Quilting and biking?

We are fortunate to have the Central Lakes Trail system running right through our small town.  It used be the Burlington Northern railroad tracks until 1992 when it was turned into a recreational attraction. Now, what does this educational information have to do with quilting?  Our newest quilt pattern, called "Life is Beachy" reminds us of bikes on the boardwalk or biking to the beach on a hot summer day.  The pattern is super easy because it contains pre-cut layer cakes. The fabric we used, Lucy's Crab Shack by Sweetwater of Moda, has a Nantucket Island beach theme with bicycles, crabs and other beachy things.  The long arm quilting by Just by Spoolin' Around chose an all over bicycle design that fits perfect with the fabrics.  It was obvious to us, in our search for a photo shoot location, we should use our wonderful bike trail as a backdrop.  We would have chosen the beach, but with this HOT, HUMID weather we've been having the beaches are swarming with sunbathers and swimmers.

To print this pattern, click HERE.

Cases for the Cure!!!

Please join us in raising money to cure cancer!!  We will have these pillowcases - some ready made and some in kit form at the Relay for Life walk this Friday, July 12th in Alexandria, MN.  We also have them posted on our Etsy site (HERE) for those that can't make it to the Relay but would like to purchase one, two or more.  Limited supply available! Kits include a pattern and all fabric for the pillowcase, they are $5 each. Already made pillowcases are $10 each.  Shipping will apply to those who order through our Etsy site.  Thanks in advance!!!

Our team has raised over $1400 but our goal is $2000.  If you'd like to support our team, but have no need for a pillowcase, you can donate directly to our team HERE.  (Our team name is A.S.K. - Acts of Sincere Kindness.)

We have included a great tutorial video by craftygemini.blogspot.com/‎ for creating this pillowcase, find it HERE

It's Electric....

Are you intrigued by putting things together, like a puzzle for instance?  You won't be puzzled by our latest pattern.  It's Electric is connected by pinwheels, blocks, filler rectangles and borders to create a spinning project.  We've named it after the wind towers spinning around that dot our countryside and provide pleasant electricity especially for our sewing machines to work - yeah!!!  We are pleased to provide a great kit for this project at our etsy shop.  Many of the pieces are pre-cut so you can just start sewing and creating this colorful quilt. Remember to go HERE and print off the pattern for.....Free!!  You can purchase the kit HERE.

Happy Sewing - Holly, Julie and Katie

Pillowcase Dress

Our version of the pillowcase dress has been a long time in creation.  Actually, the creation part of making the dress was simple.  It was getting the model to cooperate for the pictures that was the long time.  My darling granddaughter is our model and she just didn't want to wear that dress, however, once she put that dress on, she wouldn't take it off - kids!! The weather has finally cooperated and this dress is a perfect fit for a nice summery day!  We think it would also make a very fun swimsuit cover-up.

We had this great fabric at the shop with a border on it and decided that a kid's pillowcase dress was just the project to make.  We are selling the fabric by the yard on our etsy site so if you would like to make one, two or more just let us know how much you need and we'll ship it right out.  We are including fabric that coordinates for the tie at no extra charge.  Click here to purchase the fabric!

This dress pattern is written in blogging picture style  - enjoy!  Our inspiration for this project came from HERE.

Fabric requirements:

1 1/4 yard of designer edged fabric creates approximate child sizes 2T-3T

1 1/2 yard of designer edged fabric creates approximate child sizes 4T-5T

1 1/2" of coordinating fabric to create the fabric ribbon/tie or  1/2" wide x 45" of purchased ribbon

Begin project by measuring the chest and from the neck to the shin of the child who will be wearing this dress/cover-up.  Take the chest measurement, double and subtract 2 inches.  For example:  chest measurement  19 1/2 x 2 = 39" minus 2" = 37".  Take the neckline to shin measurement and add 2 1/2" inches.  For example: neck to shin 21" plus 2 1/2" = 23 1/2".

Cut your fabric to the chest measurement needed by the neck to shin measurement needed.  In our example we cut a 37" x 23 1/2" piece (MAKING SURE THAT YOUR DESIGNER EDGE PRINT IS ALL ALONG THE BOTTOM OF THE WIDTH).  You will end up with a chunk of fabric that you will not use OR if enough is leftover you can create a shirt using the same sewing instructions as the dress/cover-up.  You will be measuring from the neck to the top of the thigh instead of the shin to get the proper length needed and
taking the chest measurement, double and subtract 7 inches.  For example: 19 1/2" x 2 = 39" minus 7" = 32"

Fabric cut to correct measurements.

Join wrong short sides together (width direction), sew a 1/4" seam down the short side (creating a tube), turn wrong side out and sew a 5/8" seam along the same 1/4" seam just created.  This method is a french seam.  They are our favorite way to finish seam allowances within garments because they give a nicely finished edge without having to zigzag or serge.  On the fold edge (opposite side of seam just created) stitch a 1/4" "fake" seam along the short side.  This method creates a more polished look with both sides of the garment having "seamed" sides.  Turn right side out.

To create a french seam, sew wrong sides together first with a 1/4" seam allowance, than turn wrong sides out and stitch a 5/8" seam allowance.  Turn right side out and you will see that your raw edges are inside the seam you just created.

Creating french and fake seams for the sides of the garment

To create the hem, fold under the designer edged print side a 1/4" twice and top stitch.  This will create a nicely finished hem edge.

Fold over 1/4" twice and top stitch for garment hem

Finished hem

Next is to make the arm holes.  Fold the garment in half lengthwise so you can cut out both armholes at one time.  For the 2T-3T cut down 4 1/2" inches from the top of the fabric and 2 inches from the sides.  Using a chalk pencil connect the two markings, rounding the corner as shown in the example.  (For sizes 4T-5T cut down 6 inches from the top and 2 inches from the side.)  Cut along the chalked lines.  Fold under 1/4" twice on the cut edges of each arm hole and top stitch.  To make this process easier, we suggest you press well after each fold, pin and sew slowly so that your stitching seam is straight and even.

Measure for arm holes.

Connect the top and side measurements with a marking device of your choice .  You will be cutting on the line.

Arm hole cut out.

Folded arm hole edge, pinned in place, ready for stitching

To create the casing at the neck for the ribbon/tie, fold down 1/4" from the top of the front and stitch a small hem.  Repeat for the top of the back.  Fold down 1" again on the top of the front and top stitch.  Repeat for the top of the back.

Folded under edge on the top of the garment - ready for top stitching - repeat this process for back.

To create the fabric ribbon/tie, fold over 1/4" on both short sides.  Fold over 1/4" on both edges of the long sides, meet the two folded edges together, fold again encasing the raw edges and top stitch creating a fabric ribbon/tie.

Fold over 1/4" on short side of ribbon/tie - do on both short sides.

Fold over 1/4" on long sides of ribbon/tie - do on both long sides.

Meet long sides together - fold together encasing the raw edges.

Stitch down entire length of the long sides.

Ribbon/Tie!

Insert the fabric ribbon/tie through the front casing and then around through the back casing.  There will be a loop of fabric ribbon/tie connecting the front and the back.  Place garment on child and cinch up the ribbon/tie creating gathers at the neck front and back and tie a knot or bow.

Finished garment!

A spin on a cross-over craft!

It is our desire from time to time to share different types of crafts with you that may or may not require sewing!  This "no sew" pinwheel project can be made from all kinds of colors and prints.  We chose patriotic colors to celebrate Memorial Day and the 4th of July.

What you need to gather:

- clothespin
- tack or pin of some sort (we used a large head bulletin board push pin)
-  5 1/2" squares of steam -a- seam (we used steam-a-seam 2)
- 6" squares of two different fabrics
- pinking shears or pinking rotary cutter

How to make:

Using the steam-a-seam fuse the two fabric pieces together with right sides out.  Take a pinking shears or a pinking rotary cutter and cut out a 5" square.

Draw a diagonal line from each corner to create an "X".  Using the pinking shears or pinking rotary cutter, cut on each line 3" up from each of the corners.

To create the pinwheel, take each corner and meet in the middle.

Poke your tack or push pin through all layers of the fabric and push into a clothespin.

You have created a spinning pinwheel.  You can attach to napkins or place on baskets for your holiday entertaining.

Since the weatherman says it's going to be an inside day tomorrow, I think we'll have a family crafting day and make a whole bunch of these!!!  Happy Memorial Day!!!

The cuddly flannel quilt!

Is there a season for a flannel quilt?  This is the question.  We find ourselves grabbing the cozy flannel or cuddle quilts even in the midst of the spring/summer weather.  There is just something about that soft fabric against your skin that makes it "oh so nice" as us Minnesotans would say.  You can download our new pattern, Nickel and Dime, HERE.

 You can use whatever fabrics you like.  We used a layer cake, a charm pack and  2 1/4 yards of deep hunter green marbled flannel from Holly Taylor's Shaded Oaks flannel line by Moda for our project.  You can do the same by purchasing a kit through our etsy shop HERE.  You will receive all the above for only $75 (tax included) plus shipping.  We ship next day via USPS or same day if order is placed by 10am CST.

Kit includes layer cake, charm pack and 2 1/4 yards of fabric for inner strips, border and binding.

Borders are our friends

We have a discussion from time to time about borders on quilts and what is deemed "acceptable".  The question some people struggle with: do the borders have to be the same widths on all sides.  Our answer is "no".  Sometimes you really like a quilt pattern but the size isn't right maybe you want it longer or wider.....so you change up the borders.

A perfect example is our Carry Out Geometric kit using our Carry Out pattern.  I really liked the fabric and wanted to use it in the guest bedroom in my farm house.  Since I have three daughters it was definitely decorated for a girl, the walls are painted a soft yellow.  This guestroom gets used mainly by a good friend who comes to the farm to help us out and by using the yellow, gray and black fabrics, it looks guy friendly.

The problem was that our Carry Out pattern size is 85" x 96" to fit a queen bed and I have two long twin beds.....so yep, you guessed it, I changed up the borders.  I used a wider border on the top and bottom of the quilt and narrower borders on the side.  It worked!  Yeah, the normal 85" x 96" quilt turned into a 79" x 107".  Check out the photo below!!  The fabric that we've included in both of our Carry Out kits will make either the same size borders or borders like I made.  Check them out here:  Carry Out Quilt Kit and Carry Out Geometric Quilt Kit.  (You can see a picture of the first Carry Out quilt in the previous post, it's the bright floral on the left in the pic of our booth in Minot.)

- Julie

(This blog was written by Julie about a week ago, but didn't have a picture.  We are posting this on her behalf while she's enjoying the sun in Arizona.  We're kind of jealous, but at least the weather has been really nice here too.  There may not even be any snow on the ground when Julie gets home.  Let's all cross our fingers!  -Holly and Katie)

A Quilt Story (and another free pattern)

We all have our favorite quilt, it could be one you made or one you've received as a gift. My favorite quilt is one made by my grandma, Marion Satterlie. I still remember the day she brought it to the house. She came in the house with three garbage bags, Yes garbage bags each with a quilt inside. She told my sisters and I we each could choose our quilt. I of course being the youngest got the leftover bag. As we began to open the bags my Grandma said "now these are nothing fancy, just created with some leftover scraps from my quilting projects" she then added "they are kind of like the ugliest quilt contest quilts".

When I opened my bag I found a beautiful quilt of many colors. Created with large strip cuts of fabrics sewn together. This quilt was perfect in my eyes! Even the perfect size! I could use it to cuddle up with on the couch and also use it on my bed.

This "ugliest quilt contest quilt" became my inspiration for creating the Carry Out pattern. A quilt the perfect size in my eyes created easily with large pieces of fabrics.

My intentions were to create this quilt for my daughter, Parker for her room.  I was showing the quilt to Parker, who is two years old.  I knew she approved when she saw it and said "Mommy my Twilt!".

While creating the Carry Out Pattern I decided I wanted the look of an inner border without having to measure and piece each border. Sewing on borders can become a little time consuming. My solution was to integrate the inner border into the four large block sections which make up the quilt. This way I only had to sew on the outer border using our sewing on borders technique. Check out our video on how we sew on all of our borders HERE.

The fabric used in Carry Out Floral Kit is from one of Katie and I's favorite designers, Tula Pink. I mixed two types of fabrics using traditional cotton quilting fabric and Voile fabric from her Birds and Bees line. I LOVE the feel of the Voile fabric it's almost like a silk feeling so soft to the touch! I had no trouble cutting or sewing with the Voile fabric, the only thing I suggest is to pin your fabrics when sewing them together.

I love the ease of creating the Carry Out pattern and I bet you have a few fabrics that are just too pretty to cut up! Find a few coordination fabrics and create your very own Carry Out quilt! You can use as little as 2 fabrics or up to 10 fabrics! Your creativity is endless!  OR you can purchase a kit of the fabrics we used HERE!

**Holly**

You can find our free pattern download for Carry Out HERE!

New pattern and pre-cut kits!

Our newest pattern, Lakes and Logs has been available for a couple weeks, we hope you're already working on it.  :)  We wanted to wait to post it on our blog until we got the pre-cut kits ready....well they are here!!!  We have three different pre-cut kits for this pattern.  You can download the free pattern HERE.  Click on the pictures below to purchase the kit.

This first kit is a lap size kit using Bali Pops from Hoffman fabrics and a civil war fabric by Barbara Brackman of Moda.

The pattern comes in two sizes, lap and king, so of course we had to make a king size pre-cut kit.  We used the fabric line Everlasting by Moda.

In the process of making the lap size we realized that it is the perfect size for Quilts of Valor.  So we used some amazing patriotic fabric called Old Glory Gatherings by Primitive Gatherings of Moda.  We also made a matching pillowcase.  We decided that for every lap size Quilts of Valor kit sold we will donate $25 to the Quilts of Valor.  For more information about the organization: http://www.qovf.org/

Pre-cut Kits

Our very first pre-cut kit is available online on our Etsy account.  Our "To the Point" kit is made up of Kona solid and Amy Butler fabric (not the same as pictured on the front of the pattern).  You don't have to do ANY cutting with this project.  Don't forget to get your free pattern at HERE.  We are planning to release our second pattern in the next few days, we're just putting the final touches on it.

To The Point

Our first pattern is FINALLY here!!!  Click the image for a FREE download that you can print!