Tag Archives: quilting

Celebrate National Embroidery Month with Our Newest Designers!

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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:

  • Use good quality thread such as Valdani #12 pearl cotton. “I am fond of the variegated thread since I like the extra dimension it gives my stitching.”
  • Have a small scissor handy for snipping threads. Cindy uses the OLFA.applique scissors.
  • If you are a beginner to embroidery, don’t fret, you don’t need to know a bunch of stitches. “Good stitches to begin with are a backstitch
    and French knots.”
  • Cindy also recommends using a light to medium weight fusible (iron-on) interfacing to underline your fabric, it helps hide your thread from the ‘backside’.

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:

  • For her stuffwork dimensional needlework Karen prefers Tuscany 100% Premium Polyester OR  Mountain Mist Light as her batting and DMC Perle #12 thread
  • Embroidery thread:  DMC Perle #12
  • Embroidery needles:  John James  JJ135-3-9
  • Quilting thread:  Mettler Silk Finish quilting thread 50 wt solid cotton
  • Quilting needles:  Tulip 10 quilting needles (“the best”)

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!

Vicki McCarty Brings Us PATCHES of JOY

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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:

Quilt Market-Bound, Part 1: BOM Programs and More

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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

So…Who Won the AGED MUSLINS???

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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)

We’re Celebrating AGED MUSLINS with a Giveaway!

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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.

  • The 100% cotton range began with a few neutrals in paper-bag tones
  • Then it expanded to include blues and greys — Pair these with the season’s best denims & chambrays.
  • Next came the dusty midtones (NEW AGED MUSLINS)
  • And in 2017, we added eight saturated fashion colors to the New Aged Muslins category.

Perfect for Trendy and Traditional Quilts, Home Décor, Fashion…

  • They’ll give an authentic, aged look when paired with reproductions, or a casual effect when blended with contemporary prints.
  • AGED MUSLIN’s weave is slightly tighter than standard quilting fabrics, making it an excellent background fabric for appliqué, embroidery and other forms of handwork.
  • The collection also plays well on its own, as you can see in “Stargazing”, shown below our new Aged Muslin BOM program by Krisanne Watkins of Quail Valley Quilts.  Watch for details on line soon!(Begins September 2018, 91” x 91”)

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!

Ready to Join the Designer Duo Quilt-Along?

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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

 

Who’s In on Karen Styles’ BATHWICK Mystery Quilt?

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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…

A Year’s Worth of Creative Excitement!

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A fresh year means a fresh start for our creative projects…check out just a few of the exciting things coming your way in the coming months from Marcus and Studio 37!

Sneak Peeks!  Watch for these collections online beginning February 1:

And get caught up with our most recent releases, online now:

A Few PEEPS Fun Facts:

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PEEPS® marshmallow candies aren’t just for Easter anymore!  People who love the sweet treats can enjoy them on all kinds of holidays now, and since our new PEEPS collection will soon be appearing in your local quilt shops, we thought we’d share a few PEEPS fun facts with you.  Did you know…

  • 52 million PEEPS are made in an 8-week period for Easter sales
  • 21 million families purchase peeps each year
  • Easter candy as a whole is a $2.6 billion industry
  • Key consumers spend about $170.00 on Easter, which includes $24.00 worth of candy
  • PEEPS cannot walk, change expression or talk.  They only communicate through text bubbles  ; )
  • PEEPS people also tend to be avid crafters, so we know you’ll love the fabrics as much as the candies.  We’re thinking Easter basket liners, quilts, pillows, table settings, soft-sculpture chicks and bunnies, and sew much more!

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About Just Born Quality Confections
Just Born Quality Confections is a third generation family-owned company founded in 1923, headquartered in Bethlehem, PA, and the makers of PEEPS®, HOT TAMALES®, MIKE AND IKE® and GOLDENBERG’S® PEANUT CHEWS® Brand Candies are produced in Philadelphia, PA. All Just Born candies are made in the U.S.A.
The PEEPS® brand and the PEEPS® shapes are trademarks of Just Born, Inc., Bethlehem, PA, USA, and are used under license. ©2018

Introducing… IMBUE by Kim Eichler-Messmer

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This month we’re excited to welcome Kim Eichler-Messmer to the Studio 37 design team, with her gorgeous debut collection of batiks, entitled IMBUE.

To imbue means to inspire or permeate with a feeling or quality; permeate, infuse, tincture, soak. This is how Kim  likes to think about hand dyed fabrics. “They are infused not only with color and pattern, but with the intentions of the maker as well. These modern batiks were printed and dyed by hand in Indonesia and the designs came from my own hand dyed fabrics. The colors are rich and saturated and the slight imperfections in the print add character, movement, and a glimpse into the process of their creation” she explains.

We love Kim’s creative philosophy, and the richness of her palettes. See all 22 designs online at Studio 37 Fabrics.  Visit Kim online and follow her on Instagram @kimemquilts.  If you’re attending, QuiltCon in Pasadena, CA, February 22-25, 2018, you’ll also have a chance to take her lectures and workshops and meet her in the Studio 37 Booth # 911.