Tag Archives: quilting

Cheddars are Trending, and We Love It!

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Always popular among the reproduction crowd, cheddars have always been popular, often in combination with rich warm browns and other accents! These days, you’ll also find it in flannel prints and plaids, reproductions, even contemporary textures, as shown below. Even better, you’ll find it all year long, not only limited to autumn / harvest projects. So, choose your favorites and spice up your quilting with a few cheddars ; )

Visit the Marcus fabric gallery to view Cheddar & Chocolate, Tarrington, Semi Solid, Paula’s, Patches of Autumn, Maple Lake Flannels, Primo Flannels: Maple Lake and Harvest, Scrap Heap, Temecula Treasures, Companions, Songbook: Harvest, Special Scraps.

You’ll Love Sheryl Johnson’s SPECIAL SCRAPS!

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We know most quilters can easily relate to Sheryl Johnson as she describes SPECIAL SCRAPS, her second fabric collection for Marcus:

“Do you have a basket of Special Scraps? You know – the ones you love, the ones that make you happy every time you see them. These are the little pieces of fabric that you never want to run out of. These Special Scraps are perfect in small bits, featured in a simple little quilt or in your next vintage inspired project. This collection for Marcus Fabrics was inspired by those little bits and pieces, and by my love of double pinks, acid greens, chrome yellows, cheddars, grays and lively lights. I hope the prints in this special collection will become some of your new scrap basket favorites, too!“

SPECIAL SCRAPS fabric and quilts by Sheryl Johnson of Temecula Quilt Co

She’s also designed her Special Scraps Sampler quilt, with three size options! As you can see from this photo, they make beautiful home accents, indoors, and outdoors, too… Shown here are the smallest size, and a runner version of a larger size – just piece, quilt and bind your favorite column of the quilt for use as a table runner or narrow wall accent — the pattern offers sew many options!

Look for this very special collection in your local quilts shops, where it may even be offered as a Saturday Sampler program. Quilt shops, contact Sheryl at Temecula Quilt Co. for pattern and program information.

Coming Soon to Quilt Shops Near You…

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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:

Share Your CIRCA 1880 CLUB Picture, Like Karen Did!

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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.)

 

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