We know…spring weather is “thisclose” and we can’t wait! And our upcoming collections prove that there’s fresh inspiration to be found everywhere, from traditional prints and palettes to silk neckties, from a tranquil garden to a coastal paradise, from an elegant manor to America’s Favorite Pastime If you’re in need of a creative boost, check out what’s coming to quilt shops near you in the coming months:
Pam Buda, and all of us at Marcus, are thrilled to see the Circa 1880 Club in full swing in quilt shops across the country and beyond! Pam just shared this photo from Karen, a friend Pam traded blocks with when creating her own Circa quilt. Karen is one of the 70 Circa participants stitching at Pieceful Gatherings in Fox River Grove, IL:
An impressive sight! Many of the shop’s members sent them in by mail for trading.
How is your club progressing? Remember that your participating quilt shop can enter our video contest, to complete for the grand prize — a trunk show visit from Pam Buda, or one of two other great quilt shop prizes — have your shop look into the details!
And just for fun, club members can email club pictures for possible inclusion here on our blog!! (Please be sure you have the permission of anyone visible in your photos before you send them.)
February is National Embroidery Month! And it just happens that the newest additions to our design family are both embroidery experts! We asked them to share a few of their favorite tips for creating beautiful hand embroidered projects.
Cindy Staub of Quilt Doodle Designs debuted with Marcus last month with her SNOWMEN SNOW GLOBE BOM program, using her pre-printed panel and coordinating PRIMO PLAID FLANNELS: New Blues. We love Cindy’s mix of blue flannel stars surrounding the “snowfriends” globe, which she cut from the panel. On the panel you’ll find other fun design elements suitable for smaller projects, whether stitched or used as they are.
We asked Cindy to share a few embroidery tips; these are some of her favorites:
Karen Phillips-Shwallon made her design debut for Marcus with HEIRLOOM SPLENDOR, a trio of pre-printed panels ready for your thread embellishment and more. The designs would be perfect for wedding and anniversary gifts and new baby keepsakes, as well as everyday home decor enjoyment.
She also share a few favorite creative products:
Look for these beginner-friendly pre-printed panels in quilt shops – Heirloom Splendor is available now, and Snowmen Snow Globe comes to quilt shops in June, when we’ll likely welcome cool thoughts as we line up new stitching projects for fall and winter!
HOLIDAY 2019 – We officially welcomed Vicki McCarty to our designer family at Quilt Market in Houston, and her debut collection PATCHES OF JOY is already a hit! It features her “Patch-It” panel (27″ x 44″) of classic Christmas motifs perfect for all types of embellishment, or used just as they are. The patchwork layout designed to be cut apart as well so you can create a variety of projects from just one panel, also plain or embellished. Vicki’s four coordinating creative strips are comprised of 5″ wide printed across the width. The collection was inspired by her popular Calico Christmas Stitch-A-Long.
Need some great ideas for making the most of these unique layouts? Quilt design inspiration for the line includes two designs by Vicki – one free project for the Marcus website (coming soon!)
…and “Basket of Joy” (below), a pattern that will soon be available for purchase at Calico Patch Designs. It also features our AGED MUSLIN:
It’s that time again — we’re in last-minute prep mode, ready to greet so many of our quilt shop owners and industry friends at Spring Quilt Market! This time, the trade show is in Portland, OR, May 18-20. If you’re attending, you’ll find us in Booth # 737, along with a display of the actual quilts from our stunning new BOM programs and designer fabric collections! Shown first here is “Stargazing” by Krisanne Watkins of Quail Valley Quilts (featuring our AGED MUSLINS)
Also enjoy the richly-colored and beautifully pieced PRIMITIVE THREADS collection by Pam Buda. The pattern is available through Heartspun Quilts.
Next up: Kim Eichler-Messmer’s juicy artisan batik line, IMBUE Batiks, as interpreted by Kenna Ogg of Madison Cottage Design
Thanks to everyone for your inspiring ideas about our AGED MUSLINS and NEW AGED MUSLINS. If you haven’t already, take a few minutes to read thru everyone’s terrific ideas – including some we hadn’t even thought of!
Without further delay, the winner of our random drawing is Christina Northern, from the metro DC area. We’re pleased to introduce this new palette to so many new fans, includung Christina, who commented: “What an interesting idea. I have not seen this kind of thing before. But Aged Muslin sounds so interesting. Can’t wait to work with it and turn it into something distinct.”
You’ll find most of the colors in your favorite local quilt shops now, and the newer saturated colors will be shipping soon.
And watch for details of the new Aged Muslins BOM, Stargazing, by Krisanne Watkins of Quail Valley Quilts. (shown here)
TEN YEARS and still going strong!! In fact, ever since we introduced this novelty “not-so-solid” solid in 2007-08, they’ve just gotten better with time —
What separates our AGED MUSLIN from the look-alikes is a special dyeing technique that creates a faded, distressed, look. The result is an inherent overall shading that gives the cloth gives its rich, suede-like appearance. These qualities make our AGED MUSLINS an interesting complement for prints in pieced quilts, where a true solid would read too “flat”, and a texture print isn’t quite right either.
What’s your favorite use for our Aged Muslins, including neutrals, blues and greys, dusty midtones or the newest saturated colors? Or if you haven’t tried them yet, what would you make? Comment below for the chance to WIN a FQ BUNDLE!! All blog comments received by Sunday, April 8 at 11:59pm are eligible for the random dawing — Good Luck!
It all begins on April 6, and it features one gorgeous quilt made up in two gorgeous Studio 37 collections…
The quilt is called “Kaleidoscope”, shown in Nancy Rink’s SEA GLASS (Left) and Sarah Maxwell’s BRING ON THE BUBBLY.
In addition to their own renditions, they’ll share versions of quilts by a few of their quilt buddies in other fabrics as well.
Get the complete details on Nancy’s blog, grab your pattern, choose your fabric, and join in the fun for 8 weeks, starting on April 6. And be sure to join the Facebook Group, too!
#DesignerDuoQAL
Follow Nancy on Instagram @nancyrink
Follow Sarah in Instagram @sjmax105
We’re pleased to share the news that QuiltMania magazine has partnered with our own Karen Styles of Somerset Patchwork & Quilting, to launch their exciting Mystery Quilt event for 2018! The quilt features Karen’s beautiful BATHWICK collection, inspired by an 18th Century Georgian quilt from her private collection. Many of these fabrics were originally printed in Great Britain in the mid 1700s, an era of romantic poets, landscape painters and distinctive architecture in the historic English city of Bath.
The first block (above) has been released for this truly international event, with kits available through participating shops from all around the world. If you’ve ever shied away from a mystery quilt because you can’t see the end result, Karen’s first block will give you all the confidence you need to get started! Enjoy…
