Start a NEW Block of the Month Quilt!

Fall is right around the corner, and quilting season is just getting started. It's the perfect time to sign up for a Block of the Month project, and we have three that we think you'll love!

Hopscotch & Butterflies 

Designed by Quilted Memories featuring the On Your Mark collection by Simone Bradford

Cut and piece this cheery quilt with the bright, modern On Your Mark prints! Quilt measures 67" x 90".

Sign up for this FREE block of the month program here. Contact Quilted Memories for kits. This 12-week BOM begins the week of September 3rd; anyone joining later will receive the links for earlier blocks at that time.

 See the entire On Your Mark collection here. 

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Manzanita Grove Sampler

Designed by Barbara J. Eikmeier featuring her Manzanita Grove collection

This 10-month BOM album quilt sampler features 41 different blocks inspired by antique quilts; the blocks float in cream sashing with a red mini print background. Quilt measures 80" square.

Sign up for the Manzanita Grove Sampler program here.

Read more about the Manzanita Grove Sampler here.

See the entire Manzanita Grove collection here. 

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Freeform

Designed by Jean Nolte featuring the Freeform collection

This 6-month medallion-style BOM is made in cool green and purple prints from our Freeform collection. Quilt measures 90" square. BOM participants have access to free videos showing techniques and tips for making the blocks. 

Sign up for the Freeform BOM program here. 

See the entire Freeform collection here.

Which one do you want to make?

Hello, spring!

Spring has sprung and it's time for a Quilt Along! Sandra Walker of MMM Quilts is hosting one starting today on her blog, using our Freeform fabrics. We asked Sandra to tell us about her design and her decision to use the Freeform prints. Read her answers and then head over to her blog to join the fun (there are prizes, too!)!

Q. Tell us about your original Windfall quilt.

SW: I made the first shadow quilt, called Windfall, for the Autumn Abundance blog hop sponsored by Paintbrush Studio Fabrics, and hosted by Bernie of Needle and Foot. I fell in love with the Windfall fabrics even from seeing them on my computer screen, and they were even richer in person, much like the rich colours of the Fall that I now experience living in southern Ontario with the wide variety of trees and slow gentle Fall weather there compared to my prairie roots. (See Sandra's first quilt here.)

Q. What attracted you to the Freeform fabrics?

SW: The Freeform fabric looks hand-dyed, much like a batik to me. It speaks of soft spring-like weather and days, new foliage, and warmer days ahead.

Q. What is your favorite fabric in the collection? 

SW: Oh it’s too hard to pick as I love them all!  If I had to pick, it would probably be the soft brick mottled background I used, or the one with sort of polka-dots, again a soft mottled multi-colour one. 

Q. How did you choose which fabrics to use where in your design?

SW: I knew I wanted a light for a background and a green leaf this time, being spring.  I like the brightness and diamond shape, of the green I chose for the leaf, much like sun-dappled leaves, and the softness and contrast in print of the brick I chose for the background.  After that I looked for contrast in colour and in value when deciding where to place the various coloured leaves.  I used every single fabric in the line as each one is so pretty!

Q. How did you come up with your design?

SW: The design is based on two quilts in the book Shadow Quilts by Patricia Maixner Magret and Donna Ingram Slusser.  One has a pattern but a slightly different leaf, the other is in the gallery.  I’ve had the book since 2000. I made a shadow trees quilt based on one of the gallery quilts (so again I used that quilt as a jumping-off point and had to draft my own pattern) for a guild challenge and always have loved layering in quilt design.

Q. What is your favorite thing about this quilt? 

SW: My favourite thing about the quilt is the one ghost leaf, and probably that I think I got the wind-blown effect I was looking for with the quilted swirls in the background.

Find the Freeform fabrics here and ask for them at your local quilt shop. 

Pillowcase Time!

We are a sponsor of American Patchwork & Quilting's One Million Pillowcase Challenge in 2017, so we'll be sharing the Challenge's new designs with you quarterly. 

The goal of the Pillowcase Challenge is for 1 million pillowcases to be donated to local charities. You can make a pillowcase, donate it in your community, and then enter your donation quantity online. The current count is 711,000 and counting, so the Challenge is making progress! 

Here are the two newest designs from AllPeopleQuilt.com, 

featuring our newest fabric collections.

Pattern #62: Ninepatch Band

featuring the Freeform collection

Photo from AllPeopleQuilt.com; find the pattern here.

Pattern #63: Basic King Size

featuring the Goanna Walkabout collection

Photo from AllPeopleQuilt.com; find the pattern here.

Find more information about the Pillowcase Challenge here.

p.s. Speaking of pillowcases, AP&Q is hosting a Pillowcase March Madness throughout the month of March. Find each day's giveaway on their Facebook page. (Our prizes are on March 15, 23 and 26, so make sure you enter on those days!)

Take a tour!

While we were at Quilt Market, we showed some photos from our booth on both our Facebook page and Instagram account, but today we're going in depth! We'll show you the quilts and projects that were on display and provide you with information about the fabric lines and patterns used. 

Enjoy!

A view of our entire booth: 

Do you do yoga? Maureen Stephan used our new Yoga Fabric (92% poly/8% spandex/jersey knit) to sew the jacket and pants. Comfy and stretchy! 
The quilt behind the mannequins the Paintbrush University Quilt 1, made by Maria Pate using fabrics from the initial 84 Painter's Palette Solids.
Bags on the ground, from left:
Stand 'N Stow Tote by Atkinson Designs (ATK-153) constructed by Robin Bell using Ro Gregg's Valor prints
Wine & Dine Lunch bag by Atkinson Designs (ATK-155) constructed by Maureen Stephan using Ro Gregg's Valor prints
To Market, To Market Tote (Patterns by Annie) constructed by Maria Pate using Ro Gregg's Sophisticates prints
In front: Divalicious Wallet by Sisters' Common Thread constructed by Maria Pate using Ro Gregg's Sophisticates prints

Our Painter's Palette Solids were definitely highlighted in the booth. A photo is worth 1,000 words, but when it comes to fabric, so is a touch. We encouraged attendees to touch our solids and feel their silky smoothness. 

A banner displaying our original 84 solids. This will grow before the next show!

We had several quilts showcasing our solids:

The "Spinning Palette" quilt featuring the Painter's Palette Solids. Made by Kylah Kay Jackson 

"Starry Compass Rose" by Elizabeth Eastmond and machine quilted by Denise Marieno, featuring our Painter's Palette Solids collection.

"Lighthouse Steps" by Kate Colleran of Seams Like a Dream, made using our Bayshore Snack Pack of Painter's Palette Solids. 

Paintbrush University Quilt II by Maria Pate, a block sampler using the newer 84 Painter's Palette Solids.

"America" by Cynthia Wismann, made using our Painter's Palette Solids combined with Ro Gregg's Valor collection (we'll have a separate post on this quilt later this week).

"Walkabout" by Tammy Silvers of Tamarinis using the Goanna Walkabout collection. Soon to be available as a free pattern download on our website!

The "Kisses" quilt by Sue Linam using our Doodads collection. Love those puffed up trapunto-style lips! Additional projects made using various prints from the Doodads collection, including the "To Market, To Market" tote (Patterns by Annie) constructed by Maria Pate, the purse, constructed by Maria Pate, and the Beach Bag (hanging at left) is Sandy's Beach Bag from The Handmaiden's Cottage (THC103).

Flights of Fancy in fabric! This quilt pattern, designed by Pine Tree Country Quilts, is available as a free download from our website and features Ro Gregg's new line, Flights of Fancy.

Linda Frost designed the Freeform quilt using our Freeform collection (plus Painter's Palette Solids). The apron is the Lilly Apron from Busy Bee Quilt Designs, and the Beach Bag is Sandy's Beach Bag from The Handmaiden's Cottage (THC103).

The "C'est La Vie" quilt, made by Maria Pate using the fabric line of the same name. And yes, that's an umbrella re-covered in C'est La Vie fabric! 

The "Asian Antics" quilt by Viv Smith and constructed by Sheila Reinke, made using our Samsara collection. Available here. 
The pillows are Vetmari Sewing patterns: Beauty in Bloom in the front and Swept Away in the back, both constructed by Robin Bell of Robin's Nest Quilting.

Barb Eikmeier's Vintage 30s Ruby's Treasures fabric, introduced at Spring Market and still going strong here! 

Barb's new line, which debuted at Fall Quilt Market, is Waddington Road. She's designed another BOM, shown below, and all kinds of fun small sewing projects. We'll be sharing a separate blog post to introduce Waddington Road later this week. 

Hi Barb! 

We hope you enjoyed our booth tour! 

The Cool Serenity of Freeform

Meet our new Freeform collection! 

These prints look like they could be batiks, but they're not--they're full of layered colors and patterns to create rich, gorgeous fabrics. This cool palette of greens and purples creates a soothing aura, perfect for your next cozy lap quilt. Soak into its calming beauty! 

And if you're looking for a new lap quilt to stitch, try the "Freeform" by Pine Tree Country Quilts. It's available as a free download on our website. 

See the entire Freeform collection here and ask for it at your local quilt shop.
Find the free quilt pattern here. 

New FREE Quilt Patterns

We've recently added a couple new free quilt patterns to the tab above. They're posted here as well, but take a minute to scroll through our selection of free quilt patterns. All can be downloaded with a simple click! You'll also find more here on our website.

Enjoy!

"City Streets" by Judy Hansen

featuring the Cityscape collection

Click here to download the "City Streets" pdf.

"Freeform" designed by Pine Tree Country Quilts

featuring our Freeform collection

Click here to download the "Freeform" pdf.