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Sewing Ideas for Childrens Room Emily Herrick

Need ideas to organize and decorate your childs room? Grow With Me by Emily Herrick

Sewing Ideas for Childrens Room Emily Herrick

Are you looking for sewing ideas for your child’s room?   Emily Herrick has all the answers for you in her Grow With Me book with tons of organizational and decorative projects for children’s rooms.  Emily is brilliant with her pattern making for you and it looks especially wonderful in her fabric collection Up and Away with Michael Miller Fabrics.

Watch this video of Emily sharing all the ideas from her book and with her beautiful fabrics!

Check out the eye candy, project and ideas from her book!   You can order her book from Amazon!

Need ideas to organize and decorate your childs room? Grow With Me by Emily Herrick Need ideas to organize and decorate your childs room? Grow With Me by Emily Herrick Need ideas to organize and decorate your childs room? Grow With Me by Emily Herrick Need ideas to organize and decorate your childs room? Grow With Me by Emily Herrick Need ideas to organize and decorate your childs room? Grow With Me by Emily Herrick Need ideas to organize and decorate your childs room? Grow With Me by Emily Herrick Need ideas to organize and decorate your childs room? Grow With Me by Emily Herrick Need ideas to organize and decorate your childs room? Grow With Me by Emily Herrick

 

I purchased a copy of this book and absolutely love it!  Emily is an excellent pattern writer!

The Grow With Me book description by Emily Herrick:  Fabric and quilt designer, Emily Herrick, introduces 10 fabulous projects designed to dress up your child’s room while adding functionality.  Choose from various quilt patterns, personalized pillows, growth chart, storage baskets, book holder, organizer and several hand embroidery patterns.   Various techniques include piecing, fusible, raw edge and reverse appliqué, hand embroidery, and dimensional project construction each with complete step-by-step instructions and full color photos.

I purchased some of Emily’s fabric collection “Up With Me” with Michael Miller to make the Double Duty Organizer on page 10.  Emily recommends using this at a crib table or tucked under the mattress on a bed.  I’m making one for my teenage son in his room to hold goodies.  I think I’ll also make one for my bed too!

You can visit Emily’s blog with lots of creativity at: http://Http://www.emilyherrickdesigns.com

Best Wishes for Happy Stitches,

Deanna Wall Stitches Quilting Stitching Through Life

 

 

 

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Cozy Christmas Candy Cane Block

Cozy Christmas Candy Cane Block

The Cozy Christmas Candy Cane Block is an appliqué of only two pieces!  This is a simple block but looks incredible!
If you haven’t started, it’s never too late, you can download the Cozy Christmas Sew Along Free Quilt Pattern just click here or on the image below.  We have 3 – Cozy Christmas Fat Quarter Bundles in inventory at Stitches Quilting that are on sale for an unbelievable price….

Cozy Christmas Candy Cane Block

For this block, you only need to use the Cozy Christmas Sew Simple Shape B-16.  You can see I’ve laid out my darling Gingher Embroidery Scissors!  I sure love using these.  I have organized all my needed supplies in the Cozy Tins.   I also have appreciated stitching everything together with the White Aurifil Thread.  I find the Clover Point to Point Turner tool extremely helpful making these appliqué shapes.

Cozy Christmas Candy Cane Block

It is very important to trace the B-16 Candy Cane template on the Pellon Sew In Interfacing once right side up and the other one upside down. Cut out the shapes and align them with your fabric of choice.  I decided to use Tasha Noel’s Pixie Noel with Riley Blake Designs for my quilt combined with Riley Blake Basic Fabrics.  With the Candy Canes, I used a stripe that is offset on the diagonal.

Cozy Christmas Candy Cane Block

Important TIP:  After stitching the interfacing to fabric but before turning it inside out, be sure to snipe with a small pair of scissors around the curved edges of the candy canes.  This will give you a nice smooth edge to the candy canes.   This an example of where I would snip the fabric to get nicely turned edges.  Press after turning inside out.

Cozy Christmas Candy Cane Block

I stitched the candy canes with the Pellon interfacing using just white thread.  I also used the white thread to attach the candy canes with the stripes to the 7 inch block of Aqua Snow background fabric after pinning in place with the tiny embroidery pins.  Here is my block with the candy canes stitched on.  I have printed out the Lori Holt pattern and refer to it for instructions.

Cozy Christmas Candy Cane Block

Now I am sewing on my White on White Riley Blake Basic print sashing fabric, starting with the left and right at 6.5 inch strips then top and bottom with 8.5 inch strips.  Press nicely and then square up the block.

Cozy Christmas Candy Cane Block

I’m now laying out my accenting blocks to frame these candy canes.  I’m using the 18 inch design board to help me keep everything in place.  There is one half square triangle that I need to turn, can you find it!  My sweet puppy Diego is chilling next to my design board and I think he approves.  🙂  Piece together your block combinations.

Cozy Christmas Candy Cane Block

I always sew on the left and right sides before sewing on the top and bottom.

Cozy Christmas Candy Cane Block

The picture above is an informal way to show you how I make my points match up. Where the stitch lines all come together is where you are going to stitch across with your 1/4 inch seam.

Cozy Christmas Candy Cane Block

Here is the finished block!  Just love it!  I can’t believe we only have two more blocks to go!  I’m starting to sash mine together.  I’ll write another blog post about that!

Let me know if you have any questions!  I’d be more than willing to do a tutorial on anything!

Best Wishes for lots of Happy Stitches,

Deanna Wall Stitches Quilting Stitching Through Life

 

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Wistful Winds Radiant Hope Quilt

Wistful Winds Half Square Triangles Radiating Hope

Wistful Winds is a fabric collection designed by Shari Butler of Doohikey Design for Riley Blake Fabrics.  If you haven’t met Shari yet – then you have to visit her on her blog at Doohikey Design.  Shari is just a gentle person with the kindest spirit!  You will LOVE her!   This sweet bundle has been sitting next to me inspiring many creations buzzing in my mind.  I sorted and re-sorted the fabrics many times thinking of dozens of things to create.  Do you do this with fabric you love?  Arrange and rearrange it daydreaming of so many things to make!

Wistful Winds Fabric with Wooden Beads

This of course was one of my many layouts….  I just love everything about this bright cheery garden collection of fabrics.  The florals are beautiful with so many coordinates of pin stripes, polka dots, geometrics, and tone on tone florals.  Don’t you love the wooden beads and the zig zag stitching?  I was so drawn to Shari’s feature print with the delicate girls enjoying the garden and wistful being lifted by twirling flowers.

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I’m crushing over the rainbow color range of  bright cherry oranges, reds, yellows, blues, pinks, greens and whites.   Wistful Winds is versatile and can be used in many different ways!  I can imagine quilts, bags, skirt, and more for an adult along with an entire range of goodies to create for a newborn or child!  There are so many coordinates to incorporate into any project!

Below is a wind chime that I made from a wooden embroidery hoop using each of the 18 coordinates of Wistful Winds.  I loved using the colorful Riley Blake selvages with the bright clouds depicting the colorways in the fabric.  Isn’t that just the cutest!  A wooden bead is at the top of each strip of fabric that hangs down.  I then cut 1.5 inch diamonds from the coordinates and used a 5 inch thimble ruler to cut fabrics from the feature pieces.  To give the fabric some structure I used Pellon interfacing.

wistful-winds-blowing-web

 

I loved seeing this collection hanging outside in nature that with the gentle breeze playing with the fabrics.

Of course I couldn’t resist making just one item with this collection.  I had many ideas for quilts and totes and more!  I don’t know about you but I just love half square triangles!  They are very easy to make and decided to use a Cloud Solid White to accentuate the beautiful bright colors.  For the center of the quilt I turned four of the colorful squares towards each other and then turned the other half square triangles to radiant outward.  It was my way of expressing the meaning behind the Wistful Winds Fabric collection into hope radiating outward.

wistful-winds-radiant-hope-quilt-pieced-together

 

 

 

 

 

Isn’t is just beautiful?  I need quilting ideas!  How would you quilt this beauty to express Shari’s meaning of hope for this fabric?  Let’s brainstorm and then I will

To make this quilt  I cut 32 – 6 inch squares of the Wistful Winds Collection.  I used all of the fabrics from the collection except the stripes because I want to combine those for the binding.  I also cut 32 – 6 inch squares of Riley Blake Cloud White Solid.   You can see below how I used a ruler and pencil on each 6 inch square of the white fabric to mark a stitching line down the diagonal.

Wistful Winds Radiant Hope Quilt 6 inch squares

To create the half square triangles stitch down a 1/4 inch seam on either side of the pencil line.  The photo below shows you my white Aurifil 50 weight thread on either side of the stitching line.

How to Sew Half Square Triangles

For the each color of the feature fabric with the Wistful Wind Girls I actually cut a 10 inch by 6 inch rectangle to then be able to fussy cut the girls the direction I wanted along with alternating the position of the girls on the finished cut triangle.  You can see how I did this below.

Wistful Winds Girls Fabric Fussy Cut for Half Square Triangles

After stitching each of the half square triangles along the stitch line, I then used the pencil line as a cutting line to create two half square triangle blocks.  I then had 64 blocks to work with and turned them round and round along with changing the colors around to get the following layout that I stitched together.

planning-the-layout-for-wistful-winds-radiant-hope-quilt

This then finishes to a completed lap quilt in the dimensions of 40 inches by 40 inches.  Of course additional rows can be added to increase the size of the quilt.

wistful-winds-radiant-hope-quilt-pieced-together

Now let’s brainstorm together a plan to quilt this quilt!  What design ideas do you have?  I can use my long arm or my domestic machine so the options are endless.  Please share ideas.

Giveaway Wistful Winds Fat Quarter Bundle

Wistful Winds Fabric can be purchased right here at Stitches Quilting.  To celebrate the release of Wistful Winds, Stitches Quilting will be giving away a Fat Quarter Bundle of the collection.    To enter the giveaway, comment below with your tip about the quilting of the Wistful Winds Radiant Hope Quilt and subscribe to Stitches Quilting.  If you share on social media be sure to use the hashtag #StitchesQuiltingWistfulWindsGiveaway so I can find it for extra entries.  We will be having fun with the Giveaway on Instagram too – so come socialize with us over there!  Love to connect with all of YOU!

There have been so many uber talented women on the Wistful Winds Blog Tour.  Be sure to stop by each of their sites to view the eye candy and patterns from each of them.  You will be mesmerized and inspired!  Below is the schedule of the blog posts!

The final day of blog posts is tomorrow when you will be able to read the designer Shari at Doohikey Designs to learn the meaning behind the fabric!  I love fabric that has meaning to it!

 

October 3rd: Amy Sinibaldi –  www.nanaCompany.typepad.com

Kristyne Czepuryk –  www.prettybyhand.com

October 4th: Amanda Niederhauser – www.jedicraftgirl.com

Amy Smart – www.diaryofaquilter.com

October 5th: Meagan Taylor/Kristi Jones – www.meagsandme.com

Christine Cook – www.stitchingrevival.com

October 6th: Elea Lutz – www.elealutzdesign.com

Jodie Carleton – www.vintagericrac.blogspot.com

October 7th: Sedef Imer – www.downgrapevinelane.com

Jina Barney – jinabarneydesignz.com

October 10th: Elizabeth Evans – www.simplesimonandco.com

Kimberly Bourne – www.mainstreetmarketdesigns.com

October 11th: Jemima Flendt – www.tiedwitharibbon.com

Nadra Ridgeway – www.ellisandhiggs.com

Amy Chappel – www.amerooniedesigns.blogspot.com

October 12th:  Katie Skoog – www.thesimplelifecompany.com

Amber Johnson – www.alittlebitbiased.blogspot.com

Tina – http://www.onelittlepooh.net/blog-2/

October 13th: Angie Wilson – www.gnomeangel.com

Clare Horsman – www.claresplaceblog.blogspot.com

Deanna Wall – www.stitchesquilting.com

October 14th:  Melissa Mortenson – polkadotchair.com

Jessica Stewart – www.izzyandivydesigns.com

Gwen Sager – www.tillalili.blogspot.com

Shari Butler – www.doohikeydesigns.com/blog/

 

Best Wishes for Lots of Happy Stitches!

Deanna Wall Stitches Quilting Stitching Through Life

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Giveaway Tula Pink Slow and Steady Fabric

Tula Pink Slow and Steady Fat Quarter Giveaway

Giveaway Tula Pink Slow and Steady Fabric

GIVEAWAY!!! Tula Pink Slow and Steady Fat Quarter Bundle for the lucky random winner AND a friend you share with will win a 5 inch charm pack!
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I spy a bundle of Slow and Steady ready for a race with the Tortoise and the Hare. Purchase your fat quarters, half yard and one yard bundle of the complete collection at Stitches Quilting. Slow and Steady Fabrics available by the yard too. Let us know what you want and we will ship it to you. A lovely hand selected gift is always enclosed in every order.  To view our Tula Pink Inventory click here.  
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I need to get busy making race flags and finish line, for a race in the forest! Can’t to share our next photographs of Slow and Steady!
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Is Tula’s personal story about the Tortoise and the Hare similar to your own story? Every piece of this fabric line symbolizes with meaning Tula’s story. Learn about it on the Tula Pink’s Personal Slow and Steady blog post.
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To be eligible subscribe to Stitches Quilting, follow me, comment below. Share this giveaway post for extra entries with the hashtag of #stitchesquiltingtulagiveaway Giveaway ends next Sunday October 2nd 2016 at midnight MST. Winner and their friend announced October 3.
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For extra entries, visit Stitches Quilting on Instagram to enter the giveaway there!  Or share on Pinterest and other social media platforms.  Just be sure to use the hashtag or tag me so I can find it.  You can comment below where you shared it to give me a heads up.
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For extra party fun, if you feel like commenting – share why Tula Pink is such an amazing designer and why its a delight to purchase, collect, and use her fabrics.  Sometimes they are hard fabrics to cut into!  To watch a video of me interviewing Tula Pink about Slow and Steady and many other things click here.
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If you hang out on Facebook join our Stitches Quilting Neighborhood Quilt Group to get some free patterns for Tula Pink’s Slow and Steady collection or subscribe to Stitches Quilting blog as I have tons to share – like quilts to make quickly – quilting tips – intricate designs and MORE!  For Slow and Steady Inspiration right now click here!  There is also a video of me interviewing
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I love to share Slow and Steady because as we share we all become better people. Right? ❌⭕️❌⭕️ Deanna

Slow and Steady Fabric Tula Pink Deanna Wall Stitches Quilting

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Cozy Christmas Gingerbread Man Block

Cozy Christmas-Gingerbread Man Finished Block

Here is my finished Cozy Christmas Gingerbread Man Block. Remember I am using Tasha Noel’s Pixie Noel Fabric Collection. Everyone else is mainly using Lori Holt Cozy Christmas Fabric Collection with the Free Pattern she designed that you can download here.

Supplies Needed for the Cozy Christmas Gingerbread Man BlockThe is a pretty simple block and would be fun to make as Christmas gifts for hotpads, table runner and MORE!  Let me know you ideas!  I used Lori Holt Cute Cuts Cutting Mat, Lori Holt 10 inch and 18 inch design boards, background fabric of Aqua Snow Pixie Noel, Brown solid fabric, White Mini Ric Rac, Cozy Christmas Simple Shapes, Pellon Sew-In Stabilizer and Lori Holt Aurifil Embroidery Floss.  To piece the block I used Aurifil White 50 wt. thread.

This video tutorial goes step by step through the entire process of creating your Gingerbread Man and appliqueing him down to the background fabric.

Cozy Christmas Gingerbread Man Background Fabric Ready to be squared up

This Gingerbread Man is created and ready to have his background block squared up.  This is an important step as the fabric shifts and pulls when you applique him to the block.

Cozy Christmas Gingerbread Man Ready to be Squared Up with Omnigrid 6.5 inch ruler.

The block is now squared up to 6.5 inches square.  Let’s attach the sashing strips using the left and right side first and then the top and bottom sashing strips.

Let's add the sashing strips to the Cozy Christmas Gingerbread Man Block.

With the sashing strips attached, now it is time to pull out your 18 inch design board and start laying out fabrics to balance color and pattern in the outside blocks.  Here is what my brainstorming looks like before stitching the blocks.

18 Inch Design Board being used to color and pattern balance the outside blocks to be sewn for the Cozy Christmas Gingerbread Man block.

I’ve stitched all the blocks together and added them to the Cozy Christmas Gingerbread Man and now it is time to square up the block to 12.5 inches.

Squaring up the final 12.5 Cozy Christmas Gingerbread Block. It's important to press and then square up after each step.

Here is my finished block displayed on my Grandmother’s rocking chair that she used to nurse each of her children in!  I love this Cozy Christmas Gingerbread Man Block and everything vintage.  Isn’t it fun to make a Gingerbread Man that isn’t going to be eaten up so quickly.  I thought this block was easier to make than the others.  What do you think?  Do you think you have enough extra fabrics to make extra of him for gifts to give around the holiday season?

Cozy Christmas-Gingerbread Man Finished Block

Can’t wait to hear from all of you and see your blocks!

Deanna Wall Stitches Quilting Stitching Through Life

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Tula Pink’s Personal Slow & Steady Fabric Story – Could it be your story too?

Tula is a storyteller in each of her fabric lines!   Her stories enrapture us and draw us to her fabrics and art.  She has told many stories to enthrall and entertain us, but it isn’t until this Slow and Steady collection that she shares her personal  journey through her fabric.  To celebrate Tula’s 20th Anniversary Collection, she decided to share her own personal story with such a big milestone.  Her story speaks to me in such a beautiful way with the things I want to do in my own personal life.  I’m sure this story will speak to you too!

aesops-fables

Do you remember learning life’s lessons from Aesop’s Fables when you were young or reading them to your own children?  Aesop was known to be a slave and storyteller  in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BC.  That was a LONG time ago!  The fable of the Tortoise and the Hare was something that always resonated with Tula.  In Tula’s own words she says, “It’s a story about staying the course against all odds, championing heart and hard work over arrogance and giving it your all, every time.  It is a story about focus and drive, integrity and determination.”

aesops_fables_hare_and_tortoise_by_milo_winter

We can all relate to this!  Can’t we?  It’s a classic and there are some parts of the story that Tula bring to our attention in her newest fabric collection Slow and Steady.

Tula takes the story a little further, and mention that the Tortoise and the Hare are like one coin that has two sides.  One side of the coin is the Tortoise and the other side the Hare.  Is there maybe a little bit of the Tortoise AND the Hare in each of us.  Do we personally struggle with feeling like we are in a race and just need to keep running and running incessantly without a break?  We feel great from the progress then like the Hare we take a break.  We decide that we have been working so hard and getting such great results that we just stop and don’t realize that life starts to pass us by.   The quote below is on a coordinate of the Slow and Steady Fabric Collection that is called Clear Skies.  Let’s keep those skies clear to see just what is out there in the world.

Don't Let the World Pass You By

 

Do we sometimes take a slow pace and just ever so methodically get things done every day?  Do we enjoy the journey and simple joys to feed our soul to keep our steady pace going like the Tortoise?  The Tortoise has a big heart and keeps his heart strong by just continually keeping a pace.  Feeling progress fuels our spirits no matter what speed we are going.

heart-pwtp085-the-tortoise_orange-crush

 

Tula mentions that the Tortoise represents heart and the Hare represent ego.  Sometimes our heart and ego conflict with each other.  We want to win and succeed don’t we?  I certainly don’t want to win at the expense of others though.  I don’t want to win for accolades.

The Tortoise and the Hare EGO Tula Pink Slow and Steady

I’m a personality not in competition with others.  My life has been too difficult to spend any energy of mine focusing on others.  I’m only in competition with myself and the person I was yesterday.  I don’t know about you but my life has not been an easy one.  I’ve been told that what I have experienced in my lifetime is unreal in terms of trauma.  I am just proud to be the person that I am today.  I’m proud that I am a survivor.  I am proud that I am a good mother.  I’m proud that I get up everyday, take care of myself and others, I think if my mom would be alive today that she would be proud of me too.  I’m glad that I can find simple joys in life and appreciate them.   I like to surround myself with things of meaning reminding myself of who I am and who I can become.

Sometimes we can be the type of people that are in competition with others or ourselves.  Both can be a dangerous path.  With a person like me, being in competition with myself, I have to be kind to myself and benevolent.  Do you think that you need to be kinder to yourself?  If you are not going to be kind to yourself then who will?  We don’t need to be victims; we just need to be ourselves.  We need to overcome whatever tiny thing it is that is pulling us down.  But most of all don’t be the one pulling yourself down.  Tell yourself how wonderful you are, be kind to you!

Love yourself like the Tortoise with the BIG Heart Tula Point Tortoise Shell

Tula truly inspires me!  Like the heart shape above is a coordinate piece from the Slow and Steady collection.  If you look closely at the pattern it is the Tortoise’s shell.  Don’t you love surrounding yourself with meaning.  Sometimes I’m like the Hare and think I need to go fast to achieve something but it really is the slow steady pace of the Tortoise with blind faith that gets us where we want to be in life!  Does she inspire you?  I’m going to make something extra special with this fabric collection that not only represents Tula’s story but represents my own story.  It is a story I want to share with my children.  What I make with this collection will sit out everyday to remind me that life isn’t a race but to be slow and steady in my personal and life goals.

tula-pink-slow-and-steady-fabric-collection

Tula says, “The tortoise represents that magical thing in all of us that drives us to do the thing that we NEED to do even when there isn’t any evidence to support it.  The tortoise is blind faith, he continues on when no one is looking.  He keeps marching forward when no one expects him to win.

That just resonates within me!  Does it resonate within you?  I am no one special and no one is watching me.  Everyday we get up and do our thing that we need to do.  There is a magical thing within each of us that speaks of our integrity to be true to ourselves and take care of what we need to do.  There isn’t evidence that what we do today will give us a good result tomorrow but… we do it because we know we need to.  Let us all keep marching forward not because we are going to win or receive accolades but because we know what we are doing is right.

dreams-with-track-flags tula pink are we dream builders

I have dreams and I’m sure that you have dreams.  Here is the word dreams on the racing flags coordinate of Tula’s Slow and Steady collection.  Are our dreams a race?  No.  I don’t know if our dreams will come true, but I do know that if we are helpful to each other we can help our dreams come true.  There are many people out in the world that their dreams our so simple and we can help those dreams become a reality.  As we lift and encourage each other we can make a difference in our lives and the lives of others.

I’m grateful for a talented person like Tula that can reach into our hearts with her storytelling art and help us discover the best within ourselves.  The items I create with Slow and Steady will be a token and reminder of just how I can become the best person that is within me.

As Creatives, there is always a struggle between getting it done fast versus doing it with the heart.

In reference to the Hare, Tula shares, “The Hare tells us that we can rest on our laurels and take it easy.  The Hare needs other people to tell him he is good enough.  The Hare doesn’t run unless there is someone there to watch him win.  The Hare can win but will always get in his own way.”  I don’t want to be an obstacle in my own path.  May we always search deep to improve ourselves.

My hope is that I will slow down and keep my focus on doing things with my heart.  We can truly succeed personally if we just do it with our hearts.  I know that Tula does!  I have never seen a person work so hard at what she does, sharing so much of herself with everyone.  She is one talented individual with her art!  She is able to express things that are at a cutting edge artistically in bright beautiful colors.  Not only is she gifted in her art, but she knows how to quilt and makes art that works for us as quilters.  Her fabric collections are cohesive taking every piece, color and motif designed for the end creator.

Tula Pink Slow and Steady

Tula is smart and savvy as a business woman and an example for us all to be a girl boss of our business and rock it!  Tula is dedicated to making her customer, the end consumer, happy with what they purchase.  She is kind and generous with her time to everyone.  Tula just makes each one of us feel important to her.  Feel connected to her, her story and her fabrics.  She wants you to feel that way.  She feels connected to you whether she has met you or not.  She is constantly thinking about you and designing with you personally in mind.

im-a-winner-tula-pink-slow-and-steady

One of the pieces of her collection say, “I’m a winner”.   People asked her if she was saying that she is personally a winner.  Of course she is a winner to all of us but more importantly to herself!  Tula’s message is not that she is the winner, rather we are all winners as we balance the Tortoise and the Hare – the Heart versus the Ego within each one of us.  This piece of fabric in my quilt, will remind me that I am a winnner and that I just need to keep moving forward in a Slow and Steady pace even when I don’t feel like it.  I love to work hard and I want to work hard at a slow and steady pace.  Life is a balance and sometimes we may get a little unbalanced but we can steady it and that’s part of life.

I hope you will enjoy seeing EVERYONE create items from her fabric collection.  I will teach you everything I know so that you can make something similar for yourself.  Your item might be different because it will speak of your journey and to your heart.  I can’t wait to see all the creations that you make that will inspire all of us!

Close Up of Heart Quilt Slow and Steady

If you are new to quilting, I’m going to teach some basic quilting with Tula Pink’s fabrics.  Remember it is a slow and steady pace and we are not in a race with others but just ourselves.  You don’t come into the world knowing how to sew or quilt.  I remember Tula saying something like, “What’s the worst thing, I can do?  Mess up a piece of fabric?”

For this article, Tula’s closing message is, “Creating anything is always a struggle between these two opposing sides but if I have learned anything at all through 20 fabric collections it’s that the heart has a lot more to say than the ego and that people can feel the heart in everything that you do, whether they know it or not.  I have learned that you have to try, every time, you have to earn it every time.  I have learned that the more you do something the better you get.  No one is born perfect or complete you build up to it, slow and steady, one foot in front of the other.”

What you think about Tula’s Slow and Steady fabrics and her message?  What speaks to you from the fable the Tortoise and the Hare?  What personal message do you embrace within your heart?  What have you experienced in life that has helped you grow?

Thank you Tula for sharing so much of YOU with everyone!  You have deeply inspired me!  Each and everyone of you inspire me!

Please share,

Deanna Wall Stitches Quilting Stitching Through Life

 

To Watch the Interview of Deanna with Tula click here!

 

Slow & Steady Product Idea Gallery

Want some eye candy of lots of items made with the Slow and Steady Fabric Collection?  Click here to see our post about Slow and Steady Tula Pink Inspiration!
 

To see all of the products that we carry for Tula Pink click here

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Cozy Christmas Stocking Block Sew Along

Cozy Christmas Stocking Block Sew Along Lori Holt

Cozy Christmas Stocking Block Sew Along

I loved making this Cozy Christmas Stocking Block Sew Along – this is block 6 of 12 and we are half way through the Sew Along!  I actually started it in Utah, worked on it in Chicago and then made the finishing touches back in Utah.  This Stocking Block got to travel this last week.

You might notice thar I changed my inner border to be a White on White Riley Blake Basic Fabric instead of the Red and White Swiss Dot.  What do you think?  I was originally thinking the red and white swiss dot was so strong and distracting from the block itself.  I need your advice do you like the white washing or the red and white swiss dot as the sashing?  Please comment below….  Here is a picture of the Cozy Christmas Wreath Block to compare.

Cozy Christmas Stocking Block Sew Along Lori Holt

Okay let’s dive into making the Cozy Christmas Stocking Block.  This block went fast for me.  You will need to pull your Cozy Christmas Templates B-4, B-7, B-10 and B-17 to create the Cozy Stocking Block.  I had an idea of what fabrics I was using so I put the Happy Color Thread colors in my Blue Cute Lori Tin.  Of course you can’t forget the white Aurifil Thread or the Clover Point to Point Turner.  I’m also using the 10 and 18 inch design boards for the laying out my block pieces.  You might as well attach now your open toed sewing machine foot.  I got out my appliqué pins to hold the pieces in place while I appliqué my blocks together.

Cozy Christmas Block Preparation Happy Colors Aurifil Thread

In a handy location, I have my Omnigrid 6 x 24 inch ruler, Omnigrid 6.5 x 6.5 square ruler, Olfa locking Rotary Cutter and my large Cute Cuts Rotary Mat by Lori Holt.

Quilting Tools Needed Omigrid Rulers, Olfa Rotary Cutter Cute Mats

Get your Pellon Interfacing ready to trace your simple shapes.  I also pulled the fabrics that I am going to use for this block.  Everyone else is using Lori Holt Cozy Christmas Fabrics, but I am using Tasha Noel’s Pixie Noel fabrics.  I decided to pull colors that are similar to the colors Lori Holt has in her sample block.

Pellon interfacing, fabric, pencil, mini ric rac, sew simple shapes

Do you think a pencil or pen is better for tracing your Cozy Christmas Sew Simple Shapes to the Pellon Sew-In Interfacing?  I just lightly use the pencil.  Any thoughts, I would love your input?  Now I’m carefully laying out the B-3 Cozy Christmas Simple Shape on the Navy Gingham positioned on point with the pattern.  I thought this might make my gingham a little more interesting than just the straight up and down gingham pattern.

Appli-Glue with Appliqué

Let’s lay the small piece of mini white ric rac exactly where we want it on the fabric before we stitch this together.  Here is a video to demonstrate how to do this with Appli-Glue by Jillily Studio to help keep things into place.  After stitching together, I then used the Clover Point to Point Turner Tool.

The rest of the pieces are easier since you do not have any ric rac embellishments to add before stitching.  I was sewing this block together in Chicago while attending SewPro Covention.  I carried my sewing machine all the way to Chicago as a carry on lifting it into the airplane overhead compartments.  There was two small items that I didn’t bring with me and had to improvise.  You can see what I forgot in the next short video and how I made it work.  If you watch the video to the end you will get to see me load my sewing machine in the airplane overhead bins!  So glad I didn’t hit anyone in the head with the sewing machine – it was heavy!

Stitch the four stocking pieces are in place on the background block.  In this tutorial, I am using the Aqua Snow Fabric from the Pixie Noel fabric collection by Tasha Noel.  Pin or glue your pieces in place making sure you have a 3/4 of an inch around the circumference of the block.  Work on stitching your pieces in place whether you are hand or machine appliquing your block.  After completing the stitching, it is time to trim your block to become a 6.5 inch finished block.

Stitched Cozy Christmas Stocking Block

I use an Omigrid 6.5 inch square ruler to trim my Cozy Christmas Stocking Block.  Lori Holt was smart to tell us all to make our background squares a bit bigger because cotton certainly stretches as we sew on it.  I love using the 6.5 inch square ruler to see through the grid lines to see exactly how I want my block to look.  I like to use my ergonomic Olfa locking cutter to trim.  Today I actually had to replace my blade because it got taken going through security… my bad.  I talked them into letting me keep the Olfa Rotary Cutter but they did unscrew it to take the blade off.  Phew… Has this happened to anyone else other than me?

Trimming the appliqué block with an Omnigrid square ruler

Here is my block all trimmed to the perfect 6.5 inch square size; you can see the tiny amounts trimmed off from the Aqua Blue Snow Background.  Now it’s time to add the sashing blocks.  Remember I’m experiementing with a white on white Riley Blake Basic Fabric instead of using the Red and White Swiss Dot Riley Blake Basic for the sashing.  You have to let me know what you think.  We sew on the left and right sashing first then press and sew on the top and bottom sashing.

Adding the Cozy Christmas Stocking sashing strips

It’s important to always press and square up your block after each stage of piecing.  You can see here I am trimming with the Omnigrid 6 x 24 inch ruler the edges of the white sashing strips added.  It’s tempting to skip this step but it makes your block perfectly flat and great to put together with all the other blocks when constructing your quilt.

Squaring up your quilt block after adding sashing

I added the pieced border after laying out the pieces on the 18 inch design board.  I got everything positioned right and then squared up the block using once again the 12.5 inch square ruler that Lori Holt recommends.  It is amazing how having the right tools makes life sometimes easier.  Sometimes not but sometimes yes.  What do you think?  Having a lot of excess tools can be a lot of clutter too.  Here is my finished block.

Cozy Christmas Stocking Block Sew Along

If you are interested we have three final Cozy Christmas Fat Quarter Bundles in stock.  I have not been using the Cozy Christmas Fabric in my Cozy Christmas Quilt.  I have been using the Tasha Noel Pixie Noel Fabric Collection combined with Riley Blake Basic Fabrics.

I can’t wait to see all your Cozy Christmas blocks on social media.  Be sure to follow me and I will follow you back to see your great blocks.  Always you the hashtag #cozychristmas #cozychristmassewalong and for this block #cozystockingblock .  I can wait to adore your blocks too!  It’s fun to search the blocks on Instagram because some people are using Cozy Christmas fabric, some people are using their scraps and some people are using different collections.

Let me know what you think about my travels, new sashing color, tools or too many tools, tips and tricks.

Happy Stitches,

Deanna

Deanna Wall Stitches Quilting Stitching Through Life

 

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Look no further for Slow and Steady Tula Pink Inspiration

Slow and Steady Pillow and Chair

Look no further for some Slow and Steady Tula Pink Inspiration. We have lots of inspiration here at Stitches Quilting!

Tula Pink Fabric Slow & Steady Story

20th Anniversary Collection. Tula Pink tells a story with her line for Free Spirit. “There once was a speedy hare who bragged about how fast he could run. Tired of hearing him boast, Slow and Steady, the tortoise, challenged him to a race. All the animals in the forest gathered to watch.” I think we all know how this story ends – “don’t brag about your lightning pace, for Slow and Steady won the race!”

I love this pillow that Tula has the hare in her fabric featured in the heart of the pillow with radiating colors tonally spreading out in celebration!  Remember Stitches Quilting is carrying the complete collection of Slow and Steady 20th Fabric Collection by Tula Pink

Did you know that Tula Pink started out in the quilting industry as a quilter? Then she became a fabric designer. When you see Tula’s booth at Quilt Market she actually makes the quilts herself, because she simply loves sewing with her own fabrics!

Check out the Fandango Quilt that Tula designed. Notice how she selects where her fabrics are placed in the quilt!  Tula always wanted to have a neon sign made and in celebration of her 20th fabric line this sign says Slow & Steady.  She got an award for her booth at quilt market too.
Fandango Quilt by Tula Pink with Slow and Steady Fabric

Don’t you love Tula Pink well Tula made a quilt with lots of hearts with her Slow and Steady Fabric collection.  I think what is so inspiring about this 20th fabric collection is that it is call Slow and Steady and that life, career or anything important that we want is a race.  We need to write down our dreams and go about achieving them in a Slow and Steady pace.  I love how each of the hearts are quilted with a inner boards then tighter quilting inside each heart.  Please notice what makes the hearts really pop is the dense quilting on the square featuring the heart.  It just makes each heart pop out whether the heart in on dark fabric or on light fabric!  There are so many elements that make a quilt exceptional.

Close Up of Heart Quilt Slow and Steady

Check out this fantastic travel bags made from patterns developed by Bags by Annie!  Annie is brilliant in her bag design and has not only the precise pattern but all of the hardware and tools you need to make the bags.  I’m making the Carry All Bag below in Slow and Steady ad can’t wait to share with all of you!

Tula Pink's Travel Bags made with Slow and Steady Fabric

If you watch the video of Deanna interviewing Tula Pink you will actually see what is in this organization bag at the bottom of the picture.  Ohhhh it is so intoxicating!  I want to make one just like Tulas!  A unique feature about Annie’s Bag is that they are usually quilted before construction which just makes the bags stunning!

Tula’s personality and creativity just shines through her display.  The story telling that the fabric line reverberates in everything that she puts there.  I adore the chair that looks like a tree in the forest and painting with a wood grain.  Look at how the cushion of the tree is a simple patchwork of Slow and Steady fabrics!  Then notice the real wood stump to the left of the picture!  Everything is complete with meaning!

Slow and Steady Pillow and Chair

Notice the close up image of the quilting and fabric placement in this photograph!  Just gorgeous!
Slow and Steady Fabric by Tula Pink Quilted

Beautiful Star Quilt with Slow and Steady

Slow and Steady Star Quilt

I’ll add more Slow and Steady eye candy for all of you but my plane is ready to land in Salt Lake City and I will publish this quickly before I lose wifi!

Hope this inspires you all!  Let me know what you think!

Best Wishes for lot of Happy Stitches!

Deanna

 

 

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Tula Pink Interview with Deanna Wall

Tula Pink with Free Spirit Fabrics

Tula Pink Interview with Deanna Wall From Stitches Quilting

Stitches Quilting is carrying the complete collection of Tula Pink’s Slow & Steady 20th Anniversary Fabric Collection!

Are you just mesmerized by Tula Pink like the rest of US!!!!  Oh she is just so incredible and talented.

Below is a video of Tula and I talking about her fabrics, threads, scissors and all her wonderful things!  Want to see her personal sewing bag?  Want to see some things from her home?  Want to hear what inspires Tula then this video is for YOU!

Let’s look at some things made with Tula’s new Slow and Steady Fabric Collection!!!!  What more Slow and Steady Inspiration?  Look no further click here to see a blog post with lots of Slow and Steady eye candy inspiration!

Tula Pink Slow and Steady Fabric Collection

Take a look at the collection!

Tula Pink Slow and Steady Fabric Collection

Posted on 20 Comments

Four Square in a Nine Patch Modern Quilt Block

Four Square in a Nine Path Modern Block Cloud9 Cirrus Solids

Four Square in a Nine Patch Modern Block

Doesn’t Four Square bring back playground memories from elementary school?  The very first quilt I made 20 plus years ago was a nine patch.  I thought it would be fun to call this Four Square in a Nine Patch Modern Block for the 2016 Cloud9 CirruClou9 Cirrus Solids 2016 New Block Hops Solids New Block Blog Hop.  I received these fabrics from Cloud9 and they sat in my inbox as I

 

 

Daydreamed what I would create with these beautiful solids.  Every so often during my day, I loved reaching over and feeling the softness of these 100% Organic Cotton Solids.  YUM!  The colors of the Cloud9 Cirrus Solids are Amazon, Sky, Iris, Lilac and Shadow.

I’ve enjoyed the 100 days 100 blocks on social media from Tula Pink’s Book of Modern Blocks.  I thought to myself, how I appreciate simple but yet modern those blocks are.  So I decided to go simple and modern with these gorgeous fabrics for a modern block design. I hope that a beginning quilter won’t feel overwhelmed by the 4 square in a Nine Patch Modern Quilt block and a seasoned quilter may want to quickly bust this block out for a fast project.  The repeat is a stunning quilt but that is for a later post.

Let’s get started!  I’m using the Shadow gray in this block almost as if it is a background solid.  Then I selected the two blue Amazon and Sky to offset each other diagonally with the Iris and Lilac to offset each other diagonally.

To create the 12.5 inch finished block, use the following instructions:

Cut one 2.5 inch square block from each of the 4 colored fabrics – Amazon, Sky, Iris and Lilac

Clou9 Cirrus Solids 2016 New Block Hop

Now it’s time to cut one 5 inch square block from each of the 4 colored fabrics.  Don’t let these pictures fool you the upper picture is the 2.5 inch size blocks cut and then the lower picture is the 5 inch square blocks cut from each colored fabric.

Clou9 Cirrus Solids 2016 New Block Hop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cut 1 – 2.5 inch strip by 42 inches long of the Grey Shadow.  Then cut the 2.5 inch strip into 8 – 2.5 x 5 inch strips.

This image is the 8 Grey Shadow strips laid out like a flower with all the scraps of the fabric as a center.  I’m sorry… even the scraps were so pretty that I was too tempted to play and make a pretty flower to display the grey strips.

Clou9 Cirrus Solids 2016 New Block Hop

 

Let’s start stitching!  

We are going to construct this block into 2 different sets of sections – “inner” and “outer”.  This is a layout of the inner section using the 4 – 2.5 inch square block in the inside and the 2.5 by 5 inch Grey Shadow Rectangle Blocks.

Four Square in a Nine Patch Modern Block Layout

Stitch the blocks together in two separate strips and then press them flat.

Using Clover Fork Pin to piece a quilt block

 

 

 

Press your inner block strips after stitching together.  Use the fork pins to match your seams and stitch the two inner block strips together.  Have you used fork pins before?  They are a lot of fun and get great matching seams.  If you want to purchase them from Stitches Quilting you can here.  They are also a great gift for your Quilty Sewing Friends for Christmas as an affordably priced item.

Four Square in a Nine Patch Modern Block Layout

After stitching the two inner block strips together, remove the fork pins and press.  This is what everything should look like now.

Using Clover Fork Pin to piece a quilt block Here is the layout of the outer section blocks and how they will be stitched together.  Now we are laying 2 of the 2.5 x 5 inch rectangles horizontally to each other with the 5 inch squares placed on either side of the rectangles.  Be sure to arrange your blue hues diagonally and the purple hues diagonally consistent with the inner block strip that you just stitched.

Four Square in a Nine Patch Modern Block Layout

After stitching the outer block rows together, press the outer block strips and then lay them out by the joined two inner block strips.  When laying out the outer blocks take note of the color pattern and confirm that you have the rows lined up to the color pattern that you desire.

Using Clover Fork Pin to piece a quilt block

 

 

 

Use fork pins to match your seams carefully and attch the two outer sections to the inner section as laid out above.  Press your block carefully to prepare the squaring up of your block to a 12.5 inch size. For convenience I am using a 12.5 inch square ruler to precisely square up my block.

Square up your quilt block Cloud9 Cirrus Solids

 

 

 

 

Here is what your finished block will look like.  There will be a post later this week to show you how to arrange this block into a full quilt with quilt size deminsions, cutting instructions and yardage needed.  Be sure to subscribe to Stitches Quilting to get an email with the FREE Four Square in a Nine Block Modern Quilt Pattern.

Four Square in a Nine Path Modern Block Cloud9 Cirrus Solids

I truly enjoyed working with these gorgeous Cloud9 Cirrus Solids.  I would recommend purchasing them.  I will place an order with Cloud9 to carry them in the store to purchase as yardage.  Use the yardage to make any of the blocks that you have seen on the Cloud9 Cirrus Solids New Block Blog Hop.

I want to thank our hosts and the 62 other bloggers that joined this blog hop and each created an unique modern block for you with a free pattern.  To visit the other quilt blogger pages you can click the links to follow them organized by the three separate days that we posted our blog posts.  You will be impressed with these brilliant women, quilt blocks and Cloud9 fabrics.

Monday, September 12th

Host: Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl

Abigail @Cut & Alter
Janice @Color, Creating, and Quilting!
Lorinda @Laurel, Poppy, and Pine
Melva @Melva Loves Scraps
Renee @Quilts of a Feather
Kathryn @Upitis Quilts
Kim @Leland Ave Studios
Amanda @this mom quilts
Holly @Lighthouse Lane Designs
Irene @Patchwork and Pastry
Jennifer @Dizzy Quilter
Karen @Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats
Anne @Said With Love
Suzy @Adventurous Applique and Quilting
Sharla @Thistle Thicket Studio
Kathleen @Smiles From Kate
Amanda @Gypsy Moon Quilt Co.
Sarah @Sarah Goer Quilts
Chelsea @Patch the Giraffe
Jinger @Trials of a Newbie Quilter
Anja @Anja Quilts
Daisy @Ants to Sugar

Tuesday, September 13th

Host: Cheryl @Meadow Mist Designs

Miranda @I Have Purple Hair
Jennifer @The Inquiring Quilter
Sarah @123 Quilt
Leanne @Devoted Quilter
Jen @Patterns By Jen
Jennifer @RV Quilting
Amanda @Quiltologie
Sharon @Yellow Cat Quilt Designs
Jen @A Dream and A Stitch
Jen @Faith and Fabric
Carole @Carole Lyles Shaw
Stephanie @Quilt’n Party
Susan @Sevenoaks Street Quilts
Katrin @Now What Puppilalla
Amista @Hilltop Custom Designs
Nicole @Handwrought Quilts
Marla @Penny Lane Quilts
Silvia @A Stranger View
Sarah @Smiles Too Loudly
Carrie @the zen quilter
Mary @Quilting is in My Blood
Velda @GRANNYcanQUILT

Wednesday, September 14th

Host: Stephanie @Late Night Quilter

Geraldine @Living Water Quilter
Kathy @Kathys Kwilts and More
Allison @Woodberry Way
Paige @Quilted Blooms
Kitty @Night Quilter
Mary @Strip Quilts Pass it On
Seven @The Concerned Craft
Olusola @Alice Samuel’s Quilt Co.
Ann @Brown Paws Quilting
Jodie @Persimmon + Pear
Vicki @Orchid Owl Quilts
Francine @Mochawildchild
Shelley @The Carpenter’s Daughter who Quilts
Jayne @Twiggy and Opal
Shannon @Shannon Fraser Designs
Lisa @Sunlight In Winter Quilts
Jessica @Quilty Habit
Cassandra @The (not so) Dramatic Life
Deanna @Stitches Quilting
Denise @Craft Traditions

Now that’s a phenomenal line up of bloggers!  Be sure to enter the giveaway to win prizes in celebration of this Cloud9 Cirrus Solds 100% Organic Cotton New Block Blog Hop.

Let me know if you have any questions about this pattern or suggestions to improve the pattern.  I can’t wait to hear what you think about the Blog Hop!

Happy Stitches,

Deanna Wall at Stitches Quilting

 

 

Now while you are gone I’ll be here Happily Stitching Away and coming up with brilliant quilting and sewing projects to share with all of you.  Be sure to subscribe to Stitches Quilting and follow me on Instagram and Facebook.  I have the most fun there engaging with all of you inspried by the beautiful things you are doing.   XOXODeanna Wall Stitches Quilting Stiching Happy