Category Archives: Free Patterns

you have no idea how utterly unprecedented you are

Left: TFiOS Clouds, 7″ Hand Embroidery or Applique

Right: TFiOS Clouds, 8″ Paper Pieced

While organizing the #TFiOS Design Challenge over on Fandom In Stitches, I could not resist designing a couple of patterns myself.

Ehem.

The Fault in Our Stars has been one of my favorite books since the first time it was placed into my hot little hands.

As well as being a beautifully written, it is also an extremely quotable book. With that in mind, I created two versions of the same image, both just waiting for Your Words Here.

The design on the above left will work either for applique or for hand embroidery.

The design on the above right is paper pieced, but will also work just fine if you’d like to embroider the clouds after piecing.

And now, a couple of my favorite quotes, grabbed from GoodReads.

“As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.”

★

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”

★

“Some people don’t understand the promises they’re making when they make them,” I said.

“Right, of course. But you keep the promise anyway. That’s what love is. Love is keeping the promise anyway.”

★

“The world is not a wish-granting factory.”

★

“You are so busy being YOU that you have no idea how utterly unprecedented you are.”

― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

★★★

I know, right?

Go Vote! Winner announced Tuesday on Fandom In Stitches.

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Featured Pattern: A Little Haunted, $8 on Craftsy

Black and Green

Between Heaven & Texas Blog Hop, Free Pattern and Giveaways!

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Well howdy, y’all!

I can say that…I’m a Texan! 😉

Welcome to Sewhooked and the Between Heaven & Texas Blog Hop for Marie Bostwick‘s newest novel by the same name! Each blog participating in this fun event is sharing a free 12″ star pattern made in a variety of techniques. You’ll find mine below.

Banded Star, a pattern to paper piece!

>>> Click for 12″ pattern <<<

..and because I can’t help myself, here’s the 6″ pattern!

Both patterns also available on Craftsy

This is an extra special post for me because just a couple of days ago, I had the opportunity to meet Marie in person at my local quilt store. She was signing copies of her books and very generously agreed to sign giveaway goodies for the blog hop!

As one of the bloggers for this special event, I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy of Between Heaven and Texas. This is Marie signing my copy. For you. That’s right, I’m giving away my autographed copy! Woo!

In addition to the autographed copy of Between Heaven and Texas, I will also be giving away a brand new copy of the book, straight from the publisher, a door hanger from Marie’s book signing tour AND, possibly my favorite thing, a 6 1/2″ signature block, signed by Marie!

There will be three winners (two books and the door hanger with signature block)…just answer these questions: Have you ever visited or lived in Texas? Where do you live now? (state or Country okay, no need to share your address!)

Winner to be announced Tuesday, May 14. You must include contact information to win. The book coming directly from the publisher can only be shipped to addresses in North America. Sorry, their rules!

Marie signing the block to be given away here on Sewhooked. Do you see my Banded Star peeking out?!

Marie showing off one of her quilts.

Be sure to visit all the wonderful bloggers participating in this fun event for free star blocks and great giveaways!

Monday, April 29 – Marie Bostwick, free pattern on The Quilting Gallery
Tuesday, April 30 – Michele – Quilting Gallery
Wednesday, May 1 – Bonnie – Quiltville
Thursday, May 2 – Pat – Pat Sloan (interview with Marie)
Thursday, May 2 – Kim – Persimon Dreams
Friday, May 3 – Melissa – Happy Quilting
Saturday, May 4 – Jo – Jo’s Country Junction
Sunday, May 5 – Wendy – Ivory Spring
Monday, May 6 – Victoria – Bumble Beans Inc.
Tuesday, May 7 – Vicki – Quilting Lodge Blog
Wednesday, May 8 – Melissa/Jake – Generation Q Magazine
Thursday, May 9 – Jennifer – Sewhooked (you’re here!)
Friday, May 10 – Jackie – Canton Village Quilt Works

Find all the stars here with direct links to each Blog Hop post.
Between Heaven and Texas Blog Tour Flickr Group…makes blocks and share your photos here!

Want to help out a great cause while enjoying the great free patterns from Marie’s Blog Tour? Make an extra star block and donate it the The Linus Connection! Any and all 12″ star blocks are welcome!

I have been an active volunteer for The Linus Connection for over 10 years. To date, I have made and donated approximately 300 quilts and blankets since 2002, many of them made from orphan blocks donated by quilters from around the world from generous quilters like you!

The Linus Connection is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Austin, Texas whose mission is to make and deliver handmade security blankets for children in crisis situations in the Central Texas area. The blankets go to children in hospital emergency rooms, in crisis centers, in foster care, battered women’s shelters, to any child who is in need of a little extra security in their lives.

Contact me for mailing information at sewhooked@gmail.com or visit The Linus Connection blog to find out other ways you can help!

About Between Heaven and Texas (from the publisher):

In this luminous prequel to her beloved Cobbled Court Quilts series, New York Times bestselling author Marie Bostwick takes readers into the heart of a small Texas town and the soul of a woman who discovers her destiny there…

Welcome to Too Much–where the women are strong-willed and the men are handsome yet shiftless. Ever since Mary Dell Templeton and her twin sister Lydia Dale were children, their Aunt Velvet has warned them away from local boys. But it’s well known that the females in Mary Dell’s family have two traits in common–superior sewing skills and a fatal weakness for men.

While Lydia Dale grows up petite and pretty, Mary Dell just keeps growing. Tall, smart, and sassy, she is determined to one day turn her love of sewing into a business. Meanwhile, she’ll settle for raising babies with her new husband, Donny. But that dream proves elusive too, until finally, Mary Dell gets the son she always wanted–a child as different as he is wonderful. And as Mary Dell is forced to reconsider what truly matters in her family and her marriage, she begins to piece together a life that, like the colorful quilts she creates, will prove vibrant, rich, and absolutely unforgettable. . .

About Marie Bostwick:

Marie Bostwick is the New York Times Bestselling author of eleven books, including the popular Cobbled Court Quilt series of novel. She lives in Connecticut with Brad, her husband of thirty-one years. When not writing or volunteering for her church, she enjoys quilting, gardening, reading, watching movies, spending time with her friends and family, and especially playing with her grandsons. Marie travels extensively, speaking at libraries, bookstores, quilt guilds, and at quilt shows. She has been a featured speaker at the Paducah Quilt Festival and the Houston International Quilt Festival. In 2013, she will be the keynote speaker at Quilt Nebraska.

Marie’s Web Site

Marie on Facebook

Marie on Twitter

More places you can find me:

Look for me on pages 10 & 33! I have a limited number of copies available in my ETSY shop.

Doctor Who? Stitching? Free patterns? What’s not to love?! Only on Fandom In Stitches!

We’re giving away a quilt to support The Linus Connection! Click the banner for details!

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Featured Pattern Texas Twofer: Set 1 (Paper Pieced), just $2 on Craftsy

Equality

16 Replies

Equality
a 5″ pattern to paper piece

click to get it on Craftsy

I tend to be very closed mouthed about my political beliefs. This is a place for crafts and happiness, right?

This one, I just can’t be quiet on.

So I’m straight, yeah, you guys know that. I’ve been married to the best guy in the world for almost two decades. I consider myself fortunate that I live in a country in which I can be married to the person I choose and I see a real problem with everyone not having the same choice.

That’s it. My soapbox. I’m straight, but I’m not narrow.

Learn more about the fight for LGBT rights at hrc.org.

Enjoy the free pattern and have a fabulous week!

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Shrinking Solution

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Get more Harry Potter patterns on Fandom in Stitches!

When Cheryl over at Cheryl’s Teapots2Quilting asked for permission to use some of my free patterns for an upcoming project she’s working on, I enthusiastically agreed!

What’s her project?

Well, you’ll just have to wait and see…don’t worry, I’ll share when she does!

What I can tell you is that she asked to use six of my Harry Potter patterns. She was planning to reduce each pattern to 4″, but I volunteered to do it myself.

All this happened at the same time that the hard drive on my laptop crashed. I have access to many of my files on my backup drive, but not EQ7, the design software I’ve been using for the last couple of years and I’m waiting for my laptop to be repaired and before I will have access to all my design tools. While I wait, I decided to try out Quilt Assistant, free block design software

I recommend this software all the time based on the experience of other designers I know over at Fandom In Stitches. It’s about time I try it out myself!

Now this software is not EQ7, and I knew that going in. I wasn’t expecting the bells and whistles of fancy design software, layout options, etc. QA is intended for individual block design, and if that’s what you need, and all you need, it’s perfect for that. I found it super easy to navigate and use and had redrafted several blocks using my original designs in a relatively short amount of time.

In addition to drafting patterns, you can also import a photo to follow, color and number images, as well as export and print different versions of your pattern.

Since most of the patterns I was redrafting were originally designed in Photoshop and not EQ7, I worked from my quilt blocks and “printed” my work to PDF.

I’m a picky girl when it comes to the way my patterns are presented. I like clear, concise lettering that goes left to right and top to bottom. If you’ve used any of my patterns previously, you will find they are all labeled this way. If a design software exists that allows complete control over labeling, I have not found it yet!

The following four images were generated using Quilt Assistant print options:

QA Print Option: Design at true size, no seam allowance added. Numbers generated with QA.

QA Print Option: Paper Pieced Pattern, no seam allowance added.

QA Print Option: Paper Pieced Pattern, Seam Allowance Added.

QA Print Option: Paper Pieced Pattern, Seam Allowance and Colors Added.

I printed to PDF as a paper pieced pattern with seam allowance but no color (third option above). I opened up each PDF file in Photoshop and rearranged the pieces so they would be as close to the actual piecing order as possible. In EQ7, arranging pattern piece placement on the page is an option before printing, one I use often.

I also deleted all the numbers generated by QA and renumbered each pattern myself so they would reflect my personal design style. I started designing back in 2004 using Photoshop for every step of the process. I still color and label all my patterns with it, even my patterns drafted in EQ7.

You will also find sewing order on all my patterns. When I first started paper piecing, I came across a very complicated pattern with oodles of asymmetrical pieces and no instructions whatsoever. It took me ages to figure out how it went together. Because of that, I started adding sewing order with my very first design!

Making it mine: How the Cauldron pattern looked when I finished editing.

Download the 4″ Cauldron pattern

In a nutshell, Quilt Assistant is free, it’s easy to use and you can share your patterns from it by printing them to PDF with software like Primo PDF or Cute PDF. If you want to make changes, use Photoshop or open source software like Gimp. Save the file as a PDF for easier printing.

The best part about this for me? Well, a couple of things. First, I got to revisit some of my older Harry Potter patterns that I hadn’t played around with in ages. Second, I get to share these patterns with Cheryl and look forward to her upcoming project (and I hope you will, too!). Last of all, as soon as I’m up and running on my own computer again, I can export these files to EQ format and edit them just like any of my other EQ7 projects!

Direct links to the magically shrunken versions of the above blocks:

I hope my little review of Quilt Assistant is useful to you. If you’re still on the fence about designing your own paper pieced patterns or about using design software and you’re looking to draft individual blocks, give it a try. It’s a nifty tool, it’s free, and if you decide to upgrade to EQ7, all your QA work is exportable!

Visit the Quilt Assistant Website

A footnote: I am reviewing QA because I want to and for no other reason, but if you happen to take up pattern drafting, consider becoming a Fandom In Stitches Designer! Fandom In Stitches is my all-fandom quilt pattern site featuring Harry Potter, The Hobbit, Doctor Who, Sesame Street and much, much more! All the patterns are free and all the designers are volunteers!

To celebrate the Tabby Face Block Lotto, use coupon code TABBY in my Etsy shop to receive 10% off your total order during the month of September!

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Time is running out!

Learn to paper piece with me now through December with my full-length video workshop available only through STITCHED. You get access to over 20 classes AND instructors and registration is now only $40! Click for details.

Tabby Thanks

9 Replies

It’s been a crazy couple of weeks around here. My sweet tabby, Tackett, just finished a round of antibiotics, with two prescriptions left to go.

We still don’t know if he has cancer, but we’re optimistic. He’s more vocal, more energetic and he’s eating more. ALL are Good Things. If it is the big C? Well, we will continue to take the best care of him we can and make sure he had the happiest life a fur baby can have.

As a small thank you to everyone that has sent love and well wishes, and of course everyone that’s taken advantage of the Tackett sale, which has helped tremendously with the vet bill, I want to share this free pattern, Tabby Face. It’s a simple pattern based on two of my older designs, Grumpy Cat and Happy Cat.

Tabby Face!
5″ Paper Pieced Pattern (5 1/2″ unfinished)

Also available on Craftsy!

Here’s Tabby Face with some spiffy Photoshopped whiskers!

Heh, yeah, embroidery would definitely look better…

Tabby Quilt…why not?! 12 – 5″ blocks plus sashing and borders would make a super cute baby blanket!

Quilt designed in EQ7

Use coupon code TACKETT right here on Sewhooked and in my Etsy Shop for 25% off your total order during the month of August. This special coupon has been created as a fundraiser for my beloved and sick kitty, Tackett. Tackett is a regular visitor to Talk To Me Tuesday and even has his own Facebookpage. The great majority of the patterns I’ve designed have come into life with Tackett sitting in my lap or on my feet.

Have you made patterns or projects from Sewhooked? I would love to see! Add them to the Sewhooked flickr group for a chance to be featured on my blog!

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Learn to paper piece now through December with my full-length video workshop available throughSTITCHED. Registration is now only $40! Click for details

A Happy Mother’s Day

8 Replies

Yesterday was an exceedingly special day for me!

A Huge, HUGE thank you goes out to Honey Bee Quilt Store for hosting my first-ever Trunk Show. A very special thank you goes out to my friends that came by to help out and cheer me on, as well as the multitude of visitors that so kindly came by to share part of their day with me!

I can’t say enough good things about all the people I was lucky enough to get to visit with. In the photo above, you see me with blog reader Sarah (wearing an awesome Doctor Who tee!!), who came all the way from Houston! We had a lovely visit and it was wonderful to get to meet her face to face. Thanks for coming, Sarah!

If you came yesterday, THANK YOU. I was nervous and excited and it was a wonderful, wonderful day. Everyone I met was so kind about my work and it was lovely to get to share with so many new faces.

As a special thank you to my readers, helpers and yesterday’s visitors and for all the moms out there on this Mother’s Day, I offer you this sweet pair of free patterns.

Pecking Chick and Sitting Hen

both are 5″ paper pieced

Here they are together, with Sitting Hen increased to a 10″ block!

Both mother and baby can be found on my Free Pattern page or by clicking the links above.

Have a lovely day and thank you all for the gifts you have given me by being part of my life!

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Shop Sewhooked and help keep the free pattern page free!

Register Now for STITCHED and learn to paper piece with my full-length video workshop!

Giraffe, Again

9 Replies

Giraffe, free on Craftsy!

Oh, hello Giraffe!

Mr. Giraffe wants you to know that it was his turn for an update. He was a little bit too complex before and there was just something missing for that added “cute.”

After drafting and playing with colors, I realized that extra something was French Knots. Horns, check. Eye, check. How fun!

Giraffe

For the most up to date version of this pattern, get it free on Craftsy!

a free 5″ paper pieced pattern

More Free Quilt Patterns

Giraffe replaces my original giraffe pattern, seen here as pieced by shaebay.

And, of course, a free pattern post would not be the same without a fun layout created EQ7! How about four giraffes and some fun sashing and cornerstones to create a unique and fun wall hanging?

Reminders:

In honor of my participation in the STITCHED Tutorial Blog Hop, get 15% off your TOTAL PURCHASE from the Sewhooked Shop during the month of March with coupon code MARCH15. Not valid on etsy or craftsy.

Paper Pieced Pattern-A-Day Garden Party Blog Hop

The Paper Pieced Pattern-A-Day blog hop is coming April 1, 2012! We have a full compliment of designers ready to share awesome free paper pieced patterns with you! I’ve already seen several of the blocks and they are all fantastic…just you wait!

Add your Sewhooked-related photos to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post!

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Lean to paper piece from me: Register Now for STITCHED!

Shop Sewhooked and help keep the free patterns free!

Show Me The Money!

One Little Turtle

4 Replies

Executive decision! You need a free pattern today.

Specifically, a free turtle pattern!

>>> One Little Turtle <<<

5″ paper pieced

(5 1/2″ unfinished)

I love turtles. There is just something about the way they look and move. They have always seemed serious and dignified to me.

I have a turtle niece named Frankie (above, sister to the famous Lily), and I myself have a small collection that includes hand-carved turtles, glass turtles, crochet ones, fabric ones and even some turtle jewelry. There’s even a possibility (a big one!) that I have a fair amount of turtle fabric in my stash!

One Little Turtle is an updated version of my original Turtle Pattern, still available on the Free Quilt Pattern page.

I hope you enjoy him!

This is a turtle I made several years ago from of a vintage toy pattern. He’s made entirely out of scrap fabrics. I call him Turkle!

How about a fun layout using One Little Turtle that I whipped up using EQ7 . Isn’t it fun?

Or, how about a table runner?

If turtles aren’t your thing, I had a pattern debut today on Fandom In Stitches…a 1967 Impala, inspired by the t.v. show Supernatural!

Don’t miss my newest Sewhooked Shop pattern, Ready To Play!

Reminder: Use coupon code QUILTMYPHONE in the Sewhooked Shop to receive the Floating Mariner instant download PDF pattern for half price as an instant PDF download with PayPal payment – completely secure shopping through E-junkie. This price is only good right here on Sewhooked during the month of February.

Shop Sewhooked and help keep the free pattern page free! (Craftsy Shop)

Add your Sewhooked-related photos to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post!

I hope you’re having a great weekend!

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Register Now for STITCHED!