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!

A Valentine's Mug Rug for Friends and Lovers

Here's my latest pattern offering--just in time to sew for Valentine's Day. What fun it would be to use these for a special Valentin'es Day Tea with your best friends! The design is so simple that stitching it up in batches takes no time at all! 

This design features the age-old folk-art symbol--the heart-in- the-hand. 
The "hand" is actually a pretty ruffled glove, trimmed with ruffled lace and ribbon. Fusible appliqué makes this little mug rug a cinch to sew in minutes! Make a set for yourself and several to send as sweetly stitched valentines to show your love for special friends--your love--your family.

Here's My Heart Valentine Mug Rugs

As with all of my patterns, this one is a downloadable PDF, which you can purchase from my Craftsy pattern store at: http://www.craftsy.com/user/153303/pattern-store
Happy stitching and Happy Valentine's Day!

Until next time,
Keep sewing 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