The Pattern Basket Blog

NEW!

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:40:00 +0000

Yesteday morning (see post below) Rascal and I played in my studio and when the fun and games came to end I was able to finish my newest pattern called Something Sweet. It's perfect for Valentines Day - or if you're like me and love hearts then it's perfect for any day!

Something Sweet - table topper finishes 34" square.

So Sweet!

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:24:00 +0000

We took Rascal to the vet yesterday because he has been licking his belly naked. The doctor tells us that with the new puppy addition to the family, Rascal is feeling left out and we should spend more time playing with him. So it was difficult to work in my studio this morning with this little guy looking for love!

I thought I would share a moment of my morning with Rascal.

I hope all the days of 2010 start out this sweet!

Moda Love - Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:53:00 +0000

Leave me a comment on this post and you will be entered to win this Moda Love pincushion. I will make the draw Sunday, January 10. I'm looking forward to reading your comments!

Good luck everyone!

Moda Love - Pincushion

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:01:00 +0000

I just posted my pincushion pattern - Moda Love - over at the Moda Bake Shop. Drop by and have a look!

Made Simple for 2010

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:24:00 +0000

I just added a new fun section to my blog called
Made Simple

Come have a look!

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:57:00 +0000

Wishing everyone happiness, good cheer and sweet

surprises for 2010.

Christmas at our house

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:18:00 +0000

Christmas is only a couple of days away and we have been busy getting ready for the holidays. This is what Christmas looks like around our house.

The gift of love,

The gift of peace,

The gift of happiness,

May all these be yours this Christmas.

Holiday Special!

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:00:00 +0000

I'm so grateful to all the friends I have made through my blog over this past year. It has been an amazing year and very exciting to have shipped my patterns all over the world. With the holiday season upon us I want to show my appreciation by offering free shipping from December 8th to 31st anywhere in the USA or Canada when you order two or more patterns. For all my international customers I am offering free shipping when you order 4 or more patterns.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Come Bind with me!

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:55:00 +0000

Welcome to my tutorial on Double Sided Binding. I love this method and I think you will too!

Start with choosing the fabric for the binding that you would like to see on the front of the quilt and then choose the binding fabric that you would like to have on the back of the quilt.

Now measure the perimeter of your quilt. Add 15" to the total. This is how long the completed binding strip needs to be.

From the fabric that you have chosen for the front binding, cut 1" strips to equal the length you need.

From the fabric chosen for the binding for the back of the quilt, cut 2" strips to equal the length you need.

Sew the 2" strips together by laying the ends of the strips over each other right sides together as shown above. Then sew a diagonal line, corner to corner. Cut away the outside corner 1/4" from the sewn line and press.

Now repeat this step for the 1" strips.

Sew the 1" and the 2" strips together as shown above.

Press

Fold the binding strip in half, wrong sides together, as shown above and press.

Square up your quilt. Whenever a quilt is machine quilted, it has a tendency to shift close to the edge and sometimes the straight border edge that you started with moves a little bit. I always square up my quilts with a pencil or very fine fabric marker, measuring from the border seam over to the edge.

This little quilt sample was trimmed. I usually leave about 3" of batting and backing on my quilts when I am binding and then I trim the quilt once the binding is sewn on.

Sew the binding on using a 1/4" seam with the front binding face down on the quilt top as shown above. Align the raw edge of the binding against the pencil line.

Note: Make sure to start in the middle of one of the sides of the quilt and leave a 5" piece of binding at the start.

When you get to the corners, stop 1/4" from the drawn line and fold the binding up as shown above, making sure it's nice and straight, and pin.

Fold the binding straight down and continue sewing the 1/4" seam. Make sure you remove the pin before you start to sew ... you don't want it to get caught up in your machine.

Continue all the way around your quilt until you come close to where you started. Trim the tails so they overlap 2 1/2". I use a small rotary mat -- at 5" by 7" it's the perfect size.

Open the two ends and overlap them. Sew a diagonal line corner to corner. Cut away the outside corner 1/4" from the sewn line and press flat. Continue sewing the binding onto the quilt with a 1/4" seam.

Trim the quilt 3/8" past the sewn line. This will give a nice fullness to the finished binding.

Pin the binding down on the back of the quilt and hand stitch in place. Instead of pins you might like to try using binding clips that can be purchased at most quilt shops.

I hope that you've enjoyed my Double Sided Binding tutorial and that you'll have fun trying this technique!

Snuggle Blocks

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:45:00 +0000

Snuggle Blocks is my latest quilt design. I designed this Baby/Toddler pattern using Love U by Deb Strain for Moda.

All you need is some fat quarters and a little border and binding fabric and you’re all set.

Oh … I should tell you about the binding. I am having so much fun with binding these days. Snuggle Blocks has little tabs sewn on with the binding. So easy and so fun!

Thanks for stopping by and please come visit my website to see all my patterns.

Moda Bake Shop

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:50:00 +0000

Coming to the Moda Bake Shop Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Jelly Roll Cover Up

Designed exclusively for the Moda Bake Shop

Follow my directions to make your own Jelly Roll Cover Up for your sewing machine. Click on the Moda cupcake below.

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:12:00 +0000

My new patterns have been added to my website. Come by for a visit!

Green Tea

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:15:00 +0000

Here it is ... The last of my five new patterns. This one is called Green Tea. I love the Meadow Green and Currant Jam fabrics in the Mill House Inn collection by Figtree for Moda and I thought they were just perfect for this design.

The binding has a little something special: as a finishing touch, small triangles are sewn into the binding.

All of my new patterns have been posted on my website.

Thank you for all your sweet comments and emails about my new patterns. I love to read them!

Frosted Squares

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:55:00 +0000

Introducing another of my new patterns: Frosted Squares. Yep, I used a Moda Layer Cake for this one as well. Frosted Squares measures 74" by 87". For my design I used Mill House Inn by Joanna Figueroa for Moda.

I have one more new design that I am almost ready to share with you. I hope to have it posted on my blog this weekend.

Thanks for coming by!

Sugar Twist

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:17:00 +0000

Sugar Twist is another one of my new designs. All you need to make this quilt is a Moda Layer Cake some background farbic and a sweet border.

I made my design using Mill House Inn by Joanna Figueroa for Moda.

I added a special finishing touch to the binding, a thin piping that is really easy to make and add to the quilt. Instructions are included in the pattern.

I hope you like my new designs. All of my new patterns will be avaliable on my website The Pattern Basket in the next couple of days.

I still have two more patterns to come!

Charm Drops!

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:00:00 +0000

I posted a sneak peek of this new pattern a few months ago, and now here is the finished quilt design -- it’s called Charm Drops.

I played around with the border on this pattern and changed it many times, but in the end I decided that simple is best for this one. The fabric collection is called Simple Abundance by Bonnie and Camille for Moda.

I'm so happy with the way this quilt turned out. I think Charm Drops is a sweet little pattern and I sure hope you like it.

I have three more new pattern designs finished and ready to show you, I will be back to post pictures very soon. Thanks for coming by!

Sew Pretty for the Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:20:00 +0000

I have several new patterns to show you over the next week. Here's the first one called "Sew Pretty for the Holidays". With the Holiday season just around the corner, I couldn't resist creating a new apron with the Figgy Pudding collection by Basicgrey for Moda.

I'm really going to enjoy wearing this apron over the Holidays. I can just smell cookies baking in the oven!

More to come ...

2009 Blogger's Quilt Festival

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 11:23:00 +0000

I just came from visiting Amy at Park City Girl. She is hosting the 2009 Blogger's Quilt Festival … I love this!

Everyday it changes but today my favourite quilt would have to be Autumn Market. I designed this quilt just after my first trip to the Houston Quilt Festival.

If you ever get the chance to go to the Festival you really should -- it's so inspiring! The quilts on display are amazing and their designers are so talented. I won’t be attending this year, but next Fall I am going to be at Market so I think I might just stick around and enjoy Festival too.

Thank you for visiting my blog!

I will be posting pictures of my new patterns very soon, so please come back to visit.

Sew Pretty Apron Kit

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 12:20:00 +0000

The Fat Quarter Shop has just made up a kit for my Sew Pretty apron pattern. The collection in this kit is called Panache by Sanae for Moda Fabrics. I love how bright and happy this fabris is and I think the apron looks amazing! Head over to the Fat Quarter Shop to purhase this kit.

In My Studio

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:23:00 +0000

My favorite place to be in the morning is definitely in my studio, and this morning has been no exception. I was up early making these blocks for a new pattern. It's far from finished but I am having so much fun designing with this fabric line that I wanted to share some pictures.

This fabric collection will be available in October. It's called Aster Manor by Three Sisters for Moda fabric.

Enjoy your day ... If you're looking for me I'll be in my studio all day! I will post more pictures of this new pattern very soon.

It's Been a Wonderful Summer

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:13:00 +0000

Hard to believe summer is almost over. Only three more weeks until the kids go back to school and me back to work full-time designing patterns. I have been drawing out quilt designs and sewing and creating ideas in the early hours of each day and every chance I get, but most of my days are spent with my kids. William my son is 14 -- oh my gosh! I can't believe he is already 14!! He has had a busy summer with camping trips and spending lots of time with his friends. These next two weeks he's off to Quebec City and then to the Gaspe Peninsula with a good friend to go whale watching ... I miss him already and he only left yesterday. How am I ever going to deal with him going off to University some day?? That time will not be easy.

Jenny is spending her summer at the barn like always, but this time she is with her new horse, Vance. I am really proud of her accomplishments with Vance this summer. Lots of shows and lots of ribbons. It has been great fun to watch her and share the excitement. Here are some pictures of Jenny with her new guy.

I will be sad to see the summer come to an end, but secretly thrilled to be able to spend all of my days in my studio. I will be back soon with lots of new designs to share.

Enjoy the rest of your summer days!

All A-flutter Quilt Kit

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:25:00 +0000

I just visited the Fat Quarter Shop. Kimberly has re-made my All A-flutter quilt using The Morris Workshop fabric by Barbara Brackman for Moda Fabrics, and it’s available in a kit. I think you’ll love All A-flutter done up in this collection – I think it’s just beautiful!

I’m definitely going to order one of these kits for myself before they are all gone.

And the winner is ...

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:27:00 +0000

Quilts and Pieces!

Thanks so much to all of you who entered to win my 4 pattern giveaway. I loved reading all your messages!

Quilts And Pieces said...
Oh I hope it is me!!!! I just found your blog via Darlene's blog and loved her confetti cake quilt she made from your pattern. I HAVE to make that! If I win that will be one!!!!

Quilts and Pieces, please send me an email with the 4 patterns that you would like and I will mail them out to you.

Thanks again to everyone who entered, this was fun!!!

4 Patterns to give away!!

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:15:00 +0000

I have many new patterns coming and lots of exciting things going on in my studio that I want to share with you … but nothing is quite finished yet. So I have to keep it all under my hat, at least for the next little while.

In the meantime I was thinking that it’s a great time for a give away.

Leave me a comment on this post and on July 11th I will draw a name to win four of my patterns. If you are the winner you’ll get to pick your four favourites from all my pattern designs.

Enter to win – this will be fun!!

Jolly Jabber

noreply@blogger.com (The Pattern Basket) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:07:00 +0000

Kimberly at the Fat Quarter Shop invited me to guest post on her blog about my new patterns.

Visit her blog -- click on the Jolly Jabber --to read my post.

Thanks for the invitation Kimberly!