Sewing Tutorials/Ideas Archives • Page 5 of 8 • Stitches Quilting

Posted on January 25, 2017January 25, 2017 by Deanna

Easy Sew Simple Infinity Scarf Tutorial

Finish the center seam by rolling the edge and stitching down.

Easy Sew Simple Infinity Scarf Tutorial

It is simple to sew yourself a trendy simple infinity scarf from your favorite fabric. Cut your fabric 14 inches wide and WOF (width of fabric – how wide your fabric is from selvage to selvage). If your fabric has a print or line cut along the pattern as shown below.

Press the length of the scarf on either side one turn.

Press again for a double turned finished hem to stitch closed.

Stitch the double pressed hem closed on both long sides of the scarf.

Back stitch at the end of your ends.

After you have stitched both sides of the scarf, fold so you are now stitching closed the selvage ends of the scarf. Use a 1 inch seam allowance.

Press open the center seam and fold over to prepare a finished look.

There is no need to double roll this hem as you are working with the selvage with this piece of fabric. If you are not working with the selvage, double roll your seam to give it a finished look.

Enjoy your scarf! I will upload a video for you to see the finished product! Or visit my social media to see me trying on all three scarves that I made with this pattern! Let me know other ideas that you might have with this scarf. We could piece fabric together to make it have a patchwork look. We could use strips of fabric pieces together even using raw unfinished edges. If you have any questions, please comment below!

This is a nice quick project to get your sewjo back in full swing. If you make a scarf please tag me on social media so I can see it! Instagram and Facebook @stitchesquilting!

Lots of Love!

Posted on January 13, 2017January 25, 2017 by Deanna

Fabric Planner Bookmark Paperclip

How about a simple DIY Planner Bookmark Paperclip embellished with your favorite fabric!

Here I selected Amy Sinibaldi Playground Art Gallery fabric to embellish the Paperclip Bookmark for the Quilters Planner.

Pick up an extra large paper clip from your local office supply or craft store. I selected two sets of three fabrics each from Amy Sinibaldi Playround Art Gallery Fabric Collection so I could have two different identifying bookmarks for my Quilter’s Planner.

Cut two strips of each fabric that was 1/3 inch by 18 inches. I thought it was a lovely organic touch to cut the fabric strips with scizzors instead of a rotorary cutter. Divid the 18 inch strip into segments of fourths as shown below.

Now you have 8 pieces of three different kind of fabrics. The pieces measure 1/4 inch by 4.5 inches.

Tie each piece of fabric to the top of the paperclip alternating the colors.

This way you will be able to differentiate which bookmark is indicating a particular section. Now remember this can be used for any planner or book. This is such a simple project to celebrate your fabric collection of fabrics!

XOXO,

Posted on November 18, 2016November 18, 2016 by Deanna — 4 Comments

Grow a Creative Business

We are enchanted to make beautiful items! I’ve been making beautiful things for the last 30 years and have enjoyed my creative journey. But…… some of us want to make a living from being in the creative industry. How do we do that? I say if we are going to make all of these beautiful things then it is time to start to Stitch Smart . There are many of us wanting to grow a creative business related to the fabric industry. It’s kind of like baking a loaf of bread, there are ingredients we need, we have to allow it to patiently rise, then bake at just the right time at the right temperature. Most importantly, we need yeast.

Last year, I decided that I was going to figure out just how to do that! One of the steps of discovering my path in the sewing quilting creative industry was to attend a conference called Sew Pro.

Since living here in Salt Lake City, I’ve had access to attend conferences like Build Your Blog Conference, SNAP, Alt Summit and many more! There is an amazing network of creatives here in the Salt Lake and Utah Valley area! We network as a private group too with online collaborations and often monthly meetings/get togethers to learn or socialize. It really is an amazing place to live.

Its exhilarating learning from the amazing creatives here in Utah but not many of them that participate are in the sewing quilting niche that I am in. I wanted to expand to network with people with the same interests as me.

I wanted to join together as a group and attend classes with 100 women just like me with the same kind of goals. But… I was scared to invest the money and travel all by myself to someplace that I have never been. As I prepared for the trip, I was doubting myself. Would I fit in? Would people want to talk to me? Was I doing the right thing? I was going all by myself and knew absolutely no one. Do you ever feel this way? Well sometimes it takes 20 seconds of insane courage to prove yourself wrong! Paula from Sew Pro shared this image with our group and I think it speaks volumes to how we feel as creative entrepreneurs.

My fears were proven wrong as I met so many incredible women and felt comfortable immediately! I arrived very early the morning that the conference had their evening meet and greet. I actually took my sewing machine with me because I thought I would have nothing to do that day except plan some blog posts and sew.

Little did I know that my plans of sewing were just NOT going to happen. There were lots of other women just like me that showed up early and were ready to start connecting . I met so many warm kind friendly people.

We got to visit together, eat together, learn together and collaborate all about sewing quilting and creative things!

The list of classes were overwhelming – I wanted to attend all the classes but there were 4 different classes each time frame. I didn’t know how to even begin to choose between them all. Below is a picture of Alison Glass and Tula Pink talking to us about their experiences as fabric designers. Some of the messages that Tula shared were to go out and get it DONE! She quoted Angela Walters that, “Finished is better than perfect”! No time like the present time! Now is the best time. Do something that is totally YOU!

Here is an image of Pat Sloan teaching us to not wait for things to be perfect. She recommended we get our family members on board to help. Do the WORK!!!! Don’t stop trying the Door Knob! Try things and if it doesn’t work then keep trying!

As a token of the many things I learned at SewPro along with other places, I decided to make a fabric loaf of bread sliced into pieces pin cushion. I think the loaf of bread is like us as individuals and each slice is something that we gather from a collective of people and places. I created this loaf of bread with Alison Glass Andover Fabrics by using 10 pieces of 1 inch by 10 inch strips.

Sometimes there are pressing issues to take care of connections… Don’t forget to press your strips! 😉

I just couldn’t resist adding some hand embroidery. The hand embroidery with Aurifil Floss is done perpendicular to the slices of bread. This represents all the things I learned not just at Sew Pro but also from all the incredible people that I have been networking with. What has been incredible about Sew Pro is the networking and collaborations that we as friends are continuing to do. I am grateful to get to know so many wonderful talented women! I think the connections we make with others is the yeast that helps us grow.

My biggest take away from Sew Pro is to find your voice and your niche within the niche. I know that sounds like such an obscure thing but we are individuals and each have our own style. We need to discover our style by learning, growing and experimenting. Some things are true to our voice and we are all unique. I especially wanted to personalize my loaf of bread with some hand embroidery work. (It just wouldn’t be a true Alison Glass project without some hand touches.) We all have a special voice and style to the things we create. We need to find our unique voice. After embroidering Aurifil Floss across each strip, baste an oval as pictured below with a pearl cotton thread.

Draw the strings of the pearl cotton thread until you have a shape similar to this. Get your stuffing ready to stuff your loaf of bread.

I have loved participating in this Sew Pro Stars Blog Hop and as you bop around the worldwide web you will see all of the unique talents and good things that each individual has to offer.

I will write some follow up posts summing up things I learned at the Sew Pro Conference. Subscribe to Stitches Quilting blog post so you don’t miss out. Lots of wonderful things are scheduled and coming your way. I want to thank Heather Spurlock from Elaines Quilt Shop right around the corner from my house inspired me to make this loaf of bread! Heather is talented and her loaf of bread spoke to ME – but you know me I had to personalize it with additional strips, Alison Glass Fabric and the hand embroidery! Don’t forget that we can all grow as a collective of people and experiences and it is through this process that we figure out where we fit and where our creative calling is!

Be sure to visit the other people on the Sew Pro Stars Blog Hop. There are giveaways and creative things to see!

Monday Nov 14

Lisa Peterson – https://lisaandlorelai.com/

Sherri Noel – Rebeccamaedesigns.com

Andi Stanfield – http://truebluequilts.com/

Brooke Gilbert – http://stitchedprintingcompany.com/p/blog

Tuesday Nov 15

Vanessa Behymer – https://vintagebarngirl.wordpress.com/

Pam Cobb & Lynn Rinehart – http://www.thestitchtvshow.com

Sherry Shish – www.poweredbyquilting.com

Joanne Kerton – www.canuckquilter.com

Lisa Nielsen – http://thequiltjam.blogspot.com/

Wednesday Nov 16

Carmen Ross – seecarmensew.com

Anne Beier – http://www.hudsonvalleyquilts.com/

Jessica Caldwell – www.desertbloomquilting.com

Pamela Morgan – mysweetlittlestitches.com

Thursday Nov 17

Maryanna Powell – www.marvelousauntiem.com

Cathy Smith – www.aquiltingchick.com

Lissa LaGreca – lovinglylissa.com

Paula Mamuscia – https://creationsbypaulamamuscia.wordpress.com/

Friday Nov 18

Becca Fenstermaker – prettypiney.com

Teri Seal – daymoonquilts.blogspothttp://daymoonquilts.blogspot.com.com

Trinia Braughton – www.penguinfeats.com

Deanna Wall – https://www.stitchesquilting.com/

Can’t wait to hear from all of you! What do you think helped you accomplish a goal in the creative industry? What dreams do you have? How can we work together and help each other get where we want to be? If we are going to work hard making gorgeous things don’t you think we need to Stitch Smart? Don’t hesitate to join our Stitch Smart Facebook Group to share with each other strategies of how to use Instagram, Facebook, Blog, Websites and other tools to grow our creative businesses. We will try to help each other grow together and I love to share!

To enter the Rafflecopter Sew Pro Stars Blog Hop Giveaway enter here – (Note – The giveaway will be live at 12am on 11/14 and end at 12am on 11/19)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Much Love,

Posted on October 27, 2016October 28, 2016 by Deanna — 15 Comments

Quick Halloween Décor Sewing, Quilting and DIY IDEAS

I love fabric and here is a playfully bright quilt that I made with fabrics collected through the years. I just love my antique cloths pins that this quilt is hung on. Can you see the pumpkins that I long arm quilted into the layers!

It’s time for the Eerie Nights Blog HOP!!!!

Halloween is the favorite holiday of my 20 year old son, Luke. I have collected Halloween and Fall décor for years. In fact, last year, there were so many bins that I donated a huge bin to his school. I wanted to share with all of you some of our Halloween staples that have become part of our family tradition to pull out and arrange.

I also wanted to share with you some amazing playful outdoor home décor that I see around our neighborhood!

I love fabric and here is a playfully bright quilt that I made with fabrics collected through the years. I just love my antique cloths pins that this quilt is hung on. Can you see the pumpkins that I long arm quilted into the layers!

I enjoy sewing Halloween Trick or Treat Bags for my kids and have lots of extras for their friends too! All of the trick or treat bags are interchangeable and were sometimes made to coordinate with their costume. I had lots of fun taking these photographs!

I Setting up tables with Halloween settings that include bright Halloween fabric table runners. This table runner was so simple to make with basic squares and actually has no batting in it so it is sewn like pillow case and then turned inside and out.

This is our dining table room table decorated! The table runner is simple, just small scraps of fabric squares stitched together and bordered. Halloween decorations are out for such a short time of year so why make something too complicated? Upright in a glass sundae cup are table triple dipped pretzel rods in caramel, chocolate and then green dipping chocolate with an almond slice as a fingernail for a witches finger! My kids and I love making and eating these! The Halloween platter closest to you has double dipped caramel apples! There is nothing like enjoying apples in the fall! What recipes do you enjoy? We have several and one of our favorites is caramel and chocolate dipped apples! This year we dipped the caramel apples in expensive Peter’s Caramel and then grocery store purchased caramels. What a difference the block of caramel from Peter’s made! The melting point was lower so the caramel during the night didn’t slip off the apple like the inexpensive caramels. But to tell you the truth after we dipped both sets of caramel dipped apples and then dipped them in chocolate, we really couldn’t taste much of a difference. Just chill the apples with the dipped caramel before you leave dip them in the chocolate! YUM!

What about right outside your dining room door! Here are some great ideas for outdoor FUN!

How about just decorating your lovely gardens with some Halloween embellishments! It doesn’t take much! These are some old pieces of wood cut and simply painted.

Just add some pumpkins or gourds here or there for some Halloween Glam.

These pumpkins are ready for a masquerade!

Your Halloween yard art can be as simple or complex as your imagination!

Then there is our fireplace mantles, this year I decided to go a bit smaller and simpler. Well my boys and great nieces decorated the house this year. They love when I say to get the orange and black bins from the garage and I love to see where they put everything! That is some kid fun isn’t?

But back to the stitching, I sure had a lot of fun stitching together Rosie the Zombie in Zombie Love Fabric designed by Emily Taylor for Riley Blake Designs. Over three feet tall she it was a blast seeing her come together. There is a tutorial on how to construct Rose the Zombie here.

Zoe the Zombie and Bones the Immortal Dog were also a lot of fun to create from Zombie Apocalypse Fabric Panel by Emily Taylor Designs with Riley Blake Fabrics. Before I assembled them, I long arm quilted the panel which gave such shape and form to their personalities!

Halloween is a time for family fun and to bring neighborhoods and communities together! What are some of your favorite Halloween items that bring that playful feel to your family? Remember enjoy the moment and find delight!

The next Halloween items that I am making for my home will include a Immortal Zombie with a bit of Zombie love quilt and table runner! Check out the fabrics that I will be using for this project! My husband is excited to have these items completed! Won’t they be fun! My husband wants it to look ripped up and fun! Any piecing or quilting suggestions?

Best Wishes for Lots of Eerie Playful Stitches!

Posted on October 27, 2016October 27, 2016 by Deanna

Pinners Conference Salt Lake City Utah

Deanna Wall Stitches Quilting teaching at Utah Pinners Conference

#pinnersut I’m teaching four classes at Pinners Conference held at the Salt Palace Convention Center November 4 and 5th, 2016. Register HERE at Utah Pinners Conference!

I’ll be teaching this reversible apron with a pocket! Wouldn’t you just love to sport this around or gift it as a handmade gift for Christmas! This class will teach basic sewing skills!

“Short Trendy Double Sided Apron”

Do you see all those trendy short Pinterest aprons? Well let’s sew one! Ours will be double sided and you will LOVE the result. This is a great class to quickly make an apron to then make more for gifts for the entire year! Optional materials fee: $8

Are you planning on some Holiday baking? Well this extra long cookie sheet hot pad is all the rage! With this sewing project we will construct the cookie sheet hot pad and you will actually get to quilt it with the domestic machine at the Pinner’s Conference! I bet you can use this Cookie Sheet Hot Pad this Holiday Season and if not it will be the perfect gift! You can also run home and make a ton more for lots of gifts.

“Cookie Sheet Hot Pad”

Have you seen those long quilted cookie sheet hot pads on Pinterest? Learn simple basic sewing and quilting techniques! After making one, you can go home and make lots for holiday gifts! Optional materials fee: $5

I thought a simple one hour sewing class would be a great place to make a Zippy Pouch Sweet Pea Pod with or without a Key Chain. This would introduce you to basic sewing and a zipper! Now don’t be afraid of the “Z” word! This is a great place to tackle it and learn just how to sew with a zipper! This is such a clever Pouch using the Sweet Pea Pattern by Lazy Girl Designs. This is a great simple class for a beginning to advanced sewist. I found Lazy Girl’s techniques terribly fun to use! I love to carry my zippy pouch around with change or binding clips. They are useful for just about anything! Talk about handmade, this would be a great gift to share with others or keep yourself. You can purchase the pattern and then go home and make a TON more. Various fabrics and colors available for your kit!

“Interested In Learning How to Quilt? Let’s Review the Basics”

Was your last sewing experience in Middle School? Learn how to Quilt! Let’s start with how to cut fabric with a rotary cutter, develop a pattern, piece your fabric, prepare quilt for quilting, then quilt it too! Optional materials fee: TBA (sale prices on Rotary cutter, mats, and rulers)

Deanna Wall is enthusiastic about inspiring and teaching others. Deanna designs & writes patterns along with has lots of free tutorials at Stitches Quilting. Website: StitchesQuilting.com

Now these are just the classes that I am teaching!

There are over 100 classes offered in areas of Beauty and Fashion, DIY and Crafts, Lifestyle and Learning, Cooking and Food Arts, Home and Home Decor, Quilting and Sewing, Party Planning, Photography, along with Health and Fitness!!!!! Pinner’s Conference is not just about one thing and I am certain there is something to interest you! Go to the Utah Pinners Conference website and check out the amazing things that will inspire YOU! 2015 I signed up for a TON of classes and learned a lot! I also met so many people. The booths were so fascinating to see and shop around with terrific bargains! I got a ton of Holiday shopping done and ideas to execute! My husband even had a great time and bought some things for our home! There arre over 230 local stores sharing their creative wares! You will LOVE it!

I'll be there at Utah Pinners Conference to Learn Create and Connect

I will be on KUTV Channel 2 News Friday, November 4th at 6:45 am to spread the word about Pinners Conference! I am just so excited with Stitches Quilting having a booth of our own selling fabric and supplies at deeply discounted prices. You will have a blast. So please come visit me and join us with being inspired. I can’t wait to meet all of you and learn what inspired you the most!

It’s free to come shop the floor but some of the classes have a cost. Be sure to register at the Utah Pinners Conference Website! If you use the coupon code “stitches” you will receive a discount off your class fees. Remember they always save space for people to register the day of the event!

Can’t wait to meet all of YOU!

Deanna Wall Stitches Quilting Stitching Through Life

Posted on October 27, 2016October 27, 2016 by Deanna — 7 Comments

Amy Butler Eternal Sunshine Inspiration

Subscribe to Stitches Quilting and comment below to enter the Amy Butler Eternal Sunshine Fat Quarter Bundle Giveaway! Giveaway ends November 1st, 2016 midnight MST.

To purchase Eternal Sunshine Fabrics from Stitches Quilting click here. Look at these incredible zippered pouches made with Eternal Sunshine Fabrics!

I have always been such an Amy Butler admirer! How about you? I love her fabrics, patterns and approach to a creative abundant life. Below is an interview with Amy talking about her creative quilting journey it may just be your journey too! Be ready to get inspired!

Watch this video to learn all about her Eternal Sunshine Fabric Collection. You will see tons of quilting and sewing inspiration. Take a look at her Piece Keeping Book that is now available for purchase. You will be able to look through the book with Amy and see what she loves about it!

To purchase Amy Butler Piece Keeping Book you can visit Amazon through my affiliate link below.
<br />

You can find the instructions for her Pyramid Pillows in the Piece Keeping book!

Check out the various totes and purses you can sport around with Eternal Sunshine!

For Home Decor, Amy Butler has you covered with the beautiful circular pillow poofs.

I love how Renaissance Ribbons creates such elegance for us to coordinate with Amy’s fabrics!

I hope you are just as impressed with Amy Butler’s Eternal Sunshine Collection as much as I am!

To purchase Eternal Sunshine Fabrics from Stitches Quilting click here.

I just love what Amy Butler contributes to the quilting and sewing communities to inspire creativity!

Happy Stitches,

Posted on October 18, 2016October 18, 2016 by Deanna

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!
<br />

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,

Posted on October 17, 2016October 17, 2016 by Deanna — 1 Comment

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….

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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,

Posted on October 13, 2016October 13, 2016 by Deanna — 14 Comments

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Posted on September 26, 2016September 26, 2016 by Deanna

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.

The 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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