Strike A Chord and Banyan Batiks

Presenting the perfect pairing of the City Spirit Fabric line, from Banyan Batiks, and my pattern "Strike A Chord".  The City Spirit batiks are coming to quilt shops in August 2023.   

Enjoy perusing Northcott's Winter 2023 Lookbook , which  includes two color ways of the City Spirit Batiks among all the Winter Lines presented by Northcott Fabrics.  

Pattern:  Strike A Chord

Published by Black Cat Creations

Fabric Line:  City Spirit, by Banyan Batiks (Northcott Fabrics)

Size:  80" X 80"

 

Follow My Heart Quilt (Free Pattern)

Have you picked up your free copy of Black Cat Creations' Follow My Heart?  There is still time to make a Valentine's Quilt.  The 40" quilt is uniquely interchangeable as a table topper, wall hanging or baby quilt.  

Thanks to EQ, Electric Quilt, alternate color layouts include one for Mardi Gras .... which also happens to be in February this year.  

 How about St. Patrick's Day? 

 

Follow My Heart - Show and Tell (@bayoubobbinquilter)

 

The Follow My Heart Pattern has only been out for a week and Susan, @bayoubobbinquilter has made TWO  .... pieced, quilted and bound!

The Free Pattern has been published by Black Cat Creations and is available here.  After signing up for the free pattern, visit the home page and add your email address to the mailing list for alerts to new patterns.  

Follow My Heart FREE Pattern Release

Introducing my newest pattern -  "Follow My Heart", published by Black Cat Creations.  

As a Thank You,  this PDF/Downloadable pattern is presented FREELY to new and experienced quilters. 

As one of the designers, I invite you, your friends and local quilt shops to join the Black Cat Creations Newsletter List for announcements to new patterns, tips and tricks and to meet the other designers.  You can sign up for the email list on the Home Page of Black Cat Creations here.  

While there, please take a few minutes to tour their site.   The designers are busy working on 2023 patterns and confident there will be something just for you.  

Also follow me on Instagram:  @lfairquilts

Baby Josie fits perfectly and still has plenty room to grow.

Follow My Heart will finish at 40" Square and is uniquely interchangeable as a table topper, wall hanging or baby quilt.   

A special thank you to Paulette Garrett for styling my quilts in her booth "Delillah Jane Designs" within the Jocias Vintage Market in Houma, La.

Follow My Heart Quilt Pattern

What I am working on ....

Valentines Day is right around the corner.  Are you interested in a small quick table topper, wall hanging or baby quilt?  In a weekend, this quilt top can be cut out, pieced and quilted.

Black Cat Creations, will be publishing this pattern very soon with a BIG surprise - it will be FREE.  Sign up for their newsletter on their home page and be the 1st to know when the pattern is available. 

Please feel free to share with your readers this "Thank You" from Black Cat Creations. 

 

Aurora Sails Table Runner

Table Runners are the best way to decorate for holidays.  They are small enough to make quickly and large enough to make an impact.  I have enjoyed making the various sizes of this pattern and encourage makers to mix and match the block units for different designs.  

Pattern:  Aurora Sails

Published by:  Black Cat Creations

Designer:  L' Fair Quilts

Size:  22" X 70"  

The pattern is available thru Black Cat Creations in both PDF Download and paper patterns.  

Black Cat Creations has a Newsletter Signup introducing their new patterns and special alerts.  Year  2022 has been a good one, therefore giving back to new and loyal customers in 2023 is a goal.  In addition to new and exciting patterns coming next year, we have a FREE HEART project that can be created over a weekend.  More to come later, so be sure to sign up!.

Just a personal note on the subject of Newsletters --- I have a big appreciation for Newsletters.  So much so, that I personally created a separate email address for all of the incoming newsletters from Quilters and Shops offering them.  This keeps my personal email nice and tidy with personal exchanges.   Once a day (or sitting in Doctor's offices), I can open my Newsletter Email account and enjoy them all in one place. 

 

Introducing - Aurora Sails Quilt Pattern

*New Pattern Release*

Size:  70" X 94" 

Designer/Maker:  L' Fair Quilts

It started with this quirky little sail block, then I added color upon color and compatible shapes.  The Aurora Sails Quilt Pattern , published by Black Cat Creations, is now my new favorite to make.  Sometimes a pattern comes along that is just plain hard to get through ... you love the quilt, just not fond of the process.  I LOVED the process.  There is enough variety not to become bored and comes together with ease. 

The Cover Quilt uses a Moda Fabric line, Ombre Metallic Confetti by Vanessa Christenson. Cutting into this fabric bundle was such a joy, with a surprise always around the corner as the blocks were sewn.  

Size:  46" Square 

 

A smaller version, using a showstopper focal fabric from Maywood Studio, Veranda Collection.  I wish I had purchased more when the line came out, because this quilt would have been much larger. The green  fabric is from designer  Heather Mulder Peterson, Deck the Halls Line.  Perfect size for a table topper or crib.

Size:  22" Square

And....because I had such fun with the little Sail Blocks, I made a small BONUS wall hanging or pillow cover.  The fabrics were left over from the original quilt, Ombre Line.

 

Show and Tell - Allegro Quilt

 

A very scrappy version of the Allegro Quilt was so much fun to make.  I waited until all the blocks were laid out before auditioning the inner border.  This particular version screamed green.    The recipient was a young girl who loves pink, so it made a perfect pairing.

Pattern:  Allegro 

Published by:  Black Cat Creations

Maker/Quilter:  L' Fair Quilts

Size:  69 X 86"

Fabric:  Scrappy

Show and Tell Sunday, Star Cruising Quilt

The Star Cruising monochromatic quilt of greens was made last year, however I am still catching up posts on this blog.  The uniqueness of the quilt center came from a stencil found on Etsy (Native Owl Customs).  I enlarged the stencil to fit the center.  The young high school graduate recipient  loves the outdoors.  

Other versions of this quilt can be found here ... a couple of them were used for Quilts of Valor.

Pattern:  Star Cruising

Published by:  Black Cat Creations

Maker/Quilter:  L' Fair Quilts

Size:  68" X 85"

 

New Pattern - Branching Out Quilt

Introducing - Branching Out

The art of trying something new, or expanding on what you know.  I am so in love with this pattern.  It is very unique and fun to put together ... and did I mention quick?  The best way to use up your Fat Quarter stash or bundles.  Although no longer available, some of the fat quarters came from a favorite line called "Frippery" by Thomas Knauer for Andover Fabrics (dated 2012).  Thank goodness I still have some left over!

How Branching Out started ... I have several overflowing Fat Quarter baskets.  I wanted to make a quick quilt for Hurricane Ida victims.  I started playing with different shapes on graph paper, then scraps.  The first sample I made above used brights and black & whites.  I played with the design, paring down a few pieces and wrote a pattern that I will forever be in love with.

The good news, it comes in four (4) different sizes.  But don't limit yourself, one block will make a perfect pillow cover, or one row makes a table runner.

Pattern:  Branching Out

Published By:  Black Cat Creations

Maker/Quilter:  L' Fair Quilts

Sizes Above:  60" X 78"

Other Sizes:

Lap/Crib:  42" X 52-1/2"

Full/Queen:  96" Square

King:  114" X 96"

 

Show and Tell Sunday - Darla's On Key Quilt

 

Show and Tell -  Darla made the above "On Key" Quilt using two tones of blue and various light colors for the background.  I love how she continued the keys into the border.  Thank  you Darla for sharing your beautiful finish.

 Pattern:  On Key

Published By:  Black Cat Creations

Maker/Quilter:  Darla

Size:  70" X 94"

New Pattern - In Motion Quilt

Introducing --- In Motion

I often talk about favorite blocks or vintage designs incorporated in my patterns.  The Irish Chain is one of those favorites, however I wanted something different using a wide variety of fabrics and/or scraps.  

The Motion in this design moves from right to left and uses large background pieces making the movement obvious.

Far Out! ... The Fat Quarter Shop * announced they were expecting a fabric line designed by Maureen McCormick!  My excitement to make this quilt using the Blooming Bunch Fabric Line by Maureen for Moda, was off the chart.  I grew up watching the Brady Bunch (as with many Baby Boomers) and felt the fabric calling me.  SO GROOVY!

The smaller version of In Motion, is using a stash of Aqua/Teals/Turquoise.  When I came up short on variety, I found a small shop on line called Cotton To Quilts  * who sells cute little bundles by color.  The Facets of Aqua / 20 fabrics 8-1/2" X 21" was perfect to fill the gaps. 

* No affiliation - just a fan.  

Pattern:  In Motion

Published by:  Black Cat Creations

Made/Quilted by:  L' Fair Quilts

Large Size:  82" X 92"

Fabric Line:  Moda, Blooming Bunch by Maureen McCormick

Small Size:  54" X 78"

Fabric:  Scrappy/ two color

 

Show and Tell Sunday - Darla's Mandalay Quilt

 

Thank you Darla for sharing your Mandalay Quilt!  It is gorgeous - so bright and happy.

Pattern:  Mandalay

Published By:  Black Cat Creations

Maker:  Darla

Size:  67" Square

Strike A Chord - Wedding Gift

 

Strike A Chord  -  A wedding gift 

After being widowed in 2016, our sister found love again and was married earlier this year.  We are so happy for her ....  so to celebrate, I made a quilt from one of my latest patterns (Strike A Chord) for the newlyweds.

Contrary to the number of pieces, the quilt came together quickly with strip piecing.  The new couple like the deep warm colors of fall, especially brown.  Using my abundance of fall fabric, I approached the blocks with a scrappier theme.

Pattern:  Strike A Chord

Published by Black Cat Creations

Maker/Quilter:  L' Fair Quilts

Size:  80" Square

New Pattern - Strike A Chord Quilt

Introducing - Strike A Chord, published by Black Cat Creations.

For this design, it started with a bundle of Tim Holtz Fabric, Abandoned 2 by Free Spirit.  All my favorite elements had to be included .... something geometric, stars and plus blocks.  The background is a Moda Grunge.

I made several test blocks and played with settings; both on point and horizontal, each using just 12 blocks.  I just couldn't decide on the setting, so I wrote the pattern for both.

  

The horizontal version uses a line from Art Gallery Fabrics, "Kismet" by Sharon Holland.

Pattern:  Strike A Chord

Published by Black Cat Creations

Maker/Quilter:  L' Fair Quilts

On-Point Size:  80" Square

Horizontal Size:  61" X 78".

 

Show and Tell: On Key / Mini and Large Quilt

 

After making the large On Key Quilt, (below) I still had small scraps left over and decided to make a mini wall hanging.  The center uses several small squares from the Art Gallery Stash, along with the dark blue batik.  Finished size:  24" Square

Pattern:  On Key

Published by:  Black Cat Creations

Maker/Quilter:  L' Fair Quilts

Size:  70" X 91"

Allegro Quilt Show and Tell

My love for using small blocks together is at the top of my "favorites" scale.  Allegro, published by Black Cat Creations, uses basic nine patches, album blocks and frame blocks.  The layout is on-point and is very scrappy, although I used fabric from one designer (Kaffe Fassett).  

The small blocks can be cut out in batches and kitted for sewing here and there.  While working on another project, cut and kit a few left overs for later sewing. 

Allegro finishes a 69" X 86"

 

String Quartet, Show and Tell

 

How it started .... As a wall quilt designer, my ideas morph gradually looking for their own direction.  The Irish Chain is a favorite, however not unique.  I knew the Plus (Cross) Units had to be in the design somewhere, so they landed in the border.  

A love for string blocks definitely had a heavy influence with the next direction.  A quartet of On-Point  Neutral String Blocks replaced the large squares.

The final result is a Rainbow of String Quartets, with gem-like sparkles and melodic movement,  surrounded by the Plus (Cross) accents.  With an Economy exploding around us, the need to use what we have is becoming so important.  

The String Quartet Pattern was published by Black Cat Creations and is available by Download.

Hands2Help, 2021 Comfort Quilts

 

It's that time of the year again .... sewing machines are busy completing comfort quilts for the 2021 Hands2Help Quilt Challenge, hosted by Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  This is my 11th year participating and I couldn't be prouder.  

With the Pandemic, I have a feeling this will be the largest collection yet.   Visit the Hands2Help 2021 page on Confessions of a Fabric Addict for a parade of beautiful quilts.

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The six (6) quilts I donated this year, went to Emily, with Aunt Ems Quilts; for her charity Quilty Hugs for Happy Chemo.  A side note, Emily also has a You Tube Channel with Sew Alongs and tutorials. 

The first quilt - "Chunky Pinwheels, is a collection of 8" blocks.   Each block contains (4) units with the following pieces:

  

After completing the Chunky Pinwheels, I had a boat load of HSTs, which were a good size to make regular pinwheels.  The next quilt used all of those HSTs, plus many more from my stash. Doing the math, 208 Pinwheels from 832 HSTs!

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Quilt #3, String Quartet (Black Cat Creations), used a stash of Kaffe Fassett strings left over from other projects.  As named, this pattern was designed to use those long skinny pieces.  

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The last 3 quilts are from the "I Love You More" trunk inventory.  The free tutorial is available on Confessions of a Fabric Addict.