Hello, hello!  2 posts in 2 days!  What's up with me?!?

Well, you may remember I posted about my new Cherish quilt pattern back in February.

Well, I made another version of that pattern that I want to share with you!

Since I know applique is not for everyone, I wanted to make a version of this pattern that doesn't have the appliqued scalloped border.  When I was making the original and writing the pattern, I knew it could be cute either way.  I always want to encourage you to think "outside of the box" and make each quilt your own!  If you don't love one aspect of a pattern but love the rest - you can change it!

I purchased this quarter-yard bundle of woven fabrics.  They're so dreamy and soft and I love the texture and colors!  I knew I wanted to use the navy blue fabric for the background so I pulled out a few of the other colors that were similar in value and saved those for another project.  I wanted to make sure I had enough contrast between the background fabric and hearts.

Cherish comes with instructions for 3 different size quilts - lap, throw, and full.

This is the throw-size quilt.

I had my longarm quilter, Jen Ostler quilt it with the Domestic Stitches Squared panto by Leisha Kaye.  I LOVE how it turned out!  I think the geometric pattern goes really well with the modern vibe of these fabrics and colors.  Do you see the "hidden object" Jen quilted into the design (see below)?

I bought some leftover fabric from a friend (who was using the same line of fabrics but in plaids) for the binding.  Don't you think the plaids really pull the whole thing together?

For the back, I debated between a pretty, large-scale floral print in similar colors and this solid pink woven fabric.  You know I love prints, especially floral ones, but in the end, I decided to keep the modern vibe going and get the solid pink.  I think it sweetened the whole thing up.  I'm glad I decided to go "outside of my box" but again, to each their own.  There is no right or wrong here.  What would you have done for the back?

I would describe the skill level for this version of Cherish as "confident beginner".

You can use scraps, your stash, 2-1/2" wide precut strips, fat quarters, or 10" squares for the hearts in Cherish.  I love a versatile pattern!

If you want more details about this pattern or would like to see the original version click HERE.

So, I'm curious, are you a solid or a print person?  I don't use a lot of solids but I am interested in using them more often.  I am definitely a texture person though.  I use a lot of wovens in my quilts!  They make for the softest quilts!

Well, that's it for today!  

If you'd like to grab a Cherish pattern for yourself you can visit my shop HERE.  Be sure to tag me on Instagram or shoot me an email if you decide to make this pattern.  I'd love to see your version!

Happy quilting!

Riley Blake Designs 2024 Block Challenge

 Good morning!  Today I want to share a little project I'm working on - the Riley Blake Designs 2024 Block Challenge.  This is the 4th annual RBD Block Challenge and I am thrilled I got to design a block for it since I am now a RBD fabric designer!  Whaaat?!?!?

This challenge started in January and ends in May (but don't worry, there is still time to join the fun because all of the block patterns are on the Riley Blake Designs blog for you to access anytime).  The pattern includes sixteen 10" blocks + finishing instructions.  It's a really great way to improve your quilting skills as you try new blocks and techniques.

The block I designed is called Square Pegs.  I used my upcoming fabric collection, Feels Like Home for this block and it was so surreal to sew with it since I just got some advanced fabric!  Feels Like Home ships to stores at the beginning of May!  (And yes, I'm doing a happy dance over here.)

I am having so much fun with this challenge and want to personally invite you to join the fun!

I mean, who doesn't like free-block patterns???  I know I do!

Click HERE for all of the details about the 2024 Block Challenge.

Click HERE for details about the previous years' Challenges.

I'd love to hear what you think about this block design!

Thanks for stopping by today and happy quilting!

Tea Towels

 Hello!  I recently took a trip to Zimbabwe and as you can imagine the travel to and from Utah was loooong - about 24 hours one way.  I wanted to take along a hand-stitching project but I wasn't up for starting anything too intense so I decided to embroider some stars on a tea towel.  I just finished one of the towels and thought I'd share the pattern!

Supplies needed:

1-2 large tea towels

A water-soluble marker

A small ruler

Perle Cotton #5

(I used Sue Spargo Wonderfil Threads in the color EZ05.  

I got two 40-yard spools but I think 1 will be enough to do 10 stars - 5 on each towel.)

#22 Chenille Needles from Primitive Gatherings

Small scissors

A small embroidery hoop

Click HERE for a free PDF with two 3" Star templates.

Trace stars onto a tea towel using a water-soluble marker (you can ignore the frame around each star on the PDF if you want).  Trace along the edge of a ruler to quickly make the straight lines.  I started with one star in the center of my towel (about 3-1/2" from the bottom edge) and then added 2 on each side about 1-1/2" apart.

You can get creative here and alternate the two types of stars on one towel, stagger them, do different color threads, or stitch more or fewer stars!  Whatever your heart desires!

I used a simple back-stitch to embroider my stars.  Click HERE for a good YouTube video explaining how to do it if you're not familiar with that stitch.  I only got about 3 stars embroidered on my trip but it was nice to work on in my downtime!

[First time wearing readers!]

I forgot to bring an embroidery hoop with me on my trip but when I got home I tried stitching with one and found it to be much easier.  It keeps the towel out of the way a little bit and keeps everything taut while you're stitching.

This was a great last-minute project because it didn't require a lot of prep and it was great for taking 

on-the-go because it didn't require a lot of supplies.

Tea towels are my favorite for drying dishes!  I think one of these + your favorite nice-smelling dish soap would make a fun housewarming or Christmas gift.  I love THIS dish soap!  You could even monogram a towel with the initial of the recipient's last name...if they're not into quilty things.

This was the perfect little project for me, at this time in my life because it was a quick finish and it's very practical.  I know I will use it a lot.  I thought about starting a new applique project, but I just finished one (hoping to share that with you soon) and wasn't ready to start another one right now.  I thought about doing English Paper Piecing but again, just wasn't ready to start another intense project.  I thought about cross stitch but didn't think I would ever display it in my house.  So this ended up being perfect!

Are you interested in making one of these towels?

Click HERE for the free Star templates.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Rough and Tumble Quilt in Red, White and Blue

 Red, white and blue is one of my favorite color combos and I'm a firm believer that one can never have too many red, white and blue quilts.  I have a couple of red, white and blue flag quilts, a couple of red, white and blue star quilts, a red quilt, some blue quilts. I even have a red, white and blue Pineapple quilt.  But I didn't have a plain red, white, and blue patchwork quilt...so I set off to make one last June.

I grabbed lots of red, white and blue fabrics from my stash and decided to make a scrappy version of my Rough and Tumble pattern.  (In the original pattern, prints and solids are used in each block. But this time I decided to just use all prints.)  These blocks are simple and a little bit unique.  With a little bit of strip piecing, they go together fast!

I mixed in some chambray and a cute Americana text print to break up all of the scrappiness.

My friend, Jen Ostler in Highland, Utah quilted it for me with some wavy lines, reminiscent of a flag blowing in the wind. I love this panto for that reason and have used it several times on patriotic quilts!

If you've been following me for a while, you know I use Jen for most of my longarm quilting needs and she always hides a little object in the quilting.  Makes for a fun game of hide 'n seek.  Can you see the tiny little star in the picture above?  Jen is the best and puts so much love into each and every quilt she quilts.

One day as I was hand-stitching the binding down to the backside of this quilt, my husband saw it for the first time and said, "Oooh, I really like that quilt!" and I said, "Oh what do you like about it?"  He said he really liked the chambray and the plaid backing fabric together.  I guess it was a little more "manly" than most of the other quilts I make.  I did specifically try not to have a lot of florals in this one (I think there is just one).

I bound it in a gingham print, which I always love for binding.

I added one of my favorite labels from Ever Emblem.  They're so easy to sew into the binding so I don't have an excuse to not label my quilts!  I get the 2" cotton, fold-over, sew-in labels.  If you want to get some for yourself, you will just have to pick one of their basic cotton labels and customize it from there.

I think this is the fourth or fifth Rough and Tumble quilt I've made and it's definitely my favorite!  

Rough and Tumble comes with instructions for 5 different quilt sizes and is beginner-friendly.

My red, white, and blue version is the twin-size.  I'm excited to use it this summer for picnics, ball games and just displayed around my house.

If you'd like to grab the paper or PDF pattern, you can visit my shop HERE.

If you'd like to see my other red, white, and blue quilts you can check out THIS post.

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you found some inspiration here...

Friendship Star Quilt

 Hello!  In December I shared a cutting chart + instructions for the Friendship Star quilt block in 6 different sizes.  Today I want to share with you the finished quilt that prompted that post.

A few months ago in my local quilt group, we had a member who fell and broke both of her wrists.  Some of us in the group thought it would be nice to make her a quilt to show her a little extra love during that difficult time.  We decided to use the simple, classic Friendship block because of its name and we asked everyone who wanted to participate to make 1 block in her favorite colors - pink and yellow.  Here it is all finished!

We made the 12" blocks from my cutting chart and got a total of 20 blocks.

So the finished quilt size is 48" x 60 - a nice lap-size quilt.

 This is a "friendship quilt" in the truest sense of the word.  Many friends made blocks.

I sewed them all together to make the quilt top. One friend named Grace quilted it and another friend named Melissa bound it.  It was a true joint effort!

I think the different shades of pink and yellow ended up so cute and using different low-volume fabrics for the block backgrounds was a scrappy, yet cohesive way to pull everything together!

I had this swallow print in my stash that I thought went perfectly with the front of the quilt.

It's from my first fabric collection, Treasured Threads.

What do you think?  Fun project right?  It's so nice to come together as friends/quilting community to do some good sometimes!  If you want the cutting chart and instructions click HERE.  It includes instructions for 6 different block sizes.  

Thanks for stopping by today.

Merry Pinwheels Baby Quilt

 Hi there!  Today I want to share a baby quilt that I actually finished a couple of months ago.

The pattern is called Merry Pinwheels and this is the second Merry Pinwheels quilt I've made.  If you're curious, you can check out the original one HERE.

 I made this because I really wanted to see what this pattern looked like in non-Christmasy colors! 

Plus, I thought a pinwheel quilt would be so cute for a baby.

I based the color scheme on the sweet yellow, pink, and copper-brown ditzy floral print in the middle row above. I just love that print and thought it would make for a unique color palette for a baby girl quilt.

I tried to use a nice variety of prints including florals, plaids, checks, stripes, and geometrics.

I had everything in my stash for this quilt except the binding fabric. I love it when I get to make a quilt predominantly out of my stash.  Feels so good to use up what I have!

I inherited this pink stripe fabric from my grandmother after she passed away.

I love incorporating pieces of her fabrics into my quilts!

This copper-brown floral fabric is a favorite. And the yellow background fabric is 

from my first fabric collection, Treasured Threads.

The quilting was done by Jen Ostler in Highland, Utah.  She is awesome.

Jen used one of my favorite, go-to pantos called Interlocking Orange Peel by Karlee Porter Designs.

When I was making the quilt top, it was a little tricky to spread out similar colors and prints to achieve balance.  But I just kept moving the blocks around until I found a layout I was happy with.

I really enjoyed working with this color palette and all of the sweet prints.

Merry Pinwheels is perfect for confident beginners and comes with instructions for 5 different-size quilts. You can use your stash (like I did here) or 2-1/2" x 40" wide precut strips.  It's very versatile!

You can grab the Merry Pinwheels pdf pattern HERE or the paper pattern HERE.

I'd love to hear what you think about this baby quilt version of Merry Pinwheels!

Thanks for stopping by today and happy quilting!