Art Gallery Fabrics - The Creative Blog

Hi there, 

The first month out of the year is almost done and 2018 is in full swing. To end January off with a bang I wanted to sew something up to brighten the months ahead. What better way to do that then to search the AGF colorfun colors of years past to find the perfect color! Baby Blue was the winner because of its  refreshing and modern feel. Mini quilts are one of my favorite things to make because you can accomplish smaller projects quicker giving you that sense of accomplishment we all love to feel. In today's world time is hard to come by so I am always in need of fun, quick, easy projects.  Follow along with me and make the Water Ripple Mini, where I used the fun easy technique called Reverse Applique! For more reverse applique projects check out the Wild Bloom lookbook, it's full of super cool projects to add to your sewing list. I decided to turn my mini into a pillow to freshen up my bedding.  Don't forget to enter the Baby Blue Bundle Giveaway below! 

 Head over to Fat Quarter Shop to shop the Baby Blue Bundle and many more AGF Fabric Collections. 

 Approx size: 20" x 20" 

Fabrics Used: 

Fabric A-GSS-7248-Mirrors and Water
Fabric B-DFT-5307- Gemmed Pathways Sea
Fabric C- DFT-5305- Island Droplets Sky
Fabric D- CHA-41707- Pavilion Teacup
Fabric E- LAM-54282-Chads Retreat
Fabric F- DEN-S-2004- Infused Hydrangea
Fabric G- PE-432-Sandstone

Cutting Directions: 

 One (1) 8 1/2" square from Fabric B,C, D, and E

One (1) 16 1/2" square from Fabric F 

Two (2) 2 1/2" x 16 1/2" strips from Fabric A

Two (2) 2 1/2" x 20 1/2" strips from Fabric A

Two (2) 20 1/2" x 12" rectangle on the fold from Fabric A (Backing envelope style closure for pillow) 

20 1/2" square batting  

Other Supplies you will need: 

Sharp embroidery scissors 

Fabric marking pen

Download  Templates here 

Step 1: Sewing the Pillow Top

 Sew your 8 ½” squares from Fabric B, C, D, and E together to form a four patch block.

Take your 16 ½” square of denim fabric  and place on top of your four patch block. With right side facing you. Stitch all the way around your piece at ¼” to secure your 16 ½” square to your four patch block.   

Next sew your 2 ½” x 16 ½” border strips from Fabric A to the sides of your piece and then sew your 2 ½” x 20 ½” strips to the top and bottom. Take your pillow top and  a piece of backing fabric and sandwich in between a piece of batting. 

Place your templates on to your pillow top following the image below and trace out your templates with a fabric marking pen. Repeat this same process to the other side of your pillow top. Stitch on the lines you drew to create your pillow top design.

 Now for the fun part! Grab your sharp embroidery scissors and pierce a sharp hole in the top layer of fabric. Make your way to the edge of your stitch line and hold your fabric taut. Cut out your top layer of fabric leaving at least ⅛” of fabric. Repeat this process with all your stitched template shapes.

Your pillow top is complete and at this stage in the process it’s time to decide whether you want to turn your project into a mini or make a pillow.

 To turn your project into a pillow take both of your 20 ½” x 12” rectangle cut on the fold and topstitch at ¼” or ½” on the fold edge.

Place your folded rectangles one on top of each other on top of your pillow top and pin your pieces together. Stitch all the way around your pillow. Trim the corners of your pillow at the seam allowance to create less bulk.

 Turn your pillow right side out through the envelope backing. Use a turning tool or the tip of your scissors to poke out the corners of your pillow!

Give your pillow a good press and insert your 20” pillow form into your pillow case!

I love how this pillow project turned out and can't wait to make another pillow and place both of them on my bed to help bring my boring old bedding to life.

 Hope you all give this project a try and enjoy reverse applique as much as I did. The possibilities are endless and you will for sure be seeing more projects with reverse applique in future blog posts!  (WARNING: Reverse Applique is addicting! :) )

For more mini quilt fun check out these free sewing patterns  from the  previous months.

SunSet Rays Mini

Nature Lover Mini

 Wood Trails Mini

Rustic Crossroads Mini

Let it Snow Mini

I am already in the works for next months All Things Mini tutorial and I can’t wait to show you my Valentine inspired mini! 

Enjoy, 

Meli

Congrats Laura Sharp you are the winner of the Baby Blue Bundle! Be sure to check your email :)

Giveaway Closed!

Hey there, makers!

Guess what time it is… It’s time for another lookbook release! Yay! As you probably know, most of our releases involve designer fabric collections, but today we have something special for you. If you’re a fan of our knits you’re going to love them even more because we’ve added yarn dyed striped knits to our selection. Yes, you read right… striped knits!

The new Knits Striped collection comes with three styles of stripes in a range of neutral and  vibrant colors for all kinds of sewing projects. If you think knit fabrics are just for garments, well it’s time to think outside the box because you can incorporate this substrate in home decor too!

I’m currently obsessing over this duvet cover made with “Striped Noir.”

For those of you who are into bag making, imagine a cute tote made with these funky stripes. You can create all kinds of cool effects with the lines!

And of course… even though we’re thinking outside of the box with knits, you can also be creative with the garments you make. You can combine striped knits with different substrates to create comfy clothes with textured details. Check out this fun workout ensemble we made with mesh details.

I’m sure that regardless of what you make, you’re going to have tons of fun sewing with AGF’s Knits Striped. Check out the lookbook to find inspiring projects you can make with this soft and stretchy substrate.

So what do you think? Are you in love with all stripes? I know I am! If you’re ready to do a little selfish sewing with these knits, make sure to enter our giveaway.

Two lucky winners will win 2 yards of fabrics each! Enter for a chance to win by filling the form below.  

I hope you’re ready to get creative with these striped knits!

Till the next release!

Stephanie

 *****GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

Congrats, Karie Sullivan and Laura Parker! You've won 2 yds of our Knits Striped. Please check your email.  

Dear DIYers,

It's been a week since we've had the episode on how to upcycle a lamp and we thought it fit to do a project that can complement those lamps and be able to use everything in the same space. In this series called Let's Talk Fabric, we are bringing you weekly DIY home decor projects- all involving fabric of course. In this week's episode, we chose to combine cotton with denim to make two stylish, yet durable floor pillows! Make sure to click to watch the YouTube video below and subscribe to the channel to find out first when more videos come out. :)

If these pillows look familiar to you, that might be because we recycled some Love Story Fabrics from the Day Bed tutorial released at the beginning the month. We are big fans of optimizing every little piece of fabric (especially if it's been quilted and looks as beautiful as this one) so, for design purposes, we used it in our DIY. If you feel like using the same design technique, just click here, if not a piece of 31x22 in. fabric cotton still does the trick!

Given that floor pillows are meant to be, you know, on the floor- the fabric used for the bottom part is essential since it's the section that will wear out the fastest depending on the surface. When thinking options we wanted something stylish, yet last a long time - in the end, we went with denim. We chose a lightweight style called Wicked Sky that does the trick without breaking your sewing machine :) 

Hope this video sparked the DIY bug in you and can't wait to show you what is coming next on Let's Talk Fabric!

Decor away,

Martina 

Hello Fabric Friends, 

So many great quilt blocks so little time! What's your favorite quilt block? Comment below to have a chance for it to be the next quilt block video in the AGF Quilt Block Collection. Today I want to share with you the Broken Windows Block made with Aligned Fabrics. My favorite step in creating this block is sewing up the center block unit. It looks like a x made out of squares! This center block is called the pointed tile block. Follow along with the video below to give this block a try. Let me know how your blocks turned out! 

Don't forget to post your blocks on Instagram with the hashtag #AGFQuiltBlockCollection to be entered to win our monthly fabric bundle giveaway! Two winners are chosen every month! The more blocks you post the more chances you have to win! :) 

Happy Sewing,

Meli

Hello, fab makers!

I hope this month has been filled with sewing so far! If you’re still debating on what collection to use on your next project, I have not one but TWO fabric ranges that will take your sewing to the next level. I couldn’t be happier to show you our to new Capsules, Nest and Aligned! Let me tell you all about them…

Nest fabrics:

For all the mommies, grandmas, aunts, and anyone with kids in their family, Nest is a children’s collection like no other! It’s filled with subtle pastel hues contrasted with black and white for a modern gender neutral look. This collection offers three panels in cotton that are ideal for quilts, pillows, blankets and much more! In addition, there’s also a panel available in knits that’s great for children’s clothing. Combine all of this with the rest of the adorable prints in this collection and I’m sure your kids will be asking you to make more stuff for them.

Aligned fabrics:

Now, for those of you who like to make your projects pop, Aligned fabrics will add dimension to anything you sew. Imagine sewing up some traditional quilt blocks with some of the mod stripes from Aligned for a modern twist? Or what about some funky home decor that will make your living space stand out? Whatever you decide to make, Aligned will take you out of your comfort zone and will raise the bar on all of your sewing projects.

Feeling inspired! Well, get ready for more inspiration! Check out the lookbook to see all of the amazing things you can make with both of these Capsules!

Make sure to take advantage of the free quilt patterns available for each collection.

Download the “Giggles” free quilt pattern made with Nest fabrics.

Download the “Cross the Line” free quilt pattern made with Aligned fabrics.

Time for the best part! A Giveaway! Enter for a chance to win a bundle of Aligned and some of the prints from Nest by filling the form below.

Giveaway ends Monday, January 29th. Good luck!

I hope you love our two new Capsules as much as I so!

Till next time!

Stephanie

*****GIVEAWAY CLOSED*****

Congrats, Mary Ringer! You've won the bundles of Nest and Aligned fabrics. Please check your email.

Hi DIYers!

Here I am with another episode of Let's Talk Fabric. If you haven't heard of this series at AGF, it's a section of our YouTube channel where we feature videos showcasing DIY Home Decor projects- involving fabric of course! We try to always keep them as simple and hassle-free as possible, because like YOU, we understand how lazy one get can after work or over the weekend. So make sure to scroll down to watch the video and follow this step-by-step tutorial where you can recycle your old curtains rings into a cool new and stylish lamp for your house or apartment. :)

This video features two of the biggest releases AGF's had in 2017, Pat Bravo's latest collection, Indie Folk and Color Master, a curated collection box of fabrics like no other. Color Master comes in 12 different editions in fat quarters and half yards. We decided to try our second lamp with edition No. 12- Winter Wheat.

To optimize all 8 rings in both lamps we combined the prints with some Pure Elements fabrics to give the overall design a more relaxed look and a unique style that ultimately can combine both sets of collections and lamps. Make sure to click here to find a store near you and be able to shop all of the AGF collections.

 So... would you try it? I say YES. Go for it, and leave me a comment below telling me all about it! :)

Decor away...

Martina