10 Reasons Fabric is Better than Candy!

Happy Halloween!

Top Ten: Fall Project Round-Up!

Have the changing leaves inspired you to sew an autumn-themed project? 
Here are 10 ideas for you!

1. What does the fox say? Download this free quilt pattern featuring Ro Gregg's Pretty Foxy panel and coordinates.

Find the Pretty Foxy free quilt pattern here.

2. A stuffed bird--Pincushion? Doorstop? Just for fun? Shown here in Painter's Palette Solids.

Find the Feathered Friend tutorial here.

3. Hang an easy fusible applique banner for the season. Shown here in Painter's Palette Solids.

Find the Modern Fall Banner tutorial here.

4. This runner features all leaves in glorious season-inspired colors. Shown here in Painter's Palette Solids.

Find the Harvest Tones Leaf Runner tutorial here.

5. So many different colored leaves in this quilt featuring the Windfall collection.

See the Autumn Abundance Hop Windfall Quilt from Mmm Quilts here.

6. Windfall prints in fall colors shine in this quilt as well.

See the Autumn Abundance Hop Autumn Blooms quilt from Tish's Adventures in Wonderland here.

7. Hand embroidery mixed with pieced blocks for a lovely fall wallhanging, using Golden Harvest prints.

See the Autumn Abundance Hop Give Thanks Wall Hanging here.

8. Jewel tones in a beautiful throw quilt, all tied together with the Into the Woods border fabric.

See the Autumn Abundance Hop Autumn Jewels quilt from The Academic Quilter here.

9. Love this landscape quilt with an Into the Woods border!

See the Autumn Abundance Hop Autumn Mini from Quilts from the Little House Quilts here.

10. Another fall favorite quilt with leaf blocks using Autumn in the Forest prints!

Download the free quilt pattern here.

Visit our Feels Like Fall Pinterest board for more fun fall quilting ideas!

Over the Moon for Moon Rabbit!

Our new Moon Rabbit collection combines Asian-inspired prints with a modern flair! 

We love everything about these fabrics--from the cool color palette to the monochromatic rabbits to the floral/bunny focal print and the dotted stripe! 

Use Painter's Palette Solid White as the background for this free quilt pattern using Moon Rabbit, designed by Pine Tree Country Quilts. 

Download the free quilt pattern here.

See the entire Moon Rabbit collection here and ask for it at your local quilt shop.

Find the free quilt pattern here.

Hedgehog Love Pillow Tutorial

Who couldn't use a little hedgehog love in their lives?! Inspired by the adorable creatures in Judy Hansen's Hedgehog Village fabric collection, we've created the Hedgehog Love Pillow, featuring a 3-D hedgehog. 

You'll Need

1/2 yard Mink solid (121-136)

1/2 yard taupe paw print (120-13731)

fat quarter yellow floral (120-13752)

1 yard periwinkle hedgehog print (120-13742)

6" square Mahogany solid (121-015)

2" x 4" piece of White solid (121-000)

1 yard Fusible Fleece

12" square muslin

12" square fusible web

Fusible web scraps

20" square pillow insert

Cutting

From the Mink solid:

(19) 5" squares

(4) 3" x 4-1/2" pieces (for paws)*

From the taupe paw print:

(1) hedgehog face

(4) 3" squares*

From the yellow floral:

(1) 14-1/2" square

From the periwinkle hedgehog print:

(2) 15" x 20-1/2" pieces for backing fabric

(2) 3-1/2" x 14-1/2" lengthwise strips

(2) 3-1/2" x 20-1/2" strips

From the Mahogany solid:

(2) pupils**

(1) nose**

From the White solid:

(2) eyes**

From the fusible fleece:
(1) 20-1/2" square

(1) hedgehog face

*Refer to steps 8 and 9 to make two-sided paws and ears.

**Trace shapes onto fusible web. Fuse to indicated fabric and cut out on drawn lines. 

Download the templates for the hedgehog here.

Make the Hedgehog:

Step 1: Fold each 5" Mink square diagonally in half and press. Fold the two outer corners in to the bottom corner as shown and press. Make 19 hedgehog spikes. 

Step 2: Fuse the 12" square of fusible web to the 12" square of muslin. 
Step 3: Position (2) hedgehog spikes along the top edge of the muslin as shown, with the corners slight overlapping. 

Step 4: Stitch along the bottom sides of each spike using a 1/8" - 1/4" seam allowance as shown.

Step 5: Position (3) spikes in a row as shown. Make sure the tips are above the spikes in the previous row. Pin in place. Stitch along the bottom edges to secure. 

Step 6: Some outer spikes will need to have a finished edge. To make a spike with a finished edge, unfold a spike and press one long in 1/4" as shown. Stitch along the fold with a 1/8" seam allowance to create a finished edge. Refold. Make (3) spikes with finished edges on the left and (3) on the right.

Step 7: Add (3) more rows in the same way, with finished edge spikes on the outer edges. Add a row of (4), a row of (3), and another row of (4). Add a last row of (3) without finished edges (edges will be covered by the hedgehog face).

Step 8: Trace the ear shape onto the wrong side of (2) 3" squares of taupe paw print. Layer each with a second square, right sides together. Stitch along the drawn line, leaving the straight edge open.  

Step 9: Turn ears right side out and press. In the same way, make (2) paws using the 3" x 4-1/2" Mink solid pieces. After turning right side out, use a tight zig zag stitch to add paw lines as shown.

Step 10: Sew 3-1/2" x 14-1/2" periwinkle hedgehog strips to opposite sides of the 14-1/2" yellow floral square. Sew 3-1/2" x 20-1/2" periwinkle hedgehog strips to the top and bottom. Fuse the 20-1/2" fusible fleece square to the back for added stability. 

Step 11: Fuse the hedgehog face fleece piece onto the wrong side of the taupe paw print hedgehog face for additional padding. Fuse the eyes, pupils, and nose in place, using the photo for a guide. Use a decorative stitch to secure if desired. 
Step 12: Trim muslin backing so it doesn't show behind the spikes, but leave as much as possible (out of view) because you'll be stitching on it to secure in a later step. 
Step 13: Remove the paper from the back side of the spikes (you'll have to remove it in pieces because of the stitch lines). Position the spikes on the yellow square and fuse in place. Tip: Position with face and paws for placement to make sure hedgehog is centered, and then remove face and paws before fusing spikes in place. Because of all the layers, you'll need to fuse for a longer period of time. 
Step 14: Add the hedgehog face, making sure it covers any exposed raw edges from the bottom rows of spikes. Tuck the ears and paws under the head as shown. Use a zig zag stitch and matching thread to secure the head, ears, and paws in place.

Step 15: Fold spikes back and stitch along muslin on sides and top (wherever possible) to further secure the spikes to the background.

Step 16: Fold and press 1/4" on (1) long edge of a 15" x 20-1/2" periwinkle hedgehog piece. Fold and press in another 1/4" and topstitch to create a finished edge. Make (2).

Step 16: Position the pillow top right side up and the backing pieces on top, right sides together, with raw edges matching (finished edges should overlap in the middle). Pin in place and stitch around the entire pillow using a 1/4" seam allowance. 

Step 17: Turn the pillow right side out and stuff with the insert. Enjoy!

See the entire collection here and ask for it at your local quilt shop.
Learn more about Judy's Hedgehog Village collection here.

Hedgehog Love

In the past few years, hedgehogs have completed the transformation from slightly prickly woodland creatures to trendy, lovable rockstars, found on everything from t-shirts to pillows to children's toys. 

And now quilting fabric. 

We're excited to share Judy Hansen's newest collection, Hedgehog Village, with you. Jump into the daily life of these adorable hedgehogs, complete with charming cottages, a watercolor wildflower field, and other cute coordinates. 

Here's Judy to tell us more: 

Q. Why hedgehogs?

JH: I’d previously had an owl fabric collection (Night Owls) and it had done very well, so I wanted to do another critter. I actually researched popular animals and came up with hedgehogs—they’re popular worldwide!

Q. What do you think is so appealing about this collection?
JH: It’s appropriate for all ages. You could make a quilt for a children’s room, a sewing room, or even a travel quilt for the car. Plus the hedgehogs are adorable!

Q. Can you talk to us about the focal print?

JH: The style of this print is based on the work of artist Thomas Kinkaid. His cottage seemed the perfect place to host a little hedgehog. This fabric is hand painted—my take on one of his cottages in the woods.

Q. The little hedgehog print is super cute, too.

JH: I love it. For the hedgehogs, I did about six different paintings—hedgehogs standing, sitting, hugging, with arms extended… they’re such playful little animals.

Q. What about the other coordinates?

JH: They’re all from original artwork. I’m very painterly, and I think that shows in the floral print. It has a whimsical feel.

The pawprints are more fun than a plain tonal—they have character and fit in well with the hedgehogs.

Q. How did you come up with the color palette.

JH: It started out based on the cottage painting, but then I brightened everything up. I wanted warm, springy colors, and I wanted the line to have an outdoor feel. I think the peach (in the hedgehog print) is my favorite color in the collection.

Q. Do you have a favorite print?
JH: Definitely the main fabric with the cottages. It has so much opportunity for different uses! And if you look closely, there’s a lot of detail in it.

Judy also designed a free quilt pattern using the Hedgehog Village fabrics. 

"Hedgehogs on the Run" by Judy Hansen

Find the free quilt pattern here.

See the entire Hedgehog Village collection here and ask for it at your local quilt shop.

Find the free quilt pattern here.

Kick Off Your Boots!

Your favorite little cowboy or cowgirl will love these prints! Barbara J. Eikmeier's Kick Off Your Boots collection has western flair in a patriotic color palette. We asked Barb to tell us about the inspiration for her new fabric line.

 

Q. Where did the inspiration for Kick Off Your Boots come from?

BE: I have a huge bag of scrap fabrics, and I found a small piece of a western fabric in there—probably from the 40s or 50s. When I pulled it out, I got this big smile on my face and thought it would be a cute reproduction line.

Q. Tell us about the color palette.

BE: The colors are red and blue so that the fabrics can cross over into patriotic. The idea for the green came from the original western print. I like the addition.

Q. Can you talk to us about the coordinating prints?

BE: Reproduction print collections typically fall into eras, but this one doesn’t. I like to say this collection has three different eras.

The horseshoe print was an indigo print from sometime between 1880 and 1910. The original had a little vine swirling in the background with leaves on it; in this fabric it’s stars instead.

The bandana print is probably from the 1970s.

Stars help with the patriotic feel for the line, but stars always go well in western collections.

The plaid has a little star in it as well, and it’s a second print that brings in the green. The original plaid we looked at was much larger and straight, rather than on the diagonal.

Q. Do you have a favorite print?

BE: I love the paisleys and the handkerchief. And the cowboy print, and the plaid. I guess I really like them all—I think the fabrics are whimsical and fun.

Barb designed a free quilt pattern for this project, The Cowboy Quilt. 

It uses all the SKUs from the collection and measures 78" square. 

Find the free quilt pattern here.

See the entire collection here and ask for it at your local quilt shop.