Getting in the Halloween Spirit: Orange & Black Prints

With Halloween around the corner, it's time to grab some orange and black prints and do a little sewing! Door banners, trick or treat bags, a table runner, or even a quilt...with the right fabrics, you can have so much holiday fun!

Here are some of our favorite orange and black prints:

Top row: Truck Stop, Nite Owls by Judy Hansen; Middle row: Sea Turtles, Changing Seasons by Ro Gregg; Bottom row: Bear Hugs, Marblehead Global Brights

Top row: Nite Owls, Marblehead Gemstones Jewels & Quartz by Ro Gregg; Middle row: Marblehead by Ro Gregg, Graphix 3; Bottom row: Marimba, Sea Turtles

Ask for them at your local quilt shop!

A Pillowcase Party!

Sewing pillowcases is ALWAYS a party! 

And when those pillowcases benefit a charity as part of AllPeopleQuilt.com's 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge, it's even better. 

Last week the lovely ladies of the Miriam Circle at Trinity Lutheran Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan transformed some of our favorite prints into 15 pillowcases to donate. 

For some of the group, this was their first experience with rotary cutters and rulers; others already knew how to sew. Regardless, they were all hooked on the simple burrito method of pillowcase making by the end of the evening! 

First, a demonstration of cutting fabric using a rotary cutter and ruler

Getting right to work!

One of the fabric groupings--from the Briarcliff collection.

Pressing the flange

Pinning the "burritos."
(If you aren't familiar with the burrito (or "roll it up" method of making pillowcases, check it out here--it's so quick and easy--just 2 seams!)

Time to stitch!

One seam done--flange and cuff added (with no exposed seams!) All that's left is to press it and sew it into the pillowcase shape.

Pressing the cuff

A finished pillowcase! Ta da!

The pillowcases will be donated to the Gospel Mission, serving the homeless in the Kalamazoo area.

Thank you, ladies, for using our fabric and for helping the Pillowcase Challenge get 15 cases closer to 1 million!

Have you sewn a pillowcase for the Challenge? Let us know!

Find out more about how you can get involved in the 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge here.

See the fabric lines used in these pillowcases:

A Walk in the Park

Bear Hugs

Briarcliff

Morriston

Vera Cruz

Pillowcase Showcase!

In case you're looking for pillowcase inspiration, here's a showcase of the two latest designs released by American Patchwork & Quilting's 1 Million Pillowcase challenge.  (Did we use the word "case" enough?!?!) The Challenge is currently at 622,405 pillowcases, continuing its push to reach one million pillowcases donated to charity. We are proud to be a sponsor in 2015, and love seeing pillowcases made with our new fabric collections!

 #48 Triangle-Square Band; featuring Four Paws 

(this is a sneak peek--this fabric is so new, it's not quite available yet! Watch for it on the blog and in your local quilt shop this summer)

Photo from AllPeopleQuilt.com; download the free pattern here

#49 Stepping Stones Band; featuring Bear Hugs

Photo from AllPeopleQuilt.com; download the free pattern here

Find out more about the Challenge and see all 48 unique pillowcase designs here.

Matching up Classique

The other day we gave you a sneak peek at the new "A coordinate for every project" Classique collection--swatch after swatch of tonal coordinates to play with! Today we've matched up prints from Classique with some of the focal prints of our newer collections--you can subtly alter the palette of a collection based on what coordinates you choose. See what you think!

Paired with Briarcliff:

Paired with Vera Cruz:

Paired with Eggcellent Adventures:

Paired with Jungle Party:

Paired with Bear Hugs:

See our original Classique post here.
See the entire Classique collection here.

Have you hugged a bear today?

What's warm and cuddly and full of love?

A quilt made by you using the Bear Hugs fabric collection!

You and the teddy bear lover in your family will love
these sweet bear prints and  cheerful coordinates.

Want to see that packed bear print close up? Which cuddly friend catches your eye?

And a panel print, ready for fussy cutting!

We love this Cathedral Window-pattern coordinating print!

Ready to bring some Bear Hugs home? Download the free Bear Hugs pattern designed by Pine Tree County Quilts and get sewing!

Find the free quilt pattern here.

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