free pattern

  • Wednesday Quilt Inspiration

    ByHeather Bailey

    TrueColors_HeatherBailey_Craftbuds_410b

    At the studio, we are busy prepping for the quilt industry's fall tradeshow. We have a few new patterns coming out, as well as new fabric collection. I cannot wait to share more! With quilts and soft goods on my mind, I am sharing some quilt inspiration today. TrueColors_HeatherBailey_Craftbuds_410a

    This charming clamshell quilt was put together by Craftbuds.com for the True Colors blog hop a while back. I love how the simple, repeating design allows for playful eclecticism with the print combination. And the finished quilt looks great with rounded corners. Shown is a mix of Lottie Da and True Colors prints, along with three solid fabrics. Craftbuds' post lists some tips for assembling a clamshell quilt of your own, including links to an 8" shell pattern and a 12" shell pattern.

    I've been quite sick for the last few weeks. Feeling much better today, the first thing on my list is to visit here for a hello. I have big plans for this fall, with lots to share, including new fabrics, patterns, tutorials and tips. Expect to hear from me more regularly.

  • Free Baby Bib Pattern & Tutorial

    ByHeather Bailey

    HeatherBailey_BabyBib_Cover470

    Are you ready for another free pattern? Baby Bibs!

    I've been making bibs for my kids since my first child was born 16
    years ago (seriously?). Now his tee-shirts are bibs. And his jeans are
    napkins.

    This time around, with my littlest—who is now a year-and-a-half, I have these AWESOME laminated cotton fabrics
    to work with. They make the BEST     bibs. Easy to sew, wipeable,
    washable—and pretty. Half of our family stock of bibs are made with the
    laminates and half are made with all-cotton quilting-weight fabric.
    They're both great. But, the laminates are slightly favored.

    So, this is a really simple pattern. You can make a bunch of bibs in
    one sitting. If you coordinate a few bibs and add some
    embellishments—like ribbon or an applique—you can whip up a fantastic baby shower gift in no time. Cute AND useful—the best gifts to get. Download the pattern here—or follow the sidebar link under Free Patterns.

    SlobberMonkeyBabyBib_HeatherBailey

    I'll be sharing My Slobber Monkey Baby Bib pattern on PBS this spring. Check your local listings for Sew It All TV.
    In Phoenix, I believe the episode will be airing next Monday at 9:30am
    and 2:30pm on Eight Life (Cox 80). Tune in for sewing tips, fabric and
    embellishment variations—including a monster bib. For more info about the episode, see this post.
    I don't want to be redundant—except to say that we filmed the episode
    in one, long, 30-minute take. I, myself, am anxious to see how that
    worked out.

    Fun, fun!

    All my love and sewiness,
    Heather

  • Watch Me on PBS

    ByHeather Bailey

    I am guest-hosting an episode of Sew It All on PBS
    this spring. Every PBS affiliate has a different schedule, so I can't
    give you an exact date. BUT, the episode should be airing very, very
    soon. So, visit PBS.org to
    check the schedule in your local area. Sew It All slated this as
    Episode 4, but from what I hear, the episodes can be shuffled around by
    the PBS program directors. And different areas will carry different
    shows. Very interesting stuff.

    SewItAll_HeatherBaileyBW_BabyBib

    Anyhow, we're making baby bibs. Here are Sew It All host, Ellen March,
    and I holding up a baby bib together—it must have been very
    heavy—weighted down with cuteness. I'll post about the free pattern next
    week, along with a little monster you can applique on the bibs—or on a
    kid's tee shirt or bag, etc.

    The fabrics shown above are laminates from my Nicey Jane collection—I LOVE them. They are so fun to work with!

    Chances are, you'll see the episode before I do. Stop back by and let
    me know if you have any questions afterward. We filmed the show in one
    take. One, long 30-minute take. Can you believe it? No pressure, right?

    It was a blast.

  • A Wristed Development

    ByHeather Bailey

    In my ongoing quest to cute-up the dull, it’s time to attack the wrist pincushion. Who wrote the law that wrist pincushions must be ugly and uncomfortable? Did it begin with the red-plastic snap-on variety of my mother’s generation; in our excitement for the advent of plastic, did we take things too far?** Or were we torturing ourselves long before then?

    WristPincushion2
    True, there have been some commercial attempts to add personality to the plain old pincushions of the past: gingham hearts, lavendar daisies and so forth. With a lack of alternatives, I might prefer painful-to-wear over painful-to-look-at.

    WristPincushion Bring on the bloggers. I’m not the first to offer a solution. Megan of Crafty Intentions whipped up an octopus from Futuregirl’s pattern — a wristopus? Super cool. Lori La Tortuga made a fun little owl once upon a time. Super cute. And Planet June has a great tutorial for a simple, but stylish Offset Square Wrist Pincushion. Super chic.

    I’ll take a stab at pretty.

    Here, I’ve taken my new free pattern, Spring Violets (announced in our May newsletter) and adapted it to the cause. For the wrist band, I cut two rectangles of felt, 1.5″ x 7.25″ and 2″ x 7.25″. (Measure your wrist to make sure this works for you — allow overlap for a velcro closure.)

    With hot glue, I attached a thin circle of wood at the center of the wider felt band and pinked the edges of the felt. I then layered the smaller felt band on top, enclosing the wooden disc. I edge-stitched the bands together around the perimeter, then attached velcro at each end as a closure. Lastly, I whip-stitched the Spring Violets in place above the wooden disc. The flowers are attached to a small, stuffed tuffet (see pattern) which is perfect for pins. The wooden disc keeps your wrist whole-not-holey. (Check the woodcraft section of your local craft store.)

    WristPincushionNotes That’s it. Pretty simple.

    Click here to download the flower instructions. Let me know if you have any questions. Looking for felt? We’ve got plenty of that.

    ** However uncomfortable, I am totally nostalgic for those clamp-on red pincushions. Even though my mom usually kept pins between her teeth, she always wore a ratty red wrist-cushion covered with a rainbow of threaded needles.


  • The Tuxedo Clutch & Fresh Style Magazine

    ByHeather Bailey

    TuxedoClutch_2
    There’s a fantastic new magazine out this summer called Fresh Style. The debut issue oozes with luscious color, decorating inspiration, fashionable crafts, and more, including interviews with me, Amy Butler, and Ashley Ann Campbell of Under the Sycamore.

    To celebrate the magazine’s launch, I designed a pattern to include with the article: The Tuxedo Clutch. Instructions for this fast and fun purse are found in the Summer 2011 issue — available at newstands through the end of July. Other projects featured in this issue include an apron made from men’s dress shirts, a chic ribbon headband, custom-bleached shirts,and a super-cool pallet bed. (I love the ceiling decor above the bed too (p.75). Ooo, and I just spotted a Happy Stacker in the basket next to the bed — Ashley Ann, is this your house?)

    TuxedoClutch_1T

    The Tuxedo Clutch packs a big punch of style, yet it is simple to make. My design is inspired by the ruffled front of a funky men’s dress shirt. Think 70s prom. (Whoa, not exactly 70s, but check out this ruffled shirt.)

    The blue brooch? I picked that up at a vintage hoo-hahs booth at Quilt Market a year or two ago. I couldn’t resist. It’s old and a bit skee-wumpus, which has me loving it even more.

    FreshStyle_Summer2011_D

    For more info about Fresh Style, visit their blog at freshstylemag.com. And here’s a handy link if you wish to place an order through Hoffman Media. I think they carry back-issues too, in case you miss the July deadline.


  • Dab, Dab

    ByHeather Bailey

    ClothNapkins

    Whether you are prepping for the holidays, or getting ready for a birthday or baby shower, cloth napkins are a great way to personalize your table decor.  Expand your decorating options by sewing the napkins yourself — from your favorite fabrics.

    They are super easy to make, so why not?

    Deck the halls!  Deck the tables!  Get started with this simple, illustrated tutorial.  Fancy-up and save some dollars at the same time.  Happy Holidays, everyone!


    Read More “Dab, Dab”

  • Bat Couture

    ByHeather Bailey

    CorneliusBatDoll_1

    Meet Cornelius. "Do NOT call me Corny," he insists.

    BatDollCapeCostume_HeatherBailey2 Charlotte is obsessed with bats.  Last year she was a bat for Halloween.  This year she turned the hollow at the back of one of my dress forms into a bat cave.  There's a street nearby where the bats cluster under the street lights for a bug smorgasbord.  As such, it's our preferred route between Heather Bailey headquarters and home.  Bats are a thing around here.

    Looking for some Halloween fun?  Download my FREE Betty Boo Sock Doll pattern — link posted in the sidebar under Free Patterns.  This year I've added a new companion pattern, the Bat Couture Cape. It's FREE as well — link in sidebar.

     CorneliusBatDoll_3

    All you need is a Halloween sock, some great felt, and a few bits & bobs.  We have a bunch of bat kits put together if you're looking for ideas.  Move the bow from any Betty's ear to the top of her buttons and she changes gender;  voila, Candy becomes Cornelius.  Simple as that.

    CorneliusBatDoll_4

    The cape is quick and easy to sew, but oh so formidable.  For my next cape, I'm going for colorful felt, then embroidering the back with a web and a spider.

    Cornelius and his sister, Candy, are available as kits.  Get a bat kit for free till 10-31-10 at midnight MST,. Details here.

  • Pumpkin & Dot

    ByHeather Bailey

    Pumpkin

    Meet Betty Boo's friends, Pumpkin & Dot, two more sock doll kits to go with the free Betty Boo Sock Doll pattern download.  It's a toss up which is the cutest.  Both Emily & Lindsay are both partial to Dot, with her bohemian stockings.

    BatLine2

    As Halloween is upon us, it's time to announce the winners from Monday's giveaway. 
    The following four commenters will have their pick of of sock doll
    kits. If you are one of the ladies listed below, please email us your
    address so we can send your kit right out — email emily@heatherbailey.com.

    Congrats & Happy Halloween!

    BatBorderTall

    Reminder: Through October 31, 2009, get a FREE Betty Boo Kit with coupon code "BatBatThing" on $35+ purchase at the HB Store. See details at the bottom of Monday's post.

    DottyDetail

    Giveaway Winners

    1. Christie Sproul, who wrote, "hi heather!! betty is so cute…..just starting on my 6 yr old daughter's
    costume…I am making Autumn the Woodland Fairy costume with no tutu as per
    her orders!! lol!"

    2. Maribeth, who wrote, "too cute!! at our house, my little girl loves the nursery rhyme, three
    little ghostesses, it gives her a little bit of halloween without all the
    scary just yet."

    FlapFlap

    3. Cathy P., who wrote, "So cute! love the girly bat.
    My 4-year-old daughter is going as a flower – I made the costume using an
    oversized green tee and some craft felt. I also knit a headband and added
    some more felt petals to it. My first time making a costume….but my
    daughter loves it!

    And my 4-month-old daughter is going as a bee (her sister's hand-me-down
    costume from BabyStyle)."

    DottyBat

    4. Kay Prince, who wrote,

    "Here's a poem for you:

    There once was a girl named Heather
    She couldn't decide which was better:
    Christmas or Halloween
    On both she was quite keen
    In the end it was decided by the weather.

    Okay, it's not great, but at least I tried! I would love to win a little
    Betty Boo Sock Doll kit! So cute!"

  • Did a Bat, Bat Thing

    ByHeather Bailey

    TeLOGO

    Welcome
    to Trick-Or-Eat at HELLOmynameisHeather.com. Today, nine favorite food,
    craft & lifestyle bloggers await behind nine haunted houses — with
    an array of holiday tricks and treats to greet you. At the end of this
    post, you will find two mystery houses. Join in the fun by clicking on
    one of the next homes on the block. Discover all of the Trick-Or-Eat
    contributors and find direct links to their posts at
    www.Trick-Or-Eat.com.

    BatBorder

    GhostlyGardenVelcome, my vriends, to the Ghostly Garden Cottage, where even the flowers can’t be trusted. Who says scary can’t be cute?

    To
    prove the point, meet Betty Boo. Some might say she’s a spoiled bat,
    but I think she’s rather sweet, as far as vampires go. Betty is
    not too cross to wear flowers — but she’s not too kind to sock-you-one
    either — so, stay on her good side.

    BettyBoo
    Come on inside — no tricks here, only treats. Don’t mind the carnivorous plants creeping out the windows.

    Today I’m handing out a NEW, FREE PATTERN —
    fun-to-make & easy-on-the-thighs. Click here to download my free
    pattern for a snappy little sock doll. Make your own mischief from one
    unassuming sock, wool-blend felt, and a few other bits & baubles from your crafting scraps.

    BettyBooDownload

    Don’t
    go batty picking materials. If you want some help, I’ve dug up all
    sorts of spooky socks and supplies for a handful of kits at The Heather Bailey Store (while supplies last).

    Win a free Betty Boo Sock Doll Kit. Four winners will be picked at random. (If you’re not a gambler, see the Freebie Code at bottom of post.) Leave a comment; make up a Halloween poem, share a Halloween story — or just say ‘Hi’. 

    Now, vahtch your step. And Happy Halloween!

    UpsideDownT

    BatBorder

    Whooo’s Next?  Head to the next house on the street — or run, run, run, with your candy-bag wide-open.
    See what the other Trick-Or-Eat hosts and ghostesses have cooked up for
    you today;  Click on one of the haunted dwellings below:

    Sophistimom

    TongueNCheeky

    BatBorder

    **Freebie Code** Happy Halloween! Treat yourself a FREE Betty Boo Sock Doll Kit, by entering the
    code “BatBatThing” (on a purchase of $35 or more) at The Heather Bailey Store.
    While supplies last — first come, first serve. (When you’re ready to
    check out, add your selected bat doll Kit to your cart, then enter the
    coupon code where indicated. The price of one kit ($9.95) will be
    removed from your total. Code expires 10-31-09.)