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Messenger Bag - Embellishment Options

It's week three of our 12 Projects of Christmas newsletter series and this week we're making a messenger bag. Man or woman, boy or girl, everyone needs to carry things. A messenger bag is an ideal gift, especially for those hard to shop for men or teens. Fair warning though, once you make one, you'll want one for yourself too. 

Our pattern, written by Valori Wells, is the perfect size to hold all the essentials with pockets inside and out for extras. The bag is fully lined for a beautiful and durable finish. Experienced sewers can complete this bag in an afternoon, and all the straight line seams make the project achievable for confident beginners. 

Because the pattern will lead you through the construction of the bag, we are going to focus on ideas for customizing your bag. As you can see, the outside of our sample bag is embellished with a block printed pattern. You can carve your own or use a purchased stamp of your choice. In the video below Valori shows you how to properly ink a stamp and apply it to your bag.  

Try a simple pattern in one section of the bag like we did, or apply an all over pattern before you sew your sections together.

If you're an artist paint or draw your own design with fabric paint and/or pens. Pictured below is an example of our logo tote bag embellished with fabric paints by June Jaeger. We wrote a post about it and embroidering a tote last November. 

The front flap of the bag is a great spot to show off some applique, embroidery, or a combination of the two. Experiment with your own designs or choose a design from a book to spruce up your bag. We like Simply Stitched, Creative Stitching, Organic Applique and Organic Embroidery. Or, try one of our wool applique kits to add some color and texture. 

Instead of using a solid fabric for the large exterior piece customize your bag with your favorite patchwork, or simply add a stripe or other shape with contrasting fabrics like the bag pictured below. 

Not interested in coming up with your own designs for embellishment? Pick a fun print (this is a great time to show off a large scale print) and add a bit of stitching to enhance it (or just let the print shine on it's own). In the pictures below we added a simple embroidery stitch to a floral print. 

More ideas to customize the messenger bag:

• For a new parent: Baby/diaper bag - add some piping, pick a children's theme print, personalize it with an alphabet embroidery kit on the front and/or add a coordinating changing pad.

• For a quilter/sewer: Sewing kit  - personalize it with a pieced front flap and customized pocket sizes for tools
• For an artist: Portable supply kit - personalize it with a painted or mixed media front and add a pencil roll. Customize pockets for sketch book, paint brushes, pens, etc. 

• For a teen: Laptop bag - add soft and stable interfacing. Personalize it with an iron-on patch, applique their initials, or a stamped Kraftex patch. 

• For a man: Laptop bag - add soft and stable interfacing. Personalize it with a photo transfer, turn a favorite old T-shirt into an iron on or paint/stamp a simple geometric pattern. Although, some men might like it plain and simple made with canvas or denim.

• For a bike commuter: add padding to the strap and some reflective tape.
• For a Knitter/Crocheter: add fusible fleece interfacing to keep needles from poking through and a coordinating yarn/project bag. Customize pockets to hold notions.

With a minimum of thought, possibilities for customizing this bag are nearly endless.

Quick Note: The pattern doesn't require any interfacing, but if you want a more structured bag you will need some. We recommend Soft & Stable for a padded and firm but flexible bag. Great for laptops! If you want a softer bag with some structure use Fusible Fleece. Lastly if you'd like any of the pocket to be stiff (like the large inside pocket) use TimTex. All the options listed are washable. 

Shop for Messenger Bag Supplies -  

Kits: Messenger Bag, Applique

Fabric: Quilting Cotton, Canvas, Denim, Flannel 

Interfacing: Soft & Stable, Fusible Fleece, TimTex

Pattern: Printed, PDF

Books: Simply Stitched, Creative Stitching, Organic Applique, Organic Embroidery

 

 

 

 

Alchemy of Fabric March 2019 - Starburst

March's Alchemy of Fabric collection combines bold colors and geometric patterns. The addition of orange and black freshen up the classic red, yellow, and navy color scheme and give the collection a modern feel. The ten companion fabrics draw from the same colors while introducing more pattern and scale to the mix.

The lovely and skilled Fern will be making all our Alchemy of Fabric projects from now on. This month, she chose to use her fat quarters to make two pillows, focusing on the yellow, white and navy fabrics. 

The first pillow is pillow #6 from Val's pattern Jewels for the Home . The finished pillow is 18" x 18" and features an adorable bird applique. Fern used the Navy Metsa Saihke for the front, Sunshine Herringbone for the bird and half the back, and the white woven for the remainder of the back. The hand-stitched feet on the bird add a lot of character to the pillow.

The second pillow was pieced to use the remaining navy, sunshine, and white fabrics with a black Metsa Saihke back. Fern did a fantastic job fussy cutting the navy to feature the diamond design. She also added interest to this pillow by altering the direction of the herringbone print. 

The pillows look so fresh and springlike, it's hard to imagine that we are still struggling through multiple feet of snow!

Starburst - March 2019 Alchemy of Fabric Collection

In order from top left : Metsa Saihke Black, Flower Market Trellis Orange, Mixology Coordinates Herringbone Grey, Metsa Saihke Navy, Metsa Saihke Red, Mixology Coordinates Woven White, Mixology Coordinates Herringbone Sunshine, Starburst Collection

Starburst - Companion Fabrics

In order from top left : Musings Charcoal, Kona Cotton Tomato, Manchester Royal, Quantum Color C, Heath Red-Yellow, Kona Cotton Duckling, Panache White, Essex Yarn Dyed Navy, Eliana Yellow, Musings Charcoal

 

Project Pattern

Please post your project to Facebook or Instagram with the tag #alchemyoffabric or #stitchinpost, we'd love to see them.

Cheers,

Samantha

June 2018 Alchemy of Fabrics - Chalk & Charcoal - Project Ideas

What fun I am having with these neutrals, making the Pearl District table runner from Busy Bee Quilt Designs! It made me feel like I was back on the Oregon coast, picking up beach stones and experiencing all of the beach grasses and driftwood.

I like to needle turn hand appliqué, so this was my travel project on a short getaway with John to the bay area. If you have not used the 80 weight thread for appliqué, you need to try it. It is amazing! We are now carrying Wonderfil brand thread, as well as the iron and fuse thread for applique. We've also ordered their the Glow in the Dark thread, which we thought would be fun for quilting kids quilts. (We just purchased these at market, and the Glow in the Dark thread hasn't arrived yet.)

Tip: If you do not love needle turn appliqué, here is another technique:

1. Trace the appliqué shape on the back of the fabric.
   Layer the fabric right sides together on top of a light-weight interfacing.
   
   Machine stitch the circular shape, then trim off excess fabric a scant ¼” away from the stitched line.

2. Slash the interfacing in the center of the appliqué and turn the appliqué to the right side. Press the edges. (The interfacing pulls the raw edges to the back, so you are no longer dealing with a raw edge.)

3. You can top stitch the appliqué down with a straight stitch, zig zag stitch, buttonhole stitch, or blind hem stitch. I used the blind hem stitch.

This month’s playmates are:

Compositions by BasicGrey 30450-12

Grunge Hits the Spot 30149-67

Effervescence Ecru AAQ 17062-162

Stonehenge Graduation 39303-94

Shimmer On Pearl AJSP 17028-90

Compositions BasicGrey 30453-26

Modern BG Paper 1580-25

Big Sky Annie Brady 16705-11

Dear Stella Black Dabs WG995

Behind the Scenes Wovens 18135-26

Enjoy!

~Jean

Row by Row is Back

Many people who are following us, whether online or in the shop, know that this is the time of year when we are really gearing up for the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, but we are also working hard to make up Row by Row kits! Row by Row begins on June 21^st, 2017 and kits will be available through September 5^th.

Last year, we made 1,832 kits for Row by Row throughout the course of the summer. This year, Edie has folded and packaged 954 Row by Row kits already and she assured me that by the end of the day today, she will have over 1,000! Isn’t she adorable surrounded by all this fabric for the kits?

June and Cheryle designed our row this year, June designed last year's row as well.  If you are interested in last year’s pattern, we do have those available on our website and in the store. We also have the Fabric Plates again this year.

New this year is the Row by Row Junior which we are participating in! This is designed for kids between the ages of 6 and 14 and the time frame is the same as regular Row by Row, however the child must be present when picking up the pattern (but a kit can be purchased by anyone). We chose the “High Tops” pattern for our Junior Row.

The first five kids who bring in a project using our Junior Row will get a ribbon. But the adult who brings in a completed quilt (quilted, bound, labeled) with 8 rows from 8 different shops will win a fabric prize! But the rules say you must go into the store to pick up the pattern and/or to purchase the kit. Luckily for those who cannot make it to the store, we can take orders that can be shipped out after November 1^st, 2017.

We want to see your row!  Share it with us using #SewMuchInspiration when you share on social media.

If you are interested in purchasing our older rows, please call the store.  Here they are in reverse chronological order:

Alchemy of Fabric - June 2017

 

 

Our focus for Alchemy of Fabric Club this month is “water” and the variety of shades of blues, aqua-green, and everything in-between. The colors of water that you perceive when looking at the water before you, is momentary and fleeting. It is an ever-changing scene affected by the sky and light on the water. Monet painted plentiful scenes of water in his “Water Lilies series”. The theme of water lilies or as he called them “landscapes of the water” first appeared in Monet’s work in 1898 and was a theme until his death in 1926. There were approximately 250 oil paintings that became larger and larger paintings as the theme progressed. In observing and studying the colors used in these paintings, the water varies in color from deep purple to lavender, dark cobalt & ultramarine to light blues, reds & pinks, yellow and yellow greens. Virtually every color in the rainbow is seen in the reflections, giving the water a multi-colored appearance. The blues are generally a reflection of clear skies above. Sometimes in his paintings you see the surface, sometimes into the depth of the water. The colors used affect the atmosphere or mood conveyed. Sometimes it provokes the clarity of the day or the overcast, soft misty feeling to that moment in time that was painted. With Monet’s “water color palette” as inspiration, use this as a helpful guide in selecting fabrics for your quilt or project. You might also employ the use of printed texture to give a feeling of ripple like movement to the water.

         Our “water fabrics” capture some of the variety that you see in the Monet water lilies series of paintings. Jean Wells shares her experience, “this spring I had an 'ah haw moment' when John and I were driving to California for my teaching job at Empty Spools. Around the Redding area it had rained so much that there was standing water everywhere and the grass was bright green. That day the sky was clear, brilliant blue and the reflection of the blue sky on the water was amazing. I will never forget that. The color was almost surreal. I find that some form of blue or green can almost always save the day when I am trying to put a palette together. They are 'Mother Nature’s' neutrals”.

With summer temperatures beginning and “water play” close at hand I hope you enjoy these “water” fabrics curated for you. Our hope is that you create a fabulous fabric expression that brings back great summer memories that last long after the season changes.

~ Kayley

FABRIC PACK:

*Zen Chic-True Blue- Notice the dots of reflected light on the water reminiscent of a clear day when there is a slight ripple of wave. The dots of light give a pattern to the suggestion of waves in the fabric. Two color variations are in the fabric pack to give some repetition to your design. The lighter version of Pattern 1625 is Color 19 and the darker is Color 22 by MODA.

*River Journey by Holly Taylor has a wonderful feeling of flow with organic curved lines that are light on dark. It is Pattern 6684- Color 11 by Moda.

*Fresh Water Designs- Java Batiks- example the natural variation water as it covers over areas of different depths reflecting from vivid turquoise and green to purplish blue. Adding the batik gives a spark of variety to your project.

*Wilmington Prints-Essentials by Joanne Porter gives a mottled blue look like shallow water over a reef area where there are areas of clear water allowing you to see the shallow bottom mixed with darker areas of coral & vegetation. A perfect addition to the many scenes of “water”.

*Robert Kaufman “Manchester” textured cotton was included in the fabric pack to give an area of quiet reflection on still water.

*Aria Cotton by Kelly Ventura gives the swirl of continuous ocean movement with undercurrents creating pockets of varying wave activity in the mix of one incoming tidal wave. It adds movement to your quilt project and is a “star” fabric no matter where it is placed.

10 Recommended Fabrics:

These fabrics were chosen to expand on the concept of water to a palette guided and inspired by the colors in the “Water Lilies” paintings by Monet.

*Handmaker by Natalie Barnes has a plant like pattern on a coral red colored fabric. This fabric choice was inspired by the many shades of reds that Monet painted in the water lily flowers.

*Island Batik Bubble Hole-Leprecheun-Dotalicous gives the luscious green to the vegetation that Monet illustrated in his paintings.

*RJR-Dots & Stripes- is another variation of dots of light on water in teal & aqua

*Michael Miller- Beachcomber is a color indicating water depth or shadow under the lilies in a rich navy ble with lines very close so there is subtle movement as you look closely.

*Island Batiks creates a batik that has small leaf forms on a light yellow green. Use it in areas in your quilt where you want to suggest “light”. Monet fairly consistently used this color to suggest light on the water lilies.

*Alexander Henry- HeathDE –is a textured patterned fabric, which from a distance will read as a solid, but up close gives visual texture wherever it is used. It suggests areas of shadow.

*Moda Cross Weave Wovens in Color 79 is a textured cotton in a red that works harmoniously with the Natalie Barnes fabric. This fabric adds variety and is used in some of his paintings in subtle shadow areas of the water lilies as well as the water lily flowers.

*RK-Helinki- Jamaica- has a large circle shape on fabric that ranges from green and aqua to yellow green and blue. A full range of water colors with circles suggesting the shape of beautifully round water lilies.

*Timeless Treasures in Vine Color gives the cool rich deep green color needed for balance in your color palette.

*Island Batik-Snow Balls- in a gorgeous yellow green suggests spring growth in the water landscapes and was a color repeatedly used in the majority of his water lilies paintings.

Our intention for creating the "Alchemy of Fabric" club is to provide the spark... the catalyst... the inspiration... for a project that your color palette is built upon. We have a monthly tutorial of insights on each fabric chosen. We have also included 10 other recommended fabrics to expand from the core fabrics and further guide your choices.

We are excited to share this educational opportunity as a study in color and fabric as well as build your artist palette of fabrics. As you practice designing your project from many different designers and collections our hope is to facilitate greater confidence and empowerment in your creative pursuits..

At the Stitchin' Post were are committed to creativity and inspiration and we are now embarking on a journey opening to new options together as the "Alchemy of Fabric" unfolds each month. Please share with us what the spark has ignited in you using the hashtag "#AlchemyofFabric" on your preferred social media platform, so others can be inspired by your work! You can also search #AlchemyofFabric to see what others have done, and to gain your own inspiration.

Alchemy of Fabric- April Example

The Alchemy of Fabric Club- April 2017 Edition:

Floral Fusion

When I first saw Laura Heine's pattern for "Old Blue", I knew that my husband would love it. He had a "52 Chevy pickup when he was 17. His grandfather had given it to his dad for him to fix up with my husband, Dave. They hadn't gotten very far when Dave's family broke up. His father took the pickup with him and Dave never saw it again and to this day, doesn't know what happened to it. So although the memory of that pickup is bitter sweet, it still has a fond place in his heart. He love his grandfather dearly and was very close with him. We decided to call this quilt, "Poppi's Pickup" which is the beloved nick-name his children and grandchildren call him.

~Becky

The first thing that Becky did, was to create the base on which she would build the collage.  This included the base fabric as well as the truck, which she followed the pattern to create.  We recommend using Steam-A-Seam 2.  This kind of Steam-A-Seam has two sides of fusible and is great for creating collage!  

Then she spent a lot of time fussy cutting flowers, leaves, bugs, and animals to fuse on top of the truck.  What can you find hidden in this quilt?  I personally, am I fan of the little fox!

Becky added words and fussy cut letters to the quilt to make it her own before layering and pinning to be quilted.  She claims that she went a little overboard with the flowers, but I disagree!  It screams spring, which we are all so ready for!

At this point, the quilt is all finished and ready to be quilted.  Notice how Becky did not pin through her many, many layers of fusible to quilt it?  This is because the fusible webbing makes it too thick to get a pin through.

For the machine quilting, Becky sewed straight lines in both directions (don't forget to start in the middle and work outward in both directions!) to keep all the edges of the fusible from peeling up over time.  

Happy Creating!

 

Our intention for creating the "Alchemy of Fabric" club is to provide the spark... the catalyst... the inspiration... for a project that your color palette is built upon. We have a monthly tutorial of insights on each fabric chosen. We have also included 10 other recommended fabrics to expand from the core fabrics and further guide your choices.

We are excited to share this educational opportunity as a study in color and fabric as well as build your artist palette of fabrics. As you practice designing your project from many different designers and collections our hope is to facilitate greater confidence and empowerment in your creative pursuits..

At the Stitchin' Post were are committed to creativity and inspiration and we are now embarking on a journey opening to new options together as the "Alchemy of Fabric" unfolds each month. Please share with us what the spark has ignited in you using the hashtag "#AlchemyofFabric" on your preferred social media platform, so others can be inspired by your work! You can also search #AlchemyofFabric to see what others have done, and to gain your own inspiration.

Alchemy of Fabric

The Alchemy of Fabric Club- April 2017 Edition:

Fussy Cut Flowers on a Denim Jacket

Allow yourself to look at the April Alchemy fabrics with “new eyes”. Instead of the overall effect of the fabric take a few moments and look closely at the leaf shapes and at the flower forms. When you study the fabric it opens a multitude of options. In creating a collage you will be planning where you cut the fabric instead of a random or partial floral/ leaf pattern based on cutting the size strip or block of fabric that you need. You are isolating a motif or shape that will be used in your collage. You can cut the flower or leaf exactly as it is designed or vary it to simplify the shape that you will use. In the overlapping in your collage you can also use a partial flower or leaf shape.

 

 

The technique of “fussy cutting” has many uses. I used my fabrics to create a collage on a jean jacket. I am ready for spring & flowers! In this same style you can create a beautiful floral collage pillow for a gift or decorate placemats. If you would like to use individual flowers rather than collage them together, I would fussy cut the full individual flower. If you want to create a wall hanging you can add stems and possibly a vase. If this direction interests you I recommend studying some of Matisse’s paintings & drawings for composition ideas, as he was a Master of this decorative floral art. Create a garden collage like in Laura Heine's quilt “Old Blue” or use fussy cut flowers on the borders of a quilt or corners of a quilt border. You can also use these fabrics to make an intentional floral design within the block or template that you are cutting for a quilt. The options are limitless when you take a moment to see all the possibilities in your fabrics. The extra bonus is that flowers are happy so they are lots of fun to work with!

 

 

I used Steam-a-Seam on the back of my flowers. I ironed it onto the back of the fabric, then you remove the paper and the back of the fabric is now slightly sticky so you can move the flowers around until you are ready to iron them in place. When you are satisfied with your collage of flowers iron in place. This product makes it so easy to create a collage of any style.

 

 

I ironed my flowers & leaves onto a piece of muslin fabric so I could do most of my zig zag stitching before I put the applique onto my jean jacket. In my planning I simplified some of the leaf shapes. I used a satin stitch / zig zag around the edges of my collage to finish them so they wouldn’t fray, especially considering I was putting it on a jacket. There are many ways to finish your collage based on your own preference and the look you want your creative project to have.

Most of all have fun and enjoy!

~Kayley

 

Our intention for creating the "Alchemy of Fabric" club is to provide the spark... the catalyst... the inspiration... for a project that your color palette is built upon. We have a monthly tutorial of insights on each fabric chosen. We have also included 10 other recommended fabrics to expand from the core fabrics and further guide your choices.

We are excited to share this educational opportunity as a study in color and fabric as well as build your artist palette of fabrics. As you practice designing your project from many different designers and collections our hope is to facilitate greater confidence and empowerment in your creative pursuits..

At the Stitchin' Post were are committed to creativity and inspiration and we are now embarking on a journey opening to new options together as the "Alchemy of Fabric" unfolds each month. Please share with us what the spark has ignited in you using the hashtag "#AlchemyofFabric" on your preferred social media platform, so others can be inspired by your work! You can also search #AlchemyofFabric to see what others have done, and to gain your own inspiration.

Alchemy of Fabric

The Alchemy of Fabric Club- April 2017 Edition:

 

Floral Fusion

This is the perfect month to look at fabric with “new eyes”. It is spring and the image of flowers brings with it the association with ease in the weather, a new season, color infusing our world, delight and sweet moments. Flowers bring a happy feeling to most everyone. The fabrics curated for this month and the projects have a focus on collage elements and literally a floral fusion that births a “new mix”. A new fabric is created from the fussy cut floral & leaf elements brought together in harmony from many fabrics. This is a planned cut process to create your own mix of alchemy.

 

The first fabric is Tula Pink’s “The Hare” from her Slow & Steady collection. If you look closely there are limitless possibilities to create various sizes of leaves from. The dots so carefully planned when isolated in one fussy cut shape give a jeweled effect. This fabric has a beautiful balance of line and color.

The second fabric is another Tula Pink design called “Eek” from her Tabby Road collection. The ornate shaped leaves throughout give a variety of color of aqua, yellow green and thistle purple. The ornate shapes can be kept intact with all the intricate curves or simplified in your collage. Remember with leaves to vary how much is seen to give your collage more interest. Use a variety of full leaf shape to partial shape peaking out from around and underneath the flowers.

The third fabric is by Free Spirit. This collection is called “Natural World”. This fabric has a variety of succulents throughout. The succulent shape blooms out from the center reminiscent of a rose. This fabric design has many colors of succulents so you can pick the color desired as well as decide on the size. You can use the bud like center or full blossom! Some leaves are rounded and some are more gently curved. Just like the leaves utilize partial succulent shape or full floral shape.

The fourth fabric is designed by Amy Butler from the Free Spirit collection Splendor. This fabric has large showcase florals meant to take a center stage in your collage. When fussy cut for collage they make a statement so in creating your mix position them to shine! If used in a quilt this fabric has fabulous lines and graphic elements too.

 

Flowering Field with Three Sisters Mountains

 

The fifth fabric is by Valori Wells from her “In the Bloom” collection. It has a whispy feeling to the fabric and will give a softened effect when used in a collage. It can be in your collage like using baby’s breath in a bouquet of flowers.

The sixth fabric is a Kaffe Fassett design called “Bekah”.He is a master of large florals. All the flowers in this fabric have a painterly look and the colors of flowers vary from lavender, to magenta, to purple to red. With the loose brush stroke shapes and lines along with the vibrant color these flowers will definitely be another “leading lady” in your collage.

The seventh, and final, fabric is a Philip Jacob Classic called “Brassica”, a cabbage rose design. Like Kaffe Fasset he designs for Rowan fabric and has a different feeling to his florals. His florals when you study closely always have intricate lines and details throughout. The vibrant colors gently vary from shape to shape by comparison to the way Kaffe uses color. With that said wherever they are placed they will still demand a center stage and are another “leading lady floral” in your quilt story.

The ten supplemental fabrics for this month were selected with more traditional piecing rather than collage in mind.  They are all meant to let the florals pop and be the focus rather than being florals themselves.  Additionally, these fabrics could be used in a collage to create visual interest, become a base to build upon, and break up the flowers in surprising ways.  If you look at a photo of a field of flowers, you might be amazed at how much of what you see is not actually flowers.  

 

Happy Creating!

 

Our intention for creating the "Alchemy of Fabric" club is to provide the spark... the catalyst... the inspiration... for a project that your color palette is built upon. We have a monthly tutorial of insights on each fabric chosen. We have also included 10 other recommended fabrics to expand from the core fabrics and further guide your choices.

 We are excited to share this educational opportunity as a study in color and fabric as well as build your artist palette of fabrics. As you practice designing your project from many different designers and collections our hope is to facilitate greater confidence and empowerment in your creative pursuits..

 At the Stitchin' Post were are committed to creativity and inspiration and we are now embarking on a journey opening to new options together as the "Alchemy of Fabric" unfolds each month. Please share with us what the spark has ignited in you using the hashtag "#AlchemyofFabric" on your preferred social media platform, so others can be inspired by your work! You can also search #AlchemyofFabric to see what others have done, and to gain your own inspiration.

Gwen Marston's New Book - A Common Thread - A Collection of Quilts

  A Common Thread -
A Collection of Quilts by Gwen Marston

Explore a life lived in stitches and witness the aesthetic evolution of a treasured quiltmaking artist. Immerse yourself in the beauty of detailed, up-close photos that will inspire and delight you.

Revel in this dazzling self-curated collection of Gwen Marston's more than five-decade passion for quiltmaking. Her masterful body of work is presented in a single vibrant coffee table book of stunning photography for the first time ever. From her early pieces inspired by Mennonite quilts to her innovative work with applique and texture to her exploration of modern design, Gwen's aesthetic has remained a glorious marriage of freedom in construction, expert use of unexpected colors and negative space, and happy design surprises. See more than 80 quilts representing more than 40 years and a variety styles--all united by a common thread: the artist Gwen Marston.

 The quilt galleries are separated into several categories: Traditional Patchwork, Applique', Liberated Patchwork, String Quilts, and Abstract Quilts in Solids; and feature beautiful images of quilts that span Gwen's career as a quilter, from the 1970s to today.

Here are just a few of the quilts that are highlighted in this amazing woman's portfolio:

Basket with Two Red Birds (detail) 44" x 44" 1998

 

 
Medallion Sampler 58" x 62" 2002

 

  
   Log Cabin on Point 56" x 64" 1992

 

 Red Square IV (detail) 39" x 42" 2008

 

Center Diamond 72" x 72" 1992

Renowned quilter Gwen Marston is a professional fiber artist, author, and teacher who has been exhibiting her groundbreaking work nationally and internationally for more than three decades.
If you are a fan of Gwen's work, this book is a "Must-Have!"

You can find "A Common Thread - a Collection of Quilts by Gwen Marston" on our website: http://www.stitchinpost.com/quilting-sewing-book/modern-quilting.html

Enjoy!

 

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Secret Garden Table Topper - Simply Color GREEN

We decided it was time again for another project from the Simply Color books. And of course, i's GREEN. For the month of March, any product with GREEN (like the cover of the book) is 15% off. So get ready for spring now!

We decided to do something a bit different with the project we chose--instead of making the full quilt, we took a quarter of the Secret Garden quilt and made a table topper instead. 

This modified project is 36" square. Original Quilt measures 72" square finished. 

 

For this project you will need, background fabric, different solid green fabrics or green ombre fabric, a fusible interfacing of your choice, template plastic, and matching thread. 

From the book, you will create a Leaf template out of template plastic. For this project, you will draw 20 leaves onto the wrong side of your chosen green fabrics. Cut at least 1/2" around the drawn line of each leaf appliqué. 

Lay a leaf applique, right side down, on top of a rectangle of interfacing. The fusible side of the interfacing should be facing up.

Stitch along the drawn line on the leaf appliqué, beginning with a backstitch. When you reach a corner, put your needle in the down position, pivot, and continue sewing until you reach your starting point.   

 Trim around the leaf, leaving at least an 1/8" seam allowance. Carefully clip curved edges, and clip off the pointed ends. Do not clip too close to the stitched line.  

 Gently pull the interfacing away from the fabric and make a slit in the middle of the interfacing, then gently turn the entire leaf inside out. Use a pin or chopstick to push out the points. Repeat for all 20 leaves. 

 Fold the background square in half diagonally and finger press a crease. 

Eyeballing the first two leaves, place a point on the creased line. Keep the sides parallel to the edges and 1" from the edge. Place the middle leaves just barely touching the first two leaves, points on the creased line. Then place the last leaf in between the middle leaves, points on the line still. Pin all the leaf appliqués in place. 

 

Once you have the leaves in the correct place, iron the leaf appliqués onto the background. A dry heat is best. If you are worried about getting any fusible onto your iron, we recommend to use an appliqué pressing sheet to place onto the leaves and pressing with the iron on top. 

Applique by hand or machine to attach your leaf shapes. Use thread that is close the the same color of the leaves. Repeat these steps three more times for four similar squares. Arrange the blocks as shown in the next picture and sew them together. 

 To finish the topper, layer with batting and backing fabric, baste, and quilt as desired. Attach the binding and finish!

 

 This makes both a beautiful quilt or topper, which ever you chose to make. Detailed instructions and more patterns featuring the color green can be found in the book, Simply Color GREEN, by Vanessa Christenson from Lucky Spool publishing. 

You can find this book and more at www.StitchinPost.com 

 Happy Quilting!