11.26.2013

American Stars - A Modern One-Block Quilt

Okay, I couldn't wait any longer.... I was planning to wait until December 15th to share this quilt.... but oh well! :)
I love this quilt!
Kathleen and I actually finished piecing and quilting this quilt almost a few weeks ago, it's been so, so, so hard to wait this long to share it! :)
Today, we're sharing the third quilt in Modern One-Block Quilts, American Stars. I really did love the original version, done in Gray and White, but red and white..and scrappy.... YUM!
This quilt pattern, like all 22 quilt patterns in Modern One-Block Quilts comes in three sizes Baby, Throw & Coverlet. The original version is made in the coverlet size measures 68"x85", this red and white baby size measures 34"x34". If I can get this quilt out of Kathleen's hands I'm totally going to use it as a little table topper in my kitchen.
The original version, above, I machine quilted using our Zig-Zag machine quilting pattern, long-arm quilters can purchase that pattern here
The baby version I machine quilted using our Rainbow machine quilting pattern, I love it on this quilt, long-arm quilters can purchase that pattern here

Check out the baby version of A-Maze Me and Alternating Stars.

Signed copies of Modern One-Block Quilts are available here.

American Patchwork & Quilting Quilt-Along


Have you heard about the American Patchwork & Quilting Quilt-Along? Lissa Alexander, the amazing scrappy quilter has designed a fabulous new quilt and American Patchwork & Quilting is featuring it as a quilt-along! Love this idea!
I wish I had millions and millions of extra hours in each day, I'd totally be sewing along!
Since I probably am not going to be able to actually make this adorable quilt, I do feel like I get to contribute and play along, just a tiny bit. I am honored to be able to share that I machine quilted this fun quilt for Lissa!
Hop over to Lissa's blog to learn more about the quilt-along!

11.25.2013

Machine Quilting all over patterns

Deb pieced this fun quilt, she sent it to me for some machine quilting, she wanted something to soften up the quilt, so we decided on machine quilting an all-over flower pattern. It's fun to see the different feel you can give a quilt by how it's machine quilted.
Love the soft flowers. Deb used some adorable Sweetwater fabric as backing and it blended perfectly with this flowery pattern.
Love it!
Thanks for letting me machine quilt your fun quilt.
Here and here are versions of the same pattern that I machine quilted in different styles.

11.22.2013

Simple Peace & Joy Hand Towels

After Kathleen and I made the Holly & Jolly hand towels earlier this week we couldn't stop! So I've got a couple more to share today! Peace & Joy!
If you've been following along you know that these aren't the colors that I'm using this year for Christmas, but they are so pretty that I kinda want them in my house too, maybe I'll be nice and let Kathleen keep them at her house. :)
To make these fun hand towels simply download our the Peace & Joy embroidery files. Then grab some Moda Bella Solids, green, blue and purple, cut them into random sizes and sew them together in a strip.
From this point you will follow our tutorial for the Holly & Jolly hand towels.
Then enjoy!
Tea-towels are available for purchase here.

Merry Christmas from Natalia & Kathleen!

Skittles with Blue Ombre

Do you remember about a year ago, Kathleen and I designed this fun "Skittles" quilt, the free tutorial was originally shared over on Moda Bake Shop.
Well, we loved this quilt, so much that this is one of the few quilts that we've designed that we've made more than one version.
Donna made this adorable version for her daughter, she used Vanessa's blue Ombre fabric for the background, and then some Tula Pink fabric for the applique circles. Love it!
I machine quilted this version for Donna using our Pebbles pantograph pattern. I just love all of the circles.

Check out the original version of Skittles here, and our Comma version here.

11.21.2013

America the Beautiful - a block of the month quilt

I don't know if I express this often enough, but I really do love my job! One thing that I love the most is the variety in quilts that I get to play with. I love it!
This darling sampler quilt was a block of the month quilt that Coni made, the pattern was in McCall's Quilting magazine and the pattern is called America the Beautiful.
I think sampler quilts are so much fun to machine quilt, adding little details to each block and giving each one it's own character is so much fun!
A few close ups of the detailed machine quilting.
Love it!
thanks for letting me play with another one of you awesome quilts Coni!

11.19.2013

Simple Holly & Jolly Kitchen Hand Towels - a free tutorial

Okay, maybe Kathleen and I have gone overboard this year making Christmas decorations, but when they turn out this cute we can't stop!

Hounds-tooth Quilt

Ever since Vanessa made her hounds-tooth quilt I've been crushing on the hounds-tooth pattern. Cheryl made this version, it's going to be a Christmas gift for her daughter. I love it!
I machine quilted an all over swirly pattern, using grey thread. I love how it softened it up just a bit. 

Houndstooth pattern is available for purchase here.

11.18.2013

Layercake Lemonade - a Free Pattern

My friends over at Fat Quarter Shop are always up to something fun! Today it's their new free pattern, Layercake Lemonade.
This adorable quilt is made from just one Layercake, and I was lucky enough to machine quilt 3 of the quilts for this pattern for them (the 3 hanging in the background of the video).
Today Kimberly and the gang are sharing a free video tutorial for this new pattern and also offering all layercakes for 20% off, this week only!

11.14.2013

A-Maze Me - A Modern One Block Quilt

It's already been one month since we shared the first quilt from our book, Modern One-Block Quilts. Today we get to share the second! 
If you're just now following along you can read all about our book Modern One-Block Quilts here. Our book features 22 fresh, modern quilts and each quilt has pattern options for 3 sizes. When we originally wrote the book we made each of the original quilts in the largest sizes. We have set a goal for ourselves, each month we plan to re-make and share the quilts in the smallest size. So here we are on month two, with A-Maze Me.
A-Maze Me was originally made in just three colors, yellow, gray and white, so for the baby version we thought it would be fun to spice it up and use 6 colors! I think this version turned out really cute!
A-Maze Me, like all of the quilts in Modern One-Block Quilts comes with three size options, each quilt varies in size, A-Maze Me's pattern comes in Baby; 33"x33" Throw; 66"x66" and Coverlet 99"x99". 
Maybe one day this quilt will venture from the studio to my home! I love it and want it on my bed!

The original version of A-Maze Me was pieced with Mod Basics by Birch Fabrics and I machine quilted it with our straight line pantograph pattern, that pattern is available for long-arm quilters in both digital and paper formats.
The baby version of A-Maze Me was made with a variety of Moda Bella Solids, Kona Cottons by Robert Kaufman Fabrics and Cotton Coture by Michael Miller Fabrics.
I machine quilted the baby version with our Tubes pantograph pattern, that pattern is available for long-arm quilters in both digital and paper formats.


Check out the baby version of Alternating Stars here.

11.13.2013

Simple Striped Christmas Stockings Tutorial

Today we are sharing our Christmas Stocking tutorial, I'm maybe a little bit crazy excited to share these! I've always wanted darling stockings and it's just never happened. But, like I said, this year is the year!

11.12.2013

Boxy Christmas Table Runner Tutorial

Remember how I told you I am going to have darling Christmas decor this year, well, I'm making that happen! Today I get to share our Boxy Christmas Table Runner tutorial!
This super cute and simple table runner is perfect for an afternoon of sewing measuring 53"x18".

11.11.2013

Boxy Christmas Tree Skirt Tutorial

For several years now (actually this year marks 9 Christmases married for me) I've been wanting that perfect Christmas tree and Christmas decor. I made a Buggy Barn tree skirt a few years back, but we've never had stockings and the perfect tree. This year will be the year!
Kathleen and I have created a few new Christmas tutorials and we are so excited to share them! Up first, our Boxy Christmas Tree Skirt, with the tutorial.

11.07.2013

Dotty Christmas Quilts

A few weeks back I shared one of Valerie's Polka Dot Christmas quilts. Well, I've got two more of them completed and so excited to share these two!
Love this blue version, so soft, I'd totally keep this one out all winter. I machine quilted snowflakes in each of the hand applique'd circles.
Valerie also made another red one. Love this version too!
In trying to keep each one a little different I machine quilted different snowflakes on each quilt so much fun! I can't believe how fast time is flying and Christmas is so soon!

11.06.2013

Christmas Quilt

Marilyn made this adorable Christmas quilt! Love the combination of wool and cotton. Sew cute!
Marilyn asked me to custom machine quilt this quilt, anything I wanted, just make it cute! So, I added lots of little details to really make that wool pop!
I love how it turned out!
Thanks for letting me machine quilt your quilt Marilyn!

11.05.2013

Anchor Quilt

Last week when I shared about Fall Quilt Market I was so sad that I couldn't share a great picture of this anchor quilt.... all I had taken to Quilt Market was my cell phone so the only pictures I had were phone pics. Well, today I logged onto my computer and look what I found, I had taken real pictures of this quilt.
The anchor quilt was so much fun to machine quilt. I used a combination of variegated thread and solid thread colors and bamboo batting, the quilt turned out so cool!

11.01.2013

Bird of Paradise Quilt

More than 150 years ago, an anonymous quiltmaker somewhere in the vicinity of Albany, New York, designed and appliqued what is now regarded as one of the masterpieces of American Folk Art. Using paper ephemera, this master quilter created appliqué templates to fill her fabric canvas to the very edges with a bounty of delightful images. This quilt top, called the Bird of Paradise, can now be seen in the American Folk Art Museum in New York.
Nancy hand appliqued this amazing version of the Bird of Paradise quilt. Seriously, I've machine quilted some pretty amazing quilts, but I think this one takes the cake. I wish that this picture did the quilt any justice. This thing is amazing. The pieces are so tiny and the detail is amazing!
When deciding how to machine quilt this quilt I had several ideas but in the end chose to machine quilt a microstipple background filler. I quilt it super tiny and outlined all of the applique pieces, I just wanted the applique to sing!
Because the quilt is so awesome I had to take a million pictures so I never forget this quilt.
 Thank you for letting me machine quilt this amazing quilt Nancy! It was truly an honor to machine quilt such an amazing quilt.