Cabin In The Woods Quilters

Scraptastic Masterpieces from All Scrapped Out!

2011-10-25T09:13:00.001-07:00

What's the best part about making a scrap quilt? Oh so many things. Personally, I love looking at a scrap quilt and seeing the pieces of all the other quilts I have made in the past. It's a great way to feel like a responsible recycler. Putting something together that is beautiful from all the "trash" or "castoffs" you have leftover means less money spent. Especially if you can find a border print in your stash as well.

So what's the down side? Well... who wants to sit around all day and press all those tiny little pieces... and then stand around a cutting table and cut each one to the perfect size. Most people won't waste their time doing that not to mention the back pain. Some aren't comfortable with their colors matching skills. Some want that scrappy look but the only way they are willing to achieve it is by purchasing a group of fabrics that match and then cut the pieces. But doesn't that defeat the purpose of the scrap quilt? It's supposed to be made from what's left.

That's where All Scrapped Out! comes in. I designed a method of using your scraps... yes YOURS... without pre-cutting or pre-pressing and I teach you how to just grab and go and make a truly scrappy project ... or ... you some of the other fabrics in your stash and organize your scraps to make something that appears more planned. No one would ever know that you didn't plan the whole thing.

Here are the quilts/projects that are in the book. The patterns are complete and come with instructions on how to make each project your own to suit your needs. These patterns are all simple and suitable for a beginner but look complex enough that any advanced quilter will appreciate them.

This is how it all begins ... with a giant messy pile of leftover strips, fabric ends and binding strips. Dump it out and start playing. Grab some random strips and start making something basic.

This quilt is Spare Change and made up entirely of mismatched floral strips and plaids. From the looks of the pile of junk ... you might not think they would go together ... but as you can see they certainly do.

If you are interested in seeing what happens when you do something totally random with your scraps ... and all the leftover block and border pieces ... you can check out Scrappy Strings and Crazy Things.

How about throwing them into random color piles. Don't think twice about it ... just decide what color it is and throw it in that pile. I did that and Cascading Colorwash was born.

What if you want something that looks a little more planned? Not sure how to get your colors just right? You're looking at that random pile of color and thinking, "Yhey don't go together!" Well ... they can! Here is what happens when you find a leftover yardage of border print from your stash (something you maybe purchased without thinking at the local quilt shop on sale) and match the colors to the fabric like I did here with Equitable Elegance.

Or ... better yet ... just try putting those fabrics together anyway against your better judgement. This simple pattern, Color Block Brilliance, will do.

Here are two very simple and popular projects to make with you blocks of color. Grammy's Thread Box and its companion table runner are perfect partners of color.

If you are looking for something special to do with your scraps there is no need to look any further. Use an interesting border print from your stash and pull scraps to go with it. Bountiful Baskets and Diversified Diamonds are perfect patterns for any piecer. You don't need special skills either.

Think that you can't do this? Well ... quit thinking that because you can! I will teach you how. All Scrapped Out! is a perfect book for your library.

Money tight? I understand. What better way to feel good about your hobby than to use what's in your stash beautifully and effectively. I designed this book especially for you ... and priced it right. All Scrapped Out! retails for $15, contains 9 unique patterns and is spiral bound to lay flat. It's the best bargain on the block.

Know a quilt shop or guild that is interested in hosting a workshop or demo? Please contact me through my website: www.cabininthewoodsquilters.com You can also "Like" us on Facebook and hear all about shows and classes we are attending and new items as they arrive. All our books are also available through Amazon.com (patterns coming soon.)

~Penni

I'm All Scrapped Out!

2011-10-24T08:29:00.000-07:00

In March of 2011 I released my first book, All Scrapped Out!, in a what I hope will be a long line of fun and affordable quilting guides. Here is the cover of the book that premiered at the Lancaster Spring Quilt Show in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

All Scrapped Out! is a book about making a masterpiece from all those tiny little pieces you have been collecting for years. I wanted to start using my every-growing scrap collection but was very discouraged by the daunting task of cutting my tiny wrinkled scraps into nicely pressed usable pieces. I set out to design a quilt that could be made using my scraps without pre-cutting or pre-pressing them first. Seem challenging doesn't it.

It was so much fun... I designed 8 quilts... plus a little table runner in case you wanted to start out small. The best part about this book is that I used fabrics I scraps to make the blocks and only fabrics in my stash for the borders so I didn't spend any extra money.

Considering the economy these days, what better way to feel good about your hobby than to use what you already have without the need to buy new stuff. Let's face it... some of us have a real fabric problem.
So ... in my later blog posts I will show you what the quilts look like and also share with you some of the photos I have take over the last 6 months teaching at workshops up and down the East Coast. It's really worth your while to take a second look at all those scraps.

Keep checking back with us at the blog because you will be excited to see what else we have to offer and what exciting new things are shaping up in the new year.

~Penni

The Rather Blustery Sales Day

2010-09-29T06:23:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had the pleasure of hosting a booth at the Backyard Quilt and Craft Show in Middletown, Delware. The show was hosted by the owner of the Lil’ Country Shoppe in Middletown. It is not often that I do a retail booth, preferring of course to concentrate on the designing and writing of the patterns... but this weekend I made an exception.

On occasion it is really nice to be able to mingle with people and show them my designs. I love hearing your feedback. Some of you are even kind enough to make suggestions on possible future projects and I love the inspiration. Everyone seemed to really enjoy both the artisan booths at the show and the quilts under cover. But there was nothing they enjoyed more than the weather.

It was a beautiful sunny day with a gorgeous breeze. I think strolling along in the sun with a little wind on my face and shopping for quilt stuff sounds spectacular. I wish I could have joined all of you.

Unfortunately for me... I was actually running the booth. It was my job to make a presentable and inviting booth for you to want to stroll through. Someplace to linger and look at quilts and browse the pattern rack. This is quite challenging on a gorgeous and breezy day.

For those strolling along the “avenue” the breeze was wonderful. After all, the weather the previous day was sticky and hot and topped at about 98 degrees. So the customers couldn’t have been more thrilled to feel a little wind at their back... and occasionally their front.

But... for the lady with the quilts in her booth... The wind was a disaster. I could not stop the quilts from blowing in all different directions. They turned around... they fell down... they blew into people’s faces... into the pattern rack... and on several occasions caught the wind and tried to take both tents with them. At some point in the day... Susan, my trusty helper, and I just gave up trying to make a beautiful booth and were satisfied with not blowing completely away into the parking lot. When we left the show that day, after packing all the tents, tables and wares away... we felt like we had spent the entire day sailing on the bay... only without the relaxation.

I thought I would share with you the photos I tried to get of the booth... it was useless... but still a great story. I would also like to give a hearty thank you to all the customers who came out that day to meet me... you were all very nice and very generous and I thank you for that. I would absolutely love to come back next year with some new designs... however, I think next year... I will take Doris’ advice and set up behind the barn...

Enjoy!

New Patterns are so exciting

2010-09-21T16:04:00.000-07:00

Releasing a new pattern is always so exciting. Coming up with the idea is the easy part... and then sitting down and writing out the cutting instructions... that part isn't so bad. It's the writing of the steps that really get to me. Remembering to add every detail so that even a new quilter can do it. Ugh!

It's hard to think like a new quilter. I spend a couple of days writing all the instructions and then going back and adding the drawings just right so that the instructions are easy to understand. I check it and recheck to find all the mistakes... and sad to say... I usually find a new one each day. Then taking the printed copy up to the studio and start testing it from the beginning. First the cutting instructions and then the piecing instructions. It's very time consuming.

Once the quilt is done... it's time to take it to the quilter to get it completed and once it comes back and the binding is on... it's time to get it photographed. Phew! It's a lot of working putting out a pattern for you. But once it's out... I am just so excited to share the new design and see how much you like it.

What's even better? Putting out a new pattern with a brand new cover. I am standardizing all the covers this year on all patterns both old and new... and these are the new patterns from this year... the first to sport the new covers.

Of course... as of this posting... all the new covers are done. But I thought it would be nice to put to share only the new patterns from this year.

So here they are!

Don't you just love those cute little aprons? I had so many requests for table runner patterns... or small projects that can be complete very easily. So I made the aprons and the spools patterns into table runners for those of you who like that sort of thing... and of course we are showing off the new covers.

Make sure you stay tuned for the new designs coming out soon. Two new BOM's and a brand new quilt. I have the greatest job in the world!

Nobody's Perfect

2010-09-05T11:13:00.001-07:00

When you are the owner of your own business it seems the work never ceases. Ideas for designs come in the middle of the night and the desire to get them onto paper and begin that glorious stitching process tugs at me daily.

But... so does the desire to create a well-written product. So many quilters tell me that the patterns they buy sometimes are the worst written patterns. The instructions aren’t clear and diagrams are confusing. There just simply isn’t enough instruction included in the pattern. I have never heard anyone complain that there was TOO MUCH instruction. So I am constantly reminded that just sitting down and sketching out an idea simply isn’t enough. You must be clear and concise, you must provide adequate diagrams and you must make sure that your product is free of mistakes.

This seems simple and obvious but so many pattern authors neglect those important details. So I do my best to try to write clear and concise patterns with lots of instruction. I test each and every pattern to make sure there are no mistakes (an important lesson that I learned early on.) Although every now and then when I attempt a new printing on an old design I find little typos here and there... and I can’t tell you how frustrating this can be.

While rechecking a pattern for a new print run I found about three typos where I simply left out the letter on a word. I realize on the whole... this isn’t that big of an issue. But for me, it feels like I have let you down as a designer. So... I would like to say I’m truly sorry. If you have purchased a pattern and were forced to read through a typo... I apologize. I try to do a much better job of editing than the local newspaper... but alas... I am not perfect.

During the new marketing process that we are going through we are taking care to re-edit many of the patterns... just as an update. It’s always good to back over what is written and see if there is any way that it can be improved. I have actually found a few other things to correct... a few methods that I have learned over the years that are more simple and easy to use.

So if you are new to our designs I am sure you will find the patterns easy to use and simple to understand. If you are a faithful follower you will be pleased to see the new logo and new cover designs which we are hoping will make us more eye-catching to the quilting world.

Thanks so much for your support and patronage.

~Penni

To Quilt is Fab... To Design is Divine

2010-08-26T18:56:00.000-07:00

Hello Blog World.
Here at Cabin In The Woods Quilters we have gone through some enormous changes in the last year. The company has been rebranded. We have a new logo, a new wholesale website with online ordering, and new pattern cover designs as well as some new patterns.
With so many administrative changes in the past year... it seemed like the perfect time to spend some time designing more involved projects. During this time we had the privilege of designing a 13 month Block of the Month for Millstone Quilts in Mechanicsville, Virginia. The Civil War Sampler BOM was based around Millstone's extensive Civil War reproduction fabric collections and was enjoyed by 18 customers in just their store.
We have designed a lovely 1930's Reproduction BOM as well that will be available soon. We are also working on a collaborative project with another artist that will be out some time this year. So for us it's been such a busy year behind the scenes... with not a lot of new pattern production. However, the new changes are wonderful for us and every business needs some time to spend on the internal workings... preparing for bigger and better things in the upcoming years... and we are so excited.
So now that all the kiddies are back to school... it's time for us to get "back to work" on the pattern writing. The artist is ready to get back to the exciting stuff... bringing new designs for you to sew.
So let this post... our inaugural post on the new blog site... be the beginning of new and better things to come... and please stick around and make the journey with us.