Category Archives: Checker Exclusives

Crazy Christmas Tree Farm

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I love the Crazy Christmas Tree! It has three of my favorite things – it is fast, fun, and the perfect gift! I have made and taught this multiple times in a multitude of fabrics. Use two backgrounds, two tree colors, the same tree color, or eight different colors. The truth is I never saw a tree that I didn’t like!

Therefore, I was thrilled to see that Karla Alexander has expanded on this technique to make an entire quilt! The Tree Farm uses groups of color to create a stunning quilt. The backgrounds of one tree create a tree in another block! The lights and darks are simply stunning!

This quilt measures 52″ x 66″ so a Shannon Cuddle at 60″ wide is the perfect backing!

Both patterns take the Creative Grids Spiderweb tool so you get more bang for your buck! Order them now so you can start your quilt as soon as the pattern arrives and have it done in plenty of time for Christmas! The really is a day project!

Block of the Month or a Weekend

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I love everything this gal does! Krista Moser has so much talent and personality – she is destined to be a rock star in our industry! Just look at what she has created with her new Creative Grids®  60 Degree Diamond Ruler!

This quilt combines the techniques that are featured in many of her patterns and removes the intimidation factor. Each diamond pattern is repeated twice and takes just a few hours.

Why not feature this at your next retreat? Share a technique, give them a few hours to sew….repeat! Better yet – invite Krista to teach at your shop or guild. Contact her at The Quilted Life. Her personality lights up a room. And, she loves to share her knowledge of quilting and longarming. What a combination! The pattern is due to arrive in September so order now!

Cats Cradle Magnified

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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???

Meet Taj, Chevy, and Elvira from Angela Walters and Creative Grids®

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Let’s keep this simple and let Angela tell you about her latest machine quilting templates in her own words: Inspired by the dome of the Taj Mahal, Taj is perfect for quilting curvy, pointed arcs on your quilts. This versatile tool can be used in all areas of your quilt, including borders, blocks, and backgrounds.

This tool does double duty! Quilt along the outside to create:

  • Pointed arches in borders
  • Overlapping arcs

Rotate to quilt complex looking motifs Work along the inside of the tool to create:

  • A leafy allover design – Leaves in a row for thinner borders
  • Rotate to quilt flower-like motifs for blocks By combining the inside and outside, or alternating directions, you can come up with endless quilting possibilities.

Visit our website to watch Angela quilt her magic! Click on the Product video button on each item detail page,

Meet Elvira, your new favorite curvy ruler!

She not only looks beautiful, she’s quite handy when quilting wavy lines or continuous curve lines. Elvira can quilt multiple arcs in multiple directions without rotating your quilt (or working from the back of your foot)!

Use her for:

  • Quilting continuous curve blocks (2” squares are her specialty!)
  • Adding a series of curves along a row of blocks
  • Quilting all sides of a square, no matter what foot you use!

Meet Chevy, a machine quilting ruler from Creative Grids®, and designed by Angela Walters. Chevy is a little pointy, a little curvy, and very versatile. With both a straight side and a curvy side, there are so many ways that this tool can help you improve your quilting!

Use the straight side for:

  • Stitching in the ditch and echoing
  • Turning the corner without rotating the ruler
  • Echo two sides of a block easily without marking the pivot point
  • Adding chevron designs all over a quilt, or as a border
  • Crosshatching is now a breeze!

Use the curvy side for:

  • Adding a subtle, curvy line
  • Stitching offset, rounded rectangles by changing direction
  • Creating a modern, all over wavy design
  • Fun quilt motifs for blocks
  • Segmenting borders

This gal is the complete package! She even convinced me that I could machine quilt – and I actually can with her tools. Why don’t you give it a try???

Diamonds Are this Girl’s Best Friend

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Remember the name Krista Moser because she is going to be a superstar! This gal has it all, talent, color sense, marketing sense – and the most important of all of the senses – common sense! When a relatively new designer has four patterns in the top 100, I take notice – and you should too!

Krista designed the Creative Grids® newest 60-degree Diamond ruler. This Cut Loose Press™ pattern is so simple, even I could make it. It is all done out of 2-1/2″ strips which makes it easy to market!

Or choose this simple Cut Loose Press™ baby quilt that features the hexie aspect of the tool:

Many of you are already kitting and teaching the Aztec Table Runner which can be made with the 60-degree aspect of the tool as well.

Once you know how to use the ruler, these patterns are a piece of cake. They look like you worked really hard but are actually week-end projects once you know her techniques!

And here is the star of the show – the Creative Grids® 60-degree Diamond Ruler:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why not start a series of classes, showcasing a different element of the tool each month? Your customers will love you for it!

Atkinson Designs Has a Point!

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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.

Diamonds ARE a Girl’s Best Friend

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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???

The Latest from Saginaw Street Quilts

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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

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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

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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!