Prairie Grass Patterns | Clean, fresh quilt designs with modern farmhouse style.

February 10, 2012

Here comes the bride.

My (not so) little brother is getting married tomorrow, which of course means that my house is full of flowers.

His little chicky (aka fiancee) wanted to be surrounded with purple, yellow, and white on her big day.

So naturally, her wish is our command.

My house smells glorious, and I’m gearing up to make a billion boutonierres and bouquets.

Right after I go have some yummy food at the dinner in their honor.

This event will also explain why I’ve been a little distracted…I’ve been altering wedding and bridesmaids dresses all week.

But don’t worry, I still love you. And I still have a bunch of quilts and projects to show you, too.

Just as soon as I can breathe.

xoxo

April

Posted in events, Family | 7 Comments

January 31, 2012

Longarm Quilting: Grammy’s Scrap Basket

I quilted this version of Grammy’s Scrap Basket for my awesome neighbor and friend, Stephanie. I LOVE the colors she chose. I asked her what she wanted me to do, and she said I could do whatever I wanted. She knew I was just getting started with this machine and said I could practice.

I love that.

So, I decided to take each section of the quilt and do something different on it.

Some things worked out better than others, but all of it was fun.

I also love that she just used scraps from her stash to make this.

I mean, that was the idea behind Grammy’s Scrap Basket in the first place.

I made the original with a Honey Bun, but those aren’t being made anymore. And obviously, that’s okay since all this quilt takes are 1½” strips. A great way to use up leftovers from other projects.

I am so glad Stephanie let me play with her quilt, and have fun trying out some different patterns. It turned out so pretty! Plus, it’s always fun for me to see quilts people have made from one of my patterns. Thanks again, Steph!

xoxo

April

PS Did you see the free quilt pattern I designed for the Moda Bake Shop this month? I’m working on a really great version of it with a twist. Check back later today to see a sneak peek! Anyone want to join me?

Posted in Custom Quilting, Free Patterns, Machine Quilting | 6 Comments

January 17, 2012

Positively Perfect: a free quilt and throw pillow pattern.

If you can believe it, I have never made a quilt for myself.

Until now.

I called it the Positively Perfect Nap Quilt, in the hopes that my dreams of napping would materialize.

It may have just worked once or twice.

You can find the pattern and step-by-step details over at the Moda Bake Shop today. Be sure to stop over and tell me what you think! And if you’re here from the Moda Bake Shop, welcome! Look around and stay a while, I’m so glad you’re here.

Since I was dreaming of all the lovely naps I would take with this quilt, I figured a pillow was in order. (Plus, there were a few scraps of my Hometown Jelly Roll left.)

It turned out so cute, I thought I would share!

The Positively Perfect Pillow Pattern.

Quick, easy, and oh so darling. (Click the link above to download a printable PDF.)

Do you need a nap today?

PS There are a limited number of kits to make the quilt over in my shop. And by limited, I mean LIM-I-TED. So grab one quick, before they’re gone! (The kit will give you almost everything you need to make the pillow, too. Just snag a little extra cream fabric and some pillow batting, and you’re golden.)

Posted in Free Patterns, Quilt Patterns | 15 Comments

January 11, 2012

Elizabeth Hartman’s Perfect Zip Bags (or What I Made the Craft Night Girls for Christmas)

Sometimes I get a little carried away.

Or a lot carried away.

Sometimes, I start a project thinking it will be no big deal. That it will only take an hour to make 14 million zip pouches.

In the middle of this project, I asked the Mister why it was that I start huge projects and don’t realize how huge they are until I am in the middle of them. He just smiled, because I always do this, and he always warns me.

The conversation went something (exactly) like this:

Me: “Am I just really dense or something? Do I just live in a complete fantasy land? Am I just really full of myself and think I can do super human things? What is my problem??”

Him: “No, not any of those things. Really, I just think you have no concept of space and time.”

I couldn’t stop laughing.

And now (much to his dismay) I can’t stop quoting him. Not because his assessment is particularly flattering to me. But because it is so, SO true.

When I get a creative idea, it is so large and full of newness and excitement for me that I tend to overlook critical factors.

Like, hypothetically, if the longarm machine will actually fit in our house.

Or like if there are actually enough hours between now and the craft night before Christmas to make fourteen zip pouches and still have time to sleep and eat. (Let alone enjoy the holiday with my kids.)

Turns out, the answer was Yes, just barely to the longarm question, and yes, just barely to the pouch question too.

Someday I would like to say that I have a better concept of space and time. But until then, I’ll be very, very grateful for patterns like this one, that go together in a snap and have perfect instructions for the novice and expert alike.

And believe me, if there had a been a problem, I would know. I made fourteen in the space of about 36 hours.

Thanks for the great pattern, Elizabeth. You saved my tail feathers.

If you’d like to make a pouch or two (or fourteen), you can find Elizabeth Hartman’s Perfect Zip Bags pattern here or here.

PS: I made these pouches exclusively from scraps I had sitting around. The only thing I bought new were the zippers. The twill and denim came from pairs of my husbands old pants that I couldn’t figure out what to do with but felt bad throwing away. The back of each pouch is made from a piece of solid twill or denim to match the solid strip at the bottom on the front.