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Byline: Lauren Lang

The Best New Fall Quilt Patterns for 2016

Kids are back in school and there’s a slight chill in the evening air these days. After a summer of sewing garments, my thoughts have finally turned back to quilts. Thankfully, there have been a ton of new releases lately for fall quilt patterns. It’s reassuring that I’m not the only one with the same idea!

The trends lately have been bright, bold colors perfect for autumn, and a pretty organic, bohemian aesthetic. I feel like I could see almost any of these patterns right at home in an Anthropologie (though any of these quilts would be far better quality than what they sell there!). Looking for a new pattern to kick off your September sewing? Here are my favorite picks.

Watchtower

This awesome pattern by Amy Smart of Diary of a Quilter is the perfect transition quilt for fall. It has tons of visual interest with all sorts of secondary patterns, and she’s styled hers in such beautiful warm fall colors. The southwestern vibe will totally bring a bit of warmth to those cold winter days we’ll be getting in the next little while. Available in throw, twin, queen, and king sizes. Download the PDF pattern for $10.

Fly By

I love the way the Fly By Quilt by Kristi Schroeder of Initial K Studio shows that simplicity never has to mean boring. This quilt comes in two flavors: pieced with gray and white solids for an understated focus, or with Me + You Indah Batiks, as shown above. Available in mini/baby and throw sizes. Download the PDF for $12.

Prism

If you love quilting with ombres, you know V & Co. Vanessa Christenson and her studio have outdone themselves again with SIX new fall quilt patterns. These patterns always seem like the perfect mix of throwback, farmhouse-style quilts with just enough color popping to make them fresh and modern. Prism is a generous throw size. Download the PDF for $10.

Up and Away Mini Quilt

So I’m pretty sure that Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill of Whole Circle Studio thinks I’m a stalker, because I’ve been hounding her on Instagram for months as she’s been developing this pattern. I’m so excited that it’s finally been released! Up and Away is an 18″ mini quilt or pillow pattern that’s entirely paper pieced. It’s going to be the perfect addition to my daughter’s room. Download the PDF for $9.95.

Printshop Pineapple Quilt

How cute is this bright spin on a traditional quilt block from Rita Hodge of Red Pepper Quilts? Rita created hers with the “Printshop” line from Cotton + Steel, so the colors are right on point. Make the quilt any size you wish, as the pattern is just the block itself. Download the PDF for $3.

Cinched

Specifically made for two jelly rolls (one print and one solid), this quilt by Amy Friend of During Quiet Time is a lot of bang for your buck. Using precuts is so smart, and I love how they come together to make some fresh geometric shapes. This is one of my favorite fall quilt patterns. Throw size quilt. Download the PDF for $9.

What quilty projects are you gearing up to make this fall?

From Indigo Dyeing to (Sorta) Self-Drafted Dress

From Indigo Dyeing to (Sorta) Self-Drafted Dress | Right Sides Together

Sometimes I think that inspiration is mostly just pure luck. Out of nowhere, my friend Allie from Indiesew asked me if I wanted to come over one day and dip dye some fabric in a vat of indigo that she was getting ready to throw out. I was all about it, but I didn’t have time to go shopping, so I raided my stash. Leftover from a previous sewing life of making and selling baby wraps was about 2 yards of Nani Iro double gauze, a natural undyed color with metallic silver dots.

I took it over to Allie’s and we got to indigo dyeing each end about 12″ up, giving it a cool ombre/splashing waves effect. The double gauze soaked up the dye like gangbusters, but the silver dots retained their metallic sheen. I thought that maybe I’d turn it into a skirt, making the dyed part the bottom hem.

Indigo Dyeing to (Sorta) Self-Drafted Dress

But when I got home, I noticed a piece of fabric that had been sitting on my table for four months: a remnant of Hermes wool and linen voile that my sister got me as a souvenir from a trip she took to Paris. I’d been saving it for a rainy day, and the blue matched the indigo dye in the double gauze perfectly. JACKPOT!

Indigo Dyeing to (Sorta) Self-Drafted Dress | Right Sides Together

I thought it might be cool to design a bit of a retro-inspired dress with this modern fabric combo, something like Roman Holiday meets Project Runway. I turned to a book I’d recently received for my birthday: Sew Many Dresses, Sew Little Time (affiliate link!).

Though this isn’t a book review post, let me just say that this book is awesome. I’m calling it modular fashion design: a bunch of bodices and skirts and collars and sleeve styles that you can mix and match (with some slight modifications for each) to create your own garment. I think it’s an awesome transition for someone at my sewing level: able to follow most sewing directions easily, but not quite at the point where I feel comfortable drafting my own patterns. I added cap sleeves to the lined classic bodice and created a gathered, calf-length “dirndl” skirt with my double gauze. After making a muslin, I also found that I needed to add a couple of extra darts to the back neckline to get rid of some gapping.

From Indigo Dyeing to (Sorta) Self-Drafted Dress | Right Sides Together

My biggest challenge in this garment was adding the invisible zipper to the middle of the back skirt, where there was no seam line (my seams were on the sides as I had to sew two pieces of fabric together). I had to cut into the skirt once it was sewn on, which was terrifying. There are a few minor hiccups back there, but pressing them out helped a lot.

Overall, I am SO HAPPY with how this dress turned out. I feel like it’s so classy but fun and cool, and I could wear it out for a date or to a wedding with no reservations whatsoever. I’m also really excited to try some more pattern designing (and indigo dyeing!) now that I have a bodice pattern that fits me like a glove.

From Indigo Dyeing to (Sorta) Self-Drafted Dress | Right Sides Together

Have you experimented with indigo dyeing?

Hey, Look! Over There!

It’s been a busy week here at Right Sides Together headquarters! Between jury duty and back-to-school festivities and activities, I can definitely feel the buzz of September kicking in just around the corner. Since that’s the case, I thought I’d point out some writing I’ve done elsewhere lately.

For the journal of the Craft Industry Alliance, I wrote an article about fair compensation for bloggers. I sponsor blog partners through affiliate links, sponsored posts, and banner ads, but in the craft industry there’s a wide variety of accepted practices — some a lot more equitable than others.

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For Craftsy, I curated a collection of some free rail fence quilting patterns uploaded by Craftsy members. I do a lot of roundup posts for them; I love supporting independent designers, and there are so many talented people out there. Offering patterns through Craftsy keeps their costs low and makes it possible for so many people to share their work.

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Finally, I haven’t really chimed in to the MQG discussion on copyright and derivative works (and subsequent backlash claiming authoritarianism and favoritism) in QuiltCon submissions, but I think it’s an important issue that needs to be addressed. If you haven’t caught up yet, the original MQG post is here, though it’s been edited as the discussion has gone on, along with some of the major responses here and here. My post from last year on The Modern Quilt Police sums up my position quite nicely.

Bottom line: art is, in itself, derivative. Asking people to pick apart their work and identify every technique and inspiration that they did not invent is, quite honestly, not cool. And this decision seems arbitrary and capricious, especially considering the amazing yet “derivative” work of some past QuiltCon artists. And those were the ones I thought of just off the top of my head, from my one visit in 2014.

I’ll be back next week with fabric deals and more sewing + quilting love. Happy weekend!

Under the Cover: Two Modern Sewing Books from Fons & Porter!

FCC disclosure: Fons & Porter sent me these modern sewing books in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

With all the recent news about sewing and quilting magazines being shuttered, it’s good to know that craft book publishing is still going strong. The Quilter’s Paper-Piecing Workbook by Elizabeth Dackson and Sundressing by Melissa Mora are two new modern sewing books from Fons & Porter that prove my point. With gorgeous photography, really fun projects with a modern aesthetic, and clear instructions from industry experts, these books are a perfect addition to any sewing library.

The Quilter’s Paper-Piecing Workbook is from Elizabeth Dackson, modern quilting’s foundation paper-piecing queen. She’s responsible for making paper piecing a mainstream element of many modern quilts, and her geometric patterns perfectly combine traditional and modern design. Her 18 projects in the book range from “Practice” (a lovely, non-threatening term for beginners) to “Daring,” and her sense of humor comes through in her approach to this technique. (My favorite part might be the introduction title: “A Tawdry Tale of a Girl and Some Paper.” HA!)

Overall, I think it’s fabulous how this book has a little something for everyone. Dackson’s tutorials for paper piecing are second to none, and it’s helpful even for experienced piecers to read the tips and examine the step-outs. But I also really like that there are more challenging projects for those who are up for taking risks in their quilt designs and a helpful “troubleshooting” section for when those points just don’t match up. And rather than printing the templates at the back of the book, the Quilter’s Paper-Piecing Workbook includes a CD for easy printing and duplicating. It’s a great all-around resource for paper piecers of all levels.

For the garment sewists, Sundressing is another staple in your book collection. Created by Melissa Mora of Melly Sews and Blank Slate Patterns, another industry powerhouse, this book celebrates everything that a summer sundress is supposed to be. It might be almost fall now, but I’m already planning my wardrobe for next year. The book is divided into sections for different styles of wear: everyday dresses, chic dresses, more formal dresses, etc. It’s fun to see how many different ways a sundress can be adapted.

I particularly enjoyed how Sundressing includes dresses for women and girls together. Obviously this is because I have a girl of my own, but it’s fun to compare the styles and see how they might work together. Mora explains in her introduction that a lot of the dresses in this book are modeled on “basic bodice blocks,” each designed to be customized via muslin for a perfect fit and to allow interchangeable skirts between designs. It’s a great, simple approach for those who are interested in beginning to alter designs for a better fit.

Ready to get back into sewing and quilting after a long summer? Dust off the machine, crack open one of these babies, and get stitching! Which one piques your interest?

Mommy + Kid Knit Pencil Skirt Tutorial (+ Girl Charlee BOLT Giveaway!)

FCC Disclosure: I was provided with beautiful cotton spandex fabric and social media promotion by Girl Charlee in exchange for creating this post. Be sure to scroll all the way down for your chance to win a fabric bundle from Girl Charlee! This post also contains affiliate links, where I receive a small amount from each sale. Thanks for your support!

Guess what: it’s back-to-school time! A knit pencil skirt is a classic item for dressing up for work or school but not looking like you’re trying too hard–and for the quilters among us who are TERRIFIED of sewing garments, it’s actually one of the very easiest things you can make. So here’s a knit pencil skirt tutorial for moms and kids. YOU CAN DO IT. I promise.

The major difference between pencil skirts for mamas and those for kids is that mamas have curves. Kids (unless they’ve eaten three pieces of pizza in the last ten minutes) generally don’t. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create a slimming, curve-celebrating skirt for you, along with a super easy pencil skirt for the little one.

You’ll need:
1 yard of cotton spandex knit fabric for you
1/2 yard of the same fabric for the kid
Approximately 2 yards of non-roll elastic, either 3/4″ or 1″ wide
A jersey sewing machine needle
Paper for tracing a pattern: I used Swedish tracing paper, but you could also use wrapping paper or paper grocery bags taped together

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