Gasp…my thread broke!

Cindy here, reporting in from New York.   The big GRAY BARN is in view through a misty rain.  Mom, dad and I are just relaxing and hoping the sun will shine sometime today.  Good thing I brought a few quilting projects with me!

A few months ago, Sandy scored big at an antique store…10 antique red and white Ohio Star blocks.  These unfinished blocks measure 11 x 11 inches square.

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I like how the blocks were pieced by hand, very special!

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Sandy and I have created three different projects from these 10 blocks.  You’ll see our feature project and pattern soon…Sandy is putting the finishing touches on it as we speak!

Meanwhile, since the blocks were pieced by hand, I thought I would hand quilt one block.  I found a spool of red quilting cotton and a spool of cream quilting cotton in my vast thread stash and started quilting.

GASP…my thread broke over and over again!

Okay, so it took me awhile to admit my thread was the problem.  Once I realized this…quilting thread stash went into the trash!

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Question for our readers: 

What is your favorite brand of hand quilting thread?

There are so many different threads to choose from, I definitely need some advice!

 

 

 

 

Patriotic Vote…A FREE Pattern!

Hi!  It’s Cindy hosting our blog today from the great State of Ohio!

Sandy and I are excited to offer another FREE pattern from our “Patriotic Quilt Series”.

It’s a cute mini wall hanging reminding everyone to be sure and vote during this (and future) election seasons.

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This mini is pieced using 1.5 inch squares and half square triangles.  We added a few rectangles to outline the letters and then a few additional white strips to surround our red, white, blue and gold masterpiece.  We used a black border to create a “picture frame” around the quilt.

If you have a small space in your hallway like I do, you’ll appreciate the size;  it’s just 24 inches tall and 9 1/4 inches wide.  What a great way to remind you and all your friends and family to vote on Election Day!

You can download the pattern by clicking on the link below:

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We’ll also be posting the pattern to FaveQuilts, one of our all time favorites quilting websites!

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend…maybe you’ll steal some time to sew a “Patriotic Vote” for yourself!

 

 

Patriotic Table Runner – Free Pattern!

Memorial Day is just around the corner and that means July 4th is not far behind!  I got a jump start on July 4th planning by designing this Patriotic Pinwheels Table Runner.

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The fabric is from the Sweet Land of Liberty Collection designed by Thomas Wood and Deborah Edwards for Northcott Fabrics

I am attracted to fabrics with words and this word fabric…well…it practically jumped off the shelf and into my welcoming arms! Pinwheels are another favorite of mine, so why not combine my faves into a great July 4th table runner?

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Below is a bird’s eye view of the finished table runner.  If you are a beginning quilter, our step by step instructions will help guide you through the pinwheel making process.

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You can download the pattern by clicking on this link:

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We’ll be posting this pattern to the Fave Quilts website as well.  There will be plenty of July 4th quilting inspiration on Fave Quilts so be sure to take a look!

I bought lots of extra Sweet Land of Liberty fabric so I’ll get back to work and make a few more table runners for Christmas gifts.  Yes, it’s not too early to start thinking about such things!

 

2 for 1 – Free Valentine Quilt Patterns

One blog stop, two free patterns…what’s not to love?

If you are looking for Valentine’s Day quilt patterns to share some quilting love, look no further!

We have two free and unique heart quilt patterns that are beginner friendly and can be used as a baby quilt, a wall hanging or a table topper.

Free Pattern #1 = Pixelated eHeart is the perfect quilt for all those red and pink scraps you have on hand AND it’s a jelly-roll friendly quilt.  Download a free pattern by clicking on this link:  e-heart_pattern_final-01-18-2017

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Free Pattern #2 = Heartland Modern, is the perfect quilt for a cheerful mix of high contrast colors…like fuchsia and white.  Download a free pattern by clicking on this link:  Heartland Modern 01 10 18

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The fuchsia light and dark tone fabric is “Patio Splash” Color Strokes Fuchsia by The Kanvas Studio.  The white/fuchsia fabric is a Robert Kaufman print in the “Blueberry Park” Collection.  This design is called “Strawberry”.  The solid white fabric is “Kona White” by Robert Kaufman.

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Be sure to share your completed projects with us!  We love to see what you do with our patterns.

We will also be posting these patterns to the FaveQuilts Website.  You will find many more free quilt patterns on this site BUT you will also find quilt block patterns, how to videos, tutorials, fabric and quilt kits.  It is a great resource for quilters of all skill levels, be sure to stop by and take a look!