Author Susan Beal Visits The Quilting Loft

Craft and quilt book author, Susan Beal, came to visit our shop on December 7th for a book signing. 

Susan was able to stop by The Quilting Loft while also visiting the Seattle Urban Craft Uprising. Susan signed copies of her book "Sewing for All Seasons". This book is packed full of projects that will keep you sewing all year long. Several of her projects include a classic beach bag, holiday garland, coffee mug warmer, and even homemade slippers to keep your feet cozy while you're crafting. 

We made Susan's holiday garland out of a charm pack from "In From the Cold" by Kate Spain. We decided to use it as table decoration while noting using it to trim our tree. This project was quick and easy by using 2" circles strung together to create a bright and cheery string of colors and patterns - a wonderful project for any time of year. (I'm thinking of making one as decoration for my niece's bedroom will all my pink scraps. You all know how those 5 year old little ladies need their pink fix!)

Susan had a rare treat to share with those that joined us for the book signing...she displayed her original journal used for creating the book "Sewing For All Seasons". It was a fun treat to flip through her journal and see Susan's brainstorming process for each project included in the book. 

Our Couch was transformed by Susan's bright and charming string quilt featured in the book. 

We had another visitor in our shop, Susan's friend Amy Pepper Adams, a fabric designer under the name Penny Candy Handmade. She designed the 2014 calender fabric, as shown in the photo below. Susan's book has a pattern for a quilted wall calender using Amy's fabric. You can find her fabrics on spoonflower.com.  A great idea to add a new twist to your yearly calender! Instead of buying a paper calender this year display this creative cloth calender in your studio or office this year. 

This image of the fabric calender was borrowed from Susan's blog westcoastcrafty.com. 

Susan had a drawing at our store for the kit to create a wall hanging as well as free coffee cozy kit giveaways!  We had a fun time chatting with Susan about her holiday plans that have to include her favorite hot chocolate recipe. You too can find her recipe at her blog - keep your warm and cozy while crafting this winter! 

Susan is also the author of several other books including the following:

We would love to thank Susan Beal for joining us for our holiday book signing and encourage you to add any of her books to your craft library. 

Looking for a Quilt Back at a Good Price?!

Sale Fabrics featured with Crossroads pattern.

Getting excited for the holiday season to start? Come by The Quilting Loft this week to take advantage of our End of Season Sale with 5 shelves of fabric bolts on sale for 45% off the original price. You can receive 55% off if you finish an entire bolt - great savings especially if you are looking for several yards for the back of a quilt! 

End of Season Sale

The End of the Season Sale is starting today at The Quilting Loft. 

Featured here are fabrics from Studio E Fabrics and Marcus Fabrics. Also featured is an adorable apron pattern by designer Jamie Christina.

  

Been thinking of trying an apron pattern?! The Quilting Loft has several options to choose from.

Here at The Quilting Loft we are getting excited to dive into Fall and Winter. Our front entrance is set to inspire you for the upcoming holidays! Mean while, as turkey stuffing recipes and visions of handmade stockings dance through our heads.... we would love to treat you to some fabulous deals on some of our Summer and Spring time favorites at an outstanding 45% off! 

Receive the treat bag pattern for free with the purchase of a charm pack!

Home-made trick or treat bags made from Moda's new line, "The Boo Crew".  We have lots of pre-cut charm packs as well as some laminated cottons for creating weather proof treat bags in case Halloween is a little soggy this year. 

We have some gorgeous nature themed prints to help make your Thanksgiving gathering shine this year.

Come by and visit our shop before this great End of Season Sale comes to an end! 

 

The Quilting Loft Welcomes Fall with a Super Stash Sale! Oct 18th - 28th.

Come celebrate our Fall sale from October 18th - October 28th. We will have a large selection of  designer fabrics on sale for you! All Bolts shown will be 45% off, 1/2 yard cut minimum. If you finish the bolt you will receive 55% off - amazing savings! 

 

Get started on crafting holiday gifts early this year!

Know someone who has always wanted to start quilting?! Invite them to start NOW!

  

Looking for something fun and bright to add to your stash?!

 

Always wanted an adorable apron to wear on a cozy Fall day?!

 

Yes! ALL fabrics featured are 45% OFF!

We have lots of exciting patterns and projects to choose from to turn these beautiful fabrics into gorgeous home-made gifts, purses, pillows, pajamas, quilts and more! Remember the sale is on from OCTOBER 18th - 28th so hurry in while supplies last!

Teeny Pack Clutch Mini Tutorial

Here's another project that you can make with just 1 teeny pack and a bit of batting (flower is a separate bit of bling.)

This clutch can take on many different looks depending on the fabrics you choose.  Add the wrist strap or not.  Great as a little purse or for keeping small items separate in a larger tote or a suitcase.

Choose your own embellishments (pins, button, etc.) or leave it simple!

 Materials:

1 Teeny Pack

Scrap of batting approx. 11" x 20"

Large sew-in snap or 1 1/2" piece of velcro

Coordinating thread

Cutting:

1. Open up the teeny pack and iron all of the fabrics.  Choose 1 fabric for the flap. 
2. Trim the flap fabric to 9"  x 10 1/2" and then cut it down the middle for 2 pieces measuring 4 1/2" x 10 1/2".  Set aside.
3. Layer the 4 remaining fabrics on top of each other and cut/straighten one long edge.  Cut 4 strips, each 2" wide. 
4. Using a 1/4" seam allowance, sew 2 sets of 7 strips each along the long edges, in any order you wish.  Press the seam allowances in one direction.
5. Trim both sets to 10 1/2" wide by 10" tall.
6. Pin flap to top edge of pieced fabric right sides together.  Sew across using a 1/4 " seam allowance.  Repeat for other piece.
7. Press seam allowances toward flap fabrics.
8. Set one unit aside.
9. Pin 2nd unit to the piece of batting.  Quilt as desired.  We quilted ours by stitching in the ditch on the strips, and basting around the flap edges.  Trim batting even with fabric.
10. If you wish to add an embellishment strip across the flap, and/or a wrist strap, prepare the 2 remaining fabric strips as follows in step 11.  If not, continue to step 13.
11. Fold each strip in half, wrong sides together along the long edges and press.  Open up and fold each raw edge toward the center crease and press.  Fold the strips in half along the long edge so that the raw edges are hidden.   Pin the embellishment strip to the right side of the quilted flap and stitch down.  We used a large zigzag stitch.   
12. Topstitch the wrist strap piece as desired.  Baste wrist strap to the left side of the quilted piece, about 1/2" below the flap seam, raw edges aligned, and loop of strap laying against quilted bag.
13. Pin quilted piece and un-quilted piece right sides together.  Using a 1/4" seam allowance, sew around the clutch leaving a 4" opening along the long edge opposite the strap.  Trim the corners to reduce bulk.
14. Turn the clutch inside out through the opening and slip stitch the opening closed.
15. Press the bag.
16. Fold the bottom up to 1/2" below the flap so that the quilted side is the outside.  Stitch each side seam about 1/8" from the finished edges to create the clutch.  Topstitch the flap edges as well, if you desire.
17. Attach a large sew-on snap or pieces of Velcro to the underside of the flap and the outside of the clutch pocket for a closure.

(view of opened clutch with sew on snap and wrist strap)

(view of outside of clutch with embellishments)

(embellishment strip sewn on with large zigzag stitch)

(flower embellishment made with Clover Kanzashi Flower Maker, Pointed Petal, Size Lg, Osnaberg fabric, and Dritz Craft Cover Button size 7/8".  Fabric covered button is sewn onto flower.  A pin pack was hand sewn to the flower and the flower was then pinned to the clutch.)

 Thanks for joining us for another tutorial using our fun little "Teeny Packs".  Hope to see you at the shop!

TQL Card Case with Pockets Tutorial

 

     If you've been by the shop lately you may have noticed the cute little fabric bundles we've created to entice you when you're getting your fabric cut or waiting at the register.  We call them "teeny packs" and they are so much fun.  Five coordinating fabrics, each about the size of a piece of paper, and calorie free to boot! We are constantly thinking up different ideas for these and decided that it's time to turn a few of these ideas into tutorials for you, our fantastic customers! 

     Our first "teeny pack tutorial" (and our first blog tutorial ever) is for this cute card case with 2 pockets on each side and a simple elastic and button closure.  It's a fantastic little wallet for all those cards we seem to accumulate, a great gift to make for friends, and a wonderful use of a teeny pack.  You can actually make 2 from one of our packs!  The case measures about 3 1/8" x 4 1/8" and holds lots of cards or just a few, you decide!

     So let's get started!

Project Supplies:

1 "Teeny Pack"

1/4 yard fusible interfacing (makes 2 cases).  We use SF101 by Pellon.

6" piece of 1/8" elastic (or 2 elastic hairbands)

1 button (we prefer a button at least 1/2" in diameter or as large as 1")

Fabric Prep:

1. Open up your teeny pack and decide which fabrics you would like to use.  Our card case uses a main or outer fabric, a different fabric for the lining, and a third fabric for both pockets.  You can be the designer!
2. Press each piece.
3. From the main/outer fabric, cut 1  - 4 3/4" x 7" rectangle.  You can "fussy cut" your piece or cut from one half if you want to make another card case.
4. From the lining, cut 1 - 4 3/4" x 7" rectangle.
5. From the pocket fabric cut 2 - 4 3/4" x 8 1/2" rectangles.
6. From the interfacing cut 2  - 4" x 6 1/4" rectangles (for the main and lining fabrics) and 2 - 4" x 7 3/4" rectangles (for the pockets.) 
7. Following the manufacturer's directions, fuse the interfacing pieces to each fabric piece.

Sewing:

* Please note, we will use a 1/4" seam allowance throughout this project.

1. Measure 2 1/4" down along the 8 1/2" sides of the pocket and mark on both sides.  (We will work on one pocket and then you will follow the directions again for the second pocket.)
2. Fold fabric, wrong sides together, at the 2 1/4" mark and press.

  

3.  Topstitch close to folded edge.

4.  On the lining, measure up 2 7/8" on each 6 1/4" side and make a mark.

5.  Measure down 1 7/8" from the folded edge of the pocket and draw a line from edge to edge with           an erasable marking pen or pencil.  Lay the pocket on top of the lining, matching the folded edge with the marks on the lining.  Pin in place.  Stitch across the marked line.  (This creates a "bottom" for the card pocket.)          

(oops...forgot about getting a manicure!)

         (Top and side edges of pocket are not stitched down.)

         (Back side of lining and pocket.)

 

6.  Measure up 2 3/8" from the bottom of the pocket and draw a line across it.  Fold on the line, wrong sides together and press.

7.  Topstitch close to the folded edge.  Be careful not to catch the lining while topstitching.

8.  Grab hold of the fold that you just topstitched and fold it up toward the first finished edge until the pocket and lining bottom raw edges meet.  Pin in place and press.  

9.  Baste around both sides and the bottom of the pocket piece. 

     (One side done, one side to go!)   

     

10.  Repeat steps 1 - 9 for the other pocket on the other end of the lining.

11.  Mark the center of one short end (4 3/4" side) of the pocket.  Cut your 6" piece of elastic in half.  If you are using hair bands use one of the hair bands.  Make a loop with the elastic being careful not to twist it and stitch it over the mark, within the 1/4" seam allowance, loop facing the pocket.  (If you are using a hair band, pinch into a loop and stitch in the same way.  You will have a smaller loop on the raw edge side instead of the 2 cut ends of elastic.)



12.  Place your main/outer fabric over your pocket panel right sides together.  If you have one side of the outer fabric that you would like to be on the front of your card case, align it with the edge opposite the elastic.  Stich both long edges but leave an opening on one side, in the middle about 2 1/2" - 3" long, backstitching at the end and beginning of the opening to lock the stitches in place.  This will be the opening for turning the case inside out.  (You can also baste across the opening with a longer stitch length, finger press the seam, and then remove the stitches before turning.  This may help with getting a nicer edge for topstitching later.)

 



(basting stitches) 

13.  Before stitching across the short ends, fold the seam allowances over and pin in place.  This will create neat, square corners on your finished case.  (I learned this trick years ago watching a sewing show on PBS and can't remember which one.  Thanks to the wonderful woman who taught me this!....Did I just date myself or what?)   

 

(clip the corner, but only the SHORT ENDS!)

14.  Carefully turn your card case right sides out.  Use a blunt tool to ease out the corners.  If your corner does not ease out square, you may need to poke it in again and push the seam allowance to the other side.  This sounds confusing, but try it!  Pin the opening closed. Please note that I have chosen not to discriminate in pin choice.  Just remember to only iron/press over the glass headed ones :)

   

15.  Press your card case flat, being careful not to melt your elastic loop!

16.  Stitch a fun button to the outside fabric opposite the elastic end.  Be careful not to sew the pocket closed!

          Hope you enjoyed our first tutorial.  See you at the shop!