Free Quilt Pattern – Easter Gnomes

Posted on January 10, 2023 by Luana

Shelly Comiskey’s ever popular Gnomes are looking forward to spring, dressed with bunny ears and collecting Easter Eggs! Celebrate with them in this week’s colorful Free Quilt Pattern.

To make this 55″ x 61″ quilt design, you will use 5 fabrics from this collection and a bright aqua hand dye. Start with the 24″ x 44″ central panel, then piece two allover gnome prints, make a border with the Gnome stripe, and bind with the coordinating plaid print.

Whether you make this as a lap quilt, a garden picnic quilt, or a wall hanging….this quilt is sure to encourage delightful giggles and dreams of magical little people.

…from the ‘Hoppy Easter Gnomies’ collection by Shelly Comiskey for Henry Glass & Co.

PLUS – you’ll receive Free USA / 50% off INTL shipping
when you order the fabrics for this exquisite quilt pattern
(orders $100 and over, no coupon needed).

Don’t miss the ‘Be Mine Valentine‘ and ‘Hedgehog Hollow‘ quilt patterns!

Order the pattern as configured, or customize it to your liking with any of our thousands of fabrics. Just place your desired fabrics in your Wish List, and these fabrics will appear in the Fabric Selector below the pattern.

Click Here for a Video Tutorial of the Free Pattern Designer.
Download Instructions for the pattern at the bottom of the pattern designer page.

Luana and Paul Rubin

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Free Quilt Patterns | Comments Off on Free Quilt Pattern – Easter Gnomes

Free Quilt Pattern – Be Mine Valentine

Posted on January 8, 2023 by Luana

Vintage Valentines have a charming innocence, and a delightful simplicity that captures our heart and reminds us of our grandparents’ time. This exclusive Free Quilt Pattern is inspired by 1930s hand screen-printed valentine cards that were exchanged by shy sweethearts. Lacy embellished letters and antique postmarks add to the retro ambiance of this Thirties-inspired collection.

To make this 57″ x 65″ quilt design, you will start with the central “Stamp” block panel, then add Pennant panels for the top and bottom sections. Finish the border with Red and White Mini-Hearts and Kona Solid Black, and a Black and White striped binding.

Whether this is a Valentine gift, an Anniversary or Wedding quilt, the message of LOVE comes by Special Delivery with this quilt design!

…from the ‘Be Mine Valentine’ collection by J. Wecker Frisch for Riley Blake Designs.

Don’t miss the ‘Steampunk Stitchery‘ and ‘Hedgehog Hollow‘ quilt patterns!

Order the pattern as configured, or customize it to your liking with any of our thousands of fabrics. Just place your desired fabrics in your Wish List, and these fabrics will appear in the Fabric Selector below the pattern.

Click Here for a Video Tutorial of the Free Pattern Designer.
Download Instructions for the pattern at the bottom of the pattern designer page.

Luana and Paul Rubin

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Holidays/Events, Quilt Pattern | Comments Off on Free Quilt Pattern – Be Mine Valentine

A Feast for the Eyes

Posted on January 7, 2023 by Luana

In the 30+ years that I have been quilting (since I left the garment industry) I have seen a lot of trends come and go. Some are mega-trends, some are fads, but Blenders always remain. These tonal or analogous prints can range from bland backgrounds, to vibrant fusions, but they serve a very important purpose: to give a place for the eye to rest.

Before we started our business in 1999, I could not find any big bold cotton prints in quilt shops or fabric stores. Everything I saw on the retail level was small scale, mostly in shades of beige. Tea-dying was all the rage. Quilters would soak their bright fabrics in tea to turn them beige or light brown. Colors were dark, earthy, de-saturated. I would visit quilt shops and find only one or two colorful contemporary fabrics that tickled my fancy. But after visiting 40 quilt shops and fabric stores I began to see that these fabrics existed but nobody was carrying them in depth. Hence the idea for eQuilter was born!

Over time quilters have learned to love big bold bright prints, but there was a time when quilters would complain about large florals. “What am I supposed to do with this?” Slowly but surely, courageous quilters began to cut up those sassy designs, and the whole idea of quilt-making began to evolve.

Now just about every quilter knows what to do these blazing colors and dazzling fabrics. When digital prints began to explode onto the scene, with no limitations on color or size, we began to see a renaissance of creativity that was so exciting for a whole new generation of makers.

But one thing still remains: When we pick out those flashy multicolor uber-audacious fabrics, we still need a place for the eye to rest. Now we reach for contemporary blenders that our grandmothers never dreamt of…and these fabrics inspire us to prolific innovation that turns our sewing machines into pedal-powered rocket ships!

As we start the new year, we turn again to the visionary artists who feed our beloved quilt industry, and wait to see what gifts they will bestow upon us in the coming months. Every week we open new boxes of our carefully curated collections – a feast for the eyes – and we smile as we anticipate your delight.

sharing your love for fabric,
Luana and Paul

Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok pages for Color and Design ideas.

See Luana’s Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, comment on our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

Travel/Quilt Calendar:
Feb 15 – Virtual lecture for Victoria BC Quilt Guild
Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta
April 18-26 – Pour l’Amour du Fil – Nantes, France
June 8-10 – Quilt Canada – Halifax, Nova Scotia
August 18-24 – Bear Camp in Alaska – Sign up Now!

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Creativity, Trends | Comments Off on A Feast for the Eyes

Free Quilt Pattern – Hedgehog Hollow

Posted on January 6, 2023 by Luana

Whether you live in the country, the surburbs, or even the city….often we are surrounded by wildlife like bunnies, birds, and foxes. Hedgehogs and toadstools live alongside squirrels and sparrows. Tonight’s Free Quilt Pattern celebrates the woodland animals who bring Nature into our lives on a daily basis, if we have eyes to see.

To make this delightful 64″ x 64″ quilt design, you will start with the block panel which features these charming little creatures. Cut and piece Hoffman Hand-Dyes with the individual blocks to create the central section. Then use the coordinating wildlife stripe to create the border, and finish with another Hand-Dye for the binding.

We love this artist’s detailed sensitive portrayals of these adorable little animals who live in the fields, thickets and hedgerows all around us.

…from the ‘Hedgehog Hollow’ collection by In The Beginning Studio for In The Beginning Fabrics.

PLUS – you’ll receive Free USA / 50% off INTL shipping
when you order the fabrics for this exquisite quilt pattern
(orders $100 and over, no coupon needed).

Don’t miss the ‘Steampunk Stitchery‘ and ‘Child of the Force‘ quilt patterns!

Order the pattern as configured, or customize it to your liking with any of our thousands of fabrics. Just place your desired fabrics in your Wish List, and these fabrics will appear in the Fabric Selector below the pattern.

Click Here for a Video Tutorial of the Free Pattern Designer.
Download Instructions for the pattern at the bottom of the pattern designer page.

Luana and Paul Rubin

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Animals, Free Quilt Patterns | Comments Off on Free Quilt Pattern – Hedgehog Hollow

Not Afraid of Color

Posted on January 5, 2023 by Luana

Today I say once again, step into my rainbow salon, where we are not afraid of color, and not afraid to take creative risks….which is the foundation of all creative genius. You my friends are the tribe of creative savants, and our business has grown and thrived upon your healthy thirst for vibrant hues and visionary design. As we start a new year full of hope and innovative productivity, I dare you to take a deep dive into the fertile waters of Unexpected Color, and see where it leads you!

Have you charted a course for your own creative path in 2023?

I have found that writing down my creative goals once a year, helps to manifest those goals 12 months later. You can do it at the New Year, you can do it on your birthday, but please do take the time to write down the things you dream of accomplishing with your art and craft in the coming months. Then make it an annual ritual to review those goals one year later, mark your targets obtained, and re-focus for the next year. You will be amazed at how much you will accomplish on this list!

I have a dear friend (a lifelong artist) who used to get flustered with me because I had too many goals on that page. “You’ll never achieve them all!” she would complain. Then I pointed out this fact: If I make 3 goals, I accomplish 2 of them. If I make 10 goals, I accomplish 5 or 6 of them. That’s what works for me. I spend the whole year re-prioritizing, depending on the little roadblocks that life throws in my way, like….you know…a pandemic.

But that’s just me. You will have your own architecture for how to build a plan for 2023. I just urge you to do it now. Do it this week. Tack it up on the wall in your workspace, and see what happens.

It is always an honor and privilege to be part of your creative explorations each year.
Now let’s toast the New Year, put on our goggles, and get back to flying our sewing machines!

Sharing your love of fabric,
Luana and Paul

Travel/Quilt Calendar:
Feb 15 – Virtual lecture for Victoria BC Quilt Guild
Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta
April 18-26 – Pour l’Amour du Fil – Nantes, France
June 8-10 – Quilt Canada – Halifax, Nova Scotia
August 18-24 – Bear Camp in Alaska – Sign up Now to travel with Luana!

Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok pages for Color and Design ideas.

See Luana’s Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, review our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Color, Creativity | Comments Off on Not Afraid of Color

Free Quilt Pattern – Morning Blossom

Posted on January 3, 2023 by Luana

We start the New Year with hope, optimism and COLOR….in this week’s special Free Quilt Pattern featuring large scale florals and bold summertime hues. Peach, Tangerine, Lemon, Raspberry and Coral-Red make up the color palette for this delicious botanic-themed collection.

To make this 62″ x 62″ patchwork quilt design, you will fussy-cut the full-blown blossom-and-butterfly print with both the red and white backgrounds. Piece with a Hoffman Hand-Dye and set on point. Finish the border with a white-on-white and a coral floral blender with the coordinating stripe.

This glorious quilt design will bring the joy of a summer garden into your home, no matter what season. Hooray for large-scale floral prints, and fabulous bold COLOR!

…from the ‘Morning Blossom’ collection by Michel Design Works for Northcott Fabrics.

PLUS – you’ll receive Free USA / 50% off INTL shipping
when you order the fabrics for this exquisite quilt pattern
(orders $100 and over, no coupon needed).

Don’t miss the ‘Steampunk Stitchery‘ and ‘Child of the Force‘ quilt patterns!

Order the pattern as configured, or customize it to your liking with any of our thousands of fabrics. Just place your desired fabrics in your Wish List, and these fabrics will appear in the Fabric Selector below the pattern.

Click Here for a Video Tutorial of the Free Pattern Designer.
Download Instructions for the pattern at the bottom of the pattern designer page.

Luana and Paul Rubin

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Free Quilt Patterns | Comments Off on Free Quilt Pattern – Morning Blossom

Free Quilt Pattern – Steampunk Stitchery

Posted on January 3, 2023 by Luana

Happy New Year from all of us at eQuilter.com!

We aim to start the year with a SMILE, and this whimsical Steampunk sewing-themed quilt is a great way to add a visual giggle to your sewing space.

To make this 61″ x 61″ Free Quilt Pattern, you will start with the central 24″ x 44″ Birdcage Panel. Silly Steampunk Birds are perched with buttons, threads and other colorful notions. You will use a 2nd block panel to add the two side sections. Then add the coordinating stripe, blenders and Kona Solid Black to finish the border.

These sassy birds will give you a goofy grin wherever you hang them, and it is also a great quilt for a kids’ sewing class, or your local sewing group. Have fun!

…from the ‘Steampunk Stitchery’ collection by Desiree’s Designs for Quilting Treasures.

PLUS – you’ll receive Free USA / 50% off INTL shipping
when you order the fabrics for this exquisite quilt pattern
(orders $100 and over, no coupon needed).

Don’t miss the ‘Untamed Beauty‘ and ‘Kyoto Garden‘ quilt patterns!

Order the pattern as configured, or customize it to your liking with any of our thousands of fabrics. Just place your desired fabrics in your Wish List, and these fabrics will appear in the Fabric Selector below the pattern.

Click Here for a Video Tutorial of the Free Pattern Designer.
Download Instructions for the pattern at the bottom of the pattern designer page.

Luana and Paul Rubin

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Free Quilt Patterns | Comments Off on Free Quilt Pattern – Steampunk Stitchery

Hope for the New Year

Posted on January 3, 2023 by Luana

It is the end of another long strange year, and we are also saying goodbye to Barbara Walters along with 2022. There is something very bittersweet about Ms Walters bowing out on this New Years Eve. Those of you who grew up with her, will understand.

This week we’ve saved the best for last, with some of the most dramatic and gorgeous fabric designs of the year. This bodes well for 2023, and I promise we will have a fantastic curated selection of beautiful fabrics each week in the coming year. I should know….I have already chosen fabrics shipping over the next several months! As usual we are following the color and design trends, to make this your one-stop-shopping for those with refined contemporary tastes. As I review the collections in the pipeline for early 2023, I feel like a kid in a candy store!

Paul and I would like to take this time to thank you again for supporting our family-owned business. As we approach the end of the third year of the pandemic, with all its challenges for small businesses, we are proud to have maintained our non-profit program, including our sponsorship of many quilt exhibits that would not have been seen otherwise. Your support allows us to support conservation and endangered species projects, and also to pay for food, medical supplies, disaster relief, and relief for refugees. Your quilt donations have been distributed to fire and hurricane victims, and to Ukraine refugees, through our partnership with Mission of Love.

Next year, together, we will reach a total of $2 million raised for non-profits. We love that we can share this accomplishment with all of you who have made this possible.

This is my bright star going into 2023 – that together we have truly made a difference for so many in need.

Wishing you a creative joyful New Year!

Luana and Paul, Sophie Quinn, Sam & Mason
and the eQuilter Staff

Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok pages for Color and Design ideas.

See Luana’s Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, comment on our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

Travel/Quilt Calendar:
Feb 15 – Virtual lecture for Victoria BC Quilt Guild
Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta
April 18-26 – Pour l’Amour du Fil – Nantes, France
June 8-10 – Quilt Canada – Halifax, Nova Scotia
August 18-24 – Bear Camp in Alaska – Sign up Now!

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Trends | Comments Off on Hope for the New Year

Free Quilt Pattern – Paris Wonderland

Posted on December 30, 2022 by Luana

In the depths of Winter, we love to dream of Spring Flowers and romantic travels…
and this Free Quilt Pattern is a dreamy ‘April in Paris’….with bursting blossoms, the Eiffel Tower, and the City of Light in the background. C’est magnifique!

To make this 55″ x 71″ quilt design, you will start by fussy-cutting the Paris scenic yardage for the central panel. Then you will cut and piece the lovely French reproduction florals, and Aqua shades of Hoffman Hand-Dyes, to make the border.

Whether you are remembering a special trip to Paris, or dreaming of a voyage in the future, this quilt design….will recall the elegance and esthetic of this beautiful City of Love.

…from the ‘Wanderlust’ collection by Hoffman Fabrics.

PLUS – you’ll receive Free USA / 50% off INTL shipping
when you order the fabrics for this exquisite quilt pattern
(orders $100 and over, no coupon needed).

Don’t miss the ‘Orca Majesty‘ and ‘Kyoto Garden‘ quilt patterns!

Order the pattern as configured, or customize it to your liking with any of our thousands of fabrics. Just place your desired fabrics in your Wish List, and these fabrics will appear in the Fabric Selector below the pattern.

Click Here for a Video Tutorial of the Free Pattern Designer.
Download Instructions for the pattern at the bottom of the pattern designer page.

Luana and Paul Rubin

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Free Quilt Patterns, Travel | Comments Off on Free Quilt Pattern – Paris Wonderland

Love is in the Air

Posted on December 28, 2022 by Luana

Here we are in the last few days of 2022, and most of us are trying to put a cap on another crazy year….not to mention anticipating the New Year…and maybe even trying to pick our own special “Word of the Year”. Oxford has very wisely just recently chosen a word of the year for 2022 (who would even dare predict the word for 2023?!?) and it is “Goblin Mode”. Yes it is two words, which is confusing. Kind of like when Pantone chose two colors for the Color of the Year. But these are the times we live in….

Looking back on 2022, I have to admit it all mushes together with 2020 and 2021. My sense of time passing is irrevocably warped. As I have checked in with many quilter friends in the last week or two, this is what I am hearing from everyone else. So hey, lets all do the Time-Warp again! (Sorry about the earworm, Rocky Horror nerds, couldn’t resist.)

As you may know, I found my way to the quilting industry after leaving the cut-throat fashion industry of 7th Avenue. As soon as I went to my first quilt guild meeting, I knew I had found my peeps. (The guest speaker was Paula Nadelstern – talk about inspiration!) I still feel that way. Time spent with the Quilting Tribe is never wasted. No matter where I travel in the world, there are always quilters to connect with in a new town. And what is it that we share? Love of quilting. Love of fabric. Love of color. Love of community and family.

In a word…LOVE.

Maybe a year from now I’ll have a word for 2023, but for now that’s the word I am going with…it is a word that fits all sizes, beliefs, values, and cultures. Research shows that love literally helps us to live longer.

So I am featuring a fabric collage on the theme of LOVE this week (head start on a Valentine’s Day project?) and I hope it brings you a smile.

Sharing your love of fabric,
Luana and Paul

Travel/Quilt Calendar:
Feb 15 – Virtual lecture for Victoria BC Quilt Guild
Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta
April 18-26 – Pour l’Amour du Fil – Nantes, France
June 8-10 – Quilt Canada – Halifax, Nova Scotia
August 18-24 – Bear Camp in Alaska – Sign up Now to travel with Luana!

Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok pages for Color and Design ideas.

See Luana’s Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, review our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Creativity, Trends | Comments Off on Love is in the Air