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October 2017

An endless love for flowers: Wild Bloom by Bari J.

Hello, beautiful sewists!

Raise your hand if you love flowers as much as you love sewing! I know I sure do! Ever since I was a kid, I have fond memories of gardening with my mom (who also loves flowers), visiting botanical gardens, and when I learned how to draw it was the first thing I was inspired by. It’s no surprise that flowers make the world more beautiful! Especially when you incorporate them in fabrics, quilts, and sewing projects.

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I know that during the fall it’s not conventional to use many flowers; but I encourage you to go against the current and use florals all year long. One designer that always makes us fall in love with florals no matter what season it is, is Bari J. She has knocked it out the park with her newest collection, Wild Bloom fabrics. From sketchy flower branches, bright bouquets, and vibrant hand painted blooms, this collection will have you dreaming of lovely gardens.

Another thing that makes this collection one of a kind, are the vibrant colors that splash each print! I’m currently obsessed with this pouch that combines one the collection’s florals with the “Sashiko Florette Coral” print because of how eye catching it looks with these bright colors. Isn’t is stylish?

Wild-Bloom-Clutch

OK, so now that we’ve devoted our love for flowers, you have to check out the Wild Bloom lookbook! Explore all the trendy outfits, stunning quilts, and projects for sewists of all levels.

 

 

Bring a dose of color into your home with the “Splendorous” free quilt pattern.

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We also have a curated selection of blenders for you to use in all your other Wild Bloom projects. What do you think?

Wild Bloom Collection elements

 

Last but not least, a giveaway awaits you!

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Simply fill the form below for a chance to win a bundle of Wild Bloom by Bari J. Giveaway ends October 19th. Good luck!

 

I hope you love Bari’s exuberant world of flowers!

 

Happy sewing!

-Stephanie

Congrats, Evy Hawkins! You've won the bundle Wild Bloom fabrics. Please check your email.  

 

DIY Halloween Kitty Cat Costume

Boo!

Did I scare you? :) Halloween is around the corner and it's time to start thinking about what you are going to dress up as. For me my go to outfit is a being a cat, which inspired me to create the Kitty Cat Costume Tutorial. This three piece set is easy and fun to make and all there is left to do is to draw some whiskers and a cat nose and your ready to go! We made our Kitty Cat Costume with  the "Leopardess" print from Esoterra fabrics! To find the full tutorial head over to the weallsew blog!  Looking for more Halloween inspired sewing tutorials try making Halloween gift tags to add to all your treat bags. 

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What are some of your go to Halloween costumes? Got any memorable Halloween moments? One Halloween I will never forget is when my twin brother, my younger sister and I dressed up as Power Rangers! We thought we were so cool in our bright colorful costumes! 

Happy Sewing, 

Meli


How to Make a Single Irish Chain Quilt Block Tutorial

Hi There Quilty Friends, 

Who loves sewing for the little ones in your life? I know I am obsessed with being an Auntie and making things for my niece and three nephews! My brother's kids are the best because every time I make them a handmade gift they love it so much. It makes me feel like I am the best Auntie ever! The new addition to the AGF Quilt Block Collection is the Single Irish Chain Block featuring Lambkin Fabrics. I am flipping out at how adorable this collection is and how Bonnie Christine created two different colorways to cater to girls and boys!  

The adorable "Sir Wooly" print makes his debut in the center of my block and he is framed with the great "Arista Oats" print which has a mixture of numbers, letters, and fun symbols! The corner blocks are made with the "Keeping Watch Dim" print which I think is so dreamy with crest moon, stars and  a sprinkle of metallic.  I definitely see myself making a baby quilt using this block design for my 1 year old godson! 

 

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Watch the video tutorial below to make your version of the Single Irish Chain Block. Don't forget to share your  blocks using AGF fabrics on Instagram using the hashtag #AGFQuiltBlockCollection to be entered to win our monthly AGF Fabric Bundle Giveaway!  

 

 Happy Sewing, 

Meli


7 accessories for Fall

Gather around, cold fronts are coming and we put together a list of the main elements this season entails- from accessories for her, to those little ones as well. As the temperature drops, there is nothing cozier than dressing the part in the colors this time of the year brings. We've got your favorite accessories, but with an AGF twist and a pattern that goes along with, so you're not far from obtaining your own.

 

7-ACCESORIES-FOR-FALL

 

Continue reading "7 accessories for Fall" »


Mini Halloween Pillows - No Sew Tutorial

Hey there, makers!

With October being in full swing, I know most of you are preparing for Halloween. This holiday is so much fun because you get to dress up in funky costumes, you have an excuse to eat boatloads of candy, AND you get to decorate with “spooky” things you wouldn’t have in your house normally. I must admit, i’m a scaredy-cat when it comes to spooky things but I like decorating with festive things like jack-o-lanterns, cats, and ghosts that have a cute twist.

Halloween-mini-pillow-tutorilal

I’ve paired up with my colleague Eli, from our production team to show you how to make some adorable Halloween inspired mini pillows with our Pure Elements, Squared Elements, and AGF Denim. For those of you who are beginners or are looking for a quick project to do with the kids, this project is perfect because there’s no sewing involved.

So, let’s get to it! Here’s what you’ll need:

Materials

  • Spooky templates (download here)
  • Fabric Scraps
  • 2 - 6.5”x 6.5” squares of black or dark colored fabric (use two 8.5” squares for pumpkin and cat design)
  • Steam-A-Seam (double stick fusible web)
  • Scissors
  • Pencil or Fabric Marking Pen
  • Batting
  • Iron

Step 1:

Cut a piece of fabric about the size of the design you’ll be making from the template. Place a piece of Steam-A-Seam onto the fabric and press.

1-press-steam-a-seam

Step 2:

Place your template on the side with Steam-A-Seam and trace your template. (Keep in mind which direction you want the character to face because when you turn the fabric over the traced icon will face the opposite way.)

2--trace-patterns

Step 3:

Cut the design, peel the paper off the Steam-A-Seam, and place on the background fabric. Press to make your cut-out designs stick to the background fabric. Repeat this process for the rest of the icons based on your pillow design.

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Step 4:

Flip the front of your pillow top and fold a ¼” seam around the square. Iron it to keep it in place. Repeat this step with the backing of your pillow.

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Step 5:

Cut out three 5" strips of Steam-A-Seam and place over folded seams and press. Cut two 2.5” strips for the fourth side and press. (Note: Use 7” strips if you’re making the other pillow designs.)

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Step 6:

Peel the paper off all the strips except from one of the shorter ones and place the top of the pillow over the backing. Iron the edges to make sure the sides stick together. (The side you didn’t peel off will leave a little hole to insert the batting.)

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Step 7:

Fill the pillow with batting until fluffy. Make sure not to overfill it!

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Step 8:

Peel the paper off the last strip of fusible web and iron to seal the opening.

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Step 9:

Voila! Your pillow is complete!

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Follow all of these steps to make the cat and jack-o-lantern designs!

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I hope you enjoyed this quick tutorial. If you celebrate Halloween, let me know in the comments what’s your favorite thing about this holiday is.  

 

Happy decorating! 

-Stephanie


AGF Mood Monday - Our Own Collectibles

Where to start? Humans. We are incredible. We can imagine things and then bring those things to reality. Sometimes those things are similar to one another, yet they are perfectly unique, and when we start to gather more than three of the "same" thing then we call it a collection.

If you are like me then you like to collect different things, and please don't confuse it with hoarding or impulsive buying; the floor at my house is still visible, and most things I collect are "rescued;" they were either going to the garbage through someone else's hands, or I rescued them from a second-hand store or thrift shop. I'd call it an organic way of collecting.

When I moved to the U.S I was amazed by this avid culture of collecting groups of the same thing, especially stamps because those seemed so boring, and now, although not diligently, I collect stamps. 

Do you collect anything? 

There must be at least a couple of you who collect kitchen tins or milk glass, and yes, fabric counts, especially if you collect a particular design. So don't shy away,  please share.

It's beautiful how we can relate objects to people who collect them. My dad collects hangers, among a hundred other things (I think I get it from him), but every time I see something with a hanger on it, or like the other day when I saw these tiny hanger charms at the craft store, I thought: "dad!"

I could stay all day writing about the things I collect, and the amount of panda, bicycle, or "creepy" toys I've received as presents because my friends relate those things to me, but in the exercise of choosing which collection to show you I decided to go with the least obvious yet most present in my house (especially in my closet), and that is my collection of red things.

My whole life I have been nicknamed different red things like strawberry or cherry, and I'm also "Red" to my closer friends, because I have red hair, so it might have permeated my favouritism, but I naturally gravitate toward the red (hence the moped and matching helmet). Red jackets and dresses are a magnet to me, and I made the dress in the centre of the photo for last New Year's Eve using Aurora Red* from Pure Elements:

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*Little details: We named this colour Aurora Red after the polar lights (aurora borealis) and the shade of red that can sometimes be seen during a display.

Hoping you start the week in a great mood,

Lauv