Look at this darling version of Summer Crush that Karen made! I love how she used patriotic fabrics–it’s so classic and festive. Thanks for sending me the picture, Karen, I love it!
xoxo
April
PS I’d love to see pictures of quilts you’ve made from my patterns–it makes my day!
My friend Kathy made this quilt for her baby girl, using my Grammy’s Scrap Basket pattern, and Hometown by Sweetwater for Moda. It turned out totally darling, don’t you think?
I got to machine quilt it, and it was pretty darn fun. Plus, we did a little cheating on the raw edge applique–Kathy just glue sticked the letters on, and I sewed them on while I was quilting! So quick and easy! I did little bitty loop-de-loops in the white borders.
Some fun swirly flowers in the outer borders.
I traced each of the strips with wavy lines to emphasize the woven pattern.
Thanks for letting me quilt your sweet quilt, Kathy!
xoxo
April
PS Did you enter the giveaway? We’re still not at 100 entries yet, so I’m starting to think I might get to keep that Marmalade! (In other words, go tell your friends to enter. If they don’t like fabric, I’m sure they could give it to you. :)
I first sketched out Sweetie Pie after seeing some retro brickwork at a home near mine. You know the kind.
(via Pattern a Day)
Once I got started on the pattern I realized not only how simple and sweet the design is, but also how versatile those petals are!
There are 9 different layout ideas in the pattern, and dozens more just waiting to be discovered.
I made two versions of the cover quilt using Sarah Jane’s Children at Play, and then, another version using Out to Sea (her newest line for Michael Miller, which ships late summer. (Ignore the weirdly colored pictures, they’re from Sarah’s booth at market, and lighting is always such a party there.)
I love that this pattern explains a technique and lets the quilter run with it, make it their own, and rearrange and redesign to their heart’s content! Plus–all that white space means room for some really fun quilting.
This is a perfect pattern for anyone new to applique, and a really fast pattern for anyone who already has some applique under their belt. And if you want to take it a step closer to heirloom status, you’re always welcome to hand stitch around each petal with some pretty thread.
I seriously love it.
This week only, get Sweetie Pie for $6 using the code SWEETIE. Code expires Sunday at 11pm MST. If you choose PDF download, you will have it in your hot little hands immediately. If you want the paper version, well, those should ship Wednesday. A little delay at the printers has me shipping a little later than I had hoped on printed patterns, but if you’ve placed an order, fear not! It’s coming your way ASAP, I swear.
Have a lovely Tuesday, sweet friends!
xoxo
April
PS I just barely unpacked my bags from market this afternoon. I know, slacker. I have a stack of fun goodies I want to share with you. Just as soon as I get a decent picture taken. :)
PPS Notice anything different around here? What do you think? Still some tweaking to be done, but hey, isn’t there always?
I’m so excited to show you my new patterns! I’ve had SO much fun making them, and love them the very most. (Please, tell me you love them too!) I’m especially in love with the fact that these are such USEFUL sizes. There are 3 baby quilts, 1 throw quilt, and 2 King/Queen sized quilts! Many of you have requested larger sized patterns so your own bed can be as pretty as the cribs and twin beds in your house, and I hear you! I’m excited that I finally have a couple of quilts for my bed, too.
Over the next few days I’ll be talking about each individual pattern and showing you some pictures of alternate versions and up close pictures of the quilting. In the meantime, I hope you love them! They’re in the shop already, including PDF versions of each. OH! Also, a few of my other patterns finally got PDF versions, too, including the oh-so-popular Russian Rubix!
Printed patterns can be pre-ordered now, and will ship as soon as I get them back from the printer. Probably around the 15th. I’ll keep you posted on that.
If you’re a shop that wants to place an order, please contact me at april@prairiegrasspatterns.com or you can order from your Checker, Petersen-Arne, or United Notions Rep.
xoxo
April
I’m pretty darn excited, I’ve got to tell you!
I got my advance copies of Quilter’s Newsletter’s Best Fat Quarter Quilts yesterday and I had to show off to my mom and my craft night girls last night. I just couldn’t help it! I mean, it’s not every day a gal has her first quilt in a magazine. It’s a pretty neat thing to make something and have a whole team of people help you show it to the world. The ladies at Quilter’s Newsletter were great to work with, and despite some crazy shipping snafus, everything turned out well in the end.
In case you don’t remember, or weren’t around when we did this, I first met the Quilter’s Newsletter team when we made quilts to send to Japan. My mom and I drove the quilts out to Colorado because we had such an incredible response we couldn’t pay to ship all the quilts we had, and we got to meet everyone then. They asked me to submit a design to their magazine, I did, and now here it is in print!
You’ll definitely want to head out and purchase this when it hits newsstands on October 18th–not just for my sweet Confetti Parade pattern (though it’s pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself)–but because I’m in great company in this issue: Pat Bravo of Art Gallery Fabrics fame, Amanda Murphy using her own beautiful Veranda fabric, and Darlene Zimmerman (also using her new fabric line Sweethearts).
So gather up some fat quarters and get ready to hunker down with this magazine! More pictures of and details about the quilt (including close ups of Natalia‘s awesome machine quilting) when the issue is out.
Mwa!
April
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Don’t forget to enter the contest if you haven’t already (and read the post, you can earn more than one entry…) Comments close Sunday night at 11:59pm.
Head on over to see Scott’s Quilt Uber-fest block today, and then come back here tomorrow–it’s my turn to show off my block!
Yay! It’s been one year since I launched Prairie Grass Patterns, and boy has it been a ride! Some of you have been here with me from the beginning, and some of you are brand new friends–and I’m so grateful to all of you. I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you would give a little bit of your time and caring to support me and my dream. Really, truly, it just…there aren’t words to describe it. But thank you. Sincerely.
Enough with my jibber jabber…let’s get on to the party part!
Giveaways galore this week–so let me explain. Before I show you the goodies, here’s how it’s going to work: A comment on this post will get you your first entry. Any comment you leave on other posts this week (Today, October 3 through Sunday, October 9th) will earn you additional entries. Winners will be chosen Monday, October 10th.
Here goes!
There are 3 AMAZING giveaways this week, something to suit each level of quilter–from beginner to very advanced.
Beginner Basics
A copy of Elizabeth Hartman’s The Practical Guide to Patchwork
Rotary cutter, mat and ruler (Yes, those are mine, but I’ll send you new ones, I swear!)
Charm pack: Countdown to Christmas by Sweetwater for Moda
Stash Builder
Fat quarter bundle from AdornIt! in their newest line, Vintage Groove, Grey colorway.
Layer cake: Jovial by Basic Grey for Moda
Jelly Roll: Spirit by Lila Tueller for Moda
Charm Pack: Clothesline Basics by Darlene Zimmerman for Robert Kaufman Fabrics
Quilting Queen
Russian Rubix
Fat Eighth bundle: Ruby by Bonnie and Camille for Moda
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There they are! The three amazing giveaways I have for you this week. To enter, tell me which of the three prizes you would LOVE to win.
And that’s not all…
“Like” Prairie Grass Patterns’ Facebook Page for a chance to win an additional Grand Prize! If the Facebook page gets to 300 followers, I will do a special Grand Prize giveaway next week, so be sure to share with your friends!
Finally, for Happy Anniversary week, use coupon code HAPPYWEEK to get 20% of your ENTIRE ORDER in my shop! Code expires 10/10, so be sure to use it quick. (And you just might notice, PDF PATTERNS ARE HERE!!)
Hooray for Prairie Grass Patterns, and for one year anniversaries! Be sure to check in all week for more fun freebies, recipes, and tutorials, plus my day to share my block for the Quilt Uberfest is coming up too. Today it is Karen Linton’s turn, with her block “South for the Winter.” Head over to get your free PDF!
I can’t even stand it anymore, I have to show you this.
First off, I have to say I’m biased a bit toward this fabric. I mean, I did the printing and website for Sarah Jane for nearly 2 years. Not to mention that Sarah is one of my sweetest, most talented friends, and she’s right here in town with me! So really, I HAD to make something from her first fabric line, Children at Play, for Michael Miller. 
And if you must know, I couldn’t just stop at one something. I mean, there’s a boy colorway and a girl colorway. What’s a quilter to do?
Plus, this quilt was BEGGING for some old style topstitching. Because again, this fabric was just too darling not to.
Both versions should be quilted, bound, (and ironed, ahem) in the next few days, and then, more (better) pictures. Promise.
What are YOU working on right now?
Quick recap:
I spent 5 straight days in about 80 square feet.
My mom & a few good friends were there to force me to talk, and remind me to eat.
If I had my way, I probably would have sat in the corner and only spoke when spoken to.
But I’m so glad I didn’t.
There were too many amazing people to meet to stay locked up in my introverted-ness.
And meet them, I did. (Pictures of friends, soon.)
Didn’t get pictures of other booths, because I couldn’t really leave mine for more than a few minutes at a time. (But I think there are enough pictures floating around out there that you’ll get to see the amazing talent going on…)
One quilt market down, dozens to go.
Somehow, I think this was the hardest and it will all get easier from here on out, because I know what to expect.
Quilt market=made of awesome.
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Hello!
My name is April. I'm a quilt pattern designer, twin-mama, and color lover. Welcome to my little space, where I blog about all the things going on in my studio and creative life. Relax, and stay a while!My Cute Quilting Bee
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