We've made it to the end of August which is a little bit more than halfway through the year and in the sewing community we know that means it is time to start working our holiday projects! Which makes me happy to present to you our latest collection, Cozy & Joyful by Maureen Cracknell. This collection celebrates the magical moments we love so much during the holiday! To the comfort and warmth of family, a steaming mug of hot cocoa, and the soft twinkle of Christmas tree lights through Maureen’s latest collection, sewing with this collection is going to make you want to start playing your favorite holiday songs while you work.
Family tradition is one of the inspirations for Maureen Cracknell in this collection, For her family, tradition is decorating their home to make it as festive and cozy as much as possible. When it came to designing this holiday collection she approached the process like if she was creating a soundtrack -- like choosing her favorite songs and created prints inspired by her family's most special seasonal traditions. Each print represents a holiday memory they've made and treasure as a family, what celebrating the season looks like in their home, with meaningful artwork to illustrate the holiday spirit they love so much!
*Available in 14 Cotton Prints
*Available in 1 Knit Print
*Available in 2 Rayon Prints
Cozy & Joyful comes in 14 quilting-cotton prints, 2 rayon prints, and 1 knit print, which means you have substrates that are perfect for quilts, home decor, and apparel. Festive, cheerful, and enchanting are three words to describe this collection and lookbook. Make sure to view the Cozy & Joyful lookbook below to get you ready for your holiday projects. We recommend you view it with some holiday music in the background!
Enter for a chance to win a fat quarter bundle of the "Cozy & Joyful" collection by signing up to our giveaway:
To enter our giveaway, just click hereand enter your info!
Giveaway ends Friday, September 4, 2020.
and the winner is... LONNI CUMMINGS! PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL TO REDEEM YOUR PRIZE!
*Once you have entered the giveaway it's normal for your information to disappear. To confirm your entry check your email for a confirmation and approve it. By entering our giveaway, you'll be automatically signed up for our newsletters. Don't worry, we don't spam!
Who loves making pillows? Are you new to quilting and sewing? Pillow's are a perfect project to tackle as your first project. Even if you are an expert quilter, pillows are a great fast finish that can be quite rewarding. I love making them as gifts as well as making a variety of pillow covers for all the different seasons. Changing out your pillow decor really helps to liven up a space throughout the year!
Pillows are a great Fat Quarter friendly project, today I am sewing with AGF Studios Terra Kotta Fabrics and some AGF Pure Solids to match. You can choose to make a solid fabric pillow or if you want to get a bit more creative and quilty, feel free to cut strips in different widths and have fun choosing which strips you will sew together to create your pillow top.
When I first started quilting I was such a perfectionist and took forever to finish a project. The more experience I got I realized its not about perfection, though perfection will come with time it’s really about learning as you go and finishing a project from start to finish. You will always find the flaws as the person making it but I promise you, whetheryou are gifting your make to a family member or keeping it for yourself, when you look back at the project a year from now… you will be like why did I beat myself up about this, looks pretty darn good!
All the materials you will need are listed below. Have fun following along to the video and I want to see your amazing makes so make sure to use the hashtag #AGFTutorials or email your pictures to [email protected]!
Did you know we have tons of free sewing patterns to add to your to sew list. Endless amounts of quilts, handbags, home decor and of course PILLOWS! I don’t know about you but I can never get bored of making pillows. Now that you have your first pillow project under your belt and know the basics to construct a pillow with an envelope backing I highly suggest you continue with more pillow projects to get your sewing mojo going. Next time you can try different type of piecing, or try your hand at a different quilting motif. There are so many possibilities! Below I listed a few fun pillow projects you can sew up next. Make sure to check out our free sewing pattern section on liveartgalleryfabrics.com to see more!
Any half square triangle fans out there? To make this pillow whip up some 2 1/2" HST's and squares of fabric and piece together this beautiful 16" pillow! Flowerette Fabrics mixed with one of our fabrics from the AGF Denim Studio which adds such a cooling, relaxing texture to this design!
With minimal piecing make these festive Halloween pillows using Spooky and Sweet fabric panels! These large graphic designs are great for large scale projects like pillows or even clothing!
The Blooming pillow may look super complex and intricate but with a simple strip piecing technique and cutting magic you can make this stunning design! AGF Studios Trouvaille fabrics add a pop of colorful florals thats sure to add happiness in whatever space you add this pillow! We also added some AGF Floral Elements to the mix which is the perfect blender to choose to marry well with Trouvaille fabrics!
Here is another simple strip piecing project we created but we used a triangle template to cut out sections of our pieced strips and sewed them back together to create this geometric framed design! AGF Studios Patcha Fabrics has some super cute designs great for sewing for kids and sweet doodle like blender prints that we mixed and matched with our Decostitch blenders!
Welcome back to my “Matching Fabrics” series! This has been quite a ride, with such an overwhelming response since the start, I am very excited to be continuing and sharing my knowledge. In my last blog post, we spoke about how important scale was and how to use it. In the last part of that blog, we spoke about the small-scale fabric prints and in this section, I wanted to dive deeper into what that is and how they are also considered a blender fabric.
First, let's talk about the definition of a blender fabric. These are fabrics that are non-directional, meaning you can cut in any direction without affecting the design, and the pattern itself is tiny, (usually less than an inch) or small enough that if you stepped away, you couldn't tell the motif of the print. Think about blenders as a solid but with added texture! It certainly isn’t a solid, but it can act the part by drawing attention to the other prints you’re using.
These types of fabrics were created to help you quilt with larger-scaled prints (or how I like to call it the “main star” of the show) to create visual contrast. Imagine sewing with prints that are all the same scale, your eye wouldn't know where to focus on, making your quilt look crowded. Using a balance of the prints from a collection with blender fabrics will make it easier to use the whole collection together.
Working at Art Gallery Fabrics has made me realize how well-thought-out every collection is made because in every collection release there is always a perfect balance between large, medium, and small prints. Although, sometimes that isn't always the case if you don’t have a complete fabric collection. You may be looking at your fabric stash and only selecting some of your favorite prints instead of a collection, or maybe the current blenders that you do have are laying around and you’re not sure when to use them. So, below I've broken it down to all the blenders that AGF carry that you may have, and some of my tips and visual examples on how you can use them!
You may or may not know, but AGF has so many options for blenders! Art Gallery Fabrics likes to call these “ELEMENTS”, filled with tons of options (seven categories to be exact), which means you’ll always find the right print for your sewing project!
Decostitch
*Available in 16 colors
Stepping into the first category, Decostitch! This Element was created for the stitch lovers out there. If you enjoy hand-stitching and the added texture quilting does to your projects, then this is a great blender for you! The Decostich range tends to have more earthy colors, so these would pair nicely with any collection that has a lot of neutrals. The motif of this blender is minimal, which makes it ideal to use with more modern collections. Some collections off the top of my head that have similar color schemes or themes would be Earthen, Mayfair, and Foresta Fusion.
Another Iconic blender (hehe pun intended) ICON is a vibrant, bold, and quite the eye-catching set! Know, these blenders are the ones for you if you love modern and bright collections. For example, Sisuhas great primary colors that would be ideal to use with these blenders, because Icon contains simple shapes like squares, “x”s, arrows, and triangles. These designs would be beautiful with prints mimicking the same shapes. Don’t be afraid of bright colors, because this range of blenders can also work with low volume (like Lower The Volume and Raise The Volume collections) and black and white fabrics for an added pop of color.
Floral Elements
*Available in 46 colors
Nature Elements
*Available in 28 colors
Going back to classics! I wanted to talk about Floraland Nature Elements because they are very similar. Together there are so many color options so the possibilities are endless! These blenders have so much texture, you can pair it with almost any collection to add some elegance, without overpowering the design on your project. Depending on which collection you choose, for example, if you want a more maximalist style, pair 365 Fifth Avenue’s florals with Floral Elements! Take the Nature Elements side if you have more “nature” theme fabric collections like our Maara, Selva, and Catch & Release collections.
This is not your plain dotted fabric, these Oval Elements have dimension with its multicolored rings, providing a unique texture and depth! I find these types of blenders ideal with simple, large print designs because these blenders will provide that missing texture. These Oval Elements are so fun to use because from far away they may look like a solid fabric, but up close you can see multiple colors. This is where you can take advantage of the multiple colors featured in this blender because it can help you tie in prints from collections that have 2 colorways. You may find a collection like Nuncia, that has a range of deep reds but on the other colorway, you’ll find some soft pinks, which Oval Elements like the bottom right of the picture above, can allow you to use both together!
Prisma Elements
*Available in 19 colors
Next up we have Prisma Elements! These blenders are basic triangle shapes with solid backgrounds, and if you haven’t noticed a trend yet with simple shapes, these prints are definitely on the modern side. The triangles on these are larger than Icon and Decostitch, giving you slightly more texture. Also, due to its larger scale, you can easily sew with prints that have a lot of negative space plus, the color selection makes it ideal for modern kid’s collections like Pachaand Pine Lullaby. Maybe you want to use some florals from your stash, this blender’s geometric design can transform a floral quilt into a modern masterpiece! Also, some of the prints have the triangles printed in metallic to add a little sheen to any project.
Squared Elements
*Available in 30 colors
Moving on to Squared Elements, these blenders are simple, small-scaled blenders that have white or colored backgrounds. I find these perfect when working with dark background prints because these elements will always provide contrast with its white negative space. The squares in these blenders are slightly different in size, which gives this illusion of movement! A great tip to know when to use this blender is to ask yourself, “does this collection I’m working with have graphic (meaning bold, angular shapes) prints?” Some collections that have this style are Summer Side, Aura, and Sirena, which make an ideal pairing with Squared Elements.
Thank you if you read to the end, I understand sometimes choosing fabrics isn’t easy but I hope this made your life a little easier! Of course, these are my opinions, and you can choose whatever your quilty heart desires. There are no rules when it comes to sewing, as long as it makes you happy, so feel free to use these blenders by themselves, or with other blenders together. There are so many options to choose from, and I can’t wait to share more tips on what I’ve learned from working with creative people every day. Stay tuned for more content, the next topic will be all about THEMES!
Our latest collection, Terra Kotta is here! I've been looking super forward to the release of this collection ever since I saw a sneak peek of it. If I had to identify myself with a collection it would definitely be Terra Kotta hands down. It has my dream color palette filled with golden hues, buttered neutrals, and expressive brushstrokes. There are so many fun abstract prints in this one especially for the minimalist lovers out there. The beauty of nature’s desert sunsets is glowing through in our Terra Kotta collection.
*Available in 12 Cotton Prints
Terra Kotta comes in 12 quilting-cotton prints. This group of soft, minimalist prints, were created to bring out the modern quilter in you! It's also the perfect collection to experiment with adding abstract prints to your projects if you haven't already. You can already imagine the beautiful bags, pillows, and even wall art these prints can be made into. Make sure to view our fabric lookbook where you can enjoy the variety of sewing projects that can bring warmth back into your home.
Enter for a chance to win a fat quarter bundle of the "Terra Kotta" by signing up to our giveaway:
To enter our giveaway, just click here and enter your info!
Giveaway ends Monday, August 24, 2020
THE WINNER IS Cheryl Wallin!! Please check your email to redeem your prize!
Winner will be emailed and announced right here on this blog. Good luck!
*Once you have entered the giveaway it's normal for your information to disappear. To confirm your entry check your email for a confirmation and approve it. By entering our giveaway, you'll be automatically signed up for our newsletters. Don't worry, we don't spam!
Life is filled with ups and downs, happiness and pain, and risks worth taking because you don’t want to miss out on where your life might take you if you don’t. Today is a very happy day for me, to be writing on the AGF blog announcing I am back at it doing what I love and getting to share it with people who are passionate about it as much as I am!
For those that don’t know me, Hi, my name is Melissa, people in the sewing community call me Meli and I have been working for Art Gallery Fabrics on the Production and Marketing Team for 6 years designing, sewing and creating Youtube videos for the AGF Channel! If you are subscribed to the Art Gallery Fabrics Channel you may know that I took some time off to be closer to family and moved back home to my home state of Minnesota!
In my Welcome Back video I talk about my Dad’s passing and how it effected me and how I found strength through the sewing community. I also share how important it was to be close to family to grieve and mourn the loss of a very special person in my life. There will never be a day I don’t miss him or even think about him because I am so much like him and I learned a great deal from him. I feel so blessed everyday to have known my Dad for as long as I had him, I could never thank him enough for all that he has given me in my life and how he shaped me to be the women I am today!
My Dad taught me to never give up and to follow my heart! Through his advice I found my true passion in life! I didn’t find my create sewing side until much later in my life. I wish it would of found me sooner but life has a funny way of giving you what you need when you're ready for it. (at least that’s what I have grown to believe)
After graduating high school I was so lost, I had so many passions I could explore but at the time college was about choosing something that would make you money after you graduated. After floating around for a year with no major in site I finally decided to choose Marketing for my degree. I loved all the courses, Economics, Marketing Research, Logistics, especially Public Speaking and Business Writing! I learned so much that I apply to my everyday life personally and in business but my heart ached for something more. I was always a creative person, as a child I loved to craft, make things with my hands, sing, and dance, I was a very shy yet expressive child.
Since I can remember I always have been in love with fashion and worked as a merchandiser at big department stores through my high school and college years. This is where I got the urge to not only be able to merchandise and make other peoples product look good in stores but to actually be able to make and design my own products. One day it hit me like a bolt of lighting, days after I picked up the phone to start calling schools in warm weather states.I was sick and tired of the Minnesota cold and was ready to find a warmer place to live. After 20 mins on the phone with an advisor from The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale I was enrolled in Fashion Design School. Three weeks later my Mom and Dad drove me down to Florida and that’s where I journey began that brought me to AGF and to find this beautiful sewing community. My life has been forever changed and I am so happy to be here!
I have been sewing up a storm throughout the past 10 months below are some of the projects I would highly recommend that brought me tons of joy to sew and I feel should be on everyones to sew list! :) What have you been sewing lately? Comment below with projects we can add to our to sew list!
Suzy Quilts, Grow quilt. I used AGF Pure Solids to create this fresh retro looking quilt top. At the time of this sew along I had barely any significant type of yardage but I new I wanted to make my quilt with AGF Pure Solids so I had to use the colors I had and make it work. I was pleasantly surprised it turned out better then I thought seeing as I wouldn't probably normally choose this colors to go together.
This next quilt is also by Then Came June, I can’t help but smile when I see my Meadow Quilt done up in bright, beautiful Pure Solids and AGF blenders hot off the long arm machine!
Sharon Holland’s Sweet Home Quilt was an easy beginner quilt project that made me feel blessed to be home and how important it is to remember what really matters in life. Here I am showing off another quilt made with AGF PURE SOLIDS.
The my signature sampler sew along by Sharron Holland was a blast using a variety of holiday inspired AGF prints ofa handful of different collections. Still have yet to bind this beauty but by this Holiday season I will be cozy and warm.
The Turn to Me Quilt, was one of the first and many quilts I designed for AGF! My sister fell in love and had to recreate this quilt for her using April Rhodes Bound fabrics.
Pen and Paper Patterns Firefly quilt was one of the cutest projects I have made. Used her blocks in the sweets assortment of AGF Pure solids to create two table runners to decorate my sisters house for spring!
And finally the Scrappy heart Block pattern by Emily Dennis. I made this block on my Dad’s one year anniversary after he had passed, of course I took the picture in my favorite place to sit and think about him.
I hope this blog post helped you to learn a little bit more about me, where I came from and what I have been up to! Make sure you subscribe to the Art Gallery Fabrics Channel to see my new videos and let me know what videos you would be interested in seeing!
I just want to quickly say thank you for everyone’s kind comments and feedback on my last blog post, Matching Fabrics Part 1: Color, it makes me so happy that you found it helpful. Which brings me to today, with PART 2, talking all about scale on fabric. Now you may ask yourself, why does the scale of each print matter? Well, you have to think about it like colors, the busier a print is, the more dominant color will be visible, which means you have to visually balance it with another fabric print that complements it. In every AGF collection, there’s always a good balance of scale, for example below, we have Trouvaille, separated from large, medium, and small prints.
Whether you have a full collection or not, It’s important to learn how to differentiate each fabric print in order to choose how to use them together. So, I broke it into categories below with some pictures to help!
Ok, starting off with the largest scaled prints, which I would consider the “main star” of the show! It’s usually the print in the collection that tells a story, the print that makes the loudest statement, or in simpler terms, the design or design group that measures about 5 inches or bigger. These prints are great when used as the focal point of the quilt block, and in order for them to stand out it’s best to sew with them with blender fabrics, or smaller scaled prints to create a contrast. Check out the example below!
Now to talk about medium-scaled prints, and I will admit this is a little more complicated to point out, but here are a few tips to help you. First, consider all the prints you are working with, is this print smaller than “main” print and is it larger than the blenders? This is the best way to point out the difference, it’s all relative to the largest scale print! Most of the time these prints usually have a very simple repeat, meaning they are very evenly spaced out or clustered together but not so much that you can’t identify the print from far away. Medium scaled prints are great for fussy cutting smaller shapes like squares or hexies! Use them for a pattern that requires small pieces larger than 2 inches, or sew them together with the larger scaled prints.
Last but not least, the easiest print to identify is the small-scaled prints! These prints act as blenders, they have very minimal designs, the repeat itself usually smaller than an inch, and in many cases just as important. Blender fabrics are great because they are non-directional prints, meaning you can cut them in any direction and it won’t affect how the pattern looks. This is a great advantage when sewing with fussy cut prints and large prints because it won’t distract the viewer from the main designs! These fabrics are best used when you are working with small pieces or heavy patchwork patterns because you won’t be losing any design elements but still keeping the texture that solid fabrics can’t provide. For example, whether you are doing some applique or reverse applique, these small-scaled prints would be ideal to show off the cutouts.
Now, who's to say you can’t use these prints by themselves! It’s all about balance. It depends on the pattern you’re working with, finding what may appeal to your eye. Large scaled prints are great for the backing of quilts, and if you want to cut it to smaller pieces because you like a certain element, do so! Even with small-scaled prints, if you pair them with some solids, you can change the game and make them the star of the show. At the end of the day, do what makes you happy and listen to what the fabrics are telling you to do.
Fortunately, I am surrounded by creative people every day and I’ve gained so much knowledge after seeing the beautiful projects that are being made right here at the office. I hope this information is useful to you and it can help the next time you’re standing in front of your fabric stash. Stay tuned in a few weeks I will be writing a Part 3, all about BLENDERS!
Celebrate Magical Holiday Moments in Cozy & Joyful!