Bijou Lovely & Brambleberry Ridge!

Hi there!  Today I just wanted to share with you a quilt I'm working on with Violet Craft's latest fabric line, Brambleberry Ridge.  

Violet's fabric collections are always some of my favorites, and Brambleberry Ridge is no exception!  I just love how it's romantic, rustic, modern, and a little glam, all at the same time!  

One of the prints I love the most is Rosemilk, with those sweet little flowers and metallic triangles.  I wanted to play up the triangle concept a little so I decided to create some paper pieced triangle blocks.  

I love paper piecing, it makes for such precise blocks!  It's pretty simple too, especially if you make a big batch at one time.

I added large strips to each triangle strip to offset it within each block.  This way I can show off all those pretty prints!

I've still got several blocks left to add to make this a throw sized quilt, but I like where it's headed so far.

You can read more about my progress on this quilt, along with lots of other sewing projects and tutorials on my blog, Bijou Lovely! 

Thank you to Violet and the team at Michael Miller for sending me some of this gorgeous fabric to work with! 

-Holly

MMF Kids Summer Craft Camp :: Project #1

Ok, so I know that on Facebook I said we'd have "celebrity" camp counselors, but we thought it would be fun to kick off craft camp with yours truly :)

 I created a project (with the help of our graphic designer, Jenn) for you to do with your kids that uses some very simple hand sewing techniques like the Running Stitch and the Whip Stitch. The downloadable instructions for the bean bags can be found here or you can click on the tower of bean bags below!

*Once you've opened the instructions, print them out at full scale and then get crafty with your kids!

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 Now, for the first MMF Summer Craft Camp Challenge... 

We want you to work with your children (campers) to sew up some bean bags with Michael Miller Fabric and then come up with fun games or activities that you can do with the bean bags. 

Here are a couple examples to get you started...

 How about Tic-Tac-Toe on the side-walk?

This game would require at least 10 bean bags- five in one color, five in a different color, and some sidewalk chalk.

*fabrics pictured above are from our Modern Basics Collection

*Supplies pictured above: scissors, pins, thread to match, dried beans, sewing needle, fabric fat 1/4's

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Or, you can make some sweet smelling lavender sachets. Wouldn't these make great gifts?

*Fabrics pictured above are coming soon...

*Supplies for the lavender sachets: scissors, decorative ribbon (optional for gift giving), thread to match, sewing needle, dried lavender, fabric fat 1/4's

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Here's how to enter the challenge... 

1. Sew a bean bag or two with your kids... and then brainstorm with them and come up with some fun bean bag activities

2. Help the kids write down their ideas and/or photograph them and then send them to us!

3. You can email the ideas and photos to kaitlin@michaelmillerfabrics.com

or

4. Post your ideas and/or photos to our Facebook page 

or

5. Tag @michaelmillerfabrics on your Instagram photos of the bean bags and use #MMFCraftCamp 

Two lucky campers will win MMF Summer Craft Kits with mystery fabric bundles and fun sewing supplies!

Please start sending your entries by August 4th. We'll pick our campers on August 7th at 4pm est. We'll also post MMF Summer Craft Camp Project #2 on the 7th! 

(I can't wait to share our Celebrity Counselor!)

Happy Sewing, Campers!

 

Rustique by Emily Herrick

The idea for Rustique started over 2 years ago as a tribute to my husband. He is all about the outdoors; Mountains, wildlife and hunting are his greatest passion. I wanted to design a collection that would include some of the common rustic themes that he enjoyed but in a way that was pleasing to me. I chose some of his favorite things: Deer, Antlers and Quaking Aspens, and mixed in some of my favorite geometric elements. The images and motifs are rustic in nature but the contemporary design and vibrant color palette are the perfect combination. 

I like to say that Rustique is a little bit Rustic and a little bit Chic. The masculinity of the Rustic sides shows through in Embossed, Adirondack, and Sharktooth.

*Embossed

*Adirondack

*Sharktooth

We feel the femininity of the Chic side with the florals peppered about in Yes Deer and Crosscut. Of course the color palettes differentiate the rustic and chic as well.

*Yes Deer

*Crosscut

One of my favorite prints is Park City. I like to play around with different design elements twisting and turning them to create a secondary image. The "Snowflakes" are the same deer as in the "Trophy" print. Using a hexagon shape gives this print a modern feel, while the touch of wood grain lends itself to the outdoors. 

*Park City

Trophy is my second favorite print. I enjoyed taking one element and mixing it with another. Changing the antlers into branches and adding the leaves and blossoms was one of my favorite creations. I love the tiny bits of color in the blossoms on each print. 

*Trophy

What's your favorite print? Maybe my twist on the Chevron or leaves?

*Feathering

*Leaf Press

Rustique fits in perfectly with the Adirondack/Aztec trend in design right now. Everywhere you look there's modern twists on these rustic designs. Several of my new quilt patterns were influenced by this design trend. My version of a medallion quilt is Jackson Hole.

The quilt is put together in sections and can easily be broken down into a block-of-the-month/week. 

Tuacahn was inspired by an aztec rug I once saw. I've been saving the idea for the perfect fabric and I finally got my chance to make it with Rustique. Once I realized how easy this design would be to piece I got started and didn't stop until it was finished. 

Scottsdale is a direct interpretation of a common aztec design and pieces together in a quick and easy way. 

I wanted to carry the deer theme into a quilt with Big Game and use fusible applique to create a simple and graphic design.

All of these patterns and more can be found in my online shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/crazyoldladies

For more information, please visit my blog, Crazy Old Ladies. 

Emily

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Please tell us which pattern is your favorite and we'll randomly pick one lucky winner who will receive the bundle of Rustique pictured below! 

Congratulations to our winner--

Sweet Dreams Quilting who said...

"I love them all but would start with Scottsdale. The fabric line is awesome!"

The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show

The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, which was started by Jean Wells (owner of the Stitchin' Post)in 1975, takes place every year in a small town nestled in the mountains of central Oregon. The town is named after the three mountains (the three sisters) that are visible from almost anywhere in town. Saying that it is picturesque would be an understatement- the big sky, gorgeous sunsets, snow capped mountains, towering evergreens and fields of wildflowers make this area so magnificent! And, the Sisters Quilt Show is unlike anything I've ever experienced... It is not to be missed.

*The main street through Sisters

*pictured above- the SOQS poster by Dan Rickards, Christine, Rob, myself, and the Stitchin' Post decorated with quilts- that the local fire service hangs early in the morning!

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Our Sisters Story 

Christine and I flew into Portland and then drove about three hours into Sisters. The drive was beautiful and, luckily, the car rental place gave me a map (I LOVE maps!) so I could check out the route and tell Christine exactly what national park we were driving through and what river we may have passed over- yep, awesome navigator ;)

*We may have been called "old school" by the barista in the Starbucks drive through- but, now I can picture exactly how to get to Sisters... and I can tell you all of the elevations and alternative routes :) Take THAT modern technology! 

First thing on Saturday morning, we attended the ceremony for Quilted in Honor where our friends, Rob Appell, Scott Hansen and Angela Walters all had donated quilts on display. It was a moving ceremony and if you haven't heard about Quilted in Honor and Operation Homefront, please head over to their website- they do amazing work! 

The Wish Upon a Card Project was also initiated at the Sisters Show and sponsored by Michael Miller! It is a local non-profit organization that assists with non-medical expenses for people undergoing cancer treatment in Central Oregon. For more information, please click on this link or visit their Facebook page. This year, the MMF challenge fabric was Beadwork.

*pictured above- Rob Appell and his designs

*pictured above Scott Hansen, Angela Walters and Kari McClellan

We spent much of the day on Saturday walking the show, aka THE WHOLE TOWN, with Violet Craft, Jen Carlton Bailly, Monica Solorio Snow, Elizabeth Hartman and Petra Anderson. 

*Pictured above- Violet Craft with her design, Forest Abstractions

*The Portland Modern Quilt Guild representing!!

There are quilts hanging on every business in the town- it was fun finding Michael Miller Fabric ones!

*Laura Gunn's Big Poppy (on the left) and Domino Dot by Violet Craft (on the right)

*Brambleberry Ridge making an appearance on the coffee shop!

My photos really can't do this show justice. Truly an inspiring experience! 

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I'll leave you with some wild flowers and some pretty Oregon clouds- 

Have a wonderful weekend and happy sewing!

xo,

Kait

Quilter Spotlight :: Sassafras Lane!

Sassafras Lane (aka Shayla & Kristy) have featured Michael Miller Fabrics on their blog this week! We love this so we thought we'd shine a spotlight on their patterns as well and share their gorgeous photography! 

 

Lombard Street looks so pretty in our Crayon Box Modern Basics bathed in sunlight and framed by leaves- so summery! This quilt is precut friendly and if you'd like to see what fabrics Shayla and Kristy used, please click on this link.  

**How cool is that pieced binding?! Love it!

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Next up, Churndash Court in Kiss Dots and Tiny Houndstooth in gray- and, in Shayla and Kristy's words, this quilt glows! I agree- they used such a pretty rainbow gradient...

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Euclid Avenue was created using our Houndstooth & Friends Collection in Lagoon... How great would this quilt be for the boys (or men) in your life?! Especially with Ricky Raccoon making an appearance :)

*Made a quilted by Juli Kieny

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Thanks so much to Sassafras Lane for featuring us this week- we adore you! And, MMF fans, Shayla and Kristy are planning to feature one more MMF project today so be sure to visit their blog- News from the Orange Studio!

Now, I'm off to the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show... I'll take lots of photos and I'll post about it next week. Have a great weekend everyone!

xo

kait

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