Alternating Iced Tea

Working on Community Service quilts, I am using fabrics available.  This quilt started with about 27 inches of the floral theme fabric.  Using every inch of it, I cut 6 13" squares--this also uses the width of the fabric efficiently.  Then I adjusted the Iced Tea block to fit.  I wanted to stay with 5" wide pieces, since that is my favorite size.  To get a 13" square,  raw edge to raw edge,  the rectangles are cut 5" x 8 1/2" and the center is 4".  If I use 5" x 9 1/2" slices from the stash, I simply lop off 1".  I made a quick 6 blocks, and alternated them with the theme squares. 

The blocks finish 12 1/2".  The quilt is 38"x  50" without a border--perfect little lap or baby.  Add a border to get a bigger kids or throw size.

PRISTINE Variation

I was just putting this away, and wanted to mention it on this blog.  It's another model I had made of Easy Does It, using 2 packs of Blooms (10 Fat Sixths).  The deep leafy greens of the Kaffe Collective make up the usual main prints.  But instead of using a single Spacer fabric, I used another Bloom Pack--this of Amy Butler's Midwest Modern.  I liked how the Midwest was light and subtle enough to be spacers, especially against the color saturated Kaffe's--but also it was just a bit more interesting than a single fabric.  Since the Spacers did not use up the Bloom pack, with the leftovers I made a pieced binding.

Preview 20

And for the finale for this round, we have ICED TEA.  Inspired by the Ice Tea collection of Hoffman Batik fat quarters, this is a Bright Hopes style block.  5" x 9 1/2"  rectangles sewn around a 5" center, starting with a partial seam.  Oops, did I give it all away?

This block can be made from many favorite fabric cuts--5" strips, Fat Sixths (2 Bloom Bundles of 10  12"x 22"),  40 10" Squares, or 14 Fat Quarters.  That means Layer Cakes, Hoffman Batik bundles,  5" rolls, scraps, and more.  Plus a center and a binding.  20 Blocks makes up 54"x 68".

Then there is the zillion ways it can be shaded, depending on your fabric bundles.  The RoseCard shows 4 ways on the back.  The cover is roughly light and dark on opposite sides.  With every other block rotated on its side, a pinwheel emerges.  If you can get 4 rectangles of each fabric, as with the Tonga Batik 10" squares, 5" strips, or Blooms, this basic frame block can be done.  Finished, it looks just like Red Rose, but it allows you to use those Tonga Squares.

Much fun can be had.  This is another one that I have made in variations for Community Service.  So, go cut those 5"x 9 1/2" for a good cause.

Preview 19

I had this quilt designed and tested in 30's and Batiks and Community Service scraps.  Then along came Red Rose Farm.  Couldn't wait to get the fabric in and make it up.  It was exactly what I had in mind.  As usual the stripe makes a perfect 1st Border.  I was able to use all 16 fabrics in the line.  The blocks took 12 5" strips, then there are the center, 1st Border, 2nd Border and Binding. 

I love the 50's retro look of this fabric by Elizabeth Scott for P&B Textiles.  All of the other fabrics I've tried have been great, too.  I've done it without borders and it makes a nice and quick 41"x 54".  With borders it is 56"x 69".  If you are using scraps, there is no reason not to make 20 blocks.  One 5" strip or one Fat Sixth makes one block--just add a center.  So 2 of our Bloom Packs--10 Fat Sixths--will also make 20 blocks.  This quilt is done with Windham's Feedsack prints. 
Oh, so much to do....

Preview 18

Our old favorite pinwheel made from 10" squares.  Very big, very fast--too much fun.

It uses 2 10" squares from each of 18 fabrics.  The Tonga Batik Squares work because Timeless Treasures puts 2 each of 20 fabrics in the bundles.  Two Bloom Packs of 10  12"x22" or Fat Sixths, work also.  My cover girl here is made from leftovers of some of my favorite fabrics.

Preview 17

Time for a new fabric cut--5" strip bundles.  Windham has them among others.  I love the 5" size, as you may have figured.  The pattern uses 20 5" strips, or 20 Fat Sixths (2 of my Bloom Bundles of 10  12"x22"), or 14 Fat Quarters (Hoffman Batiks bundles, or an 8 bundle and a 6 bundle).  Options galore for fabric, including scraps, which can be whole or half strips.

I like the look of the rectangular Four Patch, and of course, the spacer strips.  I think the spacers are a great way to offer some relief from the busy prints.  And here we are with the Hoffman Jasmine Fat Quarter bundle.

Preview 16

Hoffman's Bali Batik bundles were the inspiration for SARATOGA.  This bundle is their Elderberry.  I wanted to use all of the 14 Fat Quarters in the pack.  They are sorted somewhat light and dark,  6 for the centers and 8 for the rails.  I can see many other options for color and fabric on this one.  A theme down the middle, and smaller prints on the rails.  The centers one color, rails another.  The centers Kaffe Fassett, the rails batiks.  And so it goes. 

With 14 Fat Quarters it makes up a nice 48"x64".  A border would be good, too, for a generous throw size.

Preview 15

Okay, the printing deadline is done.  The latest 6 cards are off at press, and then on their way to Texas for introduction at Quilt Market. 

They won't be available to ship for 2 weeks.  But, because I can't wait to share,  I will preview them one a day here.  Much cutting and packing for Market and Festival, but still squeezing in some time to make additional samples.  Some of these patterns are so versatile for so many types of fabrics that I just can't stop sewing!

WILD THING here you can see is a larger version of ANGEL FACE.  This larger throw size has long been a staple at our shop.  It is so perfect for theme prints and big novelty prints--a perfect "guy quilt" in sports or nature prints or batiks.   I am also itching to do it with my 10 Fat Sixth packs of Kaffe Fassett--the 10 packs will net the 20 10" squares needed.  A collection of Layer Cake or Tonga 10" Batik squares would work, too.

This larger throw size is good with or without a border.  It still only takes one strip set each to make the side frames (remember the extra you had with ANGEL FACE). 

Tower Tonga

The new Tonga Treats squares came.  Four different delicious color combos.  Each pack has 40 10" squares, 2 of each fabric.  To make one quickly, because they are all so gorgeous,  I started with a RoseCard already published--Tower Bridge.  The Coffee Cake divided up nicely into lights and darks.  Four of the squares are not needed from the pack of 40, and there were 2 that were quite different in color--any easy elimination before any cutting or sewing.  If all 40 were perfect for the pattern, I would go ahead and make all 40 blocks, and elimate 4 different ones during the layout process.  So here is the top--all in a night's work.

A richly elegant group of color and pattern--go Tonga, thank you Timeless Treasures.

New Model for a New Baby

Leann has just finished the Freedom quilt for her friend's baby shower.  We love how it finished up.  And the kits are ready and listed.  How Meadowsweet it is...

Angel Face Grown Up

Getting closer to publishing a new card with the 20 block version of Angel Face.  I expect this Anthology Batik quilt to be the cover.

Sunny Meadow

Opening Night was indeed a great success in the Meadowsweet 2 group, Garden colors.  Started on Tuesday night, it was bound by noon Wednesday.   The pattern has an easy formula for laying out the colors, so no design board--just sew and sew.   No waste, so it makes a very economical quilt in a great throw size.

 

Easy Read

Another reason to love working from RoseCards.  While I sewed my new Meadowsweet Opening Night, I propped the card on the spare thread holder.  Just about the right distance for the bifocals.

 There are a lot of cute noteholders out there too, that should sit very nicely on a sewing table. 

Poppy Freedom

It's quilted and bound.  This aqua colorway of the Poppy Collection by Laura Gunn.  There are 8 pieces in this collection, so the fat quarter bundle worked out perfectly.  6 Fat Quarters are used for the quilt top.  The last 2 Fat Quarters were the 2 colors of the Peking Dot--great for piecing the binding.  So if you have 8 Fat Quarter bundles, you have a complete kit for this pattern!

When I was choosing the pairs for this quilt, I did not follow my usual plan of dividing the 6 fabrics into 2 sets of three.  Instead, I just paired up any way I pleased.  With only 6 fabrics total, it is very hard to keep like fabrics out of the same row.  So I think I will go back to the 3 set plan.  Each set of 3 can be scrambled exactly 3 ways.  And the blocks made from each of the 2 sets can be alternated, so like fabrics don't end up in a row.  Make sense?--probably not till you do it. 

Angel Face Owls

Our Angel Face pattern actually began as Marguerite's Frame Up many years ago.  Our friend Marguerite shared it with us, and it has made the rounds in Thursday clubs, Friday night sews, Friday night Merced College classes, and a basic handout pattern anytime we need a theme print design.






For the Angel Face RoseCard, I wanted to write it up for the 3 One Yard bundles.  It finished 38"x50", with 12 blocks, and used only the three one yard pieces.

Marguerite's is a 20 block quilt and usually had borders, to make it a very generous throw.  The next RoseCard version will be written up for 20 blocks.

Here is a preview.  Dorothy had this wonderful owl batik, and I thought it might work.  It did.  She had the perfect subtle contrast fabrics to go with it.  She decided not to border it.  It looks good, and still finishes a nice size--about 50"x63".

Rainbows End

This design comes from one we have done for years that I had called the Autograph Quilt.  I had originally done it in 3 1/2" strips, usually with a muslin center.  The center could be used to sign on, hence the name.  It also looks great with a theme print there.








I usually did it in 12 fabrics so the A and B blocks could be different.  One 3 1/2" strip each made 12 A blocks and 12 B blocks, and created a very random look.

My friend Debi did this pattern using 4" strips when she was doing a batch of quilts for a nursing home.  This size also uses the fabric efficiently, looks great, and was perfect for a 20 block quilt.  Looking at the 6 Fat Quarter packs that I do, I thought this would be a perfect size for using the pack.  Add a background or theme, and maybe a border.

The RoseCard cover shows the quilt with the border.  This picture is a quilt I made without the border.

It's from a cute fabric pack called Party in Pink, by Henry Glass, that I picked up at A Sewing Basket in Salado TX.

This pattern is another good one for your community service quilts.  Twelve different 4" strips will make the 20 block quilt and use up some scraps. Or of course, like the Rosecard, use 6 Fat Quarters or regular quarter yards.   It makes up a great baby/lap size without a border.   And it makes a nice size larger throw with border.

Freedom

Freedom is simply the 6 Fat Quarter version of the Kings Ransom that uses 12 Fat Quarters.  I did these big 4 Patch blocks to show off the big prints. Unlike random 8" squares, the 4 Patch actually tames some of the busy action of our big prints.

It uses the fabric efficiently, like most of my designs.  The leftover pieces make the quilt a little wider, a little nicer size.  It still fits on a one-width back.



A couple weeks ago, I cut up loads of fabric from the Community Service closet into 9" strips for this quilt.  Regular Quarter yards also work--just cut the strip in half to mix with half strips.  Just by matching colors, I have some great quilts cut and read to sew.  They take little more than an hour to piece once they are cut.

A little trick I use when pairing up the strip sets--- Divide the 6 fabrics into two groups of 3 that you like together.   Then when sewing the strip sets, you have just 3 different pairs possible with each group.  There is no thinking once you split them into 3's.  No brainers are my kind of design choices.

Freedom Super Sized

At Dorothy's beach house, she has one room with 2 twins.  What to do with those Hawaiian prints?  8 inch Four Patches--also known as Freedom or Kings Ransom.  The 8 inch size is big enough to show off the prints.  The Four Patch helps tame the busy nature of these prints.

Dorothy's twin spreads are made 5 blocks by 6 long.  It is easy to figure yardage if you change the size of your quilt with this pattern.  One fat quarter (or regular quarter) equals one 15" block--with some pieces left for the border.

This trip was the first time I had seen them on the beds in this room.  Sounds silly, but they took my breath away when I opened the door and saw them.  They are just great in this room.

New Model

On one of the Tahoe sew evenings, I made a fresh new sample for Easy Does It, which uses 6 fat quarters.  This is the Full Bloom collection by Bari J for Windham fabrics.  You can't go wrong with polka dot for spacers.  The spacers keep the fabrics from mushing together--the very reason I designed this pattern.

I should note that on this pattern, I like to choose an order for the 6 fabrics.  With so few it is hard to lay them out randomly.  If you look closely, you can see that the top row is 1234561234, the second row is 5612345612, and so on.  Rows 123 are the same as 456.  It is hard to tell, since they are jogged differently.  The end result is a random look, but with a plan, to make it easy.  

New Additions

Yesterday's rush was getting 4 new RoseCards to press.  The first here uses 3 One yard pieces.  It will make up 48"x48"--in a jiffy. 

I chose the Painted Moon rose, because the color matched the quilt.  And the star shares the sky with the moon.  The rose names all have a story.  Just some are better than others.

Showtime

A week ago I took the RoseCards out to my own first retail show--the Quilting and Sewing Expo in Reno.  They did very well, and it was exciting to see people handle them, check them out, and buy.  I used the tried and true retail ploy of placing them in a display on the checkout counter.  It was perfect for browsing while I rang up a sale.  Also, it allowed me to talk about them and answer any questions.  The display is a desk organizer from Home Goods.

Welcome

Welcome to the new RoseCards blog.  The plan is to make this a gathering place for all things RoseCards--info on new cards, showing of finished quilts, display ideas, marketing ideas, variations, and whatever else comes up.

The introduction at Quilt Market in Minneapolis was fantastic.  So many of you liked the concept--simple designs for fabric packs, all at a great price.  I thought we created a lot of buzz, and you all were a part of it.  This is so new, we need to share our ideas for using the RoseCard patterns--to make it a success for all of us who have invested in this product.

It will take me some time to remember all of ideas you and I shared at Market.  You all were visualizing different ways you might use them in your shops and workrooms.

The first RoseCard patterns were hot of the presses at Market.  Even I have not taken them for a test run on the retail road.  I have been doing shows this past year, since I moved and closed my longarm shop.  I am selling only fabric bundles and kits at shows.  I've had some of these patterns available on a one page printout.  The fabric bundles--6 fat quarters, 10 fat sixths and 3 1-yards--have been tremendously successful for me.   These particular sizes of fabric packs seem to be small enough that the price invites the buying of multiple bundles.

To go with these packs, I thought that I should have more of my patterns written up formally.   The RoseCard postcards were a way to print economically in a compact format--which I thought would suit our economical little bundles.   Since I was selling very few of the $9 patterns that I had for the kits and packs, I thought maybe the time was right for another option.    And obviously a lot of you agreed with me at Market....so here we go!