Gingham Girls HOOP QUILT

Hoop Quilts Pattern now available. (PDF Download or the Printed Pattern)

I've been a fan of Amy Smart for many years.  I was so happy for her when I heard she was launching her first fabric line with Penny Rose/Riley Blake.  And then.... when I saw it was a gingham-based vintage-y styled line, I was over the moon about it.  It is so Amy and wonderfully bright.

Amy and I conspired to make a Hoop Quilt for her booth at Spring Market.  I knew this line would stitch up beautifully into a hoop quilt, but it wasn't until I saw her Land That I Love pattern that I wanted to create a flag motif.

Amy's prints split easily into reds, whites, and blues.  There are a few springy yellows in there too.  It was tough to leave them out.  I changed some of the half square triangles to half rectangle squares.

And accented the red plaid border with a little navy big stitching.  It's the perfect patriotic wall hanging.  I love the tiny red floral in the binding too - daisies are so sweet.  I think I'll hang this on my front door during July. :)

And this last photo shows you exactly how big this tree is.  It's huge!  It's the perfect backdrop for Hoop Quilts.

Chocolatier Block of the Month #6 (Card Trick and Bleeding Heart Quilt Blocks)

Who's ready to hit the pool?  School's out and it's time to spend some time in the water.  Month 6 of the Chocolatier Block of the Month Club looks like that crystal clear blue water.  Now's the time to start the next block. 

Today, the Month #6 Block Pattern for Chocolatier is now available.  Check your emails and mailboxes!

2 blocks for this month.  We have Card Trick and Bleeding Heart this month.  This is the introduction to appliqué.

Block #1 Card Trick.

Block #2 Bleeding Heart.    In this photo you can witness my mistake.  I accidentally used an old (and incorrect) template for the quarter circles.  Somehow I didn't even notice until everything was fused and stitched.  The quarter circles should extend all the way into the seam allowance - so there should not be any dark blue print peeking out at the edges.  Don't worry - YOU have the correct templates.  I debated really hard about completely redoing the block.  But I really wanted that Alison Glass fabric as the background and I didn't have enough to completely start over.  So.  There it glaringly is for now.  The mistake should disappear when I sew the quilt top together, but for now, it's there plain as day.  Nobody's perfect?

Fabric is Cotton Supreme Solids by RJR Fabrics for my version of the BOM.  Find my color selections listed here.

SHARE with US!  I'd love to see what you make.
There are several ways to share your participation in the BOM.  I hope you'll join in the fun of quilting along online with us.
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**A yearly subscription to Chocolatier BOM is available here.**

When you purchase a subscription, an Introduction Guide AND all the current block patterns to date will be emailed immediately upon payment.

Feel free to join in the fun with us anytime throughout the year.  For all the details on Chocolatier, go here.

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Soulful HOOP QUILT Dreamcatcher

Hoop Quilts Pattern now available. (PDF Download or the Printed Pattern)

Every once in a while, a project really Wows you.  I mean, yes... I love almost every project I sew for one reason or another.  And, sure, I always fuss over everything saying "I love it!". But when sewing becomes your work, it takes something really special to knock your socks off.

Well, guys, this is the one.

 When Maureen Cracknell emailed me saying her new line, Soulful for Art Gallery Fabrics, had a mandala theme, I was suuuuuuuuper excited.  We get comfy in our comfort zones (right?) and I have been tending to stick with vibrant, saturated tone-on-tone fabrics lately.  I knew that Maureen's collection would be softer, more muted and completely bohemian.  Something completely different from my norm lately.

 A HOOP QUILT with the Soulful collection would be perfect.  And when I saw the main mandala rich raisin colored print, I was hook, line and sinker.

I arranged the center HSTs in yet another of the endless possibilities for 16 HSTs.  This one a nice block X.  Then I debated adding some extras for accents.  I had some lovely cotton crochet lace and a few small cotton crochet doilies.  I couldn't decide for the life of me which one looked better.  In the end, I decided to appliqué the doilies.  I was worried the lace would not curve properly and lie flat - and since this hoop was being displayed at spring Quilt Market (trade show), I didn't want to take any chances.

But I couldn't give up on that lace.  Don't worry!  The tiny voice in my head told me to take this HOOP QUILT to the next level with the cotton crochet lace.  I wrapped the hoop in the Deepest Purpose Soulful print.  Then I used the left over binding, combined with the lace and some Pure Elements solid to complete the streamers hanging below the hoop to make the dreamiest of dreamcatchers.

Here she is hanging in Maureen's booth at Quilt Market.  (Don't mind the yellow lighting - it was impossible to get good lighting in that convention hall!)

 So beautiful!  Don't you want to take a nap in that little dream world?

So I know I say this every time... but I am completely in love with this HOOP QUILT.  Soulful and the hoop concept married for the perfect combo.  Dream on!

Hoop Quilts Pattern now available. (PDF Download or the Printed Pattern)