My Sew Sampler Basket Quilt top is complete!

If you’re a regular visitor to my blog, you know that I love the monthly Sew Sampler subscription box from Fat Quarter Shop. Every month the folks at Fat Quarter Shop curate a box filled with unique notions, pretty fabric, an exclusive pattern and coupons! These boxes are an incredible value and you may cancel at any time, giving you total flexibility. It’s so exciting to receive that special blue box each month!

For the past year, the Sew Sampler boxes have also included a bonus basket block recipe card designed by Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet. I’ve played along, sewing a basket block each month from my stash of Fig Tree scraps! I’m so excited to show you my finished Basket Quilt top. Isn’t she pretty?

This cheerful quilt finishes at 28 3/4” x 36”, but there are larger sized options on the recipe cards. Because I made the small 5 1/2” blocks, I literally was able to sew from scraps! During the year, I stored a messy stash of pretty Fig Tree fabrics in a plastic bin and had a ball rummaging through my scraps to find the perfect morsels for each block I made. I have a lot of scraps left, as you can see. Time for another scrap quilt, I guess!

In this month’s Sew Sampler box, we received the 12^th basket block recipe and the finishing instructions. I chose a sunny yellow for the setting squares (from Coney Island), an apple green for the inner border (from Ella & Ollie), and the strawberry floral for the outer border (from Strawberry Fields Revisited).  

Sometimes quilt making can become a bit like work, especially when we have a tight deadline. But this project, completed over time using fabrics that make my heart happy, was a true joy. Just ask my husband . . . I was hopping around the house the night I discovered I had enough floral fabric to make that pretty outer border.

When I look at this quilt top, it’s like an eye-spy game of old Fig Tree favorites, including California Girl, Aloha Girl and Farmhouse. This scrap quilt reminds me of the other quilts I’ve made and treasured!

My Sew Sampler Basket Quilt top just needs to be quilted, and then I will find a sunny spot to hang it. I’m thinking it may need to go in the guest room near my Sweetly Scalloped quilt and my favorite Fig Tree pillows.

It’s time for me to come back down to earth and show you the goodies that arrived in the March Sew Sampler box, pictured below. Isn't that Sparkler pattern striking? I've been longing to try a curvy Log Cabin ruler.  It's always good to try new things!

~ Splarkler Ombre Confetti Metallic Half Yard Bundle ~ 

~ “The Sparkler Quilt” Exclusive Pattern ~ 

 ~ Creative Grids 4” Curvy Log Cabin Trim Tool ~ 

 ~ Bella Rose Gold Tape Measure ~ 

 ~ True Grips Adhesive Rings ~ 

If you haven't signed up for this monthly subscription box and want to know more, just follow this link: Sew Sampler box from Fat Quarter Shop. Oh, and if you’d like to make your own basket block quilt (in three size options), the recipe cards are available for purchase here.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today! I hope you all find time to get carried away quilting!

~Taunja

Star Spangled BOM with Fort Worth Fabric Studio: Flying Geese

This weekend I finally got my sewing self in gear and made my flying geese units for the “Star Spangled” block of the month hosted by Fort Worth Fabric Studio. Designer Lindsey Weight posted the free instructions on March 13, but . . . well . . . Taunja got a little sidetracked! Luckily, the 48 over-sized flying geese were a snap to stitch together!

If you've been following along, you know that I’ve been sewing from my stash, using a combination of fabrics from Fig Tree & Company as well as Bonnie & Camille (both for Moda). I've really enjoyed the creative process of pulling from my red and blue stash and hoping it will all work together. Here are the four main star blocks I made previously. 

If you'd love to make a patriotic quilt but don't have enough reds and blues on hand, or if you just want someone else to do the choosing for you, the folks at Fort Worth Fabric Studio have put together a KIT using beautiful Moda fabrics from various designers. The kit includes all material you need to create the quilt top plus binding.  They also have coordinating backing you can purchase!  

This patriotic BOM runs for five months, from January through May. I've included links to Lindsey's posted patterns at the end of this blog post. You can join in at any time.  Remember, the patterns are free! 

Thank you to Lindsey and FWFS for providing this BOM opportunity for us all!

~Taunja

All of the details for the Star Spangled block of the month can be found here:

https://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.com/2017/10/2018-block-of-month-star-spangled.html

The instructions for Block 1 are available here:

https://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.com/2018/01/star-spangled-block-1.html

The instructions for Block 2 are available here:

http://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.com/2018/01/star-spangled-bom-block-2.html

The instructions for Block 3 are available here:

https://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.com/2018/02/star-spangled-bom-block-3.html

The instructions for Block 4 are available here:
https://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.com/2018/02/star-spangled-bom-block-4.html

New sponsor: Sweet Treasures Quilts

Hello quilting friends! Today I want to introduce you to the newest Carried Away Quilting blog sponsor, Sweet Treasures Quilts! I’ve been a fan of Sweet Treasures for a couple years now, and I’m so excited to be working with them!

Located in Keizer, Oregon, Sweet Treasures has a unique and flourishing business model, serving as both a sewing studio and online quilt shop. Owner Terri Staats began her business in pattern design and teaching, and eventually opened a sewing studio in Keizer. The studio offers a wide variety of classes, as well as open sewing/shopping days, and an option for private sewing days for groups. Here are some photos of her beautiful studio and the scrumptious offerings! I think you’ll agree with me, it looks heavenly!

Sweet Treasures is also an online quilt shop, allowing Terri to reach customers all over the world, both with her original patterns and with the latest and greatest fabric. This sweet little runner is one of Terri's designs. It is aptly named Hopscotch and is a great way to use up your collection of mini charm packs. You can see that she and I share a love of Fig Tree & Company!

The Sweet Treasures team has a knack for creating the most lovely custom kit offerings.  I was so tickled this past winter when they kitted one of my patterns, Window Garden, in a beautiful traditional collection by Minick and Simpson, called Ann’s Arbor. They truly have an eye for putting together great kits! Here it is on display in their studio.

And here's another pretty runner kit on display.  This one features some yummy Corey Yoder fabrics, another favorite of mine!

Terri is a prolific pattern designer and quilt maker. She is always sewing, creating beauty, and inspiring others in a kind and positive way. We’ve never met in person, but she’s made an impact on my quilting life just by the wonderful projects and uplifting presence she shares on Instagram. Hint . . . you should follow her on Instagram immediately! @sweettreasuresquilts  

I hope you’ll check out the Sweet Treasures online shop, and also follow them on their social media channels. You’ll be so glad you did! 

BONUS!  Sweet Treasures is offering my readers 20% off now through March 25, 2018.  Just use the coupon code carriedawayquilting at check out.  

Thanks for stopping by the blog today, and for helping me welcome the entire team at Sweet Treasures! Now go and get carried away quilting!

~Taunja

Mini quilt pattern: He Is Risen

Happy first day of spring!  It’s snowing again in Minnesota, making me all the more eager for spring to truly arrive. To keep my spirits up, I thought I would share a pretty mini quilt I made last night. It’s called “He Is Risen,” and it’s available on my Etsy Shop!

I introduced you to this Easter pattern two years ago.  My original quilt (pictured below) was made using Strawberry Fields Revisited by Fig Tree & Company for Moda.  I just loved the soft, nurturing pastels, and I gave this mini quilt to my mom.

I’ve wanted to make one for myself ever since then. For my quilt, I chose the tender new collection by Lella Boutique called Nest. I ordered a charm pack from my sponsor, Stitches ‘n Giggles, and was instantly in love with what I saw: cheerful flowers, charming birds, and delicate tree branches. All signs of the blessings of spring!

I pulled just the robin's egg blues and the eggshell creams to create the tiny border in my quilt, and used the leaf green print for the grass. But the Nest collection also includes darker blues, taupes, and pinks! I think you’ll love it.

For the background fabric, I chose the wonderful script print from Lella Boutique’s Farmer’s Daughter collection. (You may remember I used this recently on my Kitchen Table Quilt. I will be so sad when I run out of this print!) For the cross and the binding, I pulled two subtle taupe prints also from Farmer’s Daughter.

To finish my quilt, I chose simple straight line quilting on a one-inch grid.  It complements the pattern nicely and doesn't distract from either the understated power of the finished piece or the beauty of the fabric. My thread of choice on this project was Aurifil 2021 50 wt (natural white).

“He is Risen” finishes at 11 1/2" by 15 1/2". Using some of your favorite scraps, you could sew this together in an afternoon. I’ve also been told it would make a lovely christening/baptism gift. What a great idea!  “He Is Risen” is available as a digital download on my Etsy Shop. I hope you enjoy it!

Thank you for stopping by the blog today!

~Taunja

Custom kits featuring Ella & Ollie by Fig Tree & Company

Happy National Quilting Day! As promised, I've made up several custom kits with Carried Away Quilting patterns, all featuring the beautiful new collection by Fig Tree & Company, Ella & Ollie! 

Please note that I am not a fabric store, and I only purchase a small supply of fabric annually for use in my pattern design. So these kits are limited in number and once they are gone, they are gone. I appreciate your support and enthusiasm, but please remember that my blog sponsors (whose logos run along the left-hand side of my website) typically carry the same collections that I describe in my blog posts. They are all wonderful folks who would love to help you custom curate a kit with their fabric supplies. 

And with that, let the games begin . . . 

The following quilt kits are now listed on my Etsy Shop. Kits include my printed pattern plus the all the fabric required for top, backing and binding! Complete details and pricing for each kit are listed on my Etsy Shop.

Picking Petals Mini Quilt Kit

Four color versions: Cobblestone, Pond, Apple Green, Apricot

Diamond Trail Runner Kit

Gumdrops Quilt Kit 

Sweetly Scalloped Quilt Kit 

(with Milk mini floral backing)

Sweetly Scalloped Quilt Kit 

(with Apple Green floral backing) 

Flower Tile Quilt Kit 

(with Daisy mini floral backing)

Flower Tile Quilt Kit 

(with Milk floral backing)

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog and checking out my offerings. I hope you find something that tickles your fancy.  And now, I think I'm off to put my feet up and read a good book. Or maybe, just maybe, I should sew for a bit!

~Taunja

Crossing Petals kits featuring Ella & Ollie by Fig Tree & Company

Hello quilting friends! Do you remember my Crossing Petals pattern? I released that mini quilt pattern in 2016. My original quilt (photos below) featured Strawberry Fields Revisited by Fig Tree & Company for Moda. Well, it just so happens that the new Fig Tree collection, Ella & Ollie, lends itself to recreating that lovely little quilt! And so, I thought a few kits might be in order!

  

Crossing Petals is a 20 1/2” square mini quilt featuring two pretty red florals and a spark of grass green. I also used Moda's Cross Weave in the sand color for the neutral background. Cross Weave has the rich look of linen, but is 100% premium cotton and sews up very nicely.

I've tried to curate a kit for you that closely resembles the original. To add a bit of whimsy, rather than using a solid white for the green/white chain, I've included the darling text print from Ella & Ollie. Little snippets of those strawberry colored words running through the chain of crossing petals will be delightful!

The kit includes the pattern plus all the fabric for the top, backing and binding and is just $26 plus shipping. You can find the Crossing Petals kits on my Etsy Shop. 

I'm preparing other custom kits for several of my patterns, so I hope you'll keep checking back. The kits will all feature Ella & Ollie ~ such a wonderful collection as we beckon springtime!

~Taunja

Kitchen table quilts

I really love a kitchen table quilt. To me it says, “Sit a spell, sip some coffee, share your news with me.” I don’t think we do enough of that these days, but we used to.  Some of my best memories of my Grandma Arlene include sitting at her kitchen table, where we would all gather and eat cookies and talk. We would beg Grandpa Ed to take out his dentures and talk funny to us.  Grandma would make tea on the stove top and stir in a teaspoon of Orange Tang to give it some zest. And I remember her hands, always lotion-soft.

So I wanted to share with you my newest make, a kitchen table quilt featuring lovely fabric by Vanessa Goertzen of Lella Boutique. I’ve combined two of my favorite collections by Vanessa: Farmer’s Daughter and Olive’s Flower Market. These fabrics speak right to my heart, reminding me of days long ago when life seemed simpler.

For this project I followed a wonderful free “Lone Star” tutorial by Amy Smart of Diary of a Quilter. The quilt finishes at 39” square, making it great size for a table topper. This project is an easy make and lends itself to using 10” layer cake squares. Thank you, Amy!

I chose to work from yardage instead of a layer cake, as I wanted to use the same background fabric throughout. In this close up picture you can see why. Vanessa’s text print from the Farmer’s Daughter collection includes snippets of lessons and phrases she remembers from her own childhood: Keep your ears wide open and be kind; Tell the truth; Give thanks for all your blessings; Take care of each other; Listen and always do your best; and Love, love and above all else, love. What wonderful reminders to have on the kitchen table!

I felt like the quilting on this piece needed to be simple and carefree, so my longarm quilter friend Barb (Quilts on Broadway) and I chose this sweet loop-de-loop pattern.  It adds nice dimension but doesn’t take away from the fabrics or oversized, graphic design of this pattern.

While my Grandma Arlene wasn’t a quilter, I’m pretty sure she would appreciate my love of quilting and the things I make. I wish she were still here.  She struggled with illness most of her life, but when she was feeling well, she was so fun to visit with.  I would love to have her at my kitchen table so we could sit a spell and drink some coffee or tea. I would ask her to yodel and tell me about her days as a South Dakota farm girl.

Arlene Bleeker Wollmuth, 1943

Thanks for letting me share this make with you, along with my ramblings. Very often it’s these simple projects that, for one reason or another, speak to my heart and bring me the most quilting joy. I’m wishing that same quilting joy for you!

~Taunja