Cats Cradle Magnified

Posted on August 12, 2018 by Penny Haren

You asked – we listened. Everyone loves the original Creative Grids® Cats Cradle Tool. You can make 1 1/2″ to 4″ and every half inch in between.

The XL size increases the options up to 8 inches – and once again, you never cut a triangle!

Deb Heatherly, the creator of this crowd-pleaser, is releasing a book of eight different designs later this month.

In the meantime, enjoy these Cut Loose Press patterns that she designed as well:

Illusionary Runner

Blue Skies and Sunshine

Big Cats Little Cats

Its Sew Easy

Raspberry Stars

Cornucopia

Lavender Fields is a full-size pattern by Christine Van Buskirk which includes multiple sizes.

With all of these possibilities, the question is which one to do first???

Poppins Bag could hold Mary!

Posted on June 15, 2018 by Penny Haren

I have seen the actual bag – and couldn’t believe how big it is. It literally will hold a queen size quilt AFTER quilting! It is a great weekender bag, a retreat bag, a beach bag (with enough room for towels, sunscreen, and books for the entire family) or anything you want!

The pattern comes with structural stays so the top pops open – and stays open until you want to close it!

The sides of the bag are stabilized with In-R-Form so it will maintain its shape. It uses a 30″ zipper By Annie which comes in a multitude of colors and has two zipper pulls.

Carol uses a placemat to stabilize the base – which is 12″ x 18″.

Start with quilted fabric or quilt your own – which is another great class. This was quilted in straight lines – a great use for the Creative Grids Slim quilting tool designed by Angela Walters.

I talked to several people who have made the bag and many said that it went together so easy that they were making more! Now that is a testament to a great bag!

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.

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!

New from GE Designs

Posted on October 28, 2017 by Penny Haren

Gudrun Erla of GE Designs just released her new patterns – and they are stunning! Two feature the Stripology Squared ruler by Creative Grids® and uses 10″ squares. Welcome the new girls to town!

And two feature fat quarters and the Creative Grids® Stripology ruler. Both of these quilts would be great options for the men in your life – and would be great in sports colors.

And, all the patterns include instructions for multiple sizes. They are all spectacular so you know you want them all!

Celebrate the Holidays with Creative Grids

Posted on October 26, 2017 by Penny Haren

Need demos for that holiday open house? We’ve got you covered. There are excellent Cut Loose Press™ patterns that feature Creative Grids® rulers that will have your customers making multiples for gifts as well.

Capiz Lanterns looks like a modern version of our favorite tree ornament. It is oh so simple to make with the Oval Always tool by Karla Alexander.