New Pattern - Windswept View

I finished another quilt this week and this one has a lot of meaning for me. Some of my favourite vacations have been here on Vancouver Island spending time at the beaches. Watching the water and the birds is so relaxing for me. You too?

The fabrics are a new collection from Northcott called Swept Away. The amazing ombre fabrics are very effective for the shaded borders.

My new pattern is now available in the Patchworks Studio Store and fabrics are available in stores now.

Use the Northcott Product Finder to find a store that carries these fabrics. Here's how it works:

• Click the 'Swept Away' link above
• On the top right of the screen you'll see "Product Finder"
• Use the 'dropdown' arrow to select your province/state and you will see the shops that ordered the fabrics.

Try to shop local and support your local shops!

Mystic Journey - a new Patchworks Studio pattern

Here's an easy project that you can make in a weekend!  And you'll learn about 'value' as you make the quilt. The quilt is a great 'cuddle on the couch' size.

I chose Banyan Batiks Banyan Classics fabrics. This collection includes the range of values to create the shading for the blocks. 

A centre square of colour adds interest to the quilt; choose your favourite accent colour.

Quilt size: 63" x 72" - Recommended Skill Level: Confident Beginner

Buy the pattern here.

Ring Toss - a new pattern from an old design

I made a quilt with this 'ribbon-like' block over 20 years ago and I have wanted to design a pattern with it for a long time. My original quilt had the blocks in a traditional horizontal setting.

For this quilt I moved the rings around as I created the design using Electric Quilt sotware until they were overlapping.

The piecing is actually very straightforward. To simplify the piecing and avoid 'partial' or 'Y-seams' where the blocks overlap I sewed the units in horizontal rows.

I quilted free-motion feathers and swirls on my longarm, giving the lacy background lots of texture.

 

Fabrics are from the Darling Lace collection and Ketan by Banyan Batiks.

I also made a section of this quilt to show at my Schoolhouse presentation in Portland last month. I reversed the values so this quilt has a dark background.

This pattern is available to order now in the Patchworks Studio Store.

More Finishes for 2018

I'm on a roll!  Another pattern has been completed this year.

Zen Chic is a quilt you can make in a weekend! Two types of log-cabin style blocks are used in the quilt.

I made my sample while working in the Victoria Quilters' Guild tent at our Saanich Agricultural Fair last September. I finally had time to write the pattern for you.

Fabrics are Sophie from Banyan Batiks, a new division of Northcott. I love the florals and textures and the graphic fabric for the border of the small quilt was the perfect 'ending'. These fabrics are delivering to quilt shops this month.

There are 2 quilt sizes in the pattern: a 44" x 54" lap quilt and a full size quilt (80" x 80").

Pattern available now!

Stay tuned - more patterns coming soon!

Shibori = fun with 'stripes'

Have you seen the new Banyan Batiks fabrics?

Banyan Batiks challenge all aspects of the batik design process, from innovative tjaps (pronounced "chops"), original artwork and designer selected colours, to the finishing of the goods. Banyan Batiks strive to provide the quilting industry with a higher quality batik and a finish that sews like no other.

My latest pattern uses the new Shibori collection. 

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      BUY NOW   

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Banyan Batiks has created this very ancient fabric style using the batik process and it is gorgeous! The background for my quilt is a TRUE WHITE batik with subtle patterning.

Here are the other Shibori colours. 

You will find these fabrics in stores March 2018.

Another New Pattern

Add an asymmetrical border to this digital panel to make this wall quilt
that celebrates the majestic bald eagle.

You can also use any 24" x 40" panel for this design.

Quilt Size: 40" x 58"

Skill Level: Confident Beginner

Fabrics shown are by Northcott 

BUY NOW

REMINDER - Spread the Net Challenge

I will donate $5.00 from the retail sale of every Patchworks Studio pattern
to Spread the Net. 

One malaria net costs $10.00 so every pattern you buy will pay for 1/2 a net.

Buy 2 patterns and you'll buy ONE NET!

Read more here.

New Pattern

Crossroad Squares is my latest pattern. This quilt uses Island Batik fabrics; it would be great in other fabrics too. Choose 1 large scale 'theme' fabric and select 2 coordinates and a background.

Buy the pattern here.

Here are some other ideas for this design:

Order your pattern TODAY and support the Spread the Net Challenge!

Upcoming Pattern - Banyan Batiks

I just finished my latest quilt. This will be a new pattern with an exciting new fabric division from Northcott.  Banyan Batiks will make their debut at International Quilt Market this fall in Houston.

The fabrics I used are from the Sophie collection combined with a great new basic collection called Ketan.

Watch for the release of my Zen Chic pattern early in 2018. Stay tuned for a couple of new patterns using these amazing new batiks!

New Pattern - Old Growth

Did you follow my series of posts about embellishing my Old Growth quilt? 

I talked about: Bobbin Quilting, Couching Thick Threads and Embellishing with Fluffy & Fuzzy Threads


I have now published the pattern for this quilt.

It all started when I was on a mini-vacation earlier this year. My husband and I travelled to Uclulet on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. We stopped at Cathedral Grove, a special place filled with old growth trees, some as old as 800 years!  I took lots of photographs as we walked among the trees.

A couple of months later I was asked to design a pattern using Northcott's new Naturescapes fabrics.

As soon as I saw the amazing 'bark' fabrics I knew what I wanted to design. The water, sky, rocks, ferns and textures were perfect for the background and the variety of bark patterns worked wonderfully for my version of the old growth trees.

After I sewed the background I drew stylized trees based on several of my photographs, selected the different bark and green texture fabrics and fused them to the quilt. My basic quilting  was done on my longarm and for the embellishments I used my Bernina 440 domestic machine. Since the quilt is not large, you can quilt it on your domestic machine and then try some of the embellishments described in my blog posts.

I am thrilled with the results and hope you will enjoy making your own Old Growth quilt too.

The quilt is 50" x 50" and I recommend this pattern for Advanced quilters.

Naturescapes fabrics will be in quilt shops starting in November, but you could get started with fabrics from your stash and begin work on your own version of my trees.

Order the pattern here.

New Pattern

I'm pleased to announce another new pattern - The Pond.

The branches of a weeping willow drift down over a tranquil pond filled with lily pads in this restful wall quilt. This quilt uses strip piecing and appliqué.

Quilt Size: 45" x 53"

Skill Level: Confident Beginner

Fabric:
Artisan Spirit - Shimmer Echoes
by Northcott

The pattern includes 

5 different colour options. 

The picture to the right is the
Earth & Ebony colourway. 

The other options are shown below.

BUY THE PATTERN HERE

It's a 'Picnic in the Park'

That's the name of my latest pattern. Quilters often ask me how I design a new quilt. For this one I wanted to use the yellow to orange values in the new Northcott Gradations Brights fabrics. I also wanted simple piecing and an 'on point' setting - you get more 'bang for your buck' if you put blocks 'on point' - fewer blocks but they cover more distance on the diagonal! I also wanted to have a wide range of values to do the work in this quilt. 

I have never been a huge fan of yellow. I often struggle if I try to use it in a quilt because it is so 'luminous' and I think you need just the right amount and in the right places across the quilt. If the placement isn't quite right, the viewer can get 'stuck' looking at that one piece of yellow and miss all the other great things that are going on in the quilt.

So the best thing would be to make a quilt that's ENTIRELY based on yellow. I thought I couldn't get into as much trouble that way!  And I think it worked. 

I chose 5 yellow/orange values: Light, Medium and Dark Yellow and Medium and Dark Orange. For this sunny quilt I needed another colour for the circles and sashing. I chose the complementary colour to the Dark Orange: Turquoise. This contrast in colour really makes the quilt successful.

After I design a quilt, the next step is to give it a name.  That's where my family play a big part.  I send a small picture to my daughter and she brainstorms name ideas.  She is VERY good at this!  My husband also has a look and makes his suggestions. Then we reject the ones that aren't great, keep the ones that are and finally choose the one that we all like the best.

I'm not sure if they named this quilt or if I did. But I know that when I looked at the final quilt it made me think of a park where groups of people are having picnics. There are pathways among the blankets spread around with dots of people enjoying a summer day.  I don't know where that image came from....but that's how this quilt got its name!

The quilt is 62" x 82" and is designed for Confident Beginners.  I used fusible applique for my circles and the pattern includes detailed instructions for this method.

Buy this pattern in the Patchworks Studio store.

Sneak Peak - Go! Fish

I have been spending part of each day for the last few weeks working on a new project. No....I'm not taking part in one of those 365-block-a-day projects. Though it did cross my mind to do one. It would use up some of the stash, right. How hard would it be to do JUST ONE BLOCK every day? 

Then I came back to reality.....I have enough PRIORITY tasks; I don't need even one more. No 365 blocks on my TO DO list....

So, back to MY project.  It is a new design using upcoming Island Batik fabrics. I love working with these bright colours............

Strips for some of the alternate blocks - cut and joined end to end.

I also love my Bloc-Loc ruler for squaring up Half Square Triangles - these ones are 1-1/2" finished and they are PERFECT.

Squaring up the blocks on the kitchen counter while watching the hockey game.

 



One last seam to join the rows together....

Can't wait to see the entire top put together.

 

Test-fitting the backing fabric so I can load it onto the Avante and start quilting.  Now...decisions, decisions.....how will I quilt it?  Suggestions welcomed!

Hurray! The backing is plenty big enough!

 I'll let you know when the pattern for this quilt is ready.

New Pattern - Spinners!

My latest pattern really makes a 'spin'!

Pairs of five different pinwheel blocks are arranged in vertical rows in the center of this lap quilt. 

The easy-to-make triangle borders add an asymmetrical frame to the quilt.

The pattern shows you how to sort the cut pieces into bags to keep you organized as you make the blocks and pieced borders.


Quilt Size: 52" x 66"

Skill Level: Confident Beginner

Order the pattern here.

New Pattern - True North - a Celebration of Canada

My latest pattern, True North, celebrates Canada and showcases animals, birds and the diversity of this great land. The fabrics are from Northcott, the latest collection in the Oh Canada series. 

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Northcott proudly supports Quilts of Valour – Canada.

 

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This quilt is a 'horizontal row' quilt and it is designed for Confident Beginners. 

 

The size fits the Quilts of Valour requirements so you can
donate your quilt to support Canada's soldiers and their families.

 

 

Buy the pattern here.

 

The Oh Canada 4 collection of fabrics will arrive in Canadian quilt shops in September. Let your local shop know if you'd like them to stock them so they can place their orders.

 

 

Happy Trails.....to you!

Do you remember that song? Happy Trails to you, until we meet again....

This was the theme song for Roy Rogers and Dale Evans - and I was a huge fan when I was about 4 years old.  I had an old fishing hat with a string that was my grandfather's. I loved to hang it around my neck so the hat was on my back....and when I ran around the hat bounced on my back and I imagined I was riding a horse.

Here I am with the hat on my back....and my doll 'Billy'.

How does that fit with a new pattern you ask?  Well, when I was asked to design a quilt using Northcott's new fabric, Rodeo Roundup, I remembered playing 'cowboy' with my old hat and I said 'yes'.

Here is my new pattern, Happy Trails.

Lap Size - 54" x 74"

 I started with the border stripe of cowboys and bucking broncs to make a horizontal row quilt. I love row quilts!  They are such fun to make and it is great seeing your quilt grow with every row you make.

The pieced blocks are my own design, once used in a vertical orientation for a flannel child's quilt in a magazine article I wrote many years ago. And to add just a bit more fun I added the pieced border blocks. These make the quilt look like an old rug that you might find on the set of Bonanza!

The fabrics will be in your local quilt shops very soon. Why not make this pattern for your own 'buckaroos'.  There are 2 sizes - lap size is 54" x 74" and the double size is 74" square.

Double Size - 74" square

Order the pattern online here.

New Pattern - Tonbridge Tiles

I have just published another pattern. Tonbridge Tiles uses Northcott's Knotty Intentions collection. Quilt size: 58" x 74"

The focal point for this design is the marquis inlay panel.

Exotic wood grain parquetry flooring designs add intricacy to the quilt. 

Fabrics will be delivering to quilt stores in April.

Order the pattern now.

This quilt would look lovely in other fabrics too. 

Just substitute your favourite 12" finished block for the motifs from the panel.

New Pattern - Zigzag Zoo

My latest pattern uses Northcott's Safari Adventures fabrics. I love the friendly animals in this print - giraffes, lions, monkeys, elephants, zebras, crocodiles and impalas! My pattern uses the animal border for horizontal rows. Simple 'zigzags', four-patch blocks and 'fast flying geese' are used in the other rows. This is a fun and easy quilt. Size is 40" x 48".

Also included in the pattern are a pillowcase and a pyjama bag. Both these projects are well-illustrated and sew up very quickly.

Safari Adventures is Northcott’s latest collection in support of Quilts for Kids Inc., a charity creating quilts for children with life-threatening illnesses or those who have suffered from abuse. A portion of sales from Safari Adventures will be donated to Quilts for Kids. Visit www.quiltsforkids.org for more information. 
Buy the pattern at the Patchworks Studio Store.

I saw all these animals (and more) when I visited relatives in South Africa in the 1980s. Here are a few pictures I took when my Aunt and Uncle took me to Kruger National Park.

Buy the Zigzag Zoo pattern here.

New Pattern

Chips & Churns is one of the quilts I designed for Northcott using their ColorWorks solids. The colors of this collection have been updated with an amazing range of values.

I love the way quilting shows so well on solid fabrics. Here's a closeup of the quilting.

I designed the pattern in 3 different colour themes: pastel, country and dramatic. And there are 2 sizes in the pattern - 55" square and 85" square. The blocks are large and quick to piece. This quilt would look amazing in prints too!

Buy the pattern here.

Holiday Lights - New Pattern

Northcott's Starry Night II fabrics will be shipping to your local quilt shops this month. And my latest pattern uses this fabric line for a project to celebrate the holidays.  Why not be ready this year and work on this project over the summer!

The wreath panel is enhanced by adding borders including a foundation pieced ribbon border. Complete instructions for foundation piecing are included in the pattern.

Two sizes are included in the pattern: a bed quilt (73" x 88") and a wall quilt (42" x 57").

Don't wait - check your local quilt shop before this fabric is SOLD OUT!

New Pattern - for the little girls in your life!

When Northcott asked me to design a quilt with their new Stonehenge Little Girls fabric I imagined a sweet little girl who wanted a quilt for her dolls or teddy bears. I couldn't just do a pattern for a small size quilt so I played with the design I sketched to see how it would work for larger quilts.

My pattern Candy Cottages is the result.

The pattern has 3 sizes:

• bed size - 55" x 65" (I'm imagining a single bed - the first one for a little girl after she 'graduates' from a crib)
• baby size - 36" square - perfect for snuggling with
• doll size - 18" square

The amazing thing with this fabric line is Northcott's 'Easy Pieces' fusible laser cuts for the applique shapes - flowers, hearts and butterflies, all in 3 sizes and using all the same Little Girls fabrics.

This pattern is now available at Patchworks Studio. Pick one up today and make a quick and easy project for a little girl in your life!