pop them in envelopes to send to friends who will appreciate your handiwork.

Simply Santa is just that--really simple to stitch up in a hurry. Use poly felt for the beard, mustache, and hat trim and do free-motion quilting in the beard to simulate Santa's curls. For his hat, choose two red fabrics to help differentiate the two pieces. Add a white pompom to the tip of the hat.

     

Rudy's Red nose, as shown, is an applique enhanced with a flat button. When adding embellishments, make sure they won't interfere with your mug, if you're planning to use these as mug rugs.

Alfie the Elf looks like he's a little unhappy--maybe he's a little overworked! It's all in the shape of the mouth! Make it smaller and turn up the ends a little more when you stitch his mouth for a cheerier demeanor. Flat buttons replace appliques on Alfie's hat and shirt.

All three mug rugs are set up for fusible applique. The pattern includes full-size applique placement guides and reversed images for fusible applique. Use up scraps and cut into your fat quarters for these fun mini quilts. They are wonderful scrap buster projects and give almost instant gratification.

Set yourself up to sew multiples and you'll have a set or two done in no time. Check out the section on Assembly Line at a Glance in the pattern. 

No Time Like the Present...

to start your holiday sewing. And, speaking of presents, why not stitch up a set of my placemats, Presently Wrapped, too? The napkin is folded to form the bow on these easy-to-sew mats. Or, if you love Santa as much as I do, check out Santa's New Suit placemats with a napkin designed to look like his hat.

 

And, if you're looking for an easy Christmas wall hanging to deck your holiday halls, I think you'll love A Heartfelt Christmas. It features easy piecing in the background and fusible applique. You can add embellishments to the tree if you wish for a truly one-of-a-kind tree!

These projects will keep you busy with holiday sewing and they're easy so you're sure to get them done in plenty of time for Christmas...if you start now.

Until next time,

Happy Holiday Stitching

Barbara

Calling All Gouls! A Pattern Set of Halloween Mug Rugs

I just spent the past few days combining four of my Halloween mug rug patterns into a set and creating a new pattern for it. Calling All Ghouls features Perky Pumpkin, A Ghoulish Scream, Frankly Frankenstein, and Dracula, My Darling into a 15-page pattern, complete with full-size templates for easy fusible applique and foundation piecing. Combining four in one pattern lowers the pattern price, too! Individual patterns for each of the designs are also available--check them out at my Craftsy online pattern store: http://www.craftsy.com/user/153303/pattern-store

Four mug rug designs in my 15-page pattern.

I had such fun creating each of these designs. The stitching time is minimal and you may already have everything you need in your scrap and fat-quarter stash to make a set. While you're at, maximize your time and make two sets--one to keep and one to give away! 

Hope you'll have fun making one or more of these little "ghoulish delights!"

Check out all of my other Halloween projects by reading the previous blog entries that follow. I've been having such fun!

Until next time,

Have fun sewing, and quilting, and crafting!

Bet You Can't Make Just One Halloween Mug Rug

For awhile now, I've been noticing mug rugs everywhere. They continue to be in the Top Twenty Best Sellers at www.craftsy.com. Finally, I took some time to design one and before I knew it, I had designed eight or so. Believe me, the designing took longer than it does to make one! They are super quick to make. Since it's the bewitching month, my first designs are all for Halloween--and since they are so fast to stitch up, you can certainly make up a batch or two to use for the remainder of the month.
So here are the first four of my ghoulishly easy Mug Rugs!

The background for each face is foundation-paper-pieced--a full-size pattern is included in each pattern. All of the features are fused in place, and then zigzagged as part of the quilting. Since each one measures only 5-1/2" x 9-1/2", fabric requirements are minimal. They are great stash busters! In addition to fabrics, you'll need batting and your favorite fusible web. A set of four different mug rugs, or a set of four of your favorite design, would make a great gift!

You'll find all four of these quick-and-easy PDF downloadable patterns at my Craftsy store--http://www.craftsy.com/user/153303/pattern-store

Each pattern is just $2.50. Even if you don't make them right away, once purchased, the patterns will always be in your pattern library at Craftsy to download when you are ready to have a little stitching therapy! 

Until next time,
Keep smiling, sewing, and quilting!
Barbara

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!