Honoring a Veteran: My Uncle

Recently I was honored to present my uncle with a Quilts of Valor quilt that I made for him. The Quilts of Valor organization is such a worthy cause. A Quilt of Valor is a quality-made quilt that is quilted, not tied, and it is awarded to a nominated veteran to say unequivocally "Thank you for your service, sacrifice and valor in serving our nation".

The quilt I made for my uncle is from a pattern that I designed called Ciara. I have made this quilt in a couple of other colorways and I love them all!

I originally designed the quilt for my nephew and his new bride, Ciara, and named it after her. 

Last summer I made another version in my favorite color of jadeite green. This one is all mine!

The Ciara quilt is available on my pattern website Thistle Thicket Studio. All patterns are $2.00 off during the month of February so hurry and get your own Ciara pattern!

Happy Quilting!

~Sharla

Ciara Quilt In Green

I've been very busy working on new samples of a couple of my patterns in preparation for a trunk show I am presenting in October to the Greater Kansas City Quilt Guild. I'm making new samples because I gave the original samples as gifts. Note to self: don't do that in the future!

I was excited to remake the Ciara quilt in this 50s green color (my fav color). It's so vintage yet so modern! This one is definitely staying in my possession. I've made three of these quilts now - a gray and cream version; a red, white and blue version; and now this green and white version. This quilt is so fun to make and really goes together quickly. 

Get your Ciara quilt pattern by visiting my shop --- CLICK HERE. I would love to see your version of Ciara if you make one!

Happy Quilting!

~Sharla

It's My Birthday Sale!

It's August and that can mean only one thing.....It's My Birthday Sale!!! My birthday is on the 27th so all of my quilt patterns in my shop at www.ThistleThicketStudio.com are 27% off. The sale runs through August so don't let the time slip by without checking it out. 

~Happy Quilting!

Sharla

Turning Point Is Finally Here!!!

I am so thrilled to finally announce the launch of my latest quilt pattern called Turning Point! 

This modern quilt is graphic and eye-catching. With just two bundles of 1 1/2" pre-cut strips and some yardage, you can make both Turning Point quilts featured in this pattern, a throw-size and a full-size quilt in a light and dark colorway!

The throw quilt is 64" x 76".

The full-size quilt is 76" x 88".

What I love about this quilt is that the strip piecing makes the construction a breeze. 

The pattern also includes a bonus pillow pattern and instructions for a pieced backing.

Get your Turning Point digital quilt pattern HERE.

Customize this quilt with any colors you desire and make it your own. I can't wait to see your version of the Turning Point quilt!

~Happy Quilting!

Sharla

Still Around

Yes, I'm still around here, sewing off and on. Time keeps marching on but my quilting projects can't keep up the pace. Now we are nearing wheat harvest and it's busier here on the farm so even less sewing is happening. 

I did enter a little contest our local quilt shop held this spring. The challenge was to make a fabric, selected by the shop, shine in a quilt. The only rule was that the quilt couldn't be larger than 40" x 40". 

As soon as I saw the fabric, I knew exactly what I wanted to make - a vintage hankie dress quilt. It's been on my bucket list since a fellow quilt guild member gave a program on vintage hankies before the pandemic and gifted each of us a hankie to upcycle. I had promptly pulled out four more hankies that coordinated with the gifted hankie and then set them aside on my cutting table - where they have laid ever since.

I found a You Tube video that showed how to fold hankies into a dress shape (search for origami hankie dress) and after making four dresses, I appliqued them to background squares. Since I was using the hankies as the focus, the only place to use the challenge fabric was in the sashing. But, the challenge was to make that fabric shine. I finally decided to ruche the sashing to add some pizzaz to the challenge fabric. 

I was happy with the way my hankie dress turned out. AND, I was thrilled when my quilt was voted the favorite and won the contest!

In other quilting news, I'm working on my newest quilt pattern called "Turning Point". I'm hoping to launch the pattern yet this month, so stay tuned!

Happy Quilting!

~Sharla

Introducing Mansu....

I am sew excited to introduce to you my newest quilt pattern! Mansu is named after my daughter-in-law and features a one-block design that when combined with multiple blocks creates this bold and vibrant quilt.

Mansu measures 80" x 80" and I made my test quilt using Slow Stroll by Fancy That Design House for Moda Fabrics.

The lattice and stars in this quilt were just screaming for custom quilting and I am in love with the lines that radiate from the stars and the circle design in the lattice. But this quilt would look just as great with a fun modern edge-2-edge design.

The Mansu quilt pattern can be purchased as a digital download on my pattern website at www.thistlethicketstudio.com. And you can save 20% if you purchase the pattern during my Pattern Release Week Special through Monday, February 13, 2023.

While your there, check out my other patterns. And stay tuned, I'm already working on my next quilt design!

Happy Quilting

~Sharla

More Reverse Applique Pillows

Here it is, already nearing the end of January!! And I'm still looking back at photos I haven't shared from the holidays. I realized I never shared the reverse applique pillows that I made for our family gift exchange. I really got in a sewing kick and made several pillows this year.

I shared a free reverse applique Christmas Lights pillow pattern on my website as a Christmas gift for my followers and these pillows were all made with the same instructions, just different designs that I found on free clipart sites.

I made a set of six pillows for various holidays/seasons throughout the year. Each of the background fabrics are strips of various widths pieced together.

The pillows are all 12" square so they can use the same pillow insert. That makes it easier to store the pillow covers flat and they take up less space.

I just love this Easter bunny pillow with his button tail.

I really like using Moda Grunge fabrics for the pillow fabric because it's a heavier fabric with the added paint on the surface so the background fabrics don't show through as easily. If they do, I just trim the excess away after I have machine stitched around each applique opening.

I made several different fall leaf pillows last fall for demos for the two quilting groups I belong to. 

On the jack-o'-lantern pillow, I appliqued the face on top of the reverse applique using black felt. I also appliqued the leaf using corduroy.

 

One last reverse applique pillow I gifted to another family member for their new home is this "All Hearts Come Home For Christmas" pillow. The wording is applied with a flocked heat-transfer vinyl. I added a black pom-pom trim around this pillow also.

I really enjoyed making all of these pillows and they were a quick and easy project. Did you make any gifts for Christmas this year?

Happy Quilting!

~Sharla