Star Gazing at the Cabin

I have an idea! I think it's a wonderful notion... let me tell you all about it. Remember last year I showed you my Snowman Snow Globe panel and I wrote the 'Star Gazing' pattern. It's a super easy quilt to piece together using a Rail Fence block and some applique snowflakes.

What if you substituted the Lumberjack Primo Plaids for the blues and used the Woodland Getaway panel? I think it would make for a wonderful winter themed quilt.

What do you think? I'm thinking I need to make one! Here's how I would go about it.

I would substitute the Lumberjack Primo Plaids for colors # 1-4, the center block background, binding and borders. The Snowman Snow Globe is fussy cut into a circle and appliqued onto the center square. Working with the Woodland Getaway would be so much easier. The panel would be cut down to measure 24 1/2" x 24 1/2" and then with the center background fabric, I would cut that into a 2 1/2" border strips to go around the center Woodland Getaway panel. The panel could be left plain or embroidered. I would use a cream cotton fabric that matches the cream on the Woodland Getaway Panel, but I'm pretty sure an off white would work too since the snowflakes and the panel are not close to each other on the quilt.

To make it easy to follow along with the fabric substitutions, make sure to label your fabric for reference. It's fun to take a pattern and think outside the box and use different fabrics. It's not too soon to start those winter projects and Christmas gifts. 

Happy quilting!

Cindy & Belvedere

The Primo Plaids, Star Gazing Pattern and Woodland Getaway panel can all be found in the

 Quilt Doodle Designs Website

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

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