Friday, February 25, 2022

Indiana Ivy in Annie's Two Color Quilts book

I'm so excited to share this quilt with you!   As a designer, when forced to define my style, I say that I'm modern-traditional (I really dislike labels - but that's another story for another day) and am always quick to say that somedays I'm a little more traditional and somedays a little more modern.

Well Indiana Ivy was designed as one of those "more traditional" quilts.  


The pattern for Indiana Ivy is in Annie's new Two Color Quilts book which features 8 amazing designs that use just two colors. 

Here's a direct link to purchase the book. 

There are so many traditional elements to this quilt.  The continuous chain that runs from edge to edge.  The big double variable star blocks.  And then the fabrics.  Nothing is more traditional that Poison Green!  If I didn't know better, this quilt could blend right into my collection of vintage quilts.  

Special credit to Windham Fabrics and The Warm Company for supplying product for these quilts. 

Annie's Two Color Quilts book has 8 inspiring designs all based on two colors - in this case - blue and white.  I do have a second design in the book, Beacon in the Night, and you can read about it here.  




From confident beginner to intermediate, the is a pattern sure to please everyone.    To make it easy for you to purchase, here's the direct link to Annie's website. 

If you would like to see more of my patterns, tips and techniques delivered weekly to your inbox, be sure to sign up for my weekly Masterpiece Quilting Studio News email.  It's free of charge and I promise your email is safe with me.
 

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Beacon in the Night - Annie's Two Color Quilts

I'm pleased to share another of my designs that has been published in Annie's new Two Color Quilts book.  Beacon in the Night is a super fun and easy to make quilt that provides an optical illusion of lanterns in the distance at night.  


To purchase your copy of Two Color Quilts here is a direct link


So, I know you are wondering ... how is the optical illustion created? 

The key is the fabric selection.  By carefully selecting fabrics that gradate from white to dark, it creates an optical illustion within each block.  By changing the pattern on the fabrics - solid, dot, stripe, etc. it further reinforced the gradation. 

To make the illusion appear more realistic, I designed rectangular blocks instead of square blocks!  This makes each block appear more "lantern-ish".  This is truly a magical quilt. 

Annie's Two Color Quilts book has 8 inspiring designs all based on two colors - in this case - blue and white.  I do have a second design in the book, Indiana Ivy, but more about it another day.  




From confident beginner to intermediate, the is a pattern sure to please everyone.    To make it easy for you to purchase, here's the direct link to Annie's website. 

If you would like to see more of my patterns, tips and techniques delivered weekly to your inbox, be sure to sign up for my weekly Masterpiece Quilting Studio News email.  It's free of charge and I promise your email is safe with me.
 

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Part 2 - Tipsie Geese Quilt Class for Annie's Creative Studio

I hope you love learning with Annie's Creative Studio as much as I love teaching classes there.  There are so many amazing classes, I have a hard time selecting which one to watch next. 

Today I'm sharing the release of Part 2 of the Tipsie Geese quilt class.   If you missed Part 1, here's a direct link to the blog post with all the details. 



This quilt is a little more complex but the extra steps are so worth it when the quilt is finished.  It is simply stunning.   And no worries if the techniques are new to you, I'm there to guide you step-by-step along the way.   If you have ever wanted to learn curved piecing, then be sure to take this class.  

I've got a quick introductory video to share with you. 



If you aren't familiar with Annie's Creative Studio, it's a great online learning platform where you can learn all sorts of crafts, not just quilting.  If you are multi-craftual like me, it's fun to take classes in just one location without having to pay for a variety of different classes. 

Here is a direct link to sign up for a free trial to 

experience Annie's Creative Studio for yourself.  

Another bonus is the classes available are in a variety of skill levels.  I can challenge my quilting skills with advanced classes but still take beginner crochet classes and well, what can I say ... pre-beginner knitting classes!  

I hope you will check it out with the free trial. You'll be amazed at all the learning opportunities. 


If you would like to see more of my patterns, tips and techniques delivered weekly to your inbox, be sure to sign up for my weekly Masterpiece Quilting Studio News email.  It's free of charge and I promise your email is safe with me. 

Fancy Cut in Annie's Quilts to Make in a Weekend Book

I'm super excited to share my Fancy Cut quilt with you.  

Just as the name implies, this quilt is designed with angled cuts to give it a fun yet easy to make look.  The color pallette in this quilt speaks to my heart as a designer.  I simply love muted jewel tone colors paired with white solid for a modern edgy vibe. 




You can find the pattern for Fancy Cut in Annie's new Quilts to Make in a Weekend book which features 9 time-friendly designs.  

Here's a direct link to purchase the book. 

The fabrics for Fancy Cut are a stash busting mix of leftover precut 2-1/2" strips from other projects as well as some that I cut from yardage.  This quilt was perfect for pairing down my stash.  To learn more about how I selected fabrics for Fancy Cut, check out my blog post on jewel tone fabrics from back in August 2021.  Yes, I wrote that post as I was pulling fabrics for this quilt!   I couldn't share many details about the quilt with you at the time but it's always fun to connect the dots later :) 

I used Warm 80/20 batting from The Warm Company to give the quilt a very soft and drapeable feel when quilted.  It will keep you warm while snuggled on the couch without being so heavy you feel trapped under it.  Does that happen to you too - or am I the only one?   

For cutting the angled specialty cuts, I used Kimberly Einmo's flying geese ruler from EZ Quilting.  It's one of my favorite rulers.  

The Quilts to Make in a Weekend book includes a second one of my designs, Modern Jewel, too!  You can read about it in this blog post.  

I'd love to see the version of Fancy Cut that you make.  Be sure tag me on social media #masterpiecequilting as well as #anniescraftstore. 


If you would like to see more of my patterns, tips and techniques delivered weekly to your inbox, be sure to sign up for my weekly Masterpiece Quilting Studio News email.  It's free of charge and I promise your email is safe with me. 

Monday, February 7, 2022

A look back at 10 years of designing quilt patterns

I've been doing a lot of soul searching lately ... maybe it comes with hitting another milestone age wise?  Maybe it comes from the dreary gray of winter where you can't really get out and do things....  

Regardless, as the snow was falling outside, I was cleaning the studio and I came across a competition quilt ribbon from 2013.  It was one of those moments where you find something where it doesn't belong.  Why was this ribbon crumpled in a pile of fabric?  Why wasn't it neatly tucked in the box of other ribbons I've won? 

The ribbon was from a quilt I designed and quilted.  This quilt was juried into a lot of shows, won ribbons and travelled across the country.  My quilts have travelled more than me lately!  


2013 seems so long ago.  I had just had my first quilt accepted for publication in 2012 so this was designed and made in the early years of my design career.  

That ribbon really got me thinking...  it got me thinking of all the things I miss about competition quilting.  

The thrill of the acceptance letter.  

The pride of seeing a ribbon hanging on my quilt at a show.  

The anxiety of reading the judges comments.  

The push to do better each time.  

The anticipation of the awards ceremony. 

The comraderie between quilters as we celebrated each other. 

The learning of new techniques and methods. 


Most quilt pattern designers focus on the blocks, the layout and the secondary patterns created by the blocks and the fabric placement within the blocks.  It's a tried and true method. 

However, I came about it from a different angle (which is no surprise to those who know me well!).  I was playing in the competition world with my quilting and had some specific needs.  

I needed quilt patterns that would allow me to showcase the quilting.  

I needed wide open spaces.   

I needed design elements that were strong enough to play a supporting role to the quilting. 

I needed quilts of specific sizes to fit in the show categories.  

I needed designs where I owned the rights.  

I knew what I needed ..... but I couldn't find it

.... so when faced with that challenge, what does any creative person do?  They make it themselves! 

And so I did.  Graph paper became my best friend.  Test blocks were made photographed, copied and pasted to make mockups.  There was no tech-edited math, it was all trial and error.  And it was fun!  Was it easy?  No, there were piles of sketches bedside where I would make notes and draw quilting motifs in the middle of the night.  But it was fun!

And that is what I miss the most ... the fun!  

So as I'm getting ready to celebrate my 10th year as a published quilt pattern designer, I want to move back to the fun.  To a more light-hearted approach to my designs.  To quilts that are fun to make and fun to quilt.  My journey started with the quilting and it's time to move back to it.  



Sunburst Strips & Squares - the latest remake!

Sunburst Strips & Squares is one of my Top 5 Best Selling patterns ever and was one of the first patterns I designed.  

This year I did a re-make of the pattern using the Wonderous Collection by Jerry Khiev for Island Batik. I have wanted to remake the quilt in a christmas-y collection for several years but just couldn't find one I liked. Most were too traditional green & red. When I saw Wonderous, I knew it would be perfect and I'm thankful the design team at Island Batik agreed. 

Wonderous is shipping to quilt shops now, so be sure to ask your local shop or online retailer if they will be carrying it. I will NOT be kitting this one but I know several quilts shops will. Once I get confirmation, I'll pass than info onto you.

The Sunburst Strips & Squares pattern is available in both print and pdf digital download formats. Here are the direct link in my Etsy shop: 

Print Pattern (includes shipping)

PDF Digital Download



I simply love the Christmas-y feel to this fabric collection!  What about you?  Are you Team Traditional Christmas or Team Contemporary Christmas?  Leave me a comment, I'd love to know so I can better select fabrics and design patterns for you. 

Sunburst Strips & Squares is made using one roll of precut 2-1/2" strips paired with coordinating yardage.  Assembly is quick and easy too! 

This is the 4th version of Sunburst Strips and Squares that I have made and each of them look amazing. 


You can easily mix up the contrast between the precuts and the coordinating yardage.  I really like the dark precuts paired with a light / bright yardage.   



I can't wait to see the version you make.  Grab your pattern today and start creating! Here are the direct links in my Etsy shop: 

Print Pattern (includes shipping)

PDF Digital Download


If you would like to see more of my patterns, tips and techniques delivered weekly to your inbox, be sure to sign up for my weekly Masterpiece Quilting Studio News email.  It's free of charge and I promise your email is safe with me. 

Friday, February 4, 2022

Modern Jewel Quilt in Annie's Quilts to Make in a Weekend

I'm super excited to share my Modern Jewel quilt with you.  This quilt simply speaks to my heart as a designer.  Muted jewel tone colors paired with white solid and simple traditional elements laid out to give a modern edgy vibe. 


You can find the pattern for Modern Jewel in Annie's new Quilts to Make in a Weekend book which features 9 time-friendly designs.  

Here's a direct link to purchase the book. 

The fabrics for Modern Jewel are part of the Matchmade collection by Pat Bravo from Art Gallery Fabrics.  I totally love this collection of muted jewel tone fabrics and when paired with white are so crisp and stunning. 

I used Warm 80/20 batting from The Warm Company to give the quilt a very soft and drapeable feel when quilted.  It will keep you warm while snuggled on the couch without being so heavy you feel trapped under it.  Does that happen to you too - or am I the only one?   

For cutting the Flying Geese units, I used Kimberly Einmo's flying geese ruler from EZ Quilting to make them perfect every time.  It's one of my favorite rulers.  

The Quilts to Make in a Weekend book includes a second one of my designs, Fancy Cut, too!  But more about it in another blog post. 

I'd love to see the version of Modern Jewel that you make.  Be sure tag me on social media #masterpiecequilting as well as #anniescraftstore. 


If you would like to see more of my patterns, tips and techniques delivered weekly to your inbox, be sure to sign up for my weekly Masterpiece Quilting Studio News email.  It's free of charge and I promise your email is safe with me.