A Soulful QAYG Quilt Top : :

Just about two weeks ago I started this new Quick Quilt As You Go using a combination of Soulful fabric strings and large triangle cuts of my Soulful print, Floral Universe Plum.



This new qayg is so much fun! The large Floral Universe triangles make quick work of these 12.5" (unfinished) blocks and took just a single work days worth of sewing to have this quilt top to share!



This new block is an even faster sew than my go-to herringbone qayg that I so often use since it's such a quick make and because that scrappy look will forever be my very favorite! The simple addition of a focal print with the two directions of the fabric strings is a really fun variation!



I'm so busy these days working on the new studio and preparing for this month's Quilt Market, that I don't have time to put together a pattern to share. Now this morning I've decided that I'm not quite sure that I'm done with this quilt top just yet. Currently it measures 48" x 72" and I don't think I like this size. After looking through the photos I took I last week, I'm leaning towards shelving this one for a little while, and when I have the time I'd like to add one more row of blocks to each side to make a 72" square throw quilt. What do you think?



This full shot gives you the best look. Let me know what you think, I always appreciate your thoughts!

This morning I'm heading out to the hardware store and back to the studio to finish painting the walls again, after a big paint mix-up/set back yesterday. I plan to snap some photos to share with you all soon!

xo Maureen

A Mandala Dreams Quilt : :

Photographed at last! Back in May I quickly pieced together this Mandala Dreams Quilt, the free pattern designed specifically for my Soulful collection. I brought the top along with me to Spring Quilt Market to send back to Florida with with the AGF girls to have it quilted and photographed for the Soulful LookBook. They did such a beautiful job finishing and styling this quilt for the LookBook! Since it was returned to me, I've been meaning to go out and take my own photos to share here on the blog. Last night my husband and I finally made the time to take pictures of Mandala Dreams and a second newly finished quilt top that I plan to share later this week.

It was the perfect evening at one of my favorite spots for photographing quilts!

I won't go into too much detail about the fabrics needed to make this quilt, since you can download everything you'll need with wonderful instructions to make your very own right here -- http://liveartgalleryfabrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Mandala_Dreams_Instructions.pdf

Soulful seems to be selling fast, which is so exciting! Lady Belle Fabrics is currently sold out, but you can still find a few bundles and yardage available at Fat Quarter Shop and yardage at Fabric.com. Be sure to let me know if you make a Mandala Dreams quilt of your very own! And be sure to hashtag your Soulful sewing photos on Instagram with #soulfulfabrics & #maureencracknell :)

xo Maureen

Floral Universe and Soulful Strings : :

One of my recent Soulful zipper pouches inspired me to begin this new Quick Quilt As You Go project and I am loving it!



Over the Summer I spotted a similar traditionally pieced block to this one, likely on Instagram, and I put it away in my quilty brain for future quilt as you go use. If you happen to recognize this block pattern, please do share so I can update my post. I'm certain I saw something similar, somewhere.

While you can transform any quilt block into quilt as you go by simply quilting the finished block to a square of batting, I particularly love block patterns like this one that are perfect for the Quick Quilt As You Go method that I teach in my Craftsy class! With this method you sew your fabric strips and patches through the batting itself, creating the string patchwork and quilting it to the batting all in one step, with the quilting lines hidden on the reverse side of the cotton batting. Easy, fast and so much fun!



For my qayg blocks I'm featuring the Floral Universe Plum print from my Soulful collection with Art Gallery Fabrics with 1-2" strings cut from all twenty Soulful quilting cottons.





I love the combination of having a feature print paired with the super scrappy patchwork that I love so much! I'm not yet sure how I'll arrange my blocks, there are several great options, and I'm still undecided on if I'll use them for a new Fall table runner or if I'll have the time for a quilt. Once I finished the first four blocks, I particularly love the way they look set in this arrangement with the feature fabric on the outside. Just eight more blocks and I'll have a pretty great table runner! What do you think?



I'm excited to read your thoughts on this new project! In the meantime, I'm going to keep adding to my stack of blocks. Maybe I'll have enough for a runner and a quilt!



xo Maureen 

Zipper Pouch LOVE : :

I've been busy making zipper pouches and just as I figured after finishing up that first one, I am completely addicted! Each one inspires an idea for the next and so it goes... It was wonderful to take the time to sew these up this week, especially to have found the time to sew with Soulful! I LOVE my Soulful collection and haven't had much time to sew with it since it's release. I'm look forward to lots of Soulful sewing this Fall!



Out of all the zipper pouch making my favorites so far are these herringbone qayg bags. No surprise there, right? I made one using more colorful Soulful prints and a second using mostly the lower volumes. Both have fun added details -- colorful zippers, a denim loop with coral leather tassel keychain, cotton lace, and a Soulful fabric and felt flower zipper pull that I love. I made dozens of the tedious flowers for my Soulful Quilt Market display last Spring and I'm so excited to have found the perfect use for them!





These plus pouches are my first attempt at making mini quilt blocks to turn into zipper pouches! I used Nightfall and Garden Dreamer patch scraps paired with AGF denim to make these two reversible, quilted pouches. I think my two boys would happily use these!



I experimented with a sweet ruffle zipper pouch, as well. Quick Quilt As You Go made it super easy to add the ruffle detail. I'm excited to try this style again, perhaps with a Soulful and linen combination!



Each of these zipper pouches are lined with one of my prints and reverses to a different patchwork design. I think I found the perfect use for my endless scraps!







Soon I plan to add these to my Etsy shop, along with many more I'm sure. These are so much fun and will be perfect for gifts this coming holiday!

xo Maureen

Bundle Inspired & GIVEAWAY!

Choosing colors and fabrics is one of my favorite parts of sewing! This Summer I was ridiculously happy when I pulled together this group of fabrics. My new Swifting Flora BOHO had recently arrived and the intense aqua color had me looking at this fabric design in a new way. I started pulling from my various collections, new and not so new and I fell in love with this grouping of fabrics! So much so, that every week or so I plan to curate a custom bundle to share, along with an inspirational project and Giveaway. I'm hoping it'll inspire you to combine prints from my various collections for fun new patchwork!

So for this first bundle, we have: Swifting Flora Boho (BOHO Fusions), Clarity Moments Stellar, Deepest Purpose Intense, Crystal Awakening, Mandala Harmony Vivid, Stay Humble Sunset (All from Soulful), Lunation Dark, Bird of Night Mist (Both from Nightfall) and Wreathed Whiff (Fleet & Flourish) -- All fabrics are linked and available at Fabric.com!



The sewing time I enjoy during the school year came to a halt like never before this Summer, and so a chance to create something with this pretty bundle was put on hold until just yesterday. Since making a pillow is always so satisfying and a doable afternoon project, this was just what I needed to revive my quilty soul!



I trimmed four cotton batting scraps to 8.5" squares and cut a variety of fabric string widths from my bundle. Using Quick Quilt As You Go, I added my strips to the batting, trimming the access length away and attached my four qayg string squares to finish my happy, colorful pillow top!



I prefer to bind my pillows and I love the way my Stay Humble little half moons print looks as binding cut on the straight grain!



The pillow back is finished envelope style with overlapping layers of cotton batting and my Here & Now Purpurite print from Soulful. Peach & Plum is one of my favorite new Fall color combinations, I love it!



Stitching up this beautiful pillow was the simplest way to instantly regain my sewing mojo and express the creativity that this bundle inspired!



And I didn't stop there! I also whipped up another little drawstring pouch for holding our collection of amethyst crystals, featuring more of my crystal Awaking print because it's just too perfect!









Since my Giveaway for this bundle was first offered on Instagram and many of you don't use IG, I saved one bundle to Giveaway right here when I shared the projects these fabrics inspired, and TODAY IS THE DAY!

TO ENTER: Simply leave a comment letting me know what you'd make with this bundle! One commenter will be chosen at random this Friday (9/1) and will be contacted via email, so be sure to include an email with each comment.

Thank you to all who entered the Giveaway. This week's random winner is commenter, Brenda. Congratulations, I will be in touch shortly!

xoxo Maureen

Soulful is here!

I'm so excited to announce that Soulful is finally shipping to shops and you'll soon be able to see this brand new collection in person at your favorite LQS! It's also beginning to pop up in online shops, you can find the growing list on my SHOP My Fabrics page. Pretty please let me know if you discover any shops carrying Soulful so I can add them to the list!



Last month I traveled to St. Louis to show Soulful at International Quilt Market. I mostly shared that adventure on my Instagram but today I'm excited to share a little bit more here on the blog to celebrate it's official release!

I began planning my Soulful Quilt Market "booth" as soon as it was finalized with AGF. The first thing I purchased for my display was this beautiful embroidered canopy from Free People. This is the first collection I've created that includes so many gray tones and the sheer gray net would provide the perfect accessory to surround with colorful Soulful projects! From there I simply got busy making strike off samples, with the help of SO many talented friends, and gathering up things scattered about our home to include in the booth. Since Soulful at it's core is about surrounding oneself with things loved and treasured, the meaningful things collected by just living, it was easy for me to tell it's story with my own belongings at Quilt Market. For me that's what Quilt Market is all about, telling the collection's story is the reason I love going so much second only to getting to visit with so many wonderful friends. Merchandising has been a passion of mine since I was a young teenager, working my first retail job at a local clothing store who's owner trusted me to do window displays at a very young age. Looking back I realize now what a blessing that opportunity was for me, not knowing that twenty years later I'd be using those cultivated skills to present my own fabrics as an exhibitor at Quilt Market twice a year.



The color palette of Soulful is filled with soft, dreamy colors infused with a little magic in the form of purples and fuchsia and teal. After releasing my fifth collection I've realized that I have a bit of a whimsical flair that carries through each of my collections. It's not anything deliberate but, I think it comes from my love of fairytales and interest in discovering the true magic of everyday life. Plus, I love to add a little sparkle!



In addition to a focal floral, Floral Universe and Crystal Awakening the gemstones print, I'm excited to include a mandala print in Soulful. There's something about a circle that has always lured me in. Looking around our home, it’s hard to find a piece of purchased or thrifted décor that’s angled and rigid in nature. Most of the things we collect seem to be spherical, round, flowing, plus drawing mandalas is something I've done for as long as I can remember. Since mandala in Sanskrit means "Magical Circle" it was the perfect symbol to pair with these other meaningful main prints to represent inclusion, wholeness, unity. I'm so excited to have these prints to sew with!



I'll be sharing many more Soulful images, project inspiration, and behind the scenes sewing here and on my social media accounts in the weeks ahead. Be sure to follow along to see what I'm stitching up, and please remember to share your own Soulful makes with the collection hashtag #SoulfulFabrics!

You can see the full quilting cotton collection, plus which prints are available in knit and rayon NOW at:

http://liveartgalleryfabrics.com/soulful-fabric-collection/

I can't wait to show you the LookBook a little later this month and I really can't wait to see all of what you'll create from these fabrics! I'm so excited to share Soulful with all of you.  I hope you love these prints as much as I do!!

♡ Maureen

A Sewcial Bee Giveaway with Lady Belle Fabrics!

It's Sewcial Bee Giveaway Friday!  

Each Friday, throughout the Sewcial Bee Sampler sew-along community event that Sharon Holland and I are hosting together, we've lined up a new, special Giveaway with one of our amazing, participating sponsors! If you happened to miss the launch of our Sewcial Bee Sampler you can follow this link for all the info and can join us anytime - it's never too late to jump in!

Aurifil      Circa 15      The Intrepid Thread      Fat Quarter Shop      Omnigrid      Llama Fabrics      Color Girl     Lady Belle Fabric      Needle in a Fabric Stash      Dritz      Knotted Thread    Needle and Foot   Thread Cutterz   Stash Builder Box    Hobbs Batting

Today's featured Sewcial Bee sponsor is Lady Belle Fabrics!

Lady Belle Fabric is run by husband and wife team, Rob & Brooke. In their shop you'll find both bundles and single cuts of handpicked fabrics that are fresh, modern, and fun! Designer fabrics include many of our favorites -- Art Gallery Fabrics, Cotton + Steel, Free Spirit, and Moda, just to name a few! Lady Belle Fabric's goal is to offer the most gorgeous fabric as quickly as they can! 

Shop  *  Instagram  *  Facebook  *  Pinterest  We hope you enjoy visiting Lady Belle Fabric!

For this week's Sewcial Bee Sampler Giveaway, Lady Belle Fabric is offering the winner a generous fat quarter bundle of my brand new collection for Art Gallery Fabrics, Soulful! This bundle will include a fat quarter cut of each of the TWENTY prints that make up this pretty new collection!!

You're all invited to checkout SOULFUL with a special discount throughout this Giveaway of 20% OFF in the Lady Belle Fabric shop, available in both fat quarter bundles and as half yard bundles! Be sure to visit this amazing shop!!

In addition, Lady Belle Fabric is having a wonderful BUNDLE SALE! With 30% to 40% off clearance bundles, be sure to visit Lady Belle HERE --  http://www.ladybellefabric.com/

Enter to win! 

Here's how,

1. Simply leave a comment here under this post! (one entry)
2. Follow Lady Belle Fabrics on Instagram and/or Facebook! Just let me know that you do by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
3. My followers get a third entry! If you follow here, on Instagram, or on Facebook just let me know by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
4. Help spread the word!! I know that many of you already do, so I thought it would be nice to add that as another way to enter! Whether by Instagram, tweet, Facebook, pin, blog, etc... (optional extra entry)

That’s 4 possible entries! Enter now through Monday, June 5th at 4pm EST! The winner will be picked next week at random and I will announce their name at the bottom of this post, here on the blog.

* Note * This giveaway is open to EVERYONE! If you're a "no reply" or anonymous commenter, please remember to include your email address in your comment! 

A BIG thanks to all joining the Sewcial Bee Sampler sew-along and to those who entered our Giveaway! This week's lucky random winner is commenter, Amanda! Congratulations, I will email you shortly!

♡ Maureen