New Pattern: Military Mailbag & Express Mailbag RD2-029

Tis the season to tell blog land all about the seasonal pattern releases. I'm releasing 5 for the October International Quilt Market and this is the last one of the 5. Whooooh-

...of course, if you subscribe to the ReannaLily Designs newsletter, you've already seen the sneak peek of all 5 titles...

This pattern is called the Military Mailbag & Express Mailbag RD2-029. The pattern has two sizes and two strap options (spaghetti straps OR cotton webbing). You can mix and match both elements to create a one-of-a-kind bag, just for you.


It started out as one bag, to feature the Capri line of fabrics by Northcott (also used in the Diamond In the Rough Pattern RD2-208) The fabric line has this amazing 22" wide stripe in the collection. I really wanted to showcase that stripe on the flap of the messenger bag. In fact, the flap on the larger bag, 10" x 16" would be great for any piece of fabric that you've purchased, but you just cannot cut it apart because its so beautiful. I think we've all done that...

The larger bag is made with fabric yardage, but if you like, the large bag pieces can actually fit 2 per fat quarter- giving you the option for a fun scrappy bag.

...speaking of scrappy...

As my tester (Mom!) was working on her sample, she mentioned that it might be super easy and fun to make the bag in a different size- possible a size that features LAYER CAKES! So, with her permission, I added in a second bag size to include 10" squares. The smaller bag is called the Express Mailbag.

(bag construction and photos by Karen Morello)

Now, you can showcase fabric on the flap, quilt on the flap OR show your support for our troops on the flap. As with my bag patterns, this pattern includes details for sewing with military uniforms. You can recycle the camouflage BDU or (as pictured) an ABU or ACU to let the world know that you support our troops! You can add name tapes, unit patches or any other embellishment to the bag.

This will truly be an original creation once you are done mixing the elements. I think you will enjoy the customizing.

Oooh- and I almost forgot to tell you, the bag has a ton of pockets! The larger bag, 10" tall, x 16" long, x 6" wide has 2 exterior drop-in pockets, 3 interior drop-in pockets AND a secret zipper pocket. Its a large bag and a GREAT DIAPER BAG.

This bag pattern is up on the website and available through QuiltWoman.com. AND AND AND- you can pick this title up as an instant download, e-pattern!

Boy with a post this long to ultimately say "Look new bag pattern." I guess you can kinda tell I'm loving this bag. Look for me carrying it at Market!

*Fabric samples in this post (in order of appearance) are Capri by Northcott, Wonderland by Momo for Moda, Denyse Schmidt + Digital USAF camouflage (ABU) and Treetop Fancy by Free Spirit + Digital Army camo (ACU).

New Pattern: Military Mailbag & Express Mailbag RD2-029

New Pattern: Diamond In The Rough RD2-028

...another new pattern coming soon to a quilt shop near you...

This pattern is called Diamond in the Rough (RD2-028). The pattern features the absolutely gorgeous Capri Line for Northcott fabrics. (Which look amazing when they aren't the size of a tiny thumbnail quilt in a blog- you'll have to click the link to see the designs. They look like painted pottery.)

I slipped in a sneak-peek of the design a while back on the blog. Thankfully that method-test quilt went so well that I ended up including the large size AND a baby size in the pattern.

There are diamonds, there are circles, there's applique and a bit of fussy cutting, should you opt for the large striped border fabric- so it will be released as an intermediate pattern. Not to fear though, the pattern should get you from beginning to end without too many cuss words.

New Pattern: Diamond In The Rough RD2-028

New Pattern: Loose Change RD2-027

...Another new pattern on the horizon...

This one is called Loose Change (RD2-027). Its based on a traditional stacked coins pattern. After mixing up all the coins it seemed like an appropriate little title.


The original design is based on a fabric line called Love Nest by Northcott Fabrics. The pattern is authored to allow you to make the quilt with one 10" square cut Layer Cake (or 40, 10" squares) plus a small amount of solid color yardage. The fabric used is the Twiggy by Sanae for Moda Fabrics in this test sample.


The photos above are straight from the pattern tester. The pattern will be distributed by QuiltWoman.com and is available now.

Subscribe to the blog or sign-up to receive the newsletter to get the exact date it will be available.

New Pattern: Loose Change RD2-027

Quilted Pattern- Free Motion Swirls

With those quilting supplies from yesterday, I've decided to try out another free-motion quilting motif.

SWIRLS

The quilt itself is Teddy Bear Circles, RD2-021. I've shown you the top before, in this post. The fabric is flannel by Northcott. In fact, the top AND back are flannel. I used a very dense polyester batting between the layers. I do think that this quilt is now warm enough for our friends climbing Mt Everest, with tog ratings through the roof, I'm sure.

The slick fuzzy flannel surface and sheer weight of the three layers made the swirls a bit "clunky" as I quilted around on my home machine. I do really like the quilting design, though, and I might have better luck with getting a smoother look with (1) grip gloves and (2) a lighter quilt.

But for now, my quilty-quilt is quilted. Its bound and its ready to take around and show at Quilt Shops to promote the pattern. Whoooh-

What's next?

Quilted Pattern- Free Motion Swirls

Fabrics Matter

Have you seen a quilt made in a couple different colorways and thought "WOAH, Its completely different." I'm always thinking that. In fact, its one of the reasons I love EQ7 software. You can change up fabrics with a click and audition colors, prints, and scale within minutes.

I put the Fabric Matters to a test recently with my own pattern, Teddy Bear Circles RD2021.

The pattern was designed based on digital fabric files from Northcott Fabrics.

At the time, Northcott's Teddy Bears For All Seasons was not yet available in real life, ready to ship- so my tester made the quilt using a Moda Layer Cake. Since the 40 ten-inch fabric squares in a layer cake represent a piece of fabric from the entire line- the quilt has a much more eclectic look.
The original flannel fabrics from Northcott shipped this summer, just in time for shops to carry the flannel for fall/winter projects. I was able to make up the pattern to match the cover design. The fabric in real life was much more rich in color than the original digital files.



And once I made it in the flannel I got to thinking: "I planned this pattern design based on a modern concept and look. So- why not give it a more modern edge with some solid white and Amy Butler prints." That was that. I chopped into one of my IKEA white cotton sheets and about 2 total yards of Amy Butler fabrics. Its two prints, both from her Love collection, I think. (I might be wrong on the collection.)

I tell you, its like night and day. The variety baffles me. I'm fortunate to be able to try out the different looks in real fabric, as well as EQ7, on a quilt that is quick to make and still big enough to use or gift.

Now, to build the backs and get them quilted. I should have time nowadays, with all my office assistants back in school. =)

Fabrics Matter

Testing the Idea

I have a couple new quilt pattern designs releasing with Northcott fabrics this coming fall. (Oh my goodness and its not even the end of June yet!) But still- Gotta get to work and have these fabulous patterns release for Houston Market.

So, with this new design I have made a much smaller test quilt to determine the best method of construction. I think the kinks are ironed out {pun intended} and I'm ready to dive in with the writing and diagramming.

The picture above is very loosely based on the actual quilt design. We'll see in a couple months if you guys think they look remotely similar. =)

For now, though, I think I'll be naming this 40" square quilt Argyle Earth Day. (The fabrics in the sample quilt above are from **gasp** Joann's and the white and black background is Robert Kaufmann)

Since the quilt is small, I figured it'd be a good opportunity to test another little idea: Free Motion Feathers. My mother-in-law is a whiz at these on her longarm machine. I found a quilt she quilted for me and started tracing her quilting lines with my finger. Next step- getting used to the motion and anticipating the next curve with a pencil and paper.

Yes, that is a high-tech, back-of-an-envelope-while-watching/listening-to-the-tv set up I've got going on.

Then after a very short bit at the sewing machine, I have some Free Motion Feathers-

I think over all, this test of many ideas turned out ok. I need a TON more practice with the whole retracing step in feather stitching. I still need to bind it and I'm happy to report I will not be *testing* anything with my regular 'ole continuous binding.

Testing the Idea

QuiltWoman.com

This is the QuiltWoman.com booth, where I spent most of my weekend. So happy & honored that my Cube Purse was displayed on the back wall. Unfortunately, I didn't snap the photo while the tv was on in our booth. It cycled through all 490-something pattern titles/covers, giving us virtual quilt show AT the show.

The 150 new titles were on the table in the back in bins like the one pictured above. Quilt shop owners could stop by an pick what they liked.

I also saw a pattern of mine/QuiltWoman.com over in the Northcott fabrics booth. It was the newer, Teddy Bear Circles pattern. When I designed the quilt using virtual fabric, by Ro Gregg, I wasn't sure how Northcott would actually use the design. ((The Teddy Bear for All Seasons flannel will ship later this summer and is not yet available in stores.)) Well, check this out-

They actually print the quilt designs on the LARGE folded sample, which the fabric reps take around to quilt shops. The fabric swatches are inside. The whole process is very neat and interesting in a symbiotic way. QuiltWoman.com distributes the pattern, which states on the cover "using fabric from {whomever}" and then the fabric company also promotes the pattern. This way quilt shops know what line to buy, if they love the pattern and know what pattern to buy if they love the fabric line. Its also pretty neat that they work with independent pattern designers- I mean, look at the diversity in design, just in those 4 patterns alone. Brilliant.

Every market I learn a little bit more. Love learning about the entire process!!!

There's still time to enter the Fat Quarter Bundle Give Away. The drawing will be TOMORROW!!! So hurry, leave your comment on the bundle post and tell your friends.

QuiltWoman.com

Where the heck am I?

If you're wondering where to see some of my patterns at the Minneapolis market, Look for them in these booths:

QuiltWoman.com #2717- Patterns
Benartex/Jackie Clark- Pattern and Quilt sample Baby's Boxes RD2-012
United Notions- Pattern and Purse sample The Cube Purse RD2-019
Northcott Fabrics- 2 New Patterns, Teddy Bear Circles AND Sleepy Stars and 2 quilt samples Quick 3D Sampler and Interlocking Squares.

And I'll be buzzin' around market with my camera half the time, and spending the other half of the time in the QuiltWoman.com booth. Stop by and say hi!

Where the heck am I?

Grey Quilting Thread

I have a quilt pattern called Quick 3D Sampler. Its super fast to cut and looks like the blocks are floating right off the quilt. It works because the colors are so bright, up against the black shadow border.

But then there's a problem- what color would I quilt it in? The first sample I ever made, I quilted it in invisible thread. For this new sample, I wanted to go with a nice mainstream quilting thread- I didn't want glaring white lines through the black border. Blue is the main, dominate color in the top- but I didn't want blue lines all through the yellow spaces... Ultimately, went with a smokey GREY color. Its subtle enough to blend into the yellows and dark enough to work on the black and blue. I'm telling you, grey is the new white! I love how the grey turned out.



This particular quilt was made & quilted by Karen of Karen's Quilting Service for ReannaLily Designs. Its a sample for my booth for the Wichita Quilt Show this summer. Turned out EXCELLENT. This new model is made with Mark Lipinski's Home Elements for Northcott Fabrics and will also be the new pattern cover model as well.

Grey Quilting Thread

Sleepy Stars

Now introducing the second title from ReannaLily Designs releasing with Northcott Fabrics. This quilt is called Sleepy Stars and is made from a 24'' block. How fun is that? Only 4 blocks and you are done with this baby quilt. Of course, if you wanted to make the quilt top 4 total times, you'd have a great bed size quilt, at 96'' x 96''.

The quilt is designed to feature Mark Lipinski's Good Morning Sunshine (in the boy colorway). Its a wonderful collection with blues and yellows and greens. My tester was able to work up the design in comparable fabrics, since Good Morning Sunshine won't ship until May 2010.

This title will be published and distributed by QuiltWoman.com, so look for the release in their online shop/catalog later this Spring 2010.

Sleepy Stars

Teddy Bear Circles :: NEW Quilt Pattern

There's two new patterns on the horizon! I thought I'd share one of them with you. The pattern is for a child size quilt and is designed to compliment A Teddy Bear for All Seasons by Ro Gregg; one of the new fabric lines by Northcott fabrics.


The pattern is called Teddy Bear Circles and is based on a collection of 10" squares (layer cake) or assorted quilter's fat quarters (18" x 22"). The cover sample is made using the fat quarters. The circles can be hand/machine or fusible appliqued onto this 15'' block. My tester has made this pattern a couple times. The first time was using a Moda layer cake, since the Teddy Bear For All Seasons fabric isn't quite available yet.

Very scrappy and "mish mashy," which is excellent! Those layer cakes sure have many prints in there, don't they? My tester then made the quilt again 4 times and joined those 4 tops to make one huge bedsize quilt. I don't have a finished picture of that one yet, but I cannot wait to see it.

This pattern will be distributed by QuiltWoman.com and is set to release at spring market in Minneapolis. Stay tuned for more preview patterns!

Edited to add- I think this pattern will look amazing in cotton solids. I'm going to have to put that on my to-do list.

Teddy Bear Circles :: NEW Quilt Pattern