Tag Archives: quilters planner

english paper piecing, Paper piecing, quilt photography, Quilting

Works in Progress: A Little of This, A Little of That

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I have a lot of simultaneous projects going on right now, which is pretty typical of my sewing style. I like to have a selection of projects so that when a free moment arises, I have something to work on, but also have a choice as to what I work on each day. It helps my creativity feel refreshed and helps avoid inspiration slumps. When in doubt, I start a new project since I have no shortage of projects I *want* to create, and there’s nothing like curating a new fabric pull or cutting into a new project to renew my excitement for sewing.

It’s been a while since I’ve showed you my ongoing projects, so I thought today would be a good day! These are my most frequently worked upon projects; there are scads more on the semi-permanent back burner that I will pick up again when my plate clears *just* a bit. Today, the highlights!

IMG_5280First up is my ongoing epic Carolyn Friedlander Modern Hexies project. This is my on-the-go English Paper Piecing (EPP) project that lives in my purse. I’m making progress at a bit slower than snail paced this summer, since somehow those free moments that allow for hand stitching while the kids are occupied are few and far between. And oddly, all three kids have not simultaneously fallen asleep in the car on the way to a store even ONCE! What was somewhat regular with two kids is likened to a golden unicorn with three. But still, one stitch at a time, one hexagon at a time, this project progresses.

andover foundation paper pieced project alison glass handcrafted patchworkAnother project I’m plugging away on is a fun one for Andover Fabrics. They were awesome enough to send some Alison Glass Handcrafted Patchwork to me, as well as some yardage of Constellation by Lizzy House from her Whisper Palette collection. I picked up some Andover textured solid from my LQS Fiddlehead Artisan Supply to round it out. I’m working on a new geometric foundation paper pieced pattern, with meticulously cut sections of the gorgeous Handcrafted Patchwork fabrics. There will be a tutorial going up on Andover’s blog very soon, as well as the pattern release, so keep your eye out!

quilter's planner photography outtake karen lewis quilt acadia maineI’ve also been out on three different quilt photography adventures with my amazingly gifted quilt holding assistant, aka my husband. We have been having a blast photographing the quilts for this year’s Quilter’s Planner in a sampling of the gorgeous natural locations in Maine. The planner is now available for preorder! Reserve yours HERE… there are a limited number of early bird specials and some really fun extra bits this year! I’ve shared one fun outtake above, but more will be revealed in the coming weeks. Hint: Shown here is one of the 14 patterns that will be included in the planner this year, this one by the ever talented Karen Lewis! It’s so gorgeous; I can’t wait to show you more! Be sure to preorder yours now; you can read all about it on its Indiegogo page here.

Alison Glass fabric pull for Terrazzo quilt by Lee HeinrichThere are many other fun projects waiting patiently on the decks, including a Terrazzo Quilt (pattern by Lee Heinrich of Freshly Pieced) made using all of Alison Glass’s Sun Prints 2016 provided by Fat Quarter Shop (the fabric pull is shown above!), a simple new pattern I’m making for a secret side project with some fellow designers, a baby quilt for one of my best friends from college who is having her second baby soon (see the quilt I made for her first baby here), a quilt pattern that will appear in a magazine early next year, and more!

Phew! What have you been working on?

I’m linking up with Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times & Main Crush Monday at Cooking up Quilts since I love to see what everyone else is working on.

Business, Quilting, Sewing

Christmas in July Pattern Bundle Sale – 72 hours only!

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I’m not typically one to sew for the holidays, but in retrospect, perhaps it’s because I don’t begin my projects early enough to make it possible! Enter: Christmas in July.  I’m beginning to understand why the term “Christmas in July” exists–since if you want to hand stitch gifts, you should be beginning in July! If you are the type who does like to sew holiday gifts, or even just someone who loves a great deal, today is your day! Note: This sale has ended for the year! 

christmas in july Bundle Sale HeaderI’m excited to be joining a fantastic group of pattern designers to bring you a Christmas in July pattern bundle, available for $25 for three days only. There are 23+ great patterns included, as well as some great sponsor prizes. Both of my top selling foundation paper pieced patterns Lupine & Love Struck are included in the bundle, as well as a variety of other fantastic patterns by talented designers, both holiday themed and all purpose patterns great to have in your library.

Quilter's Planner IncentiveAs an extra special incentive, if you buy the bundle from me, you will also be entered to win a Quilter’s Planner 2017 Starter Kit, which includes a 2017 Quilter’s Planner as well as pens, stickers, and highlighters to help you stay organized, productive, and inspired! (Note: The winner will receive the starter kit as soon as it’s available, expected to be shipping in October). Congratulations to Sharon, the winner of the Quilter’s Planner Starter Kit!

Many thanks to Jen Frost from Faith & Fabric, who has organized this bundle sale and helped get everyone together to offer this great deal. Here’s a bit more about what’s included in the purchase of the bundle.

bundle sale contentsbundle sale participantsYou will get immediate digital download of all of the patterns shown above, plus:

– two coupon codes: one for Gotham Quilts and one for Sulky
– one entry to win a free Craftsy Class
– one entry to win a 6mo subscription to Make Modern

PLUS, as I mentioned above, if you buy the bundle HERE, you will also be entered to win a 2017 Quilter’s Planner Starter Kit, care of yours truly and my dear friend Stephanie (Late Night Quilter), the mastermind behind the Quilter’s Planner. Talk about Christmas in July! Again, congrats to Sharon!

The bundle is no longer available since the sale has ended for the year. Stay tuned next July, and for those of you who purchased the bundle, happy stitching!  The bundle is available in my Payhip shop, and will only be live for 72 hours beginning RIGHT NOW! This sale runs from Monday 3pm EST until Thursday 3pm EST, so be sure to catch it now. Once you purchase the bundle, greatly expand your library of sewing and quilt patterns, and get sewing, please share your creations using #sewchristmasinjuly on social media. We would all love to see what you create!

Bundle Sale Ended

 

 

Quilting, Tutorials

Riot of Color: Quilter’s Planner Cover Tutorial

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Today I’m sharing the tutorial for how to make the outer panel of a Zippy Quilter’s Planner Cover like the one I made. I’m calling it Riot of Color and it’s a tribute to Alison Glass and her consistently bold and beautiful fabrics. A full color pdf of this tutorial is available on the Quilter’s Planner website, so head on over there to download it!

alison glass quilters planner coverThis tutorial is for creating the outer  panel for the Zippy Quilter’s Planner  Cover pattern customized by Stephanie (Late Night Quilter) and Amanda (What the Bobbin) for the Quilter’s Planner. This  tutorial will provide cutting and piecing instructions for the outer panel (11”x19 1/2”). From there, follow the instructions in the   Quilter’s Planner cover pattern found at http://quiltersplanner.com to make the full zippy planner cover, using this 11”x19 1/2” panel as the “exterior fabric”.

zippy quilters planner cover tutorialThe secret to this cover’s creation is the fabric choices. The dark grey of the Essex linen in Charcoal (Robert Kaufman Fabrics) lets the bright bold colors of Alison Glass’s Sun Prints 2016 and Art Theory panel in Charcoal (from Ex Libris – Andover Fabrics) shine. This could also be made using a favorite large scale print for the feature fabric and fussy cut bits for the squares, but be sure to use a contrasting solid or reads-as-solid background fabric so that the construction shines.

General Notes:  Seam allowances are 1/4” throughout unless indicated otherwise. I like to press seams open, but in some cases I pressed to the side for this project. I will note those places in this tutorial.

Cutting

zippy planners cover tutorial cutting instructionsFirst, cut all of your fabric pieces according to the Cutting Requirements chart and diagram above.

A Note About the E Pieces

Here’s where I’m going to be real with you. The DE strips have a lot of seams. This means that if your 1/4” seam allowance is off by even a little bit, your strip may be slightly the wrong size. In the cutting chart above, I’ve accounted for this human error. (You’re welcome!)

*IF* your seams are an absolute perfect 1/4” and your cutting is precise, the top and bottom E pieces on both strips (four E pieces total) only need to measure 1 1/2” x 3/4”.

This tutorial allows you to trim the excess at the end so that you don’t have to worry as much about the precision of your 1/4” seam. That said, focus on straight, consistent seams and we will adjust for scant or generous seams during the process!  If you feel like you want to be a Perfect Seams Superhero and save yourself some math and cutting, use 1 1/2” x 3/4” E pieces on the top and bottom of each strip. Go ahead and cut your pieces.

Ready? Lay it all out how you want it and then start assembling!

Assembly

Pair each D piece right sides together with an E piece and sew with a 1/4” seam allowance. 

chain piecingI like to get them all ready and then chain piece to save time.

Organization Tip
Be sure to take a photo of your layout before sewing so that you have a visual reference along the way!

Set seams and press open. Lay them out again and check your reference photo. There should be one E that has not yet been paired and sewn. Pair and sew components of the DE strips until they are completely assembled. Press seams open.

If you are being a Perfect Seams Superhero today and used 1 1/2” x 3/4” E pieces on the tops and bottoms of your strips, confirm that your fully assembled strip now measures 1 1/2” x 11”, pat yourself on the back and skip ahead to the full panel piecing.

If you are being merely human today, give your strips a good press and lay them on your cutting mat. It’s time to measure how much excess you have and take care of it.

Planner Cover StripsWe want the finished strips to measure 11” long, but we want to be sure our colorful bits  stay centered. To do this, take the following steps (the example shown is in parenthesis):

  1. Measure each strip to the nearest 1/8” being sure to press it flat so that it extends to its full length. (My strips shown measured 11 1/2” when I held them flat.)
  2. Take the difference of 11” from the length of your strip.   (11 1/2 – 11 = 1/2”)
  3. Divide the difference by 2.  (1/2” / 2 = 1/4”)
  4. That’s how much you should trim from each end of your strip. (I trimmed 1/4” from each end)

Now, measure your strips again. Each strip should measure 1 1/2” x 11”. Don’t worry about a little wobble or wonk at this point. Everything will be smoothed out during the final assembly!

Next, we will piece the rest of the panel.

zippy quilters planner tutorialLay out all of your pieces again as shown (left to right): C,  DE strip, B, A, B, DE strip, C.

Sew them together!

Here’s the order in which I assembled it, but do what works logically for you.

  1. Right sides together, sew B pieces to A. Press seams open. This is the BAB unit.
  2. Right sides together and double-checking the orientation of the DE strips, sew C outer pieces to DE strips. Press toward C. These are your DEC units.
  3. Sew DEC units to the BAB unit, pressing seams toward BAB.

Give your panel a good press, check that it measures 11” x 19 1/2” and trim if needed.

zippy quilters planner cover tutorialFrom here, head over to the Zippy Quilter’s Planner Cover tutorial by Amanda and Stephanie to complete your planner cover!  Use this Riot of Color panel as the “exterior fabric”.

alison glass quilters planner coverHave fun creating your own versions of this cover, and please tag me @nightquilter if you post pictures on social media. I always love to see what you create!

I’m linking up with Stephanie’s Tips and Tutorials Tuesday. I love collaborating with that girl! Can you tell?

Giveaway

Giveaway Winner!

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Thank you for all of your interest in the Quilter’s Planner and Alison Glass fabric giveaway! Last night after closing the giveaway, I let Mr. Random determine the lucky winner. Out of 385 entries, he chose number 367 as the winner.

random generator winnerIt was nice that I didn’t have to count TOO far into that group of comments, since counting backward from 385 wasn’t too strenuous, although I wish I could send a planner to every one of you! the 367th commenter was lucky Alisa, @astitchinbetween on Instagram. She’s been contacted and this prize is going all the way to Taiwan!

planner giveaway winnerAlisa, I will be mailing out the Quilter’s Planner and Alison Glass fabric in the next day or so. I hope the planner helps you feel uber organized and efficient, and look forward to seeing your twinsie planner cover.

For those of you who did not win, be sure to sign up for email updates on quiltersplanner.com, where you can download the project planning pages as printable pdfs so that you can begin your organization now, AND you will be the first to know when the 2017 planner is available for preorder.

quilters planner cover tutorialThe tutorial for how to piece the outer panel for a Quilter’s Planner Cover like this one will be available soon on quiltersplanner.com, too. I sent the first draft to Stephanie last night, so as soon as it’s finalized it will be available.

Many thanks to all of you for entering the giveaway, and of course to Stephanie for sending me an extra planner so that I could pass on the quilty love. Have a great night!

Giveaway, Quilting

Planning a Colorful Year {& Giveaway}

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I have spent the past three months or more psyching myself up for the Quilter’s Planner designed by Stephanie at Late Night Quilter. I’ve dreamt of a year during which I’m organized, on time, and actually accomplishing my goals in a somewhat planned and consistent way. One month into using the Quilter’s Planner and I’m excited to report that it has helped me create a life that fits my vision! I also finally finished sewing the cover, which adds even more color and cheer to the year ahead. To celebrate, I’ll be giving away a Quilter’s Planner! Now is your chance to get one since they are sold out everywhere else! To be clear, the giveaway is for a planner and fabric only. The planner cover shown in this post is mine… BUT there will be instructions on how to make one just like this available soon, and I’m including the fabric needed to make the outer panel in the giveaway!

alison glass quilters planner coverEver since Stephanie announced that she would be teaming up with Amanda at What the Bobbin to provide a tutorial for sewing a personalized planner cover, I’ve been planning to finally cut into my cherished Art Theory panel from Ex Libris by Alison Glass. I am absolutely smitten with the result, and am planning to create a tutorial and piecing instructions for the outer panel in case you would like to make an Alison Glass-themed outer cover, too. (I’m hoping to have it to Stephanie some time next week and she will make it available on the Quilter’s Planner website.)

alison glass quilters planner coverThe cover has the Art Theory panel as the center focal print, with Essex linen in charcoal and coordinating Sun Prints 2016 on the sides. Sun Prints 2016 are arriving in stores now, but Alison was kind enough to send a bit my way in advance for this project. I love how all of her fabric lines coordinate and compliment each other so well!

alison glass quilters planner coverHere’s the full outer cover, without the planner in it. As you can see, I chose cool colors for the front and warm for the back, complete with the appropriate Sun Prints 2016. As I mentioned above, cutting and piecing instructions for recreating this outer panel will be available on the Quilter’s Planner website soon. I absolutely love it!

alison glass quilters planner coverHere is the inside without the planner so that you can see the Bookplate in Charcoal (Ex Libris) pockets paired with the Sticks and Twine in Charcoal (Abacus) lining. I added two ribbons; one marks the current weekly calendar page, and one marks the page on which I’m currently sketching new ideas.

alison glass quilters planner coverI used a bit of Artifact in Charcoal from Abacus as a pen/scissor holder, too. It fits perfectly! Realistically, I most likely will keep my pencil and micron pen in the zip pocket and my scissors in my sewing kit, but I know I have an option to carry them along if need be. Plus, BEAUTY!

alison glass quilters planner coverI found a perfectly coordinating zipper and some fun eggplant colored elastic at my local quilt shop Fiddlehead Artisan Supply. The elastic is designed for bra straps, so it’s sooooo silky smooth.

alison glass quilters planner cover
View of the back of the planner cover, with the gorgeous elastic holding it all together.

I love how the elastic holds the planner together when it’s closed. I have big plans to make a coordinating Super Tote (a Noodlehead pattern) and carrying my planner with me everywhere (scheduled for sometime in the future! LOL).

quilters planner cover alison glassAs you can see, I absolutely love my planner and am very excited to have this finished cover to show to you. I am a big list person, so making the decision to set goals and write out my lists at the beginning of each week and again every morning has been monumental. Not only am I improving at setting and staying on top of realistic sewing and blogging goals, I’m also keeping my house nearly completely clean for the first time ever. The change? A switch from “I should do…” to just doing it. Instead of looking at the dishes and saying “I need to do the dishes” I just put on my dish gloves and dig in. I also space out tasks so that laundry is done in manageable steps instead of left until it’s a mountain with no end in sight. Did the planner work some magic over me? Who knows. Either way, knowing that I have a paper planner with actual listed items I need to cross out each day has made me much more accountable for actually doing the things on my list.

Giveaway time!

Now, for the giveaway! Stephanie was nice enough to send me an extra planner and I want to share it with YOU! I’m also going to include a charm pack of Alison Glass’s Sun Prints 2016, one Art Theory panel in charcoal, and a bit of Robert Kaufman’s Essex linen in charcoal–in other words, all of the fabric needed to create the outside panel for a planner cover just like mine!

Giveaway Quilter's Planner and Fabric BLOGTo enter the giveaway today, tell me your favorite feature of the Quilter’s Planner, OR a feature you’d like to see next year. You can read all about this year’s Quilter’s Planner and can sign up for email updates here. Leave a comment and make sure I’m able to get ahold of you if you win.  If you’re a follower of Night Quilter, leave a second comment telling me how you follow for a second entry.

For those of you who want to be in the loop for next year regardless of whether you win this planner, I definitely recommend signing up for the mailing list at http://quiltersplanner.com/. When you sign up, you’ll also immediately receive a PDF of the Individual Project Planning Page. Stephanie will periodically email you new PDFs as she develops them to thank you for your support, and you will be the first to know when preorders open for next year’s planner.

This giveaway is open to US and international participants.  The giveaway will be open until 8pm Wednesday 2/10 when I’ll select the winner randomly with random.org. Good luck, and spread the word! This giveaway has ended. The winner will be announced shortly!

I’m linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it up Friday, and I’m so excited to have this gorgeous finished planner cover to brighten my days!

Please note that while I usually try to reply to every blog comment by email, due to the volume of comments during giveaways I will not be able to reply to all comments on this post. Know, though, that I read every one and appreciate all of your kind words!!

**Sponsor News**
All Night Quilter love-themed patterns are on sale through Valentine’s Day on Craftsy and Payhip. Sew up some hearts for your home!
Fiddlehead Artisan Supply is having a Cabin Fever Sale this weekend! Use code “CabinFever” on their site this Friday evening through Sunday night to receive 20% off of your total purchases (not including shipping).