Sew Fresh Quilts: Door Banner

20 November 2015

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!

To follow Sew Fresh Quilts by email....

16 November 2015

Santa's Reindeer Blocks for 100 Blocks Magazine

Just in time to wish you a Very Merry Christmas!
It's Rudolph! And his other Santa's Reindeer friend. Made into a delightful door banner.

The front is made entirely from Kona Cotton Solids: Biscuit for the faces, Brown for the antlers, Black for the eyes and nose, Cardinal for Rudolph's nose and the lettering, and Snow for the background. How appropriate!

I searched around online back in July for suitable backing and binding fabrics. I was hoping to find something with deer. But not a cartoon deer. A realistic deer. The backing is Winter Garden by Susan Winget for Steele Creek Studio, which I found at Fabric.com.

I made corner tabs for hanging. As this door banner finishes at just over 12" in width, this is a perfect method of hanging - using a wooden ruler picked up from the Dollar Store! I just need to drill a hole in the center of the ruler and tuck the ends of the ruler into those tabs for an invisible hanger.

The striped binding is Winter Celebration by Sandy Lynam Clough for Red Rooster Fabrics and is a nice match to the reds in the backing. Those spots on the stripes are actually silver. And these fun stripes make me think of candy canes!

Using plain white thread, I quilted using the organic wavy lines. As usual. This reminds me of the drifting snow that will soon be making it's way across the open fields and blowing up and plugging up our driveway.

And this time I joyfully quilted right over those applique letters. When making letters for applique, you have to remember to trace them onto the paper backed fusible web as a mirror image. The fusible web is then pressed onto the wrong side of your fabric. And when you peel off the paper backing and apply the letters to your background, they will be facing the correct way. I used Kona Cardinal for the letters and a matching red thread in a tight zig-zag stitch to finish off the raw edges.

The Santa's Reindeer door banner measures 12" x 36"

and was my 54th use of my 100 labels ordered from Ikaprint.

These are the original blocks I submitted to the 100 Blocks magazine for consideration.

Each block finishes at 12" square.

~~Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, Volume 12 includes my Santa's Reindeer 12" block and can be found at your fave fabric shop or newsstand beginning today!!!!~~

The Santa's Reindeer is now available as an instant download pdf pattern in my shop here!!!

You COULD use a Santa's Reindeer block or two to make a couple of quilted cushions.

Like the ones I made for my sister for Christmas.

And nothing says "Santa Stops Here" like these blocks made in the

likeness of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and his friend!

Then I drew up this design for a 36" x 36" quilt, too.

That's 9 reindeer in all.

This includes all of Santa's Reindeer:

"Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer, and Vixen!"

"On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner, and Blitzen!"

AND Rudolph!

"Now, Quilter! Now, Stitcher! Now, Sewist, and Seamstress!"

"On, Crafter! On, Maker! On, Appliquer, and Artisan!"

AND you, Sew Fresh Quilts Follower! ~~Rush out to purchase YOUR copy of 100 Blocks NOW!!!~~

Rush over to purchase YOUR copy of the Santa's Reindeer pattern NOW!!!

If you are new around here, I'd like to say, "WELCOME!"

Take your time and have a look around.

It's always a pleasure to make new friends!

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