I Have a New Pattern....and My Own Show!!!!

Sooooooo, in case you haven't heard, I have my own show! A webseries on QNNtv!  It's a FREE show, you just have to sign up for a FREE QNN account.  (You can click the link on the upper left part of my blog to go to the site.)  The concept of the show is pretty simple: I use a more traditional/vintage pattern featured in an upcoming magazine issue and remix it to make it my own, slightly more modern version!  That's not all, we also have a guest every episode showign their remix so you'll get even more inspiration!!! 

The first episode has already been released and a new segment will follow every week!  First up is my pattern, Following!  Don't you just love a rainbow?!?!?!?  You can find the pattern in my Etsy or Craftsy shop!!!  Squeee!!!  I'm so excited for all the cool quilts to come!  There will be a new one every month ALL YEAR so stay tuned!!!!

Friends of the Hour Basket

 I finally managed to create the extended version of my popular Hour Basket pattern!  The new pattern, called Friends of the Hour Basket, contains EIGHT basket options including the original size, a bucket style, and a tote bag!  Named after 7 of my sewing friends, come meet everyone!  You can purchase the pattern HERE.

The Darci: The largest basket size, it can hold two rolled, large lap quilts!

The Ali: a step up from the original Hour Basket, the Ali gives additional height as well as depth.  Shown here, it can store your layer cakes!

The Kelly: the original size Hour Basket

The Angela: while the same height as the original basket, this more bucket-shaped basket is perfect for Easter or Halloween!  Pattern includes dimensions and instructions for attaching a single handle.

The Elena: like the Kelly's petite friend.  This basket can hold a fat quarter bundle, but isn't meant for huge storage.

The Melanie: perfect for charm packs, scraps, or a thread catcher.

The Tracey: binding clips, sewing machine feet, and emergency chocolate will fit in the smallest basket

The Amanda: quick and easy tote for library books, groceries, or fabric (of course!)

Six of the baskets can even form a great set of nesting baskets!

Stash Fabrics Kona Blog Hop and Fleur Pattern!

I was so excited when Beth of Stash Fabrics asked me to participate in her Kona blog hop (read to the end for a coupon code and information on my giveaway)!  She asked me to choose my favorite 12-15 Kona colors for my very own bundle......I sorta chose 21 colors instead!  Ooops!  Sweet lady that she is, Beth went along with my pull!  Did you know she carries ALL KONA COLORS?!?!?!?  Yeah, me either!  Anywho!  I decided to use my (totally awesome) bundle to create a new pattern for Hearts and Bees called Fleur!

I am so in love with this quilt!!!!  I dragged it all over town trying to find the best shot!  People must have thought I was nuts!  This one was taken at the Civil War Battlegrounds in Franklin TN!  I stole a tourist to help hold the quilt! 

I pulled over on the side of the road to use these ratty old stairs that lead to some utility building.  I'm so classy! ha! ha! ha! You can really see the stellar quilting Crinkle Love did for us here!  

I absconded a jogger along the Harpeth River for this one!  Gotta love the South--you can ask perfect strangers to do weird things and they're totally agreeable!  

Like most of our patterns, there are two versions!  This is Ali's interpretation of Fleur!  I love it in Bonnie and Camille fabrics, but......

I am IN LOVE with this mocked up version she made with Denyse Schmidt's Hope Valley!  Oh!  It also comes with the paper pieced mini versions of both patterns!  Yeah, we're cool like that! 

So, don't forget to check out the other killer bundles along the blog hop and get 10% off your Stash Fabrics purchase with the code WOW303 through September 6th.  You know you want my awesome bundle!  Also, there is a great new Kona Club Stash Fabrics is starting soon to help build your stash!  If you sign up before September 1st you get a free color card!

July 17 – Darcy @ Modern Cozy
July 23 – Jacey  @ Jacey Craft

July 30 - Kelly @ Kelby Sews
August 3 – Nancy @ Owen’s Olivia
August 6 – Jodi @ Tales of Cloth
August 10 – Megan @ City Stitches
August 12 – Rita @ Red Pepper Quilts
August 17 – Elizabeth @ Andpins Handmade
August 19 – Tara @ Rad and Happy
August 21 – Sharon @ Color Girl Quilts
August 24 – Allison @ Allison Sews
August 27 – Kristi @ Schnitzel and Boo

August 31 - Jessee @ Art School Dropout

******GIVEAWAY!******  

I will be hosting a giveaway on my Instagram account for 2 mini charm packs of my Stash Fabrics Kona bundle and a free copy of Fleur!  Just find me @kelbysews on Instagram to enter (the post will go up around noon CST on 7/30)

Another Super Tote!

My good friend, Tracey, asked me to make a bag for her to take to Quilt Market this week.  After (much) debate, she finally decided on a slightly modified Super Tote!  She loves linen so I used Essex linen blend in Sand along with some colorful appliquéd petals.  Like my first time making the Super Tote (read about it here), I added a lined, exterior zippered pocket.  Check out my tutorial on how to add the zipper here  it works slightly differently since it's for the exterior and not the interior, but the basics are the same.

Still, my absolute favorite part of this pattern is the gusset that gives the bag so much depth and body!  For interfacing, I used Shape Flex (SF 101) on all the exterior pieces--I do not interface the lining of the back or the pocket linings, but I did interface the interior divided pocket that I added.

For my open exterior pocket, I once again lined it, but I didn't add the piping (or fake piping like I used last time). 

This time I added a triple stitch to the strap.  Since I opted to make the bag cross body, the strap was cut a bit wider and a lot longer than the pattern stipulates.  I cut my strap 3.5" wide and used a .5" seam allowance so the strap finishes at 2.5" wide.  I find for crossbody bags, wider is better--you don't want a narrow strap digging into your chest! I added Shape Flex (SF101) to each side of the strap and I cut a piece of left over batting 3" x length of strap.  You don't want your batting (you could also use fusible fleece) to be the exact same width as your strap or you will have too much bulk in the seams.  How long you cut your strap depends on how tall you are and where you want the bag to fall on your body.

I also assembled the lining and exterior a bit differently this time.  Because I was making a crossbody bag and I was having a hard time deciding if I had the strap length right before the strap was attached.  Instead of leaving a hole in the lining for the bag to be turned, I folded the top edges of the lining and exterior pieces down 1/2" and pressed.  Then I pinned around the top and pinned the strap in place so I could test out different lengths.  Once I cut the strap down to the length I wanted, I inserted about 1" of the strap into the space between the lining and exterior.  Then, I sewed around the top of the bag twice.

The applique was a lot of fun to do and added a pop of color to the linen on either side of the bag.  Plus, I got to dig into my tiny scraps!

For the interior, I modified the pattern by adding a flat open pocket to one side.  It is divided into three compartments so there is a quick storage space for keys, a phone, whatever.  I also added a magnetic snap closure instead of a zipper.  These are quick and easy to do and, frankly, after all that applique, I was anxious to hurry up and finish this! :)  Seriously though, moving the strap location made putting a zipper with ends on the side seem a little crowded.

So if any of you are going to Market and see my bag, please say hi to the sweet lady carrying it!  Her name is Tracey and she rocks! :)

If you want to make your own Super Tote, you can buy Anna's pattern here

A Stained Glass Weekend

Just playing around with some old and new Flea Market Fancy.  This will probably end up in the shop as a quilt as soon as I can decide on the final size.  

I'm pattern testing for my friend, Tracey.  I'm still waiting on border fabric and I have plans for the scraps leftover.  More to come on this quilt soon (including where you can buy the pattern!)

A Pattern, A Freebie, and A Giveaway!

Ok kids, today's the day!!!!  I finally have my ENTIRE paper pieced alphabet ready!  You can find it in my shop here.  It will be on *sale* until the giveaway closes, then the price goes up!  Here's a little peek:

Neato, right?!?!?  Ali is the PDF goddess behind all my beautiful color images!  Please note, there are no instructions on HOW to paper piece in general with my pattern.  I'm assuming you guys know what to do and can follow the numbers on the pattern.

Now, on to the freebie!  While you can purchase the entire alphabet pattern in my etsy shop, I'm giving you guys these four letters for free!  Numbers followed by a "(b)" indicate where you should use background fabric.  If anyone has issues with the Scrib PDF, let me know, I'm newbie at including PDFs in my blog!  You should just be able to click on "Download" below to get the free letters.  If you're having problems downloading the letters, you can also get them on Sew Mama Sew's webistie HERE along with a paper piecing tutorial.

Love

So you can make your own one of these:

Each letter fits on an 8.5"x11" piece of paper, but you can shrink or enlarge it to whatever size you want!  Just to show you a comparison, below are letters printed at 100% and at 50%

Now, are you ready for the fun part?  I'm going to give away one copy of my new pattern AND this little mini I made last night, entirely from Flea Market Fancy!  

I shrunk the letters down 50% for this little guy who measures 6.5"x18".   Think of how cute something like this would be for a kiddo's room or a nursery with the letters of their name!  

To win you can do one or all of the following:

1.  Leave a comment--funny ones are always appreciated

2.  Buy my pattern and leave a comment saying you did: if you win the free copy, I'll refund your money

3.  Blog, Tweet, or Facebook, etc about my new pattern and leave a comment saying you did

So up to three comments per person.  All non-reply blogger comments will be deleted unless you leave your email address in the comment!  I will leave the giveaway open until 11pm (CST) Sunday, November 20th.  I will announce the two winners on Monday, November 21st with the help of Mr. RNG.

One Good Turn

My friend Ali has been helping me tremendously with getting the LOVE letters, along with the rest of the paper pieced alphabet I drew, ready for you guys.  In return, I made a sample of a paper-pieced pattern she created based on the math equation y = 1 / x  She a math teacher, so she's allowed to be nerdy like that. :)  

I was originally going to recreate the picture she had on her blog, but I didn't have enough of the right colors, so my color selection was based solely on which colors I had enough of!  I used Kona Ash for the background and the rest is a mix of Kona (the yellows), Bella (aquas), and Free Spirit (coral) solids.  I will say that Free Spirit is my favorite line for solids--much softer feel and more saturated colors.  

This quilt measure 36" square.  There are 36, 6" blocks entirely paper pieced.  I did this in a day so it wasn't so bad as far as paper piecing goes!  If anyone wants my cutting info:  

1.25 yards of background fabric (39" to be exact)

• subcut into (6) 6.5"xWOF strips
• from each strip, cut (6) 6.5" squares

.25 yards of 6 different solids

• sub-cut each of the 6 colors into (4) 2.25"xWOF strips. 

• from the strips cut (12) 7"x2.25" pieces and (18) 4"x2.25" pieces

This little charm is going to Ali as part of my "thank you" for helping me sooooooooo much!  You're the best girl!  Oh, just so you guys believe me when I say the pattern is coming, I'll give you a little sneak peak of the graphics Ali created for me!

Crossing my fingers that the next time I blog I'll have everything ready to share!!!!