Kathreen Ricketson has come out with a phenomenal new quilting book called Little Bits Quilting Bee. All the quilts in the book are made out of charm squares, jelly rolls, layer cakes, and fat quarters. If you think I’m talking about delicious pastries you are not that far off. Although those are all names for packs of fabrics, sewers ooo and ahh over them like kids in a candy store. I know I have drooled over a jelly roll, but had no reason to buy such a delicacy.

The book is beautiful, the designs are young and graphic, and the directions are thorough. That is practically a given when you pair Kathreen + Chronicle books. But lets get to the fun bit: choosing fabrics. I picked a favorite quilt from each of the four categories in the book and then stood staring in front of the giant wall of fabric that is the internet.

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LAYER CAKE: pre-cut 10 in./25 cm squares that usually come in packs of 40

I think the sunny day mat is the perfect project to make for your best friend who is finally having a baby. I would love to do it mostly in navy and white (because she will of course know babies love looking at high contrast colors), then play around with some beautiful blue and white hand printed fabrics for the inner circle and all those prairie points!

1. brushstrokes in teal
2. blue jars fabric
3. huts handprinted fabric
4. organic cotton block printed fabric
5. weave hand screenprinted fabric

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CHARM SQUARES: packs of pre-cut 5 in/12 cm squares

Cloud song is everyone’s favorite quilt from the book. Maybe because it’s gray and cold outside right now, but I think this quilt would be amazing with a blue/gray color scheme. Wouldn’t some liberty of london prints make a lovely sky? Look it there, they sell a charm square pack that is just perfect.

1. blues for you fat quarter stack
2. liberty of london muted palette charm squares
3. kona shades of gray and charcoal scraps

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FAT QUARTERS:  a quarter of a yard measuring about 18 x 22 in/46 x 56 cm

I love the Garnets and Gold quilt in the book mostly because I reminds me of my first quilt, but also because it’s so stinking cheery. Done in vintage floral sheets, you couldn’t help but be happy making it–and sleeping under it!

• pick your own sheet fat quarter bundle

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 JELLY ROLL: pre-cut 2 1/2 in/6cm strips of fabric cut selvage to selvage

I would love to tone down the rainbowness of this bold quilt with some muted, hand dyed fabric. Actually, while I was looking around the internet for fabrics I found it very difficult to find handmade fabrics made up into packs like this–jelly rolls were by far the hardest to find. If there are any screen printers or other fabric makers out there–here is your niche! Quilters are crazy for fabric. Cra. Zy. And I’m betting they would love make a quilt from your hand printed goodness.

1. cool fall leaves hand dyed jelly roll
2. hand dyed cotton jelly roll, AUTUMN

As a little treat I have one book to giveaway! So leave something lovely in the comments and I’ll pick a winner tomorrow evening. Good luck! And follow along on the book tour to see more lovely quilts from Little Bits Quilting Bee.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Wednesday, November 9 – luvinthemommyhood & Elsie Marley
Thursday, November 10 – True Up
Friday, November 11 – House on Hill Road & CraftyPod

Monday, November 14 – Handmade by Alissa & Hello My Name Is Heather
Tuesday, November 15 – West Coast Crafty & Foxy Art Studio
Wednesday, November 16 – Patch Andi & The Last Piece
Thursday, November 17 – In Color Order & Duo Fiberworks
Friday, November 18 – Kristin La Flamme & Camp Follower Bags & Quilts

Monday, November 21 – Quilt Dad
Tuesday, November 22 – Pat Sloan & Pleasant Home

I don’t really wear much jewelry, but I’ve always wanted to try my hand at whipup’s assignments. And this month the theme is fiber jewelry. The only things other than my wedding ring that I wear are bracelets, so I made myself a bracelet. It is basically just a pleated strip of fabric (there may be a special name for this kind of pleat, I don’t know, but if you do please let me know) with a ribbon as a tie. Infinitely customizable and easy to whip up–it would be quick to make to match an outfit before going out. Not that I ever go out. But you do, so here’s a tutorial.

First measure your wrist, then multiply that by 2.5

Cut a large rectangle of fabric that is 4inches by (wrist measurement x 2.5)

fold it in half the long way (hot dog style), right sides facing, and sew down the long edge leaving the ends open.

Turn the resulting tube right side out, fold it in half so the seam is in the middle and press.

Starting about and inch from the raw edge, make one accordion fold one way and press, then another the other way and press, continuing until you’ve used the entire strip. Don’t worry about making them perfectly even–variation in size makes the bracelet interesting.

Pin the pleats in place and (carefully) try the bracelet on. Snip the ends off if it is too long, fiddle with the pleats if it is too small. When the bracelet is the right length, tuck the ends under and sew the opening shut.

Then tack down all the pleats with a long stitch. Go slowly!

Sew a pretty ribbon on top of the stitching you just did, leaving a couple inches at each end to tie a bow.

Put it on and your ready to go.

You could use a button and elastic loop for a closure, or button and button hole, or snap, or whatever you think would work. Even faster and a little more girly, is a ruffle bracelet. Just a strip of fabric (I used linen and left the edges raw) with a ribbon or some lace down the middle.

so there you go: my first whiplash entry and my first tutorial all rolled in one.