Cafe Mocha

Hi everyone,

Hope you are having a great week!  I wanted to take a moment to introduce Cafe Mocha.  She was originally published in Quiltmaker, but was popular enough to bring back as a pattern in my line. 

I think this is because she is a great vehicle for scraps of feature prints.  Sometimes it is hard to know what to do with large-scale prints, especially when you have less than a quarter yard of them.  The rectangle blocks here are work wonderfully for those - so scour your house for those modern scraps!

I used a dark background with light horizontal bars, but you could do the opposite as well.

This pattern is also deceptively simple because it is assembled in columns.  If you follow the pressing directions all the seams lock and it looks like the blocks are interwoven!

atterns should arrive in the mail today or tomorrow and I'm so excited.  To make Cafe Mocha, you will need:

• Accent Rectangles - 2-1/2 yards total from an assortment of fabrics
• Background - 2-7/8 yards dark brown fabric
• Horizontal Bands and Middle Border - 1-3/4 yards cream fabric
• Inner Border - 1/2 yard caramel fabric
• Outer Border and Binding - 2 yards yard dark blue fabric
• Backing - 6 yards

As an aside, the folks over at Robert Kaufman are mourning the loss of Saul Kaufman, who ran the company for years.  Many employees have written about him on the Robert Kaufman blog.  Gosh - we should all have such nice things said about us at the end of our lives.  I never actually met him, but after reading those comments I wish I had.

Enjoy making a project for someone special in your life.

And if you get a chance, hop on over to Caroline Simas' blog.  She found some wonderful vintage linens and is looking for advice for how to use them.

Happy sewing!
Amanda

Caramel and Cocoa

Hi everyone!  Hope you had a lovely weekend. 

We have had a busy one.  And have I mentioned the fact that our living room is the current repository for literally hundreds of yards of fabric that I am washing and ironing because I'm crazy?  It is chaos here.

I wanted to take a moment to introduce you to the fifth new pattern in my line - Caramel and Cocoa.  (Actually, "reintroduce" would be more accurate since she was previously published by APQ.  I have had so many inquiries about back issue availability that I added her to the line.)  She is a REALLY simple, modern take on a bargello quilt.

The blocks are 9" wide.  There are no seams to align.  There are no borders to put on.  She couldn't be simpler, really.

She is lap-sized - 63-1/2" x 86" - and was originally sewn in the Swiss Chocolate in the chocolate color palette.

She also looked good in mocha.  I had a hard time choosing.

But she works with bright colors too.  (This is where I really can't wait to see what you all make.)  Here she is in Veranda.

She is fun.  Really fun to sew.

You can dress her up or down, try her in novelty fabrics or batiks - she is like a little black dress.  (Someone made her in black and white fabrics, actually, and sent me the link months ago and I can't find it.... ARGHHHH!)

To make her you will need:

• Bargello Blocks - 5/8 yard of 7 fabrics
• Light Fabric - 1-7/8 yards
• Dark Fabric - 1-7/8 yards
• Binding - 5/8 yard for straight grain binding or 1 yard for bias binding
• Backing - 5-1/2 yards

I hope that you like her!

Incidentally, all these patterns are currently being in the process of making their way through distributor channels.  Orders will be going out soon.  Your local quilt shop can order directly through me or they can order through Checker, E.E. Schenck, or United Notions.  And if you are looking for an online retail source, Fat Quarter Shop has already ordered them all so will have them soon.  If you are a shop that carries my line through a distributor, contact me and I'll add a link to you on the sidebar of my blog!

Happy sewing!
Amanda

Bellagio Pillows

Hello everyone,
I've seriously neglected this blog for the past couple of weeks.  Things have been really busy here as I've been getting patterns finalized for Market.  I'm not actually going this time but the patterns are being sent to distributors in time for the show.  I have four new designs as well as four magazine patterns that are being republished.  More on that later...
Speaking of Market, while I was there in the spring the folks at Belagio Enterprises invited me over to their booth to select some fantastic trim to match some of my collection.  They graciously shipped me a couple of yards of each after Market.  It is so fun to combine these fancy trims with patchwork for home decor items.  You don't need a lot to make projects really special.  Belagio Enterprises makes some fanastic pom-pom trim that I used with Swiss Chocolate and Ambrosia...

The trim with the pom-poms on one side allows for easy mitering...

The flat trim is perfect for sewing along seams...

I love the blue buttons on the back!

Lots of circles on these!

I used two types of ribbon trim with Veranda.

The ribbon that is pleated on one side is perfect for mitered corners...

The ribbon pleated on both sides is so pretty sewn down the pillow along the main seams....

I love all the trims, but the white ribbons might be my favorites because they are so versatile.

Complimentary tutorial coming soon!  Happy sewing!

Amanda

Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway!

Note:  This giveawy is now closed...

Hi everyone!
It is time for the "Sew, Mama, Sew!" giveaway day!  I will be giving away one fat quarter bundle of Swiss Chocolate in either Mocha (blues and tan) or Chocolate (reds and brown) - your choice.  10 fat quarters are included!

Chocolate Color Story

Mocha Color Story

Kimberly at Fat Quarter Shop still has bundles and some yardage available as well.
The deadline to enter is May 25th and I'll pick the winner randomly on May 26th.  Become a follower and leave a comment to enter, or, if you are already a follower, just leave a comment on this post.  Tell me what you would make with your bundle!

I apologize ahead of time that I have had to turn comment moderation on due to some nasty person out there spamming this post.  Keep entering - and I will approve comments as soon as possible! 

Happy sewing and good luck!
Amanda

Quiltermaker's 100 Blocks Volume 3 Blog Tour!

Hi everyone!

Well, the blog tour for Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks is well underway and this is my day to talk about my block (and to giveaway a little something extra - see details below)!  I used Swiss Chocolate sample yardage, which I had just received at the time the block was designed.  You'll find the pattern on page 46 of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 3, which should be out on newstands next week.

A lot of you know that Swiss Chocolate was designed in two color stories: Mocha and Chocolate.  Since I used Mocha for the Swiss Chocolate quilt in Quiltmaker's March/April 2011 issue, I decided to use the Chocolate color story for this block.  Here she is...

A few of the prints in this collection really lent themselves to fussy-cut pieces, and I decided to make use of this.  I had a hard time deciding between the stripe and the blossom print, but in the end I chose to use the stripe. 

I've heard from many people who used Swiss Chocolate in home decor projects, so I thought it would be great to show you a table runner using this block x 3, with variations. 

Chocolate Striped Runner

Chocolate Blossom Runner

Mocha Striped Runner

Mocha Blossom Runner

I'll be kitting up one of these table runners (your choice!) for three lucky winners.  The first winner will also receive a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, Volume 3., courtesy of Quiltmaker.  I can't absolutely promise that the packages will go out before Market (still sewing like mad around here), but I'll try.  If not, they will go out the following week.  To enter:

1. Become a follower of my blog and leave me a comment telling me what your favorite quilting technique is.  If you already are a follower, leave a comment about your favorite technique too.  (My kids will be forever grateful for the follower part because, if I reach 250 followers, we get to go out for ice cream!)  Also let me know what table runner kit you would choose.
2. If you comment anonymously, please leave your contact information in the post so that I can contact you!
3. Only one entry per person, please.
4. The deadline to enter the giveaway is on midnight Saturday, May 7th.

And remember that Quiltmaker will be giving away a yard of each print of THE ENTIRE LINE OF SWISS CHOCOLATE courtesy of Robert Kaufman, along with other great prizes, later in the week, so check out their site.   There are some great giveaways, along with links to other designers' fabulous sites!

Have fun and happy sewing!
Amanda

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Blog Tour Volume 3 - Preview

Be sure to stop back here next week on May 5th to hear about my Swiss Chocolate block for Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Blog Tour.  There are some great giveaways going on in conjunction with this, including (pause for dramatic effect)... Robert Kaufman's donation of 1 yard of EACH Swiss Chocolate print! IN BOTH COLOR STORIES!!!

I know.  A pretty generous giveaway, huh?  (Thanks, Robert Kaufman.)  Some of thse SKUs are sold out, so make sure to visit the Quiltmaker site next week and stop back here on May 5th.

Oh - I almost forgot to give you a peek of my block...

Happy sewing!
Amanda

Swiss Chocolate Sale at Wondrous Woven Fabrics

I just got an email for Wondrous Woven Fabrics this morning.  They are having a spring cleaning sale before Market.  While they don't have the entire line of Swiss Chocolate, they have the following discounted at 30% if you use the code 8great2 at checkout.  This is a great opportunity to pick up the kit for my complimentary sampler pattern, or a roll-up or ten-square...

Happy sewing!
Amanda

Blog-a-Paloozing (Part 3)

I am falling woefully behing on my Blog-a-Palooza blocks, and I'm afraid it is just going to get worse.  Since Thursday I have, among othe things:

• Washed and ironed 150 yards of fabric
• Cut strip sets for nine quilts
• Made 336 flying geese
• Pieced backing fabric for two quilts

Our children are delighted - all these organized piles of precuts pieces in the dining room have precluded any eating that might happen there.  Since we don't have an eat in kitchen, they are forced to eat in the famiy room in front of the TV for the time being.  I am officially a bad mother.

SinceI mistakenly deleted my last Blog-a-palooza post, I thought I'd share with you the new blocks I've made (before this project goes on a two month hiatus) and repost the ones that were lost.  So, here are the "Mocha" blocks...

And the "Chocolate" blocks...

My mom is coming to visit this weekend!  Being the consumate hostess, I have asked her to bring her rotary cutter.  Little does she know that we will be moving on from flying geese, her specialty.  Ha ha!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend with lots of sewing!
Amanda