Patchwork, Revisited

I recently had the chance to do something new, for me, in terms of quilty experience:  I got to visit with (and use!) a quilt I made quite a while ago that has since been used and incorporated into daily life.  That's the point, right?

I think I am in love with simple patchwork all over again.  Something about the way it drapes on a bed is so lovely, and I definitely see more in my future. 

Scrappy Hexie Pillow

Hooray!  Another long-term WIP knocked out: some English paper-pieced hexagons.

Over two years ago, I (temporarily) caught the hexie bug-- it looked so simple, and people's inspirational results were so pretty.

I gathered together scraps, basted them to the paper templates during a massive tv binge session, and put them in a ziplock bag.  Whenever I needed some hand work, I could pull them out.

Patty Pan: XL Block = Throw Quilt

Well, I went on vacation, and brought this quilt with me.  And if it was nice weather, I promptly forgot about taking pictures.  Luckily, Maine island light is pretty bright, even through the fog.

For this Patty Pan throw-size quilt, I decided to go for a scrappy, patchworky look, using mostly Anna Maria Horner fabric scraps from previous projects.

Patty Pan: The Full Size Quilt

One of the first really big "fabric treats" I indulged in was a full FQ set of Anna Maria Horner's Loulouthi line.  She is one of my favorite fabric designers, and I'm always impressed with all the beautiful and quirky details that are included in her prints.

With this quilt, made up of 24-inch Patty Pan blocks, I found a way to use my loot while prominently featuring the intricate large-scale prints. This block structure allows for you to feature any 12-inch (finished) block in the center, making it perfect for sampler quilts, too.

I've been working away at this quilt for quite some time, so what follows is a pretty photo-heavy version of the whole process!

Quilt Pattern Debut: Patty Pan

I'm pleased to share the release of a summery new quilt pattern: Patty Pan!

Named after the delicious summer squashes with ridged edges about to hit farmers markets (I hope!), this block design uses half-square triangles to create zig-zag frames for your favorite "centerpiece" fabrics.

"Patty Pan," in some places, can also mean that little ridged paper cupcake/muffin wrapper, also a nice match for this shape. (If you are a Beatrix Potter aficionado, you also might know one of my favorites, The Tale of the Pie and the Patty Pan...)

The pattern contains cutting and piecing instructions for three block sizes with varying difficulty (based solely on size):

A Home for my Mini-Quilt

Finally, finally, I figured out what to do with my spider legs mini quilt! Summer, for me, means quite a bit of free time, so I've been chipping away at non-sewing projects.

For over a year, my experiment with circular improv chevrons sat on my DVD player (gathering dust). Does this happen to your projects?

Summer Job-ette + Studio Scraps Giveaway

I am very happy to share that I'll be spending some time this summer working at South Street Linen, a gorgeous little apparel and home goods shop that features artist-designed gems made from highest-quality linen.

The brainchild of three talented Maine artists, the shop carries luxe, handmade clothing, accessories, and table linens, perfect for someone like me with fabric on the brain.  Obviously, this is one of my favorite spots:

As for my favorite new item, this scarf is pretty amazing... c'mon, magenta stitching?!?

Photo Credit: South Street Linen

Much of South Street's work features hand-printed fabric, and to celebrate my new job, I'm giving away a pack of linen studio scraps! It includes everything pictured below, plus a couple surprises.

Some pieces include hand-printed proofs that may or may not have made it to production, making them absolutely one-of-a-kind. They're perfect for small projects or as accents on a quilt, and I'm currently working on an all-linen quilt top experiment.