Featured Products Patchwork Chore Coat PDF Pattern $20.00 Add to cart Nordic Star | PDF $12.00 Add to cart Everglow | PDF $12.00 Add to cart Latest from the blog How to Make Fabric TapeComing at you today with a super fun, super FAST tutorial. You don’t even need to break out your sewing machine for this one! Let’s learn how to make fabric tape. I started making fabric tape a few years ago because I hate to throw out scraps! Hey, you paid for that entire yard of fabric, didn’t you? Let’s make it all work for you the best it can! Fabric tape a super easy way to use up the too-small-to-sew-with scraps in your life. I usually will save up a bunch of scraps from different projects in a small bag, and once that bag is relatively full, I’ll dedicate a little bit of time to making fabric tape! So what exactly is fabric tape? It is pretty much what you’d expect it to be – tape, that’s made of fabric. In our case, specifically, you end up sprucing up double-sided carpet tape with your little fabric scraps to create beautiful tape! I like to use my fabric tape when packing up orders, sending letters, or wrapping gifts. I’ve seen tutorials for fabric tape that have you start with 2″ wide strips of fabric and create a ton of the same tape. My method is slightly different. I want you to use up all the little bits of fabric you’d normally throw away and turn them into something pretty! Let’s get started! Supplies: Fabric tape relies on having the right kind of tape to start with. You need a tape that is strong and durable enough to really hold on to the fabric you stick on top. You also want a tape that is double sided, with one side stuck to removable paper. That way, you can make a bunch of tape all at once and then use it whenever you’re ready. Double Sided Carpet Tape – I prefer this Duck brand indoor varietySmall fabric scraps – I use anything that is at least 3/8″ wide by 2″ long. They can be bigger/longer/wider, but try not to use anything smaller than this.Iron and ironing boardRuler, mat, and a dull rotary cutter How To Make Fabric Tape: First, pull out all of your scraps and give them a press with your iron. You want them to lay nice and flat with no wrinkles so that they create smooth fabric tape. Then, separate out your scraps by width/length. This helps when placing the scraps on the tape to end up with less unused tape. Unroll a small portion of the double sided tape, sticky side up. Start placing your fabric scraps on top, being careful not to overlap them. You want to end up with a single layer of fabric covering the tape. I like to run my finger along the fabric to make sure it is stuck to the tape. Carpet tape is really sticky! Be mindful when you’re positioning your scraps, you won’t be able to lift them off the tape to reposition, so know where you’re going to put stick the fabric before sticking it down. The first few are a little tough because there’s no good place for your fingers as you work. But once you have a few pieces of fabric stuck down, you’ll notice it is easier to work. Once you’ve stuck down all your scraps, it is time to cut them out! Because of the way the tape is created, and because it is sticky (it is tape, after all) I find a rotary cutter far superior to scissors to cut out my fabric tape. Make sure you’re using a rotary blade that you don’t want to use for fabric! Once you cut tape out with it, it won’t cut your fabric. I have several rotary cutters for quilting, and I designated this yellow handled one for paper and other misc. projects. Which means I always know this one is not for fabric. I find that a blade that is dull for fabric actually still cuts paper well. So when you swap out your dull blade for a new one, consider keeping it for papercrafts and projects such as this! My system is when I swap out the blade on my fabric rotary cutter, I put that one onto my paper rotary cutter, and I put the blade that was on the paper one in a container to throw away safely. Once your fabric tape is all cut out, there should be no sticky edges on it and you’re ready to store it until you need it! I love using all the bits of fabric, even cute selvages make great fabric tape! I’ve accumulated quite the collection. You can choose to cut down your tape to even lengths, cut it on the diagonal on the short edges, or just keep them straight! I like to leave my tape the size of my scraps because I can always cut them further down when using. However, if I was gifting it, I would try to get even-ish lengths for the recipient. Because fabric tape is useful as well as pretty (and great for small scraps!) it makes a fun little stocking stuffer or gift for a friend. It doesn’t have to be someone who sews, either. Anyone who enjoys washi tape or other cute stationary supplies will love receiving some curated fabric tape! If you love to use up scraps, I’ve got a whole blog post dedicated to sewing with scraps! Oh Scrap! 9 (fun!) ways to use up scraps Have you ever made fabric tape? What are your favorite uses for it? You might also like: Mini Quilted Zipper Pouch Tutorial DIY Lavender Sachets Quilted Trick or Treat Bag Tutorial Spiderweb Free-motion quilting tutorial and a Halloween quilt... Read more...How to Make Hot Chocolate Bombs Ultimate GuideThis post may be a bit of a departure from my usual quilting fodder, BUT, I’ve fallen deeply into a hot chocolate bomb making craze. Many of you have reached out asking how to make hot chocolate bombs and so I’m here today to walk you through the process! I’ll cover different types of molds and sizes, ingredients you’ll need, and the best techniques that I’ve found to make the chocolate spheres. First – let’s start with the chocolate spheres. I looked at a lot of tutorial on how to make hot chocolate bombs, and to be honest, they all said something like “melt some chocolate and paint it into your mold”. I’m here to tell you NOT to do that. I tried it that way. It was tedious. And slow. And irritating. Jason even walked by at some point and said “that looks fussy”. Yup, honey, sure is. The “paint the chocolate” method is fine if you’re only making, say, 6 hot chocolate bombs. But if you’ve decided to make hot cocoa bombs for everyone on your Christmas list this year, let me tell you, this is not the way. I have spoken. 😉 PS: All supplies and how-to are detailed in this YouTube video! Check it out for a full step-by-step! The Molds & Sizes First, let’s take a look at available molds and sizes. Hot cocoa bombs most usually come in two sizes: 2″ diameter and 2.5″ diameter spheres. Most hot cocoa bombs I’ve seen for sale in big box stores this year are 2″ diameter. 2″ Diameter: PROS: Fit easily in a standard mug, and use 8-10 oz. milk CONS: Difficult to fit a lot of hot cocoa mix and marshmallows inside 2.5″ Diameter: PROS: Plenty of room for hot cocoa and marshmallows inside. Use 12-14 oz. milk and makes a generous treat. CONS: Doesn’t fit in a standard mug, need an extra wide mug to accommodate Once you decide on the size of cocoa bombs you want to make, you next have to purchase a mold. I’ve come across two mold varieties in my searches for the perfect cocoa bomb materials. The first is a silicone mold. The second is the BWB 3-part plastic mold. Silicone Mold: PROS: Chocolate is easy to remove without breaking CONS: Difficult to get an even coating on the inside of the mold, and due to weight of chocolate, can end up with a flat bottom on your spheres as the silicone is very pliable and thin. BWB 3-Part Mold: PROS: Since the mold is made of hard plastic, you get a perfect sphere and even coating of chocolate. CONS: Shells can be difficult to remove – the 2″ are fine but I have a skull-shaped one that is a struggle. They are also pricier than silicone molds. As you can see, the cons of one mold are rectified by the other, and vice-versa. MY SOLUTION: Here’s my favorite molds: For 2.5″ hot chocolate bombs, I prefer the silicone molds. I’ve figured out a way around the negative aspects of the mold (more on that later). I used the Chef’n brand of molds.For 2″ hot chocolate bombs, I prefer the BWB molds. I used the 50mm one, which equates to 2″. This is because I’m able to quickly fill a whole tray at once. You just need to take your time when removing from the mold. However, I didn’t buy the 2.5″ mold because it only comes with 3 half-shells, which means you’d need to make a lot of trays to get enough shells (or buy a lot of molds). How to Fill Your Molds: Okay, so now we have our molds. How do we actually fill them? BWB Molds: Each 2″ sphere half requires 16g of chocolate (for a total of 32g per finished cocoa bomb). My mold has 5 cavities, so I melted 80g of chocolate. The BWB molds have a line on them that designates a fill line. Simply fill the chocolate up to the line in each cavity, add the flexible insert on top, add the lid to the top of that, and flip the whole thing upside down. This part is very important. It helps the chocolate to set and release from the molds. The instructions also say you can place the mold in the fridge or freezer to help it set. I let it set on the counter to get the best shine for about 20 minutes or until cool to the touch. Once cool, place the mold in the freezer for exactly 2 minutes. No more, no less. Remove from the freezer, and the chocolate should be easy to remove. To remove from the mold, take off the lid but leave the flexible inserts within the molds. Place your fingers within the insert, and push it up and away from the mold, essentially “sliding” the chocolate out. You want to keep the inserts in place until the chocolate is fully released from the mold. This keeps it from breaking. Silicone Molds: Each 2.5″ sphere half requires 25g of chocolate (for a total of 50g per finished cocoa bomb). My mold has 6 cavities, so I melted 150g of chocolate. I recommend doing one mold at a time so that your chocolate doesn’t harden too much as you work. To use the silicone mold effectively, we need a few other supplies. For every mold you want to fill, you’ll need (4) wide-mouth 8oz canning jars, (1) lacrosse ball, and cling film. First, suspend the mold using the canning jars. The jars should have a mouth wide enough that they don’t interfere with the mold at all, but help keep it from the counter where the bottoms would flatten. Then, cut pieces of cling film to approx 5″ x 7″. You want the pieces big enough to cover the lacrosse ball but not so big that they are unwieldy. Melt your chocolate, and divide it equally between the cavities of your mold. Working quickly and one at a time, cover the lacrosse ball in cling film and press it into the first cavity until you see the chocolate all the way to to the top of the mold. It is okay if the chocolate comes up further than the mold, that’s easy to remove later. Gently pry the cling film away from the lacrosse ball so that you can remove the ball without removing the cling film. Continue until you’ve filled your mold. Let the chocolate set until hard. Once completely hardened, you can gently peel off the cling film, making sure it doesn’t tear, and pop the chocolate from the mold. Harry Potter hot chocolate bombs Ingredients & Flavors Chocolate Shell: Now that we can fill our molds without crying, let’s talk about my favorite brands and flavors. For the chocolate shells, I like to use Ghirardelli brand chocolate and white chocolate. The chocolate melts beautifully, creates a lovely shine, and, most importantly, tastes delicious too. If you’re looking to make specialty bombs with colors, I recommend Wilton Candy Melts. Although you could buy special food dye specifically for chocolate, I find the candy melts easier to use. You can alter the color of them by mixing different colors together or by mixing the Ghirardelli white chocolate to them. Just know that the candy melts tend to be a thicker consistency than the Ghirardelli chocolate. I really brainstormed around flavors for my hot chocolate bombs and I came up with 4 flavors that I really love. Hot Chocolate, Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate, Mint Hot Chocolate (not Peppermint), and Butterscotch. To create the Mint and Butterscotch flavors, I used Guittard brand chocolate chips. Because chocolate chips are designed not to melt, I found it useful to do a 1:1 ratio of chocolate chips to Ghirardelli white chocolate. For example, my mint chocolate shell is 25g Guittard mint chips and 25g Ghirardelli white chocolate. Mix them together until smooth and pour the mixture equally into two 2.5″ cavities. I promise it still tastes VERY minty! For the mint chocolate, the mix on the inside is just sweetened cocoa, no added mint. For extra mint, you could add Andes candies. This mint chocolate bomb tastes like Creme de Menthe and is absolutely delicious. The Butterscotch shell is constructed the same way as the mint shell, with a 1:1 ratio of Guittard Butterscotch chips and Ghirardelli white chocolate. However, the mix on the inside is a butterscotch vanilla mixture. Hot Cocoa Mix: For my hot chocolate mix, I use Ghirardelli Sweetened Ground Cocoa. It is the perfect blend of cocoa powder and sugar. It is really important that someone making the hot cocoa bombs uses milk, as there is no milk powder inside the bomb. However, using this hot cocoa mix means we get more cocoa powder for a richer chocolate taste. For the salted caramel bombs, I use Starbucks Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate mix. For the Butterscotch (or Butterbeer) Hot Chocolate Bombs, I made my own mix which I’ll share in a future blog post. Marshmallows: Don’t forget the marshmallows! They make the bombs SO much fun! You can use miniature marshmallows, freeze dried marshmallows, or specialty mallows! I used a combination for my bombs. I liked the Lucky Charms marshmallows (large, not freeze dried) for a special surprise. I also found tree and star marshmallows at Target. There were also snowflake marshmallows (for Frozen themed maybe?!), gingerbread marshmallows.. you name it! Look for fun specialty marshmallows! Additions: You’ll find recipes where people add caramel sauce, alcohol, or other moist ingredients to the filling of their bombs. I chose not to do that with mine so that they would have a longer shelf life. I wanted people to feel they could enjoy them throughout the month of December. If you want to add anything to your chocolate bombs, make sure it is a dry filling (crushed peppermints, sprinkles, etc.). Vegan Hot Chocolate Bombs: It is possible to make hot chocolate bombs vegan! Use your favorite vegan chocolate chips, vegan marshmallows, and vegan hot chocolate mix to make the bombs. When making the bombs, heat up your favorite milk-alternative and enjoy! (I think cashew milk would really shine here, since it is has a creamy consistency!) A vegan hot chocolate bomb is also great for people with lactose allergies who otherwise might miss out on all the fun. “and his heart grew three times in size that day” mint cocoa bomb Filling the Hot Chocolate Bombs: Warm a clean plate up in the microwave or use a pan that has been gently warmed on the stove. Place one sphere half down to melt and level the edge. This only takes seconds. Then fill with your mix: For the 2″ bombs, fill with 1 tbsp cocoa mix and as many mini marshmallows as you can fit. For the 2.5″ bombs, fill with 2 tbsp cocoa mix and as many mini marshmallows as you can fit. Melt the second half of the sphere and press it to the filled first half creating a seal. 2.5″ hot chocolate bomb “snowball” Packaging Hot Chocolate Bombs: I found a few different ways to package my hot chocolate bombs. 2.5″ Cocoa Bombs: Singles I used two different types of packaging for single 2.5″ cocoa bombs. These plastic shells are great for a single cocoa bomb, they fit really snuggly inside. However, if you’re doing any bombs with ears or other decorative pieces, they might not fit. In which case, I found these cupcake boxes worked really well. 2″ and 2.5″ Cocoa Bombs: Sets I used this 9×9 Bottlebox hinged container to package up multiple hot chocolate bombs. You can comfortably fit 4 large or 6 regular sized cocoa bombs inside. I used some shredded paper and muffin liners to keep the bombs contained, but you could also use mini marshmallows for a marshmallow explosion! Set of 6 regular (2″) hot chocolate bombs Final Thoughts on How to Make Hot Chocolate Bombs: Hopefully this (very lengthy) blog post has helped demystify making hot chocolate bombs and has you excited to try them! I find them super fun to make and give as gifts. You can keep the decorations simple or go all out with themes! Have you learned a trick or two about making cocoa bombs? Share them below so we can all learn together! You might also like: 4-at-a-time Flying Geese Tutorial (with video!) Sunny Stocking | Using Accuquilt Simple Drawstring Bag | A Tutorial Thread Basting Tutorial... Read more...Aurifil November Project: Holiday StockingFor my November Aurifil Artisan project, I decided to lean into the Christmas spirit with a holiday stocking! I was provided with the fabrics and corresponding thread from Free Spirit Fabrics and Aurifil and was told to do whatever I wished with it! I thought long and hard about how to turn these fabrics into something that was reflective of my style, and this holiday stocking really hit the mark. For the front of my holiday stocking, I created a lone star block that finishes at 14.5″. In addition to the two fabrics I was provided, I added in a white solid to help make the lone star block shine. I used my free quilted stocking tutorial to create this Christmas stocking (large size). A full how-to on the lone star block is coming soon! The best way to know when a new tutorial hits the blog is to subscribe to my newsletter. I didn’t have a ton of fabric to work with, so I actually ended up only making half a lone star block for the front of the stocking. I really thought through fabric placement and I’m so happy with how this turned out. It looks like a pink snowflake to me! It looks really beautiful in a variety of different decor styles. This holiday stocking is a lovely modern twist to this traditional block. I auditioned the fabric placement in Adobe Illustrator because I didn’t want to end up short on fabric! I tried adding a variety of other fabrics and prints but in the end going minimalistic really made the Tula Pink fabric shine as the star. For the back of the stocking I used some leftover strips to create this diagonal stripe motif. I ended up pulling a solid magenta from my stash since I was short on the light pink background fabric and was really stretching it to work. I’m a big fan of stockings that can be hung both ways. Some people prefer them pointing right and some pointing left. I quilted the entire stocking with Aurifil 50 weight thread in #2479. My favorite part is the contrast of the darker pink thread on the lighter pink background fabric. I especially like how it extends the lone star on the front of the stocking. All the leftover Tula Pink fabric I had I used for the lining of the stocking. So although the outside is pretty restrained, the inside of the stocking is a riot of color! How fun, right? This stocking was a blast to make and stretch my creativity. I don’t usually use a lot of pink so creating something that I loved was a challenge. However, I love a good challenge! Thanks Aurifil and Free Spirit for the fabrics and the chance to be creative! You might also like: Christmas Tote Bags | A Finished Project Holiday Throw Pillows | A Finished Project Misty Mountains Coaster Lone Star Quilt Coat... Read more...What I’ve Been up to Lately: November 2021I did one of these blog posts earlier this year, and it was a fun way for me to keep track of what I was working on and show all of you the projects that don’t always end up on the blog. Here’s What I’ve Been up to Lately 2.0! This Fairmount Shacket I’ve worn everyday This was a last-minute, day-before-leaving-for-a-trip sort of sewing affair. I finished it although not quite as I didn’t get the buttons sewn on before we left. I’ve worn this Fairmount Shacket every day since I made it. It is warm, cozy, and not at all constricting. I used a cheap flannel from Hobby Lobby as last-minute sewing means I was very limited on purchasing options. What I was mainly looking for was a thick flannel and this one, although not my favorite colors, did the trick. There will be more shackets in my future, that’s for sure. A Zipper Pouch as a Gift: My sister asked for a zipper pouch for her birthday. She was specifically looking for one that would fit in her purse and hold her first aid kit. I used an 8″ zipper and cut my panels to 9″ W x 7.5″ H, with 1″ squares cut out of the bottoms to form the boxed corner. I used a whole bunch of red/pink/coral solid scraps and sewed it with the quilt-as-you-go method. I love how it turned out! Lots and Lots (and lots) of Hot Chocolate Bombs: I’ve deeply fallen into a Hot Chocolate Bomb rabbit hole. An ultimate how-to post on these is coming soon! Christmas Stockings: I’ve been trying and testing different Christmas Stockings using my free pattern. Some of these will end up as free patterns/tutorials and some won’t. They’ve been a really fun way to stretch my creativity! The Second in the Holiday Quilted Buntings! Following the Boo Bunting for Halloween, we have a Christmas themed version coming soon! And just like the Halloween one, this pattern will have step-by-step video instruction for constructing all the blocks and making the bunting. You might also like: No related posts.... Read more...Lone Star Quilt CoatSince starting Patchwork & Poodles in December 2018, I don’t end up doing very many “just for fun” projects anymore. This is something I’ve heard from my other pattern designer friends and believe to be a common trend. There’s just so many things to sew for the business that projects without a business purpose take a backseat and more often than not, just don’t happen at all. Except for this lone star quilt coat. I’ll tell you all about how I decided to make it and the modifications I made to the Patchwork Chore Coat pattern. That way, if you want to, you can make one just like it! One Saturday in September, after a two hour nap (life without kids 😉 ), I had the urge to create a new quilt coat using a lone star pattern as my inspiration. I wanted to make it now. So I rummaged through my fabric stash and came up with using Essex Linen in white and leathered for my star. I found I didn’t have enough background fabric, however, in any Essex linen color, so at 7pm on a Saturday night I rushed out to Hobby Lobby to buy some. I was making this quilt this weekend and nothing was going to stop me! Back home with Essex linen in Denim by the yards, I was ready to work. As a side note, I said to Jason that I was running out to Hobby Lobby before they closed so I could make a quilt tonight and he just goes “okay have fun”. HA! 9 years of marriage and nothing phases him anymore. I started cutting fabrics around 9pm and by 2am had a completed quilt top to show for it. Woohoo! Time for bed. The following day and weeks that followed, I turned that lone star quilt top into my quilt coat! Shop Related Products: Grinch Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Yoda Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Pokeball Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Sorting Hat Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Harry Potter Hot Cocoa Bombs (set of 6) $20.00 Select options Sorting Hat Hot Cocoa Bombs (set of 4) $14.00 Select options Lone Star Quilt Coat: Everything about this coat was intentional. It was a project I took time over, thought about the details, and changed my mind when I needed to. For example, I knew I wanted the entire back to be a lone star motif. This meant that my original lone star quilt needed to be big enough to cut an entire back piece without running into the background fabric. I also wanted the center of the star to be in the middle of my back or higher. I ended up making a lone star quilt with 6 diamonds per row (36 per point). Because I couldn’t find a pattern that was exactly what I was looking for, I ended up making this up as I went. Maybe it will turn into a tutorial for this blog someday, who knows! From the beginning, I wanted to keep the front of the quilt coat pretty plain. I had been looking at other coats made with lone stars and I really wanted to avoid having points like arrows highlighting certain *ahem* body parts. (not attractive). The best way to ensure that didn’t happen was to keep the front plain. However, I knew that I wanted the back of the sleeves to follow the lone star motif. That way it wouldn’t look weird to have the entire back white/yellow and the rest of the coat blue. It would make a nice continuation of the pattern. I cut, basted, and quilted the back of the coat and the front of the coat. Once those were done, washed, and cut out to shape, I then decided on what to do with the sleeves. Wanting the lone star motif to carry over on the sleeves but only on the back posed other problems – mainly, how to cut them so that they didn’t show at all on the front. I decided to cut the sleeves with 1″ of background blue fabric showing on the top back of the sleeves (at the shoulder). I held my breath while cutting and constructing, but thankfully I’m happy with the result! To construct the lone star quilt coat, I used the panel approach, cutting each pattern piece into individual quilt sandwiches and hand-quilting them with Aurifil 28 weight (#2021). Although 12 weight is my usual go-to for hand-quilting, I wanted to have thinner stitches to add texture instead of contributing to the design. 28 weight proved perfect for this. I talk about the panel approach in the Quilt Coat Course as well as within the Patchwork Chore Coat pattern itself. I kept the hand-quilting diagonal to tie the whole coat together, but varied it between the back (which follows the lone star seams), the front (45 degree diagonal grid), sleeves and pockets (45 degree diagonal lines) and the collar (1″ diagonal grid). It added nice texture and interest without clashing or competing against each other. Modifications: I made three major modifications from the pattern for this version of the Patchwork Chore Coat: Added LengthFaced the center front instead of bindingBig pockets Length: This coat is a size Medium, and I chose to add 5″ of length to the bottom of the coat. I have a blog post on adding length to your coat here. Facing instead of binding: Originally, I wanted to do snaps instead of buttons for this coat so I chose to face the front center edge instead of bind. However, because of the bigger pockets, the edges where the pockets are ended up being really thick, and I was worried that the snaps wouldn’t get locked together correctly. Instead, I’m going to add toggles to my coat, I just haven’t found the right ones yet! Pockets: And finally, bigger pockets! I had a vision for deep pockets and decided to draft some. Originally, I wanted to add more of the lone star design to them, but really struggled with the shape of the pocket and the amount of lone star to show. I have very narrow shoulders, so I tend to stay away from a design that is very ‘bottom focused’ or bottom heavy. Finally, Jason suggested that I just show one strip of the lone star motif as a way to tie the back of the coat to the front without too much design. It was perfect! Because I used the lone star as my guide for drafting pockets, these are definitely more angular than I would have drafted them if I wasn’t using the lone star motif (45 degree angle versus 60 degree). Nevertheless, I love the final look of them and they definitely are deep! I can fit quite a lot in them! If you want to make bigger pockets for your Patchwork Chore Coat, I recommend drafting them first in paper. I used the Front pattern piece as the starting point for shaping the side seam, and added seam allowances to the top edges (the two side and bottom edges line up flat with the Coat Front piece). I recommend deciding how high you want the pockets to be and using that as a starting point. This will depend on the size coat you’re making, the length of the coat, and the height of the wearer! I basted the pockets to the Coat Front pieces with 1/4″ seam allowance before starting coat assembly. When sewing the coat together, the side seam of the pocket got attached when I sewed the side seams of the coat. The front center seam was attached when I faced the front center seam (or if you’re binding, when it is bound), and the bottom edge when the binding was attached. This shows you how customizable the Patchwork Chore Coat really is. I didn’t change anything major to the coat – keeping the original shape and look of the coat, and was able to create something new and unique! Additional Details: As with all my Patchwork Chore Coats, the inside of the coat is as pretty as the outside! Every seam is bound flat against the coat for a really professional and smooth finish. The coat is super comfortable to wear, without any bulky seams rubbing against your skin. I chose to follow the theme from the outside of the coat and hand-bind all the inner seams. Most of my previous coats I’ve bound by machine. I used a whipstitch to bind, meaning you can see all my tiny stitches all over the inside of the coat. I love it! It shows the time and labor that went into making this lone star quilt coat. For a final touch, I added a tag to the inside of the coat using a scrap of white Essex linen and designed a motif the size of a business card. I wanted to write Patchwork & Poodles but settled for P&P as it was shorter ;). To the tag I also added the size of the coat and part of a lone star as a nod to the outside of the coat. I hand-embroidered the tag with 3 strands of Aurifil Aurifloss in #2140 and #2745. Lone Star Quilt Coat Details at a Glance: Fabrics: Exterior is Essex Linen in White, Leathered, and Denim. Interior is a quilting cotton from Hobby Lobby Pattern: Patchwork Chore Coat in View A, modified by adding length, different pocket shapes, and facing the front center seam instead of binding it. Threads: Pieced with Aurifil 50 weight in #2021, hand-quilted with Aurifil 28 weight in #2021, and tag was hand-embroidered with Aurifil Aurifloss in #2140 and #2745 Batting: Hobbs 80/20 Machine: Pieced, quilted, and constructed on my Janome MC6700P Other Patchwork Chore Coat Versions: Harvest Star Quilt CoatMisty Mountains Quilt CoatModern Crossing Quilt CoatCirrus Quilt CoatSpyglass Quilt Coat You might also like: Cirrus Quilt Coat Zipper Patchwork Chore Coat Hack Harvest Star Quilt Coat Modern Crossing Quilt Coat... Read more...Quilted Trick or Treat Bag TutorialIt is officially OCTOBER!!! Bring on the Halloween decorations, the candy, the spooky and the sweet! When creating the Boo Bunting pattern I realized how well those little blocks could be repurposed into the sweetest trick or treat bags. Read on for a free tutorial on how to make a quilted trick-or-treat bag for the little people in your life! This quilted trick-or-treat bag finishes at 14″ wide by 13″ high, making it big enough to hold lots of candy, but still manageable for little hands. Shop Related Products: Grinch Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Yoda Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Pokeball Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Sorting Hat Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Harry Potter Hot Cocoa Bombs (set of 6) $20.00 Select options Sorting Hat Hot Cocoa Bombs (set of 4) $14.00 Select options Materials: Boo Bunting Pattern1/2 yard exterior background fabric1/2 yard interior lining fabric1 1/8 yds 1″ cotton webbing for handles4″ x WOF strip or scraps for BOO blocks3″ x WOF strip or scraps for ghost blockBatting scrap at least 16″ x 28″ Cutting Instructions: 1. Refer to Boo Bunting pattern to cut and create the BOO and Ghost blocks. 2. Out of exterior background fabric, cut the following: (1) 15″ x 14″(1) 10″ x 6.25″ (1) 15″ x 2.5″(1) 15″ x 2.25″(1) 3.75″ x 2.25″(2) 2.75″ x 4.5″(1) 2.25″ x 6.25″(2) 1″ x 4.5″ 3. Out of interior lining fabric, cut (1) 15″ x 27″ rectangle. 4. Out of cotton webbing, cut (2) 19″ lengths for handles. Create Bag Exterior: 1. Sew together the bag exterior front by following this diagram: 2. Sew together your bag exterior back (15″ x 14″) with the bag front with a 1/2″ seam allowance. Your rectangle should measure 15″ x 27″. On my bag I didn’t have enough blue fabric left so I pieced it together with a pink stripe. Get creative! Make the Quilted Trick or Treat Bag: 1. Baste the bag exterior to batting and quilt as desired. There’s no backing at this point, just the bag exterior and batting. I chose to do free motion spiderwebs on my domestic machine. Here’s a tutorial if you want to do that too! 2. Trim excess batting and zig zag around the perimeter if desired. I like to add a zig-zag, it helps keep all the layers together. Find the center point on the top of the 15″ side and mark with a pin. Then measure 3.5″ from either side of center and mark with a pin. 3. Pin a handle in place, using the 3.5″ markings as your guide. You want your handle to stick up 1/2″ past the edge of your fabric. 4. repeat the same thing on the other side to create your second handle, then baste in place with 1/4″ seam allowance at your machine. 5. Place exterior of bag right sides together and stitch the two side seams with 1/2″ seam allowance, backstitching at the beginning and the end of the seams. 6. Turn bag right side out and set aside while you work on the lining. 7. Place lining rectangle right sides together and stitch down the two side seams with 1/2″ seam allowance, backstitching at the beginning and the end of the seam. 8. Place exterior of bag inside the lining, right sides together. Clip or pin in place. 9. Stitch all the way around the top seam with 1/2″ seam allowance, leaving a 5″ opening for turning the bag. I like to leave the opening between the handle on the back of the bag. 10. Turn bag right side out. 11. Press lining flat inside the bag, and topstitch all the way around the top edge with an 1/8″ seam allowance, closing up the opening you had to be able to turn the bag and ensuring the lining stays put. You’re done! And ready to fill ‘er up with alllll the candy! What’s your favorite? I love Reese’s peanut butter cups, twix bars, and Haribo gummy bears. You might also like: Modern Reusable Tote Bags Every Adventure Tote Hack | Orphan Blocks and Panels Mini Quilted Zipper Pouch Tutorial The Every Adventure Tote | A Tutorial... Read more...Boo Bunting: Holiday Quilted BuntingsMeet the Boo Bunting pattern! The first in a series of Holiday Quilted Buntings. Over the course of the next year, I’ll be bringing you Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Easter bunting patterns as well so your mantle or wall can always be bright and cheery! Shop Holiday Quilted Bunting Patterns: Grinch Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Yoda Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Pokeball Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Sorting Hat Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Harry Potter Hot Cocoa Bombs (set of 6) $20.00 Select options Sorting Hat Hot Cocoa Bombs (set of 4) $14.00 Select options The Boo Bunting pattern comes with instructions for 4 blocks (B, O, Ghost, and Candy) as well as assembly information for turning those blocks into a bunting. It also comes with block size information if you want to use them in other projects. One of my favorite things about these blocks is their size! Because they are small, they are so versatile! Make little candy blocks to spruce up a zipper pouch, or add a ghost block to a child’s dress pocket! The opportunities are endless. In fact, I’ll be back this weekend for a fun free tutorial that uses the Boo Bunting blocks. Stay tuned! Boo Bunting Pattern Information: The Boo Bunting pattern is written for a confident beginner. The pieces are traditionally pieced, which means NO foundation paper piecing (woohoo!). However, because some of the pieces are quite small, they require a fairly accurate 1/4″ seam allowance. Even if you’re fairly new to quilting, if you feel like you can sew a straight line, I’d say go for it and make this bunting! Want to make sure you’re sewing with a 1/4″ seam allowance? Check out this video for help! The pattern comes with step-by-step video tutorials on making each of the blocks and assembling them into a bunting. I want you to feel confident that you can do this! The Boo Bunting is also customizable to fit your space. You can choose to add more or less blocks depending on the space you have available. Want to make it longer? You’ll just need more bias binding and make more blocks. Shorter? Less bias binding and less blocks. This fun pattern is available in my shop! Shop Related Products: Grinch Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Yoda Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Pokeball Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Sorting Hat Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Harry Potter Hot Cocoa Bombs (set of 6) $20.00 Select options Sorting Hat Hot Cocoa Bombs (set of 4) $14.00 Select options You might also like: No related posts.... Read more...Closet Case Pouf | Scrap Busting!For the past year or so, I’ve been saving all of my scraps. The tiniest little pieces, and the odds and ends of batting that were too small to use in quilting, I held on to them nonetheless. My initial thought was to turn them into stuffing for a dog bed, but instead something else happened. Enter – the Closet Case pouf! As is my usual fashion, I’m late to the party, but Closet Case Patterns released a free pouf pattern over a year ago. I just found out about it now, and decided it was the perfect project for all those little fabric bits I have been saving up. The idea of the Closet Case pouf pattern is to be very eco-friendly – using scraps not only to stuff your pouf but in the construction as well. In the end, however, I decided that I wanted something that was a little more understated than the versions I was seeing online. I was particularly drawn to a couple that were made out of wool. I wondered where I could get wool secondhand and the lightbulb went off when my eye lingered over my wool winter coat. Well, there’s an idea! Of course, I LIKE my winter coat and I’m not ready to chop it up, but I thought a trip to the thrift store might be promising. I was not disappointed! My local Goodwill store has a clearance section, and almost like it was meant to be, there was a wool winter coat in a beautiful deep navy color for $1.99. Oh my soul, yes! The coat was in a larger size, which was also fortuitous, because I figured the pouf would need quite a bit of fabric. The coat was 80% wool, 20% nylon, which is fine. I’ve found that wool mixed with some nylon holds up better to wear and tear, and I’m hoping this pouf will look nice for a long time. I brought it home and began chopping it up. I saved the buttons for my button jar. Once all cut apart into usable flat pieces, I threw them all in the dryer without heat to absorb some of the fluff and accumulated lint. After cutting out all the pieces I got sewing. I pressed all my seams open and added topstitching on both sides of the seam. This worked fairly well until it came to putting the two halves of the top together. The bulk in the center was just too much for my machine so I ended up hand-stitching the center. After reading how other people made their poufs, I read a tip that mentioned adding interfacing inside all of your pieces. This helps to smooth any lumps you might otherwise see by stuffing the entire thing with scraps. I used fusible fleece to line the entire inside of my pouf. I opted not to make/use piping since I knew the wool would already make for some thick seams, and I really don’t miss it. And finally, stuffing my Closet Case pouf! I used an old bedsheet, folded in half and sewn up on two sides to form a giant bag, and added to it all of my fabric and batting bits and bobs, odds and ends. The bag makes it easier to wash the pouf if I ever need to, although wool is dry clean only, so I’m not sure what I’d really do there. In any case, it is a lot less messy in the event that the zipper on the pouf is unzipped. This was a really fun project and the 3D construction was really well described in the pattern. It is hard to capture in photos, but this blue is a really rich navy, it looks like something expensive and the fabric is sturdy! I’m going to start saving all my scraps again since the pouf really uses up a lot of them! My goal is to make a second one as a gift… eventually ;). You might also like… Visibly Mended Jeans You might also like: Misty Mountains Coaster... Read more...Nordic Star Ombre QuiltMeet my Nordic Star ombre quilt version! This quilt in blues and teals is the cover of my latest pattern, Nordic Star. I loved the Scandinavian feel of these blocks and how they really looked like snowflakes as well as stars, and decided to play off the feel of the blocks with my color scheme. Read on to learn more about how I created this Nordic Star ombre quilt, from the colors and quilting and binding! Shop Related Products: Grinch Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Yoda Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Pokeball Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Sorting Hat Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Harry Potter Hot Cocoa Bombs (set of 6) $20.00 Select options Sorting Hat Hot Cocoa Bombs (set of 4) $14.00 Select options Fabrics: For my cover version, I used all Moda Bella solids. If you want to make the same quilt, Fat Quarter Shop has a wide selection of Moda Bella solids in stock. Check out their blue and aqua/teal selection here. C1: Dark TealC2: ScubaC3: PoolsideC4: AquaC5: MistC6: GlacierC7: SeaC8: Admiral BlueBackground: WhiteBinding (both quilts): SeaBacking Nordic Star: Dark TealBacking Wonderie: Scuba The throw size of Nordic Star is HUGE! It finishes at 66″ x 82″. I love the extra long size for snuggling on the couch. Because the blocks are big, they are really satisfying to create. There’s a sense of accomplishment every time you finish one! Those large blocks, and their offcuts, is what allows you to make a second bonus quilt out of the scraps! Wonderie, the companion quilt, finishes at a lap size of 42″ x 54″ when making a throw size Nordic Star quilt. I won’t lie, there’s immense satisfaction in essentially finishing two quilt tops at the same time! Because of the way Wonderie is created, if you wanted a bigger quilt and you had extra fabric, you definitely could make it bigger by adding on additional blocks. I’m debating doing just that with my next version! Part of me thinks it would be so much fun to have both quilts on twin beds in a room – sister quilts – which coordinated and yet were distinctly unique. Scale can be deceiving, so having me (5′ 4″) with Wonderie makes it easier to see the size Nordic Star Ombre Quilting: I originally hoped to send both of these to a longarmer to work her magic. A series of circumstances, however, where she was having trouble with her machine and I was running really last minute before this release meant I had to buckle down and quilt them myself! I chose simple straight line quilting for Wonderie, but wanted to do something a bit more special for Nordic Star. This pattern is one of my favorites that I have ever created. Everything from the colors to the design just really speaks to me, so I wanted the quilting to be just as special. Therefore, I decided to pull out my trusty Walk book by Jacquie Gering, but with a twist – Walk 2.0! I bought Walk 2.0 in February 2020 at Quiltcon, and through the chaos that was 2020, I honestly kind-of forgot about it. Therefore, when I decided to quilt this myself, I originally pulled out my first Walk book, and then noticed Walk 2.0 on my shelf! Whoops! After flipping through the book, I chose this design. I loved that it looked like snowflakes and knitting all wrapped into one intricate design. If you’re curious about walking foot quilting, I’ve used designs from the original Walk book here, here, here, here, and here. (Can you tell I’m a big fan??!) I pieced and quilting this quilt with Aurifil 50 weight thread in #2021 which is my favorite white thread color, using my Janome MC6700P machine. I absolutely love this machine for quilting, it is so smooth! Zero puckers! Binding: I chose to hand bind the quilt with big stitches, which is quickly becoming my trademark. The look it adds as a finishing touch just can’t be beat! I got extra-inspired with the corners, deviating from my usual x’s to a little snowflake! Those little details are my favorite. I once wrote my name in free motion quilting in the corner of a quilt that was a gift for a friend, and about a week after she got it she texted me “Your name is in here!”. I love those moments and try to add that little something to each quilt. For this binding I used Aurifil 50 weight (my favorite!) in #5007. I use this color a lot. It is a super pale blue with gray undertones, and it works really well with all sorts of fabrics and colors. If you want to learn big stitch binding, I have a tutorial with video to both original binding and variations on big stitch binding. Nordic Star comes in both ombre and 2-color variations and in three sizes and is available in my shop in both pdf and paper format! The pattern is written for an intermediate quilter, but comes with step-by-step instructions and full color diagrams to walk you through the process. The pattern includes fabric requirements and instructions for both Nordic Star AND Wonderie! Shop Nordic Star: Grinch Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Yoda Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Pokeball Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Sorting Hat Hot Cocoa Bomb $6.00 Select options Harry Potter Hot Cocoa Bombs (set of 6) $20.00 Select options Sorting Hat Hot Cocoa Bombs (set of 4) $14.00 Select options More Nordic Star Blog Posts: All About Nordic Star quilt patternCreating the perfect ombre for Nordic Star You might also like: Zesty | A Quilt Pattern Modern Crossing | A Finished Quilt Etoile Quilt | Farmhouse Version Creating an Ombre Nordic Star Quilt... Read more...Naturally Dyeing Fabric: My First ExperienceThis past weekend I went to a naturally dyeing fabric workshop. This has been on my bucket list for years! I’ve wanted to learn about natural dyes and start incorporating them into my quilts but have been really overwhelmed with the information currently available. I’ve gotten every book from the library and read them all, but each book told me how to mordant the fabric differently, using different mordants, and treat with tannins, or a wheat bran bath, or soy milk, or, or… the list went on and on. And quite frankly, it was really overwhelming and frustrating. I didn’t want to waste a whole bunch of fabric. So, when I saw this natural dyeing workshop/retreat pop up 2.5 hours from home, I signed up immediately! The workshop covered naturally dyeing fabric with available plants as well as eco-printing on paper. Gathering Sumac Berries for dyeing Prepping marigolds for dyeing Over the course of the weekend, I had all my questions answered and more. I learned how to mordant fabric, and because I came overly prepared with my own yardage, I was able to spend some time after dinner the first evening mordanting my fabric to take home and continue experimenting. In the workshop we learned how to prepare dyes and went out foraging near the retreat studio for available plants. I realized that there are some plants that are in my own neighborhood and I hadn’t even realized it (like sumac!). There were some dye baths that were prepared ahead of time for us to use as well. We dyed with: False IndigoWild GrapeWalnutEucalyptusGoldenrodJuniper BerriesMarigoldPokeweedHibiscusBasilMint In addition, there were several modifiers available for us to play with: Copper SulfateIron SulfateWood AshSoda AshVinegar The modifiers: each one will alter the color of your dyed fabric Fabric dyed prior to rinsing. While the wild grape stayed purple on wool, it turned blue on my cotton fabric! Day one was learning to prepare dyes and dyeing with available dyes in the area. We dyed fabric and yarn and were able to use the modifiers if we wished. Some dyes worked better than others, and in a workshop with lots of people, some things were a bit more chaotic than I would have liked. (Dye pots boiled and lost their colors, others never got warm enough, others got overloaded with fabric, etc.) However, I generally got the idea of what I would have to do at home in order to achieve different colors. Goldenrod, picked at the end of the season, giving off a golden brown instead of vivid yellow Cutting eucalyptus leaves to create a dye bath So many dye baths! Adding fabric and wool to the Juniper Berries dye bath Fabrics and wool hanging out to dry. Isn’t the view beautiful? View from the studio door. False Indigo. It gave a bright green dye. Here are the results from the weekend. All the fabrics and wool have been rinsed thoroughly until the water ran clear. As you can tell, the animal fiber (wool) retained colors much better than cotton did. Also, weirdly, all the grape and hibiscus cottons turned blue! It was fun to see the final results. Wool from left to right: Pokeweed modified with wood ash, Eucalyptus, Goldenrod, Hibiscus, and Wild Grape From left to right: Hibiscus, Pokeweed re-dyed in Hibiscus and modified with Copper Sulfate, Wild Grape, and Wild Grape modified with Copper Sulfate Left Column, going down: Goldenrod, Juniper Berries, Eucalyptus, BasilRight Column, going down: Mint, False Indigo, Coneflower modified with ?? (I can’t remember if it was iron sulfate or copper sulfate!), Walnut Day 2: Eco Printing Day two of the workshop was eco-printing on fabric and paper. We went out foraging again, this time for flowers and leaves we could pound into fabric or steam onto fabric. We used mordanted fabric, layered with plants that we first dipped in an iron sulfate solution, rolled it up and steamed it for 90 minutes. I used goldenrod, eucalyptus leaves, and sumac leaves Here’s the after! The sumac leaves look amazing! We also did something similar with mordanted watercolor paper – layering dipped plants between wet paper and tiles and steaming those for 90 minutes. We also experimented with pounding flowers directly onto mordanted paper and t-shirts. Mine turned out a little… messy. Ha! The results of this eco printing was really, really cool. I thought I’d be more interested in Day 1, and solid colors on fabric, but I ended up really loving the results of my eco-printed fabric. The paper was cool too, and would be a great activity with kids, but I generally don’t have a use for the paper so it was less interesting to me. Overall, I’m so glad I went to the workshop. I learned a lot and it gave me the confidence to keep naturally dyeing fabric at home. A lot of things in nature make yellow and brown (like, A LOT) so I’m looking forward to diving into what can produce additional colors, learning how to get an even color application, and testing the colorfastness of the dyed fabrics I produce. I’m hoping to use the fabrics I made in the workshop to create a small quilt or project. I think a Nordic Star block to turn into a pillow would be fun with some of the yellows and greens, or a Misty Mountains wall hanging with the blues. I’m going to experiment at home in the next few months with avocado pits, goldenrod (which I picked earlier in the season and froze), juniper berries and sumac berries/leaves. I’ll keep you all posted! I’m also going to invest in some dried dye stuff from Botanical Colors for plants that don’t grow nearby (madder, logwood, osage and cochineal ) and see what I can produce from those. You might also like: No related posts.... Read more... Follow us on Instagram The second in the #holidayquiltedbunting series is New tutorial on the blog!! How to make fabric tape You asked, and here it is! A FULL hot chocolate bo Happy long weekend! I hope you’re all enjoying i My design wall is starting to look really festive! Load More... Follow on Instagram
Patchwork Chore Coat PDF Pattern$20.00
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