Forest Friends pattern release

Introducing Sew Fresh Quilts new pattern – Forest Friends! I am so excited to have completed both the Twin and Baby size versions of the Forest Friends pattern in time for a Friday finish! First and foremost, I want to thank those of you who have been eagerly awaiting the release of this pattern. All your encouraging comments here on the blog as I have shown the progress of the blocks as they were being made and over on Instagram and Facebook. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!! The response has been overwhelming!

Quilt layout shown is TWIN approximately 59” x 75”

American Eagle block

Quilt layout shown is BABY approximately 31” x 39”
With Golden Eagle alternate block

Canadian Beaver block

Quilt layout shown is BABY approximately 31” x 39”
With Canadian Beaver alternate block

Deer block

Thank you also to Michael Miller Fabrics!!! These Forest Friends quilt projects have been generously sponsored by Michael Miller Fabrics. The quilt tops are made entirely from Michael Miller's signature collection Cotton Couture solids. And the backing is Aviary in aqua.

Aviary in Aqua by Michael Miller Fabrics

I loved working with the cotton couture and could not get over how soft those cottons are! And the Aviary backing? Gorgeous! Loved how well it blended in with the choices from the front and added a beautiful brightness to contrast with the woodsy feel of the front of the quilt. I am just so happy with these finishes!

Deer Hoof Prints and Bear blocks

Forest Friends is a sampler style design with a woodland theme and features animal quilt blocks made using traditional piecing methods. No templates. No paper piecing. Only simple straight line sewing and diagonal seams. Easy to follow instructions are provided for every step of the way! The Forest Friends pattern includes material requirements lists for both the TWIN and BABY size settings and charts for each quilt block, to make either a single block or a set of four blocks at once.

Fox #1 and Bear Paw Prints blocks

The Forest Friends quilt pattern consists of the following sized quilt blocks. The American Eagle, Canadian Beaver and the Love Birds blocks all finish at 8” x 13”. The Deer, Bear, Squirrel and both Fox blocks each finish at 8” x 8”. The Deer Hoof Prints, Bear Paws Prints and Canoe Paddle blocks all finish at 4” wide. This allows for a variety of settings in which your blocks can be used to make cushions, place mats, table runners, wall hangings or quilts from baby to big. Adding wider sashing and borders will also help you to adjust this pattern up to the size you desire.

Deer Hoof Prints and Fox #2 blocks

Love Birds block

The Forest Friends pattern gives instructions for making all of the individual quilt blocks and provides additional information for the sashing and borders to make the above settings in BABY or TWIN size. But it is up to you to choose whether to use the layouts shown previously or to design your own setting to suit your particular application. Here are some other examples of how these blocks can be used. Don't be surprised if a quilted version of them are shown here on the blog in the coming month. Christmas is a comin'!

Forest Friends table runner 14” x 50”

Deer Tracks table runner 13” x 35”

Patriotic table runner 14” x 47”

Bear table runner 14” x 53”

Forest Friends with Canoe Paddles table runner 19” x 59”

Love Birds table runner 11” x 51”

Forest Friends Welcome door banner 15” x 37”

 

"Forest Friends" in TWIN Size finished at approximately 59" x 75"
and was the 64th use of my 100 labels

ordered from Ikaprint.

"Forest Friends" in BABY Size finished at approximately 31" x 39"

and was the 65th use of my 100 labels

ordered from Ikaprint.

The Forest Friends 46 page pdf quilt pattern can be purchased in my pattern store here.

NOW...

There has to be a GIVEAWAY!!!

To celebrate the pattern release,
 I am offering 3 free FOREST FRIENDS to my friends!
And one for each of THEIR friends!

First chance to win is to enter the contest using the RaffleCopter below.
Second chance to win is to head over to Instagram here and tag a friend.
Third chance to win is to head over to Facebook here and tag a friend.

You can tag as many friends as you like! Each will count as an entry.


Follow the instructions on the RaffleCopter.com widget below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This Giveaway is open internationally.

Winner will be randomly chosen on December 1st and notified by email.

Be sure to leave your email address on the RaffleCopter widget.

If you purchase the pattern
and then happen to win in the contest,
You will be provided with a full refund!!!!

Linking up to Finish it up Friday with 

Amanda Jean of Crazy Mom Quilts

Keep On Quilting On!

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Update for Forest Friends quilt pattern and Let's Bee Social # 97

Fox #1 quilt blocks finish at 8" x 8"

I am FINALLY myself testing these Forest Friends quilt blocks. And am making 5 at a time. Enough to make both the TWIN and BABY quilts. These blocks are being made with the Cotton Couture kindly donated by Michael Miller Fabrics in support of this project.

Working on my little Janome for the piecing

Here is how my work area looked on Tuesday morning. Middle of making the sitting Fox blocks. And I was not able to make much progress because of preparations for my next trunk show! Yay!

Fox #2 quilt blocks in progress

Tonight and tomorrow morning I will be in Ingersoll, Ontario with the Oxford Quilters' Guild. I am so looking forward to meeting the ladies at Ingersoll's Creative Arts Centre. And talking about quilts!

Love Birds quilt blocks finish at 8" x 13"

NOW. For those of you who simply CANNOT wait, or who only want certain blocks from the Forest Friends quilt pattern, beginning today the American Eagle and Canadian Beaver (and a few of the other) quilt blocks can be purchased separately from my Pattern Shop here.

American Eagle quilt block finishes at 8" x 13"

Great news for those who are asking what can be done to make this quilt without using the American Eagle OR the Canadian Beaver........

Just make him a Golden Eagle!

Canadian Beaver quilt block finishes at 8" x 13"

Still working on testing all the blocks before releasing the final Forest Friends pattern which will include instructions for ALL of the blocks. Thank you so much for all the lovely compliments here and over on Instagram. And for your patience!

An InLinkz Link-up

Bow-WOW!!!
Have you been checking out the Dog Gone Cute linky party? Open for one week only so get your little doggy projects linked up to be eligible to win these prizes!

Click here to go to the linky party page.

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God Bless America. And... Oh, Canada! Eh!

The testing of blocks for the Forest Friends quilt has begun!

On Friday, I sewed up the American Eagle block. And then marveled at how small it was!

On Saturday, I spent the entire day preparing the pattern for the Canadian Beaver block.

And I don't know how I did it.... But on Sunday I managed to attend both Bible class and church service, do the dishes, make a lasagna, celebrate at my in laws 50th Anniversary party.... AND get this cute little beaver block finished as well! Perhaps the start of my day helped me make it through the rest of my day?

I did not want to cut into my shipment of Cotton Couture from Michael Miller Fabrics without first testing these blocks out. So I rummaged through  (my stash) and found some suitable fabrics to make these two as a matching set.

All the while I had in mind to turn these blocks into a set of pillows for my niece who lives on the other side of the border from me. Not too far away to be out of my thoughts and prayers.





I added borders to bring each block to the correct size to use for my 13" x 20" pillow inserts.





And then quilted them using my signature organic wavy lines. I chose this variegated King Tut in Rosetta Stone thread from Superior Threads. I was torn between using a white or a black thread. So this choice just made the most sense to me!





Each pillow has been made with a hidden zipper closure on the back. If you are looking for a great tutorial for making a pillow with a hidden zipper, check out this post by S.O.T.A.K Handmade.





This was my first time using a home decor weight fabric for the back of a pillow. I hope it holds up better than using a plain quilting cotton. And the zebra stripes are quite striking!





For the binding I finished it off with some more of the Chicopee's Ladder Dot in Black. I'd love to get my hands on some more of that print! It's such a great black.

The "American Eagle" and "Canadian Beaver" pillows each finished at approximately 13" x 20"

and were the 60th and 61st use of my 100 labels

ordered from Ikaprint.

Sandy of UpStairsHobbyRoom has been hard at work, not only on her own designs, but also helping to test blocks for this Forest Friends quilt, too! Check out her Instagram feed here to see!

Linking up to Finish it up Friday with 

Amanda Jean of Crazy Mom Quilts

Keep On Quilting On!

Follow

Did you hear about this special GIVEAWAY from AccuQuilt?????

AND Click Here to get THIS FREE PATTERN!!!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”