I am in love this pattern.  LOVE. Love. love.  I also love the lap quilt.  It is GORGEOUS!!


I designed the skinny with all the elements of the holiday.  The thankful script reminds me of a recipe card which we all pull out when we make our favorite dishes.  I also used the lower script to personalize the quilt to myself by adding the three things that I am most thankful for and the things that define my life.

What really pushed me into finishing this design was the fabrics.  Fig Tree designed Farmhouse for Moda and I just died over the fabrics.  They were AMAZING!  I loved the color palette.  I have a whole stack of fat quarters and scraps left so the bundle is just going to keep giving.  I know that I will treasure all the things that will come in the future from the fabrics.


What am I thankful for?  Well love, our family, dear friends, life, pie, turkey, baskets of rolls, stuffing, quilting, challenges, laughter.  I am looking forward to asking all the little ones at the table this year what they are thankful for.


I love the little gobbling Turkey.  I think I might add some buttons for the eyes rather than just the french knots.  It might need that little touch.  The background that I used for this quilt is Taupe Linen Essex.  I felt that it just gave the perfect amount of warmth to the quilt.  Very appropriate.


I thought about making a pumpkin pie but Fig Tree made the cutest cherry print with this line and I figured that people eat all kinds of pies on Thanksgiving.  I personally love a pumpkin cheesecake.  So anyway.  This is the same little pie from my pie placemat tutorial.  It sure fits in perfectly into this pattern.


You can't have a Thanksgiving dinner without HOMEMADE ROLLS in my family now.  I was taught by my mom to make the most delicious rolls.  Even though the past years I haven't been close with my mom I do appreciate the great times we have had together.  I have reflected on that the last bit.  I just wish sometimes that I could be a time-travelor and be able to stop life events from happening.  But you know what I bet I am not the only person that thinks that.  I actually KNOW that I am not the only person that thinks that.  It takes a strong human spirit to find the good out of bad situations.  I am not completely strong yet but I find that with each year and each lesson that I am getting that way.  I think that it is meant to be a soft strength and that is the tricky part.

Well these rolls are just adorable.  They are three-dimensional.  It was a blast to make them.  It took a couple trys to get them just so.  My little Alex wanted me to make him a collection of rolls he could just keep.  I didn't.  Geez Louise.  He can just enjoy them in the quilt here.


I know that embroidery takes a little bit of time but I have to say that when I was stitching these words I was kind of having this amazing special time.  I think it was because they have SO much meaning to me!  I just thought "this" is what makes "this" time special for me and it meant a lot.  I could feel it deep inside.


I quilted the lap quilt with the cutest design!!  Cute little leaves just nestled into each other.  For the backing I used Wild & Free Crimson Flower for Art Gallery.  WOW!  Stunning to say the least.


For the first time ever I am offering lap quilt pattern solo.  I am going to work up the other lap quilts of the Skinny Series too... but I've got to find some time in our busy thing we call life!  I am extremely proud to offer this one as the first one.  It is Thanks Star.  It is the first in the Star Series.  These are basically the STARS of the quilt samplers.  They are fun lap quilts that showcase fabric and are the perfect size to cuddle up two peeps.


See how the two blocks in the quilt samplers are just babies.  They were so tiny.  But they are just darling.


So thank you so much to Fig Tree for making such a cute collection and adding black just for me!  I love it!!  I wish everyone a wonderful Holiday with their loved ones.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.


I am thankful for my struggle because without it I wouldn't have stumbled along my Strength

Life is full of Give and Take, Give Thanks and Take nothing for Granted

is AWESOME!!  I love the simple understated quilting.  I love the colors!  I love the design.  I just love it.  I know that we are nearing Halloween but this is for EASTER.  I mean it will take awhile to make and then quilt so it might just be the perfect time to start, lol.  Meet: Hippity Hop (it will be available no later than Nov1st in my little pattern shop... I promise).




I made this quilt twice!  Again twice.  The one on the left in screen-printed fabric and the one on the right is in Hoffman's Contemporary Batiks.  They are just so dang cute!  I have to say that other than the fact that it took a really long time to make two of these they are both so cool.  I can not pick a favorite.  I quilted both of them so I got to practice either the same quilting in the same blocks or if something didn't work the first time I just tweaked it a little in the second one.  I rarely ever quilt the same quilt back-to-back so this was kind of a skill building experience.  I would recommend it but just talking your favorite quilting friend into piecing the second one, lol.


I said the Hip Hop the Hippie, the Hippie to the Hip Hip Hop

Keep Calm and Hop On

Also, if this is your first time visiting I want to share one more tutorial I love :)  Especially since this holiday is fast approaching.  Everyone needs a Pie Placemat!!




We chatted about my patterns and my new book too.  If you enjoy these fun tutorials you might like my Skinny Pattern Series.  You can find all of these in my Pattern Store along with the book Little Big Stuff!.  I hope you are having a wonderful OCTOBER!!  Fall LOVE!!!

I am going to start out with Love Note's lap quilt because I just love it!!  I used Hoffman hand-dyed solids and they are just a dreamy with all the bright saturated colors.  This was beyond perfect for the XOXO quilt.  I sat the X's inside so they pop against the O's.  It is so fun to sew this baby up!  So fun!


I quilted this with Hearts and Swirls to match the Love theme.  Darling.  Just darling.


One thing that I don't do very often is that I mixed the top and bottom threads.  I used white on the top to blend in with the quilt and then I used black in the bobbin.  I had just a tiny bit peak through and I was very satisfied with the final result.  It isn't my favorite thing to do but I loved the backing so much and it was black with gold.  I just felt that the white wouldn't work on the back?


I love how the thread combinations worked with the backing.  It was worth it.


Another thing that is interesting about this pattern is that I made it twice.  I was asked by Quilt It to film a few segments with them about quilting a Quilt Sampler.  It is funny because I have thought through why I like to design samplers a lot before and it is nice to explain from a quilting point of view as well.  I will link the quilting segment here as soon as it is up on the site.  It should be sometime this month (September 2015).

So I decided to make the quilt twice in two different styles (screen-printed fabric and contemporary batiks).  It was a little overwhelming to pick fabrics for each block twice.  But once I got the hang of it the quilts just came together quick.

(Screen-Printed version with XOXO quilt)

(Contemporary Batik version with XOXO quilt)

This cute quilt got it's name from the mailbox that is sending love.  These blocks in the quilt were pretty fun to design out.  In the picture below it shows the heart flutters block.  and the mailbox quilting where I used our house number for just a little personal touch.


The block just below is a heart beat.  Umm.... CUTE!  and then of course we have a love note ready to be dropped in the mail and a love bird.  Lots of LOVE.


The batik version was so pretty.  I love the teal batik.  It was just the perfect shade for me.  And I really love the grass in the batik too.  It was so vivid.  If you want to check out how I approach the quilting be sure to check out the segments because it was fun to share that on video.


Here is a close-up of my cowboy feather quilting technique.  Also, you can see the string art embroidery up close too.  I have to share kind of a funny part of filming.  The host isn't a quilter/piecer.  So when she was pulling the machine over to quilt it caught on the LOVE embroidery and I almost died when it rips the strings because each letter took FOREVER to embroider and I had to do it twice for the two quilts.  My heart fluttered.  But it recovered.  LOL.  It actually looks just fine with the few strings missing.  So no big deal.


I really love the heart beat fabric on the screen-printed quilt.  It is just darling.


So here is the Love embroidery on the screen-printed one.  This one has imperfections too and it wasn't the one that the strings broke, so even if there aren't missing strings it still isn't perfect!  So the batik version looks just fine too.  I snuck the black batik fabric in the screen-printed version in the stop border and it was perfect.  Pretty much it all turned out perfect enough for me.  I love these two quilts.

(This is such a functional apron that gives ample coverage for any project: cooking, drawing, painting, gardening)

(All of the Projects in the book are made with girls and boys in mind, with complete balance so even the appliqué has that in mind for both girl and boy)

(Such a cute little tote to keep one's favorite things)

(and tied with a bow)

(this fun picnic blanket and tote is such a great essential item to have in the book because it can be used in a million different ways: star gazing, art projects, picnics, rain blanket)

(I quilted the laminated fabric with my long-arm and it was a breeze! Plus it adds such texture and another dimension to the design)

(Don't ya just love the pink and green combo - MUST MAKE TWO OF EVERYTHING... you have been warned :)

Chapter 2: Shop's Open

(Endless possibilities with the Open Shop and the Chalk Cloth makes it so interactive)

(Motorcycle Shop for the Boys)

(Flower Shop for the Girls)

(Tic-Tac-Toe on the roof)

(The Task Apron is such a great accessory for keeping Shop)

Third Chapter: Campout Fun

(Campout Fun! Includes a fun PVC pipe tent that breaks down to store away nicely for the parents)

(Sleeping Bags are my favorite!!  They are so cozy and such a fun personalized project to make for a little one)

(both the sleeping bag and tent use hook and loop fasteners and big ties to make open and shut easy for little hands)

(A little Bindle for a packed dinner and a duffle to keep a weekends worth of clothes completes the collection)

(A simple way to add a zipper)

Chapter 4: Kitchen Cooking

(Who's cooking up some adorable fabric combinations?  These half aprons are quick projects to make with all the accessories to use in the real or play kitchen)

(The half aprons can be made frilly or simple to keep the little one's style in mind)

(the pockets are a great place to embellish with some trims)

(These are wonderful quick gifts for a birthday party invite)

(They also provide a great opportunity to use scraps and embellish with trims)

(The color combinations are endless)

(delicious green and blue)

Chapter 5: Baby Love

(Baby LOVE)

(such a fun way to use knit scraps!)

(A little baby doll can be right close to their loved ones)

(Changing pads and Receiving Blankets)

(This Diaper Bag can be altered to be a handy satchel by adding a flap)

(Lots of pockets to keep all the important things)

(and that simple way to insert a zipper into a project)

(Pet Practicing is so much fun!)

(Such a fun collection to sew!)

(Little vented windows and a little pocket to hold a treat)

(A Pet Bed to make lounging comfy)

(The leash is adjustable to fit Pets just right)

(Blue and Pink)

To People that might love to sew for kids: So our house is just filled up with all these cute projects and I would love to see what "YOU" make!!  If you by chance love to sew for kids and sew the projects in the book please please share!  Use the hashtag #littlebigstuffsewn on Instagram.  I would love, love to see.  And let me know what you think of the book here!  Thank you so much!