Atkinson Designs Has a Point!

Posted on May 5, 2018 by Penny Haren

There is a reason that Terry Atkinson is a legend in our industry! She dots all of her “i’s” and crosses all of her “t’s”. When she releases a pattern, you know she has looked at it from every angle and doesn’t release it until she has a winner.

Case in point: Hat Trick Runners. The runner takes only three fat quarters and an accent fabric. Kitting is so easy! Make the individual 60 degree triangles with the Creative Grids 60 degree ruler and choose the layout you like best. Talk about a great class! Who will be able to make just one – especially when they are inspired by their classmates.

Sugar Sand Beach is so clean and crisp – and is made with 2 1/2″ strips. The instructions include four different sizes so you don’t have to do the math. There are also fabric requirements for fat quarters if that works better for you. This quilt is made with the Creative Grids Spiderweb ruler.

Don’t you love the names? These patterns will be arriving soon so add them to your class schedule.

Stripology Rules

Posted on April 30, 2018 by Penny Haren

Gudrun Erla of GE Designs knows how to make the Creative Grids Stripology and Stripology Squared rulers sing. She will have a booth at Spring Market so be sure to stop by and see her newest creations.

Emma and Helena are both 10″ square friendly quilts. They look complicated but are always easy when you use Gudrun’s techniques.

Need a gift in an afternoon? Try one of these quilt as you go projects. Lickety Split – start to binding – can be finished in an afternoon. Tree Time is a great way to showcase a novelty print, panel, or that fabric that you just can’t stand to cut!

As usual, these are all great classes as well. Why not give them a try? These patterns are due to arrive the middle of May so order them now!

A Flock of Flying Geese

Posted on April 29, 2018 by Penny Haren

The Creative Grids Ultimate Flying Geese ruler is one of our top selling tools. This little beauty, designed by Deb Heatherly, creates flying geese in eight different sizes. Deb has used it in a multitude of ways to create thirteen different patterns in her new book – The Ultimate Flying Geese book.

Can you find the flying geese units in these quilts???

The design possibilities are endless!

Diamonds ARE a Girl’s Best Friend

Posted on April 26, 2018 by Penny Haren

Krista Moser – the creator of the newest member of the Creative Grids family – is one talented lady! This sixty degree diamond tool has triple the punch – cut hexies, sixty degree triangles AND diamonds up to 16 1/2″. Now that is a lot of bang for your buck!

These two Cut Loose Press patterns are darling and showcase the different features of the tool. Hexie Hot Air Baloons is made out of hexies and trapezoids. Woven Jewelbox is so simple since it is created entirely from 2 1/2″ strips.

Look at the diversity and design possibilities Krista has created.

I already made the Jewelbox ..it is so much fun I can’t wait to start another one. How to choose???

Finally – Great Ruler Storage

Posted on March 30, 2018 by Penny Haren

Annie Unrein to the rescue! We all have been looking for a great way to store – and carry – our rulers. This ruler wrap is perfect!

In your sewing room, it is designed to hang on the back of a door in all of its 72″ glory. There is a multitude of pockets to hold the rulers AND a pocket designed to hold a cutting mat.

It can be folded up to two sizes – one if you are transporting a mat and the other for rulers.

What a great basis for a class! Machine quilt the foundation, learn how to insert zippers, use mesh, bind units, install hardware…okay a series of classes!

Drunkard’s Path Blocks Made Easy

Posted on March 26, 2018 by Penny Haren

Karla Alexander, one of the designers of the Creative Grids Circle Savvy ruler, has come up with a way to cut the two units most commonly used in Drunkard’s Paths – with very little waste! Watch this Equal Exchange Tutorial:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgowwTaWjlo

In the Cut Loose Press pattern, Equal Exchange, Karla uses this technique to create a beautiful table runner from a charm pack with very little waste. One charm pack – one table runner – who could ask for an easier project to kit! But this technique can be used with any size squares up to 15″.

This 16 x 40 inch table runner can be the foundation of a perfect demo – especially when they know there is a video to refresh their memory when they get home!

Have a sewing machine set up as well so they can actually sew a curve. For tips on how to do that, watch her video on sewing curves:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4WFZIU-vyw

Remove the intimidation factor so you can introduce them to a whole new world of quilting! The Circle Savvy tool has tons of companions – just scroll down to the bottom of the page!

Piano Key Border the Easy Way

Posted on March 22, 2018 by Penny Haren

At Creative Grids, we pride ourselves on creating versatile tools with a variety of uses. Using the centering lines on our rectangles to create piano key borders is a perfect example of this.

This is a fast and easy demo that everyone loves. Watch this Piano Key Video and see how easy it is?

//youtu.be/dkYNvzZbnRA

In this video, I show you how to create 360 inches of 3/4″ finished piano key border from one jelly roll using our 2-1/2″ wide rectangles – available in a 12-1/2″ or 18-1/2″ length (CGR212 or CGR218)

The width of the keys is the same width as the Creative Grids 6″ Log Cabin Trim Tool.

If you want to make different widths, here is the math: Multiply the finished width of the piano key by two and then add one inch.

In the video, the logs finished to 3/4″. Multiply 3/4″ x 2 (1 1/2″). Add one inch. The strips are cut 2-1/2″.

Want 1″ finished piano keys? Multiply 1″ x 2 (2″) and add an inch. The strips should be cut to 3″.

When you have a few extra minutes in a class, why not share this technique? Be sure to have plenty of the rulers on hand because everyone will want one!

The Latest from Saginaw Street Quilts

Posted on March 12, 2018 by Penny Haren

Karla Alexander of Saginaw Street Quilts has a quirky style that is instantly recognizable. Her newest patterns are no exception. Whether she is working in curves, angles, or straight lines – her influence shines through!

I love her own descriptions for her patterns. She has a way of removing the intimidation factor and make me believe that I can do it too!

If you’re feeling a little rebellious and on the run from the Quilt Police, this is the perfect quilt for you! You can break a few rules and make up some new ones along the way with this “go to method” for making blocks that you’ll use again and again. Create blocks that weave over and under one another in ribbons of different colors and explore different ways to manipulate your block. Follow the pattern instructions step by step or change it up along the way – it’s your call.

Inversion is based on a variety of light and dark 10 inch squares. I used white and gray prints for my light and a mix of green, turquoise and dark gray for my dark. Fabric requirements are listed for yardage as well as “By the Square” (IF you have a stash).

The twirling swirling blocks for this quilt are made from a mix of two contrasting prints. I used a light background with orange arcs, however a dark background with light arcs would also work. The arcs are long and gentle which makes them very easy to sew. You could also work from your stash (if you have one) and make each block a different color.

This quilt was created with Karla’s Oval Always ruler by Creative Grids.

If this name – and style – sound familiar, this is the same gal that brought us the Crazy Christmas Tree:

Karla has a way of removing the intimidation factor so order these patterns today!

Angela Walters and the FMQ Challenge

Posted on February 24, 2018 by Cindy Abdoo

With the release of her new Creative Grids® machine quilting tools, Angela Walters now has four of the top seven notions on the Checker Distributors website! That isn’t just CGR rulers folks – that is ALL of the notions, all 11,985 of them! Now that is saying something! And it couldn’t happen to a nicer person!

Angela has put together a Free Motion Challenge – FMQ Challenge – Week One

This series of free classes teaches you how to free motion quilt in a series of simple steps. Each week she will teach you how to do two techniques – simple designs such as meandering and a second technique that builds on what you have already learned to create the awe factor.

The top that she is using for her demonstration is made with the Creative Grids® Perfect Rectangle Tool.

The quilt top is very simple and sewn from light fabrics. Remember – you are using this top to learn how to machine quilt so you want to be able to see your stitching. This time, the machine quilting is the star!

Angela also recommends some other products: Machingers are gloves that have grips on the tips and breathe so your hands don’t perspire. Titanium needles are strong and don’t break as easily, and last but not least – the Super Slider that helps glide the quilt through the machine.

Free Motion Challenge Week Two is already available!

Quilts with Style in an Afternoon

Posted on February 18, 2018 by Cindy Abdoo

Gudrun Erla of GE Designs taught and had a booth at Road to California just around the corner from where I was demonstrating Creative Grids®. I love her patterns – and these newest additions to her pattern line. Her pattern covers are always well done but to see these quilts in person – WOW!

A video showing how to make Kira has been all over Facebook. It is the perfect example of how Gudrun’s designs look complicated but are quick, easy and fun!

Lexie creates an optical illusion when pieced. And Stormy Windows is a variation of a sixteen patch – but this time the patches are rectangles! The geometric shapes are perfect for guys and girls. Kira and Lexie use 10″ squares. Steamy Windows is made from fat quarters.

All of these quilts were cut with the Creative Grids Stripology Squared ruler.

Gudrun has also created ruler stickers that reduce the intimidation factor when trimming these blocks to size. Use the arrows to mark exactly where you need to cut. And, when needed, mark the first, second and even third cuts with different colors of arrows.

Her patterns are easy to follow and guarantee success every time!

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