Rachaels Lollipops

If you are looking for the giveaway from The Fat Quarter Shop click here.

Today I'd like to welcome Rachael Arnold back to Craizee Corners! Today she shares her Lollipop quilt made with what else...Sandy's Lollipop fabric line.  


Thanks to Sha for having me back to talk about more gorgeous fabric! I’m Rachael, and I talk about all the stuff I make over at raevenfea.com. These days, when I’m not working my 9–5 Web Development gig, I can usually be found sewing, helping remodel our house, sewing, or doing something sewing-related. Okay, and maybe reading (not necessarily about sewing!).

Last spring, I was walking through a LQS thinking that once again, the trip was going to be a bust. There was nothing that fit the idea I had for a quilt I needed to start. But during one last pass, I saw this forlorn looking roll of fabric on a table. It wouldn’t work for what I was shopping for, but the colors and design just kept calling to me. They were fun without being over the top, kid-appropriate without screaming “kids fabric”.

The fabric? Sandy Gervais’ Lollipop line cut into a sort of home-made semi-Jelly Roll that was probably made of scraps (~40 22” strips that ranged from 2.5–3” wide). I didn’t know what I would do with it, but I just couldn’t leave it there.

It sat around for a while, until I was so tired of other projects and deadlines and really just wanted something simple and fun to work on. I dug through my box of stash and found the Lollipop roll. Again, the colors and patterns called “fun, fun, fun, no stress.” Perfect for my state of mind. So, I started sewing the strips together end to end with no goal in mind. Then I sewed the huge strip together side to side, again and again. Then I cut it up a bit, sewed it back together, and ended up with a great baby quilt that was simple to make, simply designed, and so much fun with that fabric (by the way, Gütterman’s Cream-Yellow-Orange variegated thread matches the creams, yellows and oranges in this line perfectly).

The only sad part? I used the whole roll with no leftovers! I love the simplicity of most of these prints. The textures are great, and a lot of the simpler patterns would make wonderful bindings or fill in great with other fabrics in a quilt for someone of any age. My fingers are crossed that I’ll come across more in the future.

While Lollipop is her only collection that has passed through my sewing room thus far, Sandy Gervais’ designs are packed with a sort of fun, almost-nostalgic whimsy that brightens my mood whenever I see them. I can’t wait to see what more she has in store.

As for the Lollipop quilt, it found a new home with my local chapter of Project Linus this past holiday season—I hope it made its way to a little someone and brightened their mood as it did mine.

Thanks Rachael, the quilt is adorable and I am sure making someone very happy right now. I never got any of this line, I think it came out before my quilting life began, but I sure would love to find some now.

I have some other fun news today...

Today I am guest blogging at Sew Sweetness. Sara is doing a week of tutorials from her followers and today is my turn.

My tutorial is for another valentine mug rug, yes I know I was obsessed with V-Day this year.

I hope you go visit Sara and tell her Sha sent you!
Come back tomorrow to see what Audrey from Mauby's has to share.

Guest Blogger #5 - Rachael Arnold of Raevenfea Simply Stitchery

If you are looking for the giveaway you can find it here.

Today's guest blogger is Rachael of Raevenfea Simply Stitchery. Rachaels blog is filled with wonderful quilting and crafting ideas. Her latest idea are these adorable printed fabric gift tags. Arent they cute?  Keep reading because she has a fabulous way to turn a quilt into a pillow that you are just going to love!

Thanks for stopping by, and thanks to Sha for having me on here! I’m Rachael Arnold: front-end Web Developer by day, sewist by evening, and firmly convinced that days need to be at least 28 hours long so that I can also spend time with my other half and our puppy. I caught the quilting bug a little over a year ago, and now I have this crazy idea that I need to make quilts for everyone in my (quite large) family.

That’s where Tula Pink comes in. My oldest sister is obsessed with frogs, and has been for as long as I can remember. When I saw Prince Charming, I immediately knew that I needed to use it in a project for her. (And purchase plenty extra because I’m as obsessed with the line as she is the frogs.)

Around the same time, I decided to do the Synchronized Squares QAL and it was truly kismet: the frog from the showcase print of Price Charming was the perfect size to fussy cut for use in the center of the blocks and fit perfectly with a bunch of other greens and a deep red I bought (her favorite colors).

I’m only partially done sewing all the blocks together, but this is what the finished quilt will look like:

And here’s some of my progress so far:

To make it special, I decided to add a pocket on the back that allows you to fold up the quilt into a pillow—and doubles as a toe warmer when you’re sitting down.

To figure out what size pocket to make, calculate either a third or a quarter of your quilt size. A third will make a larger, but thinner pillow, while a quarter will be a smaller, but fatter pillow. The design of my quilt lends itself to folding into thirds, so that’s what I chose.

Once you know the size, you need to make a mini-quilt that is bound on three sides (not the bottom). Mine is ~18” square:

I had fun playing with raw edges on the pocket, because the outer edges of the patterned squares on the front of the quilt are raw by design, although I didn’t have enough green corduroy to go underneath the Prince and border, thus the peek of white. And once again, the Prince print was the perfect size!

I’m not there yet, but to attach the pocket to the back of the quilt, you can either hand stitch it on after you’ve finished quilting, or use your quilting (make sure to quilt the interior area of the pocket first, leaving the quilting that will secure the sides of the pocket to the very last). The bottom will be secured when you bind the quilt, and the top is open, of course.

Best of luck in your own Tula Pink projects. I can’t wait to come up with something for my leftover Prince Charming fabric and the little bits of Plume and Nest a friend recently gave me (and for her future lines)!

Thanks Rachael for that idea and for sharing your wonderful quilt with us. I love how the prince can be fussycut to fit perfectly. Thats whats so great about the Tula Pink Prince Charming line. I can't wait to see what else you make with it.

Come back tomorrow for more Tula Pink fun!
And remember to enter the great giveaway http://craizeecorner.blogspot.com/2011/08/tula-pink-month-and-giveaway.html

Sha :)