Start School with a School Days Quilt!

School will be starting before too much longer, but you have time to make this School Days Quilt for a special student in your life!

School Days Quilt Pattern

This quilt is a great size for a child, 49 1/2″ x 59 1/2″ but is also easy to adjust the size for a larger or smaller quilt.  School Days is a pieced and appliqué quilt – the windows and radiator on the school bus are appliquéd.  Buttons for the headlights add embellishment.

This pattern is now available through Etsy for purchase and download.

Happy quilting!

Phyllis

Free Quilt Pattern – Bee Yourself Quilt

Its spring and the bees are buzzing around all the fresh flowers. Enjoy bees even more with this free pattern for a small “Bee Yourself” quilt.  I designed it with my “Bee Yourself” fabric collection  for Quilting Treasures. There is a bee for everyone – which are you?

Free quilt pattern for Bee Yourself Quilt by Phyllis Dobbs

This quilt is a great size for a wall hanging, lap quilt or a child’s quilt at 31 1/2″ W x 36 1/4″ H.  Its a great quilt that can be made quickly or by a beginner. The blocks in the center are a one-piece panel, so the sewing consists of adding strips and borders.

For this free pattern, its available in my Craftsy Vibrant Quilt store – free quilt pattern download.  You can also see all of the fabrics on my website.

If you would like to make a larger quilt, table runner or large tote bag made with the same fabric, please see my prior blog post with links to these free patterns. They are all available on the Quilting Treasures website.

Bee happy,

Phyllis

Sew Fun and Quilt Art – New Products!

The International Spring Quilt Market, being held in Portland, OR, is almost here, less than a month away.  So its natural that my thoughts are on sewing and quilting as the show date approaches. In addition to heading to my sewing machine, I’ve been adding sewing art to a variety of products, in addition to the iPhone and iPad cases that I completed a little while back.

Turquoise is my most favorite of all colors but I do love all colors! I’ve been creating the new products in a new turquoise color range to go with the other color choices I created in this “Sew Fun” pattern of all your favorite sewing accessories.

Cases are available for iPhone 4 and 5 and iPads as well as iPad and notebook sleeves.

These products can all be personalized to include your name, business name, monogram or other words and make nice gifts.

I also added a turquoise color range with my Quilt Art products as well. This binder will make a great album for your quilt patterns and notes and is also available in the sewing art pattern as well.

 

And there is still time to stock up on business cards for your quilting business. They are available in multiple styles and colors and are very high quality with printing on both sides.

If you are not a turquoise nut like I am, there are many other color choices so I’m sure you will find a color fave to accent your love of quilting and sewing.

Sew happy,
Phyllis

Meow – Cat Fabric Giveaway for Halloween!

For some reason, black cats are symbolic of Halloween. I wonder what the story was that created the Halloween black cat icon. As the “mom” to a black cat, I always make sure my black kitty is inside well before dark on Halloween. A few years ago, my husband overheard some really young kids that were out trick-or-treating early say as they tried to quietly pass by our house “this is the house with the black cat”. Since there were not many houses with really young kids close around, it made me wonder how notorious our black cat is. My husband did stop them and gave them some candy.

My black kitty Phyllis Dobbs

And I have to say that my black kitty is not scary by the wildest stretch of imagination – he’s so sweet and affectionate and loves attention. I hate it that he’s lumped as a superstitious “black cat”.

Meow Cat Fabrics Phyllis Dobbs

Since Halloween is approaching, I thought I would have a give-away of a fat quarter bundle of my “Meow Meow” cat fabrics. You can see by the colorfulness, that the inspiration from my black cat resulted in fun and bright fabrics filled with cat antics. You can see the entire fabric collection on my website.

To win the fat quarter bundle, just leave a comment and tell me your favorite black cat or Halloween story, cat story, or say “hi”. I will draw a name from those leaving a comment on Oct 31 – Halloween evening between giving out candy, and post it the next morning  I’m sorry but the drawing is open to residents of the US only.

Have a happy and safe Halloween and give a black cat a hug!

Phyllis

International Quilt Market, More Products and Beautiful Colors (Part 2)

I’m still in awe of all that I saw at the International Quilt Market in Houston and want to share more of the photos I took of products and colors from Market in a continuation from Part 1 of my prior post on Quilt Market.

This gorgeous dress in the Pfaff booth stopped me in my walks. This fuchsia dress has beautiful machine embroidery embellishment by Pfaff sewing machines. It was simply stunning and fit for Cinderella to wear to the ball! And look at the embroidery on the black coat next to the dress.

Dress embroidered by Pfaff sewing machine at Houston Quilt Market

 

Not all products at Quilt Market are sewing and quilt related. Karyn Kozak exhibits with her beautiful FIMO polymer clay products.  Created with different colored pieces of clay in the millefiori technique, Karyn created the beautiful vases and leaves below as well as jewelry, barrettes, and other items. Visit her website to see the ladybug pins and jewelry she created.

Fimo Polymer Clay vases at Quilt Market

and these fabulous teapots…

Fimo Polymer clay teapots at Quilt Market in Houston

 

I showed you some of the new fabric collections by Quilting Treasures in my prior post. Below are more of their fabrics that debuted at market. Simon-Kabuki has a new line out, In the Meadow, in these great, warm colors. I also love the design and applique flowers in this quilt using their fabrics.

Simon Kabuki fabric line In the Meadow at Quilt Market

 

And I also loved this new collection by Studio 8, Fantasia (click to see the individual fabrics) and especially love the color combination of black and white with a lime green.  (See my prior post for free quilt and apron patterns I designed for Quilting Treasures with Studio 8’s Monaco fabric collection).

Studio 8 fabric by Quilting Treasures at Quilt Market

 

I love the play The Phantom of the Opera and this new fabric collection is wonderful. Can’t you hear the music?

Phantom fabric by Quilting Treasures based on Phantom of the Opera

 

Angela Anderson’s Give Thanks, can be used to create a beautiful quilt or kitchen accessories such as a table runner or place mats next fall.

Give thanks fabric by Angela Anderson for Quilting Treasures

 

With quilting and sewing, you need trim. Expo International has all kinds of trim for your every need including home decor. I love the colorful displays of these trims and cords. The center row is button trims, which is fabulous since we all love buttons! I look at this and remember several years ago when I shopped trim, all I could find was dull colors. Its so much more fun sewing with these colors!

Expo Internation colorful trims at Quilt Market

And, there’s these fun feather trims…..

Feather trim by Expo International at Quilt Market

Quilt Market occurred over Halloween so I thought I would also show you Expo’s cute sequin appliques for Halloween.

Halloween applique trim by Expo International at Quilt Market

And the Expo International folks dressed up for Halloween. Debi Schmitz dressed as a witch, but I have to tell you that she’s a sweet  and lovely witch, not at all wicked! I need to find where she got the silver hair.

Debi Schmitz at Quilt Market

 

Walking by Michael Miller Fabric’s booth created a “wow” moment when I spotted this 1950 red MG convertible used in their vintage picnic display. I also like the turquoise cooler. I’ve always thought MG’s were the coolest cars. By the way, this MG was local from Houston and is for sale. It doesn’t run though, but it has a great body and I would just love to have it to look at and sit in (and watch Audrey Hepburn in Two for the Road although her MG was green). Pretend driving would be ok as I would not want to risk getting any kind of ding in it.

Red MG car in Michael Miller Booth at Quilt Market

I thought the Sandi Henderson booth (Michael Miller Fabrics) was beautiful and great merchandizing.

Michael Miller Sandi Henderson booth at Quilt Market

 

The Kaleidoscope Kreator Software booth was beautiful and dramatic with kaldeiscope designs. This software lets you use your own photos and artwork to create kaleidoscope images for quilting, scrapbooking, card making and more. I’ve been eyeing this software and plan to purchase it. Actually, I don’t know why I haven’t already done so, except that when I get home, I get caught up with ongoing work. The software looks easy to use from their booth demo (and the price is great). If you go to their website, check out the paper crafting projects. The quilts are beautiful of course, but the paper stars would be really fun to make.

 

Kaleidoscope Kreator Software at Quilt Market

 

I stopped in Clothworks booth to see my friend Sue Zipkins new fabric collection, Suzette. I love the soft colors of the fabrics.

Sue Zipkin new fabric at Quilt Market

 

 

June Tailor, Inc always has a pretty booth. They have great quilting tools (I use them regularly)!  They have a new program for fleece, Fleece with Flair. The program includes tools for working with fleece, including fringe cutters and various rulers as well as fleece precut flowers. The right half of the booth below shows the new tools and samples made using the tools.

 

June Tailor quilting tools booth at Quilt Market

A closeup of the fleece  flowers….

June Tailor fleece flowers at Quilt Market

 

Tina Givens (Free Spirit Fabrics) won the booth award for best Merchandising.  As you can see from the photos below, it was a beautiful booth in oranges, tans and browns.

 

Tina Givens booth at Quilt Market

Tina Givens booth at Houston Quilt Market

 

I love felt and stopped by Kunin Group’s booth. They have felt in patterns now which makes a wonderful addition to all the solid colors. The patterns below were gorgeous. Kunin’s felt is made from eco-fil which is created with platic water bottles. The felt is so soft, its hard to imagine that it started life as a water bottle.

Kunin Felt new patterns at Quilt Market

You can create such cute critters with felt.

Kunin Felt display at Quilt Market

 

Prym has a new line of sewing products for baby along with a book of patterns for making baby clothing and cloth diapers. In addition, as you can see on the wall to the right below, they have a full line of accessory products and trims, buttons and applique to use with sewing for baby. Really, really cute!!

Prym Dritz booth at Quilt Market

 

 

La Todera had a pretty and colorful booth to showcase their sewing and soft craft patterns. The buttons and flowers below are just a few of their patterns. And the buttons can be customized with your own saying or art.

La Todera sewing patterns at Quilt Market

and aren’t these trees adorable for sewing!

LaTodera sewing and craft patterns at Houston Quilt Market

 

Downtown Houston has changed over the years since I first started attending Quilt Market. Below is a view from my hotel (Hilton) showing the George Brown convention center on the right (designed to resemble a ship) and the Minute Maid Park (aqua building) in the distance, home of the Astros. Discovery Green Park is just a few years old and is a great improvement on the parking lots that were there previously. Its nice to walk through the park for a few outside minutes during the show.

View of downtown Houston from the Hilton

 

I hope you enjoyed my take on Quilt Market. But there’s more to come – pictures of beautiful, unbelievable quilts from the quilt exhibits. The quilts are works of art!  So please check back!

Phyllis

Woof Woof – Dog Bone It! Dog Patterns

Doggie Lingo” and “Dog Bones” are two whimsy and fun patterns in “It’s A Dog’s LIfe“, my fabric collection by Quilting Treasures.  These patterns are now available on several products in my Zazzle store. These men’s ties are great for dog lovers, they will also be a perfect gift for a veterinarian or others who work with animals as well as for people who work with children to bring tons of giggles from little ones. The ties are available in both “dog lingo words” and in “dog bones”, both in vibrant, fun colors, with additional color selections.

They coordinate with all the other products available with the individual dogs featured in “It’s A Dog’s Life” collection – Quilt Lover Dog, Chef Dog, Beach Dog, Angel Dog, Garderner Dog and the others.

Here’s to your dog – woof, woof!

Phyllis