Sew Fresh Quilts

24 March 2017

Giraffe Family

Do you ever make the same quilt more than once? I know there are so many great quilt ideas out there. And some people claim that they enjoy a new challenge, so they would never consider making the same quilt more than once. I used to be one of those quilters.

This is the Giraffe Family quilt made using Cotton Supreme Solids by RJR Fabrics.

Can you see that? It's some more wavy line quilting. I really enjoyed quilting this quilt. I was really getting in the groove with those curvy lines! The quilting was done using Light Grey Omni from Superior Threads, on top and plain white Gutermann thread in the bobbin for the back.

And here you can see the quilting from the back. This backing print is from the Urban Artifacts collection, which you can view here, and I am simply in LOVE with this print! The colours, the dots, the flowers and the text. It is just such a fun print!

Normally, I attach a binding first to the back of a quilt and then topstitch from the front to finish. But wanting to use a matched binding, this time I attached to the binding to the front. To finish, I topstitched along the "ditch" to catch the binding that had been folded around to the back. I used threads to match the binding both on top and in the bobbin.

Here is a close up of how the binding matches the piecing in the top. Want to know how I did it? Click here to check out my binding tutorials for more information.

This "Giraffe Family" quilt finished at 40" x 53"

and was the 24th use of my 2nd edition of 100 labels

ordered from Ikaprint.

You can find the Giraffe Family pattern here!

Don't FORGET!

Use coupon code SEWFRESHFAN15

to save 15%

on pattern purchases

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....

22 March 2017

Let's Bee Social # 169

Welcome to the Let's Bee Social!

Bumper2Bumper

Wow! I am so happy to be here!

Last Tuesday I had to have my appendix removed. Quite suddenly. So here I am now.... Glad to be able to share another Let's Bee Social weekly linky party with you!

This week I am feeling pretty close to "normal" again. I spent Monday morning with the ladies from the Quaker Quilt Guild in Norwich providing a trunk show and was so very grateful to have some help carrying those totes of quilts and patterns into the show and out again. You can see photos over at Cindy's blog at Stitchin At Home. Thanks for your hospitality, Cindy!

Here and there I have been working on some new design ideas. And today I am happy to announce the new Bumper2Bumper pattern is ready to go!

I am so pleased to have finally come come up with a design that finally focuses on those boys in our lives. This car design puts me in mind of when my son was a wee little guy. He loved ANYTHING with WHEELS. And he still does...

I was only going to offer this in one block size - the smaller car block finishes at 5" x 9". Using 28 blocks, and the layout as shown at the beginning of this post, this would result in a 38" x 43" baby size quilt.

But then I started thinking about how those little boys always grow into bigger boys. And I thought of how many of them retain their love of cars. So the block is also offered in a larger size finishing at 10" x 18". The same layout of the large blocks allows for a twin size quilt finishing at 76" x 86".

If you have a car guy in your life that you would like to make a car quilt for, you can find the Bumper2Bumper quilt pattern listed here in my pattern shop.

VROOM! VROOM!

Now... It's your turn for Show and Tell!!!

What have you been working on?

<div align="center">
<a href="https://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com" title="Sew Fresh Quilts" target="_blank"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mqqPpWeFz7A/UtyR1HYzgmI/AAAAAAAADjA/MZ84gVa9KXk/s1600/LinkyBees.jpg" alt="Sew Fresh Quilts" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Click on at least a few of the others who have linked up.
In your blog post, please include a link back to my blog.
Grab the "Let's Bee Social!" button from above and put it on your sidebar. This way others who visit your blog that week can join in the fun! Share the news of this new linky and Let's Bee Social!
Following Sew Fresh Quilts is not required. But it sure would BEE nice!

An InLinkz Link-up

Keep On Quilting On!

To follow Sew Fresh Quilts by email....

17 March 2017

Santa's Reindeer - Have A Jolly Little Christmas quilt

It's REALLY, really, really beginning to look a lot MORE like... Christmas!

This is my fifth and final finish using the blocks in the free Have A Jolly Little Christmas quilt along. You can read all about that free quilt along here. This block is Santa's Reindeer and the instructions are scheduled to be posted on July 15.

The Santa's Reindeer block is one that I have made many times before...

But when I seen a 9 block quilt made by a variety of pattern testers for Diane Harris of QuiltMaker magazine using bright fabrics, I knew that I would eventually find the time to make one using solids. I miss solids.

Diane is now retired from QuiltMaker magazine and is working on her own offering classes and shows. You can visit Diane over at her new website Stash Bandit.

I do consider myself to be "print challenged" and have said so openly while giving a presentation to a few guilds visited last year. So 2016 was the year of challenging myself to use prints instead of those solids that I truly adore.

I am concentrating on using my stash this year. And it felt good to dive into my solids and dig around in that bin for a change. So, we have a bright pink reindeer.

A pretty yellow reindeer.

Orange you glad? Another reindeer.

And a green reindeer.

When it came time for quilting, I went with my usual organic wavy lines. I used Ghost White Magnifico thread by Superior Threads on top and plain white Guetermann in the bobbin. I used to do A LOT of quilting in white. And the beginning of this year ~~will have~~ has proven to have a lot again.

The backing is Winter Garden by Susan Winget for Steele Creek Studio, which I found two years ago at Fabric.com. I fell in love with this print and bought it when it was on sale. I bought A LOT. And have used it a lot for backing all my Have A Jolly Little Christmas quilted items. But I still have plenty left.

Classic Black for the binding.

This rainbow coloured "Santa's Reindeer" quilt finished at 40" x 40"

and was the 23rd use of my 2nd edition of 100 labels

ordered from Ikaprint.

Are you interested in reading more about the blocks designed

for the "Have a Jolly Little Christmas" quilt along?

Did you get your free colouring page download?!!!

Are you quilting along?

And for those of you who can't get enough Christmas....
Those who are too excited to wait for the next block instructions....

You could choose to include blocks from my other free quilt along - Ugly Christmas Sweaters - as both quilt alongs use the same size blocks!!! Interested?!!! Check out the Ugly Christmas Sweaters quilt along here.

It is NOT necessary to purchase the pattern in order to participate in either of these Christmas themed quilt alongs, but if you would prefer the convenience of using a printable pdf pattern, the Have a Jolly Little Christmas Collection; which includes all 15 designs and the Ugly Christmas Sweaters patterns are both available for purchase in my pattern store here.

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....

15 March 2017

Let's Bee Social #168

Welcome to the Let's Bee Social!

Today I'm going to take you for yet another trip down memory lane...

I am so excited to share this quilt made by Janice.

She emailed me.....

Hi Lorna,
I am including some pictures of my quilt that I just finished which is based on your modern bear paw pattern from the QAL. The deer, mountains, and trees are from a pattern from the book Quick Rotary Cutter Quilts by Pam Bono Designs. The maple leaf is from an online pattern Falling Leaves by Shabby Fabrics.

I made the quilt for a friend who emigrated to Alberta from England many years ago but he now lives here in beautiful Prince Edward Island. As soon as I saw your bear pattern I wanted to try it but was not sure about all those small bear paws! So this is the result.

Thank you so much for the quilt along. Your instructions are very clear and I love all your pieced animals. I have the pattern for the birds and have made some pot holders as gifts from that pattern. I hope you enjoy seeing my quilt - I know I really enjoyed the process and I love the result. My friend does as well.

Thanks again.
Janice

Wow! This quilt is simply incredible! I love that she added all the other blocks and made this quilt her own design. My favourite part is the purple mountain majesty. I really like the flying geese border, too. And the quilting?!!! Simply stunning!

Thanks so much for sharing your photos and story with us, Janice!!!

It was just back in July of 2016 that I shared my large MOD Bear Paw quilt. You can see more photos and read all about the process here in this post.

Did you know this is a FREE quilt along here on the blog?

To participate in the quilt along, I also made the baby sized version in blue. That was shortly afterwards, in October. And you can read all about the process here in this post.

Now... It's your turn for Show and Tell!!!

What have you been working on?

<div align="center">
<a href="https://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com" title="Sew Fresh Quilts" target="_blank"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mqqPpWeFz7A/UtyR1HYzgmI/AAAAAAAADjA/MZ84gVa9KXk/s1600/LinkyBees.jpg" alt="Sew Fresh Quilts" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Click on at least a few of the others who have linked up.
In your blog post, please include a link back to my blog.
Grab the "Let's Bee Social!" button from above and put it on your sidebar. This way others who visit your blog that week can join in the fun! Share the news of this new linky and Let's Bee Social!
Following Sew Fresh Quilts is not required. But it sure would BEE nice!

An InLinkz Link-up

Keep On Quilting On!

To follow Sew Fresh Quilts by email....

11 March 2017

Christmas Candles

This is the fifth quilt block for the "Have a Jolly Little Christmas" quilt along!

All the details for the "Have a Jolly Little Christmas" quilt along are this page.

Please Note: These materials are COPYRIGHTED. This quilt along is free for PERSONAL USE ONLY. All photos and content are my own unless otherwise noted. Please DO NOT use or reproduce ANY content from this website without my written permission.

It is NOT necessary to purchase the pattern in order to participate. But if you would prefer the convenience of using a printable pdf pattern, the Have a Jolly Little Christmas Collection includes all 15 designs and is available for purchase in my pattern store here. The individual designs are also available for purchase.

This quilt along blog post is for PERSONAL USE ONLY.

All photos and content are my own unless otherwise noted. Please DO NOT use or reproduce ANY content from this website without my written permission.

Christmas Candles is a 12" quilt block.

Made using traditional piecing methods.

Sew Fresh Quilts – Christmas Candles

Finished size of block is 12” x 12”

Fabric Requirements	Single Block
White	1/8 yard
Green	1/8 yard
Candles	1/8 yard
Orange	1/8 yard
Yellow	1/8 yard

Read through entire instructions before beginning. Press all seams open as you go.

STOP: Stitch, Trim, Open & Press. To perform the STOP method, align a square (A) or rectangle (C) on the corner of the unit (B) with right sides facing together. Draw a diagonal line and sew along this diagonal line. Trim a ¼” seam. Finger press the seam open and then press with a hot iron. Pressing the seams open to reduce bulk is recommended.

		Single Block
White	A	4 @ 1.5” squares
	B	1 @ 1.5” x 2.5”
	C	2 @ 1.5” x 3.5”
	D	1 @ 1.5” x 4.5”
	E	1 @ 1.5” x 5.5”
	L	2 @ 1.5” x 10.5”
	M	1 @ 2.5” x 10.5”
	N	1 @ 2.5” x 11.5”
Candles	F	1 @ 2.5” x 6.5”
Candles	G	2 @ 2.5” x 7.5”
Green	K	2 @ 1.5” x 2.5”
	H	3 @ 2.5” x 3.5”
	J	2 @ 2.5” x 4.5”
Orange	Z	1 @ 1” x 12”
Yellow	Z	1 @ 1” x 12”

Step 1: Sew the Orange (Z) to the Yellow (Z). Crosscut this strip set into (3) 3.5” wide strips.

Step 2: Use the STOP method to add the White (A) squares and the (B) and (C) rectangles on the ends of the strips sets. Sew a White (D), (C) and (E) rectangle to the bottom.

Step 3: Use the STOP method to add the Green (H) and (J) rectangles on the ends of the Candles (G) and (F) rectangles AND the White (M) and (N) rectangles.

Step 4: Sew the White (L) rectangles to the Green (K) rectangles. Arrange the units as shown. Sew the columns together to complete the block.
Block should measure 12.5” square.

Here is my Christmas Candles block.

A quilt along is always more fun than quilting alone.

Want to get in on the fun?

Grab a button and share it on your blog!

To participate in the Quilt Along, you can follow by email here....

Twice a month, instructions for all of the individual blocks will be shared. A continuous never ending linky party will be available to share your Flickr and Instagram photos or your blog posts on the "Have a Jolly Little Christmas" quilt along page. You can find it by clicking on the Quilt Alongs page tab found just below the blog header. As each post is published the live links will be added to the schedule.

Share photos of your progress using the hashtags
#haveajollylittlechristmas OR #jollychristmasquilt