Ship n’ Sails Mini Quilt- A free Pattern

June 14, 2016June 14, 2016 ~ Bridgette@TheFamilyHearth ~ 10 Comments

Back when we lived in Kentucky, a favorite pastime of ours were Sunday drives. We lived a short distance from Route 8 which follows alongside the Ohio River for miles and miles. It’s a bendy, winding, hilly road with lots of scenery and we’d always end up at some roadside farmer’s market or one of my husband’s favorite ice cream stops. One particular Sunday we had a lengthy sermon we wanted to listen to, so we packed up the kids at nap time and drove down Route 8 for a couple of hours straight. Many of the barns we passed were part of quilt trails in the area, and I enjoyed spotting the different quilt blocks painted on the barns. (At the time I didn’t know what a quilt trail was, I just thought it was a cool barn trend of some sort..) Anyways, one particular block stuck out and I just thought it was the neatest of all the blocks… A patchwork ship with patchwork sails. We drove past it too quickly to really take a good look at it, but I was determined to go home and try to design my own ship using the same idea. Thus the Ship n’ Sails Patchwork Mini…I have had this mini hanging in my sewing room for sometime now, and was just recently asked to write up a tutorial for it. You can download the pattern and instructions here: Ship n’ Sails Mini Tutorial I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

If you have any questions on this pattern feel free to let me know, I am happy to answer. If you are on Instagram share your progress with #shipnsailsmini. I would love to see what you make!

xoxo, Bridgette

Market Squares Quilt- A free pattern

June 8, 2016June 9, 2016 ~ Bridgette@TheFamilyHearth ~ 4 Comments

Hello! Happy Wednesday!

I shared a quick step-by-step picture tutorial of this quilt on Instagram a while back, and am finally getting around to posting the printable PDF file on here. I wrote this pattern to work around the adorable little characters from Tasha Noel’s Vintage Market fabric, so I decided to call it Market Squares.

You can download and/or print the full instructions here: Market Squares Quilt Pattern
If you have any questions on this pattern, feel free to contact me. I am happy to answer. If you are on Instagram, share your pictures and progress with #marketsquaresquilt. I would love to see what you make!

xoxo, Bridgette

Jumbo Spool Pillow – a tutorial

May 6, 2016May 10, 2016 ~ Bridgette@TheFamilyHearth ~ 1 Comment

Hello! Happy Friday!

It is the most crystal clear and cool morning here. The kind of morning that screams at you to open your windows and do something useful. So, I am. I am drinking coffee and baking bread. The kids are excited because I told them they could play outside barefoot. For some reason, being allowed out without shoes is a thrill for them. I am writing this post to you while the bread is rising and between accepting barefoot kisses and lots of weedy flowers.

The other day I took my spool pincushion and turned it into a much larger version to make a fun patchwork pillow. I thought it would add a nice pop of color to my sewing room, but to be honest it hasn’t left Madeleine’s room since I made it.

Here is quick tutorial for it, so grab your scraps and let’s go!

What you will need:

2 strips of the same fabric both measuring: 13 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ – You will need to do this 5 times.

4 strips of neutral colored fabric measuring: 17 1/2″ x 3 1/2″

Poly-fil Stuffing

Instructions:

This pillow is sewn up exactly the same way that the pincushions are, so the instructions are exactly the same except for the first 2 steps, which I will write here.

1. Take one of each of your strips of fabric, and using a 1/4″ seam, sew them together lengthwise.

2. Repeat step 1 with the second strips of fabric, making sure to sew them in the exact same order.

Finish the remainder of the steps, just as you would for the spool pincushion starting at step 3.

I used Vintage Picnic fabric and linen to make mine. If you have any questions on any of the steps, feel free to let me know! I am more than happy to answer any questions. If you are on Instagram, share your picture with the hashtag #spoolsoftie. I would love to see what you make!

xoxo, Bridgette

Acorn Patchwork and Pattern

October 3, 2015October 3, 2015 ~ Bridgette@TheFamilyHearth ~ 8 Comments

October is here which marks the start of my favorite months of the year! That time of the year when you can add cinnamon and pumpkin to everything and it just makes it better. Mmmm….

I am still not sure what to expect as far as seasons go in Florida, but I know not to expect any of the wonderful fall weather that I am used to in Kentucky. I love Florida, but I sure am missing the trees changing colors, the leaves falling, the chilly breeze and that smell… that glorious smell of autumn. Thankfully, as I mentioned on Instagram, there are still Pumpkin Spice Lattes to be had, chai tea with lots of cinnamon, and caramel apples at our bakery. To top it all off, I was able to pull together a nice stack of fun fall fabrics… for something… for something fall”y”… something patchwork”y”…. but exactly what, I wasn’t sure.

Then one day this past week, I was outside playing with the kids and it suddenly dawned on me, I hadn’t seen a single acorn recently. Another one of those signature fall things I guess I had to say goodbye to. So, I decided if I wasn’t going to see real acorns, I could at least make one out of patchwork. I plan on turning my acorn patchwork into a pillow, and will share it as soon as I am finished with it. I think this block would also make a cute mini quilt or center table mat, etc. so I wrote up a quick pattern for anyone who may be interested in it.

You can download the pattern and instructions here: Acorn Block Pattern and Instructions

If you have any questions about the pattern, feel free to let me know! If you are on Instagram, share your picture with the hashtag #fhacornblock and/or tag me @bellbridgette. I would love to see what you make!

xoxo, Bridgette

Patchwork Bib Tutorial

April 13, 2015April 13, 2015 ~ Bridgette@TheFamilyHearth ~ 1 Comment

A while back I shared with you the patchwork bibs I had made for Madeleine. I really, really love these bibs. They wash up great, are made to last and are really quick and easy to make. I was in need of a couple of smaller ones for Finian so decided to write up a tutorial for you this time around.

On all of the bibs I have made I have used linen and cotton scraps. I love the clean look the linen gives and the way it helps the scrap pieces stick out, but even better it washes up amazingly! For Finian’s bib, I decided to use all pieces cut from Sweetwater’s collection The Boat House.

Here is the tutorial. Enjoy!

Patchwork Bib Tutorial

Materials:

17 scrap pieces each made into 1 1/2″ squares

18- 1 1/2″ squares of your solid color

6″ X 8″ piece of your solid color

2 – 2″ x 15″ matching fabric pieces (for the ties)

9″ x 8″ piece of batting

9″ x 8″ piece of cotton fabric (bib backing)

A printed copy of the Patchwork Bib Pattern

-Finished size is approximately 7 3/4″ x 7″-

All seams are 1/4″.

Instructions:

1. Using the bib pattern, cut the bib top and bottom out of your 6″x 8″ piece of solid fabric.

2. Lay out your squares as you would like them to be in your bib. 5 rows of 7 squares, as seen below. 3. Sew each row of squares together and then sew your rows together. 4. Sew the top and bottom bib piece to your patchwork square.

5. Lay your bib on top of your batting. Pin and quilt as desired. Add any extra little touches that you may want. For the little sailboat I drew it on with a fabric pencil, and hand-stitched over it with 2 pieces of embroidery floss. 6. Make your bib ties as follows:

On one edge of both strips, press 1/4″ towards inside.Fold your strips in half wrong sides together and press. Open up and fold each outer edge to the middle. Press. Fold along center line again and press.Sew along top and outer edge.7. Sew your ties to top of bib sewing along top edge of ties and making sure to back stitch a couple of times to hold it securely.

8. Keeping your ties to the inside, lay your bib face down on top of piece of backing fabric. (Don’t pay any attention to the back side of my hand-stitches. Yikes!)

9. Pin and sew around bib, leaving a small opening on bottom of bib. Cut excess backing fabric off and turn inside out. Press.

10. Finish bib by sewing very close around the outer edge of entire bib.

You’re finished!

If you have any questions on any of the steps, feel free to let me know! I am more than happy to answer any questions. If you are on Instagram, share your picture with the hashtag #fhpatchworkbib. I would love to see what you make!

Until next time…

xoxo, Bridgette

Hair Bow Doll Quilt Tutorial

March 10, 2015March 11, 2015 ~ Bridgette@TheFamilyHearth ~ 3 Comments

Madeleine received a doll bed for her birthday this past weekend. The doll bed is so cute and her dolls have had more naps than ever. The only thing their naps were missing was a nice cozy quilt, of course! I wanted something fun and super easy, so this is what I came up with. I love that the hair bows add lots of color, but still keep it clean and simple. It’s a great scrap buster quilt and sews up so fast that it makes a great weekend project as well.

Hair Bow Doll Quilt Tutorial

Finished quilt size is 20 1/2″ x 24 1/2″.

Each block measures 4 1/2″ (unfinished). All seams are 1/4″.

What you will need:

1/2 yard of background fabric (white)

20 fabric scrap pieces measuring at least 2″ x 4″

Tutorial is for quilt top only.

Step 1:

Cut your white fabric into 30- 4 1/2″ squares. Cut each scrap piece into two 2″ squares.

Step 2:

With a fabric pencil, draw a diagonal line across the back of each 2″ block.

Step 3:

Lay your white squares out 5 blocks across by 6 blocks down. Decide where you want each “bow” to go and lay your scrap squares on top of your white squares as seen below. (I recommend taking a quick photo of your layout before continuing as easy reference to remember which bow goes where. It helped me!)Step 4:

When you are satisfied with the placement of each “bow”, flip the 2″ squares face down on the white squares with the drawn line away from the corner.Step 5:

Sew straight over the drawn line to sew the small square to the white square. Do this for all blocks.Step 6:

Cut the corners off, leaving a 1/4″ seam. Open and press seams. Now you have a new 4 1/2″ square!

Step 7:

When all your blocks are finished, sew them together! I sewed the rows of six blocks together and then sewed the five rows together. Quilt and bind as desired.If you have any questions on this tutorial, let me know! I will be happy to answer them. If you are on Instagram, share your picture with the hashtag #hairbowdollquilt. I would love to see what you make!!

Enjoy!

xoxo, Bridgette

Spool Pincushion Tutorial

January 21, 2015May 6, 2016 ~ Bridgette@TheFamilyHearth ~ 16 Comments

I originally started making these spools as softies for Madeleine. She loves everything in my sewing room and can’t seem to keep her hands off the pretty spools of color. I dream of the days I can fill her little hands with all sorts of fun sewing items and tell her to have at it, but for now my little one-year old is going to have to settle for sewing softies.

After making a couple I ended up liking these so much I wanted one for a pincushion!

What you’ll need:

5- strips of colored fabric: 1″ x 7″

4-strips of neutral fabric: 1 1/2″ x 4 1/2″

Poly-fil Stuffing

Instructions:

1. Using a 1/4″ seam, sew your 5 strips of colored fabrics together lengthwise. Open seams and press.

2. Cut your piece of sewn strips exactly in half, so each half measures 3 1/2″ lengthwise.

3. Sew a neutral strip on top and bottom of each set of colored strips leaving a 1/2″ overhang on both sides. (If you are making the jumbo pillow version, leave a 2″ overhang on each side.)

4. On one corner of the spool, draw how you would like your spool to be shaped and cut around that shape.

5. Fold the spool piece with the cutout top over sideways and in half to use as a pattern and cut out all 4 sides of your spool piece.

6. Lay your shaped spool piece on top of your second spool piece*, right sides together, matching up seams. Pin.

*No need to cut around second piece until after you have sewn them together.

7. Sew around entire spool leaving a small opening about 1 1/2″ on top, or about 5″ for the jumbo pillow. (You can mark the opening before sewing for easy reference, as seen above.) Trim. Clip curves. Turn right side out and press.

8. Stuff to desired amount. Using a ladder stitch, stitch the opening closed. (Click HERE for an excellent tutorial on the ladder stitch.)

Now step back and enjoy it!

If you have any questions on any of the steps, feel free to let me know! I am more than happy to answer any questions. If you are on Instagram, share your picture with the hashtag #spoolsoftie. I would love to see what you make!

xoxo, Bridgette

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