Today, I’m going to keep it short and simple but exciting. We recently received the May/June 2017 issue of Modern Patchwork magazine and I’m happy to announce that AGF is being featured on the cover!
This beautiful quilt made with Take Shape fabrics was designed here at the AGF Studio and we couldn’t be more excited to see it front and center. If this quilt is a must-have for your home, I encourage you to grab a copy of the magazine at your local bookstore/newsstand or on the Modern Patchwork website for the full tutorial. Plus, to alleviate the hassle of finding all the geometric fabrics in this quilt, our friends at Fat Quarter Shop will be offering a kit!
In addition to this great project, this issue of Modern Patchwork is all about Quiltcon. So if you’re curious to know what happened at this year’s show in Savannah, GA, this magazine has the whole scoop!
I hope you find tons of inspiration flipping through the pages of Modern Patchwork!
Did you know that from just ONE FAT QUARTER you can create 99 squares? YEAH! 99 squares... With the excitement of making a new project, sometimes it's easy to just cut through the fabric and waste some of it. I can relate to this because when you are a beginner it's hard to pay attention to those little things. Before, the most important thing to me was just to cut and get the project done. Now, that I'm learning more and more about sewing and quilting I'm trying to be more careful about cutting in a way that the fabric will last longer.
Last week I was reading some articles and I stumbled upon one that explained how many squares you can cut from a fat quarter and I found it very very interesting. So I decided to make another little graphic for you to pin or save it to your computer! I hope you find it helpful and that you're able to maximize the times you can use your favorite prints.
Let's take a look:
Very cool and interesting, right? If you guys have more ideas that I could make into graphics I would really love to read them! Let me know in the comments. ;)
I hope you had a great Easter! Hope you all had some time to relax with family and friends. It may be hard to get back into the swing of things this Monday after eating all that Easter candy but I am here to help you get motivated! If you haven't checked out the Fusions Lookbook yet it is filled with amazing projects like free quilts patterns, home decor, apparel, handbags, and so much more! Click here to flip through the pages for a little kick start to your week!
Also it's time for another addition to the AGF Quilt Block Collection! Follow along with me and make a Spiderweb block of your own. This block is a great scrap buster and was so rewarding to make! It looks complicated and intricate but is beginner friendly! I loved using all four fusions to make my blocks. Each one has it's own personality and are so beautiful to look at!
Click the video below to make this quilt block! Click here for the written instructions!
Today is an exciting day here at the AGF HQ because we finally get to show you the long awaited look book for our FUSIONS collections! In case you’re not familiar with this bite-size concept, let me tell you all about it. The collections that are part of FUSIONS consist of 10 prints from our AGF designers that have been curated into conceptual themes.
Each print that is selected for Fusions has been re-colored to coordinate with each theme. What’s beautiful about these collections is that it converges all the artistic styles our designers have to create unified works of art through the themes. We’re starting this concept with four collections (themes). In addition to the 10 cotton prints, each Fusion will have a rayon and 2 prints in knits.
To me it seems like each Fusion is a mini art exhibit that showcases many styles! But enough of me talking, let’s get the Fusions showcase going!
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Boho Fusion | This Fusion is for those sewist who are bold, free spirited, and love mixing unique patterns with bold colors! As you can see, this range combines lush florals and tribal inspired prints against a saturated backdrop for artsy sewing.
Ethereal Fusion | For this Fusion we wanted to bring the essence of romance and sophistication through the use of delicate colors such as blush and periwinkle. Sweet hearts, classic florals, and low volume elements are put together to create a timeless and feminine aesthetic.
Abloom Fusion | If you’re as obsessed with florals as we are, you’re going to fall in love with this Fusion. We have hand picked some of the most memorable AGF florals and we’ve given them a vibrant splash of color so that all your projects will bloom with beauty!
Joyful Fusion | Do you get joy from using fun prints and fresh colors? If yes, you’ll enjoy sewing with Joyful Fusions. We’ve paired trendy geometrics with cute flowers and colors such as tangerine, turquoise, and pink for a youthful selection of prints.
So, what do you think? Wait a second… we have more to show you! Check out the lookbook for the full selection of projects we have made with FUSIONS.
AND… don’t forget to download all the FREE QUILT PATTERNS! Here they are starting from the left (clockwise).
Now for the best part! Make sure to enter our giveaway by filling the form below for a chance to win a fat quarter bundle of ALL the FUSIONS. Giveaway end April 24th at 3:00pm est. Good luck!
I hope everyone is inspired to create beautiful projects with Fusions!
Till next time,
Stephanie
*****GIVEAWAY CLOSED*****
Congrats Suzanne Sevigny for winning our Fusions giveaway. Check your email. :)
I don't know about you but the changing of the season is making me want to make fun spring inspired projects! I thought fabric flowers looked like a fun project to make and I knew right away that I would use Bountiful fabrics by Sharon Holland! This collection has a nature/country side feel that I just love! Fabric flowers are a great embellishment to add to any project to liven it up and give it some personality! Try attaching them to handbags, head bands, hair ties, or just making them to decorate your table for spring.
Click on the video below to follow along with me! This project is a fun weekend afternoon project! It was very relaxing and kind of addicting! I would suggest to make a bunch of flowers at different sizes and colors and save them for projects in the future to add to!
Today I want to show you how to find best substrates for your project on the AGF consumer website. Choosing the right substrate is one of the most crucial tasks when choosing the fabric for your project. Depending on the pattern you use, most likely it will have fabric recommendations. Pattern designers tend to know what substrates will work best for the project but it doesn't hurt to do your homework. This will help you make the project just as you envision it. :) Below is a glimpse of off all the substrates that we carry at AGF.
Quilting cotton - AGF quilting cotton is known for it's superior weave, drape, and incredible softness. This makes it extremely versatile and easy to work with. Although, based on its name you may assume it’s for quilting only, the truth is you can make garments with it too. It’s durable, breathable and easy to care for.
Knit fabric - knithas more stretch than woven fabrics which makes it perfect for garments. It is generally easy to sew with but you might want to avoid stretching it when placing it on the pattern and when sewing with it. It's also recommended to use a zig-zag stitch or serger when sewing with it to avoid ripping the seams.
Voile - Woven lightweight AGF voile has a higher thread count and tighter weave than most cottons. This is what makes it so soft and silky to the touch. It’s natural drape makes it perfect for fashion projects. Pinning is often recommended when sewing with voile because it tends to be a bit more slippery than quilting cottons. Check out some patterns perfect for voile fabric.
Rayon -Another fabric perfect for lightweight garments is the newest AGF substrate: Rayon. Rayon feels very delicate to the skin but at the same time is durable and you can wash it in the washing machine. It’s absorbent and very light, 76g/sqm (learn more about GSM of all AGF substrates) which makes it perfect for summer wear, active wear, dresses and blouses. Smaller pins and needles are recommended when sewing with this substrate (the recommended size: 65/9). We recommend avoiding thicker needles because they can make wholes in the fabric.
Canvas- Perfect for sewing projects that require more durable and sturdy fabric. Works well for garments and also can be successfully used as an upholstery fabric. Since the weave of the fabric is much more loose than in quilting cotton, it is recommended to use a longer stitch length (around 2.0). See all the tips on sewing with canvas.
Denim - When you think of Denim, the first thing that probably comes to your mind is "heavy fabric". Well that’s not the case with AGF Denim. It has GSM 127/sqm which makes it only slightly heavier than AGF quilting cotton. You don’t even need a special needle to sew with it. Of course, if you are looking for heavier denim we have our solid textured and crosshatch textured denim. Check out all the details about AGF denim.
To learn more about all the substrates we carry, watch the video below. :)
I hope you you find the video helpful and that from now on it will be easier for you to choose the right type of fabric for your project.
Let us know in comments what you are going to make next :)