Oh, Fransson!

Elliot's Quilt Top Finished

 

This is the top of the quilt I'm making my nephew, Elliot, for Christmas.  These pictures, which were taken at night, are not the best.  (The green isn't really that crazy bright.)  

 

Lily (Elliot's older sister) and Elliot have been using tablecloths from my wedding (they were patchwork, so it's not actually as weird as it sounds) as bedspreads for the past couple of years, so I'm making them both twin quilts for their beds. 

That's two of five Christmas quilt tops done!  Here's where I stand now:

Elliot's Bed Quilt:  Top done.  Need to order backing fabric.

Lily's Bed Quilt:  Cut, not sewn.  I have all fabric.

Olivia's Lap Quilt:  Top done.  Need to order backing fabric.

Kathy's (Chris' Mother's) Lap Quilt:  Cut, not sewn.  I have all fabric.

Chris' Vintage NBA Quilt:  Fabric Ordered.

Hydrangeas

There isn't much point to this post.  I just wanted to show some photos of the hydrangeas I cut this weekend.  We have several bushes growing on the side of our house.  I think these are the last flowers I'm going to get from them this year.

 

We had some friends over on Saturday and I decorated with several arrangements with the hydrangeas.  This particular one was just some blooms floating in water in a shallow glass bowl.

Margaret Sling Bag

 

I wanted to do something for my readers for the holidays, but wasn't sure what.  I finally came to the conclusion that a) a gift-friendly tutorial was probably the best thing, and b) that it should be posted far enough in advance that it could be used for holiday gift giving.  So, by popular demand, I've made a pattern and written a tutorial for this bag that I originally designed for my sister, Margaret, for her birthday.

 

The bag pattern is larger than 8.5" x 11", so it needs to be printed and pieced together, where indicated.  (Once you have it printed and pieced, you may want to trace the pattern pieces onto larger pattern paper or freezer paper for easier use.)

Download Patternformargaretbag

Download Margaret Bag

ETA:  Please note that these are pdf files and need to be viewed with a pdf reader (like Adobe).  If you're trying to use other software or not running the most current version of Adobe Reader, you may not be able to view them properly.  I have checked these files many times and they are not damaged.

Happy Holidays, readers!  I hope you enjoy the pattern.

 

I just love this black and white print.  It's Alexander Henry's Sukiyaki.  Making the demo bag also gave me a chance to use this awesome vintage plastic button.  The lining for this bag is Essex cotton/linen.

 

I've cleaned up the pattern a little bit from the bag I made Margaret.  There's now a separate, smaller, interlining pattern to cut down on bulk in the seams.  The interlining is cut 1/2" smaller than the rest of the bag and is attached to the bag panels with a fusible interfacing overlay. 

 

The tutorial includes a shoulder bag variation, with a shorter strap and slightly deeper pleat.  The bag below is made with Alexander Henry's Birdseed and dark gray Kona cotton lining.

 

What the heck is Furry Felt anyway?

 

Several of you have asked about Furry Felt.  What is it?  Where can you find it, etc? 

I bought mine at Joann.  Here is a link to some for sale on their website.  At my local store is was $5.99/yard and came in a wider variety of colors (all neutrals).  It's called Plush Felt on the website and Furry Felt on the bolt.  Basically, its just a thick, furry felt.  It's synthetic, so you can't iron right on it, but you can press it with a protective cloth without doing much to destroy the furryness (and even if it flattens during pressing, it pops back up again in the dryer).  It's not stretchy either, so it's very easy to work with.  As an added bonus, it becomes even softer after washing, which gives it a clear advantage over regular synthetic felt, which tends to pill. 

SMBQ Pattern is Here!

Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments this week!  The pattern is now available in my Etsy Shop. 

The three giveaway winners, via random number generator, are: Randi, Alice S. and Kat.  Congratulations!

Simple Modern Baby Quilt 4: Dog

 

This sample features a Timeless Treasures print called Warhol Dogs.  (Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure it's out of print.)  The coordinating prints are all gold, brown, black and white.  The sashing is delft cotton/linen.

 

The dog applique is made from Furry Felt and Wool Felt.

 

The binding is a great dalmation print from Michael Miller and the back is white Minky Velvet.

Simple Modern Baby Quilt 3: Bird

 

The third sample quilt is built around Michael Miller's Retro Rocket Rascals print.  The contrasting prints are in muted primary colors.  (I was sad to part with the last of my Building Blocks rainbow ruler fabric!)

 

The bird applique is made from Furry Felt, which is soft and washable.

 

The sashing is butter colored cotton/linen and the binding is Baby Star in red from Alexander Henry.  This quilt is backed in cotton chenille, which is somewhat easier to sew than Minky, since it doesn't stretch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Thank you so much for all of your wonderful comments!  In repsonse to the number of e-mails and comments I've been receiving with similar questions, I've added a Frequently Asked Questions section to my sidebar. 

The baby quilt pattern I'm posting about this week was written in response to the many questions I've gotten about my process.  The pattern explains in detail how I make these quilts.  In the meantime, I just wanted to reiterate that the quilting on these goes through the top and batting, but not through the back.  The back is not quilted.  Basically, it's like a quilt/blanket hybrid.

I hope this is helpful!

Simple Modern Baby Quilt 2: Cat

 

The second sample is built around another Alexander Henry print, this time Nicoise in pink, red and lime green.  I chose coordinating prints in red and pink -- many of which are fussy cut.

 

The cat applique is made with Furry Felt. 

 

The white sashing is regular Kona cotton. 

 

The binding is another Michael Miller dot in lime green and the back is white Minky Curly. 

Simple Modern Baby Quilt 1: Giraffe

 

The first sample quilt features Alexander Henry's 2D Zoo fabric and a kiwi cotton/linen blend solid. 

 

The giraffe applique (one of four applique shapes included with the pattern) is made with polyester felt made from recycled plastic. 

 

The quilt is backed with white Minky Dot and bound with Michael Miller's Dumb Dot in chocolate.

 

The other cotton prints are all blues and greens that match the various colors used in the 2D Zoo print.