Love this Nurse Tote!

I love to hear from any of you, and especially love it when you send me a picture of how you used any of my patterns or fabrics.  I love this tote sewn by Lisa Brooks Smets of Quilted Horse Designs.  She created it as a custom order that was being given as a gift. The red color really makes this bag pop!

Red nurse tote bag

The fabric she used was the red Love A Nurse fabric in my Spoonflower shop.  This fabric is available with several different background colors. This collection also small 5″ blocks with the words “Love A Nurse”surrounded by a border and in a 42″ x 36” cheater quilt layouts in 3 color backgrounds. I think Lisa did a terrific job sewing this tote. She does other sewing and can be reached for custom orders through her Quilted Horse Designs website.

I would love to hear from any of you! And if you purchase any of my fabrics, whether from Spoonflower or elsewhere, I would love to see what you make!

Phyllis

Fabric Love for New Sewing and Quilting Projects!

I look at fabric as mini pieces of art!  I’m enthralled with the colors and patterns and cannot resist touching and feeling fabrics. I love designing fabrics as well as buying fabrics I find in the marketplace. I have attended the Modern Quilt Guild convention, QuiltCon, a couple of times and am headed there again next February. In addition to enjoying the classes and lectures, I do a lot of shopping!  Its irresistible and so fun!

Fabrics for new projects

I bought a lot of the above fabrics at Quiltcon’s (plus one is my design). I’m currently working on projects with these fabrics and think I will add some embroidery, another love! I can’t tell you what the finished projects will be at this time, but will post as soon as I can.

Enjoy thinking about your little pieces of art as you make something wonderful with them. Sometimes, I really hate to cut the fabrics, but then remind myself of the beautiful creation that will result.

Are you one of “those” people like me who can’t resist touching any kind of fabric, to feel the softness, weight and textures?

Phyllis

Wholecloth Quilts – Easy to Make for Great Gifts

Spoonflower is great for purchasing fabrics that you can’t find anywhere else for yardage as small as a fat quarter or for cut and sew projects. I recently opened a Spoonflower shop with many of my fabric designs and I’m continuously creating more. I also created wholecloth quilt tops that are easy and quick to make as a 42″ x 36″ quilt. You can also cut them apart for the blocks or use as a center panel of a larger quilt. These quilts are also great for a beginner quilter. Coordinating fabrics are available for each quilt.Love a Nurse Quilt Top

Love A Nurse quilt top is available in light blue and pink color choices.  Red, navy blue and yellow choices will be available in less than 2 weeks. These quilts make a thoughtful way to show your appreciation for a nurse and all that they do. Just make your quilt sandwich, quilt and add binding and it will be finished.

Kitty Cat Wholecloth Quilt top Spoonflower

I created this Kitty Cat quilt as a quilt pattern that is available in both my Etsy and Craftsy stores in a larger size appliqué quilt.  The fabrics were from my Purr-fect Balance fabric collection available to quilt shops. I used the art to create the Kitty Cat wholecloth quilt top for Spoonflower for those who want to make the quilt without creating the appliqués for the cats.

I have several other quilt tops in my Spoonflower shop am in the process of quilting them. I love the size for quilting with my sewing machine and hope to finish them before Thanksgiving. The weather has turned cool enough that they feel good on my lap while sewing the bindings.

I wish you a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving and time with people you love!

Phyllis

Time for Christmas Quilting

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner, and that Thanksgiving almost here. I think that the weather staying warm later this year has made me feel that the holidays are getting here so much more quickly than normal. However there is still time to make a quilt for Christmas, whether for yourself or for a gift and I will be sitting at my machine this week. These quilts are a few that I have designed for Christmas.

Christmas Stocking Quilt Pattern

This Christmas Stocking quilt makes a cute quilt for children to snuggle under. It can be made as a scrap quilt using different scraps of fabric for the different sections of the stockings as well as using your precut fabrics.  The size of this pieced patchwork quilt is 47″ x 58″ but can easily be adjusted to make it larger or smaller.

Holly Christmas Quilt

Holly is a natural at Christmas for decorating. This Holly Christmas quilt can be used each year to go with your holly decorating.  This quilt pattern gives two options, the full quilt or a smaller quilt using the center panel.  The pattern provides instructions for both to give you double use. Make one for yourself and one to give away. The full quilt is 68″ x 84″.

Christmas Tree and Bows Quilt Pattern

This Christmas Tree quilt is made dimensionally with the leaf sections of the tree sewn to the quilt top at the top point of each leaf. The leaves  hang loose at the bottom edge.  Bows are appliquéd in the border.  This quilt is 28″ x 32″ and can be made from your scraps or precut fabrics.  Red ribbon is used for the bow at the top of the tree.

These patterns as well as other Christmas quilt patterns are available in my and Etsy store as downloadable pdf’s so you can start quilting immediately, without a wait time for shipping. The weather has been nice enough to be outside some but isn’t it more fun to be inside quilting than raking leaves?

Happy Quilting!

Phyllis

 

Quiltcon, The Modern Quilt Guild Amazing Conference

I was delighted to attend Quiltcon, presented by the Modern Quilt Guild  in February. Quiltcon is a beautiful and amazing quilt show, with wonderful classes and lectures. Not only was the location in Pasadena, CA beautiful, the weather was also (well, except for the day I arrived when it poured rain). I want to share a few of the gorgeous quilts exhibited at the show.

Modern Quilt Guilds throughout the US and several countries submitted entries for the “Member Charity Challenge”. These quilts were displayed through the hall of the convention center and in rooms for viewing. This quilt is “My Baltimore” by the Baltimore MQG.  I showed many of these quilts in my Instagram and Facebook posts while atending Quiltcon.

My Baltimore BMQG

“David Bowie” was designed by Holly Hickman and was in the Moda fabric booth. I think this quilt was shown on social media more than any other quilt there! You can find more information about the making of this quilt on Moda’s Blog.

David Bowie

“Falling” is by Kathy York of Austin, Texas. The batik cirlces reminded her of strands of beads so she hand stitched some dashed lines to represent the cording. This quilt was entered in the “Use of Negative Space” category.

Falling Quilt

“Cat Face” was by Megan Callahan of Bakersfield, CA. and was entered under the “Piecing” category.

Cat Face Quilt

“Handcrafted Triangles” is by Jennifer Johnston of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada and was entered in the “Improvisation” category. I love all the colors.

Handcrafted Triangles Quilt

“My Brother’s Jeans” by Melissa Averinos won “Best in the Show”.  She found the jeans in the trash after her brother’s death.

My brothers Jeans Quilt

“Picnic Petals” is by Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill of Woodbridge, CT and was entered in the “Modern Traditionalism” category.

Picnic Petals Quilt

“Puttin’ on the Glitz” is by Gina Boyd of Davis, CA and was entered in the Glitz Fabric Challenge by Michael Miller Fabrics.

Puttin on the Glitz Quilt
“Square Dance” is by Carol Dennis of Garland, TX and was entered in the “Piecing” category.

Square Dance Quilt

“The Big Swirl” by Betsy Vinegrad of Short Hills, NJ, was entered in the Glitz Fabric Challenge by Michael Miller Fabrics.

The Big Swirl Quilt

“Whimsical Logs” by Letitia Chung of San Francisco, CA, was entered in the “Modern Traditionalism” category and won 1st place.

Whimsical Logs Quilt

“Red Hot” by Shawna Doering of Denver, CO, was entered in the “Use of Negative Space” category and won the Judge’s Choice Award.

Red Hot Quilt

“Making Triangles” was made by Dawn Golstab of Leander, TX.  This quilt was entered in the Triangle Quilt Challenge.

Making Triangles Quilt

In addition to lectures and classes, there were also demonstrations in the exhibit hall. I really enjoyed this block printing demonstration by Valori Wells. You can see some of the gorgeous fabrics she created with her block prints on the table in front of her. I learned a little about block printing in college and was so inspired watching Valorie that I bought her book “My Life in Fabric”afterwards

Valorie Wells Demonstrating Block Print

An exhibit of quilts by Gwen Marston created a display of beautiful colors. She also gave a lecture that I thoroughly enjoyed. She is so colorful in all that she does!

Gwen Marston Quilt

In addition to all the color and quilts, I enjoyed spending time with a very good friend, Robin Pickens. We definitely inspired each other shopping in the vendor area!  One can’t have too many quilt supplies!  Robin had lived in the Pasadena area several years ago and gave me a tour of parts of it and I enjoyed meeting her lovely family. Spending time with a friend and lots of talking was icing on the cake for Quiltcon!

I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the quilts! I tried to get all the information correct, but if I have any mistakes, I apologize and hope that someone will let me know so that I can correct it.  There were so many more absolutely breathtaking quilts and I wish I could show them all.

Keep quilting!

Phyllis

 

Add Pizazz in the Kitchen with Retro Double Skirt Apron

Aprons are so much fun to wear when cooking in addition to being stylish and trendy.  This double skirted apron pattern is stylish with a retro feel.

Double skir apron pattern by Phyllis Dobbs

This apron pattern is medium sized and is easy to adjust if you want it smaller or larger.  The skirt is made with two layers with an underskirt and a second apron skirt on top and is completed with a handy pocket.

The bodice is topped with a ruched band across the top edge.  The apron has both neck ties and ties at the waist.   An option of 3 choices is given for fabric arrangement.

This double skirt apron pattern is available in my Etsy WhimsyColor shop.  I would love for you to visit and look through all the other patterns available including a wide assortment of quilt and quilt block patterns.

I hope that you get your apron on!

Phyllis

Gorgeous Quilts from Spring Quilt Market Minneapolis

In part two of my photos from the Spring International Quilt Market held in Minneapolis, I want to show you some of the beautiful quilts displayed. Sometimes a picture doesn’t provide the detail that makes the quilt so spectacular so I took some close up detail photos that I’m showing with the quilt photo.

This quilt, “Happy” is by Robbi Joy Eklow of Third Lake, Illinois and used the technique of raw-edged fused appliqué and free motion quilting. In this quilt, she combined the purple, green, and orange rings with giant flowers from another quilt that she had not finished.

Robie Joy Eklow Happy Quilt

Wild horses inspired this quilt “One Fine Day” by Laurie Britt Piper of Bakersfield, CA.  The technique used was raw-edged appliquéd, fused and painted.  On a road trip through Utah, Colorado and Idaho, she had to stop in the middle of the highway to let a group of wild horses pass and turned that moment into inspiration for a quilt.

One Fine Day wild horses quilt

One Fine Day wild horse quilt detail

“Bentonville Square” was created by Karen Kielmeyer and the Van Go-Go Art Quilt Group of Bentonville, AK. They decided to do a slice quilt based on a postcard of an original painting by Jane Garrison Davidian of Fayetteville, AK. The techniques used were machine appliquéd and pieced.

Bentonville Square Quilt

Kathy York, of Austin, TX, created “Suburbs” used techniques of hand-dyed, batiked, discharged, over-dyed, fused appliqué, and machine quilted, and hand quilted. This quilt was inspired by the fires that ravaged Bastrop, TX in 2011. New houses were build with each unit individualized by color and pattern.

Suburbs Quilt

Suburbs quilt detail

“Bohemian III Rain” is third in a series “Rain” by Sandra Peterson of Muncie, IN.  The technique used were machine pieced, foundation pieced, hand appliquéd, and hand quilted. She wanted to create a three-dimensional design using the series’ original fractal wheels, and to develop a technique for curved foundation piecing. The motif design answer was umbrellas.

Bohemian III Rain quilt

Mary Ann Hildebrand of Comfort, TX, created the “Japanese Tea Garden” quilt and used the techniques of fused appliqué, free-motion quilted, threadpainted, painted and penciled. The Japanese Tea Garden, built in an abandoned stone quarry in San Antonia, TX around 1910, was the inspiration for this quilt.

Japanese Tea Garden Quilt

“Born Free” quilt is by Denise Sargo of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The techniques used were appliquéd, burned, hand-embroidered, inked, dyed, and machine quilted. The quilt is to portray the kind of animals, the proud, fierce-looking lion, that is vulnerable due to the loss and destruction of habitat.

Born Freen Lion Quilt

“Moody Beach, Maine, 1957” is the subject of this quilt by Margot McDonnell of Tempe, AZ.  The techniques were fused, machine appliquéd and quilted, and painted. This original design was inspired by a vintage non-professional black and white snapshot.

Moody Beach Main Quilt

“Sunflower Pilgrimage” by Susan Bianchi of Saratoga, CA, used the techniques of fused, couched, machine and hand-quilted. She was inspired by Annie Liebovitz’s photography technique of overlapping several photographs to make one imperfect but complete image.

Sunflower Pilgrimage quilt

“Rhythm & Roses” was created by Karen Echmeier of Kent CT, and used the techniques of topstitch-pieced, couched and hand-beaded. This quilt is from her book Layered Waves, and is part of a series of quilts with the theme of “Finding Center” to stay focused and maintain balance with the rhythm of life.

Rhythm and Roses quilt

 

rhythm and roses quilt detail

Marina Landi and Maria Lucia Azara of Sao Paulo, Brazil, used techniques of appliquéd and quilted to create “Summer Wind”.  A painting by Anna Bocek inspired them to dye silk and form the quilt with a great number of colors and shades and to reproduce the painting’s hair movement.

Summer Wind quilt

summer wind quilt detail

“Thunderstorm” by Brigette Morgenroth of Kassel, Germany, used the techniques of paper-pieced and hand quilted to represent the dark sky, pouring rain and the blue, green, orange and yellow umbrellas. The quilt is made with hand-dyed cotton and the elegant curves of the Twisted Log Cabin block.

Thunderstorm quilt

Thunderstorm quilt detail

“Prince Charming’s Shoe Sale” is by Pam Rubert of Springfield, MO and used the techniques of hand-dyed and stitched. This quilt is a contemporary version of Cinderella with her and her stepsisters as modern women who drove to the Charming Shoe Store in their own pumpkin cars.

Prince charming's shoe sale quilt

Prince charming shoe sale quilt detail

“Furrealizm…Dali Has Gone to the Dogs” is by Pauline Salzman of Treasure Island, FL. The techniques used were fused and appliquéd. The design was inspired by Salvador Dali’s “The Weaning of Furniture”.

Dali has gone to the Dogs quilt

Dali has gone to the Dogs quilt detail

Quilt Market is always more fun in a vibrant city such as Minneapolis with a dynamic downtown area. This city was home of the iconic Mary Tyler Moore show. This statue is at the spot where she tossed her hat in the air that was shown at the beginning of each show.  In researching, I discovered that this shot was ranked as the second greatest moment in 1970’s television.

Mary Tyler Moore iconic hat toss statue

I hope that you enjoyed seeing some of the beautiful quilts from market. I apologize for the quality of some of these photos – the overhead lighting of a convention center is not always conducive to good quality photographs and accurate color.

It’s always a joy and delight to walk among all the quilts displayed during this show and I am already looking forward to next one.

Phyllis

Spring International Quilt Market in Minneapolis

I recently attended the Spring International Quilt Market in Minneapolis. As most of you probably know, it’s the largest trade show for anything related to quilting – fabrics, patterns, notions, threads and more and is a kaleidoscope of colors. I took so many photos so am dividing my Quilt Market review into two posts – check back for all the beautiful quilts on display.

Quilt Market Minneapolis show floor

Quilt Market started off with gloomy, rainy and very cool weather, but it turned warm and sunny for two days before it turned ugly and stormy again. Minneapolis is a great location for Quilt Market when weather doesn’t cooperate as city has a system of skywalks going from building to building so that you don’t have to go outside.  The Minneapolis convention center is pretty and in looking at this photo, looks like the inside of a space ship with the large domes.

American Flag Quilt

I always enjoy seeing an American Flag Quilt and especially so at this show since Memorial Day was the following weekend.  This large quilt was displayed in a booth but I, unfortunately, did not get the name of the booth.

Gutterman A&E Thread booth Quilt Market

Gutterman Thread Quilt Market

I was in the A&E and Gutermann thread booth during the show.  I love, love their threads.

Colorful Gutermann Threads

With these beautiful threads and colors behind me, you can see why I enjoyed working in this booth. Yummy!!!

I also spent time in the Quilting Treasures Booth, the fabric company that my fabrics are with.

J Wecker Frisch Letter Stitch Fabrics

One of my amazing friends, J. Wecker Frish, has a new fabric collection “Letter Stitch”  with Quilting Treasures and were displayed beautifully in the booth.  Janet always adds such detail and antiques in her displays.

Quilting Treasures Owl in the family

I also loved the new fabrics “Owl in the Family” by Desiree’s Designs.

Quilting Treasures Minion fabric

And for kids, Quilting Treasures has the fabrics for the 1 in a Minion from “Despicable Me”. What kid wouldn’t want a quilt with this fabric!

Pink Sand Beach Downton Abbey

I’m a huge fan of Downton Abbey, and always get a smile with anything associated with the spunky Dowager Countess.  Pink Sand Beach has an exclusive for the Downton Abbey patterns and fabric kits.

June Tailor Quilt Market Booth

June Tailor is another favorite booth of mine – it’s always so beautiful, colorful and always has some wonderful new quilt tools and notions.

June Tailor booth Quilt Market

A new item by June Tailor is “Quilt As You Go Pre-Printed Batting”  that comes as a complete quilt and four block designs” that are a piece by number construction.

June Tailor Bobbin and Thread pegs

I also love the Thread Mate Spool and Bobbin Pegs from June Tailor, a really great item to let you keep your spool of thread and bobbin together.  No more searching for the right threaded bobbin as you get ready to sew.  It’s the little things like this that makes sewing and quilting easier.

Quilt Market pals

Quilt Market is not all walking the aisles.  There is always the time for fun with friends. Taking selfies by friends in the News Room for dinner –  Jackie Frisch McClenning, Janet Wecker Frisch, Loralie and Ann Regal.

Quilting Treasures group

And I enjoyed spending some time with the people from Quilting Treasures. That really tall paper mache in the back is Freida.

Minneapolis convention center dome ceiling

This is a different view of one of the domes over the convention center.  While looking at it from a distance, it might look like a space ship, but looking straight up, it looks like a quilt pattern, which made it perfect for Quilt Market.

Please check back, as I’ve already started writing another post about Quilt Market to show you some really amazing and gorgeous quilts that were displayed.

Happy Quilting,

Phyllis

Kitty Cats and Yoga – Fun Purring with Free Patterns!

My latest fabric collection, Purr-fect Balance with Quilting Treasures, featuring kitties in cute yoga poses, is now in fabric stores. I want to share some free quilt and sewing patterns that I designed with this collection, a quilt, tote bag, and a yoga mat bag.  You can view the fabrics in my prior post for Purr-fect Balance fabrics. 

Purr-fect Balance Kitty Yoga Quilt free pattern

This quilt is 44″ x 55 ¼” in size, which is a good size for a throw quilt or wall hanging.  You can even lay it on the floor for your yoga workout. The skill level for the quilt is advanced beginner.

Kitty yoga bag patterns

These bags are for a roomy tote to carry your yoga clothes or for shopping. The other bag is to hold your rolled up yoga mat. Maybe these fabrics can entice your cat to help you with yoga, although he or she will be trying to help the minute you get down on the floor.

I hope you have fun with these patterns and fabrics. I love cats, needless to say, (and dogs too), and designed the fabrics in happy and bright colors.

All patterns are available for free download from the Quilting Treasures website. Click on the link below the quilt and it will give you the links to the individual patterns.

Happy sewing and quilting,

Phyllis

 

 

Say “Merry Christmas” with a Christmas Stockings Quilt.

One of the traditional and fun activities of Christmas is hanging the stockings to be filled by Santa. I have a collection of stockings that I have made over the years or received as gifts, all in a variety of techniques including sewing, quilting, applique, embellishment, embroidery, cross stitch and needlepoint.  With stockings on my mind, I designed this “Christmas Stockings” quilt pattern.

Christmas Stockings Quilt

This quilt pattern was created for the Quilt Dash, a fun way to visit online quilt shops.  It starts Monday, December 15, 2014  and runs through December 28. This fun Christmas quilt pattern is available for purchase through Phyllis’ Etsy WhimsyColor store.

This pieced patchwork quilt, sized 46 ¾” x 58″, with 12 blocks. It’s easy to adjust if you want to make it larger or smaller.  I designed it to be a scrappy quilt so that you can use a multitude of fabrics or the scraps you  have on hand.

I hope you join the Quilt Dash and use this pattern  to make your Christmas stockings by creating a heirloom quilt.

Merry Christmas and happy quilting!

Phyllis