Table of contents for Issue 29 in Love Patchwork & Quilting

Phew – that's the pre-Christmas rush over and done with for another year (well, unless you're working right up to the wire, in which case I wish you godspeed on your quest for last-minute handmade gifts). Now we can maybe think about getting in some selfish-sewing time. You might think I'm all quilted-out at the end of a long week in the LP&Q office, and admittedly there are times when even my brain reaches maximum capacity for quilts – but nothing helps me chill out more than some quality sewing time. I'm quite happy to hunker down in our spare room (read: my sewing room) with the radio on and stitch away a whole Saturday. Bliss! This month we've lined up plenty of projects that should kick-start your sewing mojo…

Let's admit it, we all keep a pile of fabric scraps (hoarded 'just in case') but we rarely use them. This book by Tonya Alexander will inspire you to delve into your stash of fabric scraps and get creative! Stash Lab: Simple Solutions for Scrap Quilts has a nifty concept: the 11 quilt projects are divided into three chapters, each based on a 'stash equation'. The first formula is that 'neutrals + scraps = balance' and we love the stylish Pixie Sticks freeform design that proves this. The second is that 'value > colour = strong design', which shows you to look past colour and focus on creating contrast. The third is 'more = better', of course! With a great techniques section and fab photography, it's a must-have for any…

We all love keeping up with the beautiful new fabric lines coming out all the time, but I’ve been seeing more and more talented quilters and sewists creating their own fabrics, too! Dyeing, block printing, stenciling, screenprinting, digital printing and painting are all amazing ways to take a blank piece of fabric and make it your own. FABRIC DYEING There are lots of methods to dye fabric and it’s really fun to experiment with! You can use natural or chemical dyes, such as Procion dyes, both with great results. It takes a little practise and tweaking to get the hang of it, and my best advice for dyeing fabric is to be open to whatever you end up with! Rather than having a particular shade of pink that you just…

FLOATING CHURN DASH CUSHION YOU WILL NEED Feature fabrics A–F one (1) fat eighth each Background fabric ¾yd Backing fabric ½yd Binding fabric ¼yd Batting 22in square FINISHED SIZE 20in square approx NOTES • Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise noted. • RST = right sides together. • WOF = width of fabric. FABRICS USED • Feature fabrics used are Lucky Strikes by Kim Kight for Cotton+Steel with RJR Cotton Supreme Solids. CUTTING OUT 1 From Fabric A (for the large churn dash block) cut: One (1) 1½in square. One (1) 3½in square. One (1) 2in x 7in piece. Two (2) 1½in x 6½in pieces. One (1) 2½in x 15in piece (for cushion edge binding). 2 From Fabric B, C and D (for the medium churn dash blocks) cut: One…

SUPER-SIZE BLOCK YOU WILL NEED Fabric A (animal print), one (1) fat quarter Fabric B (teal), one (1) fat quarter Fabric C (B&W sketch print), one (1) fat quarter Background fabric (grey sprinkle) ½yd Quilt back fabric 28in square Batting 28in square Binding fabric ¼yd FINISHED SIZE 24in square approx. NOTES Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise noted. Press seams open, unless otherwise instructed. RST = right sides together. HST = half-square triangle. WOF = width of fabric. Wash and press all fabrics well before cutting. FABRICS USED The animal print is Menagerie in Onyx, Indian Summer by Sarah Watson for Art Gallery Fabrics. CUTTING OUT 1 From Fabric A (animal print) fussy cut one (1) 8½in square. 2 From Fabric C (B&W sketch print) cut five (5) 7in squares.…

QUILT YOU WILL NEED Sixteen (16) print fabrics: ¼yd each (for strips) Twelve (12) print fabrics: 9in square each (for centres) Background fabric: 4½yds (for outer strips) Backing fabric: 70in x 90in Batting: 70in x 90in Binding fabric: ½yd FINISHED SIZE 60in x 80in approx NOTES Seam allowances are ¼in unless otherwise noted. Press all fabrics well before cutting. WOF = width of fabric. Press seams open unless otherwise instructed. FABRICS USED Cotton+Steel, Blueberry Park by Karen Lewis Textiles, and screen-printed Kona by Karen, supplied by Plush Addict. CUTTING OUT 1 From each of the sixteen print fabrics, cut four (4) 2in x WOF strips. 2 Cut the background fabric into fifty-four (54) 3in x WOF strips. 3 Cut seven (7) 2½in x WOF strips from your binding fabric. MAKING…

OWL SOFTIE YOU WILL NEED Fabric A: 14in square, for body Fabric B: 9in square, for wings and tail Fabric C: 6in x 7in, for pocket White felt: 4in x 3in, for eye patch Yellow felt: 1in square, for beak Iron-on adhesive (fusible web): 5in x 3in Batting scraps Polyester toy filling Black embroidery thread FINISHED SIZE • 5in tall approx NOTES Seam allowances are ›in, unless otherwise noted. RST = right sides together For templates see page 88. (Arrows on the pattern pieces indicate pile/print direction for marking and cutting out). FABRICS USED Flurry in Orange, Dashwood Studios. XOXO in Pink Cheeks, Cotton+Steel Basics. Dottie in Fedora, Cotton+Steel Basics. Winterberry Signature Linen TextureSolid in Mint, Moda. Wanderer Sacred Seeds in Mojave, April Rhodes for Art Gallery Fabrics. Hexies in…

Whether you’re a seasoned English Paper Piecing pro, or just starting out, adding clamshell shapes to your repertoire is a gentle introduction to those desirable (if at times a little tricksy) curves. Free with this issue of LP&Q we’ve prepared a free set of clamshell templates (in both 3›in and 2›in widths) ready for you to download. plus a booklet that’s bursting with ideas for sweet scrappy makes to perk up your home in these dark winter days! If your stash is taking over (join the club!) then our trio of storage tubs are just the job for keeping fat quarter cuts tidied away. And whilst you’re giving your craft room a bit of a sort, why not whip up our sweet wall organiser – completed with four pockets, it’s…

We’ve teamed up with the UK’s leading fabric store, The Cotton Patch, to bring you a kit to make this very pattern. Containing all of the quilt-top solids and binding fabric to make this quilt. All you need to do is add batting and backing fabric! That’s for the fantastic price of £48.99 – and readers save £5 with discount code CC7125. Visit www.cottonpatch.co.uk or use the order form on page 19. It's as simple as that, so what are you waiting for? NOTES Seam allowances are a ¼in, unless otherwise noted. RST = right sides together. WOF = width of fabric. Read through all steps before cutting or sewing. FABRICS USED A selection of Freespirit Modern Solids all available from The Cotton Patch www.cottonpatch.co.uk YOU WILL NEED Fabric A:…

QUILT YOU WILL NEED Fabric A, B, C and F: one (1) fat quarter each Fabric D: 5/ 8 yd Fabric E: 3/ 8 yd Background fabric: 3yds Backing fabric: 3 3/ 8 yds Batting: 65in x 80in Binding fabric: ½yd FINISHED SIZE 56in x 72in approx NOTES Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise noted. Press seams open, unless otherwise instructed. RST = right sides together. WOF = width of fabric. HST = half-square triangle. Long-arm quilted by Mary Gregory FABRICS USED The print fabrics are all from the Coyote collection by Hawthorne Threads. CUTTING OUT 1 Cut the print fabrics as follows: Fabric A – six (6) 5in squares. Fabric B – eight (8) 5in squares. Fabric C – six (6) 5in squares. Fabric D – thirty-two (32) 5in…

ALICE LOVES… • Rae’s collection was one of my stand-out favourites from Fall Quilt Market 2015 – the soft palette and the painterly prints are totally dreamy. With some strong colours thrown into the mix there’s enough contrast within the collection to make really striking blocks. Dear Stella are coming into their own – can’t wait to see what’s next! INTO THE WILD Let Rae Ritchie’s first collection for Dear Stella transport you to a peaceful place. Desert Bloom features stunning florals and soft textures inspired by the natural surrounds of the Midwest. DESERT BLOOM By Rae Ritchie for Dear Stella In Rae Ritchie’s debut collection, the desert is the inspiration behind these on-trend floral and patterned fabrics featuring cacti, succulents and more. With a colour scheme of soft peach,…

QUILT YOU WILL NEED Fabric A: 1yd Fabric B: 1yd Fabric C: 1yd Three (3) print fabrics: one (1) 8 ½ in square each Calico (UK) or Muslin (US): three (3) 9in squares Backing fabric: 3¼yd Batting: 54in square FINISHED SIZE 50in square approx NOTES Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise noted. RST = right sides together. WOF = width of fabric. HST = half-square triangle. QST = quarter-square triangle. FABRICS USED Fabric A, B and C are all Kaffe Fassett shot cottons. Two of the print fabrics are from Anna Maria Horner’s Dowry collection, whilst the other is by Cotton+Steel. The backing fabric is an Anna Maria Horner flannel from her Folksy Flannel collection. CUTTING OUT 1 From Fabric A cut two (2) 11½in squares and eight (8) 10½in…

Participating in swaps is a great way to grow your skillset, make friends and hopefully receive some fabulous mail! On the down side, swaps can bring some unneeded drama into your world. I’ve put together some dos and don’ts to help you make the most of your swap experience to ensure you’ll want to do again and again! DO... • Measure a 1/4in seam before starting and ensure blocks are as close to the required size as possible. • Read the swap requirements so you know what’s acceptable for the materials – for example, whether fabrics have to be pre-washed and how to press your seams. File them where you can find them again. • Stick to the deadlines and check-ins. • Maintain contact with the swap leader. Be proactive…

ALICE LOVES… • Little House on the Prairie is my guilty pleasure, and with gems like "life sure is a lot easier when you don't like boys" what's not to love? It's my reference point for the American West (I bet all you readers in the states are groaning!) Anyway, my point is, that Roam has me all nostalgic for sun-soaked meadows and the Ingalls' homestead. SOFTLY SOFTLY Once again, Hawthorne Threads have nailed the hottest trends with the new collection. Their in-house designs are top of our want-list, and Roam is packed with delicate pastel shades and a veritable hit-parade of sweet motifs. GONE ROAMIN' If you yearn to be out in the open prairie, gazing up at the endless sky, then the new fabric collection from Hawthorne Threads…

QUILT YOU WILL NEED Fabric A (background) 31/3yd Fabric B ¼yd Fabric C ¼yd Fabric D ¼yd Fabric E ¼yd Binding fabric ½yd Backing fabric 4yd Batting 70in square Templates A and B (see p88) FINISHED SIZE • 62in x 61in approx. NOTES Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise noted. Press seams open, unless otherwise instructed. Templates include seam allowances. RST = right sides together. WOF = width of fabric. Wash and press all fabrics well before cutting. FABRICS USED • We used medium weight quilting cotton fabric for the samples in this pattern. Linen and linen/cotton blend fabric could also be used. CUTTING OUT 1 From fabric A cut twenty (20) 6in x WOF strips. Set eight (8) strips aside for sashing and border. Subcut twelve (12) strips into…

There's never been a more exciting time for modern quilters, and by modern quilter, I mean you! Love fresh fabric design in exciting colours? Smitten with graphic shapes and bold piecing? Yep, you're a modern quilter, and at Love Patchwork & Quilting we're so excited to be a part of your passion. Presented by the Modern Quilt Guild, QuiltCon is a must-visit show for anyone that loves the world of quilting. Featuring the leading names in the industry, your favourite authors and bloggers, top instructors and (of course) tons of shopping – it really is the event in the quilting community's calendar. We're delighted to bring you this opportunity to join us in Pasadena, California for QuiltCon West 2016 – we've put together a fantastic package with Arena Travel that…

QUILT YOU WILL NEED Fabric A: 2½yds Fabric B–G: 1/ 8 yd each Batting: 64in square Backing fabric: 4yds Binding fabric: ½yd FINISHED SIZE 60in square approx NOTES Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise noted. Press seams open, unless otherwise instructed. RST = right sides together. WOF = width of fabric. FABRICS USED All fabrics are from the Kona Cotton collection by Robert Kaufman: White, Pepper, Charcoal, Graphite, Titanium, Shadow and Silver. CUTTING OUT 1 From Fabric A cut: One (1) 60½in x 39½in piece. One (1) 21½in x WOF strip. Subcut into one (1) 21½in square and five (5) 21½in x 3½in pieces. One (1) 21½in x 6½in piece. 2 From each of Fabrics B–G cut one (1) 21½in x 3½in piece. 3 From the binding fabric cut seven…

MARVELLOUS MULTITASKING Super-talented Aneela Hoey is a fabric designer, quilter, embroiderer and pattern designer – phew! We love her clever sewing accessories and her inspiring blog, Comfort Stitching. ALICE LOVES… • It's always such a thrill to get a behind-the-scenes peek at a designer's workspace – and I can totally relate to Aneela's note on how important a clutter free environment is. My fellow quilty team members (Sarah and Jen, I'm looking at you guys!) are die-hard hoarders, whilst I'm definitely a less-is-more kinda gal. Well, unless it comes to my fabric stash, that is! I USUALLY HAVE A PARTICULAR COMBINATION OF IDEAS I WANT TO TRY TOGETHER IN A PATTERN AND IT’S NORMALLY DRIVEN BY SOMETHING I NEED. We wanted to learn more about the many areas in which…

YOU WILL NEED Background fabric, ½yd Fabric scraps for pieced blocks Six (6) squares of paper, each 6in square Batting 20in square Backing fabric 20in square Binding fabric ¼yd FINISHED SIZE 18in square NOTES Shorten your stitch length to 1.5 for foundation paper piecing. Seam allowances are ¼in unless otherwise noted. WOF = width of fabric. Fabrics are Lucky by Lotta Jansdotter for Windham Fabrics. CUTTING OUT 1 From the background fabric cut three 6½in squares. Save the remaining fabric for foundation paper piecing the background of the star blocks. 2 From the binding fabric cut three 2¼in x WOF strips. If desired, match the binding fabric to the print fabrics used to make the quilt top. PIECE THE BLOCKS 3 Divide one of your paper squares into three (3)…

PREPARING YOUR FABRICS Cut fabric pieces using the clamshell paper templates as a guide, cutting the fabric at least ¼ in larger than the template on all sides. Next, secure the paper template to the wrong side of the fabric using a dab of washable glue or a pin. THREAD BASTING With this method, the fabric is folded round the template and stitches are used to hold the fabric in place. You’ll remove the basting stitches once the shape has been pressed, so any thread can be used. Secure the template to the centre of the fabric, then clip halfway into the seam allowance around both concave curves (Fig a). Start basting in the centre of one concave curve and baste away from the point. Fold the clipped edge of…