Are you like me and ready for normalcy to return? I can’t remember having so much uncertainty in my life, especially with the upcoming elections. What I’d really like is the best of both worlds. Less traffic, less smog, less consumption and more compassion, more social and environmental awareness, and a good haircut would be nice!
Family
It seems like there’s a lot of quilting and cooking going on at my house, which isn’t too unusual. Up next up is learning how to cut men’s hair; now that’s definitely pushing the comfort envelope. My son will be my guinea pig and he’s happy to do it. He just emerged from an epic, two-week backpacking trip on the John Muir Trail and so thankful for a home-cooked meal (along with Mr. Crafty Quilter).
Sunrise on top of Mt. Whitney
Last weekend we had two of our daughters visit for four days. It was so nice to have them here! We spent most of the time at home, still being careful about outside social contact. Cooper was happy for the extra attention.
Our granddaughters are happily enjoying their summer with the enthusiasm and energy of little people. While life is very different for their parents, they feel hardly any of the effects of the outside world conditions. Thank goodness! And Ben is crawling now, so their inside world is changing too!
Yesterday, Mr. Crafty Quilter and I celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary. That’s making me feel old! We didn’t go anywhere, but I was treated to no cooking and a beautiful bouquet of flowers. The most recent picture I have of both of us together is in Austin at the Driskill Hotel, wearing our face masks. How appropriate!
Cooking
I’ve been making sourdough bread, successfully, for the past three months. The warm weather has been really helpful. I made my own sourdough starter and it’s fun to try different recipes for the sourdough discard like this cinnamon raisin sourdough bread. My favorite method and recipe for a good, sourdough levain is this one at Live Simply. I use bread flour instead of the spelt flour she calls for, but everything else is the same. It turns out beautiful every time.
During the summer, one of my favorite meals is a composed salad of whatever’s fresh from the garden, plus some cheese, maybe some prosciutto and a slice of that sourdough bread. Oh, and don’t forget a cold glass of chardonnay!
Quilting
I finished three more quilt blocks for the Timeless Tradition BOM that I’m co-teaching (via Zoom) at The Granary Quilt Shop. I love all of the blocks so far, but this large, 12″ block is my favorite.
My sister-in-law co-owns a quilt shop, Sew Katie Jean, in Lincoln, CA, and each month they choose a theme and pattern for their quilt block contest. In July, they used my Star Spangled Heart pattern for their pattern and I loved seeing their front window decorated with these amazing blocks! I think it was a success!
Front window of Sew Katie Jean quilt shop in Lincoln, California
I haven’t done too much sewing other than making three more Versatile Face Masks last weekend. I’m thinking of trying a different type of mask pattern; I’ll let you know how that goes. I feel like I need to clean and re-organize my sewing space now that I’m in between projects. That’s the plan for today – along with cleaning out the refrigerator. Exciting times!
Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you’re having a wonderful week!
Quilters and crafters are always on the look out for new patterns and ideas to start their next project. Lucky for us, most fabric companies create free project patterns to showcase their latest collections. It’s a fantastic resource for the quilter and home “sewist”.
A rainbow of fabric color
I made a list of fabric manufacturers with links to their free project pages that you can refer back to. You’ll find a short description of the company and the types of fabric they produce (mostly premium quilting cotton).
Note: This list is not comprehensive. I’ve honed in on textiles that are quilt and home decor driven. Some smaller fabric manufacturers produce beautiful fabric collections, but do not provide a free projects page (yet). I still enjoy their fabrics, though, and I’ll update this list if needed.
Andover Fabrics. This company offers a wide variety of fabric from traditional to novelty (including Eric Carle) and lots of basics, too. They have an archive of free patterns, but it does not include projects using current fabric lines. Those can be found elsewhere on their website.
Anthology Fabrics. Specializing in beautiful Batiks, youโll find lots of free patterns to inspire you.
Art Gallery Fabrics. Their quilting cottons have a beautiful hand and their designs are fun and modern. Youโll find lots of free, easy quilt patterns along with projects that are more challenging.
Benartex (includes Kanvas Studio and Contempo Studio). They are a leading supplier of creative designer prints. Their free patterns page is organized alphabetically by pattern name. You can filter the results by studio or collection.
Blend Fabrics. Blendโs fresh, on-trend designs now include licensed fabric by Anna Griffin. Their free patterns and projects give inspiration and instructions for creating beautiful quilts and more.
Camelot Fabrics. Fabric designed for the modern maker and includes licensed collections from Disney, Laura Ashley and more. Scroll down the page and look for DIY free projects. You find everything from bags, home dรฉcor, quilts and apparel.
Clothworks. This is a family-owned company selling premium quality quilting cotton, including American Made Brand Cotton Solids, Fresh Batiks, and nearly 50 different freestanding print collections each year. They have lots of free patterns to showcase their fabric lines.
Cloud 9 Fabrics. This company features organic fabric in a modern color palette. Their Make It Sew Projects include lots of quilts and some smaller projects.
Dear Stella Design. They offer a modern style with collections that evoke an edgy freshness, combining the best of old traditions with modern influences. Their projects page includes free patterns and published patterns to purchase.
Free Spirit. Now part of Jaftex Companies and home to designers Kaffe Fassett and Tula Pink among many others. Lots of fun projects here.
Henry Glass Fabrics. Beautiful fabric collections with traditional overtones. There are two sections in their Free Projects page; current projects and archived projects. They both feature full color instructions that are easy to download.
Hoffman California Fabrics. Beautiful batiks and hand-dyed fabric collections can be found here. Their patterns page includes free and for-purchase items.
In The Beginning Fabrics. Since 1996, this company has been designing beautiful fabric with some lovely florals and animal prints. They have a nice collection of free patterns that wonโt overwhelm you.
Lecien. This Japanese company sells beautiful fabric as well as embroidery products. They have a wide array of free projects.
Lewis & Irene. Based in the UK, this company produces fresh and contemporary fabrics. They have a small collection of Christmas patterns as well as many quilt projects.
Marcus Fabrics. If you like traditional fabric designs, youโll find them here including a nice variety of 30’s reproduction prints. Their โMake Itโ page has free patterns, tips and creative ideas. They also run several popular Block of the Month programs.
Maywood Studio. Home of Kimberbell Basics and Shadow Play to name a few. They have a nice selection of free patterns to complement their beautiful fabrics and a tips section. I think the words, romantic and playful, describe them well.
Michael Miller Fabrics. Many free patterns in all shapes and sizes to go along with their large collection of basics, novelty and contemporary collections.
Moda Fabrics. This company has grown into a powerhouse as theyโve moved into supplies and distribution as well as fabric manufacturing. Along with their free patterns page, you can find tons of free precut patterns at the Moda Bake Shop.
Northcott. Rooted in tradition, this company has been around for a while. They have many nature-inspired collections along with a good basics collection. Also home to Banyan Batiks. You’ll find a nice range of free patterns for all levels.
P&B Textiles. P&B is known for its quality of fabrics, and for a wide variety of basics, traditional, contemporary and children’s fabrics. They have a great selection of free quilt patterns.
Quilting Treasures Fabric. They have a huge basics category to complement their wide variety of designer collections. Most of their free projects are available from local quilt shops. They donโt have many downloadable patterns in their project gallery, but lots of inspiration.
Riley Blake Designs (includes Penny Rose Fabrics). This company is growing fast with a large group of designers creating contemporary collections along with traditional ones. They have a lot of free patterns including some sew alongs for a deeper dive into a project.
Robert Kaufman Fabrics. Home of the popular Kona solids and a variety of quilting fabrics, novelty prints and coordinates will inspire you as you browse their selection of free quilt and sewing patterns.
Shannon Fabrics. This company is home to your favorite plush fabrics such as Cuddle (minky) and faux fur. Their free patterns include step-by-step instructions, fabric and notions requirements with lots of images of the finished projects.
Studio E Fabrics. Lots of novelty fabrics and panels can be found here. Their free patterns give you lots of ways to use these fun prints.
Tilda Fabrics. These whimsical and romantic fabrics were founded in Norway by designer Tone Finnanger. Their free patterns reflect the sweetness of their fabrics.
Timeless Treasures. An abundance of panels, novelty fabrics and batiks can be found here. They have a wide selection of free patterns to enjoy.
Wilmington Prints. They have a nice selection of basics and traditional prints as well as some batiks. Many free and for-purchase patterns are available to showcase their beautiful fabric collections.
Windham Fabrics. You’ll find a large selection of classic designs along with novelty and whimsical collections. They have a large variety of free quilt patterns and projects to go along with their fabric.
That ought to keep you busy for a while! There are SO many fun projects out there – all you have to do is snoop! Enjoy these freebies and have a wonderful day!
{I love the idea of โpaying it forwardโ. I think the world would be a better place if we could spread some joy and acknowledgement of good deeds done by others. I try to do that once a month for my Sew Thankful Sunday posts. I highlight some great content that Iโve found on other peopleโs blogs that I hope will inspire you and reward the originator by bringing traffic to their site. If your blog has been mentioned without your consent, please let me know and I will take you off the current list of featured bloggers.}
August, to me, is a month that has no expectations. No birthdays, no big holidays, no big events. Depending on where you live, you might be getting ready for back-to-school activities or just enjoying another month of summer. Either way, there’s a good chance you’re staying in place and need a little Sew Thankful Sunday inspiration!
Note: If you use Pinterest, please pin from the original source and not this blog post. Remember, you can click on any of the images in this post and it will open up a new tab to the associated link.
Quilters love tips, and Dawn at First Light Designs has some great ones for Perfect Star Points. You’ll love the Scattered Stars Quilt she made with her perfect Sawtooth Star Blocks.
If you enjoy applique, check out these Tips & Tricks for Fusible Applique by Susan at Quilt Fabrication. I thought I knew all about fusible applique, but I learned a few things from Susan!
Here’s a beautiful Stars & Stripes Quilt Tutorial shared by Cherry Guidry for We All Sew. This is a perfect quilt to make for Quilts of Valor!
Stars & Stripes Quilt by Cherry Guidry for We All Sew
You might know someone who could use this DIY Walker Caddy by Caroline at Sew Can She. This functional project even includes a cup holder to make it super versatile!
I’m always looking for a cute baby quilt and this Positively Plus Mini Quilt (or Crib Quilt) would be perfect. Amy at Diary of a Quilter shares her free tutorial as part of the Summer Dreams Series for Oliso Irons.
Positively Plus Mini Quilt @ Diary of A Quilter
Christmas projects are always on the docket for us Crafters, so I was excited to hear about a “Need a Little Christmas Series” by three awesome bloggers. First is this Peppermint Forest Table Runner by Amanda at Jedi Craft Girl. Such a cute design and I love those fabrics!
The second project in this Christmas Trio is this Starry Ornament Christmas Table Runner by Bev at Flamingo Toes. I love that scalloped border!
And finally here is the Mister Frosty Table Runner by Christopher at The Tattooed Quilter. This striking table runner would look great in your favorite holiday fabric!
And for more Christmas ideas, here’s a Christmas in July roundup by Anorina at Samelia’s Mum. There are lots of cute ideas here!
Christmas in July Roundup @ Samelia’s Mum
If you need a Jelly Roll project, check out this free Confetti Stars Table Runner at The Jolly Jabber. I can envision lots of color combinations for this one!
Confetti Stars Table Runner @ The Jolly Jabber
Ready for a trip around the US? Then join the Quilting Around the Block, US Tour – Block of the Month at Blockofthemo.com. “Each week a new block has been designed for each state across our US Tour. Zip back and forth across the country on a unique virtual voyage, complete with complimentary 6.5โณ blocks, state & designer trivia and stories, giveaways and bonus blocks too!” It all starts August 2, 2020.
Although this isn’t crafting related, it is seasonally appropriate. If your garden is flush with zucchini, then you’ll appreciate these 35 Best Zucchini Recipes at Love and Lemons. And if fresh tomatoes are over-flowing then check out their 50 Fresh Tomato Recipes and you’ll be set!
Image Source: Love & Lemons
Image Source: Love & Lemons
Thanks for joining me today for Sew Thankful Sunday August 2020! I hope you found something inspiring to keep you busy while staying at home. We’re all in this together, and I know the bloggers and designers featured today appreciate your visits!
It’s nice to make gifts for others, but especially when you know that gift will be appreciated by the recipient (who is also very crafty). I recently finished a few sewing gifts that I’ve been waiting to share with you so as not to spoil the surprise for the recipient.
My oldest daughter, Kelly, had a birthday last week and I made her a Market Bag. The pattern is from the book, Handmade Style, by Anna Graham of Noodlehead. This book is full of great projects and the market bag was an easy one to make.
It’s big enough to hold plenty of fresh produce from the market or take it to the beach to hold your sunscreen and towels.
The inside has two pockets. One has a zipper to keep things secure and the other one I added is just a larger open pocket.
I quilted straight lines about 3/8″ apart across the entire outer bag. The handles were made from “pleather” which is a fake leather and really easy to sew with.
I also made a dress for my granddaughter, Amelia. She turned five a few days ago and we got to celebrate with her in person. I couldn’t get a good picture of her (she’s a moving target), so pardon the cropping I had to do.
I made a pillowcase dress a long time ago and I gave that to Clara. It’s a little too big for her, but she doesn’t seem to mind.
It was so nice to be with all of them; Amelia is 5, Clara is 2 1/2 and Ben is 7 months old. We were glad to give their mom and dad a little break for a few hours one afternoon. Staying home with three little kids during a pandemic is hard work as many of you know. I hope there is an end in sight soon.
Now that I’m back home, I have some projects to catch up on and a garden that is overloaded with tomatoes and cucumbers. It’s a nice problem to have. I’m working on a simple triangle scarf that will be an easy gift to make. I’ll share a tutorial for that soon. I’d love to start a new quilt project, but I have a few UFO’s that need to get finished first. And when I say “a few” that translates into something like ten twenty. Oh boy. Time to get moving!
Thanks for visiting today. I’ll be back for Sew Thankful Sunday this weekend. I hope you’re staying safe and healthy!
I couldn’t let July pass by without sharing 15 Christmas in July sewing ideas. ‘Tis the season for crafters to start thinking about these things!
I love this Christmas Tree Table Runner (re-sized) by Connie at Free Motion by The River. It’s on my list!
I’ve always wanted to make a Quilted Christmas ornament such as this one by Jennifer Watkins for Create Kids Couture. It looks so cute in kid-friendly fabrics!
If you entertain during the holidays, these Pinwheel Star Placemats will come in handy. I made this tutorial in 2013 and I still use these placemats today!
Pinwheel Star Placemats @ The Crafty Quilter
If you enjoy a little hand embroidery, check out this Embroidered Christmas Pillow by Lindsey at Fort Worth Fabric Studio. So cute!
If you have the time, this Fir Good Measure Christmas Quilt by Fort Worth Fabric Studio would be a great place to start.
Fir Good Measure Christmas Mystery Quilt @ Fort Worth Fabric Studio
Setting out cookies for Santa is a fun tradition on Christmas Eve. Make it even more special with this Cookies for Santa Placemat at Skip to My Lou.
Cookies are always on the table during the holidays, so keep things tidy with this Cookie Plate Crumb Catcher by The Crafty Quilter (me!). It’s a quick and easy project that would make a great hostess gift (along with some homemade cookies).
This Christmas Gnome is the cutest ever! Caroline at Sew Can She has the free tutorial so you can make your own.
If you can’t get enough gnomes, check out my free Gnome Mug Rug tutorial. He’ll keep your cup warm on those cold nights!
This Fabric Christmas Tree Decoration at Hook Stitch Sew will brighten up your decor and use up some of your fabric stash at the same time!
Fabric Christmas Tree Decoration @ Hook Stitch Sew
Nothing is more exciting than counting down the days with and advent calendar. Make this beautiful Linen and Liberty Advent Calendar with the free tutorial by Mary at Molly Flanders.
Linen & Liberty Advent Calendar @ Molly Flanders
Wall hangings are wonderful to decorate with, so you’ll love this Holiday Amish Mini Quilt at The Crafty Quilter (me again). I made this using a mini charm pack and it was quick and easy!
If your “stockings are hung by the chimney with care”, make them extra special with this Christmas Stocking Tutorial at Sew Scrumptious Fabrics.
Add a touch of handmade to your tree with this Northern Lights – Log Cabin Tree Skirt, by Janet Houts for Andover Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download).
Northern Lights Tree Skirt @ Andover Fabrics
I love the fun and classic look of this free Pinwheels & Patchwork Quilt Pattern by Andy at A Bright Corner. It’s versatile enough for any holiday!
I know it’s a long ways off, but it really helps to start making a list now of the things you want to make (or do) for Christmas. I hope this has inspired you in that direction!
