Ellison Lane

Summer Sampler Sew Along: Block 4 Soft Serve Ice Cream!

2013-05-20T08:55:00.002-04:00

Hope y'all all had a great weekend. We had some good family time and even had a chance to get a rare family pic of the four of us!

Fancy dress, heels and all!

So are you ready for today's block?

I scream, you scream, we all scream for...

Ice Cream!

What ever way you like it, soft serve, frozen yogurt, gelato, or by the scoop, ice cream is the perfect summertime sweet treat.

Click here to download the pattern. (Then click the download button.)

Tips for sewing this block:

Label the parts of each section.
Choose a contrasting color for the spoon handle.
Remember that images are reversed in paper piecing so your spoon handle will be on the left when the block is finished.
When sewing the sections together, I found it helpful to remove the paper first with this block. The spoon should touch the ice cream.
Press after sewing and after joining sections.
Sew sections D + E then add C.
Sew sections F + B then add A.
Then sew DEC to FBA.

Be sure to add your pics to the Ellison Lane Flickr group! I'll be posting a sampling of everyone's blocks in the series soon.

Are you working on your mini for the Modern Mini Challenge coming up in June? All the contest details (and prizes) are coming your way tomorrow!

Happy sewing!

xo,

Jennifer

Summer Sampler Sew Along: Block 3: Cupcake!

2013-05-17T08:54:00.000-04:00

Cupcakes anyone? Today's pattern is a festive cupcake with a decorative topper, all dressed up for a party!

Click here to download the Cupcake Pattern. (Click on the link then click on the download button- you do not need to download dropbox.)

Tips for making this block:

Make the top section first. Start with the topper. Those tiny triangles sew just like every other piece in the pattern. They are small but you can do it!
Be sure to label your pattern sections so you know what colors to sew.
The pattern map shows where each section goes.
If you are worried about lining up your sections when sewing them together, sew them with a larger seam allowance (4.0) then check, then resew with a smaller seam allowance (2.0.)

Don't forget to use the #summersamplersewalong on Instagram so we can check out your blocks and be sure to add them to the Flickr group!

Did you miss the other blocks in the sew along?

Find them here: Popsicle, Lemonade Cup

Don't forget to add these to your Pinterest boards!

Three more blocks coming your way next week! Happy weekend!

xo,

Jennifer

Summer Sampler Sew Along: Block 2 (Lemonade!)

2013-05-15T09:04:00.003-04:00

Who's ready for more paper piecing? I'm loving the cute popsicles I've seen in the Flickr group. Be sure to add yours!

Today we're making lemonade! A cup of lemonade that is.

Take a long cool sip and sit back and relax. That tastes like summer to me!

Download the pattern. Print at 100%. (Make sure you click on the download button on the dropbox screen. You will download the pattern, you do not have to download dropbox.)

The cup of lemonade pattern is two halves. Choose a small print for the straw - a stripe cut on a diagonal would be super cute!

This block is very straightforward to piece. The only tricky part is when you sew the two parts together. You want the line for the top of the cup to match up when the sides are sewn together. To do this, place the right side of the cup, face down on the left, about 1/8th" down from the top edge. See picture below.

See where the seam ripper is pointing?
That is where you need to slide the top pattern piece down a little.

I suggest increasing your stitch length to 4.5 or 5 when sewing the halves together, checking to make sure they match up, then resewing the seam with a 2.0 stitch length.

All set!

Be sure to add your block to the Inspired by Ellison Lane Flickr Group! I can't wait to see your cups of lemonade.

And don't forget to use #summersamplersewalong on Instagram and Twitter! I want to be sure to see your blocks!

Did you miss the Popsicle Block, Block 1 in the Summer Sampler Sew Along?

Be sure to check back on Friday for Block 3 in the Summer Sampler Sew Along!

xo,

Jennifer

Zipit! Zipper Happy Land

2013-05-14T08:10:00.000-04:00

I love Zipit.

I really do. Jennie has the best customer service and super fast shipping. Plus how can you go wrong with all of those lovely colors?!

My latest purchase from Zipit.

Did I mention her prices? Super affordable. You can pick up this lovely rainbow assortment of 10 zippers for $6.00! $6.00 people! That is a steal!

I tend to buy 25 at a time in a variety of colors. Zipit makes it easy to pick and choose which ones you want with this handy color chart.

I also like the 14" zippers because you can always cut them down if needed and it's much easier to work with a longer zipper than a shorter one.

Pretty zippers add a bit of punch to projects and goodness knows I love color!

If you haven't checked out her shop in a while, pop on over and make yourself at home. Snag some zippers for a rainy day because you can never have too many and they're nice to have on hand.

Tell Jennie I sent you! :)

xo,
Jennifer

Summer Sampler Sew Along: Block 1 Popsicle!

2013-05-13T11:16:00.000-04:00

Hey y'all! Hope you had a fabulous weekend and all of the moms out there had a very happy Mother's Day.

Today kicks off the first day of the Summer Sampler Sew Along. It's a three week, 9 block, paper piecing series here on my blog. I'm excited to share these patterns with you. Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday there will be a new pattern for you to try.

All the blocks in the series are centered around summertime sweet treats. I have such a sweet tooth and summer just seems to bring out the best in tasty treats.

All of the blocks are 6" x 6" finished and are perfect for a mini quilt but don't let that hamper your creativity! You can take any of these designs and work them into a pillow, a table runner, a banner and more.

The patterns will be available for free during the sew along then will be available for purchase. They have to earn their keep! :)

Each pattern comes with a few paper piecing tips, the pattern pieces and when necessary, a map for the layout. Directions are not included in the pattern but tips will be given during this sew along.

If you are new to paper piecing, I encourage you to check out my paper piecing tutorial and practice on this diamond in a square pattern.

Print your pattern pieces at 100%.

Download the pattern here. (It may look crazy when you see it in Dropbox but once you download it and print it, the text will come out fine.)

Supplies:
1.5 yards background fabric (This is my best guess. I am using scraps.)
5-6 coordinating fat quarters for the blocks
ruler with a 1/4" marking - (optional but highly recommended: a small Add-A-Quarter Ruler)
thread (I recommend Coats and Clark Paper Piecing Thread)

First up is the Popsicle Pattern.

A double popsicle is doubly delicious on a hot day.

This block is made with Timeless Treasures Sketch fabric in Candy and the background is Kona Ash.

Start by cutting out your pattern sections. Do not cut away the seam allowance.

You will need to cut the two side pieces from your background fabric.

Label your sections with the colors for each part.

You need enough fabric to cover the patter sections and the seam allowance. Obviously this is an exaggeration but you get the idea.

Sew your sections in the numbered order.

Your piece should look something like this once the section is complete.

Trim the excess along the dashed line.

Lay out your pattern pieces and sew the sections together, pressing after each one. Sew the top and bottom to the middle. Press.

When adding the side pieces, use a scant 1/4" seam.

Ta-da! Your popsicle is complete! Now, once you make your block, please add it to the Ellison Lane Flickr group. I can't wait to see your interpretations!

Be sure to come back Wednesday for the next block in the Summer Sampler Series!

Happy Sewing!

xo,

Jennifer

Winner! Winner!

2013-05-11T16:02:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all of you that stopped by for the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!

This fun bundle goes to...

Kimberly!

I've emailed you Kimberly so check your email

and thanks to all of you that entered!

Be sure to check back Monday when we begin the

Summer Sampler Sew -Along!

xo,

Jennifer

Trying Something New

2013-05-08T21:37:00.000-04:00

I'm trying out a new way to deliver pdf files to you.

Here's a great beginner paper piecing pattern: 4" Diamond in a Square. It's perfect for honing your skills before the Summer Sampler Paper Piecing Series kicks off next week! Here's a sneak peek at the double popsicle pattern!

Let me know if you have any trouble accessing the download please!

Thanks!
xo,
Jennifer

5 Great Gifts for Mom!

2013-05-08T08:42:00.002-04:00

Need some Mother's Day inspiration? There are lots of quick things to sew for your mom that will make her smile. Here are 5 great gift ideas and tutorials to make it happen.

Does she sew? Bet she could use a new sewing machine cover or a needle book.

These drawstring pouches are easy to personalize and would be fabulous filled with special soaps or Old Red Barn Co.'s sugar scrub!

Does she burn through books on her Kindle or Nook? Find your favorite fabric to fussy cut and make her a snazzy new eReader cover.

How about a new mug rug and a pretty coffee cup? She'll think of you every morning.

Life is better with some pretty patchwork to snazz it up! Hope these give you some great ideas!

xo,

Jennifer

PS: You entered the Spring Into May Giveaway, right? AMAZING prizes!

Summer Sampler Sew-Along (Giveaway too!)

2013-05-07T08:59:00.002-04:00

Who's up for some paper piecing? How about a mini Summer Sampler Sew Along? With the Modern Mini Quilt Challenge coming up June 5-19, it's the perfect opportunity to make a mini and give paper piecing a try!

I love paper piecing - I'm talking about foundation paper piecing where you sew right through the paper. It's kinda like paint by numbers or sewing with a road map. If you're new to paper pricing, no worries! You can check out my tutorial on how to paper piece and give yourself some practice blocks to get started. Then you'll be all set to dive in!

I'm so excited about this Summer Sampler Sew-Along! It'll be a quick, 9 block series with new patterns every Monday, Wednesday, Friday for three weeks. Come join me!

Want to know what blocks we're making? Well, that's a secret but it's a mini quilt centered around summer sweet treats. The blocks are 6" finished and come together quickly. Here's a sneak peek at the first block:

popsicle block! Yum!

You can even enter this quilt in the Modern Mini Challenge here in June! There will be fabulous prizes up for grabs and this year pillows count too! Your mini quilt needs to be at least 6" x 6" and no larger than 24" x 24" so start planning!

Now, back to the Summer Sampler Sew-Along! This mini series will have loose tutorials. I will share some tips for each block along with the pattern. The patterns will be available for free during the series but will be available for purchase afterwards.

The series kicks off on Monday, May 13!

Supplies:
1.5 yards background fabric
5-6 coordinating fat quarters for the blocks
optional (highly recommended) a small Add-A-Quarter Ruler
thread

Now, if you've paper pieced before, you will know that having fine, strong thread is essential. Coats and Clark has recently launched a new line of paper piecing thread called Dual Duty XP Paper Piecing. It's the one with the purple label. It's made specifically for paper piecing and it's in limited release but you can find it online at Jo Anns.

Would you like to try some just in time for the Sew-Along? Sure you would! Coats and Clark is giving 3 lucky winners 11 spools (one of each color) of their Dual Duty XP Paper Piecing Thread, along with 12 spools of their Cotton Covered Bold Hand Quilting Thread. They're also including a surprise charm pack from Free Spirit Fabrics!

I am anxious to try this thread myself and plan to do a little hand quilting with the Bold Thread.

To enter to win, see the Rafflecopter below. Remember, there will be 3 winners! I'll announce the winners on Thursday. Good luck! Now, go pull your fabrics and get your supplies ready for the Summer Sweets Sampler Sew-Along!

PS: Be sure to enter the Spring Into May Giveaway here!

xo,

Jennifer

Enter below:a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!

2013-05-06T09:30:00.000-04:00

Yes, you know the time has come. It's the oh so exciting Sew Mama Sew giveaway day! Woop Woop!

I love this day, and I know you have a gazillion more blogs to visit to enter to win all the great stuff out there so I won't keep you long.

While you're here be sure to enter the other SUPER FABULOUS GIVEAWAY I've got going on and then make plans to enter the Modern Mini Quilt Challenge Contest here in June. Lots of inspiration and fun prizes coming your way!

OK so on to the good stuff! I'm sharing some of my Sew South swag with you!

Steam a Seam, Block Party Book, Generation Q Magazine, Patterns from Favorite Things and Kati Cupcake, Fabric from Andover, Fabricworm, and Free Spirit.

You do know about Sew South, right? If not, pop on over here and check it out. Don't worry, I'll wait for you.

Good, now that you're all pysched about joining me at Sew South next year (dates coming soon!) you can enter to win this giveaway.

Just fill out the Rafflecopter below. (Please note this giveaway is for US residents only.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck! And stay caffeinated! It's hard work entering all those Sew Mama Sew giveaways!

Follow me on Pinterest (I am addicted to pinning!)
xo,
Jennifer

Spring Into May Giveaway Day!

2013-05-05T08:22:00.000-04:00

With the arrival of spring and Mother's Day just around the corner, some friends and I want to help you celebrate with a big crafty giveaway. Enter the Spring Into May Giveaway for your chance to win one of six HUGE prize packs. The total of all prizes is valued at more than $2,200!

Janome Magnolia 7325 Sewing Machine • Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores

Fat Quarter Shop • Sew Sweetness • Aurifil • Pellon

Coats + Clark • SewCanShe.com • Andover Fabrics

Go To Patterns • FreeSpirit Fabric • Aurifil • Imagine Gnats

Sew South (Sewing Swag) • Kindle Fire (Blogger-sponsored prize)

Craftsy

To enter the giveaway, simply "Like" all of the Facebook pages below, and fill out the Google form letting us know you did. We know you will love them just as much as we do!
Make sure you only enter ONCE, because this form is shared on all of the participating sites. Duplicate entries will be deleted, and the giveaway ends Friday, May 10th. Good luck!
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No purchase necessary. For alternate entry, e-mail lindsay(at)craftbuds(dot)com with your full name and the subject line "May Giveaway Contest." The sponsors will ship all prizes within 7 days of the end of the giveaway. Giveaway ends Friday, May 10th at midnight EST. Once the giveaway ends, winners will be chosen using Random.org and contacted within 24 hours by e-mail. This main contest post at CraftBuds.com will be updated with winners’ names once we’ve heard back from them. Winners will need to respond within 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen. International entries are welcome; Some giveaways open worldwide.

BIG Bucket Tote Tutorial

2013-05-03T19:45:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you just need a really big bag!

This is my latest project for Pellon.

This tote has room for everything you need and then some! It was a packhorse for me at Sew South and came in super handy.

Those are two lap size quilts in there!

The full tutorial is over at Pellon Projects and is available as a PDF. I'm kinda psyched it will be on display in the Pellon booth at Quilt Market too!

If you make one, I'd love to see it!

Be sure to add it to the Ellison Lane Flickr group!

xo,

Jennifer

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day coming soon!

2013-05-02T10:35:00.004-04:00

Did you see that the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day is May 6? That's Monday!

Are you joining in the fun? I highly encourage you to participate. It's a great way to drive traffic to your blog and a great chance to win some fun goodies. So whether you're a blogger or a blog reader, it'll be fun for all. Pop on over to Sew Mama Sew to read all the details.

I'll be giving away some fun swag from Sew South so stay tuned!

Today I'm working on some plans for the Modern Mini Challenge coming your way in June.

I'm excited about the sponsors on board and the super awesome prizes you can win! Start planning your mini quilt and this year, pillows are included too! More details coming soon.

Happy sewing!

xo,
Jennifer

Patchwork Please! Sew Along. You In?

2013-05-01T11:43:00.000-04:00

Woop Woop! I'm so excited to be included in the group of talented ladies sewing through Ayumi Takahashi's fab new book Patchwork Please!

I love the projects in this book and they are so indiciative of Ayumi's amazing talent. She has such a genius way with fabrics.

Lindsey of LR Stitched and Debbie of A Quilter's Table put together a sew along and I hope you'll join in! There are lots of prizes along the way and inspiration at every stop.

Join the Flickr group, Facebook page and the Threadbias group and jump in on the conversations before the tour begins.

And don't forget to use #patchworkplease on Instagram so we can see everyone's awesome projects.

We get our project assignments any day now and I can hardly wait to find out what I'll be making for the hop. There are so many projects in this book that I want to try- it's so hard to choose where to begin!

The fun starts June 3, 2013.

So, are you in???

xo,
Jennifer

Giveaway Day! Christa Quilts

2013-04-29T21:27:00.000-04:00

Let's have another giveaway, shall we?

I'm excited to introduce you to Christa Quilts, my newest sponsor. Christa loves modern sewing, especially machine quilting, machine applique, and easy piecing designs. She has loads of fresh, colorful fabrics in her store (with FREE US shipping - SCORE!) and she's a prolific blogger too.

She's very encouraging and wants to help everyone find the perfect fabric for their next project. She has tutorials on her blog on how to complete a quilt from start to finish, including the quilting so you can dive right in with confidence.

Love solids? What modern quilter doesn't? Right now her weekly special is 20% off Kona solids.

Christa loves color and has a great eye for combining fabric into lovely bundles. These are perfect stash builders! She's got several 8 piece fat quarter color bundles in her shop, and she's giving one of them away to one of you today! (a $22.95 value)

To enter to win, use Rafflecopter below.

In the meantime, head on over to Christa Quilts and take advantage of the special discount code (ELLISONLANE) to get 10% off your order! Don't delay- it's a special deal, just for you.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The winner will be announced on Sunday. Good luck and happy shopping!

xo,
Jennifer

Kaleidoscope Block Template

2013-04-28T12:31:00.002-04:00

You may recall this mini quilt I made a few weeks ago for Jen, my Post Sew South swap partner.

A few of you have asked for a template for this kaleidoscope block and I aim to please so here you go!

3" x 3" Kaleidoscope Template

If you make something with this template, please add pics to the Ellison Lane Flickr Group. I'd love to see it!

Happy Sewing!

xo,

Jennifer

Bloglovin' Claiming my blog

2013-04-23T22:52:00.000-04:00

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Just doing some housekeeping. Be back soon!

xo,
Jennifer

Briar Rose Quilt Contest

2013-04-21T09:17:00.000-04:00

Have you seen the Briar Rose Quilt Design Contest over at Threadbias?

It's a contest sponsored by Pink Castle Fabrics, Windham Fabrics, and Threadbias! You use the Threadbias Quilt Design Tool to design a quilt using Heather Ross' fabulous new collection Briar Rose.

I love the fabrics in this collection! The whimsical designs are both sweet and fresh and perfectly capture the essence of summertime. I'm thinking those strawberry prints and the little bees would be fabulous for a dress for my daughter. PJ pants for me would be cute too. Not to mention all the other fabulous quilty things you could create with those fabrics!

You can read all the details on how to enter the contest over at Threadbias.

Heather Ross herself will choose the winner from the top 5 quilt designs!

Here's the quilt I designed and entered in the contest.

Here's a close up of some of the blocks:

I think they lend themselves to fussy cutting those adorable designs!

Fingers crossed that I make the finals. I'll keep you posted when the voting starts. Until then, head on over to Threadbias and check out all the details.

You should enter too!

xo,

Jennifer

Winners!

2013-04-20T18:35:00.000-04:00

Hope y'all are having a great weekend. It's a BEATUIFUL day in the Queen City.

Congrats to the 3 winners from the Christie's Quilting Boutique giveaway!

LeAnne, you won the 3 jelly rolls!

Samantha D. you won the $25 gift certificate!

Samantha, you won 25% off your next purchase!

Please check your email for the details.

I'll leave you with a picture of what I've been working on today.

You can find the tutorial here.

Happy weekend~

xo,
Jennifer

Circle 7 : A Traveling Bee

2013-04-18T10:05:00.000-04:00

You know how you see things and think, "Oh that's awesome. I'd love to do that" and then you sit on the fence waiting for who knows what to get you started? I've been ~~stalking~~ admiring the Traveling Quilts bee for months and then when the Stitch Tease bee posted their quilts this week I was totally inspired and fired off an email to some of my sewing buddies.

And what do you know, they said yes!

We are the Circle 7 bee.

I cannot wait to create and sew with these 6 fabulous friends:

Susannah Kate An Art Nest

Stitchery Dickory Dock

I love these friends and while we've long been buddies online, we've been lucky to hang in person too, either at Sew South or the Sewing Summit.

Love when quilting worlds collide!

Each of us will make some starter blocks with a theme of some kind then send them off to the next friend in the bee. We'll have one month to add to the quilt top however we feel inspired to do so and then send it off to the next fab gal on the list. The quilt tops will grow until December when they'll find their way home again.

I'm still toying with ideas/themes for my quilt but the best part of this whole deal will be seeing how my friends add on to the quilt and having something they make just for me. That's what is so appealing to me- being able to have the freedom to create whatever you want with some guidelines. Lots of interpretation there and that's exciting.

We get started in May and will be posting our progress as we go so you can follow along too.

What about you? Have you ever seen something and been inspired to jump in? Round up your buddies and go for it. I have a feeling it will be super rewarding. What's more fun than sewing with your besties?

Oh and btw, did you know the Modern Mini Challenge will be back in June? That's right: June 5-19 so get those ideas going! More details coming soon.

xo,

Jennifer

Giveaway Day! Christie's Quilting Boutique

2013-04-15T14:01:00.001-04:00

How do you feel about precuts? They can be quick, economical and a great way to add variety to your stash and Christie's Quilting Boutique is loaded with them!

Christie is based in Norwalk, CT and has had her ebay fabric shop for 10+ years. That's a lot of fabric y'all!

Christie says, "Fabric is my passion, and my collections of fabric squares, jelly rolls, honey buns and quilt kits, appliqués and fabric yards allow me to share this love with you. The creations are full of color, textures, and blends of fabrics to ensure your quilting creations are exceptional treasures to become heirlooms in your family."

Here's a sample of what you can find in her shop:

Today, Christie is giving you three chances to win!

1st prize items: 3 jelly rolls! You'll receive 2 of the rainbow solids jelly rolls and then one of the black and white jelly rolls! (pictured below)

2nd prize a 25.00 gift certificate

3rd prize 25% off your next purchase (shipping bot included in 25% off)

To enter to win, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below! The winner will be announced this weekend. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winners!

2013-04-15T13:42:00.001-04:00

I've been a little behind in announcing the winners of the Threadbias and Southern Fabric giveaways. Sorry about that!

Congrats to Bev M who won the Southern Fabric $25 shopping gift certificate! Woo Hoo!

Congrats to Marisa who won the trial of the Threadbais Quilt Design Tool.

Marisa, I don't have your email so please reply ASAP so I can get you in touch with the kind folks at Threadbias and you can get started!

Stay tuned for a new giveaway coming up later today!

xo,
Jennifer

Swapping!

2013-04-12T08:25:00.003-04:00

Swapping... Di organized a Post Sew South swap and I jumped on in. Making something special for one of my friends from that awesome weekend sounded like fun. The rules were simple- make anything for your partner and mail it by May 15.

After a bit of Pinterest & Flickr stalking I decided on a scrappy Kaleidoscope design.

Drafting a paper piecing pattern helped it come together easily.

It'll be in the mail next week. I hope she loves it!

Mini Quilt Stats:
Size: 16.5" x 12.5"
Grey Solid- Kona Ash
Aurifil 50 wt. variegated thread from the Tula Pink collection
Spoonflower label
Backing Fabric: Joel Dewberry Notting Hill

xo,
Jennifer

Modern Mini Challenge Coming Soon!

2013-04-10T08:55:00.001-04:00

Get those ideas ready!

It's almost time for the Modern Mini Quilt Challenge 2013!

More details soon but yes, there will be great prizes to be won!

Did you miss out on the contest last year? It was awesome!

* Mini quilts should be at least 6" x 6" and no bigger than 24" x 24".

Stay tuned!

xo,

Jennifer

Southern Fabric Giveaway Day!

2013-04-09T08:27:00.001-04:00

If you've visited Southern Fabric before, you know what a great online shop it is. Lots of color, lots of modern fabric, lots to love.

Check out the specials going on right now!

On Sale:

Freshcut by Heather Bailey

Taza by Dena Designs

Good Fortune by Kate Spain

Conquette

Here's What's New!

Aspen Frost by Basic Grey

Esprit de Noel by French General

Posh Pumpkins by Sandy Gervais

Shades of Black by Me and My Sister

Boho Yardage by Urban Chicks

How about a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Southern Fabric so you can pick whatever you would like? To enter to win, fill out the Rafflecopter below. The winner will be announced on Sunday! Thanks and Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Jennifer