Spot on Dots

Posted on February 22, 2020 by Penny Haren

This is such a brilliant idea! I can’t wait to use them on my Creative Grids Trim Tools! Cutting fabric accurately is the first step in creating quilts that lay flat, points that line up, and pieces that fit just right. The Gyspy Quilter Spot on Dots allows you to see exactly where you’ve lined up your fabric on your ruler by giving you magnified visibility at the point that matters most. For precision-perfect accuracy, Spot on Dots is the perfect tool for you!

The small dot is 1 inch in diameter. The large dot is 2 inches in diameter. At the center, magnification is 3x.

Place Spot on Dot adhesive side down onto your favorite ruler at the spot you want to magnify. The reusable adhesive ring will prevent the Spot on Dot from shifting while you make precise cuts. The Spot on Dot stays in place until you remove it. Store in its case after use. You can reactivate the grip on the Spot On Dot by simply washing with mild soap and water.

Waddles

Posted on February 20, 2020 by Penny Haren

Just the name makes me smile! He is the cutest little penguin to grace the South Pole! Waddles #CLPLDB004 From Cut Loose Press™ by Lisa DeBord.

He is the perfect companion for Noggins #CLPLDB003 from Cut Loose Press™ by Lisa DeBord.

Both are made with the Creative Grids® four-inch curvy and four-inch log cabin trim tools.

Creative Grids 4in Log Cabin Trim Tool Quilt Ruler

Creative Grids 4in Curvy Log Cabin Trim Tool

Why not bundle some fabrics together that would work great in these quilts? These make a great class. Let them choose either pattern since they share all of the same blocks – but we know they will want to make both!

Teach them how to make a traditional log cabin and complete the blocks as homework. Then, you can move on to Courthouse Steps and Curvy log cabins. If you start now, these guys could be ready to hang by Christmas!

Sixty-degree Angles Just Got a WHOLE Lot Easier!

Posted on January 23, 2020 by Penny Haren

Designing quilts with sixty-degree angles just got a WHOLE lot easier with the introduction of Sheila Christensen’s Creative Grids® Half Sixty ruler.

Creative Grids Half Sixty Triangle Ruler

This tool is the perfect companion to the Creative Grids® 80-degree rulers. Since it is 12-1/2″, it works with both. Sew the straight side to create pieced 60-degree units; sew the angles side to create pieced rectangles. It is really that easy!

Just look at the possibilities! This Cut Loose Press™ pattern – Pinwheel Hexagons #CLPSCH001- is a great beginner class. Sixty-degree triangles are pieced from two half sixties and then squared up to create blocks with half sixties. How simple and easy is that!

But this is NOT a one-trick pony! Look at just some of the possibilities! Who would ever think that they were all created with the same tool!

And don’t you love her vibrant choice of colors? The sixty-degree triangle is our number one selling triangle of all time – and now it has a friend! Your customers will love it!

Christmas All Year Round

Posted on January 19, 2020 by Penny Haren

I just love this guy! Noggin #CLPLDB003 is a Cut Loose Press™ pattern made with two different Creative Grids® rulers. I already have mine cut out!

Most of the strips are cut to 1 1/4″ – half the width of a jelly roll so it is a great stash buster as well.

You need the four-inch Creative Grids® Log Cabin Trim Tool…

and the four-inch Creative Grids® Curvy Log Cabin Trim Tool.

The pattern features three different versions of log cabins – log cabins, courthouse steps, and curvy log cabins. What a great series of classes.

New Creative Grids® Cutting Mats are in the House!

Posted on January 10, 2020 by Penny Haren

It took almost two years to get it right – and boy did we get it right! I have been working with a prototype for a few months now – and they are WONDERFUL! All sizes, rack, and assortment are in stock and starting to ship today.

The three larger sizes of the Creative Grids® Rotary Cutting Mats are double sided. One side features one-inch grids with eighth inch markings over the entire surface. All numbers are printed outside of the grid area so they are always visible. Popular 1-1/2 inch cuts are highlighted with white stars; 2-1/2 inch cuts with white squares.

The other side of the smallest 6 x 8 inch mat is blank – perfect for trimming blocks.

The other side of the three larger sizes are designed to use with the Creative Grids® Stripology series of rulers by Gudrun Erla. Line up the fabric and rulers on the spaced horizontal half inch grid lines. That is all you need – no other distracting markings and lines are needed!

Now all you have to do is choose your size: 12 x 18; 18 x 24, or 24 x 36 inches.

You may want more than one!

Coffee for Christmas

Posted on December 3, 2019 by Penny Haren

Coffee Break from Cut Loose Press™ by Karla Alexander is so much fun to make! I got out my Fiestaware and started throwing out fabrics that coordinated. It turns out, I couldn’t stop at a table runner. They are just way too much fun – and I am a little OCD…

So what is a gal to do? Make 35 more and turn them into mug rugs for gifts for coaches, teachers, principals….you get the picture. And, if you have a good relationship with your machine quilter, she may even add their names.

But, I live in Ohio – and they are #1 so…..

These individual cups measure approximately 8″ so I cut an 8″ square of fabric, folded it in half, and used it as a pocket on the back. I’ll put coffee gift cards in the pocket as a homage to Karla. After all, she lives in the Pacific Northwest and KNOWS good coffee!

You still have time to finish six or six dozen by Christmas so get started!

Rotary Blade Guards

Posted on November 1, 2019 by Penny Haren

These were a big hit at Market! These guards protect your fingers from the blade! They come in packs of four – and should be a must have for every rotary cutter in every shop and class!

They are specifically designed to work with the OLFA ergonomic cutter.

They are also available for the 60mm size:

What a great stocking stuffer! They will be available very soon!

Creative Grids® Cutting Mats

Posted on October 30, 2019 by Penny Haren

The hit of Houston! Creative Grids® now has cutting mats in four sizes: 6 x 8; 12 x 18; 18 x 24; and 24 x 36 inches.

Why am I soooo excited about these mats? Gudrun Erla and I were on the design team from the very beginning and got to create our dream mat. The Creative Grids® Rotary Cutting Mat is double-sided. One side features one-inch grids with eighth-inch markings over the entire surface. All numbers are printed outside of the grid area, so they are always visible. Popular 1-1/2 inch cuts are highlighted with white stars; 2-1/2 inch cuts with white squares. Eighth, quarter and third-yard cuts are marked with dashed lines for easy reference.

The other side is designed to use with the Creative Grids® Stripology series of rulers. Line up the fabric and rulers on the spaced horizontal half-inch grid lines. That is all you need – no other distracting markings and lines are needed.

AND, they are not available in chains! If you buy three of each mat, the display rack is free. Just order the assortment. The heavy-duty rack can be purchased separately as well.

Creative Grids Cutting Mat Assortment With Rack

The black and white markings on our rulers show up perfectly on the gray and teal colorations. For designers, it photographs wonderfully so is a great backdrop for demos, videos, and illustrations! Give them a try!

Sometimes Bigger IS Better

Posted on October 24, 2019 by Penny Haren

The Creative Grids® Stripology XL combines all of the features you love in the original Stripology ruler AND the Stripology Squared. This beauty combines the height of the Stripology Squared – so you can square up blocks up to 12-1/2in – with the width of the original Stripology so you can cut up to eight 2-1/2in strips or 14 1-1/2in strips without ever moving the tool, reducing your rotary cutting time by up to 75 percent. The 2½ inch increments are marked with squares; the 1½ inch increments are marked with stars – no math required!

Need to cut in 1/4 inch increments? No problem, just follow the chart included in the instructions and use the 1/4 inch line on the ruler. We have added additional bells and whistles as well. There are 60-degree lines as well as 45-degree lines; 1/2in lines; and additional markings to aid in cutting perfect triangles every time. This ruler comes with a fully illustrated step by step instructions or watch Gudrun’s video tutorial.

The ruler slides easily over the fabric until pressure is applied. Then, our exclusive gripper holds the fabric in place while cutting, eliminating slipping and miss-cuts!

The perfect companion pattern? Gudrun’s Stripology Mixer patterns. Ava and Gina combine 10-inch squares and 2 1/2 inch strips to maximum effect.

Trinity combines 1 1/2″ and 2 1/2″ strips with 10-inch squares for a dramatic effect.

Lucy includes multiple sizes and layouts – all created with ten-inch squares.

And then there is Sara – a Cut Loose Press™ pattern that is cute enough to compete with her favorite sewing companion.

All of these patterns are made easier with the use of her G-Easy Point Trimmers. What a difference a tip makes!

The ruler and patterns are in stock. The trimmers are due in next week. What a great gift!

Scrap Crazy just got Crazier

Posted on October 23, 2019 by Penny Haren

Crazier Eights is the latest addition to the Creative Grids® Scrap Crazy family. The fans of Scrap Crazy 6 and Scrap Crazy 8 are sure to love this latest five template version.

Create 8-inch finished Scrap Crazy blocks with the five templates in this Crazier Eight set. All of the pieces can be cut from those odd sized scraps in your stash or stack fabrics and cut multiples out of ten-inch squares in a matter of minutes. The tips are trimmed when needed so the pieces sew together perfectly every time. Embellish the seams with your favorite decorative stitches and threads. Make an entire quilt or sew them into a scrappy, decorative border.

Piece the five units together for a great scrap quilt or use some of the templates to make these dynamic versions.

The templates sets are in stock. The patterns will be in stock shortly.

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