Pinafore Bag and Tilda's Harvest collection: a match made in sewing heaven

Last spring one of my dear blog sponsors, Allison Cotton of My Timeless Day, texted me with some exciting news. Allison had received word that her shop would be able to carry the much sought after Tilda collections. This popular Norwegian fabric was formerly unavailable in the United States! We were both thrilled, as we share an affinity for fabrics that are romantic and nostalgic, but also have a timeless feel.

Allison’s first shipment has finally arrived, and she has filled her shop with Tilda’s newest collection, Harvest. She was kind enough to send me this lovely combination of Harvest fabrics featuring the lilac and teal.

When I saw the lilac print, I knew immediately what I wanted to make, a Pinafore Bag (pattern by Me and My Sister Designs) for someone very special in my life.  Someone who finds special comfort in the color purple. Someone who says she can never have enough bags!

I’ve made the Pinafore Bag before, years ago, and it is my all-time favorite bag.  It’s the perfect size . . . big enough to hold a book or magazine, your wallet, and several other items, but not so big that you feel like you are lugging a suitcase! It's also the perfect bag for showing off three favorite fabrics, like these gorgeous Tilda prints!

To the body of the bag, I added simple straight-line quilting on my Bernina using Aurifil 2520 (violet) 80wt. The pattern instructions call for this simple quilting, and it adds a nice detail to the bag. I attached a small leather "handmade" tag using Aurifloss 2021 (natural white) and all of my piecing was done using Aurifil 2021 in 50wt.

The Pinafore Bag includes a handy interior hanging pocket which I typically fill with lip gloss, my car keys, a pack of gum, and a pony tail holder. Seriously, I just love this bag.  And I just knew the recipient of this Tilda version would love it too!

And she did!  Here is my mom, Brenda, with her Tilda Pinafore Bag. I think this is such a cute picture of Mom in front of her lake home, near her lovely flowers. Mom is my blog and pattern proofer, and all around cheerleader. Thanks, Mom!

The color range of Tilda's Harvest line is simply beautiful. In addition to the lilac and teal that I’ve used, the collection boasts ginger orange, olive green, vibrant pink, and royal blue. To me, the Tilda prints are a wonderful mix of modern and classic. You can check out the full range at My Timeless Day!  Allison is also carrying the Pinafore Bag pattern in her shop!

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today to see my latest make.  I hope you find the time to visit My Timeless Day.  Not only do they carry a wonderful assortment of products, they also have caring, personal customer service.

Until next time, get carried away quilting, my friends!

~Taunja

New charm pack pattern: Diamond Trail

I love to purchase charm packs, don’t you? It’s an affordable way to get my hands on every piece of fabric from my favorite designers’ newest collections. To make sure those charm packs don’t just accumulate on my shelves and become sewing room decorations, I designed this quick and easy runner called Diamond Trail.

Diamond Trail is a 22” x 32 1/2” runner that is a snap to make! The pattern top calls for just one charm pack and 3/8 yard of white or neutral, two ingredients you probably already have on hand! Strategically placed white corner triangles give the illusion of set-in diamonds, creating a pleasing look for a simple quilt! 

For my runner, I selected this warm collection called Sundrops, which was designed by Corey Yoder for Moda. The colors are just so yummy, especially for summer and fall!

This pattern is a great candidate for at-home, straight line machine quilting.  You could just follow the seams and highlight the diamonds and you’d have a wonderful finished project.  

OR, you could hire someone terrifically talented to beautify your quilt with fabulous quilting, which is what I did!

Diamond Trail was custom quilted by Starlit Bear of Starlit Quilts.  I sincerely don’t have the words for how thrilled I was when I received this little runner back in the mail!  I remember that I just sat and stared at it for quite some time, taking in every lovely detail and dimension that Star created.  She truly is an artist!  Thank you so much, Star!

Diamond Trail is available as a PDF digital download through my Etsy Store and my Craftsy Pattern Shop.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today.  Please be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook if you make your own version of Diamond Trail.  I’d love to see your finished project!  #diamondtrailpattern

Now, go sift through your stash of charm packs and get carried away quilting!

~Taunja

August Rolling Nine Patch blocks: Patchwork Quilt Along with Fat Quarter Shop

Hello quilting friends! Summer is sadly winding down here in northern Minnesota.  My children have returned to college, and I have the first little glimmer of longing to decorate for autumn.  

Thankfully, I am still in full swing with the 2017 Patchwork Quilt Along with Fat Quarter Shop. I am sewing my blocks with the beautiful and sunny Fleurs fabric (Brenda Riddle for Moda), and these sweet prints remind me to enjoy every last bit of our warm season!

The August block is called the Rolling Nine Patch, a fun twist on the traditional nine-patch block.  I just love it in this sunny yellow, which so perfectly matches my Bee Happy tin from Lori Holt & Fat Quarter Shop!

The August block is pretty straight forward construction. Still, some folks have mentioned that they find these 5 1/2" blocks to be kind of tricky.  I've shared some of my Patchwork Quilt Along piecing tips in an earlier blog post if that is helpful to you.

In case you are a new reader, this annual event hosted by Fat Quarter Shop is a charity quilt along.  The patterns are free and are posted on the 15^th of each month on the Jolly Jabber. Quilters are asked to donate $5 for each block pattern that they download.  All proceeds will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation!  What a great opportunity for us all!

It's not too late for you to join in the fun. Here’s a link which provides all the details:

https://blog.fatquartershop.com/patchwork-quilt-along.html

And here’s a link to the kit if you want to make one in Basics by Bonnie & Camille!

http://www.fatquartershop.com/patchwork-quilt-along-quilt-kit

Several other bloggers are quilting along! Please visit their blogs too!

Amanda from Jedi Craft Girl (@jedicraftgirl)

Amy of Diary of a Quilter (@diaryofaquilter)

Andy of A Bright Corner (@abrightcorner)

Bonnie of Cotton Way (@bonniecottonway)

Camille of Thimble Blossoms (@thimbleblossoms)

Debbie of Happy Little Cottage (@happylittlecottage1)

Greg of Grey Dogwood Studio (@greydogwoodstudio)

Heidi of Buttons and Butterflies (@buttonsandbutterflies)

Melissa of Happy Quilting (@happyquiltingmc)

Melissa of Oh How Sweet (@ohhowsweet)

Pat Sloan of Pat Sloan.com (@quilterpatsloan)

Renee of Sewn with Grace (@sewnwithgrace)

Sedef of Down Grapevine Lane (@downgrapevinelane)

Sherri of A Quilting Life (@aquiltinglife)

Sondra of Out of the Blue Quilts (@sondradavison)

Taunja of Carried Away Quilting (@taunjalynn)

Tina of Emily Ann's Kloset (@emilyannskloset)

Carrie Nelson/Miss Rosie of Moda Cutting Table

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to share your progress on the 2017 Patchwork Quilt Along Facebook group! And be sure to post your own blocks using the hashtag #patchworkquiltalong on Instagram!   

~Taunja

Dog themed pillowcases with Quilt Girls

Last night I had some fun sewing two simple pillow cases using this adorable fabric from one of my sponsors, Quilt Girls. I was reminded of how satisfying it is to make a quick gift that you know someone else will love, particularly when it’s for a child! I have two little boys in mind who will be delighted by this “Must Love Dogs” main fabric by Ginger Oliphant for Studio E fabrics.

To make these pillowcases, I used a free tutorial by Pretty Prudent called “The Easiest & Cutest Pillowcase Ever.”  I’ve used this tutorial before when sewing pillowcases with my daughter and a family friend (Our Little Pillowcase Workshop). It's such a fun and easy project, and a great way to teach basic sewing skills to a young sewist!

There's something special about this Must Love Dogs print that makes it appealing to all ages. Maybe it's because the dogs look so sophisticated in their cuteness. That sheep dog with the red bandanna makes me smile!

Have you visited the Quilt Girls website yet? They have a wonderful assortment of specialty character prints, soft cloth book panels and quilt panels.  I’ve made two of their soft cloth books and gave them as gifts. Both of the books I made were classic stories, so of course I got quite sentimental during sewing.

This is the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer book I made last winter. This brought back some dear memories for me, both from my children's younger years and from my own childhood!

And here is a vintage inspired cloth book I made called “Fun in Somebunny’s Garden” by Kathy Rusynyk for Wilmington Prints.  Cloth books are easy to make and they come with good instructions. But if you are a visual learner, like me, I have shared some of my own tips and photos in this blog post.  

Quilt Girls has such a large selection of fun fabrics, you will be amazed.  Zip on over to their website so you can plan your next quick gift for someone you love!

Thanks for stopping by the blog today, sewing friends!  And thank you Quilt Girls for sharing this sweet fabric with me!

~Taunja

July Sew Sampler box with Fat Quarter Shop

Spoiler alert! This post will show you the fabulous contents of the July Sew Sampler box from Fat Quarter Shop.  If you don't have your box yet, read on at your own risk! 

The July box is titled "Vintage Chic" and it is a lovely assortment of goodies. But first I want to show you my fourth Basket Block from the recipe card in the box. I am having sew much fun with these!

Each month the Sew Sampler box includes a basket recipe card designed by Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet.  The blocks can be made in one of three sizes: 5 1/2", 10 1/2", or 15 1/2".  I'm making the 5 1/2" blocks and using fabrics from my Fig Tree stash. I'm realizing as I look at these that I need more blue. I'll have to remember that next month!

Now let’s move on to all the treasures in the Vintage Chic box. 

• A gorgeous Moda junior jelly roll called "Snowberry" by 3 Sisters
• A sweet little aqua dot embroidery scissors (I LOVE cute little scissors!)
• A handy pink daisy scissor sheath (I LOVE cute little sheaths!)
• A 20-piece set of Clover mini wonder clips  (These will be great for getting into tight spaces.)
• A Gypsy Quilter seam ripper
• A pretty, Sew Sampler exclusive pattern called Waterford

Thank you so much to Fat Quarter Shop for another fabulous box.  Every month you knock it out of the park with your selections!

Thank you all for stopping by the blog today.  I hope you get carried away quilting real soon!

~Taunja

New Patterns: Star Crossed Pines & Twirlity

I'm so excited to share two new patterns with you today: Star Crossed Pines and Twirlity. I have a soft spot for both of these easy-to-make quilts.  I hope you'll consider adding them to your pattern library. 

First up is Star Crossed Pines, a 74 1/2" x 80 1/2" quilt featuring alternating scrappy stars and two-toned trees. Although it has a Christmas time feeling, I think this quilt could grace your home all winter long.  

Rather than using Christmas fabrics, I chose some of my favorite red and green prints from two different collections by Fig Tree & Company for Moda: Chestnut Street and Coney Island.  For the binding, I used the red gingham from Strawberry Fields Revisited. Don't they all play nicely together?

My friend Barb (Quilts on Broadway) selected a subtle but festive holly berry pattern for the machine quilting.  I just love it.  Thanks, Barb! I honestly can't wait to whip this quilt out the day after Thanksgiving!

My other new pattern is called Twirlity.  This sweet quilt was truly a labor of love for me, as I made if from a stash of Penny Rose and Riley Blake fat quarters I had been hoarding. Several of the prints are from one of my favorite Penny Rose designers, Elea Lutz. You'll likely see some of your favorites too!

Twirlity measures 64 1/2" x 76 1/2" and is fat quarter friendly!  You'll need eight fat quarters (I pulled aqua, orange, purple, brown, rose, blue, green, yellow), as well as two border/background fabrics and one neutral background fabric.  

Once again, Barb (Quilts on Broadway) selected the perfect quilting for Twirlity, a nice meandering loop-d-loop that seems to follow the motion of the twirling pinwheels. We also chose a plush pink backing fabric, making this the perfect cuddling quilt. 

If you are interested in purchasing Star Crossed Pines or Twirlity, please visit your local quilt shop or one of my blog sponsors who are carrying the patterns.  My Timeless Day is also offering kits in other fabric collections!  Thanks Allison!

My Timeless Day

LouLou'sFabric Shop

Stitches 'n Giggles

Fort Worth Fabric Studio

Quilts on Broadway

Fat Quarter Shop

You can also purchase paper or electronic patterns directly from me, but I encourage you to shop locally or through one of my sponsors when possible! Quilt shop owners: wholesale information is available here. 

I appreciate you stopping by the blog today.  Please be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook if you make any of these patterns.  The hashtags to use are printed right on the patterns!  I’d love to see your finished projects!   

~Taunja

July Propeller blocks: Patchwork Quilt Along with Fat Quarter Shop

Hello quilting friends! Wow, we're past the mid-way mark in the 2017 Patchwork Quilt Along with Fat Quarter Shop! The July "Propeller" block is the seventh block in the series, with just five months to go.  And isn't this Propeller block a cutie?

This block is easy to construct, but occasionally my tired evening sewing brain wanted to turn a propeller blade the wrong way. I managed to keep them moving in the right direction by looking at the pattern (very) frequently and talking to myself a lot.  (Does anyone else find the need to do that?)

Some folks have mentioned that they find these 5 1/2" blocks to be kind of tricky.  I've shared some of my Patchwork Quilt Along piecing tips in an earlier blog post if that is helpful to you.

In case you are a new reader, this annual event hosted by Fat Quarter Shop is a charity quilt along.  The patterns are free and are posted on the 15^th of each month on the Jolly Jabber. Quilters are asked to donate $5 for each block pattern that they download.  All proceeds will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation!  What a great opportunity for us all!

It's not too late for you to join in the fun. Here’s a link which provides all the details:

https://blog.fatquartershop.com/patchwork-quilt-along.html

And here’s a link to the kit if you want to make one in Basics by Bonnie & Camille!

http://www.fatquartershop.com/patchwork-quilt-along-quilt-kit

Several other bloggers are quilting along! Please visit their blogs too!

Amanda from Jedi Craft Girl (@jedicraftgirl)

Amy of Diary of a Quilter (@diaryofaquilter)

Andy of A Bright Corner (@abrightcorner)

Bonnie of Cotton Way (@bonniecottonway)

Camille of Thimble Blossoms (@thimbleblossoms)

Debbie of Happy Little Cottage (@happylittlecottage1)

Greg of Grey Dogwood Studio (@greydogwoodstudio)

Heidi of Buttons and Butterflies (@buttonsandbutterflies)

Melissa of Happy Quilting (@happyquiltingmc)

Melissa of Oh How Sweet (@ohhowsweet)

Pat Sloan of Pat Sloan.com (@quilterpatsloan)

Renee of Sewn with Grace (@sewnwithgrace)

Sedef of Down Grapevine Lane (@downgrapevinelane)

Sherri of A Quilting Life (@aquiltinglife)

Sondra of Out of the Blue Quilts (@sondradavison)

Taunja of Carried Away Quilting (@taunjalynn)

Tina of Emily Ann's Kloset (@emilyannskloset)

Carrie Nelson/Miss Rosie of Moda Cutting Table

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to share your progress on the 2017 Patchwork Quilt Along Facebook group! And be sure to post your own blocks using the hashtag #patchworkquiltalong on Instagram!   

~Taunja