Welcome to my day of Pat Sloan's Girls in the Garden Blog Hop! Pat asked five designers to use the patterns from her new series published by Bigfork Bay Cotton Company and make projects in our own styles (and I'm so excited to be taking part ~ I had a blast!) Well my first dilemma was that my "style" is kind of all over the place ~ I like it all...and I've come to the conclusion that that's OK! What I've always loved about Pat Sloan patterns (even from way back in the day when I facilitated the Sloanies Club at the quilt shop where I worked), are that they work well in a variety of fabric styles, so I decided to make a couple of projects :)
So remember I teased you the other day and said that I was working on something from cutting up this old wool sweater...
Well I thought it'd make a great background for a Cardinal pillow using wool applique. I used the Ava's Winter Flurries pattern and just chose some elements from it. I laughed outloud when I saw that yesterday Heather of Olive and Ollie made a pillow with the same cardinals! But hers is done in modern fabrics and I think just proves the point that these patterns play well with all fabrics!
I did fusible applique, and a machine blanket stitch with the wool, I think that works well to keep everything stable and it's quick. One little tip that I'd like to share... when doing the machine blanket stitch around multiple elements like the parts of this snowflake, sometimes it's easier to stitch around them all in one pass instead of a lot of starting and stopping (see how I just crossed over in the center).
And then fuse the center of the snowflake on and blanket stitch around that. Btw, I used an old scrap of batting for the snowflake instead of wool because I don't anticipate washing my pillow (and I was out of white wool).
Then I just loved this Amelia's Spring Delight design, and my foyer is in need of a new Springtime quilt on the wall, so I pulled some traditional cotton fabrics and I made this quilt top. All the fabrics came out of my stash and scrap bins, no new purchases for any of these :)
The pattern directions are very clear and they all come with a full size lay out sheet with the pieces numbered, so it went together in a snap.
I finished the blanket stitching, but I didn't get to quilt this one this week, but it'll be finished and hanging up in time to welcome Spring!
Then last but not least, I wanted to work with some of my more modern fabrics, so yesterday I hand appliqued this purple coneflower from the Chelsea's Summer Garden pattern and I decided that I needed to dress up my garden notebook.
Doesn't it look sweet standing up on a shelf? This was so simple to do. After appliqueing the flower I just added a little batting to the back, figured out where the spine would fall, and wrote the word Garden by stitching it in on my sewing machine like free motion quilting. Then a little hot glue and trimming, and she's done :)
Every year I say I'm going to keep a nice garden journal so I remember where I plant stuff (and what it's called, I'm terrible about that), now I have one all ready to go :) (This should not make me as happy as it is)
So if you've been following the blog hop all week over on Pat's blog you know that she's had us all answer a few silly questions (and you can read my answers over there today). Well I decided to turn the tables on my friend and ask her to answer her same questions ~ after all that's fair, right? So here are Pat's answers:
· If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you want poured all over you?
Yes I DID ask this one... and I do believe I'd have to go with Blue Cheese as it is decedent, creamy, and one I shouldn't have as often as I do!
· Who would play YOU in the movie version of your life. or If I'm in Thelma and Louise.. who am I and who is my sidekick?
I'm going to pick the movie as I LOVE this Chick Flick.. I'd have to be "Lousie" played by Susan Sarandon as I just ADORE her and she looks super in those sunglasses! My BBF Brenda B. would be Thelma. Although Brenda does not have Thelma's personality , she is the one I want with me as Brenda can get us INTO and OUT OF any situation and to anyplace we might need.. ummmm... want to go!
· If you were a car, what kind would you be?
I switched the 2 questions because you will see WHY I asked about Thelma and Louise... Vintage car ALL THE WAY and a powder blue 1966 Thunderbird Convertible is my ride of choice.. anyone have a spare to give me?Now the truly fun part for you! The folks at Bigfork Bay Cotton Company are giving away one pattern of your choice to one lucky reader of mine! To enter, please leave a comment at the end of this post. I'll use the random number generator to choose the winner, and the giveaway will close at midnight EST on Sunday, February 26, 2012.
Here's the rest of the Blog Hop line up for the week, visit everyone for more chances to win:
- Tues Feb 21 Michele of Quilting Gallery http://quiltinggallery.com/2012/02/21/my-day-on-pat-sloans-girls-in-the-garden-blog-hop/
- Wed Feb 22 Heather of Olive and Ollie http://www.oliveandollie.com/
- Friday, Feb. 24: Amy of Amy’s Creative Side
- Saturday, Feb. 25: Heather of {House}of A La Mode Fabric
Finally, visit Pat Sloan each day too as she shares her inspirations on designing “Girls in the Garden” and she’s giving away another full set of the patterns!
Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn
185 comments:
I am loving what everyone is making with these patterns!
Great idea to cut up a sweater. I am always amazed at how ingenious quilters are. Beautiful work!
I have always admired the versatility of Pat's patterns and once again you've shown with your creativity just how versatile they can be!
And I'm with you on the vintage car but mine would be a powder blue mustang fastback! WOOT WOOT
Great idea to use an old sweater. Will keep that in mind. Love your version and the journal is so cute!
Like all the projects you made. Especially the journal.
Darlis
darlisj@kinex.net
I love what you did with the patterns. Great job.
These projects look so good.I'm realy impressed and that notebook ...love it.Great patterns.
Thanks for chance to win.
Wow, so many lovely projects! I especially love the pillow -- so clever to use a sweater.
What great ideas especially the sweater it makes me wish that instead of passing old ones on or getting rid of them that I had kept them. These patterns look great and seeing all the ideas they do look easy to do.
Oh my goodness! I love that little book you made that is the neatest thing! Thank for the chance to win! BTW your creations are awesome!!
Wow, you were really busy! I love your projects.
Love that wool pillow! And wouldn't you know I cleaned out and donated a ton of sweaters just last week. Just goes to show that you should never get rid of anything!!!!
I loved that you used a sweater for the project, how creative! Love your ideas, very inspiring.
Betsy@LazyAranch@centurytel.net
Wow I really like your projects and to upcycle is the best....I also love the binder cover and will really think about that and using one of the cone flowers they are the best well those and stargazers.....have a great day.
Your pillow is so cute. I am a huge Pat Sloan fan and her patterns/books are wonderful.
Very interesting and cute use of the patterns.
Love the purple cornflower with the polka dot leaves - how cute!
You're right - it's time for a Spring time project to cheer up the hallway.
I love your pillow - what a great idea!
I love the idea of putting a sweater together with the gorgeous Birdie pattern and the blanket stitch sn*w flake. FUN! Blessings, Janet
Did you hear me SQUEAL this morning when I read your post!!! SO love the wool, the journal and YOUR Amelia is spectacular! Thank you so much for being part of my blog tour.. you are THE BEST!!! Smmoches!! Pat
I'm going searching today for an old sweater! Love this! I can't wait to copy cat....how creative is this!
Wonderful ideas on how to recycle fabrics and other types of material like the sweaters. Great creations. Love what you did wth them.
You've showed a lot of different ways and fabrics to use with these patterns! Very very creative - but mostly I'm impressed that you could get so much done in such a short time! I'd still be staring at piles of fabric!
I have a gray wool sweater in my closet...and I NEED a garden journal like that. Thanks for the great ideas!
Loved your creation and the recycling of the wool sweater!! Gorgeous!!
I love everything you did with Pat's patterns. The pillow is amazing, and I love the garden journal with that beautiful coneflower, and your spring quilt is so pretty too. WOW - my head is spinning!
Have Goggle problems with posting comments.
Grace
Love the patterns, love the pillow. I have gotten into birding and those cardinals are great on the wool background. I think I may be restyling some sweaters.
For choice of vehicles, I would pick an SUV with unlimited gas card (more room to carry home fabric purchases).
Your stitching is perfect! So even around those snowflake pieces! Oh, I really need one of these patterns and then I can buy some fabric to go along with it. I don't have much stash.
I love the cornflower and am ready to do applique. I do needle turn. Love your bright colors
I love the idea of a garden book...love the cover too!
What great ideas using these patterns. I especially liked the repurposing of the sweater. Thanks for a chance.
What talent!! Love how you made the patterns your own. Loving this blog hop, so much talent and fun in reading your answers to Pat's questions. Thanks for giveaway.
Gostei de seu livro!!!!
Obrigado pelo sorteio,mas me conta quem mora no Brasil tem chance?
liége
Yay on turning the tables on Pat and asking those really tough questions! I got stuck on the salad dressing question, as what I want and what I get is usually 2 different things!!
Love how you used and recycled the wool - that's why my room looks like it does. I don't throw anything out!! I've also used batting for small piece like you did on the snowflake and it works wonders!! Thanks for the fun today!!
Love all of your projects, especially the album cover, I would never have thought of that! and the pillow looks great, nicely done!
Your pillow is so adorable, and I love how that snowflake just pops off the pillow that way you have it sitting on the border.
Gostei muito de suas criações,DIVINAS! Só quero saber o que será feito do que sobrou da lã???Obrigado.
Dawn, I LOVE your creations. The Garden book is such a great idea. Thanks for sharing the great pictures. They were really fun!
WOW ! Your projects are all so very lovely ! You sure are creative ! The cardinals are just gorgeous !
I like how your mother's quilt is your fav.
LOVE that pillow!!! Thanks so much for sharing! And thanks for the chance to win a pattern!
Paulette
All the projects are so fun! Love Pat's patterns. So cute and doable.
LOVE the pillow and of course your interpretation of Pat's pattern. Nice job!
great way to use a sweater! and I love the notebook cover!
OH, you are so creative. Love what you have done. I love the garden journal. Thanks for sharing.
I have looked through some of your posts and you do beautiful things.
I love repurposing things!! I bought a few old wool blazers in brilliant colors at the thrift store a couple weeks ago-- they had a 10 items for $10 sale, so they were $1 each!-- am going to felt them and use them for a project. Your pillow is adorable!! Thank you for sharing your tutorial and for the chance to win! :-)
Dawn, love what you did with Pat's patterns. Your garden journal is a great idea.
You have used the patterns in such a unique way. Thanks for sharing and for the opportunity to enter your great giveaway!
It's amazing how different the projects look with the same pattern. Thanks for the chance.
Great idea to recycle an old sweeter. Thanks! :)
I love the pattern.
Ingenious idea using the sweater. The little cardinals just pop on that pillow. The wall hanging has a happy inviting appearance, and I love the cone flower on the notebook. It is inspiring to see what is being done with the pattern variations.
Great ideas to get the creative juices flowing!!
I love how you adapted Pat's pattterns. Your projects are lovely. Thanks for the chance to win a pattern!!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the wool!! I am also a quilter who uses from what I already have to make do. Fun blog to read. ~Jody R.
This was such a great post...wonderful ideas to make things so "untraditional". I should also make a fancy garden journal, because I have the same problem as you--not remembering what I planted & especially what they are called! Thanks for the tips.
Thanks for sharing all your fabulous variations for these fun patterns!! LOVE the idea of covering a book!! - Emma
I really enjoyed your rendition of the patterns, especially the wool sweater background! I see a variation of something like that in my future!-Terry
great projects! what a treasure of inspiration you are - I'm a follower now!
thanks for the ideas.
I love what you did with the sweater. So creative. Thanks for the chance to win a pattern. Hugs
I want to be a turbo Porche 911......and if I can't be that maybe I can win the pattern :0).
Love the sweater pillow too!
It's so fun to see what everyone does with the same pattern - such creativity!
Linda Kay
lksmith47@gmail.com
Creative is the word of the day. You have given me some food for thought as to what I would like to do with Pat's patterns. Love the notebook. I may have to cover one myself with a part of one of the patterns, may be a cardinal.
Great idea for recycling AND such cute patterns! I especially love the garden journal!
I really like how you made the wool pillow....so many ways to use just one pattern....
Dawn - I love your garden journal. Pat's patterns are great that you can just pick out one element and use it somewhere else!
Dawn, I love your ideas for the Girls especially the notebook
Just love the pillow! It looks so comfy and casual in wool.
cardinal birds are so lovely this time of year.
I love your pillow!! Thanks for the chance!
Wow you were ambitious. Love your samples
I love your cardinal pillow!
I love Pat's Girls in the Garden pattern. The beautiful cardinals on your pillow are gorgeous.
I love seeing the creations you made. Great ideas and variety. Thanks.
You did a great job on all your projects.
Excellent job! So much fun! thanks for the opportunity to win!
WOW, another great pillow! I love your garden journal, wish I had a green thumb.
WOw three great ideas from one blog! thanks for the Bonus' love them all!
Thanks for sharing your Machine applique "tips" for these cute patterns. I'm going to try that stitching through the center. Nice that the center covers all the stitching. Hoping I'm a Lucky Winner of the Girls in the Garden Patterns.
Oh my gosh you are so clever! Love your ideas especially using a wool sweater for the pillow!
It is so fun to see what creative people can do with a design. I too keep a garden journal and I like the cover you made, thanks for sharing.
WOW! You had so much fun and used so many different ideas that I'm floored. You are very creative!!! Love all the different ideas you used, recycling a sweater, your garden notebook and the pillow.
What fun items! I thought your pillow was a great winter ones done up in the wools. So this week we see Spring/Summer and now Winter. Wonder if anyone will choose Fall?
I love the sweater , now I have to get rid of more of my old sweaters, i was already shrinking and felting them at the Same time in the washingmachine to make cudly toys for my baby
Regards Miranda
I love love the cardinals!
Thank you!
Love your different takes on Pat's patterns
What an inspiration your pillow is. I will be on the lookout for wool sweaters at thrift shops. If someone gave me:robins egg blue 68 corvette..I'd be doing a happy dance!!
Chance to win one of Pat's patterns is also great.
CathyC in Alberta
cathyc1950@gmail.com
Wow! You certainly have been busy with Pat's patterns. I love what you did with them. Super nice!
Now I'm torn - wear my sweaters or craft with them... Maybe it's time to hit the thrift store! Love all of your ideas!
You've been busy! The wool and sweater is a fabulous idea and my favorite is Amelia's Spring Delight which looks great with all your stash fabrics.
I absolutely adore what you have done. I'm a new fan of wool applique, though I need to grasp the using sweaters and old jackets and such. Thanks for sharing.
I like the use of the sweater for the background.
Wonderful projects! You really made elements of Pat's patterns work for you in useful and attractive ways.
Loved that we have two different interpretations with the pillows! I see pillows in my future.
The wool pillow is great. I like your new cover for your garden notebook.
I love your pillow - it's cozy! What a great idea.
I absolutely love your wool pillow. I too feel Pat's patterns are so easy and adaptable. Can't wait to make all 4, I'm thinking about my foyer also!
I love the pillow you made. The wall hanging is nice too. I love the garden book cover it is a wonderful idea.
I tend to get "stuck in the box" when it comes to patterns. I am so loving all the "out of the box" ideas that everyone has!! Thanks for inspiring me to try new things!
Love the quilts you've done. Extra nice for me to see all the cardinals. My favorite.
Upcycling, wool, and quilting! Your pillow combined all three into a wonderful pillow, making your take on the Pat's patterns extra special! Not only upcycling, but making do w/what you had on hand. Perfect!
such a neat way to use someones patterns...makes us all want to do out of the box stuff...thanks.
LOVE your projects and Pat's patterns. Great job!
Love recycling the sweater into something that is so fun. Great way to adapt the pattern.
Love that pillow...wool sweaters beware...I'm coming for you. All those designs look great. Wish I had the talent to do them all. MS
I love that you made so many things with Pat's patterns. It's great to see what everyone created.
Reuse and recycle, gotta love it! Thanks so much for sharing your ideas and for the chance to win :)
Love all you did! Wow, what inspiration. By the way, I was just at a class yesterday. It was for a charger, or round table mat, and it was backed with batting. The teacher had actually washed one of them to show us that the batting came out beautifully!
Using the sweater was such a great idea - I love how it turned out. Your other projects were wonderful also. Thanks for sharing your creations and Pat's answers to the questions - fun stuff.
Wow, I'm loving all of your sweet comments ~ I wish you all luck in the drawing!
Diane ~ Thanks for the info on the batting :)
Just love that wool pillow
cheers
maggie
How cute that you showed the same pattern as the day before. I liked how you repurposed the sweater.
Love your pillow! It would look wonderful on my couch....LOL
Thanks for all of the ideas on how to use all the elements from the quilts in other ways.
Sandy A
Really liked the wool pillow!
I love the idea of the garden journal! We need one. Thank you for the idea. I would want the Coneflower pattern. It screams Summer to me.
I love the binder, it is really cool.What a GREAT idea...
I love the different ideas you kicked out for these patterns.
I love the softness the wool & batting give to this project, and I love your fresh color choices for the others!! Thanks for sharing with us!
Sew darn cute to use an old sweater! Love it!
I love the cardinal pillow and the garden journal. very cute and a great idea.
It was fun to read how you turned the table with Pat & had her answer some silly questions. Great use of her patterns!
-debby
crowefan0517@yahoo.com
Great idea to use wool sweaters for your project. Like how you used fabric from your stash. Love your garden designed notebook. I'd be so excited to win Pat's Patterns.
Wow, your projects are wonderful. Maybe if I make a garden journal like yours, it will encourage me to remember what I planted where.
I like both the charming pillow and the notebook cover. It is a great use of the cute applique patterns.
The use of the sweater in the pillow is great. i also like the cheerful notebook cover. Clever use of the cute applique patterns.
What great projects! I've never worked with wool for quilting but yours is beautiful!
This just shows me how veritial her paterns are when used with different mediums. I have to saw I love your cardinals. I hope I win a pattern. Thank you for participating in this hop.
The pillow with the sweater background is the best! Great re-purpose/up-cycling idea. I love the winter pattern the best.
Dawn, I looove your pillow! I have a nice stack of wool felt I bought in November, never had time to do anything with it. So cute. As you know, I'm not an appliquer, but these sweet litte birds could change my mind!
Love your projects. I would like to do a project in wool. One of these might just be the place to start.
love all your projects, the Garden folder is such a good idea.
love everything! really really want to win. thanks for sharing. janita
I have been inspired seeing how you made your rendition of Pat Sloan's patterns. I love the idea of using the sweater for your background. So unique. The cardinal looks absolutely darling on the pillow. Your Spring wall hanging is wonderful too - I think I need to get busy and make one too - lol. I love how you added the flower to the notebook too.
lovely patterns and your creation is amazing
Love your creations...so much fun.
I - LOVE - YOUR - PILLOW!!! So, so cute!!! What a great idea to use an old sweater, too!
Very cool...and using the sweater...brilliant!
You have been such an insperation to me with all you beautiful creations. Thank you!!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE your pillow!!! You girls are really opening my eyes as to how to experiment with patterns and utilize just portions of them to make something totally unique!
I really appreciate and enjoyed your forward thinking on this - your projects were fantastic and gave a new dimension to this pattern. Sign me up to win - I want to try some of this goodness. JudyCnNC
You really got imaginative with these patterns. Thank you for opening up some ideas and thanks for the chance to win.
Loving all of the projects! Now where is that box of old wool sweaters I put in the attic when we moved to Georgia!!
Loved how you did all of the different projects. Wish I was that creative.
Wow, love all the ways you used Pat's patterns. Never thought of breaking down a pattern and using it for different projects. Lots of good ideas here.
Beautiful work, love the pillow.
Pat has some awesome patterns when it comes to these flowers. I never thought about cutting up an old wool sweater but I have a cool wool blanket that I can use if I can find it. Thanks for the creativity!
It is fun to see how the different fabrics change the idea of the pattern.
Love what you did with the patterns. Would never have thought of the old sweater will have to remember that one. I'm really enjoying this blog hop.
lyn.robyn.smith@gmail.com
Your projects are awesome! I love that you used your old sweater and recycled it for your pillow. I love the color as well. I will have to remember your trick of just using batting in place of wool if I'm out. Your pillow is beautiful. Your spring wallhanging is gorgeous also. I can't believe you had all those great fabrics in your stash. Nice!
Thank you for your giveaway and a chance to win.
usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com
That's a great tip about blanket stitching across the flakes and adding the center later. I'm going to use that.
Well, I love all four of Pat's patterns! I'm enjoying the blog hop!
Love the border fabric on your wall quilt. So fun to see all these different ideas!
Your garden journal is lovely. Thanks for sharing your inspiration. I love the way you have used these patterns.
wow, fantastic!¬ The AMelia's spring pattern is my favourite also!
Love your use of Pat's patterns! Always good to make use of that stash
Awesome! love all of your interpretations!
I love the way the wool works in the applique.
The pattern you chose is my favorite of all and your pillow is wonderful.
All the things you made from one pattern is wonderful!
All the patterns look great. Wow you did quite the job using them in different ways.
Such inspiration - every day some new technique. I love the use of sweaters. And then you just took part of another pattern and used it alone on the magazine holder---love it!!!!
I love your take on Pat's patterns. The pillow with the cardinals is so sweet. I would love to have these patterns!!!
Good Job. Thanks for the tips.
Love all the patterns!! Thanks for including me in your giveaway.
Using the sweater was a really creative background. I love the texture that it provided.
I love the projects you made with this pattern. Very cute.
Very inspiring projects, I love them all, especially the garden notebook cover. I need one myself and chuckled a little at your enthusiasm for it. I thought hmmmmmm.....you mean if I wrote down what I did, i wouldn't be sitting here wondering....is it too early to start the zinnias or when did I set out the tomatoes.....
I love your creative ideas. You've inspired me to re-purpose some old sweaters that will never be worn again! What a cool idea for a garden journal! Thank you for the ideas and the chance to win!
I'm LOVING the cardinals ... they always make me smile, especially when they are on my deck eating the bird seed cornbread I make them in the winter time :)
Wow, great projects. I love the cardinal pillow...gorgeous. It's always fun to see how others interpret patterns and the wonderful ideas they have. Nothing like thinking outside the box. Thanks for the ideas.
You are so full of great ideas. Would never have thought of making a book to keep track where I plant my flowers. Good ideas.
Clever girl! Now if you could onyl get rid of squiggly letters that I cannot read....
LOVE YOUR BLANKET STITCHING!
ALSO, THE COVERED BOOK-SO NEAT!
THANKS FOR SHARING!
Anonymous above is: msstitcher1214@yahoo.com
Google is all messed up !!!!
Your pillow is super cute! Given the ending of Thelma and Louise I don't know that I'd want my BBF to invite me along on that trip!
Beautiful projects here. The cone flower and the cardinals, two of my FAV things in my garden!
I love your version of the cardinals, the wool is awesome! But my favorite is your gardening journal! what a great idea! I don't garden but I do keep a journal (sometimes!) and I would like to make a cute cover like yours!
Isn't this blog hop fun?
Love your wool pillow and what a great idea of using the batting on the snowflake! All your projects turned out so cute.
WOW, did you take Pat's challenge to the nines: 3 projects! thanx for the chance to win as well as all these great ideas! Yes, I too need to work on a garden journal.
I love, love, love this pattern! I enjoy birds and birdhouses and this is probably my favorite pattern of the group! Using your wool sweater is the great way to recycle also.
Hi!
Thanks for the giveaway! Your creations are lovely! My pick would be Amelia's Spring Delight if I could!
Take care, Leslie
I love all the things you created. They are very beautiful. Would love to win one of these patterns. Thank you for the chance. Joyce--ccarter13@windstream.net
Wow, that's a fantastic idea to use the old sweater.
The projects you made are fabulous. I love the pillow you made with the felt, I would never have thought of that but it goes so perfect with the "wintery" theme.
Pat's answers to your questions were also fun and I enjoyed reading them!
Love all your ideas! Never stop with just one!
I love Pat Sloan patterns and ABSOLUTELY love what you did with it. Beautiful work with a beautiful design.
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