Half Rectangles are the Rage

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Sheila Christensen fell in love with the Creative Grids® Perfect Rectangle Ruler (CGTMT3) and the results have been amazing!

Garden Party features half rectangles separated with tiny sashings and corner posts that create a stunning secondary pattern.

Diamond Glow is gorgeous in sophisticated fabrics or would be great as a baby quilt – kites anyone?

Dancing with the Stars is a beautiful quilt or table runner. The perfect rectangles create a secondary design in the sashings.

Eclipse Runner also uses the Creative Grids Triangle Squared (CGRTMT2). This table runner gives the illusion of curves with straight lines.

Sheila will be demonstrating in Demo Alley and in the Creative Grids® booth at Spring Market. Stop by and see her make magic!

Digitized Prints

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Nostalgia is the name of the game with these gorgeous digitized prints from David Textiles. Each of these prints measures 36 inches so there are 15 panels per bolt. Add a pieced border to make a great throw in a matter of hours! A picture is worth a thousand words, so in this case, the pictures speak for themselves!

These nature prints are stunning as well. The crisp clean colors make them come to life.

Need some inspiration? Check out the possibilities in these two panel books. The panels and books would make a great display.

These panels are a Checker exclusive so place your orders by June 30, 2019.

Info at your Fingertips!

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I was so excited to see my new Pocket Guide with Landauer on the Checker site today! Due out in September, it is a compilation of all of those helpful hints that I share when I am teaching and lecturing. Sue Voetglin – a dear friend and editor of my books – assisted in a class I taught in Des Moines a few years back. When the class was over, she said you need to write that stuff down – and a pocket guide was born!

When I am at shows, I am constantly asked about different interfacings as well. The product choices have exploded for a gal who remembers when they created Wonder Under! Kristine Poor of Poorhouse Designs is the gal the industry calls when they are developing new products. She creates new and dynamic ways to incorporate them into projects everyone loves. So, when Landauer was looking for someone to write a pocket guide in this specialty, of course they called Kristine!

Both of these guides will join the family in September and are great additions to their other titles:

These are available as counter displays as well. Check our website for details!

Zen Chic Blues

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The true test of a designer is someone who has their own sense of style. As soon as you see the quilt, you know who did it without even looking at the name. Brigitte Heitland of Zen Chic is such a designer. And, her designs cross generations.

Case in point – Stitched Denim! This 65 inch square quilt is a perfect throw size and who doesn’t love 50 shades of blue???

London Blues reminds me of the subway tiles that are so popular now. What a dramatic statement – with plenty of room to show off some machine quilting! I can’t wait to see it at Market!



Blue Labyrinth is a stunning take on a half log cabin block. By making the “logs” different widths, it almost gives the illusion of curves.

And then there is Groovin’ – a modern take on the arcs of a traditional wedding ring.

She has also written two booklets – The Basic Series. Each one has a variety of projects that focus on a specific technique. Log Cabin Fun explores her take on this oh so traditional block!

All of these are due to arrive later this month so order them now!

Sassafras Lane Critters

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This is one those books that you will pull out again and again. These 32 critters – each with their own personality – are combined in an amazing quilt.

They also give directions for a churn dash pillow so each little guy can stand on his own.

Can’t you see these guys framed as a grouping iin a nursery, the flap of a diaper bag, placemats for a special day? Basically, add a touch of whimsy to any project when you want to add a smile!

These gals love their accessories so they are releasing a pattern for the Natasha Tote as well. This tote is made from lined cork fabric, leather or vinyl so it doesn’t have to be lined and holds everything!

The pattern and book are both expected to arrive later this month. I can’t wait!

Main Stream Modern

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Erin Underwood is one of those designers who can create dramatic quilts that appeal to all ages. Basically, they appeal to everyone! And, as a quilt teacher and shop owner, her designs are full of learning opportunities.

Star Studded is a perfect example of a quilt that would be a great block of the month. The stars showcase several different techniques to make a stunning quilt.

Hexology is another design that can be broken down into a block of the month.

Over Under Weaving Wonder is a stunning quilt whether you choose a light or dark background. Plus there is a great space for dramatic quilting.

Continuity can be made with a background accent fabric along with your favorite fabric strips.

These pillows have texture built right in – just fold the strips and let the fun begin. There are two options – couch and bed size!

All of these patterns are due in this month so start planning your classes accordingly!

Diamonds are your Friend

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Especially if you are using the Creative Grids® 60 degree Diamond ruler developed by Krista Moser. The three new releases for Spring Market will show why this ruler is a necessity. There are 20 patterns to support it – and that number just keeps growing!

Check out these beauties – one is more stunning than the next! Strike up the band – the parade is coming to town and Summer Bunting is the perfect summer choice! 2-1/2″ strips never looked so good!

Finley and Friends is the perfect quilt for that little fisherman in your life – or any Dory fans. The strip pieced fish and pieced background add texture and interest to a fun quilt.

Both of these quilts will be in stock this month. Entangled Sky is already here – again a strip friendly masterpiece that just requires two different blocks!

There are so many ways to use this ruler – which one to choose first????

Atkinson Designs

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The versatility of Terry’s latest patterns says it all! She is so diverse in her talents, whether it is bags, table runners, or sampler quilts, yet as soon as I saw the pics, I knew she designed them.

Letter ZIP! is a perfect example. The name is perfect, the pic draws you in, and the letters make you think of the first or last initial of every friend. After all, we want the cutest letters! And, of course, this is the perfect class to show how to insert those Atkinson zippers the easy way – Terry’s way

Terry’s designs always add that awe factor – just that little something that makes her designs stand out! In Simple Sack, she includes tabs on the sides so the bag will fit on the metal stands at the grocery. And, they collapse for easy storage.

Desert Stars includes two possibilities. Don’t you love the way the stars float into the border???

And then there is her Sampler quilt which includes the cover quilt along with nine projects that expand on the blocks featured in the quilt. The photography is amazing, showing step by step illustrations of many of the techniques explored in the blocks.

I have even heard that this project – which would be a great Block of the Month program for shops – features Creative Grids® rulers! It just gets better and better! Everything is due to arrive in May, just in time for shop hop season!

Get Organized with Poorhouse Designs

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Kristine Poor is one of my favorite designers. She knows how to use all of those specialty interfacings, etc. that tend to intimidate me. But her instructions are so well done that she eliminates the intimidation factor so truly anyone can do it!

Her Scalloped Baskets pattern is made with pre-cut Bosal. The pattern includes instructions to make three different scalloped bins using Bosal’s pre-cut Scalloped Placemats or Scalloped Squares. They are reversible, can be pieced or made from a solid piece of fabric, and can even be quilted!

What a great shower gift – filled with everything the new mother will need, of course! They are due to arrive this month so don’t forget to order the foundations as well.