Are you looking for some new blenders for your next quilty project?! The usual go-to's are often solids, but we wanted to create something different that added some texture and felt just more unique! So, this time around we decided to expand our collection of Elements by adding two new designs, “DECOSTITCH” and “ICON.” Both of these different designs can be used to sew with a wide variety of prints and colors or be used on their own as well.
For “DECOSTITCH,” we were inspired by stitching motifs and decided to fuse them together with neutral shades like cream, charcoal, mustard, and olive green. Think earthy color palettes that can help contrast, balance and keep a design grounded.
With “ICON,” we decided to highlight simplified symbols, mixing them with bright colors like cherry red, sunny yellow, sky blue, and tangerine. Think more vibrant, almost primary colors you'd find in a candy shop!
We wanted to use both of these collections together and sewed up some projects, highlighting how they can complement one another. Head over to our “Decostitch and Icon Fabric Lookbook” for more sewing inspiration with quilts, garments, accessories, pin cushions, bags, and more.
Here's our lovely "Luminance Quilt" for you to enjoy, just click the below link for the FREE pattern:
If these two collections are calling your name, here's your change to enter both of these bundles!
Congratulations Glenda Morrow! Please check your email.
*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!
We love our traditional, warm snuggly quilts but here in Florida, we are always looking for a way to make an ultra lightweight, soft, luxurious quilt to take with us to the beach or to accessories our homes. With the introduction of our Rayon Striped collection, we knew we had to put it to the test by making our ultimate dream quilt we have been dreaming about for so long.
For those of you who may be fearful of dippin’ your toes into the rayon quilt making process we put together a video for you to aid you in your journey as well as a printable a PDF to follow.
Feel free to think outside the box and use fabrics other than traditional quilting cotton, we found that the outcome is absolutely gorgeous.
Let us know in the comments if you have sewn with Rayon before and if you have any tips or tricks to share! If you haven't checked it out make sure to flip through the pages of our NEW RAYON STRIPED Lookbook for more inspiring things to make with Rayon!
An award-winning quilter, author of a quilt book and a craft book...just a few things that make her extra special...and now she's our newest AGF Sewcialite! Please give a warm welcome to the talented, Carolina Moore!
Born in Holland and currently living in sunny San Diego, California with her husband, two sons, a dog and a cat, Carolina's been quilting for 25 years! Using her expertise and amazing precision with each make, we first noticed her back in 2012, when she became part of an AGF sewing challenge. After falling in love with her quilty passion and work, we began collaborating with Carolina on several projects for our Quilt Market booths and lookbooks. Describing her design style as "fun, bold, modern," she's obsessed with English Paper Piecing, as well as long arm quilting, and chocolate. :) We're so excited to have her as part of our AGF family and can't wait for the upcoming projects she has planned this year.
To get to know Carolina a little better, here's a fun little interview we did with her!
Congratulations on becoming an AGF Sewcialite! Can you tell us a little bit about your background, and how you eventually got to where you are today?
Thanks so much! I am crazy excited to be an AGF Sewcialite! Getting to play with gorgeous AGF fabrics every day means I’m totally living my best life! The short version of my story is that my mom grew up sewing garments. She loved sewing. When we moved here to the US, she took a quilting class and caught the quilting bug as well. She taught me to sew, and sent me to a kids’ quilting camp where I fell in love with quilting as well! I also did some garment sewing, and my mom and I made my prom dress together. After having my first son, I actually spent a couple years working in a quilt shop. It was there that I was introduced to AGF. After participating in an AGF challenge, I had the opportunity to make some projects for some award-winning Art Gallery Fabrics booths at Quilt Market, and then I started attending Houston Quilt Market and teaching classes! I love making, and try to do something creative every day.
What was the very first thing you sewed?
With a mom who did a lot of sewing, I have been sewing as long as I can remember! The first thing that I remember sewing was dresses for my dolls from my mom’s fabric scraps. I was still a beginner, so my dolls had a lot of strapless gowns since it only required a single seam.
What are some of your favorite projects to create? Favorite technique?
I love quilts. And pillows. And bags. I love small projects and simple projects because life gets so busy that if it isn’t small or simple, it gets tossed into the WIP pile, never to be seen again! Though every now and then I love taking on a really ambitious project! My favorite techniques are English Paper Piecing (my book “Learn how to English Paper Piece” just came out with Nancy’s Notions last month), and I love Free Motion Quilting.
If you were a sewing notion, what would you be and why?
What a fun question! I really struggled with this one, though! Am I the thread that keeps things together? Am I a needle because I’m always sharp? What about a seam ripper that always has your back during the tough times? After giving it a lot of thought, I think I’m probably batting. I’m always in the middle of stuff, I’m all about keeping things warm, and I am a little fluffy … though I’m trying to make healthier choices so that I can be more “low loft!”
If you had to describe your describe aesthetic in 3 words, they would be?
Fun, bold, modern.
What are some of your favorite things to do in California!?
I grew up in California’s High Desert, went to college and got married up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and now live in San Diego…so there is SO MUCH that I love to do in California! My favorite might be a new tradition that we started with my kids. Each summer, we plan a road trip from San Diego up to the Bay Area to visit family. Last year, we went to the LaBrea Tar Pits in LA, and then up to the Sequoias. The year before, we spent the night in Solvang (a cute little tourist town with a Danish look) and then up to Hearst Castle. I love teaching my kids how to plan a trip, and then we all get to enjoy the trip together!
And here in San Diego, I love the beach. We live about 20 minutes away, and when one of us is having a rough day, I like to get everyone into the car and head to the ocean. Watching the sunset over the water seems to make everything just a little bit better.
Where do you often find your inspiration?
I find that inspiration can come from anywhere! Sometimes, I’m inspired by wanting to make something for a friend. Or needing something like a purse or an apron. And there are those special times when the fabric just speaks to me and tells me what it wants me to turn it into. Those are the best.
Your favorite movie of all time is?
HA! This is a funny question because I grew up in a house without a lot of television. We had a TV, but just “rabbit ears” - no cable. And my mom really didn’t want us spending our time in front of the TV. So, I spent a lot of time reading and making. Because of that, I don’t know that I have a *favorite* movie. Movies I really enjoy are “Big Fish,” “The Count of Monte Cristo,” and “Shawshank Redemption.” As for books, I love listening to audiobooks while sewing. My favorite fiction books are the Harry Potter series and the Hunger Games series, and my favorite non-fiction is probably “Big Magic” and “The year of Yes.”
What’s on your “sewing to-do list” for this year?!
Oh my! I have so much on my sewing to-do list this year! I want to make pincushions and have already started with some. I have a couple of bags that I really want to make this year. I’m finally getting some new furniture for the living room, so I plan to make some new cushions. And I want to work on projects where I can teach beginners. I really, really love new quilters and treasure each opportunity to teach a new person how to quilt.
That’s what I have planned so far - I’m sure other projects will sneak their way in! Sometimes the inspiration just strikes and I have to put aside everything else just to create!
Calling all you rayon lovers! We have some SUPER EXCITING news for you! For the FIRST TIME EVER, we’re launching four, new rayons that are filled with STRIPES...meaning you’ll have more options to play with regarding prints. From a white and black combination to blue, teal, and a mustard (my fave), these RAYON STRIPED fabrics are timeless go-to’s and extremely versatile for so many different kinds of sewing projects.
Our rayon is 100% natural (made from wood pulp), so it’s extremely lightweight and flowy that creates an ultra smooth hand and delicate drape. If you've never sewn or felt our rayon, I highly recommend you get your hands on some, ASAP. It's seriously so dreamy feeling! I have several dresses made from our rayon and LOVE the way they feel, the colors also hold up after each wash.
Since we love thinking “outside the box,” we decided to switch things up for this substrate’s fabric lookbook and create not only garments but a quilt and some fun accessories too. This lookbook was a lot of fun to put together, so we hope it inspires you to try something different and sew outside your comfort zone, especially with quilts. :)
For more rayon-filled projects that include a quilt, garments and cute accessories like scrunchies and scarves, head over to our "Rayon Striped Lookbook!
Here's our dreamy "Stripy Quilt" for you to sew up using our rayon, just click the below link for the FREE pattern:
Enter a chance to win this fabulous, fabric bundle by signing up to our giveaway:
Our winner is Robin Klein! Congratulations and please check your email!
*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!
Do you ever have problems finding the perfect go-to blenders to match back with your main fabrics when creating your quilts? I am a print girl all the way but sometimes you need a solid or blender to mix into your quilt to truly appreciate all the beautiful prints and to add contrast to make your fabrics shine. If you are a Pat Bravo fan like me and already have prints from her previous collections then you definitely need to get your hands on her new collection called Matchmade! This collection was meticulously curated to work back with all her previous fabric collections. Of course, Matchmade fabrics also work well on its own or mixing with other various prints you may have.
What I love most about Matchmade is there are five different designs coordinated into four welcoming color groups, berry, gold, foliage and midnight! These tonal prints are just marvelous to sew with. I had the privilege of whipping up the free quilt pattern for this collection and these fabrics against the black solid background is just out of this world.
Berry is by far my favorite color group because I am all about the color pink! But I just had to whip up a block in every color group! In the video below follow along with me to make the Kentucky Chain block. Also, vote on your favorite block! I can’t decide! :)
"When there's not enough time for making, sometimes you just need to get away. Handmade getaways are a rare chance to sew from morning to night, to eat delicious things, and to take care of our friends. There is nothing else quite like it."
If you're looking for a new book that's filled with projects and TONS of inspiration, you should definitely check out Handmade Getaway! This book was brought to life by the talented Jacqueline Sava Clarke (who I had the pleasure of meeting at last year's Spring Market in Portland!) and Karyn Valino who have been "getting away" together with their friends, sewing projects, scrumptious food, cute dogs and a camera for over seven years. They decided to put these "getaways" into a book and filled the pages with 14 individual and 7 group projects, planning tools, tips, and of course..a lot of gorgeous imagery for their adventures to inspire you. I think my favorite might be the "Cyanotype Printing" technique and the ideas they show of how to create things with it. I want to make some tea towels for gifts using that technique!
Whether you're a beginner sewist or an advanced maker, and if your preference for a "getaway" is the woods or just your sewing room, there's something for every level and interest in this book that will help you focus on your strength and passion!
- HANDMADE GETAWAY GIVEAWAY -
Congratulations to Melissa Brockway! Please check your email.
Welcome Our Newest Elements - Decostitch + Icon