Cabin Life

As you all know, I love my Lumberjack Primo Plaids, love, love, love the colors and have been having fun stitching with them. They are my go to colors, the colors that I love to work with. I have designed a new pattern to go with the Woodland Getaway Panel using these soft, yummy fabrics, Cabin Life. My inspiration comes from all the vacations we've taken up north to go fishing. There's always a morning or two that we wake up freezing and this will be the perfect quilt to pack along for our next trip. I usually pack a few quilts for those cod mornings.

I enjoyed quilting the center panel. I have a domestic machine with an extra deep throat that I use for quilting. I enjoy doing free motion quilting. I find it relaxing. The quilting makes the design pop a little bit. The quilting added some texture to the panel. I did not embroider the panel for this particular quilt, but you sure could if you wanted to.  I'm  thinking of adding some gold star buttons to the night sky for an added touch.

Cabin Life is a fun scrappy quilt to make. It features the words Cabin Life, Friendship Stars and Bear Paw blocks. The Log Cabin blocks are easy to stitch together and frame the Woodland Getaway Panel. I did not embroider the center panel on this quilt, but it can be embroidered if you so choose to. The finished quilt measures 68" x68", a great size to drape over a chair, roll up and pack in a travel bag or folded at the end of a bed. 

When I quilted this quilt is important to note that I used a thin cotton batting. I used a thin batting for quilting to reduce the bulk because the Primo Plaids are woven plaids and thicker then what we think of as flannel. The Primo Plaids are luxurious to work with and I love the results. I do not match up plaids to create a primitive look, which I love, especially for the cabin.

I have a limited number of quilt kits for Cabin Life available on the Website. I've picked out all of the plaids that you need to make the quilt as pictured. Everything is included except the backing and batting. The Cabin Life pattern is included! There is also FREE shipping in the USA.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and find some time to do some stitching.

Happy quilting,

Cindy & Belvedere

Let’s Toast Marshmallows!

I hope that you all had a relaxing weekend last week. I spent some time in my sewing room over the weekend and worked on a project that I’ve had planned in my head for awhile. I finally got it all written down on paper and made it. I’ve been spending the last few weeks showing you how I’ve been embroidering my Woodland getaway panel so today let me show you how I used those elements to make my banner/table runner. The complete pattern for this banner can be found on my website and in my Etsy shop. 

As you can see in this photo, I have embroidered different sections of the design. Remember the embroidery is optional but I love the added dimension the stitching adds to the design. 

I did all of the stars with a satin stitch with this banner design in mind. Following the pattern, I fussy cut the stars for two of the banner strips. The stars will NOT be centered on my banner, I had to squeak every little bit of fabric that I could to have enough length. It’s okay if it’s not centered, it will add to the overall charm of the mini quilt.

Following the pattern directions, I’ve fussy cut the panel pieces and sewn them onto the flannel strips that I’ve cut. In the pattern I’ve used green as my main color. You could switch it up and use brown, gold or red. I’m just really fond of greens for my banner. 

To add a little something extra I have you make two pieced strips for the top and bottom of the banner. 

 If when you sew your strip on and it’s a little long, do not fret, just trim it off to be even with the width of your banner/table runner.

I then sew the side strips on , and then the top and bottom.

Now it’s time to make your quilt sandwich by layering the top, batting and backing. Quilt as desired.

I did not put a hanging sleeve on mine. If you want to hang it using an Ackfeld hanger you may want to put a hanging sleeve on the back. The pdf pattern has the hanging sleeve directions included. You will want to put on the hanging sleeve before you bind your banner/table runner.

I just love how this turned out! I am displaying it here hanging on a display metal hanger from Ackfeld wire. (I cheated by pinning my mini quilt to it using a couple of safety pins) I did free motion quilting on the panel sections. Also quilted in the ditch between the fabric strips. For the border I free motion quilted a holly border. It gives it sort of a woodsie feel.

Both the pattern for this project and Woodland Getaway Panel from Marcus Fabrics can be found on my website or Etsy Shop. I hope that you enjoyed my project today, it was a fun one to put together. 

Happy quilting,

Cindy & Belvedere

Hubby caught this monster on Father’s Day.

Embroidery 101-4

I hope that you are having fun experimenting with different embroidery stitches. Today I’m going to show you a couple of stitch techniques that can be used to color in large spaces with stitches. It’s a great way to add texture and detail to your panel. Today I am working on my Woodland getaway panel from Marcus Fabrics.

I will be stitching on the tent and camper sections of the panel. If you are doing the Woodland Getaway BOM then these are extra pieces that you can have fun and experiment with. I will being showing you how I use a ‘long-short’ stitch and a diagonal filling stitch. So grab a comfy chair, pop in a favorite movie and let’s get stitching.....

I am using the long short stitch to fill in the main body of the tent. I am using a variegated #12  Valdani pearl cotton. I also used the same thread for a satin stitch that I did for the flaps of the tent. I used a tweed #12 thread for the ‘inside’ of the tent.

I love the texture this stitch added to the tent design. My tent reminds me of camping with my younger son when he was in Boy Scouts. I am not a good camper and didn’t sleep a wink in our canvas tent. I need hard sides and a door that closes to be a good camper.... 

Now I can certainly camp in this adorable camper.
To embroider the curtains of my camper I am using a variation of the diagonal filling stitch. Instead of working on the diagonal, I am stitching straight on with the design. I start by stitching lines evenly spaced horizontally in the design.

I then stitch lines vertically on the design. Once all of my lines are done I then secure where the lines intersect with a little seed stitch.

I stitch  up and down the rows.

Here the section is completed. To finish the curtain off, I added a back stitch along the bottom of the curtain.

I hope that you try out the long-short stitch and the diagonal fill in stitch. I have Valdani thread kits for the Woodland Getaway panel available in my Etsy Shop and also on the website along with the Woodland Getaway panel. My next posting will be for the next installment of the Grandma’s Attic BOM and then I’ll post some more panel fun. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and find some time to relax and do some stitching.

Happy stitching,

Cindy & Belvedere

Heroic Hearts

Join me and all of the Marcus Block Stars in celebrating the everyday heroes in our community during the pandemic. There are so many heroes such as hospital staff, teachers, neighbors, first responders... the list goes on and on. I bet that you have a hero or two in mind that has touched your heart during this difficult time. ‘Quilters around the world continue to respond to the Covid-19 crisis with fabric, needle and thread, sewing millions of face masks and more for those serving in the frontlines of the pandemic. Marcus Fabrics has created the Heroic Hearts Tote Project to give quilting and sewing enthusiasts a unique way to Show appreciation to those who are giving so much of themselves.’

Sarah Maxwell has designed a wonderful tote pattern for this project and it can be found on her website as a .FREE PDF DOWNLOAD

I am proud to be part of the project and am joining my fellow Marcus Fabrics Block Stars in presenting our versions of The Heroic Hearts tote bags. I made two bags, one in the Aunt Grace’s Apron fabric line by Judie Rothermel and one from the Lumber Jack Primo Plaid Flannel, both thru Marcus Fabrics. But, you can use any fabric that you want! The bag features 5 different fabrics and Sarah makes  switching up the fabrics with the pattern fabric page in the pattern easy. Let me show you how I constructed my totes.

I just love these Aunt Grace Fabrics, so cheerful!

Following the pattern, I've cut out all of my pieces....

Here I have the center heart section complete, all ready to be trimmed up.

It is very handy to have a 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" square ruler to trim the square up. Following the directions, line up the ruler as pictures and trim the block up to measure 6 1/2" x 6 1/2"

I've added the offset triangle sections, trimming between each step. The final block measures 12 1/2" x 12 1/2". Now it's time to add borders.

The front of my tote is all done. Sew pretty!

I lined the tote bag front and back piece with fusible interfacing to give the bag a little more body. You could also use a fusible batting. I did not line my Primo Plaid Flannel tote.

Here you can see the front piece lined with the iron on interfacing.

Following the pattern, sew the front and back of the tote together. Then it's time to make the bottom gusset of the bag. Following the directions you will repeat this on the lining front and back sections too. 

It's time to make the handles. I made mine much longer. I cut 2-  4" x 36" for the handle sections. Then folded them in half, wrong sides together and pressed. I them folded the outer edges to the center pressed 'line' and pressed again to form a 1" x 36" handle.

I then top stitched on each side of the handle using white thread.

Following the directions I then attached the handles to the lining.

Make sure to sew a square and then an X for a good strong handle.

Almost done! I'm stitching across the top of the bag attaching the inner and outter sections of the tote!

~ Heroic Hearts Tote ~

These are fun totes to make. I completed two on Sunday. Now comes the fun part, fill it with something special to give. It can be anything! A batch of homemade cookies, lunch from a drive thru, a recipe with ingredients, flowers, gardening supplies.... the skies the limit! I'm off to fill my bags. Stay tuned to my Instagram, I'll be giving  my bags to a couple of special people... 

Remember to post your photos of your tote. Shhhhh although it isn't a competition more of a challenge to thank others, there will be fun fabric prizes throughout the challenge. Remember to post your pictures to Instagram using these hashtags when posting:

#heroicheartstote

#heroichearts

#heroicheartsblockstars

#heroicheartswithmarcus

#marcusblockstarts

#staysafeandcreate

#staysafeandcreatewithmarcus

I also have kits available on my website if you'd like to make one using Aunt Grace's Apron or Lumberjack Primo Plaid Flannels. 

Let's have fun and thank someone!

Happy quilting,

Cindy and Belvedere