Oh, Fransson!

Canasta Quilts is here!

The pattern is now available in my shop.

It's mentioned in the listing, but I also wanted to mention here that I did not include step-by-step instructions for making a quilt sandwich, machine quilting, and sewing binding in this pattern.  I decided that a lot people didn't need that information and it was making what is already a 31-page pattern more than 10 pages longer.

But, never fear!  If you need that information, it's available as a free pdf download here on my blog.  I've revamped my earlier blog posts about sandwiching, quilting and binding and turned them into pdf files.  You can find them by clicking on the "quilts" button in my right sidebar.  That directory will be filled out with more quilting links soon, but I wanted to put these pdf files up there now in case anyone wanted them to go along with the Canasta pattern.

The winners of a free copy of the pattern were:

Judy Evans, who wrote:

"The pattern looks great and the variations of it would be really useful"

Grace, who wrote:

"Wow, I'm impressed! I thought this was the paintbox quilt, but then I saw the twist. Cool."

Linda, who wrote:

"Do you mean canasta, like the card game? I used to play that game all the time with my grandmother - she taught me to play. When I would ask her if she was going out (i.e., finishing the hand), she'd say, "outta my head!" It was our little joke. If I don't win this I will buy the pattern and make it for my mom. Her birthday is in July and it will probably take me that long to make the quilt. It will be a happy reminder of my grandma. Thanks for offering this contest! I'm inspired!"

jessflegal, who wrote:

"looks like lots of fun :)" 

and Chris, who wrote:

"You are clever - such an effective pattern. I have just the fabrics for this design! Maybe I'll be lucky!" 
 

Thank you all so much for entering the giveaway and for all of your nice words about the pattern!

Canasta Quilts Option 3: Scrappy Canasta

This is a quilt that I made with my new Canasta Quilts pattern, which will be available in my Etsy shop on Thursday (March 4).  For a chance to win a copy, leave a comment here.

 

The final version of this pattern, Scrappy Canasta, is made with scrappy blocks that are foundation-pieced onto muslin squares.

Foundation-piecing onto muslin helps to keep the blocks flat and stable, even when lots of wonky scraps and seams are used.  It makes the quilt a little heavier, but I think the drape is still nice and the finished quilt still crinkles nicely in the wash.

I hadn't originally fussy cut any of the center squares for this quilt, but I loved how nicely this Echino print went along with the others, so I added fussy cut animals to a few blocks.

While I pieced my blocks in a rather conventional scrappy log cabin pattern, this pattern could be used to make blocks with much wonkier, crazier piecing.

As with the other Canasta Quilts, the sashing is around each block, rather than between the blocks, which makes cutting sashing and piecing the quilt top much easier.

 
Print fabrics used in this quilt include (among others): Denyse Schmidt's Hope Valley, Katie Jump Rope and Flea Market Fancy, Jennifer Paganelli's Pretty Please, Kei Honeycomb Dots, and Etsuko Furuya's Echino.  The blocks include scraps of Kona solids in Amber, Plum, Paprika and Blush Pink.  Sashing is Kona cotton in Pale Flesh and quilting thread is a similarly-colored peachy-pink.

Canasta Quilts Option 2: Wonky Canasta

This is a quilt that I made with my new Canasta Quilts pattern, which will be available in my Etsy shop on Thursday (March 4).  For a chance to win a copy, leave a comment here.

Thank you all for the lovely comments you've been leaving about the new pattern!  I have to say that I'm really surprised how many other people are familiar with the card game Canasta. (It also sounds like I'm not the only one who learned it from my grandmother.)  Now I'm feeling a little sheepish that there isn't a better connection between the card game and the pattern.  It actually started out that way, but the pattern went in a different direction.  I was still kind of attached to the name, so I kept it!

 

Of the three versions of this pattern, this is probably the quickest and easiest to put together.  It uses templates to turn standard square-in-square blocks into wonky square-in-square blocks. 

I used square rulers in three sizes, but you can also use square templates made from translucent template plastic or even just regular cardstock.  The pattern includes several suggestions for making and using templates.

 
Although I didn't do any fussy cutting for this quilt, it's another one where the center squares of each block could easily be replaced with fussy cutting. 

This version of the pattern can be made using yardage, scraps, or precut 2.5" strips and charm squares.

I made a pieced strip for the back of this one too.

My quilting was done with an aqua thread (Gutermann 602).

 
This is another one with no sashing, but each block has a solid ring around the outside.  I used Kona solids in Indigo, Coal, Ash, Turquoise, Caribbean, and Azure.  Prints include (among others) Denyse Schmidt's Hope Valley and Katie Jump Rope, Kei Honeycomb Dots and Florals, Mingle by Monaluna, and Urban Chiks' 1974.

Canasta Quilts Option 1: Natural Canasta

This post is about a quilt made with my new pattern, Canasta Quilts.  The pattern will be available in my Etsy Shop on Thursday (March 4).  In the meantime, you can enter to win a copy here.

 

This is my original version of the Canasta pattern.  It's made with sets of four different 12.5" x 12.5" square-in-square blocks.  Because there's no sashing to fuss with, the size of the quilt can be modified by simply making more or fewer sets of blocks.

Each set of 4 blocks is made with 4 fat quarters, as follows:

• 2 print fabrics
• 1 neutral solid fabric
• 1 contrasting solid fabric

Alternately, sets of 8 blocks can be made from 1/2 yard cuts.

The pattern includes color-coded cutting diagrams and printable reference sheets to hang in your sewing area to help you keep track of which pieces go with which blocks.

For this quilt, I used the same neutral solid in all of my block sets, which gives the look of crisp sashing without the process of piecing it between the finished blocks.  For a more varied look, you could use a variety of different neturals.

The pattern also includes suggestions about how to integrate fussy cutting into your work.  Fussy cutting takes more fabric, but you don't have to do very much of it to make a big impact.  For example, in this quilt, I fussy-cut only one of the print fabrics that I used (the paint-by-number deer print).  Just four blocks include that print, but they make lovely focal points on the finished quilt top!

The piecing layouts for each size quilt back include suggestions on where to add an optional scrap-pieced strip like the one I made for this quilt.

I free-motion quilted on my regular machine, using natural-colored thread (Gutermann 506). 

Fabrics used in this quilt include: Denyse Schmidt's Hope Valley (Piney Woods colorway), Erin Michael's Lush, Carolyn Gavin's Wild Thyme, Essex cotton/linen in Ivory, and Kona solids in Olive, OD Green, Artichoke, Curry, Moss, and Brick.

Check back on Tuesday and Wednesday for photos of the other two block styles that can be made with this pattern!

Introducing Canasta Quilts

 
I'm excited to announce my new pattern, Canasta Quilts!   The pattern will be available in my Etsy Shop on Thursday, March 4th.*  Comment on this post before 10:00 pm (Pacific) on Wednesday for your chance to win one of five copies of the pattern that I'll be giving away.

Canasta Quilts is really three patterns in one.  It includes directions for making three styles of blocks that can be applied to six basic layouts ranging from baby to king bed size.   

I'll talk about the different styles in more detail during the next few days, but here's a sneak peek . . . 

 

 

 

*The only date that's also a command! (Happy Birthday, Melissa!)

Grocery Bag Sew-Off at Sew, Mama, Sew!

As part of its Month of Giving, Sew, Mama, Sew! is having a Grocery Bag Sew-Off.  You can read more about it here.  (There are prizes!)

To get into the spirit of things, I'm giving away three copies of my grocery bag sewing pattern.  The pattern is also on sale in my Etsy shop, here.

The lovely photo above was taken by my mother.  It's a group of bags she made for her friends last Christmas, using my pattern.  She used home-dec weight fabrics for the outside and cotton solids for the lining.

This is also a good pattern for using vintage or thrifted bed sheets, as the poly/cotton blend is both sturdy and lightweight.

The pattern also includes instructions for this "paper" style bag with exterior pockets and a reinforced bottom.

To enter the drawing, just leave a comment on this post.  I'll leave comments open through 5:00 pm Pacific.

Wristlet Love

 

I was getting tired of the wristlet pattern photos that I was using in my Etsy shop, so I made up some new wristlets and took some new photos yesterday.

 

Here are the Style A flat zips.

 

The Style B rounded bags with darts.

 

And, finally the box-bottomed makeup bags.

Much better! :)

Mixtape is Here!

 

I want to thank everyone for all of your wonderful comments this week.  It's always nice to know that someone besides me likes what I'm doing!

Congratulations to Melanie McFarlin, Rhiannon, and Jan.  I've e-mailed you copies of the pattern.

For anyone else who wants one, I guess this is my shameless plug that they're now available in my Etsy Shop.

ETA: Yikes!  Those sold out fast.  I've listed more and will keep an eye on them throughout the day.  Thank you!

Mixtape Pattern Giveaway

 

To celebrate its debut tomorrow, I'm giving away three copies of the Mixtape Quilts pattern.  Enter by commenting here before 5:00 pm PST!

Mixtape Quilt 3: Greatest Hits

 

Here's the third style from the Mixtape Quilt pattern, Greatest Hits.  With 64 blocks, it's the most complex of the three and can be made as a large baby or lap quilt, or as a queen bed quilt.

 

This one was made using Erin Michael's Lush collection, plus one red-orange print from Bolt that I added to warm it up a little.  The sashing is natural cotton/linen.

 

I really love these prints, especially the paint-by-numbers deer!

 

I also wanted to answer a few questions from the comments to the other Mixtape posts, so here we go!

1.  What color thread do I use for quilting?  I like to use thread that matches my sashing.  I've tried different things, but this always seems to work for me.  Also I use regular Gutermann thread, not quilting thread, because I don't like my stitches to be too thick.

2.  Do I increase my seam allowance when using linen?  No.  I use the same seam allowance that I always would.  I've never had any problems with this.  I think part of this is because I always prewash everything and the pre-shrunk linen doesn't seem to unravel as much. 

3.  Does linen stand up to multiple washings?  I haven't had any problems with linen standing up to washing.  In fact, one of the reasons I use it is because i like the look of the washed linen better than the look of washed cotton solids.