Suzn Quilts Patterns – Page 2 – Quilting my way through life!

Family Time, Finishing up a quilt project, New Christmas Quilt Fabric, New Pattern Sample, quilt as you go lap quilt, Quilt Market, Suzn Quilts, Suzn Quilts Patterns

Best Selling Quilt Pattern, A Pretty Package

April 8, 2014 suznquilts

What am I up to?

Today I am making another sample of my best selling quilt pattern,

A Pretty Package!

Since my booth in Pittsburgh next month will be full of “Winterlude”

I decided to show my best selling pattern, A Pretty Package, decked out in to too!

So far, I’ve prepared the “foundation” and started sewing strips.

Layered bath towels are the best pressing surface.

I can press the entire strip at once with no draping & distorting.

It’s very important to press the seams flat as sewn first,

then press them open.

This keeps them straight all across the quilt.

The MOST IMPORTANT step is to measure, measure, measure.

If you sew a strip on crooked, then sew a bunch more strips to it, a little more crooked each time, well… you will have a very crooked quilt indeed!

Next, pin, sew, repeat…

Now I’m prepared to sew the top strips in the same fashion.

This is where I am tonight.

I’ve had a few interruptions so I didn’t get as far as I would have liked today;

getting Nemo from the groomer,

dinner,

The Voice with fellow family members,

followed by August: Osage County from Redbox.

I love Merle & Julia, but that movie was a bit much…

I’m going to continue sewing,

but as soon as chickadee #2 gets home I’m done for the day.

Tune in tomorrow to see the rest of the story!

Until next time,

Susan

Applique quilt projects, My Life, New Christmas Quilt Fabric, New Christmas Quilt Patterns, new fabric collection, New ideas, New Pattern Sample, New Quilting Template, New tiny Dresden plate quilts, Suzn Quilts Patterns

How Does My Garden Grow?

March 12, 2014 suznquilts

With Winterlude by 3 Sisters for Moda of course!

More & more flowers…

These have become addicting!

Each one is cuter than the last.

With my new template being just 2″, one might think tedious,

but I’m loving this!

So precise!!!

The complete little plate is just about 4″.

Now, I’m on to the next step,

gluing the plates to their background squares.

Then it will be back to stitching…

Can’t wait to show you the finished quilts!

What are you working on?

Until next time,

Susan

Applique quilt projects, Hot Tips, My Life, New Pattern Sample, Suzn Quilts Patterns

Applique for the really lazy quilter…

September 19, 2013 suznquilts

I’m curious, when you make fusible applique and the pattern tells you to trace 3 or 6 or 15 of an applique shape, do you really do that???

Do you trace any shape more than once?

If so, my next question is “Why?”

It occurred to me several years ago that I’m lazy & I like to get things done quickly so I can move onto the next project.

What occurred to me later is that not everyone thinks like I do. (Thank goodness!!!)

I never, never, NEVER trace a shape more than once, and I really don’t like to trace it even once.

How slow, boring and a waste of time!

When I have more than one of the same shape to cut out,

I fetch my bolt of Wonder Under.

Next, I calculate what I need.

If the object is about 6″ square (I’ve added about 1/4″ all around the object) and I need 6 of them, I will cut a 6″ x 36″ piece(s) of fusible web.

Since Wonder Under is only about 17″ wide, I need more than 1.

I also cut a 6″ strip of the fabric I’m going to use.

Next, I fuse the Wonder Under to the back of the fabric aligning the edges.

If I need to piece the Wonder Under, I just butt the edges together.

It doesn’t show if you have nice straight lines cut of the Wonder Under.

Let the piece cool,

then remove the paper backing by scoring it with a pin & pulling it off.

Next, cut the “fused slab” into however many of the size shapes you need.

It is CRITICAL that you stack up the pieces all the same way, fabric to fusible web

NOT fusible web to fusible web.

If you cut out your shape that way,

you will have one nice double-sided object.

You will most probably NEVER get those two shapes apart again.

Ask me how I know!!!

On the other hand, if you need a right and a left (reversed) object,

I recommend leaving the paper on and stacking paper to paper

then cut out the shape and you’ll have mirror objects, both cut at once!

Voila!

6 jacks with one fast cutting with my rotary cutter and rotating mat!

One more tidbit of info…

If your pattern is already reversed for you as in my

Suzn Quilts’ Patterns,

you will need to pay attention to which side you lay the pattern on before you cut it.

You don’t want to accidentally cut out the shape in reverse.

When I’m working on a new pattern like this one,

I don’t reverse the shape until I put it into pattern form,

so I put the shape on the fabric side of the stack.

If the shape is reversed for you, just put the pattern on the fusible web side of the stack, then cut.

By the way, this new design that I’m working on also has 7 big circles.

You may say I can’t cut out circles with my rotary cutter…

but I just did!

The key,

hold the ruler tightly down on the stack,

holding it right at the edge where you need to cut.

You’ll need to keep all the layers tightly held together and cut smoothly.

When you stop to re-grip, leave the cutter in place.

Yes, I have a circle cutter, but for this instance, this is quicker.

Steady hand and close to the ruler!

Any questions?

Until next time,

Susan

My Life, Rocky Mountain Sew Expo Denver, Suzn Quilts Patterns, Vendor at trade show

Where have I been and what have I been doing?

August 5, 2013 suznquilts

Well, let me tell you…

First of all it’s summer.

Need I say more?

Our house seems to have a revolving door.

As one leaves another is coming home. I never know how many to cook for. If I cook for three, there will be five, and vice versa.

I’m constantly shopping for food, yet there’s “never anything to eat around here.”

David’s garden is supplying lots of tomatoes, my personal favorite! There are also cucumbers, black berries, green beans, zucchini (yuk!) and we’ll eventually have pumpkins, cantaloupe & watermelon.

Our trip to the Rocky Mountain Sewing Expo in Colorado was fantastic.

We met so many nice people.

If you’re one of them, thanks for coming out to see us!

My Cobblestone Courtyard class was great.

Liz, Joan, Birdie, Opal & Nancy,

thanks for being so prepared for the class and for being such good participants.

It’s been almost four weeks. Are those quilts done yet?

Don’t make me come back there!!!

(Actually I’d love to!)

Booth set-up was a breeze with my helpers…

OK, it took all afternoon & most of the evening.

By the end of the night all we wanted was Chinese food delivered to our room,

but I think the booth looked great!

We were able to display so many quilts.

The Merchandise Mart in Denver was very nice & so was the staff of Rusty Barn Shows.

Daisy Baby Buggy captured many hearts..

Pumpkins in the Patch & Bunnies in the Grass were popular too.

We sold lots of my Ginger Bliss pattern.

I explained my Quilt-as-you-go technique at least a million times!

And of course, my “A Pretty Package” quilt pattern was our best-seller for the week!

Have you made one yet?

If you haven’t, you should. Everyone else is making one!

We met so many nice people offering advice of where we should go and what we should see while we were in Colorado.

One evening we drove to St. Mary’s glacier

then ate at Beau Jo’s Pizza in Idaho Springs.

Fantastic pizza!

The next night we drove to Mount Evans.

At 14,265 feet, it is the highest paved road in North America.

Also, according to Clare, one of the scariest roads in North America..

It was getting pretty late for dinner that night so we decided if we could make it to Beau Jo’s in time we would eat there again.

We ended up eating there three times!!!

We weren’t sure with the wildfires & then mud slides what might hinder the rest of our sightseeing.

We were able to go up Pike’s Peak on the cog Railway.

That was fun and interesting too.

I used the panoramic option on my phone for this photo. How cool is that? I’m impressed that I remembered to use that setting while we were there and not a couple of days later…

Spectacular view from 14, 110 ft.

We also saw the Garden of the gods close by.

The last day we ventured over to Breckenridge to eat at Daylight Donuts!

Have you had their donuts?

Worth the trip!

I found this in a vintage shop.

Can’t wait to show you my next post & what’s in store for this little gem…

Something pretty exciting there!

I’ll end with this,

hanging at McDonald’s in Hayes, Kansas on our way home.

I don’t think I’ve seen any quilts at McDonald’s previous to this…

How smart of them to encase it in glass.

It would not look good with ketchup or mustard on it!

I hope you enjoyed seeing our Rocky Mountain Sewing Expo & side adventures.

Until next time,

Susan

Finishing up a quilt project, New Pattern Sample, New Quilt Book, New Quilt pattern sample, Quilt Market, Suzn Quilts Patterns

New book, A Christmas Sampler

June 15, 2013June 11, 2013 suznquilts

Now for my new book!

This is my new Christmas Sampler that is written as a 12 step block-of-the-month.

I love this pattern and it is only $20!

I sold out of these at market last month!

Do I need to tell you that it is made with Deb Strain’s Christmas Countdown by Moda?

There is applique and piecing and the instructions are broken down into 12 steps so you won’t be overwhelmed.

If you’re like me you’ll just want to jump right in & stitch this sampler as quickly as humanly possible,

but I know there are a lot of quilters out there that like the option for quilt shops to cut kits for them in the block-of-the-month fashion.

Each step is printed on its own page(s) that are perforated for easy tearing out and each applique step has full-size, reversed templates ready to trace.

The last step has detailed illustrations and instructions for sewing all of the completed segments together to make the finished top

and the last page is devoted to kitting instructions for quilt shops.

The back cover features another version of the quilt.

I chose the fabrics for this sample from my stash.

It has a more primitive or country feel.

I also left off the outer border; partly so you could see how it still looks good smaller,

but most importantly because I want to hang it in my kitchen for Christmas on the hanger my late father-in-law built for me

and this is the perfect size!

The quilt features more holly buttons by Just Another Button Company on the mints like on my Peppermint Pizzazz pattern

and the holly berries and snowflakes are actually more Hillcreek buttons.

Have I enticed you yet???

I hope that I have.

If your local quilt shop doesn’t have them, all my books and patterns are available on my website.

I had a lot of fun piecing both color versions

and I enjoyed going back the last couple of months with you remembering my sewing journey!

Thanks for following.

Until next time,

Susan

New Pattern Sample, New quilt pattern, Quilt Market, Suzn Quilts Patterns

New pattern #4, Cobblestone Courtyard

June 14, 2013June 11, 2013 suznquilts

Today’s new pattern is Cobblestone Courtyard.

It is made with exactly 1 jelly roll (40, 2-1/2″ strips) and

1/2 yard of binding fabric plus the backing & batting.

I’m always challenged to create ways to use those clever pre-cuts.

It is just so much fun!

You can of course cut your own 2-1/2″ strips,

but who doesn’t have one of those luscious jelly rolls sitting in their sewing room that was just too tempting to pass up?

The beauty of this quilt is

if you make it with that precious jelly roll, you’ll be able to display this quilt anywhere and be able to enjoy it forever!

Another fun tidbit about using a jelly roll is that most of the cutting is done for you.

You truly can make this quilt in 1 day including the hand work on the binding.

The jelly roll that I bought for this quilt is the new PB&J collection.

It’s not too bright and not too dark either.

Below is another version, with guess what fabrics???

It coordinated with my market booth.

You can purchase the pattern on my website.

I’m scheduled to teach this quilt in Denver on July 10, 2013

at the Rocky Mountain Sew Expo.

Think about those jelly rolls that you might have stacked up in your sewing room and come join the class.

My new book is next.

Until next time,

Susan

New Pattern Sample, New quilt pattern, New Quilt pattern sample, Quilt Market, Suzn Quilts Patterns

Yes, another post & another new pattern!

June 13, 2013June 11, 2013 suznquilts

Today’s new pattern is Peppermint Stripes.

A bit redundant, I know…

It’s made with Deb Strain’s Christmas Countdown…

It’s a quilt-as-you-go lap quilt…

It has more cute peppermints…

The pattern includes not only the lap quilt, but also a table runner…

What more can I say???

I’m a creature of habit, I know already!

It is however the first time that I’ve added a flange to a quilt.

In case it’s hard to tell,

I added the flange (piping without the cording) of green before adding the binding.

This is because I wanted to use black binding, but I didn’t want the black binding to fade into the black fabric of the quilt.

Pretty clever, huh?

I know, not that clever.

Two more patterns,

then my new favorite book!

Until next time,

Susan

New quilt pattern, New Quilt pattern sample, Quick Little Projects, Quilt Market, Suzn Quilts Patterns

Another new Pattern, Peppermint Pizzazz

June 12, 2013June 11, 2013 suznquilts

I know, you don’t hear from me in 2 months, and now it’s 2 posts in 2 days!

Well, I have 4 new patterns and a new book, so I plan to show you all of them here before I get too busy again.

So, this is new pattern #2, Peppermint Pizzazz.

It is also made with Deb Strain’s Christmas Countdown fabrics by Moda.

I didn’t think to add that info in yesterday’s post, sorry.

The fabrics should be shipping to your local quilt shop any day.

I love this pattern.

It includes a 30″ square quilt & a 13″ octagonal quilt.

The holly on the 4 peppermints are actually buttons by Just Another Button Company.

They’re perfect for setting off the mints I think.

Once all the pieces are cut it’s just fun sewing, like building a puzzle.

These will look great on a table top, lining a Christmas basket or hanging on a wall & they’re small enough to make as gifts.

More to come tomorrow!

Until next time,

Susan

New Pattern Sample, New quilt pattern, quilt as you go lap quilt, Quilt Market, Suzn Quilts Patterns

New Patterns!

June 11, 2013 suznquilts

Hi all!

I bet you thought I got caught in a mudslide. Eaten by a lion. Got run over by a crappy purple Scion…

(lyrics from Train’s “50 ways to say goodbye”)

…but no.

Since you last heard from me, besides working like crazy to get new designs ready for spring market,

I’ve been to Paducah with my mom & a friend for the AQS quilt show.

I’ve been to Effingham with my husband where he attended meetings.

I’ve been to Portland, Oregon for International Spring Quilt Market with my daughter, Chloe, plus several thousand close quilting friends.

My husband, David, turned 50, we had a surprise party (wow he’s old!!!).

And I just returned from our guild’s Quilt Away 2013, which I was the chair person for.

It’s no wonder I’m tired & feeling like I’m always running…behind.

So, last time I chatted with you I was whining about these:

Can you believe that these trees in their pattern form were the best-selling of my 4 new patterns?

I also have a new book, but we’ll talk about that later.

So, back to the forest of trees…

I told you they were fun, and they are.

It’s just that I had made so many prototypes,

that by the time I got to sewing the tree blocks for my actual pattern sample,

well, I was just over the beauty of them and wanted to be done so I could move on to my next pattern sample!

Introducing: Oh Christmas Tree

The pattern includes one of my signature quilt-as-you-go lap quilts

& a cute little table runner.

The trees are cut in the “stack & whack” fashion,

sewn into blocks then sashed into strips.

Once all the 40″ strips are made,

they are sewn onto the foundation of basted backing/batting

to make the finished quilt.

Lastly I added another touch with buttons atop each tree.

I used the hand-dyed black buttons by Hillcreek.

They have the cutest buttons!

You can find Oh Christmas Tree on my website.

More new patterns & my new book coming soon!

Welcome to my new followers!

Until next time,

Susan

My Life, Suzn Quilts Patterns

Wow, time flies!

February 19, 2013 suznquilts

I didn’t realize just how long it had been since I’d posted!

What have I been doing you ask???

Well, for starters I turned a year older. Need I say more, lol…

OK,

I was working on my Christmas sampler, then

I went on our annual retreat with friends to Rosemary’s.

Then went to Mexico for a week with my husband.

Did a little radio interview about quilting on the Cityscapes program on St. Louis Public Radio, 90.7 KWMU.

You can listen to the interview with Steve Potter here.

I told you 2013 had some new & interesting things for Suzn Quilts.

Helped my oldest, Chloe, celebrate her 21st birthday!

It’s no wonder I’m tired…

Now that these things are over I need to get back to my Christmas designs for Portland’s Spring Market in May.

What have you been up to?

I hope it involves quilting!

Until next time,

Susan