the casually pieced Rückseite - FREE PATTERN

Hello everyone! Here it is...the long awaited free pattern for the BACKING of prairie Traditions. This very simple pattern can also be used for the the front of a quilt, of course. It goes together in less than one morning.

I made the backing from scrap pieces and just improvised the whole thing until it was large enough. I need to do a little more improv in the future. It does the soul good!

You can download a PDF version on my pattern download page. Remember to please leave some thanks if you decide to use the pattern for your own personal use.

I made my original quilt backing from "HONEY HONEY" fabrics from Kate Spain for Moda. The colorway is so trendy with color popping & blocking everywhere in oranges and blues.

I hope you enjoy.

my Moda Bake Shop experience

Happy Friday everyone! The weather was great this week. I think the sun shined a total of three days which is a record for the year!

If you don't already know, I had a pattern accepted and posted on the Moda Bake Shop blog back in January. Here is a little follow-up post about my experience for prairie Traditions.

I submitted my pattern to Moda using a pre-cut layer cake in September of 2012. I was elated to receive an email a few weeks later telling me that my pattern was accepted. I would have to make the quilt again using a newer fabric line, but that was okay. (I could request three Moda fabric lines, one of which would be sent.)

A month later I received my package. Remember, the package had to be sent from Texas, USA to Ulm, Germany. And it had to pass through Customs that loves to put an extra high import tax on the fabric, because it is produced in Asia. I just love the Zollamt!  I was shocked to find out that the Sample Department was nice enough to fulfill my wish from the fabric line "HONEY HONEY" from Kate Spain. It is such a great springtime fabric!

Sewing the quilt and writing the pattern went like a piece of "cake" -pun intended. I took many photos along the way and wrote instructions using computer diagrams for better understanding. I like photographs, but sometimes diagrams tell me more.

I simplified the quilting to make it easier for everyone to accomplish. I used 100% cotton batting-my personal choice for most quilts.

After the quilt was finished, I waited for more than one week on that perfect day in winter where the sun shined for all of two hours. I rushed out with the quilt and my camera. I already had the location picked out, so the rest was quite easy.  Snap, snap, snap...finished.

I wrote to Moda that my pattern was finished and my photographs were uploaded. Lisa informed me of when my post would be scheduled. On January 7, 2012. I was so excited to see my quilt on their blog. I emailed everyone I knew and stuck to the computer like glue for an entire week reading posts. Thank you for your support!!

Kate Spain also contacted me and posted the quilt in a newsletter for her Flickr-Group - All Things Kate Spain. Wow! I was so moved that she even noticed me.Thank you for your support as well, Kate!

I look forward to making more patterns for Moda Bake Shop as well as other platforms.

I wish you a great weekend!

new project for Moda Bake Shop

I've been working on a great new project for Moda Bake Shop using one 10" Layer Cake. I submitted my design back in Sept/October and was completely floored when they contacted me. They actually said my pattern was good enough for their site. I even got to pick out the fabric that I wanted for the new improved lap quilt. I couldn't resist to pick the new fabric line from Kate Spain, my favorite designer, that comes out in January.

So here is a little sneaky peaky of "prairie Traditions" for Moda Bake Shop. It should be "premiering" in December 2012 or January 2013.

Honey Honey by Kate Spain for Moda Fabrics

All you need for the quilt top

If you would like to make this pattern, I would love to see your finished quilt. Please post them on flickr under prairie Traditions. Or send me a jpeg, and I will post on my website. 

I am looking forward to writing more patterns for you in 2013! :-)

Bis dann und schöne Grüße
Karen

prairie traditions

Last year, I was in love with the colors red, red and even more red.  I made two quilts from two different layer cakes I bought in 2011. The first one I named simply "American Primer" Scrappy Blocks. It was a simple block configuration with a blocky red frame. I put a little more thought into the second one and made a traditional monkey wrench. I didn't make it too large, because I actually wanted to finish it. In the end, it make a nice wallhanging. I am really pleased with the way both of them turned out. Now, I can check this off my list for WIP-List or UFOs as they are known here in Germany.

I have to say, it really makes a quilt even more beautiful when you have them professionally quilted.  I am very happy with my long arm quilter. They are not easy to find. This one was quilted by QDService in Werther.

Check out more photos on flickr here.